Comments on: Running the reds (the elephant in the corner) http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/ Nothing To Lose But Our Chains! Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:38:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bikerjohn http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/comment-page-1/#comment-33340 Bikerjohn Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:47:24 +0000 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/#comment-33340 I can only agree with what you've observed about motor vehicle traffic. The tactics a bicyclist needs to employ to "get there in one piece", are not necessarily the proper rules of the road. Cyclists are more closely related to "pedestrians" than to motor vehicles... Don't ever expect motor vehicle operators to treat you with equal consideration. I think the aggression and general callousness behavior of typical motor vehicle operators has something to do with the anonymity of being shrouded behind a steering wheel (and all that steel plastic and glass). I can only agree with what you’ve observed about motor vehicle traffic. The tactics a bicyclist needs to employ to “get there in one piece”, are not necessarily the proper rules of the road. Cyclists are more closely related to “pedestrians” than to motor vehicles…

Don’t ever expect motor vehicle operators to treat you with equal consideration. I think the aggression and general callousness behavior of typical motor vehicle operators has something to do with the anonymity of being shrouded behind a steering wheel (and all that steel plastic and glass).

]]> By: bob http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/comment-page-1/#comment-33167 bob Wed, 27 May 2009 15:04:17 +0000 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/#comment-33167 ha! i hope it was you or some one stirring things up. i like to aggitate, but i know to stay away from most comments sections, like on AOL, 'cause you get the worst of the worst. but when you get a pro cycling post on the local section of the news paper, and it gets countered by a bunch of angry drivers, well i took the bait. and then i get to 'share the road' with these same idiots, who seem to think that since you ride a bike, you are somehow a second class citizen, worthy of abuse, and not a person, with a life just as important as theirs. i think this is the year i yank someone from their car....... ha!
i hope it was you or some one stirring
things up.
i like to aggitate,
but i know to stay away from most
comments sections, like on AOL,
’cause you get the worst of the worst.
but when you get a pro cycling post
on the local section of the news paper,
and it gets countered by a bunch of angry
drivers, well i took the bait.

and then i get to ‘share the road’
with these same idiots,
who seem to think that since you ride a bike,
you are somehow a second class citizen,
worthy of abuse,
and not a person,
with a life just as important as theirs.

i think this is the year i yank someone
from their car…….

]]> By: John http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/comment-page-1/#comment-33164 John Wed, 27 May 2009 14:31:25 +0000 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/#comment-33164 Ahhh. You read bikeforums.net huh. Lots of do as I do people over there and other places as well. I'm a helmetless, scofflaw who also doesn't have a mirror. I evaluate the safest and best way to get around on my bike and sometimes it's breaking the motor vehicle laws. I have jumped stop signs, ridden on sidwalks and even on the wrong way on streets. What ever it takes to keep me out of harms way. I can't remember ever wondering what people in cars think, but I do like to post stuff like that in forums to stir things up. (Occasionally) 8>) Ahhh. You read bikeforums.net huh. Lots of do as I do people over there and other places as well.

I’m a helmetless, scofflaw who also doesn’t have a mirror. I evaluate the safest and best way to get around on my bike and sometimes it’s breaking the motor vehicle laws. I have jumped stop signs, ridden on sidwalks and even on the wrong way on streets. What ever it takes to keep me out of harms way.

I can’t remember ever wondering what people in cars think, but I do like to post stuff like that in forums to stir things up. (Occasionally) 8>)

]]> By: bob http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/comment-page-1/#comment-33160 bob Wed, 27 May 2009 13:38:44 +0000 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/#comment-33160 I can appreciate turn lanes & such, by 'maintaining' my spot in traffic. But I have no desire to be the middle of a bumper sandwich, something I see way to often. My irk was raised from some other community blogs where drivers hopped in venting about getting passed on the right while stopped at red lights, and how that is an infraction of traffic laws & the cyclist should be cited. And that was the justification for being hostile towards all cyclists. MY POINT: I am not allowed a lane. I am continually 'overtaken' (within 2 feet) in the lane. But when traffic stops, I must stop? Well, since I'm not being recognized as a legitimate user of the road, and no one is enforcing MY RIGHTS, then I WON'T recognize what 'they THINK are the rules of the road'. I still think some people need to be pulled from their cars..... Too many little people become bullies when behind the wheel, another great part of the book "TRAFFIC". I can appreciate turn lanes & such,
by ‘maintaining’ my spot in traffic.
But I have no desire to be the middle
of a bumper sandwich, something I see way
to often. My irk was raised from some other
community blogs where drivers hopped in
venting about getting passed on the right
while stopped at red lights, and how that
is an infraction of traffic laws & the cyclist
should be cited. And that was the justification for being hostile towards all
cyclists.

