When I am in my car, cyclists vex the mess out of me. On my bicycle, cyclists and motorists vex the mess out of me.
And at the root of it all is anger. Why? What's making us all so mad?
"We're trained that way," said Leon James, a psychologist who has studied drivers and their psychology for 25 years. "It's cultural practice to be tough and say, 'Don't let them make a fool of you.' "
That's right. You wake up angry, roll out of the house angry and are just waiting for the catalyst that turns anger into rage.
Momentum Planet: Why all the bike hate? Hear hear!
Beyond Chron: Bicyclists take to the streets for safety -- The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition organized a volunteer effort to mark road hazards with neon chalk sprayed over stencils.
Bike Hugger: Safety First.
City of Boulder, Colorado transportation allowance for the city manager, municipal judge and city attorneys is for a bicycle! But, they don't actually use the allowance.
Missouri DOT tosses cyclists over the handlebars.
Photo by Ian in Leicester.
...re: missouri 'dept of transportation'...quoting mo-dot spokesman jeff briggs "typically, bike-ped needs rank pretty low, so we're concerned that if we work this into the statutes we could end up being committed to a great deal of funding for not necessarily what the 'public' is telling us they want"...
ReplyDelete...god forbid these fools take any kind of a proactive stance regarding the safety of those already riding, or the active encouragement of new riders, whether it be for health, transportation or simple enjoyment in a stress filled world...
...THAT would show forethought & imagination...
...ah, yes, back to you in chicago, dr leon james...i would suggest that kind of thinking is reason enough for my cycling 'rage'...& speaking of 'cultural practice' dr james, well sir, the above kind of thinking is not only prevalent but not likely to change in the foreseeable future...you do see the pyramid that's being built here, right, doctor ???...
...just sayin'...
Gosh, I think people just aren't riding enough... I get angry at the carnage, but not with every breath, and it is markedly mitigated with the sight of human faces behind those steering wheels.
ReplyDeleteCycling advocates in St Louis preach VC...who's the "public" MOdot speaks with?
ReplyDeleteJack
(then I read the crap that folks like MoDOT do... ) I *do* like the idea of carrying the flourescent paint. Hmmm... how 'bout designing an accessory for having it handy? (Just bought a mess of paint for marking our SUnday ride route.)
ReplyDelete