bikesafer

I have been documenting close calls on my rides on my blog. I have had some success in getting people to change their driving habits, and getting some people tickets. I have also had some great difficulties getting some law enforcement authorities to listen to my problems.
A local TV station has now done a story on some of my successes and difficulties. You can see it at:
https://media.myfoxmilwaukee.com/inve...ors/index.html
click on the story titled "Dead Right"
Just thought you might be interested.
Bikesafer
Jeff

benjdm

Great stuff!

Bekologist

jeff-

nice feature, jeff.

it's a harsh reality out there. you said something like...."I have people threatening my life on almost every single ride."

true 'dat.

while there are a lot of courteous drivers out there, there are also a LOT of ignorant, careless, impaired (drugs, age, acuity), distracted motorists and some downright malevolent ones out there.

I get close passed on nearly every single ride myself, and harassed regularly enough to call it frequently harassed. only by altering ones' roadscape can you escape the rage, and sometimes not even then.

I get hollered at sometimes by motorists whose paths I haven't affected in the slightest.

The comments from the local DA's office really take the cake- of the opinion cyclists don't have rights to the lane unless doing the speed limit! I mean, REALLY! the DA should resign if they can't interpret your states' vehicle code.

Regarding angry motorists that disregard cyclists, Randya said it eloquently in another recent thread.....

Jeff- i need to ask though..... do you use a mirror? I didn't see a lot of 'dangerous' passes there, but a lot of anger at motorists incroaching on the 3 foot law. I understand the road weariness from too many close calls, I'm a pretty angry biker too, but that's a lot of yelling there, bro.

good one to attempt to educate motorists just how far a three foot pass really is.... i WISH more motorists had the notion..

Hickeydog

Wow. That's awesome bro.

bikesafer

Thanks to everyone for the comments so far.


I don't use a mirror, I do look over my shoulder an awful lot though.
It is hard to tell on some of the clips they showed just how dangerous the passes are. Some have been slowed down and some have been sped up and some are edited together so fast that you can't tell what is going on exactly. Don't get me wrong, I think they did a good job on the story but to really see how dangerous some of the passes were, you'd have to watch the entire clip at regular speed by itself.

As far as the yelling goes, my wife was worried when she saw the story that I might look like a raving lunatic the way all the yelling shows up in the story. I yell whenever I would normally use a horn in a car.
I gave the reporter almost all the dangerous passes I've had over the last year, so all the yelling comes from an entire year on the road.

I would add though that in my opinion any pass that encroaches on the 3 foot law is dangerous and some that are farther than 3 feet are dangerous too, depending on speeds and road conditions. Remember the 3 feet is only a minimum.

JoeyBike

Expectation - reality = disappointment.

The expectation you have is that people are courteous and conscientious. The reality is many people are dumb and hateful. The difference between your expectation and reality equals great disappointment.

What you are experiencing - unfortunately - goes with the territory. And looking at your videos ( I realize it's hard to judge on video ) some of those passes looked normal to me. Maybe you are a bit sensitive. Others looked absolutely cruel as you state. Maybe there is some element of surprise since you don't use a mirror too.

I guess my message is, when you click into your pedals, before you take one pedal stroke, you have to get into the mindset that you are going to war. That lowers your expectations that motorists are benevolent, and therefore lowers your disappointment when they pass too closely.

Get a mirror, learn to use it ( I look in mine every 15 seconds or so ), and stop being surprised when motorists squeeze past you. Looking over your shoulder is dangerous on a bike same as when driving a car. Although, I always look back too before changing lanes or drastically changing my line.

Just another day in paradise bro!

Tude 

That IS a great vid.

Just reported two school buses this morning as I commuted thru a tunnel/bridge that has some dingy lights on but I'm in my brilliant yellow green jacket (raining) with full lights so I was seen --- and it's not that wide - they did not have the brains to just slow down a bit and let me go thru - probably take about 40 seconds of their time. Instead they barreled thru there not slowing down and the only way I can compare that experience too (besides focusing on the freaking road as I can see the panels of the stupid school busses less than a foot away!) was riding Amtrac for the first time this weekend and half sleeping with my head on the glass ----- and having another train buzz by you.

Rather daunting. SOB's. Not the first school bus I've reported, a short bus went by me last year - so fast and it didn't see a parked car that it miraculously careened around the vehicles - ON TWO WHEELS - and there was a little Kid on the bus too.

genec

Good news story... since the DA sent his letter, has any legal agency worked to correct his misconceptions? Seems to me that is the kind of attitude that allows motorists who have killed to get off scot-free.

Dent a car, get a ticket; kill a cyclist, no problem... seems to be the mantra of that DA.

kuan

Dude you rode with a snowplow breathing down your neck? I would be nervous in a car!

crhilton

"Dead right?" Nice investigation, but they made a big deal out of not much at all.

uke

Neat vid.

fordfasterr

The DA is wrong in his interpretation.

It contradicts the laws of the state. I wonder if he comprehends the meaning of equal rights? Maybe he thinks black people should sit in the back of the bus, or that we should still have Jim Crowe laws...

What a ******.