Kevin Draper said:what is it with people in cars when they see someone on a bike...I cycle with my daughter (she's
training for her first tri) to school - about 3 miles - I've found a route that is mostly on quiet
side roads but at one point involves crossing a busy road. We both get off to push across. Twice
this week motorists have actually sped up towards us blaring their horns - intimidating a 7 year
old, they must feel proud of themselves. I might add that this busy road is in a 30mph zone - but
there are no crossing or pedestrian lights on it at all. I think she finds it difficult to
understand why people behave in this way :-(
People are idiots. This is my philosophy, and to date, I have found that it pretty much explains the
actions of most people quite accurately.
You see, most people (including most people actually on bicycles, sadly) are unaware that bicycles
are vehicles under the motor vehicle laws of most Western countries. This leads to shouted
suggestions that we 'Get back on the sidewalk where you belong', or 'You're riding the wrong way'
(when riding with the traffic).
All you can do is ride defensively and try to be ready for the next stupid thing the drivers
decide to do.
--
Cheers,
Walter R. Strapps, Ph.D
"The sheer closeness of our two countries and the intensity of our mutual interaction combined with
the disparity between us in terms of wealth and power--all these things guarantee there will be
problems in U.S.-Canadian relations without anybody having to do anything to deliberately worsen the
situation."
Robert L. Stanfield, Oct. 28, 1971
