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)

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,

"Raptor" wrote in message
...

[newsgroups trimmed]

[...]

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.

Another Russian roulette player!

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.

There are millions of very stupid drivers on the roads of the U.S. Any idiot
at all can get a driver's license. I have seen so many cyclists in really
horrible accidents with motor vehicles that I am fearful of riding my bike
on any number of heavily trafficked roads. You NEVER want to be on a two
lane major highway with no shoulder. Damn it, I said NEVER and I meant
NEVER!

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.

Very wise of you to pick roads with shoulders upon which to ride.

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.

It is really quite amazing how we count on drivers to watch out for us.
However, I know the world's dumbest driver. Every time he gets behind the
wheel, there is an going to be an accident down the road. Believe me, you do
not want to be anywhere near this dolt when he is driving his car.

A cyclist should always prefer traffic free streets. Even if it means you
have to go slower, you will likely live longer. A cyclist who likes to mix
with traffic is not long for this world.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

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?

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.

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.

"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.

Edward Dolan wrote:
"Raptor" wrote in message
...

[newsgroups trimmed]

Not sufficiently! Who are all you monkeys with keyboards?
[...]

Read the rec.bicycles FAQ, do what it says, and pick the ONE newsgroup
your "discussion" belongs in.

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
*****************************

donquijote1954 said in rec.autos.driving:


bitch slap

Edward Dolan wrote:
"Raptor" wrote in message
...

[newsgroups trimmed]

[...]

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.

Another Russian roulette player!

http://www.lalatimes.com/weird/index...ec26b32b631c78

http://makeashorterlink.com/?X53023B8D

(Sinkhole swallows man relaxing in his living room, killing him.)

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.

There are millions of very stupid drivers on the roads of the U.S. Any idiot
at all can get a driver's license. I have seen so many cyclists in really
horrible accidents with motor vehicles that I am fearful of riding my bike
on any number of heavily trafficked roads. You NEVER want to be on a two
lane major highway with no shoulder. Damn it, I said NEVER and I meant
NEVER!

In a race with traffic control, such roads are lovely.

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.

Very wise of you to pick roads with shoulders upon which to ride.

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.

It is really quite amazing how we count on drivers to watch out for us.
However, I know the world's dumbest driver. Every time he gets behind the
wheel, there is an going to be an accident down the road. Believe me, you do
not want to be anywhere near this dolt when he is driving his car.

A cyclist should always prefer traffic free streets. Even if it means you
have to go slower, you will likely live longer. A cyclist who likes to mix
with traffic is not long for this world.

That's the theory, at least. I've been mixing it up with traffic in a
few locales for two decades without a major incident.

--
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,