Open Season on Cyclists

[sspielman]

A couple of other threads have gotten me thinking about car/cyclist encounters. Here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, it is open season on cyclists. In what is otherwise a cycling heaven, there seems to be an EXTREME lack of willingness from the law enforcement establishment to take the dangers seriously. Several years ago, a cyclist was killed by a negligent teenager who made an illegal left turn at a traffic light. The accident was witnessed at the interesection by two people who were cyclists, but the district attorney disregarded their input, never called them, and chose not to prosecute the case! This Forum's own Len J was hit by a car a couple of years ago in this area as well.....(hello, Len)
Just two weeks ago, my neighbor was hit by a car while cycling on the shoulder of a road that is highly utilized by cyclists. The draiver obviously saw him, accelerated ahead and then made a right turn across his path. When the police came to the scene, one officer told the cyclist "You guys need to be off the road and exercising in the YMCA" !!!
Folks, the reality of the situation is that we are not very popular with the road utilizing public. More and more this attitude is manifesting itself in the form of selective non-enforcement. I have very little interest in becoming an activist; my goal as a cyclist is to be left alone. However, it is my opinion that drivers are more dangerous than ever even in rural areas such as this.

[Len J]

I have had two major Bike car collisions........

The first, a 70 YO backing his car out of a blind driveway, saw me at the last minute and panicked....hit the gas as opposed to the brake. The first time I saw him he was 2 ft in front of my tire (and I was going 20MPH). I ended up going over the bars, smashing into the side of the car and then landing from 6 ft in the air onto my butt. Broken collar bone, 2 broken ribs and a compression fracture of two vertabrae in my back. The worst of it was there was nothing I could have done different (except to not ride). It would have been easier (emotionally) if I'd done something wrong.

The second, a car turned in front of a Blacked out SUV I was riding inside of (on a bike lane) and I hit the tail end of it. No major injuries.

I now try to ride hyper vigilant for possible problems. I've avoided several this way.
My response to the other thread "cars hurt":
As to "taking the lane", and "I have a right to the lane" and other such drivel........I have two thoughts:

1.) You can be right and still dead! A car outweighs you by 3,000 lbs....and SUV by over 5,000 lbs.....I'd rather be alive than right.

2.) None of us like it but the truth is that there are more drivers than there are bikers. If we antagonize drivers enough (and believe me, in many cases our very presence on roads (especially roads with no shoulders) antagonizes drivers), we will lose the privlidge of riding on the roads. I guarantee that if you put it to a referrendum in most counties to ban cyclists from the roads, it would pass. What's my point? My point is that every action we take on the roads is either contributing to this antagonism or reducing it. Me, I go out of my way to be courtous, to acknowledge drivers that wait for me to pass (even if they are supposed to), to not run lights and rub it in drivers faces who have to wait, in other words to show as many drivers as possible that I not only appreciate being on the roads, but are sharing them responsibly. Rights have nothing to do with this.....we can be right but still banned.....and I don't want to ride on MUTS only.

Finally, it's easy to notice the a'hole drivers out there....they are in your face....but here is a challange for you. The next long ride you do, count the courteous drivers as well as the a'holes. My experience is that for every a'hole, there are at least 10 + courteous responsible drivers. I'm not suggesting you don't protect yourself from the a'holes, I'm just suggesting that you acknowledge the courteous ones....not all drivers are the enemy.

Len

Steve:

You raise some great points....however, I'm beginning to believe that if we want to continue to use the roads, we all are going to have to become activists. The response by the officer in your post shows that there is much work to be done. When the cyclist was killed on Rt 50, very few of us local cyclist lobbied the local authorities to prosicute the 16 YO responsible. The DA is an elected official, he is/will respond to political pressure.....we didn't apply it. The local Police are not as sensitive to this issue as they could be.....How do we get them there? I don't have the answers, but I do know that if we do nothing, the situitation is only going to deteriorate. Drivers hold all the cards.

I will say that when I had my accident, the person who was the loudest advocate for me was the sheriff who responded.........He made my life extremely easier. So there are some who understand.

Len

[Vancouverdave]

We all need to realize that there is a difference between "human being" and "motor vehicle operator" and ride accordingly, that cyclists share the roads with species of primate that is more aggressive and territorial than the human, along with inferior eyesight, hearing, and judgment.