MY POINT:
I am not allowed a lane.
I am continually ‘overtaken’ (within 2 feet)
in the lane.
But when traffic stops,
I must stop?
Well, since I’m not being recognized as a
legitimate user of the road, and no one is
enforcing MY RIGHTS, then I WON’T recognize
what ‘they THINK are the rules of the road’.

I still think some people need to be pulled
from their cars…..
Too many little people become bullies when
behind the wheel, another great part of the
book “TRAFFIC”.

]]> By: bob http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/comment-page-1/#comment-33159 bob Wed, 27 May 2009 13:38:21 +0000 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/#comment-33159 I can appreciate turn lanes & such, by 'maintaining' my spot in traffic. But I have no desire to be the middle of a bumper sandwich, something I see way to often. My irk was raised from some other community blogs where drivers hopped in venting about getting passed on the right while stopped at red lights, and how that is an infraction of traffic laws & the cyclist should be cited. And that was the justification for being hostile towards all cyclists. MY POINT: I am not allowed a lane. I am continually 'overtaken' (within 2 feet) in the lane. But when traffic stops, I must stop? Well, since I'm not being recognized as a legitimate user of the road, and no one is enforcing MY RIGHTS, then I WON'T recognize what 'they THINK are the rules of the road'. I still think some people need to be pulled from their cars..... Too many little people become bullies when behind the wheel, another great part of the book "TRAFFIC". I can appreciate turn lanes & such,
by ‘maintaining’ my spot in traffic.
But I have no desire to be the middle
of a bumper sandwich, something I see way
to often. My irk was raised from some other
community blogs where drivers hopped in
venting about getting passed on the right
while stopped at red lights, and how that
is an infraction of traffic laws & the cyclist
should be cited. And that was the justification for being hostile towards all
cyclists.

MY POINT:
I am not allowed a lane.
I am continually ‘overtaken’ (within 2 feet)
in the lane.
But when traffic stops,
I must stop?
Well, since I’m not being recognized as a
legitimate user of the road, and no one is
enforcing MY RIGHTS, then I WON’T recognize
what ‘they THINK are the rules of the road’.

I still think some people need to be pulled
from their cars…..
Too many little people become bullies when
behind the wheel, another great part of the
book “TRAFFIC”.

]]> By: Furious Kitten http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/comment-page-1/#comment-33156 Furious Kitten Wed, 27 May 2009 11:19:56 +0000 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/#comment-33156 I filter forward at lighted intersections as well, usually straddling the line between the far right lane and the right-hand turning lane. Yes, it is much safter up front, by the crosswalk than in the pack sucking fumes. I don't know why motorists get angry because after all, more bicycles on the road leads to less congestion. The ones who blow by me a foot from my elbow even though they have plenty of room- I just assume they are evil, unhappy people who like to pick on people they see as weak. I mean, seriously! I'm a 40 year old woman pedaling on a 90's model steel frame hybrid, wearing a bright helmet and conservative clothing. How can anyone be mean to THAT?? Pitiful that in this day and age we would have to fear for our safety while biking on a lit, wide roadway on a residential street. I filter forward at lighted intersections as well, usually straddling the line between the far right lane and the right-hand turning lane. Yes, it is much safter up front, by the crosswalk than in the pack sucking fumes. I don’t know why motorists get angry because after all, more bicycles on the road leads to less congestion. The ones who blow by me a foot from my elbow even though they have plenty of room- I just assume they are evil, unhappy people who like to pick on people they see as weak. I mean, seriously! I’m a 40 year old woman pedaling on a 90′s model steel frame hybrid, wearing a bright helmet and conservative clothing. How can anyone be mean to THAT?? Pitiful that in this day and age we would have to fear for our safety while biking on a lit, wide roadway on a residential street.

]]> By: bob http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/comment-page-1/#comment-33044 bob Sun, 24 May 2009 22:14:38 +0000 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/#comment-33044 Thanks Adam. I bought the book "Traffic, Why We Drive the Way We Do" by Tom Vanderbilt, and I followed the laws last night, and today. A post on my blog will give you the results. Thanks Adam.
I bought the book
“Traffic, Why We Drive the Way We Do”
by Tom Vanderbilt,
and I followed the laws last night,
and today.
A post on my blog will give you the results.

]]> By: Adam Durand http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/comment-page-1/#comment-32998 Adam Durand Sat, 23 May 2009 20:56:06 +0000 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/#comment-32998 Nice post! Even when they have plenty of room to pass me, some motorists seem to want me to cease to exist, and I'm not buying that! Nice post! Even when they have plenty of room to pass me, some motorists seem to want me to cease to exist, and I’m not buying that!

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