Saturday Morning Ride - Ten

Good morning

• The Arlington Fun Ride is today
• A Richmond paper ran lists of 10 things that cyclists do that anger drivers, but they have to stretch to get to 10. Some are repeats (following the law is the same as stopping at stop lights) and some don't really bother drivers - like not yielding to pedestrians. And the "misconceptions and arguments" after the list aren't always very strong. And they also have 10 things drivers do that anger cyclists.
• The Connecticut factory that invented the bike bell is open again after a fire shut them down for 4 months.

Comments

[David]

The idea that the cyclist ought to be or is accountable for a motorist being angry is one I just do not buy. It is not up to the biker to make sure the motorist is happy. It is the motorist that is killing thousands every year. I do not know of any motorist that was killed by a cyclist yet the cyclist is called on to apologize to the motorist. These motorist have a lot of cleaning up their act to do before they start finding fault with others.

[oboe]

The idea that cyclists anger drivers by "not following the law" is laughable. After all, if I decide to illegally ride on the sidewalk so as to permit the unobstructed flow of cars, they'll be blowing me kisses.

What pisses drivers off is when a cyclist inconveniences them in the slightest. Scofflawism is simply the way that some drivers validate those feelings. If I'm just hating you because you're in my way, then I'm being a selfish dick. If I'm hating you because "OH MY GODS, HE BLEW THROUGH THAT RED LIGHT WHAT IF THERE WERE CHILDREN WALKING ACROSS!!!1!" then I'm just a righteously indignant law-abiding citizen who's angry at evil-doers.

Once we've established that you're an antisocial scofflaw who's trying to bring down civilization, *and* clearly have a death wish, then I'm perfectly justified at hitting you with my side view mirror.

You know, just to let you know decent folks won't stand for scofflawism.

[oboe]

These motorist have a lot of cleaning up their act to do before they start finding fault with others.

I read an article the other day about a guy who hit an 8-year-old with his SUV. Then got out and gave the injured child--who was laying on the ground--a $20 bill and drove off.

I'd like to know how drivers can justify this sort of behavior. Until they stop doing things like this, they'll continue to earn my justifiable wrath at every turn.

[RishiB]

Thanks for posting the link about the Arlington Fun ride. My friends and I enjoyed it. Great ride and good cause. Keep up the good work.