Bicycle frustrations
September 6th, 2004
Since I very strongly feel the need to vent my frustrations about the habits of car users towards bicyclists, and since I am very aware that 99,99% of the world is not interested to hear those, I will do my venting here (rss). Since cursing is so much more fun in Dutch, that's the language I'll use there.
Update: A new address already. Thanks, Vincent!
April 21st, 2008 at 10:17 PM No comments allowed on that blog? :-) I feel for you. But, as a car driver *and* as a bicyclist I sometimes curse (fellow) bicyclists as much as I curse other car drivers. I always stop when I have to (on my bike). Most people on bikes nowadays don't. Because they're too lazy to put their foot down and start pushing again to regain their normal pace. They don't stop for cars when they have to cross a road. And they don't stop when they have to turn. And they don't stop for people crossing the street on foot. Very often I find myself standing still to cross a road, and seeing one bicyclist after the other just not minding the cars they should give way to, passing me by (often chatting or on their mobile phone) and expecting the cars (or people on foot) to stop. And second: I'm always using my arm to signal where I am going to turn, when riding my boke. Most bicyclists don't. It's frustrating for car drivers and for other bicyclists. And I'm not saying cars always signal if they're going to turn. They forget (?) using it as much as most bicyclists do. I agree with that. But, of course, this does not give a car driver the rights he things he has over other people in traffic. Hey, I'm always up for venting frustration when it's about traffic, but I'm always up for looking at both sides.
April 21st, 2008 at 10:17 PM Hmm, that's an oversight, there's no comments supported there. I'll have to move it, then. I stop when I have to, too. Most of the time. Red lights that only take cars into account, are joyously ignored (next time you visit Antwerp, I'll show you some. You won't believe them.) For the "too lazy" part: it's a whole difference to get a car rolling again, as to getting a bicycle rolling again. Pedestrians can usually cross the street safely, but that doesn't mean I stop for them. Just get walking, you have right of way, but allow me to decide to swerve behind you. It's the "get rolling" issue again. I use my arms too. Not that I've ever noticed any car reacting to them. They only seem to react when I actually take the turn, and they have the choice to brake or to run me over. Luckily, so far, they seem to pick the first option. And I'll be the first to admit that, when I was still a car-only commuter, I probably did the same things that I'm now blaming others. As soon as car drivers start looking things from both sides, I might do that too. As long as they can only evaluate things from behind their dashboard, I won't.