Why do cars hate us so much



DRS wrote:

> It's not that difficult.
>
> Cyclists are perceived by a lot of drivers as:
>
> 1. Parasites who don't pay their way (no licence fees, registration fees,
> compulsory insurance, fuel duties and levies, fines for doing 1kph over the
> limit, etc);


Pointless to use this as an argument, because it's "just an excuse". If it
were not for licence/registration, (even if cyclists paid just as much as cars)
it would be something else.

> 2. Slow parasites who get in the way.


*Anyone* who isn't overtaking them is too slow.

*Anyone* who tries to overtake them, should be taken down because, they own
the fastest vehicle in town, and that fact must never be tested or proved wrong.

> Said drivers have a sense of entitlement to the roads, that they are
> deserving and cyclists undeserving, so when they think (FSVO think) they
> will get away with it they will have a go at any cyclist within reach. It's
> the same selfish mentality that top-posts.


That comes down to 'perception of risk'.

If you were riding in a blue uniform with a badge, they'll drive just like
all the other sheep. Guaranteed.

--
Linux Registered User # 302622 <http://counter.li.org>
 
In aus.bicycle on 21 Apr 2004 14:58:20 -0700
rickster <[email protected]> wrote:
> "DRS" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>> Cyclists are perceived by a lot of drivers as:
>>
>> 1. Parasites who don't pay their way (no licence fees, registration fees,
>> compulsory insurance, fuel duties and levies, fines for doing 1kph over the
>> limit, etc);
>> 2. Slow parasites who get in the way.
>>
>>

>
> But why do they hate us to the point that they'll endager our lives ?
> I bloody hate Essendon supporters but I don't try and kill 'em


As an antidote... count up the number of cars you see every say who
aren't deliberately after you, compare that to the number who are.

Then look at those who aren't deliberately after you, but are just being
stupid and careless. Then realise it's not personal, they are stupid
and careless towards everyone, ask a truckie for stories of car-idjuts.

Sure, there are people who use theoir cars as a weapon to bignote
themselves. Remember that they are doing it to people who they are
pretty sure can't fight back. Which is why they don't do it to groups
of cyclists.

Once long ago, I on my elderly 250cc bike was hassled by the average
dickheads in hooncar. When my riding mates turned up (I'd started off
first) and surrounded them, the dickheads became a lot more polite.
Funny that....

Cyclists are just a target they can hassle to feel macho without fear of
retaliation. They don't hate cyclists, they just want an excuse to feel
they aren't lusers in **** jobs (or no job) who have no clout, no
strength, no guts and no brains. Because they *are* lusers with no
clout, no strength, no guts, and no brains, they hassle cyclists.

Zebee


--
Zebee Johnstone ([email protected]), proud holder of
aus.motorcycles Poser Permit #1.
"Motorcycles are like peanuts... who can stop at just one?"
 
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> Cyclists are just a target they can hassle to feel macho without fear of
> retaliation. They don't hate cyclists, they just want an excuse to feel
> they aren't lusers in **** jobs (or no job) who have no clout, no
> strength, no guts and no brains. Because they *are* lusers with no
> clout, no strength, no guts, and no brains, they hassle cyclists.
> Zebee




Actually I felt like quoting your entire post, it pretty much summed up
the way I feel about the subject. Been watching this thread develop over
the last week and wanted to contribute without resorting to either "show
n' tell" or "us vs. them" anecdotes. I would rather attempt to actually
_do _something.

Like cycle advocacy. Boring, long-term, sometimes futile, but there are
occasions when you feel something has actually been achieved. This week
- attended Bicycle Victoria Local Area Traffic Management workshop, did
volunteer work & admin stuff for Yarra Bicycle Users Group and last
night attended an excellent Yarra City Council Bicycle Advisory
Committee.

From the USA, a quote from, Ms. Lauren Cooper, Teacher & Bicycle-
Commuter Chief J.W. Rittenhouse, Retired Police Chief The National Equal
Rights for Cyclists Campaign.

This quote is from an email sent to [email protected],


".......Please remember that traffic laws exist to protect everyone's
right to travel in safety; even if they travel slowly or momentarily
delay others. A person bicycling lawfully down a public road presents no
danger to anyone. Please remember that every State Drivers Manual
requires that overtaking motorists: "Adjust speed for pedestrians,
bicyclists, slow-moving vehicles, blind curves, and hills. These
conditions make the posted speed limit unsafe. By law, you must drive
slower. It is your responsibility to adjust your driving to assure
everyone's safety." (Va. DMV)

Public roads were not built just for cars. Before the car existed,
public roads in the USA were already being paved for bicyclists.

