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Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 9th 06, 07:24 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
donquijote1954
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 753
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!

(I hope you see the need for a separate thread where the focus is
strictly bikes. Well, you may occasionally launch your tirades against
bad drivers like these...)

This is my original post...

I know, you only dare ride a stationary bike, or perhaps you are breve
enough to bike to work, but do you still feel intimidated by traffic?
Well, it's like asking the bullfighter if he feels intimidated by the
beast, only that you are not looking for trouble and that the beast we
are facing can absolutely be tamed --if only the government cared.

So is the cyclist out there a bit of a bullfighter? Do you feel that
black SUV charging at you like a raging bull? Ole!

http://webspawner.com/users/bikeforpeace

***

And this is the first response it drew...

Funny, I was thinking about posting today about an encounter I had this
morning with a motorist. I have nothing against motorists and in fact
on the weekend when going out with the family, I am one myself. What I
do have a problem with is ignorance.

This morning I am on a four lane, one-way street, taking up a good
portion of the right lane when a car comes behind me and honks. I don't
yell, don't curse, don't flash any vulgar signs, but I do wave in a "go
around me" sort of manner. Car decides to do that, but while passing me
decides to slow down and tell me that I should move to the side. Keep
in mind that this guy has 3 other perfectly good lanes to use, but he
*really* needs to use the one that I am in.

Two seconds later the guy is stuck at a red light so I pull up next to
him and our little conversation went something like this.

ACE: Hey buddy, by law I am allowed to use the entire lane.
Motorist: You don't have a mirror though do you?
A: No, I am not required to have one.
M: Just b/c you are on a ten-speed does not make you as fast as a car.
A: It is not a ten-speed, it is a single-speed. (I was on my fixed gear
Schwinn)
M: Whatever, you need to move to the side.
A: I have a right to the lane by law.
M: The law does not mean $H**. Get out of here, just go to your job.
A: I don't have a job.
M: Get the F**K OUT OF HERE.

At that point, I just took off b/c the driver was getting hostile and I
was starting to get a bit sarcastic which happens when the conversation
turns a bit circular and facts are being ignored. For my safety and all
those involved I felt moving on at that point was the right move.

***

And finally my comment on the bad driver...

Not to be rude, but that guy deserved to eat banana, I mean a good
middle finger, even if written on the back of a t-shirt. Something like
this...

http:/cafepress.com/peacebanana

(I do wear it all the time. Call it PREEMPTIVE STRIKE)

Ads
  #2  
Old August 9th 06, 11:27 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
Raptor[_1_]
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Posts: 3
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!

donquijote1954 wrote:
> (I hope you see the need for a separate thread where the focus is
> strictly bikes. Well, you may occasionally launch your tirades against
> bad drivers like these...)
>
> This is my original post...
>
> I know, you only dare ride a stationary bike, or perhaps you are breve
> enough to bike to work, but do you still feel intimidated by traffic?
> Well, it's like asking the bullfighter if he feels intimidated by the
> beast, only that you are not looking for trouble and that the beast we
> are facing can absolutely be tamed --if only the government cared.
>
> So is the cyclist out there a bit of a bullfighter? Do you feel that
> black SUV charging at you like a raging bull? Ole!
>
> http://webspawner.com/users/bikeforpeace


A bullfighter... yeah, that works. Few drivers have spikes driven into
their groins to **** them off. Well, none do, but there are always
thousands of cars on the route, and the odds are a few of them feel a
bit "bullish." Other odds limit the chance that one of these will be in
your lane or crossing your path when it matters.

It takes a little bit of psychosis for someone to play chicken with a
completely defenseless cyclist. Thankfully, very few people are
psychotic, AND psychotic behind the wheel. The vast majority of motor
vehicle versus cyclist (as opposed to "person on a bike") are due to
errors in judgment or inattention, almost always on the part of the driver.

I pick routes with an eye for ample shoulder space. A wide usable
shoulder is armor for a bike rider. When the shoulder narrows or
disappears, I take the lane and hammer. It's a little like sidestepping
the charging bull.

I actually prefer a high-traffic, medium to high speed route through
town with many intersections and driveways. It's the main "cruising"
route, in fact. It means to me that drivers are always alert. I'm
counting on that alertness. The judgment errors are just par for the
course, and that's where the bullfighting comes in.

--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall
I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the
trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view,
the most insidious of traitors."
George H.W. Bush, April 16, 1999,
  #3  
Old August 10th 06, 12:40 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
Roger Zoul
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!

Raptor wrote:
:: It takes a little bit of psychosis for someone to play chicken with a
:: completely defenseless cyclist. Thankfully, very few people are
:: psychotic, AND psychotic behind the wheel. The vast majority of motor
:: vehicle versus cyclist (as opposed to "person on a bike") are due to
:: errors in judgment or inattention, almost always on the part of the
:: driver.

I wonder about the veracity of that last statement. What precentage of the
time is the error due to errors in judgment or inattention on the part of
the cyclist?


  #4  
Old August 10th 06, 03:59 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
StephanieM
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Posts: 1
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!


Roger Zoul wrote:
> Raptor wrote:
> :: It takes a little bit of psychosis for someone to play chicken with a
> :: completely defenseless cyclist. Thankfully, very few people are
> :: psychotic, AND psychotic behind the wheel. The vast majority of motor
> :: vehicle versus cyclist (as opposed to "person on a bike") are due to
> :: errors in judgment or inattention, almost always on the part of the
> :: driver.


