neilfein

Interesting discussion. Maybe this has been done to death in A&S, but I don't read A&S.

I find that making eye contact with drivers usually send the message, "I see you", and they'll then go ahead and treat me like just another vehicle. Usually. A glance behind me will send the same message to cars back there. (Even if I'm running with mirrors; drivers can't see me glance in a mirror.) That move can stave off honking when I take the lane.

Map tester

I feel your pain. If I really don't want to take their 'right-of-way offer', I will look at the sky or in the opposite direction until they move on. I have almost been run over by motorist behind the one trying to be courteous.

Just treat me like a lawful vehicle and get on with life.

acroy

our job isn't to train the motorists.... it's to get our shapely rear through the intersection safely, with minimal disruption. if cyclists are expected to roll through the intersection, do it. It's the de facto law, the way it actually works here in real life.

what's written in the traffic law book are words on a page. primarily, traffic laws are suggestions to be learned well enough to pass a test and get a car. don't let it decide how you (weird cyclist you) get from a to b.

cheers

cbr2702

I'm ok with people doing what is safe instead of what is legal. (ex/ ignoring badly implemented ride to the right provisions) To some extent I'm ok with people doing what's expedient instead of what's legal, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. (ex/ coasting through stop signs when you have good visibility and no ones coming) But I'm not ok with it being wrong for someone to follow the law. If someone wants to be entirely within the rules, that needs to be ok.

You would say that if I'm driving a car at 45 mph on a highway in an area signed as a 45 mph work zone (even though the workers are off duty currently) when everyone else wants to be going 70 and expects me to be doing so, then I need to speed up to 70. That's not reasonable. Who are you to decide that someone else can afford to a ticket?

ItsJustMe

I get what you're saying, but it's pretty irritating that drivers will complain about cyclists breaking the law, then they'll try to force them to break the law.

Widsith

Sorry, but I prefer to obey the written law and expect others to do the same. I'll do so in as safe a manner as possible, of course, but I believe that doing what's right and living up to one's principles is more important than personal safety.

sheba

I find myself annoyed at this situation alot. I guess I've analyzed my feelings on a social-political level, but this line of reasoning makes sense to me. I usually just wait them out; why be in a hurry? I look directly at them as they try to [incorrectly] wave me through; I pretend I don't even see them.

gear

I get a kick out of the over politeness thing. Ever notice how someone trying to be really considerate will come to a complete stop to let some other driver go, it seems like they are being real nice till you notice that when they did that, they held up all the traffic behind them. Its like they are being polite to the drivers they can see but the people they can't see (the ones behind them) can go suck eggs.

This isn't exactly on point, and its' not so much a rant as something I notice and think is funny.

capejohn

As a phd student you should have know better. Consider this the apex of your learning curve.