Road Clash - Cyclists & Drivers

There's a lot being written about the rise in cycling in the U.S. and, consequently, also a lot written about the clash between cyclists and drivers. Amanda sent me this article from the New York Times about the rise of road rage aimed at bikers. One of the people quoted summed it up by saying, “We’ve had a car culture for so long and suddenly the roads become saturated with bicyclists trying to save gas,” Mr. Cooley said 10 days after the attack, still feeling scrambled, in pain and traumatized. “No one knows how to share the road.”

Even though Chicago's a pretty bike-friendly city, there are those people who are downright mean. One time I was riding down Halsted with a guy who, every time I caught up to him at a light, kept yelling at me, "Out of my way! Stay on the sidewalk!" (which is illegal). And even worse, riding in a car with a few people, one of whom joked to the driver, "Ten points if you hit a biker." I got off easy compared to some of the stories in the article, but I'm sure there are worse examples from around here.

What about you guys. Do any of you have stories of drivers behaving badly?

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Permalink Reply by Vilda on January 3, 2010 at 12:01pm

Reported the page and will repost to my wall so my friends can do the same! That's ridiculous!

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Permalink Reply by mattbikes1 on January 4, 2010 at 5:51am

Done and done!

willow naeco said:

If you use facebook, please consider reporting this page as having inappropriate content for glamorizing/promoting violence against others: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theres-a-perfectly-good-path-right-ne...

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Permalink Reply by Tim M Hovey on January 4, 2010 at 6:46am

i find when i'm ridding my bike, allot of cars acting stupidly. i find when driving my car, allot of bikers acting stupidly.

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Permalink Reply by Belinda on January 4, 2010 at 9:21am

I've seen other cyclists' close calls and it always amazes me when they have the tenacity to get in front of the car and yell. I've not yet had that reaction. Generally I've just been glad I wasn't hurt badly. I always remind myself of the times I thought I could make a yellow light when I really ran a red and the traffic waited. Or the times at a four-way stop I thought I was alone and didn't give a car the right of way. Considering the mistakes I make and laws I find myself breaking just because I'm on a bicycle, if someone forgets to check his mirror and opens a door in front of me... I've deserved worse things. I've been lucky. I try my best to always be conscientious and sometimes I fail. I try to assume that applies to all of us.

Jamie said:

I knocked on the passenger side window and yelled so he could hear me... "pay attention, you nearly hit me!" I'm curious how others react after nearly being injured/killed?