Originally Posted by
wphamilton
My strong opinion there was related to motorists at traffic lights- I didn't intend to advocate stiffer penalties and enforcement for bicycles at stop signs. I was unclear there.
I don't really have an issue with rolling stops, either bike or automobile. Even making a point of stopping deliberately at every stop sign, I still find myself sometimes rolling past a stop sign. It happens, and no harm no foul in my opinion. But with drivers at red lights the situation is out of control here in Alpharetta and Roswell.
I'm kind of ambivalent about the whole concept of scofflaw cyclists giving us all a bad name. Maybe they do, or maybe that's just what some people fasten onto to justify griping about cyclists. Either way, I'm leaning toward the attitude of not worrying about it.
Around Atlanta, I honestly think the griping is mostly people who are just pissed off about being stuck in their cars in traffic, and they get angry about anything that passes them while they aren't moving as fast as they want to be. It's the same reason they will drive past 10 cars half on the road half off the road down the right side to make a right turn and red and think nothing of it, while flying into a rage when someone else does it, 4 wheels, 2 wheels, pedal or motor, doesn't matter. All the get off the road crap stems from the fact that a bicycle might slow them down, or did, that one time.
My three modes of transportation are in order bicycle, motorcycle, smart car, and you know what? I hear the same crap from other drivers regardless. Sometimes I think that, around here, if it isn't a Ford F-150 or bigger, it "don't belong". I just ignore it, or wave and smile all friendly like. It's not like any of them actually have the guts to stop and have conversation about it.
Advocating it with the local municipalities is the only way to promote change. Working with them on enforcement, working with them on education works.
All of that said, I don't generally worry about it myself. I've been on these roads for 25 years now. They are no more dangerous than they were, and arguably are less dangerous. Distracted driving? before cell phones it was newspapers, makeup and electric shavers. Distracted driving? car stereos pushing 120db's. 25 years ago it was glass drink bottles launched out car windows, rednecks with guns in the back windows. It was bench seats with the girlfriend borderline in the drivers lap doing god knows what.
You ride long enough, you'll see things that will truly make you marvel, and not all of it in a good way
.
Worst one ever for me was about 20 years ago, on West Wylie Bridge Road (off Hwy 92 between Roswell and Woodstock), watched a lady drive her hatchback right off the edge of the road and into a ditch. Raced down the ditch to make sure she was ok. Her infant child was at least in a car seat, but the driver reeked of hard liquor, had no pants on, and there was a buzzing adult toy rattling around the floorboards. Now THAT was distracted driving.