Do we hate cars?
- Thread starter BimmsAndBices
- Start date
BimmsAndBices said:
Let me compare ... I'm a good driver ... front wheels are usually covered in brake dust (but they do have 8 piston calipers). I overtake cyclists when it is safe to do so. I give them a wide berth and never use my horn (the part I hate the most as a cyclist). I always use my signals too but I can't say i stay within the speed limit all the time in my massive 4050 lb vehicle.
Love cars, love bikes ... I have a few of each.
It is more just that cyclists have a better sense of balance - pun intended. There really are too many cars in the world (and they really do stink - have you noticed?). Cyclists tend to resent it when fat, lazy people who drive too much stick their heads up their $%#$ when the topic of conversation turns to the coming oil crisis, or the obesity crisis, or the air pollution crisis, or health crisis, or sub-urbanisation crisis, public transport crisis - you name the crisis and we could probably scientifically quantify the part cars have played in it. But they don't want to hear it. Worse, in some backward countries, a few of these fat, lazy ignorant people actually like to ridicule, intimidate and in some cases outright murder those who actually try to take some individual action on these problems (riding a bike, living close to work and amenities, not taking the kids across town every weekend). What is worse still, police and courts in such countries tend not to prosecute these fat lazy murderous people. Yea - I guess I hate cars.
On a more sober note, my experience is that rates of hatred for cars and their drivers among cyclists tends to differ greatly depending on the country. In many countries (Japan, Singapore, most of Europe etc) where drivers tend to be polite to cyclists and pedestrians, and the police and courts enforce the law strongly against drivers who are not - in these places cyclists can and do go about their lives without giving too much thought to cars at all.
By the way, have you heard about how Seoul tore down one of its highways last year? See: www.itdp.org. Amazing story. They are planning more, and Tokyo is now considering doing a similar thing in Nihonbashi.
On a more sober note, my experience is that rates of hatred for cars and their drivers among cyclists tends to differ greatly depending on the country. In many countries (Japan, Singapore, most of Europe etc) where drivers tend to be polite to cyclists and pedestrians, and the police and courts enforce the law strongly against drivers who are not - in these places cyclists can and do go about their lives without giving too much thought to cars at all.
By the way, have you heard about how Seoul tore down one of its highways last year? See: www.itdp.org. Amazing story. They are planning more, and Tokyo is now considering doing a similar thing in Nihonbashi.
I don't hate cars. I definitely prefer my bicycle though. I dislike the idea that people mindlessly get in their car for every trip, no matter how short the distance. I dislike the inordinate subsidies given to this form of transportation, and the political process that maintains them, and keeps gas prices so low.
Cars are, unfortunately, a necessary evil for many of us. 
And, unfortunately, I must disabuse some of you who think that Europe is a big, happy, pro-cycling continent. I ride in Rome, Italy, and the areas around it are choked with traffic and increasingly inconsiderate drivers.
The only cyclists that people accept are hard core riders. There is virtually no culture (in central/southern Italy at least) of using bikes for commuting or work, and you are considered a weirdo/****/psycho hose beast if you do not salivate to drive your car to the corner store.
I have to jump hoops just to be able to find one of the few cycling paths completely blocked off to traffic to take my daughters there to learn to ride and enjoy cycling. I have actually moved to be closer to this area...
Oh well, had to get that off my chest.
And, unfortunately, I must disabuse some of you who think that Europe is a big, happy, pro-cycling continent. I ride in Rome, Italy, and the areas around it are choked with traffic and increasingly inconsiderate drivers.
The only cyclists that people accept are hard core riders. There is virtually no culture (in central/southern Italy at least) of using bikes for commuting or work, and you are considered a weirdo/****/psycho hose beast if you do not salivate to drive your car to the corner store.
I have to jump hoops just to be able to find one of the few cycling paths completely blocked off to traffic to take my daughters there to learn to ride and enjoy cycling. I have actually moved to be closer to this area...
Oh well, had to get that off my chest.
i dunno, she could do a lot worse that to marry a nice car...at least cars are giving and loving...
JohnO said:
I hear this all the time, the last time being at the local pub for lunch. I walked in with my bike and this woman (about 350lbs) says "Oh look....another one." It took all I could not to start an argument on the spot. She immmediately started to spout off about how I don't belong on the roads, getting in her way and such. The show ended when one of the other patrons said.."well look at you....you take up so much space, someone is ALWAYS going to be in YOUR way." She turned beet red and left right then...her burger half eaten on the bar.Cyclist14 said:
Cha-ching!!!
I wish I had said that.
Cheers,
Brian
ever driven a high performance sports car?Treky said:Yeah they give out carbon monoxide, what red blooded lass would not want a good dose of that
something that can go from 0 to over 100 km/h in less than 5 secs?
Alrighty, I love humiliating boors too. Very funny.
But to get back to the question... suppose you were a clever chemist, and came up with a wonder substance that wrecks a gasoline engine even in microscopically small amounts.
Would you apply it to the delivery nozzles at the gas station after you had filled your own jalopy?
This is hypothetical of course.
But to get back to the question... suppose you were a clever chemist, and came up with a wonder substance that wrecks a gasoline engine even in microscopically small amounts.
Would you apply it to the delivery nozzles at the gas station after you had filled your own jalopy?
This is hypothetical of course.
