Is It Just American Drivers . . .

emanon wrote:
I went out to burn some calories and run some errands today. I traveled
a road that is not closed to bicycles and has two car lanes in each
direction. I ride just to the left of the white line that separates the
breakdown lane from the road and have been riding on two wheels for a
long time, so bicycle weave is minimal, I'm used to traffic and I know
the rules of the road. This was not at a Prime Drive Time or a
particularly congested road, just a normal weekend afternoon.

In the space of five miles, I had no fewer than three drivers screaming
obscenities at me and showing me I'm in the lead . . . at least I
assume they were telling me I'm in the number one position :-{)} That
is not counting the number of cars that insisted on blasting horns at
me, seeing how close the could pass me by or otherwise showing
displeasure at my being on the road the same time they were. Mind you,
in all these cases the other lane was wide open and there was no other
obstacle on their Left. My response of smiling, saying "Hello" and
waving (with a FULL HAND) only seemed to irritate them more.

I admit I'm making a re-entry to cycling, but I don't remember things
being this bad previously! That is not to say I NEVER encountered an
unkind word, but this was a record day. Since the Internet is
international, I thought I'd take an informal poll to see if this is
confined to America or if it is a global phenomenon....

Spending half their paycheck to fill up the SUV makes them cranky.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

I went out to burn some calories and run some errands today. I traveled a
road that is not closed to bicycles and has two car lanes in each direction.
I ride just to the left of the white line that separates the breakdown lane
from the road and have been riding on two wheels for a long time, so bicycle
weave is minimal, I'm used to traffic and I know the rules of the road. This
was not at a Prime Drive Time or a particularly congested road, just a
normal weekend afternoon.

In the space of five miles, I had no fewer than three drivers screaming
obscenities at me and showing me I'm in the lead . . . at least I assume
they were telling me I'm in the number one position :-{)} That is not
counting the number of cars that insisted on blasting horns at me, seeing
how close the could pass me by or otherwise showing displeasure at my being
on the road the same time they were. Mind you, in all these cases the other
lane was wide open and there was no other obstacle on their Left. My
response of smiling, saying "Hello" and waving (with a FULL HAND) only
seemed to irritate them more.

I admit I'm making a re-entry to cycling, but I don't remember things being
this bad previously! That is not to say I NEVER encountered an unkind word,
but this was a record day. Since the Internet is international, I thought
I'd take an informal poll to see if this is confined to America or if it is
a global phenomenon.

For the record, in the past I've cycled some in Mexico, mostly Baja
California (Tecate / Ensenada, Mexicali / San Felipe, and up the coast to
Rosarita) and had very few problems with local drivers. YMMV, but it is a
start.

On Sat, 5 Jul 2008 19:46:02 -0500 in rec.bicycles.misc, "emanon"
wrote:

I admit I'm making a re-entry to cycling, but I don't remember things being
this bad previously! That is not to say I NEVER encountered an unkind word,
but this was a record day.

4th of July weekend. Too many cagers, too much beer.

emanon wrote:
I went out to burn some calories and run some errands today. I
traveled a road that is not closed to bicycles and has two car
lanes
in each direction. I ride just to the left of the white line that
separates the breakdown lane from the road and have been riding on
two wheels for a long time, so bicycle weave is minimal, I'm used
to
traffic and I know the rules of the road. This was not at a Prime
Drive Time or a particularly congested road, just a normal weekend
afternoon.
In the space of five miles, I had no fewer than three drivers
screaming obscenities at me and showing me I'm in the lead . . .
at
least I assume they were telling me I'm in the number one position
:-{)} That is not counting the number of cars that insisted on
blasting horns at me, seeing how close the could pass me by or
otherwise showing displeasure at my being on the road the same
time
they were. Mind you, in all these cases the other lane was wide
open
and there was no other obstacle on their Left. My response of
smiling, saying "Hello" and waving (with a FULL HAND) only seemed
to
irritate them more.
I admit I'm making a re-entry to cycling, but I don't remember
things
being this bad previously! That is not to say I NEVER encountered
an
unkind word, but this was a record day. Since the Internet is
international, I thought I'd take an informal poll to see if this
is
confined to America or if it is a global phenomenon.

