I ride and drive, and it's really very simple: A cyclist on the
road isn't riding IN traffic, they ARE traffic, and should behave as
such. I stop at red lights and stop signs because not doing so has a
damn good chance of getting you killed, and you're entirely to blame if
it does.
Cycling on the road is not dangerous, either to me or to
other road users, because I treat it as the dangerous activity it is,
obey the rules, and look where I'm going. Most car drivers do too. When
I've nearly been hit, it was down to someone either not seeing me, or
not paying enough attention to realise I was doing 30+mph when they did
see me coming.
I see a lot of other cyclists who ignore red lights
and stop signs, and you can call me a heartless bastard if you want,
but I'm really not bothered if they get creamed by a truck when they do.
You have a responsibility for your own safety, take charge of it.
You
want to know something interesting about acting like every other
vehicle on the road when I'm cycling rather than thinking I can do
whatever I please? I have never been involved in a single altercation or
incident of road rage. Ever. In more than ten years and thousands of
miles. Funny that.
Now, as for the video of the bus hitting the
cyclist, there is no excuse for that. It doesn't matter how the cyclist
behaved, or what he did, if you are so fucking childish as to think that
attempted murder (because that's what it is) represents a reasonable
solution to a disagreement, you should not be driving anything,
anywhere, ever.
The whole "Damn cyclists deserve it because they
don't obey the rules" is idiotic. If you see a guy on a bike run a red,
feel free to think "What a douche", just as you would if a car driver
did the same. But I don't give a badger's hairy noonoo for your sense of
fucking entitlement that says everyone should get out of your way
because you think your legal right to use the road is greater than
theirs. Grow up.
As a driver: Cyclists, if you are on the road, you are a vehicle. Fucking act like it.
As a cyclist: Drivers, don't think of cyclists like pedestrians, think of them as motorbikes with very small engines.
As
both: Critical Mass (because if it's not been brought up yet, someone
WILL mention it at some point) is still nothing but an excuse for a
bunch of selfish assholes to congratulate themselves on how wonderfully
selfish and assholier-than-thou they are.
In point of fact, as I posted on my blog, the last time I was harassed by a motorist, I happened to be stopped at a red traffic signal. Not much useful advce for me in the comment.
I too have been harassed for no good reason at all. But those are extreme rarities. That is a pretty balanced comment. Thanks for posting it, PM.
If there is an increase in obnoxious behavior out there, it ain't restricted to cycling. Whether it be road rage, Rush Windbaggery, screaming "you lie" at a President, (feel free to pen in the antics of the far left, too) or a host of other rude and pushy behavior, we have become a nation increasingly populated by bullies, blowhards and spoiled brats. I think that goes to the deeper problem. What is that circa 2,000 year old advice: do unto others as you would have them do unto you?
3 comments:
In point of fact, as I posted on my blog, the last time I was harassed by a motorist, I happened to be stopped at a red traffic signal. Not much useful advce for me in the comment.
Lovely! I especially like the "grow up!" bit.
I too have been harassed for no good reason at all. But those are extreme rarities. That is a pretty balanced comment. Thanks for posting it, PM.
If there is an increase in obnoxious behavior out there, it ain't restricted to cycling. Whether it be road rage, Rush Windbaggery, screaming "you lie" at a President, (feel free to pen in the antics of the far left, too) or a host of other rude and pushy behavior, we have become a nation increasingly populated by bullies, blowhards and spoiled brats. I think that goes to the deeper problem. What is that circa 2,000 year old advice: do unto others as you would have them do unto you?
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