aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,560
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 513 Post(s)
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Yes, people drive differently in different areas. Around here, the poorer areas will have more reckless driving. It's every person for himself.
Interestingly, when I ride my bike in the poorer cites, such as Newark, NJ and Irvington, NJ, people who are on foot are particularly nice. They smile and wave and say hello. It's a welcome surprise for me, because I grew up in New York City in the 70's when crime was BAD and riding through a poor neighborhood was dangerous. For whatever reason, I do not feel threatened in the bad neighborhoods in New Jersey when I'm on bike.
And some people drive inconsiderately here, for sure, but I get very few people who have a get-the-hell-off-the-road attitude that I've experienced elsewhere. The inconsideration I receive is from ignorance or inattentiveness, not hostility.