[SGP]

I have never understood why some (a very small percentage, less than 2%) feel such outrage at the sight of a cyclist. Must be the Lycra. Or is it simply a Darwinist response towards our perceived weakness- we are not encased in 3000# of metal.
:fight:

[Tom]

that cause drivers to go nuts. Everything does. Other cars, whatever. People trying to do too much, maybe living lives that make them upset, you name it. Too bad, because nothing's worth going down that road.

Forgive me. I just read 'The Snow Leopard' by Peter Mathiessen. Good book. I hope my thinking stays changed.

[Dekonick]

As an interesting thought -

Our car is our territory. We are animals by nature, and when in our territory we become territorial. I presume that alot of the A-hole drivers are responding to several factors 1) They are not athletes or even interested in exercise. 2) they percieve anything that slows em down as a threat to their turf - 3) we wear sport specific clothing that looks - ahem - well... you get the picture (shaved legs don't help that perception - remember we are talking about primitive primates) and 4) often we hurt our own cause (riding two abrest on single lane roads does little to endear you to the driver of that 5000lb SUV)

as far as the cop that wouldnt do anything:

1) get cop's name
2) advise cop you are going to report him for not taking action
3) actually report him - and cc the report (letter) to the DA, the chief of police, mayor's office etc... - don't forget to include cop's attitude!

A letter has more impact than just about anything else. The pen is mightier than the sword :rolleyes:

Like almost everyone else I know who rides I also have been struck by a car. I hope it never happens again.

Be safe! Wear your lid! Be nice! :banana:

[jerk]

the jerk came within moments of dragging a guy out of his car and kicking the living shiite out of him last summer. the jerk and his pal were riding....big fat jerk doing the pulling in fornt of a little scrawny guy.....jackass with support the troops stickers on his nice crappy toyota passes the jerk and then parks on the sidewalk in front of the jerk....the jerk slams on his brakes and little scrawney guy crashes into the jerk as the jerk sort of crashes into the supporter of the troops. the jerk some-how stays upright, little scawny guy is on the ground....the jerk without even checking on the little scawny guy beyond a cursory "are you allright" goes to the guys car, bangs on the window...the jerk is screaming at him and about to open the guys door and kick the crap out of him when he notices he has some snotty nosed five year old in the back seat....instead the jerk recommends where he can find driving lessons, a eyeglass shop, and doctor specializing in brain transplants.....the driver calls the jerk a "crazy cycler faggot" probably on account of his pink lampre windtex jacket he "borrowed" from a pal who really wasn't using it... meanwhile a 300 pound woman pushing a baby carriage starts saying how she saw it all and it was both of our faults because a bicycle should be riding on ether a sidewalk or against traffic(?)....the jerk then tells her to shut the fock up and if he wanted advice on how to eat big macs he'd ask her......then the jerk and his skrawny pal ride away.
the jerk felt much better after this.


support the troops,
jerk

[Kevin]

jerk is the man.

Kevin

[BURCH]

The jerk, Love the story, brought to mind one of my memories of a motorist confrontation. I was biking in Pittsburgh near Carnegie Mellon Univ. (nice part of the burgh) and this guy starts his honking behind me. This blows my mind being that we are in the city and I know that we are going to be hitting some lights up ahead. So, he passes and then....

(note: I have made a deal with myself that whenever I am honked at and passed it is my only goal in life to catch the car. Hopefully lights or stop signs help out. I love when I do catch them and just pull up behind them and wonder if what they think...."Hey he must not really be in the way if he is right behind"....)

Anyhow, I catch up to the guy in about 2 lights or so and pull up next to his window (it was down) and I nicely ask him, "What's wrong? Why were you honking?".

(next note: I am about 6 foot over 200 lbs and don't usually where the rainbow outfits common to most cyclist. I probably just had on a fleece)

Anyhow, the guy shrinks in his seat and says, "I just wanted you to know that I was behind you".

I told him, "oh, thanks"


what an A-hole!


Usually I just try to catch up them and that is all, but I must have been in a bad mood that day to actually confront this guy.

[BURCH]

Ok, in regards to note number 2. "I probably just had on a fleece" means that I was wearing traditional black biking shorts and a fleece top. I was not bottomless, shoeless, helmetless or anything like that in case you all were wondering.