Please understand that every person, young or old, without exception,
has a fundamental civil right to travel by their own power on all public
roads -- in safety, and under the equal protection of the law.

Thank you for your thought and consideration....."


I have the entire email if anyone wants it. In short my attitude is that
despite the aggression and naivety shown by some road users to cyclists,
I will not stop cycling and will not curb my activities due to fearful
and inappropriate community misperceptions.



--
 
Drs wrote:
> Said drivers have a sense of entitlement to the roads, that they are
> deserving and cyclists undeserving, so when they think (FSVO think) they
> will get away with it they will have a go at any cyclist within reach.
> It's the same selfish mentality that top-posts.
> --
> A: Top-posters.
> B: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?



I don't think that top-posters are the most annoying thing on Usenet
That honour may go to people who let their obsessions overcome thei
sense of proportion

Do you really think that top-posters endanger the lives of cyclists i
the way that selfish drivers can? You have made your point - many times
Can't you give it a rest for a while

John Retchfor


-
 
Why do most of the screams for me to get off the road seem to come fro
off road vehicles


-
 
my prob is with toyota landcruiser & V8 commodore drivers????? mostly
all have little dicks

Doofus
 
For my 2c worth, all I can say is that I hope you took his number and all of
you reported him to the local Police.

Now I know a lot of you will say that does no good, but if enough cyclists
do it the Police reports to Government will flag a problem. If we keep quiet
about it, nobody knows it is a problem.

If the local Police do actually find some time in their already overworked
(just ask them) shift to contact the driver then that sends a message to the
driver regardless of if anything is done or not. Siting back passively
soaking up the aggression of other road users does nothing to solve the
problem.
Just make sure you smile and wave to the road rager and then report them.
Let the power of the law (that is there to protect and serve all of us) do
the work.

regards and safe riding,

Andrew

"Etxy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> To add to the horror stories, I was out riding with some fellow juniors
> from my club (6 of us in all) when a ute zoomed past us, yelling
> something out the window. He then slowed down a hundred metres in front
> of us, came to a stop, and forced us to go round the outside of him.
> However, as we went past, he sped up too, so we were riding next to each
> other, us in the lane with oncoming traffic coming at us because he kept
> nudging us over. One of the guys in our little group made a quick
> acceleration to get in front of him and on the other side, safe from the
> cars coming towards us, but when he was in front of the ute the driver
> accelerated and came extremely close to hitting him on the rear tyre. He
> then zoomed off, middle finger extended out the window.
>
> So is there any reason why cars hate us so much? Many of my rides go
> without a hitch, but today I got road-raged to a minor extent twice...
> when I can understand why we are so despised, I will achieve
> enlightenment. Asking the drivers won't help, because the only answer
> they'll give is a monosylabbic grunt.
>
>
>
> --
>
>
 
"Zebee Johnstone" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In aus.bicycle on 21 Apr 2004 14:58:20 -0700
> rickster <[email protected]> wrote:
> > "DRS" <[email protected]> wrote in message

news:<[email protected]>...
> >> Cyclists are perceived by a lot of drivers as:
> >>
> >> 1. Parasites who don't pay their way (no licence fees, registration

fees,
> >> compulsory insurance, fuel duties and levies, fines for doing 1kph over

the
> >> limit, etc);
> >> 2. Slow parasites who get in the way.
> >>
> >>

> >
> > But why do they hate us to the point that they'll endager our lives ?
> > I bloody hate Essendon supporters but I don't try and kill 'em

>
> As an antidote... count up the number of cars you see every say who
> aren't deliberately after you, compare that to the number who are.
>
> Then look at those who aren't deliberately after you, but are just being
> stupid and careless. Then realise it's not personal, they are stupid
> and careless towards everyone, ask a truckie for stories of car-idjuts.
>
> Sure, there are people who use theoir cars as a weapon to bignote
> themselves. Remember that they are doing it to people who they are
> pretty sure can't fight back. Which is why they don't do it to groups
> of cyclists.


One solution is to carry a texta in a pocket when you ride, write down the
cars Registration on your arm, call police and press charges.