Yes, I generally try to ride traffic free roads. It's preferrable, but
it isn't always possible. For me that means a 45 mile one way trip to
do this. My honest thoughts are it will be a quick death.

  #5  
Old August 10th 06, 04:35 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
donquijote1954
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 753
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!


Raptor wrote:
> donquijote1954 wrote:
> > (I hope you see the need for a separate thread where the focus is
> > strictly bikes. Well, you may occasionally launch your tirades against
> > bad drivers like these...)
> >
> > This is my original post...
> >
> > I know, you only dare ride a stationary bike, or perhaps you are breve
> > enough to bike to work, but do you still feel intimidated by traffic?
> > Well, it's like asking the bullfighter if he feels intimidated by the
> > beast, only that you are not looking for trouble and that the beast we
> > are facing can absolutely be tamed --if only the government cared.
> >
> > So is the cyclist out there a bit of a bullfighter? Do you feel that
> > black SUV charging at you like a raging bull? Ole!
> >
> > http://webspawner.com/users/bikeforpeace

>
> A bullfighter... yeah, that works. Few drivers have spikes driven into
> their groins to **** them off. Well, none do, but there are always
> thousands of cars on the route, and the odds are a few of them feel a
> bit "bullish." Other odds limit the chance that one of these will be in
> your lane or crossing your path when it matters.
>


Drivers are bullish when they don't have any sword hanging over them
for intimidating others. In that sense, the system allows that happen
by not taming the beast. If it was given the same priority as DUIs, we
would probably be much safer. At least we wouldn't have the bull
roaming free.

  #6  
Old August 10th 06, 06:37 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
Jack May
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Posts: 151
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!


"Roger Zoul" > wrote in message
...

> I wonder about the veracity of that last statement. What precentage of
> the time is the error due to errors in judgment or inattention on the part
> of the cyclist?


You didn't know that cyclist are perfect human beings with no faults and
make no mistakes as they always loudly proclaim :-)

That is why cyclist are inherently allowed to violate all traffic laws and
blame any problems on those evil other vehicles that are required to follow
the laws, just because they are evil.


  #7  
Old August 10th 06, 10:41 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
Raptor[_1_]
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Posts: 3
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!

Roger Zoul wrote:
> Raptor wrote:

The vast majority of motor
> :: vehicle versus cyclist (as opposed to "person on a bike") are due to
> :: errors in judgment or inattention, almost always on the part of the
> :: driver.
>
> I wonder about the veracity of that last statement. What precentage of the
> time is the error due to errors in judgment or inattention on the part of
> the cyclist?


Having no statistics - there probably being no statistics about such
things - my statement means exactly what I say it means. One doesn't
make the transformation from "person on a bike" to "cyclist" without
accruing some good judgment. But mistakes happen: I've struck two
vehicles on my bike, which is as many as have struck me.

I'm holding 'em to a draw, so far!

--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall
I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the
trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view,
the most insidious of traitors."
George H.W. Bush, April 16, 1999,
  #8  
Old August 10th 06, 10:42 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
donquijote1954
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 753
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!


Jack May wrote:
> "Roger Zoul" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > I wonder about the veracity of that last statement. What precentage of
> > the time is the error due to errors in judgment or inattention on the part
> > of the cyclist?

>
> You didn't know that cyclist are perfect human beings with no faults and
> make no mistakes as they always loudly proclaim :-)
>
> That is why cyclist are inherently allowed to violate all traffic laws and
> blame any problems on those evil other vehicles that are required to follow
> the laws, just because they are evil.


Let me see. The polluting SUV crowd is the Religious Right (judging by
their godly bumper stickers) and the frugal cyclists are the evil
people. Pollution is good and nature and peace are bad. Isn't that
Republican language what Orwell called "Newspeak" or something to that
effect?

  #9  
Old August 10th 06, 10:48 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
donquijote1954
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 753
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!


Raptor wrote:
> > I wonder about the veracity of that last statement. What precentage of the
> > time is the error due to errors in judgment or inattention on the part of
> > the cyclist?

>
> Having no statistics - there probably being no statistics about such
> things - my statement means exactly what I say it means. One doesn't
> make the transformation from "person on a bike" to "cyclist" without
> accruing some good judgment. But mistakes happen: I've struck two
> vehicles on my bike, which is as many as have struck me.
>
> I'm holding 'em to a draw, so far!


So the bullfighter has punched the bull in the head and the bull was
dead then and there.

I'm still more concerned about the cars and SUVs hitting me!

  #10  
Old August 10th 06, 11:57 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.autos.driving,alt.planning.urban,rec.bicycles.soc,rec.bicycles.rides
Roger Zoul
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default Do you feel intimidated by Traffic? Ole!

Raptor wrote:
:: Roger Zoul wrote:
::: Raptor wrote:
:: The vast majority of motor
::::: vehicle versus cyclist (as opposed to "person on a bike") are due
::::: to errors in judgment or inattention, almost always on the part
::::: of the driver.
:::
::: I wonder about the veracity of that last statement. What
::: precentage of the time is the error due to errors in judgment or
::: inattention on the part of the cyclist?
::
:: Having no statistics - there probably being no statistics about such
:: things - my statement means exactly what I say it means. One
:: doesn't make the transformation from "person on a bike" to "cyclist"
:: without accruing some good judgment.

Right...those that don't make the transformation (person-on-a-bike) don't
because they get flattened by a vehicle first (poor judgment). Those that
make it, are the ones called "cyclists" (good judgment).





 




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