[Wayne77]

Len,

Great post. In SLC, late last year, I participated in the Josie Johnson memorial ride. Josie was a young college student killed in a negligent driving collision along one of our local canyon roads. Ironically, on a ride designed to promote rider safety and driver awareness, there were too many instances of cyclists passing other groups across oncoming lanes, blowing lights, and general sloppy-aggressiveness. I could never figure out how a memorial ride turns into a crit for some of these people. (If I had a dime for every "aggressive-sloppy" cyclist, riding brand new pocket-rocket bikes set up kinda wierd, I might be rich.......or at least ten or twenty bucks closer to my cha-ching $$$ dream bike)

Anyway, good point about recognizing the many courteous drivers out there. Sometimes I have let a few bad experiences taint my approach to potential future interactions- At a light last year, some guy pulls up alongside me in his lifted 4x4, reving his engine, towing a bunch of four wheelers and dirt-bikes, rap-metal blaring away. I ignore him, *assumming* he was going to be an a-hole. He then yells out "I'll race ya!" with a friendly smile. After a brief chat, he gives me some directions, and drives slowly away. I felt kind of stupid pre-judging him like that...

BTW, I enjoy the irony between your post and your signature line.. :D :D




I have had two major Bike car collisions........

The first, a 70 YO backing his car out of a blind driveway, saw me at the last minute and panicked....hit the gas as opposed to the brake. The first time I saw him he was 2 ft in front of my tire (and I was going 20MPH). I ended up going over the bars, smashing into the side of the car and then landing from 6 ft in the air onto my butt. Broken collar bone, 2 broken ribs and a compression fracture of two vertabrae in my back. The worst of it was there was nothing I could have done different (except to not ride). It would have been easier (emotionally) if I'd done something wrong.

The second, a car turned in front of a Blacked out SUV I was riding inside of (on a bike lane) and I hit the tail end of it. No major injuries.

I now try to ride hyper vigilant for possible problems. I've avoided several this way.
My response to the other thread "cars hurt":
As to "taking the lane", and "I have a right to the lane" and other such drivel........I have two thoughts:

1.) You can be right and still dead! A car outweighs you by 3,000 lbs....and SUV by over 5,000 lbs.....I'd rather be alive than right.

2.) None of us like it but the truth is that there are more drivers than there are bikers. If we antagonize drivers enough (and believe me, in many cases our very presence on roads (especially roads with no shoulders) antagonizes drivers), we will lose the privlidge of riding on the roads. I guarantee that if you put it to a referrendum in most counties to ban cyclists from the roads, it would pass. What's my point? My point is that every action we take on the roads is either contributing to this antagonism or reducing it. Me, I go out of my way to be courtous, to acknowledge drivers that wait for me to pass (even if they are supposed to), to not run lights and rub it in drivers faces who have to wait, in other words to show as many drivers as possible that I not only appreciate being on the roads, but are sharing them responsibly. Rights have nothing to do with this.....we can be right but still banned.....and I don't want to ride on MUTS only.

Finally, it's easy to notice the a'hole drivers out there....they are in your face....but here is a challange for you. The next long ride you do, count the courteous drivers as well as the a'holes. My experience is that for every a'hole, there are at least 10 + courteous responsible drivers. I'm not suggesting you don't protect yourself from the a'holes, I'm just suggesting that you acknowledge the courteous ones....not all drivers are the enemy.

Len

Steve:

You raise some great points....however, I'm beginning to believe that if we want to continue to use the roads, we all are going to have to become activists. The response by the officer in your post shows that there is much work to be done. When the cyclist was killed on Rt 50, very few of us local cyclist lobbied the local authorities to prosicute the 16 YO responsible. The DA is an elected official, he is/will respond to political pressure.....we didn't apply it. The local Police are not as sensitive to this issue as they could be.....How do we get them there? I don't have the answers, but I do know that if we do nothing, the situitation is only going to deteriorate. Drivers hold all the cards.

I will say that when I had my accident, the person who was the loudest advocate for me was the sheriff who responded.........He made my life extremely easier. So there are some who understand.

Len

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . I have to disagree just a tiny, respectful bit with this thread--except for the part about noticing all the courteous drivers there are.

I have been cycling at least semi-regularly for almost 25 years, and I could count the number of incidents on the fingers of one--oh, OK, TWO hands--of drivers who deliberately gave me a hard time, cut me off, aimed straight at me and floored it, fired at me with automatic weapons, etc.

Let’s face it--if you are out on a few hours ride on even a semi-busy route, you are going to be passed by literally hundreds--maybe even thousands--of vehicles. If even one of them honks at you or cuts in front of you--deliberately or otherwise--then think what a microscopic percentage that is of the total number of vehicles you were in proximity to during your ride.