A less legal, but more satisfying solution that I used once back when I was
in the army and cycle commuting in Brisbane was to pull up beside the
shouting, swerving dickheads at the next set of lights and go absolutely
screaming berserk, hammering on the roof of their car with a metal bike
pump - as soon as the lights changed, they were gone.
 
rickster <[email protected]> wrote in message
[email protected]
> "DRS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...


[...]

>> Cyclists are perceived by a lot of drivers as:
>>
>> 1. Parasites who don't pay their way (no licence fees, registration
>> fees, compulsory insurance, fuel duties and levies, fines for doing
>> 1kph over the limit, etc);
>> 2. Slow parasites who get in the way.

>
> But why do they hate us to the point that they'll endager our lives ?
> I bloody hate Essendon supporters but I don't try and kill 'em


Then you obviously don't hate them enough.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?
 
John Retchford <[email protected]> wrote in message
[email protected]
> Drs wrote:


[...]

>> A: Top-posters.
>> B: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

>
> I don't think that top-posters are the most annoying thing on Usenet.
> That honour may go to people who let their obsessions overcome their
> sense of proportion.
>
> Do you really think that top-posters endanger the lives of cyclists in
> the way that selfish drivers can? You have made your point - many
> times. Can't you give it a rest for a while?


It's not an obsession, it's just a signature.

--

"Posting at the top because that's where the cursor happened to be is like
shitting in your pants because that's where your asshole happened to be."
Andreas Prilop
 
flyingdutch <[email protected]> wrote in message
[email protected]
> Drs wrote:
> > Cyclists are perceived by a lot of drivers as:
> > 1. Parasites who don't pay their way (no licence fees,

> registration > fees, compulsory insurance, fuel duties and
> levies, fines for doing > 1kph over the limit, etc);
> > 2. Slow parasites who get in the way.
> > Said drivers have a sense of entitlement to the roads, that they

> are > deserving and cyclists undeserving, so when they think (FSVO
> think) they > will get away with it they will have a go at any
> cyclist within reach. > It's the same selfish mentality that
> top-posts. > --
>
> couple of comments Drs. not sure if it was the jist of your first
> point but we pay for our road/path use the same way drivers do. thru
> state/govt taxes but mainly thru council rates.


When I last had this argument in aus.cars they got heartily sick of the
words "consolidated revenue". I only had to post the relevant section of
the Act about fifty times before it sank in but in the end I did get through
to them that rego does *not* pay for roads. :)

> As we need/cause far
> less repair/maintenance to roads than drivers, we in effect
> subsidise them


I don't know that the numbers support that.

> secondly, your sig re top-posters. hope you werent saying Ms Bell was,
> cos all she did was post a reply WITHOUT a quote. I often do too.


I was being facetious. A bit. :)

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?
 
Drs wrote:
> When I last had this argument in aus.cars they got heartily sick of the
> words "consolidated revenue". I only had to post the relevant section of
> the Act about fifty times before it sank in but in the end I did get
> through to them that rego does *not* pay for roads. :)
> I was being facetious. A bit. :)



Can you post that act here. wouldnt mind loading that one into the long
term memory bank

good to see you smiling..


-
 

> my prob is with toyota landcruiser & V8 commodore drivers????? mostly
> all have little dicks
>
> Doofus



I usually put it down to people compensating for a small penis. This is
particularly relevant in the case of female road-ragers.

--

______________________________________

Tamyka Bell, PhD Student
School of Human Movement Studies
The University Of Queensland
w: +61-7-33656105
m: +61-4-00782972
e: [email protected]
______________________________________
 
Tamyka Bell wrote:
> I usually put it down to people compensating for a small penis. This is
> particularly relevant in the case of female road-ragers.



I have found one of the most effective non-aggressive way of handlin
aggressive/**** drivers is to just look at them blankly andwiggle m
pinky at 'em

Had a truly joyous experience with a sad little git in an admittedl
beautiful italian-sportscar-something (it was red. does that help?)
Gave him the wiggle. ego hurt, he pulled over and got out of car
leaving kid in passenger seat looking on with approx 12 others also hel
up (he had pulled up in the middle of a roundabout!!!) "blah, blah
blah" ensues..

"Who's kid is that?" i ask He wheels round and looks at son in ca
"Well, couldnt be yours with a **** that small now could it?

