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Re: cyclist hippies was Re: Driving Pet Peeves



In article <4js4RdG00YUrI8QQxA@andrew.cmu.edu>, "Nathan J. Nagel" <nn22+@andrew.cmu.edu> says:
>
>Excerpts from netnews.rec.autos.driving: 14-Jun-95 cyclist hippies was
>Re: Dri.. by Indian Outlaw@odin.cbu.e
>> > I'm a cyclist too and I agree. Then again, when a cyclist messes up he
>> > generally only hurts himself, while when someone driving a 3,000 pound
>> > car screws up he can kill whole families at once.
>>         What about when hesheit "messes up" and causes a car to swerve into
>> another car transporting a whole family????
>>
>> > I've been hit 6 times...all were the fault of the car driver (btw-5 out
>> > of six of the drivers were female). Average damage to bike was 900
>dollars.
>>         First, you got more dollars than sense if your bike cost more
>> than $900 and you ride it in the city.  My old Shogun was $400.  I'd
>> never pay that again for a bike.
>>         Second, define "fault of the driver".  Let me guess, he didn't
>swerve
>>
>> out of *your precious* way because a car was in the next lane?  I don't know
>> the legalities of this I'd admit, but I'll sacrifice my front right
>> corner before I sacrifice my whole left side by side swiping the car to
>> my left.  When you shits pop up out of nowhere, it's hard to slam on the
>> brakes, but I guess I'm supposed to brake for wheeled minorities, too.
>> For every X hundred cars, there's one bicycle out there.  Take a
>> hint pal.  If you want to hang with the big boys and do it on two wheels,
>> get a motorcycle.
>
>    A *real* biker will proabbly be going almost as fast as the flow of
>traffic.  I think you can slow down enough to let a car by.  Also, my
>bike takes up less than two feet of space on the road, usually there's
>more than enough room that I can move over and a car can pass me without
>crossing the double yellow, should the need arise.
>
>>
>> > PS: I saw Thurlow Rodgers riding today (84 olympic team, 7-11 team,
>> > rode in the tour de France, etc.) He was riding partially in the lane
>> > (just far enough so cars had to get partially into the next lane to
>> > get around him). That's exactly what you are supposed to do.
>>
>> Let me re-phrase:  If I can't*** get out of the way of a pathetic jackass
>> whose little bicycle belongs on less traveled residential roads, and I
>> hit him, he'll probably sue me because I'll stop and see if he's okay.
>> Then I will stick his fancy bike where the sun doesn't shine.
>>
>> *** I do get out of the way when I can.  I alike most have had close
>> calls.  It takes a lot of nerve or *stupidity* to take a bicycle into the
>> domain of 3000lb vehicles.
>>
>> BRENT VAUGHAN
>
>    Nerve, stupidity, or necessity.... I can afford to ride my bike to
>work, all it costs is a little extra pasta.  I just can't afford to keep
>my car insured so I can drive 4 miles every day.
>
>later,

That must be some small town you live in.  Most people don't have that
situation.  If you got a real job (not a flame, just a job that paid
you more money to afford to live normally) and moved to a larger city, you'd
be out there with the rest of us trying to swerve out of the way of folks on
bikes slamming on our brakes, leaning on our horns and thinking "Why is that
moron out here in rush hour traffic, putting along and getting in my way?"

Cyclists have their rights, but they're a traffic problem in a congested
thoroughfare.  If you must ride a bike, do so in light traffic on less
travelled roads.

>Nate


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