Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Commuting
Reload this Page >

Why I felt the need to pull out of the driveway with my car this morning.....

Notices
Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

Why I felt the need to pull out of the driveway with my car this morning.....

Old 11-07-12, 02:03 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 168
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Why I felt the need to pull out of the driveway with my car this morning.....

By now I have gotten used to taking the bike when im off and go about my day in the morning. Today was a little different, this is the news from yesterday...

https://www.fresnobee.com/2012/11/06/...-sheriffs.html

Has anyone ever been discouraged to go on your daily commutes with a bicycle after seeing news like this in your own city? I just felt safer taking my car this morning. Im glad the victims in good condition, but just cant imagine what could have happened...just stupid these kind of people are out doing stuff like this for "fun"
Solis91 is offline  
Old 11-07-12, 02:24 PM
  #2  
Ns1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 158
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
you're not safe no matter what you do

https://www.myfoxla.com/story/1940183...rs-in-kennesaw
Ns1 is offline  
Old 11-07-12, 02:43 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
joshuatrio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Central California
Posts: 198

Bikes: Giant TCR C1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Take a different route.
joshuatrio is offline  
Old 11-07-12, 02:56 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: cherry hill, nj
Posts: 6,144
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 32 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Look up camden, NJ. homicides almost daily.
chefisaac is offline  
Old 11-07-12, 03:24 PM
  #5  
Banned
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: England / CPH
Posts: 8,543

Bikes: 2010 Cube Acid / 2013 Mango FGSS

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1053 Post(s)
Liked 41 Times in 36 Posts
that's what happens when you let citizens (or non-citizens, perhaps) have guns.
acidfast7 is offline  
Old 11-07-12, 03:46 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: You have really nice furniture
Posts: 821
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by acidfast7
that's what happens when you let citizens (or non-citizens, perhaps) have guns.
Not intending to turn this into a political debate but doesn't Germany allow the ownership of guns?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_Germany

Now to the topic...

I now have over 2k miles on my bike, not a ton I know but enough I think to make my next statement. I now think of my riding this way, "I very easily could have avoided being killed in my car by now had I not ridden on a particular day." That gives me peace knowing that if something tragic were to happen while riding that I could have been dead long ago due to a tragic car accident that I avoided by riding.
ckaspar is offline  
Old 11-07-12, 04:05 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
tergal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Logan, QLD ,Australia
Posts: 784

Bikes: Trek 4300

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I love this remark

"Just another reason to ride on the opposite side of the street. I was always uncomfortable riding with my back to moving traffic.."


yep i am sure that will stop someone from shooting you .... if the cars don't get you first
tergal is offline  
Old 11-07-12, 04:46 PM
  #8  
Hooray for most things!
 
Fishmonger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 162

Bikes: Motobecane Fantom Cross Pro

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by acidfast7
that's what happens when you let citizens (or non-citizens, perhaps) have guns.
There are millions and millions of guns in the USA. If the government were to take away our constitutional rights and ban guns, they would still be available for bad guys to get their hands on. There is absolutely no way to stop that.

I for one am glad that I have the ability to defend myself and my family with a firearm.

There's nothing you can do to be completely safe, but there are multiple options available to you to avoid or survive a confrontation. . . even in California, where guns are banned.
Fishmonger is offline  
Old 11-07-12, 05:09 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 120
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I ride through one area that has frequent shootings and another area where a cyclist was stabbed recently. My wife doesn't like it, but I figure that my chances of getting shot or stabbed are vanishingly small.
DrakeSuperbus is offline  
Old 11-07-12, 05:14 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: cherry hill, nj
Posts: 6,144
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 32 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
If you lived in fear all the time, you would get nowhere. If you are riding and get shot, stabbed, etc, yes, it will really suck for sure. But the risk does not always outweigh the benefit.
chefisaac is offline  
Old 11-09-12, 03:28 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,970
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2475 Post(s)
Liked 722 Times in 513 Posts
Originally Posted by Solis91
By now I have gotten used to taking the bike when im off and go about my day in the morning. Today was a little different, this is the news from yesterday...

https://www.fresnobee.com/2012/11/06/...-sheriffs.html

Has anyone ever been discouraged to go on your daily commutes with a bicycle after seeing news like this in your own city? I just felt safer taking my car this morning. Im glad the victims in good condition, but just cant imagine what could have happened...just stupid these kind of people are out doing stuff like this for "fun"
I'm sorry, I do not get a single word of your post. No, I am never discouraged to go on my daily commute after news like that. For one thing, I do not watch the news in the morning. For another, what news I do listen to is of the NPR variety. If a national leader gets shot, NPR will likely cover it. Anything less than that is beneath their radar. As it should be yours, I mean... scheisen... if every murder or attempted murder were to affect my comings and goings. The very next day after taking today off from commuting by bike could be the one that... ... all you did was make an excellent case for not cycling to work, or anywhere else for that matter. Ever. I don't have the luxury. I don't own a car and Mass transit is $5.00/day.

H
Leisesturm is offline  
Old 11-09-12, 03:51 PM
  #12  
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 28
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I'm assuming you are driving a bullet-proof car... otherwise your logic seems flawed.
voj112 is offline  
Old 11-09-12, 04:14 PM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Burnaby, BC
Posts: 4,144
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by voj112
I'm assuming you are driving a bullet-proof car... otherwise your logic seems flawed.
Yea. I came to post this.
Commodus is offline  
Old 11-09-12, 04:19 PM
  #14  
Randomhead
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,364
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,664 Times in 2,497 Posts
good point about the bullet proof car, there have been some fairly high profile shootings of motorists that are just as random as this one.

This is a fairly recent one

there was one in Eastern Pennsylvania a couple of years ago (rt 422) where he just shot people that he thought weren't going fast enough in a traffic jam.

