Here's the attitude I deal with on my commute in Atlanta
#26
genec
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Originally Posted by Helmet Head
If you cringe from than thought, you must be in denial about the fact that incompetent driving that could have been fixed with better driver education is factor in only a tiny percentage of car-bike collisions and fatalities.
I cringe at the thought of the vast majority of cyclist deaths and injuries that are caused by a lack of cyclist education, which is ultimately caused by a lack of concern in the cycling community about educating cyclists, which is instead cringing about relatively minor problems over which they have little or no control.
I cringe at the thought of the vast majority of cyclist deaths and injuries that are caused by a lack of cyclist education, which is ultimately caused by a lack of concern in the cycling community about educating cyclists, which is instead cringing about relatively minor problems over which they have little or no control.
Regarding cyclist education... of the 700 or so killed last year, how many were experienced verses inexperienced? Is there any data available on cyclist experience or training verses accident rate?
And how do you plan on reaching those inexperienced cyclists with education programs anyway?
#27
Too Much Crazy
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Originally Posted by Helmet Head
Actually, the second guy is just being honest and makes a good point.
The first response is ignorant. What is wrong with the second ?
It is a rant section.
He didn't say ' If he doesn't stay on the sidewalk he will become a hood ornament'
#28
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Originally Posted by Helmet Head
If you cringe from than thought, you must be in denial about the fact that incompetent driving that could have been fixed with better driver education is factor in only a tiny percentage of car-bike collisions and fatalities.
I cringe at the thought of the vast majority of cyclist deaths and injuries that are caused by a lack of cyclist education, which is ultimately caused by a lack of concern in the cycling community about educating cyclists, which is instead cringing about relatively minor problems over which they have little or no control.
I cringe at the thought of the vast majority of cyclist deaths and injuries that are caused by a lack of cyclist education, which is ultimately caused by a lack of concern in the cycling community about educating cyclists, which is instead cringing about relatively minor problems over which they have little or no control.
I do not "lack concern about educating cyclists," (I have politely told plenty of bicyclists to get on the right side of the road, to get lights, to stay LEFT of right-turn-only lanes, etc.) but this is only part of the equation.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
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#29
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Originally Posted by Helmet Head
Actually, the second guy is just being honest and makes a good point. "Lady, we don’t care about your husband riding a bicycle. He’d better watch where he’s going or he’ll be a hood ornament."
Does anyone expect drivers to care about cyclists? Wake up!
Does anyone seriously doubt that cyclists should watch where we're going in order to avoid becoming hood ornaments? Of course we should!
Does anyone expect drivers to care about cyclists? Wake up!
Does anyone seriously doubt that cyclists should watch where we're going in order to avoid becoming hood ornaments? Of course we should!
I do want (but dont expect) drivers to care about cyclist, just as I want strangers to do what they can do avoid killing, maiming and attacking other strangers. It is perhaps an ideal, but I think I can still want if not expect it of other humans.
Of course cyclists need to watch where they are going, its a must. But the second statement was agressive and anti cyclist. Better would be to say "Both cyclists and motorists need to watch where they are going to help avoid traffic accidents." (but then it wouldn't be a rant) The 'hood ornament' crap is just agressive posturing and uncalled for, the implication is you better watch your back because I'm not gonna slow to avoid killing you. How can cyclist merge for left turns without motorists watching where they are going and accomidating slower vehicles?
Al
Al
#30
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Dont get mad, get even. Really though this is BS. Don't the drunken NASCAR lovers of Atlanta know that there is a lot of paper work to fill out when you kill someone by accident?
I registered to
https://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met...wednesday.html
mailto:vent@ajc.com
I registered to
https://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met...wednesday.html
mailto:vent@ajc.com
#31
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Apparently you can take drivers education online now. So much for education. I know how to cut and paste, don't you? I know how to hit the back button and do a search to find the answer, don't you?
#32
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Obviously more responsibility, better education, better training will make using the roads safer for all modes of use. More should be done to reduce all vehicular accidents including the subset of motorized vehicle/bicycle accidents. Part of this 'more' should include education on cycling laws.
Al
Al
#33
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Originally Posted by John E
We can do much better, America, but it will require attitude adjustment, education, and an ethical regard for one's fellow citizens.
Al
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I emailed this to the vent.