Things aren't this bad in America. It's not that these things don't
happen, but they don't happen all over and 3 drivers in 5 miles --
well, I don't think I've had 3 asshole drivers all year.

But I'm not riding where you are. Are you in an area in which there
are practically no bicycles, even on a beautiful summer's day?

On Jul 5, 5:46 pm, "emanon" wrote:
I went out to burn some calories and run some errands today. I traveled a
road that is not closed to bicycles and has two car lanes in each direction.
I ride just to the left of the white line that separates the breakdown lane
from the road and have been riding on two wheels for a long time, so bicycle
weave is minimal, I'm used to traffic and I know the rules of the road. This
was not at a Prime Drive Time or a particularly congested road, just a
normal weekend afternoon.

In the space of five miles, I had no fewer than three drivers screaming
obscenities at me and showing me I'm in the lead . . . at least I assume
they were telling me I'm in the number one position :-{)} That is not
counting the number of cars that insisted on blasting horns at me, seeing
how close the could pass me by or otherwise showing displeasure at my being
on the road the same time they were. Mind you, in all these cases the other
lane was wide open and there was no other obstacle on their Left. My
response of smiling, saying "Hello" and waving (with a FULL HAND) only
seemed to irritate them more.

I admit I'm making a re-entry to cycling, but I don't remember things being
this bad previously! That is not to say I NEVER encountered an unkind word,
but this was a record day. Since the Internet is international, I thought
I'd take an informal poll to see if this is confined to America or if it is
a global phenomenon.

For the record, in the past I've cycled some in Mexico, mostly Baja
California (Tecate / Ensenada, Mexicali / San Felipe, and up the coast to
Rosarita) and had very few problems with local drivers. YMMV, but it is a
start.

Biker is seen as the hassle in US road. It is quite clearly that US
auto drivers
are more aggressive and non-concede than other drivers around the
world.
Other drive around the world is used to share lane with bikers so
their speed
is slower than US average driver speed. Simply, US road is designed
to drive
faster and they don't like share lane with biker.

"ZBicyclist" wrote in message
...
emanon wrote:
I went out to burn some calories and run some errands today. I
traveled a road that is not closed to bicycles and has two car lanes
in each direction. I ride just to the left of the white line that
separates the breakdown lane from the road and have been riding on
two wheels for a long time, so bicycle weave is minimal, I'm used to
traffic and I know the rules of the road. This was not at a Prime
Drive Time or a particularly congested road, just a normal weekend
afternoon.
In the space of five miles, I had no fewer than three drivers
screaming obscenities at me and showing me I'm in the lead . . . at
least I assume they were telling me I'm in the number one position
:-{)} That is not counting the number of cars that insisted on
blasting horns at me, seeing how close the could pass me by or
otherwise showing displeasure at my being on the road the same time
they were. Mind you, in all these cases the other lane was wide open
and there was no other obstacle on their Left. My response of
smiling, saying "Hello" and waving (with a FULL HAND) only seemed to
irritate them more.
I admit I'm making a re-entry to cycling, but I don't remember things
being this bad previously! That is not to say I NEVER encountered an
unkind word, but this was a record day. Since the Internet is
international, I thought I'd take an informal poll to see if this is
confined to America or if it is a global phenomenon.

Things aren't this bad in America. It's not that these things don't
happen, but they don't happen all over and 3 drivers in 5 miles -- well,
I don't think I've had 3 asshole drivers all year.

But I'm not riding where you are. Are you in an area in which there are
practically no bicycles, even on a beautiful summer's day?

I'm in Western PA and yes, we have a fair amount of bicycling activity on
the roads. My encounter that particular day was way higher than normal, but
I can usually count on one driver every other trip (rough average) that
insists bicycles have no place in the scheme of life.

We do have a local bicycle advocacy group . . . perhaps it's time to join
and help raise awareness.

I'd still like to get the opinion of bicyclists from other countries . . .