People were laughing, he's gone a duco colour not unlike hi
'compenmsatory vehicle' but unable to come up with anything else to say
I leave waving "Dont worry. modern medicine is a wonderful thing
Somewhere, someone is working on a cure as we speak!

booom tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis


-
 
Drs wrote:
> It's not an obsession, it's just a signature. - "Posting at the top
> because that's where the cursor happened to be is like ****ting in your
> pants because that's where your asshole happened to be." Andreas Prilop



An anal fixation as well as obsessive behaviour

John Retchfor


-
 
John Retchford wrote:
> An anal fixation as well as obsessive behaviour?
> John Retchford





*cough*

ahem, be a gentleman.



--
 
I agree on the "do nothing to antagonise the offending car & visit the local
cop shop if something illegal has happened" strategy....but I do always yell
out (REALLY LOUD) if I'm passed too closely etc.

I always carry a mobile phone to report the times when things have been
thrown at me or road ragers etc, & it's been pretty good remembering or
noting (regos where poss) as I'd actually left a nice little note on a
windscreen (as I later saw the car in a shopping centre carpark) informing
the driver that next time the note might be attached to a flying brick (I
called the cops re a airgun being fired at me....the police were happy about
the note, btw)

re lane usage: I like a safety margin & not to ride in the debris that
collects, but it's a fine line between defensive & offensive road usage.
Other road users have to get where they're going, too.

I'd say the majority of motorists are really ignorant at how much time they
think they're losing if they have to slow down a little (for cyclists etc)
as I also have motorists tailgating me in a 60 zone when I'm on my motor
scooter which just about can do 60, but slows a little against a headwinds.
Have you ever timed a drive over a stretch of road doing the speed limit vs
doing just over or under?
I think it's a valid argument to accuse a road rager of being an "inpatient
whinger": if they've got time to stop & argue then they couldn't have been
in so much hurry anyways.

I did actually report a road rager who raged me when I was on the
scooter....main thing is to keep the law on your side...this dude got out of
his ute & shoved me & threatened me etc........I wasn't intimidated, I felt
quite empowered actually that I didn't opt for slugging him one( as he was
promising to do to me)....I just let him know he's guilty of road rage & he
should expect a visit from the police. You can say what you think of a
person, but not make threats....you can call them everything under the sun
(which I did...I accused him of being of being of being a small-pricked ego
tripping tonka toy asshole who thinks he owns the road & has got serious
personal issues, that he should see a shrink), but it's just words.
Red necks, air heads, egoists, clueless road users etc etc are commonplace.

:)

"Tamyka Bell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> > my prob is with toyota landcruiser & V8 commodore drivers????? mostly
> > all have little dicks
> >
> > Doofus

>
>
> I usually put it down to people compensating for a small penis. This is
> particularly relevant in the case of female road-ragers.
>
> --
>
> ______________________________________
>
> Tamyka Bell, PhD Student
> School of Human Movement Studies
> The University Of Queensland
> w: +61-7-33656105
> m: +61-4-00782972
> e: [email protected]
> ______________________________________
 
Drs wrote:
> It's not an obsession, it's just a signature.



yeah, but it is rather dictatorial Drs. After seeing for the milliont
time, I get it (except before coffee-insertion :eek:

you certainly come up with some amazing highly literate posts. howzabou
changing the sig for a while


-
 
About 90% of the time it boils down to ignorance or lack of attentio
whilst driving. I've actually become fond of the taunts from old falcon
and commodores of "get off the ****ing road". Always the same thing
nothing original but at least I am reasured that they've seen me had th
good manners to let it be known. Same with trucks blasting the horn fro
about a hundred metres back. I really do appreciate it

Then of course we get the odd occasion when one of our own gets severel
beaten up or deliberately killed in the wee hours of the morn. Thes
immoral pigs are not specifically targeting cyclists. They are predator
that have no place in our caring and sharing society. They deliberatel
prey upon the most vulnerable individuals that they can find when eve
the urge arises. Could be a cyclist, could be a someone in a wheelchair
could be a kid on their way to school

Keep riding. The more of us out there, the more people will ge
used to it


-
 
The best reply to raging I have used so far which left the perso
totally blank was "I can ID you buckaroo! you have no idea who I am. S
the only person with anything to lose here is you

simple but damn effective as there is no comeback to it


-