To the Lady whose husband bikes to work--
I may be a big, lazy, suv loving idiot but if more people biked to work, I'd pay less for gas, so thanks I guess. Also my brother inlaw hit some fool biker last year and had to fill out a mountain of paperwork so I'll try not to hit your hubby the next time I am in a hurry to get to work.
To the Lady whose husband bikes to work--
I may be a big, lazy, suv loving idiot but if more people biked to work, I'd pay less for gas, so thanks I guess. Also my brother inlaw hit some fool biker last year and had to fill out a mountain of paperwork so I'll try not to hit your hubby the next time I am in a hurry to get to work.
#35
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Originally Posted by Helmet Head
I figured, logically, his conclusion would be to give teeth to the social planners and allow them power to override the developers (whom he blames for the terrible state of our infrastructure). But, inexplicably, his answer is to stop planning altogether and allow the market forces to dictate 100% of what gets built where.
Do you seriously buy into this illogical nonsense?
#36
Prefers Cicero
Originally Posted by barenakedbiker
Yeah. Kinda like communism.
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Originally Posted by cooker
Public roads are already a form of communism...maybe we should all boycott them and only use private toll roads RGC
#38
genec
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Originally Posted by John E
This is where Serge and I differ. I believe that, through tactful-but-outspoken political advocacy, we CAN have at least some control over motorist accountability and bicycle-friendly road and intersection design. Although I concur that bad cycling causes more cyclist deaths than bad motoring, bad (incompetent, inattentive, inebriated, impatient, irate, etc.) motorists are, by default, the greatest threat to lawful vehicular "effective" cyclists. Just ask Dave and Betty Johnson or the families of Cece Krone, Larry Mahr, Ken Keiffer, or Patrick Klokow. Let us accept the often-stated assertion that bicycling is roughly as safe as motoring. The last time I checked, motor vehicle collisions were the greatest killer of teenagers and young adults. Is a fatality rate of three TWA Flight 800s per week acceptable? We can do much better, America, but it will require attitude adjustment, education, and an ethical regard for one's fellow citizens.
I do not "lack concern about educating cyclists," (I have politely told plenty of bicyclists to get on the right side of the road, to get lights, to stay LEFT of right-turn-only lanes, etc.) but this is only part of the equation.
I do not "lack concern about educating cyclists," (I have politely told plenty of bicyclists to get on the right side of the road, to get lights, to stay LEFT of right-turn-only lanes, etc.) but this is only part of the equation.
Thanks John and very well said... motorists cannot seem to keep out of each others' way... so obviously there is some sort of "problem" with the motorist community in general.
#39
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Originally Posted by genec
motorists cannot seem to keep out of each others' way... so obviously there is some sort of "problem" with the motorist community in general.
Al
#40
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Originally Posted by Helmet Head
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Originally Posted by scarry
At some point, our nation will have to stop using price as the means of demand control, and switch to allocating fuel on the basis of public interest. First, food, medical care, last, fuel used for entertainment.
To each according to his need, from each according to his ability.
lmao
#42
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Originally Posted by toastchee
To each according to his need, from each according to his ability.
lmao
lmao
#43
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Originally Posted by Vance Ermstrong
Saw this in my Atlanta paper on Monday in the "Vent" section and wondered how people would respond to it.
Unless, those drivers want to pay us a monthly stipend to stay off the roads.
#44
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Originally Posted by Cassave
It might be a good idea to respond to those two responses with a few facts, like roads are made for bikes and sidewalks aren't. If that section of the paper really is the first thing people read then it would be a shame to allow those two hostile comments go unanswered.
(Is the Vent section online? I couldn't find it, but it asked me to register after a few pages and I didn't feel like it, so I didn't have much of a chance to look.)
#45
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"Watch out or you'll be a hood ornament". Really. Who breeds these creatures anyway?
All is not lost. Although every place has it's weirdos and @-holes, some places are better than others.
Bikeforums.net has had many threads about the mentality of drivers in different locations. For a while, we were getting some scary reports from the south; especially Atlanta and most of Texas. There are some long-time veterans like our very own Little Big Man Pete who has been commuting in Atlanta for years and could probably tell us some stories.
Everybody has some complaints - myself included, but it isn't all bad. The world isn't all going to hell, folks, even if at times it seems like it is.
All is not lost. Although every place has it's weirdos and @-holes, some places are better than others.
Bikeforums.net has had many threads about the mentality of drivers in different locations. For a while, we were getting some scary reports from the south; especially Atlanta and most of Texas. There are some long-time veterans like our very own Little Big Man Pete who has been commuting in Atlanta for years and could probably tell us some stories.