Now think of how many people you are in proximity to every day as you go about your daily life. Again, it might be hundreds if you are out and about in the streets or going to the mall for a weekend afternoon. Now how many of those people do you observe just being total a**holes? Again, probably only one or two--unless you are at a Yankee game or something ( ;) ). Again, a very small percentage.

Yes, yes, I know--it only takes one in a 3000 lb. hurtling hunk of metal to send you to eternity. But when you think about it, the vast majority of drivers out there really ARE courteous to us cyclists, even if in this case “courteous” means unconsciously swerving a few feet left as they pass so we don’t end up smushed on their windshields.

BBDave

[Too Tall]

Ehhhh, what's up doc?
Shhhhhhhhh be vewwy vewwy quiet
I'm hunting wabbits
heheheheheheheheh

Rule 1:
Wait for the petrol-apes to get out of the car. If you jump up and down beating your chest it'll scare them off.
Rule 2:
Laughing at people disarms their sense of self importance.
Rule 3:
Clinchers Suck

[Dekonick]

Its true that the % of A-holes is probably small - that is NO excuse for a Cop to NOT do their job!

How would it be any different if a cop didn't charge a guy with rape because 'the girl deserved it - after all she was wearing a short skirt!'

-or-

a murder victim 'deserved it - after all they were in a dark alley at 2 AM'

Any police officer that won't at least write a ticket when the law has been broken and there is an agrieved party is just NOT DOING THEIR JOB. Thats a load of garbage!

Perhaps some Cop's don't like cyclists - it does not give them the right to not serve and protect.

Sorry for the rant.

:beer:

[Skrawny]

I agree with BBD that the majority of drivers are not being vindictive, most of the dangerous ones are just ignorant; and my own little simian brain gets all fired up when their ignorance almost kills me...

Yesterday -after an epic trip to Alpine Dam- I was cruising along a 25mph road in Mill Valley, going somewhere in the low 20mph range. A lady in a Discovery and on a cell phone honked at me, blew past and then immediately turned right in front of me into a mall. I'm sure she was distracted and didn't know her turn was so close. Maybe the au pair said something on the phone that angered her, maybe little Johnny in the back seat spat up his Jolly Rancher, maybe the latte spilled - I don't know. Nevertheless, I almost became a large smear on the pavement (and a small scuff on her SUV).
-s

[Ahneida Ride]

That's why I ride slow.

[Ozz]

...the driver calls the jerk a "crazy cycler faggot"...

'course he's saying this from inside his steel and glass box with the doors locked..... :rolleyes:

Not being "toe to toe" gives some folks too much "courage".....therefore, it is easy to be an a$$.

This is another reason why I like to ride at sunrise....most the scary folks are still in bed sleeping off the night before. :beer:

[SGP]

'course he's saying this from inside his steel and glass box with the doors locked..... :rolleyes:

Not being "toe to toe" gives some folks too much "courage".....therefore, it is easy to be an a$$.

This is another reason why I like to ride at sunrise....most the scary folks are still in bed sleeping off the night before. :beer:

I agree, the best rides are early morning.

[hillweinie]

sspielman: I know this is not in keeping with the subject of this thread, but I just noticed you are from Easton, MD. Do you ever ride the Seagull Century @
Salisbury? I think it is in early/mid-October. My son and I go up to NH every year for the Tri-State Seacoast Century and we're thinking about Seagull as well this year if we can work it out. We've heard other riders talk about what a great event it is and the huge turnout. I'm guessing since it's on the Eastern
Shore it's relatively flat. Anything you'd care to share about it would be appreciated. Is lodging hard to find for the ride? It's 2-3 weeks after the NH ride which is pretty hilly in places so we ought to be in good condition for it.
What do you think of it? Thanks, hillweinie.

[sspielman]

The Seagull Century can best be described as a spectacle. It is extremely well organized and has 5000+ participants. You will see evrything on this ride....people doing 100 miles on a cruiser....pacelines of recumbents....you name it. I even saw a rolling singles ad once.....Some guy had a poster plastered on his back that read something like "Nice guy looking for nice girl...Washington DC area" He said he had a couple of inquiries and 1 phone number! Guts! With such a variety of riders, you have to stay on your toes and utilize your criterium skills. It is the perfect end of year cycling party.