The Chainlink

Think of this as a Missed Connection.

You blew the red light east bound on Lawrence at Damen at 5:26 pm this evening.

 

There was enough time for the biker in front of me to make it half way into the intersection, northbound on Damen, before you came whizzing past my front wheel.

 

I yelled "You're an idiot!" at your big haired chick, self, and you looked back at me. I meant it!

 

I woulda testified for any of the cars, that managed to not kill you, if they had.

 

Keep riding like a tard!

love,

gabe

 

Witness bad behavior during your commute? Feel free to post. Maybe that lovely human can read it and think they are famous. Maybe you can also inspire the whole generation of kids to shower but we can start with small things.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jason W on September 7, 2011 at 5:17pm
I meant the "hi thanks for being nice" wave, not the "wave you through the intersection" wave. And I don't need to have stop signs explained to me, but thanks for the refresher Mr. Hall Monitor of the streets of Chicago. :)
Permalink Reply by Laura Blake on September 7, 2011 at 5:26pm

Now who's the spaz?  If you want to go when someone waves you through, that's fine.  Go right ahead.  Other people would rather the person with the right of way go first.  Period.  In doing so, maybe making the point that some cyclists do follow the rules of the road and will stop at stop signs if needed.  I do not consider myself a control freak for doing so and have never "gone ape shit" on any driver in that situation...quite the opposite.

 

Go through the intersection or hold your ground.  Who cares?  As long as neither party blindly speeds through the intersection, I'm happy.


Jason W said:

RE: people letting you go first at stop signs…

You people are insane! :) Someone is trying to be nice and let you go first, and you go all ape shit on them? Reality check time... you are all control freaks if you are spazzing at people that are trying to be nice to you because they aren't doing exactly what you want them to. If someone seems to insist I go first, I just give them a little wave and a nod as I pass. Maybe they think it’s their good deed of the day, and will feel better about themselves having done it. Who cares if it’s not proper procedure? I'm not the hall monitor of the streets of Chicago.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on September 7, 2011 at 5:32pm


Jason W said:

 Someone is trying to be nice and let you go first, and you go all ape shit on them? Reality check time... you are all control freaks if you are spazzing at people that are trying to be nice to you because they aren't doing exactly what you want them to. 

Permalink Reply by Vilda on September 7, 2011 at 7:12pm
Up the dose Jason. :-) 3 rides down. will i make it a whole day without seein bad behavior? :-)
Permalink Reply by Rich Scott on September 7, 2011 at 7:19pm
If you do Gabe the bookies will take a beating on that one!! :)

Gabe said:
Up the dose Jason. :-) 3 rides down. will i make it a whole day without seein bad behavior? :-)
Permalink Reply by Jason W on September 7, 2011 at 7:21pm

First, I'm not getting upset at any of this conversation. Hopefully people haven't misunderstood that. It can be hard to interpret people's demeanor through text.

 

Laura, you are the one that described "One time someone got so aggravated that they started cursing and screaming at me to go." So you made someone who was trying to be nice curse and scream at you and you think you are doing the right thing?

 

Ok, I'm done. Gabe says I have to go take meds. I assume he means beer. :)

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on September 7, 2011 at 7:28pm

You can't "make" anyone do anything.

Sorry to argue with someone who's declared they've dropped out of the discussion, as it seems like bad form, but nobody can own the bizarre and completely unjustified reaction of that driver except that driver.


Jason W said:

First, I'm not getting upset at any of this conversation. Hopefully people haven't misunderstood that. It can be hard to interpret people's demeanor through text.

 

Laura, you are the one that described "One time someone got so aggravated that they started cursing and screaming at me to go." So you made someone who was trying to be nice curse and scream at you and you think you are doing the right thing?

Permalink Reply by Laura Blake on September 7, 2011 at 8:17pm

Don't make this a bigger deal than it needs to be and let's not play the "you're wrong, I'm right" game.  And trust me, in the case I was describing, that driver was not just trying to be nice.  He flew off the handle way too quickly for someone who was trying to do a good deed.

 

Different situations call for different reactions.  You can't predict who you'll come across or how they'll react on the road.  Its all about perspective.  Granted, there are some legitimately nice people out there, but there are also a lot of idiots.  ...A lot of idiots.

Jason W said:

First, I'm not getting upset at any of this conversation. Hopefully people haven't misunderstood that. It can be hard to interpret people's demeanor through text.

 

Laura, you are the one that described "One time someone got so aggravated that they started cursing and screaming at me to go." So you made someone who was trying to be nice curse and scream at you and you think you are doing the right thing?

Permalink Reply by Vilda on September 7, 2011 at 10:26pm
BK, i love when u r stubborn! Outta the way Laura! :-) About to ride home. Let's see what the other bikers have in store. :-)
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 8, 2011 at 8:27am

My question for you, and everyone else who dislikes the wave through, is this:  How is the driver who waves you thought not being nice?

 

If you stop, or are coming to a stop, an a driver gives up their right of way and waves you throughhow is this a negative thing worthy or our ire?

 

Why are you all viewing this as some negative behavior based on fear instead of what it most likely is; somebody being nice?

 

Laura Blake said:

Ahhh, the stand-off....my favorite.  I've had a few where the driver clearly arrived at the intersection before me and therefore I stopped and waved for them to go.  Why do drivers ignore this and think they're being nice (or whatever motivates them to do this)?  Would they give another car the wave-through even if they have the right of way?  I don't think so. 

 

I refuse to lose a stand-off.  What is probably only seconds feels like an eternity...but worth it.  One time someone got so aggravated that they started cursing and screaming at me to go.  Yeah, I'm really going to ride in front of your vehicle now you crazy maniac!

 


ghreg said:

I'm with Stephanie! (and with the rest of the folks here that stop when they should because someone else has the right of way) The wave-through makes me nuts. I know they are just being nice. And I always feel bad about yelling at the jackass to just go. I wish I could bank some of that kindness for other situations.

My current strategy for dealing with this is to stop and not look at the driver. I just look the other way until the driver goes.

Permalink Reply by Rich S on September 8, 2011 at 9:39am

I've been thinking about the wave through and I wonder if it's drivers not sure about how to treat a cyclist. Do I treat them as another vehicle and proceed or do I treat them as a pedestrian and let them cross??? I do agree with BK that often times drivers are surprised when we do stop. Perhaps they think they're rewarding us for good behavior or something by waving us through. 

Permalink Reply by Liz on September 8, 2011 at 10:02am

Today I saw a cyclist cram them self to the right of a box truck with its right turn signal on.  There wasn't enough room between the curb and the truck for the cyclist, so they did this by putting one foot on the curb and tilting the handle bars.  

 

Fortunately for the cyclist the light didn't turn green until after they finished this maneuver in the truck's blind spot. It is also fortunate that the truck obeyed the "no turn on red 7am-7pm" even though the intersection was clear for a turn. Watching it as I approached the intersection made my stomach turn. 

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