Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Elliot Bennett on July 28, 2009 at 9:11am

Wow. Helmet & bullet stopper. dont leave home without it.

Permalink Reply by heather s on July 28, 2009 at 10:03am

This article: has a couple of interesting ideas on the matter of road rage and in particular, the rage that drivers feel when someone overtakes them. His argument: when you're on a bike, you're in control over how fast you travel, and when another cyclist passes you, they're either just a faster biker or in more of a hurry. Either way, you can choose to speed up and try to overtake them--so you're not very likely to get angry. But cars are so bulky that they're just stuck one behind the other. If someone passes a motorist, he might not get a chance to catch back up if he wants to. Plus, "The action of passing costs a driver no energy and proves nothing about his strength. It expresses no more than a wish to get in front of you; all he did was dip his right toe a little faster and a little harder than you."

I've often thought about this in cases where a car is stuck behind me in a narrow lane for a bit, and then when they get the chance to overtake me, they gun the engine and violently swerve past. Surely this action can't save much time, so the only way I can interpret this is that it's an expression of dominance. I think the feeling of powerlessness very easily transfers itself to rage.

Permalink Reply by heather s on July 28, 2009 at 10:04am

http://www.steamthing.com/2009/07/pole-position.html
Sorry, the link didn't make it into the original post.

Permalink Reply by cutifly on July 28, 2009 at 11:07am

Hate to say it, sometimes bikers can cause plenty of trouble. Take Critical Mass, an unruly mob takes over downtown and creates Gridlock. How about the fools who think they are better than someone else because they are on a bike but someone else is driving, yet to make everyone look bad, drunk idiots. Fun for us, but not fun when your stuck in Traffic for 20 min and you need to pick up your kids from school. Oh ya, how about bike delivery/messenger weave in and out of traffic with no regard to anyone else cause they just don't give a crap. The biker is not gonna get sued, the driver will. How about the fool who rides in heavy traffic during snow/rain and get almost run over because YES, it can be very hard to see through a foggy or wet window. It's not a nice feeling knowing you almost ran over someone because they don't show certain common sense. Ok, I am not sticking up for drivers or bikers, people get pissed off for whatever reason they do in the moment, just my answer to your question.

Permalink Reply by Davo on July 28, 2009 at 2:20pm

I like your psychological take on road rage and why drivers do that annoying overtake thing. As a cyclist I'm more angry when I have to come to a complete stop needlessly. I know the energy it takes a driver to switch peddles isn't as much as that. So whats their deal

heather stratton said:

This article: has a couple of interesting ideas on the matter of road rage and in particular, the rage that drivers feel when someone overtakes them. His argument: when you're on a bike, you're in control over how fast you travel, and when another cyclist passes you, they're either just a faster biker or in more of a hurry. Either way, you can choose to speed up and try to overtake them--so you're not very likely to get angry. But cars are so bulky that they're just stuck one behind the other. If someone passes a motorist, he might not get a chance to catch back up if he wants to. Plus, "The action of passing costs a driver no energy and proves nothing about his strength. It expresses no more than a wish to get in front of you; all he did was dip his right toe a little faster and a little harder than you."

I've often thought about this in cases where a car is stuck behind me in a narrow lane for a bit, and then when they get the chance to overtake me, they gun the engine and violently swerve past. Surely this action can't save much time, so the only way I can interpret this is that it's an expression of dominance. I think the feeling of powerlessness very easily transfers itself to rage.

Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on July 28, 2009 at 4:08pm

Isn't the real question which brand of helmet this guy was wearing? I'd buy one.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on July 28, 2009 at 5:24pm

I wonder if slashing tires can have a backlash like this on other innocent cyclists....

Permalink Reply by Greg Coleman on July 28, 2009 at 5:31pm

By that rationale, because I am bigger than another person, they should get out of my way when walking down the sidewalk because I can easily force them into a wall.
Bikes have as much as a right to be on the road as any car. This is presupposed by the fact that cyclists can get a ticket for riding on the sidewalk. I fully agree with your point that there are some cyclists that push the envelope and push the stress levels of other drivers/riders, but the same is easily said for cars. As a matter of opinion, rude cyclists and rude drivers are a nuisance and menace. Period. In a perfect world, everyone would be courteous to others on the road, whether they have two, three or four wheels, or else on their feet. However, we do not live in such a wonderful place and poop happens. At the same time, we should not fall into the "I'm bigger , therefore right" mindset; it has very dangerous implications.

As for the bulletproof helmet: talk about good ad campaign material.....

cutifly said:

For those of you who have never had to drive, I suggest you do a little and then maybe you will get it. An idiot or violent person with a bruised ego behind the wheel of a car or the handle bars of a bike are the same thing. I really hate to state the truth, unless there is a marked bike lane, cars got the right of way, it is ignorant to expect anything less than morons no matter what your driving. Wake up, respect the heavier metal, it will keep you out of the hospital a little longer.

Permalink Reply by T. Mo on July 29, 2009 at 3:09am

haha - let me know if you find out, I want one too.

Dr. Doom said:

Isn't the real question which brand of helmet this guy was wearing? I'd buy one.

Permalink Reply by heather s on August 7, 2009 at 5:42am

http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/06/update-from-nc-shooting-a-cyc...

Update From NC: Shooting a Cyclist in the Head Is Not Attempted Murder
by Brad Aaron on August 6, 2009

A grand jury in Asheville, North Carolina has reduced the charge against a motorist who allegedly shot a cyclist in the head from attempted first-degree murder to felony assault.


Charles Diez
According to reports, on July 26, Alan Simons was shot by Charles Diez after a confontation along a busy road. The shooting took place in front of Simons' wife and 3-year-old kid. Diez was reportedly angered that Simons was riding a bike with his child seated behind him. Simons was wearing his bike helmet at the time. Miraculously, the bullet missed his head.
Wheras Diez originally faced up to 13 years in prison, felony assault carries a penalty of around two years. Reports the weekly Mountain Xpress:

Grand juries deliberate in secret, and District Attorney Ron Moore submitted both the assault and attempted-murder charges. He told Xpress that he doesn’t know why the grand jury rejected the murder charge.

Permalink Reply by Vilda on August 7, 2009 at 12:13pm

Well Ain't that about a B*TC#!

Permalink Reply by Michael Millican on August 7, 2009 at 3:00pm

Man that sucks...the getting shot part not the surviving part

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