Everybody has some complaints - myself included, but it isn't all bad. The world isn't all going to hell, folks, even if at times it seems like it is.
Last edited by mike; 09-15-05 at 02:49 AM.
#46
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Today, two responses:
"To the wife of the biking teacher: Roads weren’t created for bikes. Tell him to use sidewalks."
and
"Lady, we don’t care about your husband riding a bicycle. He’d better watch where he’s going or he’ll be a hood ornament."
"To the wife of the biking teacher: Roads weren’t created for bikes. Tell him to use sidewalks."
and
"Lady, we don’t care about your husband riding a bicycle. He’d better watch where he’s going or he’ll be a hood ornament."
That aside, this is another in a seemingly endless supply of horror stories about cycling in Atlanta. I've never been to Atlanta. Don't think I'll go there either.
On Gasoline Rationing: It's been done before in this country. Gas was rationed during WWII, based on need. Check your grandparents attics, basements, etc. There's probably a rationing coupon book stashed somewhere.
#47
Tiocfáidh ár Lá
I think that paper is irresponsibly promoting hate speech. Let’s twist it a little:
On Monday this was in the paper:
"To all those people who insist on giving my husband no respect because he is a *****exual, I just wanted you to know that he is the father of two and a teacher to many of your little ones. He is riding to work so that we can eat at home. Please give him a little room."
Today, two responses:
"To the husband of the ***: Marriage wasn’t created for queers. Tell him to go get a woman."
and
"Dude, we don’t care about your husband the ****. He’d better watch where he’s going or he’ll be strung up to a picket fence."
Is there really any difference? Is there?
On Monday this was in the paper:
"To all those people who insist on giving my husband no respect because he is a *****exual, I just wanted you to know that he is the father of two and a teacher to many of your little ones. He is riding to work so that we can eat at home. Please give him a little room."
Today, two responses:
"To the husband of the ***: Marriage wasn’t created for queers. Tell him to go get a woman."
and
"Dude, we don’t care about your husband the ****. He’d better watch where he’s going or he’ll be strung up to a picket fence."
Is there really any difference? Is there?
#48
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Originally Posted by jfmckenna
Is there really any difference? Is there?
Uh oh, he didn't just say that, did he? Jimmy, get your Bible.
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Originally Posted by jfmckenna
I think that paper is irresponsibly promoting hate speech. Let’s twist it a little:
On Monday this was in the paper:
"To all those people who insist on giving my husband no respect because he is a *****exual, I just wanted you to know that he is the father of two and a teacher to many of your little ones. He is riding to work so that we can eat at home. Please give him a little room."
Today, two responses:
"To the husband of the ***: Marriage wasn’t created for queers. Tell him to go get a woman."
and
"Dude, we don’t care about your husband the ****. He’d better watch where he’s going or he’ll be strung up to a picket fence."
Is there really any difference? Is there?
On Monday this was in the paper:
"To all those people who insist on giving my husband no respect because he is a *****exual, I just wanted you to know that he is the father of two and a teacher to many of your little ones. He is riding to work so that we can eat at home. Please give him a little room."
Today, two responses:
"To the husband of the ***: Marriage wasn’t created for queers. Tell him to go get a woman."
and
"Dude, we don’t care about your husband the ****. He’d better watch where he’s going or he’ll be strung up to a picket fence."
Is there really any difference? Is there?
I need some confirmation that this was really published.
Pete, Anybody; is this real or is it a spoof?
Last edited by mike; 09-15-05 at 07:36 AM.
#50
Sumanitu taka owaci
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Originally Posted by MaxBender
As a weekender cyclist, how can I try to commute by bike with psychos like that here in Atlanta?
Dare I venture amongst the flippant would-be bicycle killers? I bought a visibility flag, striped it with reflective tape, and got dog tags so the pramedics know my name, etc.
It's not even a long ride, just 11 miles, but I don't want to die over this.
Dare I venture amongst the flippant would-be bicycle killers? I bought a visibility flag, striped it with reflective tape, and got dog tags so the pramedics know my name, etc.
It's not even a long ride, just 11 miles, but I don't want to die over this.
From Avondale Estates to Inman Park, since it's two lanes in my direction and light traffic between 6:15 and 6:45 (and I'm very visible,) I take a whole lane much of the time. It works well, the motorists change lanes to pass and never squeeze me.
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