wphamilton

If he has a great driving record for 40 years I'm inclined to trust his judgment over your description. How's your driving record?

keyven

Then you're a moron. Simple as that.

My driving record is definitely not spotless, but apparently, you are not bright enough to realize that my driving record has nothing to do with this. I do know his driving is better than mine, but at those speeds and distances, reaction time means zero. Your logic seems to point out that you believe he could still avoid a crash if the car in front jams his brake unexpectedly, which is humanly impossible.

My entire family agrees he drives far too dangerously close to others - not for some personal thrill, but as habit.

wphamilton

I guess this demonstrates the inaccuracy of judgmental stereotyping.

Speaks for itself.

keyven

It clearly demonstrates your lack of common sense. Next time you might want to deal with facts rather than narrow-minded theorycrafting. Have a good day.

italktocats

so all motorcycles are impaired

as well as all cagers


everyones impaired!

being impaired is thus the norm, thus noone is impaired overal

wphamilton

Haha, good point.

I think that someone really would have to be a "moron" to be unable to realize that he's distracted by something. Most people aren't morons, obviously, so their actions are deliberate.

italktocats

nah, its worse; its takes "normal behavior" for that to happen; walk out of the house, get in the car, drive off. driving a car isnt something that requires normal behavior/attention, it required at least 3x as much, the risk is too big

theyre not morons, theyre just ignorant

wphamilton

true. but I was still on about the I-pod zombies on bikes or walking. If their behavior isn't completely random I don't care what they're doing.

The thing about driving, for most people, particularly a commuter, is that after so many hours on the same route he tends to believe he can drive by reflex without needing particular attention. The issue there is how much attention they devote to it, not whether they have a radio or music on.

italktocats

its the same; it doesnt matter what theyre driving/riding, to them its the same as walking as to how much attention/risk is involved
if one doesnt care about their responsibilty, theyre gonna act like that all the time anyway

wphamilton

I'd be more inclined to agree with your first opinion, that driving should require 3x the attention. Greater risk for others, greater responsibility, simple equation.

italktocats

common knowledge aint that common anymore

Cyclist0383

Much narrower. This is a two lane bike lane, traffic in both directions. It gets pretty busy during rush hour.

Cyclist0383

Problem is is that it does effect me. When need to communicate that I'm passing someone, and they can't hear me and veer into me it's dangerous. Not to mention the idiots that ride on the sidewalk (it's legal here) at 25kph, unable to hear doors open and people walking out. I and many people I know, have almost been hit by these idiots, and they don't even know you are there as they are so immersed in their own little world.

Also, my wife was hit whilst riding by some idiot wearing headphones who flew out of a blind driveway and smacked right into her. She yelled and braked, but he had no idea she was there until he hit her. As she was laying on the ground he took off his headphones and asked 'what?' If he would have been able to hear her screaming at him he could have braked. Hit her hard enough to crack her frame.

wphamilton

It happens, but the idiot is still an idiot when he takes his headphones off. It doesn't mean that the headphones make everyone behave like maniacs.

Cyclist0383

I never said that everyone with headphones is an idiot rider, but the majority of idiot riders I, and others I've spoken with here in Riga, are wearing headphones. Hell, I was almost hit by one the other day. Good thing I have fast reactions and anticipated that it might happen. He flew around a blind corner. Had he not had headphones on he would have heard my bell before I went around said corner. To his credit he did apologize for riding like an idiot.

wphamilton

You didn't but it appears to be a theme in this thread so I took the opportunity to emphasize that.

I have a 5" scar on my arm from a cyclist who flew around a corner like that and target-fixated on me. He wasn't wearing headphones, but had he been I might have seized onto that to reinforce a prejudice. Most of the idiotic riding that I observe does not involve headphones.

Cyclist0383

It's not a prejudice, it's based on actual experiences, and is shared amongst the vast majority of serious cyclists I know. Folks who ride a lot in these parts know better.

JoeyBike

I resemble that remark!

I never wear headphones. See my sig line for more details.

wphamilton

The same could be said for most prejudices. They are based on actual experiences, and are shared by the majority. What makes it a prejudice is judging a person or assuming behavioral characteristics based on some characteristic.

I'm not directing it at you specifically, but that's what I'm seeing here.

wphamilton

I have them turned off, sorry.

I'd say that the majority of stupid riding that I see involves someone wearing a helmet. But I do not associate helmets with stupidity.

JoeyBike

I wear a helmet AND do not wear headphones, yet...my riding style has been called idiotic.

"For all we know his skills may be excellent, allowing him to ride like an idiot without actually being one." - FBinNY

italktocats

click for normal size, it magically resized it?

italktocats

thus headphones are dangerous, i get it

I-Like-To-Bike

Not prejudice at all, eh?
Would it be safe to say that you identify people who fit your own cycling profile as "serious cyclists," and they obviously must know better than those cycling duds who don't resemble you and your cycling pals?

howsteepisit

Let's see here, it appears that Ziemas and his buds got together and decided that cyclists who wear headphones are idiots, so it must be fact. Why does this sound familiar to those of us who lived through the civil rights ear in the US?