If you search for
road rage shooter found dead
you will be stressed out every time you are in heavy traffic

Last edited by unterhausen; 11-09-12 at 04:29 PM.
unterhausen is offline  
Old 11-09-12, 04:32 PM
  #15  
Crawler
 
linus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: OH~ CANADA
Posts: 1,410
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 211 Post(s)
Liked 20 Times in 15 Posts
Originally Posted by Fishmonger
I for one am glad that I have the ability to defend myself and my family with a firearm.
When an armed robber comes to your house and tries to rob you and then he/she sees you have a gun in your hand, I'm 100% sure that the robber will shoot you and your family.
linus is offline  
Old 11-09-12, 06:28 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 168
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Leisesturm
I'm sorry, I do not get a single word of your post. No, I am never discouraged to go on my daily commute after news like that. For one thing, I do not watch the news in the morning. For another, what news I do listen to is of the NPR variety. If a national leader gets shot, NPR will likely cover it. Anything less than that is beneath their radar. As it should be yours, I mean... scheisen... if every murder or attempted murder were to affect my comings and goings. The very next day after taking today off from commuting by bike could be the one that... ... all you did was make an excellent case for not cycling to work, or anywhere else for that matter. Ever. I don't have the luxury. I don't own a car and Mass transit is $5.00/day.

H
Well uh, you answered my question in your second sentence. I didnt bother to read the rest, seems like nonsense, sorry I did not get a single word from your post.
Ive put in a lot of miles since my post a few days ago. I guess its time we move on and continue with life now.
Solis91 is offline  
Old 11-11-12, 06:32 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
recumbenttoad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 319
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
that's what happens when you let citizens (or non-citizens, perhaps) have guns.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
facepalm.jpg (48.2 KB, 13 views)
recumbenttoad is offline  
Old 11-12-12, 07:01 AM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
Yalc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 140

Bikes: All City Macho Man Disc, Surly CrossCheck, Surly Steamroller, Voodoo Agwe, Trek FX 7.2

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
https://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfa...d_on_lower.php
Yalc is offline  
Old 11-12-12, 08:18 AM
  #19  
aka: Mike J.
 
treebound's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: between Milwaukee and Sheboygan in Wisconsin
Posts: 3,448

Bikes: 1995 Trek 520 is the current primary bike.

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 113 Post(s)
Liked 58 Times in 39 Posts
I've typed a thousand words and had a thousand thoughts, but deleted and dismissed all of them.

Do what works for you.

'scuse me now while I go load up Pandora and run a search on Dear Prudence and see what plays.
Turns out it is Maybe I'm Amazed, Paul McCartney.
I wonder if John Lennon singing Imagine will be next.

Do what works for you.

edit: that wasn't working for me so I switched to the Clairy Browne channel. Much better, just enough attitude to be annoyed with people and traffic, but not so much as to make one go rogue on the offenders.

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled programming....
__________________
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Life happens, don't be a spectator.

Last edited by treebound; 11-12-12 at 08:26 AM.
treebound is offline  
Old 11-12-12, 08:32 AM
  #20  
Hooray for most things!
 
Fishmonger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 162

Bikes: Motobecane Fantom Cross Pro

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by linus
When an armed robber comes to your house and tries to rob you and then he/she sees you have a gun in your hand, I'm 100% sure that the robber will shoot you and your family.
Come again? Am I holding a squirt gun? They would actually be dead the moment they get the door/window open. I'm not an idiot who owns a gun and never practices.

When it comes between choosing the life of my family over the life of a scumbag who is putting my family at risk, how is that a hard decision? Or are you suggesting I just let him do whatever he wants when he forces his way in? I don't agree that you should ever give another person that kind of power over you.
Fishmonger is offline  
Old 11-12-12, 10:18 AM
  #21  
aka: Mike J.
 
treebound's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: between Milwaukee and Sheboygan in Wisconsin
Posts: 3,448

Bikes: 1995 Trek 520 is the current primary bike.

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 113 Post(s)
Liked 58 Times in 39 Posts
What's the difference between a deer in the headlights and a pedestrian in a crosswalk?
Sometimes not much.

To the OP, Solis91,

What kind of bike do you have? How far is your usual bike commute? Mostly urban or rural or mixed, road or MUP's or mixed?
(just trying some traffic calming here to get the thread back on a cycling track. )
__________________
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Life happens, don't be a spectator.
treebound is offline  
Old 11-12-12, 11:24 AM
  #22  
Homey
 
Siu Blue Wind's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 13,519
Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2424 Post(s)
Liked 1,392 Times in 891 Posts
Originally Posted by Fishmonger
Come again? Am I holding a squirt gun? They would actually be dead the moment they get the door/window open. I'm not an idiot who owns a gun and never practices.

When it comes between choosing the life of my family over the life of a scumbag who is putting my family at risk, how is that a hard decision? Or are you suggesting I just let him do whatever he wants when he forces his way in? I don't agree that you should ever give another person that kind of power over you.
Okay you two go talk about this elsewhere, either in PM or in P and R. Thank you.
__________________
Originally Posted by making
Please dont outsmart the censor. That is a very expensive censor and every time one of you guys outsmart it it makes someone at the home office feel bad. We dont wanna do that. So dont cleverly disguise bad words.
Siu Blue Wind is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Mr Pink57
Living Car Free
56
04-09-16 05:19 PM
redeyedtreefr0g
Commuting
8
07-18-12 11:04 AM
monsterpile
Commuting
2
04-13-12 04:08 AM
MurometsVLD
Living Car Free
18
04-18-11 04:50 AM
nanter
Living Car Free
6
05-04-10 11:42 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.