Bicycling - A Dangerous Sport

by Lo-ru-hamah 82 Replies latest jw friends

  • Robdar
    Robdar

    I like riding bikes. I just don't like the way my butt hurts afterwards. Hi Gumby!

  • gumby
  • Lo-ru-hamah
    Lo-ru-hamah
    You messed up, that's all.....

    I wonder why you say that?

    Loruhamah

  • Princess
    Princess
    Princess....I swear to god....I'm still sane dammit!.....I swear...and...and I still love ya! *runs away crying*

    Man....what went wrong here?

    Just want to give a hug to my buddies princess and her hubby

    Hugs right back to you buddy! I made some kick ass cookies right after your birthday. I mean KICK ASS. Come on up here and try one dammit!

    Thanks for the love!

    Rachel

  • bikerchic
    bikerchic
    You messed up, that's all.....

    I wonder why you say that?

    Loruhamah

    Are you serious? Let me quote your words:

    So, in a blind rage I start to turn the car around to actually run him over this time for real and intentionally

    Then you back pedaled (excuse the pun):

    Meanwhile, he is still cussing at me. I relate the story and I get bashed on here, by Princess, because I had a completely human reaction to being treated like dirt. I realize he was scared, so was I, I nearly hit someone. That is not something that I like to do. And, for the record, I wasn't going to run him over, I was going to yell back at him to go get some lessons.

    Excuse me but being treated like as you say dirt is a far cry from being KILLED! You wanted by your own admission to "run him over". You dear are every cyclist worst nightmare! Very few cyclist come out of a collision with a 3 ton piece of metal and live to tell about it, let alone someone gunning for them with that 3 ton weapon.

    I as a cyclist read this thread seething with anger, phaleeze people respect other's right to the road, no designation, appointment or trip to the grocery store is worth either your life being put on hold for killing another person or the life of the cyclist. Slow down, pass with care and remember the cyclist life you may be saving could be your father/brother/son/grandson/mother/sister/daughter/granddaughter.

    Share the road!

    Karma works both ways too.

  • cyd0099
    cyd0099

    Just my observation but when you are in your car, you are insulated from most of the rage and agression motorists hurl at those with whom they share the road.

    From the saddle of a bike when you experience a driver's rage you are naked and unprotected and I have experienced many aggro motorists;
    Two men in a big black truck they pulled to the right and slowed down until I was wedged between them and the curb and I crashed and they drove off laughing.

    Repeated calls of "fag, faggot" or "queer", or something for no other reason to scare me while riding.

    Hearing an engine race behind me and that same car zips past me to make a right hand turn across my bike lane, cutting me off so they can shave a few seconds by not having to wait for the light. Likewise with drivers who cut me off (in my bike lane) to get that parking space.

    being followed by a vehicle at night with its lights turned off.

    being struck by a late 70's cadillac.

    Being struck by various objects from moving cars;
    Food
    Fast food wrappers
    Rocks
    Spittle
    Soda bottles/cups (full and/or empty)
    Paintballs

    And this is in the last two years in a pretty liberal college town. My total experience is a list of horrors and yet i ride because i love it.

    was the rider at the begining of this post in the wrong? I don't know enough to say yes or no, but his reaction,while over the top and misdirected, is understandable from my position

  • Caedes
    Caedes

    Hear hear to Bikerchic and Princess,

    As a cyclist and a Biker I have seen some truly appalling driving in my time and the excuse is always 'sorry mate I didn't see you' It's strange though that when other road users can kill you instantly you have the ability to see all of them, perhaps it's just down to paying attention.

    And as for the poster who complains about cyclists doing 25 in a 45, perhaps you ought to leave for work a bit earlier if one other road user can make you late. Or don't cylists have the right to use the roads where you live.

    I think the driving test should have a section where you have to ride a bicycle down busy roads just so you have an appreciation of how dangerous and scary it is even without people trying to kill you deliberately.

    Personally I would rather see cyclists allowed to ride on the pavement with pedestrians, at least if a cyclist runs a pedestrian over you aren't going to kill them.

    I like to give a cheery wave as I filter past stationary traffic, just to raise the blood pressure of all those road ragers sitting in their cars.

  • Cady
    Cady

    I've heard nothing but horror stories from other bikers about biking in Texas, the midwest, etc. Here in Seattle bikers are fairly well respected, but even here I've had some scary moments. The biker wasn't right to yell at you like that, but his losing it at you and not being angry with the driver who actually hit him makes me feel like there's more to the story. And again, he absolutely shouldn't have yelled at you, but it's very frightening to almost be killed, in fact I bet more frightening than being yelled at.

    Btw, Princess is the sweetest woman ever, and I can't imagine anyone ever saying to her face the grumpy things said on the board.

  • Princess
    Princess

    I was wondering when Kate would see this thread. No self respecting cyclist would let it go without a word.

    Cyd, add to that list the morons who honk just because they know it scares the crap outta you. I always jump a foot when someone honks for no reason. Also the people who don't "go around" but pass you in the lane because there is room, when there really isn't.

    I think the driving test should have a section where you have to ride a bicycle down busy roads just so you have an appreciation of how dangerous and scary it is even without people trying to kill you deliberately.

    With clip in pedals! That'll teach 'em.

    Thanks Cady, you are so sweet to say that.

    Rachel

  • cruzanheart
    cruzanheart
    And as for the poster who complains about cyclists doing 25 in a 45, perhaps you ought to leave for work a bit earlier if one other road user can make you late. Or don't cylists have the right to use the roads where you live.

    That's kind of a snotty comment, don't you think? My remarks, from a car driver's point of view, were merely to show the perspective from inside the vehicle, since we have heard quite a bit from the people on the bicycles.

    I live in the Dallas area. According to the Texas Drivers Handbook, under "Bicycles":

    A person operating a bicycle on a roadway who is moving slower than the other traffic on the roadway shall ride as near as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway

    My remark earlier -- and I think I was clear about this -- had to do with cyclists who hog the whole lane during rush hour traffic. I am not talking about a country road, but a 4-lane busy main street.

    I figured that, as a fellow driver -- whether a car or a bicycle -- I was allowed to add my two cents' worth on this thread about the problems I see from my viewpoint without being rudely advised to "leave for work a bit earlier." Or are cyclists the only ones allowed to be irritable on the road?

    Nina

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