Mad about what? Why get mad - just smile and wave the driver through. Doggone it, folks - we complain about "cagers" and "JAMs" and now we are crabbing about motorists that are trying to be polite, safe, or both? Sheesh!

Maybe as I approach my one year anniversary as a pedalbikecommuter, I am just too much of a rookie to be jaded. But the idiots that do stupid things like the school bus deciding it wanted half the bike lane the other morning are much more of a concern to me.

And, I ain't gonna waste time getting pissed off at these folks - my ride in the morning and home in the evening is done mostly for FUN - I work in a fast-paced and intense atmosphere, and getting to ride my steed is my reliable fun part of the day.

Me, I'll find something else to whine about. I have a wide selection, so not whining about polite (maybe ignorant) drivers won't cut down my whining opportunities at all...

While I pretty much agree with you on the "why get mad" sentiment, you have to admit that was a pretty good rant you posted there! :thumb: :lol:

We have a bike trail that runs through the center of town right into my back yard. So naturally I often use it to commute. There are buttons to activate traffic signals at any major intersection that doesn't have an overpass. Unfortunately one of those signals has been out for over two weeks. This intersection does have a median and I will sometimes cross to the break in the median and wait for the other half of the road to clear. I did this the other day and a driver in the far lane decided to stop just as my foot was touching down. I began to go because there were a LOT of cars behind her and now I felt like I was holding them up even though it was not my intention. I started to rotate my pedal and had to immediately hit the brakes when a car in the lane closer to me drove by without slowing to see why the traffic in the lane next to him was stopped (not that he didn't have the right of way). Drivers need to understand that yielding the right of way is dangerous. Its a good way to get rear ended or someone else in to an accident. No anger about this. Its just a scary fact.

This is why I hate 4-way stops. When a car that stopped first lets me go, it disrupts the cosmic order of things. I too have altered my route to avoid 4-way stops. Btw, I do appreciate the courtesy, but as many have mentioned, it can be dangerous.

I like when bike commuters throw around the term "cager" like they're a 1 percenter outlaw motorcycle gang member. It's cute.

I can't stand this. I've been getting it a lot lately. I (mostly) just wait, and give them a curt nod. Most of the time they understand and just go. I tend to track stand as much as possible, so I think this creates confusion as well.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I think this behavior contributes to other driver's dislike of cyclists. As I've seen a lot of drivers give wave bikes through no matter who has the right of way, certain cyclists may just give up on stopping at stop signs, assuming all drivers will wave them through.

Nah, can't be. People just run stops because they run stops. Nothing more to it.

This happens to me all the time, and it's definitely not because of drivers being courteous! As I've said before in a previous post, biking has skyrocketed here in Athens and most drivers (very loosely stated) don't know how to behave with a cyclist on the road, so they either tailgate for long distances afraid of passing, or in the OP case come to a sudden (screeching) stop at an intersection afraid I'd bolt in front of them, as many novice cyclist do.

The best and only way around this is to turn the front wheel at an angle and look anywhere else, usually at the stoplight itself (which is placed at the actual corner you're at here in Greece).

I've seen my fair share of car crashes, especially in the past decade where there was a dramatic increase in new car purchases followed by new drivers behind the wheel which would panic and cause multiple car collisions, and I had a close call as a pedestrian a few years ago when a distracted driver rear ended a car stopped at the lights which I was crossing in front of... if the distracted driver was going any faster than he was, I would have been run over by the leading car.

We are mostly part time cagers, after all.

Hi idc,

The main group of vehicles called "trucks" includes everything from small pick-ups to Semi's (Artics to you). Vans that are not "Mini-Vans" ("MPV's" in the U.K.) are sometimes put in the truck category too since they're built on a truck chassis (same with the larger SUV's - which you know as "4 x 4's").

To answer your question directly, we just call them "pick-ups" and the "truck" part is implied and sometimes (but not always) stated. In the same way, large trucks that are not articulated are often called "box trucks" and trucks with flat bed are called . . . "flat beds"! I'm sure others can add more sub-units of the truck category, but those are some of the basics. Plus, I don't want to hi-jack this thread, which is really not about trucks specifically.

Rick / OCRR

I use the term like a godless car-free green extremist. And according to the FBI people like me are more dangerous than motorcycle gang members.

Caught me, you did...:o

I agree. While it is a little annoying, life is much too short to get all worked up about those that are well-meaning even if a little clueless. And too many cyclists run red lights or 4-way stops even when there are others at the intersection with the right-of-way, so it is understandable that a motorist doesn't want to take the chance of being involved in carnage. If you want to force them to go first, pull out your water bottle.

Don in Austin

+1 to the waterbottle idea. : ) That would make me smile, but in a he-he sort of way. :D

I also agree that life is too short to get worked up about other people's friendly, but stup....ahem, annoying, little inconveniences. As soon as you figure out how to avoid anger and frustration from life's daily problems, I'm ready to listen. :)

Today was nice. Now I am an engineer, a pessimist/negativist by genetics and training, but I try to leave that in the office (my wife doesn't allow it at home). Had one nice pedestrian step to the side and occupy her cuddly Rottweiler as I rode by - I said thank you and she said you are welcome, both with a smile. The skateboarder tried to play chicken, but he moved over and we grunted hellos as we passed on the sidewalk over the bridge. Two cars were considerate and careful, and nobody hit me. Like I said earlier, I get to have FUN cycling, and I simply ain't gonna get pissed over folks trying to be nice.