Originally Posted by
Commodus
This thread is like a litmus test of 'reasonableness'...
the reality is that filtering, like virtually everthing, can be either completely acceptable or thoroughly rude, even dangerous - it depends on many factors.
Only some posters, however, can see the issue past their own filter of prejudice and ideology. This inability to simply see things from another's point of view, and accept that those have at least the potential to be valid, is exactly what sinks half the threads in this subforum into idiocy and petty bickering.
This was posted on another forum and does a good job of explaining why I avoid filtering in most situations. In this case I feel like the cyclist earned the lesson he was taught.
I've always considered myself a reasonable man.....do unto others and all that. And I appreciate others forgiving my occasional "dumb !@#" move and I try to return the favor. None of us are 100% smart all the time!
...Don't pass me on the right to get to the front of the line at stoplights when I've just spent 5 minutes trying to pass your sorry butt! In other words, be considerate and act like you've got a brain! This world does not revolve around you!
A side story....some years back I was driving a 135 foot platform Bronto (that's a big @#! fire truck!) I drove it very carefully and always try to give others plenty of room. It was powered by a 550 HP Detroit Diesel with an exhaust pipe that was about 9" in diameter and exited just in front of the rear wheels on the officer's side. It had a pretty significant "jet blast" and I would normally let off the accelerator when passing folks standing at the edge of the road or street....just common courtesy.
Well, I'm driving back to our station late in the day (busy traffic all trying to get home) and I come upon a bicyclist and he's riding about 4 - 5 feet from the edge of the road. Traffic's heavy and after a minute or so I find a break where I can give him all of the lane and ease by him without blowing him off the road. No problem, right? At the next light, here he comes by us on the shoulder of the road. Light turns green and off we go.....cars again having to wait to get by him. We finally get our turn and, once again, I wait for opposing traffic to break so I can get by him without crowding and/or blowing him off the road. He could have waited in line, but I think maybe he'll realize what's happening behind him and not do it again. Next light....here he comes on the right again....right up to the front. Now everyone is getting pissed at him and when the light turns green, he holds us up again. But this time, when it's my turn, I get a little closer than I normally would when passing and nail the accelerator. (Please understand that this truck doesn't accelerate very quickly but the exhaust blast will move big dogs and small children if not tied down.) I watched in my right side mirror as he did a "slow motion" ride into the ditch.....didn't fall but just rode right into the bottom of the ditch. I got a number of "thumbs up" from drivers all the way back to our station. Payback's a *****! 