Advocacy & Safety - Four wheelers

ok.

ideas for names describing motorists.

1) (I'm drawing a blank, here...)

Let's just stick with "four-wheelers". I had to dig deep for "roadhogs" and that really sucks (even though they are). Unless some of you others have any ideas.

If your'e wondering where this topic came from, see the thread: Cycling is Dangerous

"Exhausters" is a possibility, but I find it doesn't exactly trip lightly off the tongue....

"CO jocks"? Assumes some knowledge of chemistry....

"The unskilled"? I guess that hints of elitist snobbery....

Knob jockeys.

The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition synonym for "motorist" is "cager," i.e., one who travels inside a steel cage.

How about telephone operators since they're always on the phone!

Or Indy drivers since they are always trying to pass everyone in front of them.

I'll stick with "motoring primates" as I find it safer to treat them as though they are a lesser species than the human being when I ride.

Chris

Originally posted by Chris L
I'll stick with "motoring primates" as I find it safer to treat them as though they are a lesser species than the human being when I ride.

Chris

Speaking of which, Planet of the Apes is out today -. Charlton Heston cameo, and all.

I was hoping to rent the original and watch it again before going, but I bet my wife and daughter wouldn't be so keen on that idea.

Jonathan

There's an idea...


Wheel Apes
Wheel Monkeys
Motor Monkeys


How about...

Elbow Skinners (You know what I'm talking about)
Smoggers
VIPs (Vehicle Induced Polluters)
Phone Booth Drivers (You still know what I'm talking about)
NASCAR Wannabes
Drive-by Polluters
Pollutant Pansies


Jonathan

Hmmm...

Let's face it, folks -- for the forseeable future, cars and other motorized vihicles are going to be around, and we need to live with and share the road with them. For my own safety, I prefer not to put them down -- as a matter of general attitude, I think I behave better toward others on the road when I'm not carrying around any prejudices.

I live in the Central Valley of California. The area around here, at first take, would seem to be a prime area for cyclist harrassment--rapidly changing from rural to urbanized, lots of out-of-the-area transplants (including me) causing resentment among the natives, the most popular motor vehicle is a wide-tired pick-em-up with loud exhausts--yet it's surprisingly mellow in this regard. I've rarely been yelled at, honked at, never had anything tossed at me while on my bike (although some young punks in an oncoming car once tossed a bottle at my car's windscreen -- they missed the car completely :D ). I'm knocking on some wood right now that this continues for a loooong time!

However, I have had a few "incidents" that could have been disatrous if I had not been alert and reacted quickly, and this caused me to contemplate how I ride.

I ride properly -- with traffic instead of against it, using hand signals, obeying stop signs and traffic lights. I never ride without a helmet, and wear bright colors so I'm visible. Yet I still have had people turn in front of me, or step out into a crosswalk in front of me, or do something they wouldn't do if I was a car and not a bike & rider.

It then occurred to me that I tend to ride about twice as fast as the average bike rider around here -- usually around 30 - 35 km/h (high teens to low 20's in MPH), or faster if I'm in the mood -- and the average driver or pedestrian just has no concept that a bicycle is capable of traveling that fast. They plan their actions for a "normal" bicycle speed, which would give them plenty of room to complete their maneuver, but not enough room for someone riding at a speed I know is within the capabilities of many of us here.

It's just one more thing to keep in mind when you're out there dealing with traffic...

Steve
Classic Lugged Steel Rider

Originally posted by SteveF
Let's face it, folks -- for the forseeable future, cars and other motorized vihicles are going to be around, and we need to live with and share the road with them. For my own safety, I prefer not to put them down -- as a matter of general attitude, I think I behave better toward others on the road when I'm not carrying around any prejudices.


Personally I find a certain amount of anti-motorist bigotry to be the most essential safety item a cyclist can have. I credit it with saving my life more times than my helmet has. It's not that you go out of your way to cause trouble, it's just easier to expect (and thus be prepared for) stupid actions from people you have already assumed to be stupid.

When I see drivers careering out of control down the wrong side of the road at ridiculous speeds (which wouldn't be so bad if they could just make up their mind that this would be their intention), I like to be prepared for it.

Chris

Originally posted by Chris L


Personally I find a certain amount of anti-motorist bigotry to be the most essential safety item a cyclist can have. I credit it with saving my life more times than my helmet has. It's not that you go out of your way to cause trouble, it's just easier to expect (and thus be prepared for) stupid actions from people you have already assumed to be stupid.

