Originally Posted by
rideon7
There is a very good article on the BikePortland web site about how the design of roads and the mix of cars and bikes contributes to road rage. This may even tie in to Bombadil's recent thread on urban living/urban sprawl.
I commute to work and ride for recreation/fun on the weekends, and am also very "pro-cyclist." I in no way identify with the author of this article and, in fact, find his perspectives (and behaviors) annoying in the extreme. I try my best to obey the "rules of the road," to share the road, and to defer to vehicles that are faster, heavier, or behaving aggressively. I was "run off the road" last week when some oblivious parent in a Subaru Outback packed with kids pushed me almost into the gutter in a self-centered attempt to find a parking place next to a city park. He yelled, "Sorry!" but the tone of his voice conveyed indifference, at best, and slight embarrassment at being so obviously distracted and self-absorbed. Instead of calling him "fat boy," I waved and kept riding. I don't do aggression and I can't justify other's aggression by citing bad city planning, traffic congestion, or distraction from devices or kids. The author's behaviors contribute to the growing contempt and antagonism between cyclists and drivers, that has only gotten worse in the past few years. Sorry, I'm not buying it.