Commuting - Typical attitude towards commuters

This is an article from today in our local paper. Obviously a lot of non-bikers hold this opinion, however it's frustrating none the less. The streets that are referred to in the article are main arteries that most bikers take to avoid having to criss-cross thru a bunch of side streets. The frustrating part is that the author refers to bikes being outnumbered by 1000 to 1. Well buddy, maybe this is the problem. Perhaps our City Council should restrict an entire lane to just bikes on these busier arteries. Maybe then some of those people will get off their lazy butts and out of their gas consuming SUV's to bike to work, if it's too slow to get to work with only one lane.

Luckily our City Council is pro-cycling to the point where we have a decent bike path network throughout the city, with aggressive plans to expand this network. I'm afraid the author will be seeing more of us out there this summer :D If I get run over this summer, you all know who likely did it :twitchy:

http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/opinions/article/172372

People like those make me yearn for the return of $4.00 gas.

The "I'm a dangerous driver so you should stay off the road" reason never quite made sense to me.

yarrrrr he doesnt get it

First language English not. Grammar never heard of have I. Composition cramp style personal.

People like those make me yearn for the return of $4.00 gas.

Exactly!

First language English not. Grammar never heard of have I. Composition cramp style personal.

French might be the author's first language.

I stay away from comments sections on newspaper web sites. Our local paper made people sign up with their real name and verified they were who they said they were, just like they do with letters to the editor. Commenting went waaaaaaay down.

I was yearning for $8 a gallon gas. $4 wasn't working.

I never get the "we don't have enough lanes for cars so we can't afford any room for bikes" logic. It's basically admitting that the car won't work then crying to remove another, working, form to allow the car to fail with marginally less misery.

His comments have no basis in law or logic.

I absolutely will ride when I want, where I want, and if he has an issue he can either call the cops or confront me on the road. Neither is likely to advance his cause.

Writing to a paper no one reads won't change anything.

Next?

His comments have no basis in law or logic.

I absolutely will ride when I want, where I want, and if he has an issue he can either call the cops or confront me on the road. Neither is likely to advance his cause.

Writing to a paper no one reads won't change anything.

Next?

Oh, he realizes that the law is on the side of the cyclist. That's what pisses him off the most. I love it! :roflmao2:

at least he admits to being a jerk

Article like these are GREAT. They make the anti-bike people look like idiots.

First language English not. Grammar never heard of have I. Composition cramp style personal.

Homie is from Dagobah, cut him some slack.

Luckily our City Council is pro-cycling to the point where we have a decent bike path network throughout the city, with aggressive plans to expand this network.

Hard to see is the dark side. Once cycle path network complete, ride not on the road by law? Smile they do, offering you help as they lead you toward their ends.

French might be the author's first language.

Rather doubtful in Cambridge.... likely just another product of our wonderful school system..

This is an article from today in our local paper. Obviously a lot of non-bikers hold this opinion, however it's frustrating none the less. The streets that are referred to in the article are main arteries that most bikers take to avoid having to criss-cross thru a bunch of side streets. The frustrating part is that the author refers to bikes being outnumbered by 1000 to 1. Well buddy, maybe this is the problem. Perhaps our City Council should restrict an entire lane to just bikes on these busier arteries. Maybe then some of those people will get off their lazy butts and out of their gas consuming SUV's to bike to work, if it's too slow to get to work with only one lane.

Luckily our City Council is pro-cycling to the point where we have a decent bike path network throughout the city, with aggressive plans to expand this network. I'm afraid the author will be seeing more of us out there this summer :D If I get run over this summer, you all know who likely did it :twitchy:

http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/opinions/article/172372


Another good thing is that Regional Council has taken the lead on transport in Waterloo Region.

The "I'm a dangerous driver so you should stay off the road" reason never quite made sense to me.

I completely agree. Yes there are stupid drivers out there, but the solution isn't to stay off the roads. If anything, the solution is to get more bike out on the roads. Hopefully then stupid drivers would pay more attention to cyclists. I thoroughly believe that the more cyclists there are out riding (safely and legally), the better peoples attitudes towards us become.

I think it's cyclical. There's a place that I ride occasionally where a bike in the bike lane is a pretty popular occurance. People are also very bike friendly in that area, which is one less excuse for people not to ride. Those two things play off each other positively. Then there are other areas that are "bike friendly" because they have a bike lane, but there is hardly ever anyone riding in them. I get yelled at and have things thrown at me in this area much more often. My theory is that when there are very few people biking, we become a novelty. We stick out more and people react negatively for some reason.

There was an opinion like that in the Record a few months ago. For a region (Waterloo) that could be one of the best in Canada, people have a pretty poor attitude there to wards biking.
I live in a GM town and have never read anything like that...yet

I responded so many times to letters like this that the editor called me at home and gave me my own column.

I'm starting my second season as a columnist exclusively dealing with cycling issues in my community.

People have to speak up to advocate for cycling. People need to know writers like the one linked are off the rails.

Another good thing is that Regional Council has taken the lead on transport in Waterloo Region.

I'm impressed with the Region. They're also coming to our workplace to discuss commuting options sometime in May.

Typical attitude of drivers:

Share the road = Stay out of my way
Bike lane = Stay out of my way
"The Bike People" = A fringe group that demands they can be in our way

Surely I'm missing a few here....