When I see drivers careering out of control down the wrong side of the road at ridiculous speeds (which wouldn't be so bad if they could just make up their mind that this would be their intention), I like to be prepared for it.

Just personally speaking "bigotry" has the wrong connotation for me. However, that doesn't mean that I ride along blissfully assuming that all will be well. A heightened state of alertness is essential to one's survival when on the road, especially on a bike.

SteveF
Classic Lugged Steel Rider

Steve,

Relax!

;)

(Just blowing off steam, man!)

If I respected motorists despite the insanely irresponsible behavior I see them engaging in every time I set foot outdoors, "respect" itself would be sullied for me and soon cease to have any meaning.

I truly believe that 80% of drivers should not have been licensed.

Originally posted by JonR
I truly believe that 80% of drivers should not have been licensed.

Or perhaps should be re-tested occasionally to make sure they actually still have some basic skills and commonsense.

chris

Steve,

I got to thinking, you made a good point about not being negative towards motorists. I also have found that they often treat me better than they treat each other. And they respond positively to me when I am considerate of them.

(Now, what name did you come up with? ;))

I don't think it's bigotry. Most of us still drive more than we bike. I do.

Rather than names being ill-will toward drivers, I see them as editorials about our over-dependence on driving.

I jumped in my Portable Smogger to take my daughter to her mom's this morning, then drove to work.

Think of it not as ill-will, but positive peer pressure for a better future.

Jonathan

Originally posted by Pete Clark
Steve,

I got to thinking, you made a good point about not being negative towards motorists. I also have found that they often treat me better than they treat each other. And they respond positively to me when I am considerate of them.

(Now, what name did you come up with? ;))

Pete,

My point exactly. I feel quite fortunate compared with other correspondents when I consider how the vast majority of drivers in my area tend to treat cyclists. Most of them are extremely polite, and will go out of their way to wave me through an intersection, or wait behind me on a narrow stretch of road before passing when the road widens, or move out at least halfway into the opposite lane to pass, even when there's a wide enough shoulder to make it completely unnecessary.

I do appreciate this courteous behavior, and try to reciprocate.

As for a name? Well, let's see--I do drive as well as cycle, and enjoy driving (I was a competitive autocrosser in a "past life"), so I don't feel locked in a "cage" when I drive--that one's out.

"Portable smogger"--my wife and I drive small, efficient cars (no SUVs in our garage!), so this one has less validity than it might otherwise.

I'll have to cogitate on this for a bit--
"I'll be back!" :D

SteveF
Classic Lugged Steel Rider

Steve F brought up the valid point that both pedestrians and caged motoring primates tend to underestimate the speed of the serious, fit cyclist. This is one reason I use low gears, maintain high crank RPMs, and avoid coasting as I approach intersections. If you pedal at 100RPM, motoring primates will assume that you are traveling fast.

I believe that too, John, that high RPM's give an illusion of greater speed to observing motorists. At times, I have even sensed this effect when climbing, even though I was travelling less than 15 mph.

Another way I help motorists judge my cycling speed better (at least, I think this might help) is to have two front lights burning during my morning rides. I find it easier to judge the speed of an oncoming vehicle that has two front lights as opposed to only one. This is also why I use at least two rear reflectors in addition to my rear light.

If still using petroleum for fuel, I would still say "portable smogger". Even an SUV is more efficient than cars of old. A mini pump is still a pump, even if it can't fill a road tire in 10 secs.

I do agree with being polite and holding no ill will toward motorists. I hold none. Most motorists I encounter are basically, sometimes overly, polite. Others, well, they aren't all polite, but funny stories have to come from somewhere. I have to, at least, thank them for the material.

I'm certain that most people driving a Mercedes or Lexus love their cars and love driving them. So do many Kia, Hyundai, and Prius owners. I'm sure none of them feel locked in cages.

I think, though, that many feel that our dependence on autos has made our society miss out on some of life's best treasures. I think this is the idea expressed in our names for cars and drivers, even when referring to ourselves. The auto has fueled many of the problems American society faces. Urban sprawl, posterior and belly sprawl, Walmart vs. Mom 'n Pop stores, road rage, road rage fatalities, loss of public transit, urban blight, drunk driving fatalities, fast paced lives, overbooked kids, roadway maintenance costs, taxes required to bandage these problems, potential oil drilling on public lands, etc.

Jonathan

Of course, I say this stuff at the risk of receiving recruitment attempts from militant, environmentalist, cycling anarchist groups.

Don't call those guys names. :)

Jonathan