On Aug 4, 7:05 pm, Kenneth O'Brien wrote:
On Aug 4, 2010, at 2:35 PM, Willie Hunt wrote:

You justify your “one sized fits all” argument

Actually you have that exactly backwards. My way of looking at it incorporates the varying capabilities of the public.

Few to no drivers have the Kreskin/Uri Gellar-like mental/psychic powers to can first: divine that someone approaching behind is either a homicidal maniac or so outrageously incompetent that they have missed seeing a predictable visible bicyclist in the road ahead along a roadway leg; then second: can Obiwan-Kenobi-predict exactly which last instant emergency response will avoid this menace; and finally: can Maverick/Goose/Top-Gun perform that maneuver in the blink of an eye.

Because the full population of drivers includes a wide spread, I want to build into the system - and build into education about the system - the margin represented by everybody devoting all their attention forward whenever they can. I don't want everybody doing 360 degree continual scans (or as His Highness would have it, maybe - 4pi steradian continual scans [since I suspect he might want me to continually scan for volcanic eruptions at my feet as well as bottles from above.]) I don't want folks in the full population of drivers/bicyclists tricked into thinking they are Kreskin, Uri Gellar, Obiwan Kenobi or Maverick. I want them to recognize that often, they are just Gus... not very bright... not at the top of their (or most anybody else's) physical game... and they need all the margin we can give them - Meaning devoting their attention where it is needed when it is needed only.

But I do know that “wasted mental
processing” is not a waste for me, nor does it stress me out. In fact
the opposite is true. If I do not watch what’s going on behind me
then I get stressed out.

There is a difference between the bliss of injecting heroin, and not stressing/fatiguing your your physical capabilities - especially during a task in a potentially dangerous system that needs you neither stressed/fatigued nor blissed out on an opiate.

I recognize it is hard to get past the idea that you have little or no power to protect yourself from the homicidal maniac or the truly grossly incompetent. But I recommend you and Serge get past the illusion you can control such a thing. recognizing this is liberating and likely will help your (and everybody else's, because you are not wasting your attention where it is not needed, and you therefore represent less of a hazard for the rest of us) safety level.

I suspect your lack of respect for the " targeted/focused attention where it is needed when it is needed" idea goes a long way towards explaining why you don't understand you do your students a great injustice when you refuse to educate them that bikelanes are a bad idea.

Ken

The problem is cyclists are the easiest target for road rage. And
there's a lot of it out there. Luckily most of the time it doesn't
lead to a bloody incident, but just to spoiling the day for the
cyclist.

(I quote)

Ranking No. 1 was Orlando, Fla., of all places.

"Yes, Orlando, home of the Magic Kingdom and mandated happiness," the
Men's Health article on the survey said. "Who knows? Maybe living in
Goofyville wears thin after 35 years."

Following Orlando were St. Petersburg, Fla.; Detroit; Baltimore;
Nashville; Wilmington, Del.; Miami; Memphis; Jacksonville; and St.
Louis.

But what about Los Angeles with its freeway traffic jams and high-
pressure lifestyles? They're way down at No. 36.

And how about New York City, where the rush is constant, the crowds
are crushing, and the high rents, small spaces and busy schedules can
make for plenty of stress? The Big Apple isn't even in the top 50.
They come in at No. 57.

http://cbs2chicago.com/watercooler/c...2.1834103.html

***

NYC which is known as the "asphalt jungle" is down at #50. The Deep
Jungle is elsewhere.

I think we should bring the National Guard out (or back from Iraq and
Afghanistan).