Monday, July 10, 2006
show me respect and i will pave your way
* This post is dedicated to my friend Elisabeth*
I have posted before about how I am trying to bike more/drive less. I have been biking to work and testing out various routes for the approximately 15.5 km drive. Today was great - I biked the distance in about 50 minutes and averaged a speed of 20.1 kms. To most bikers this probably sounds pretty slow and lame, and I am ok with that. I am more of a leisurely bike rider and don't enjoy biking as so as I feel that point is speed rather than enjoyment of the surroundings. But I digress...
The real reason I am posting is the my dissatisfaction with bikers on the road. Yes, I am a biker and I don't like other bikers, or rather I don't like the behaviours of other bikers on the road. As much as I am a biker, I am also a driver. So here is the rant:
1.) I have witnessed bikers engage in several dangerous road manners while I bike and while I drive. I have no problem sharing the road as a motorist or a biker, but bikers, you really need to get off your high horse and be a part of the mutual respect that it is going to take to make this partnership work. When you as bikers flaunt your vulnerability as a smaller, slower less protected object on the road you need to drive *defensively* not offensively. Do that and motorists will show you respect. Nothing make a motorist more anxious on the road than bikers on the road not playing by the rules. You are going to get hurt which sucks, but we do not want to be the people who hurt you.
2.) Bikers who are constantly ranting and raving about how bad people who drive cars are. I drive both. This make worse for drivers to like the little punks out on the streets trying to take up more room than they deserve. People who bitch about motorist's simply enrage us more when considering this... 3.) You (bikers) don't even deserve a piece of the road. The most deserving people on the road are the motorists and bikers who get that, thank you. Yup you heard me. Cars/trucks/motorized vehicles are higher up on the road way food chain. Why? We are bigger, heavier, faster, and can cause you more damage and destruction that we would like to imagine. Plus, if that is not a good enough reason try this one: motorists buy gas which paves the road. The tax that is paid on gas fixes, builds and creates roads. If you would like to continue to *share* the road, just remember who paid for it. Not you! (Even if you do pay tax like property tax, GST/PST ect. it does not go directly into the roads like gas tax. So if you think you are paying you are not. Unless you drive a car.) I will gladly buy gas and pave the roads and share it with you even though you don't deserve it. I don't ask for thanks but respect buy following the rules.
You want to ride your bike? Good, me too! I love it. I hope you continue and I don't mind that we are on the road together. Punch my car, give me the finger, yell at me or talk about how bad I am for driving a car? That ain't respect. I highly suggest you pick on some one your own size and abandon the David and Goliath complex you have developed.
So show me some respect (as a motorist) and I will pave your way. Literally.
Comments:
<< Home
that was an awesome rant, sara jane. i'm glad you're getting your opinion out there.
as for motorists vs. cyclists i would like to add:
1. as a cyclist in the summer, i would much rather have bike paths to go on than having to go down a three-lane road. i'd be willing to pay to register my bike to provide money for such a project as well.
2. cars, don's assume that because i'm on my bike i'm slow. i'm going around 30 kms/hour, sometimes more, so don't cut me off and then get angry when i react.
3. don't just open your door into a traffic lane without checking for cyclists. i almost got hit by a door today
4. don't sneak by me forcing me to ride so close to the curb i can't pedal down. that is dangerous and scary. change lanes to pass me, please.
most of the time i have no issues with the cars that i cycle with every morning on my way to work.
as for motorists vs. cyclists i would like to add:
1. as a cyclist in the summer, i would much rather have bike paths to go on than having to go down a three-lane road. i'd be willing to pay to register my bike to provide money for such a project as well.
2. cars, don's assume that because i'm on my bike i'm slow. i'm going around 30 kms/hour, sometimes more, so don't cut me off and then get angry when i react.
3. don't just open your door into a traffic lane without checking for cyclists. i almost got hit by a door today
4. don't sneak by me forcing me to ride so close to the curb i can't pedal down. that is dangerous and scary. change lanes to pass me, please.
most of the time i have no issues with the cars that i cycle with every morning on my way to work.
amen sister and thanks elisabeth. most of the time, as a biker i am pretty impressed with the car traffic. as a motorist i try and respect as much as possible the right to the biker (cuz i am that too). i think both side have been slighted. as a motorist, i dont care how fast or slow that you go. just that you follow the rules of the road and we will get along fine! keep riding for the cause elisabeth. i will join the cause for bike paths as this seems to be the best option for both car and bike.
Post a Comment
<< Home
