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Bicyclists and transit riders are losers - right? <snip> Brian Ladd says that people's attitudes and transportation choices are shaped by deep-seated feelings about respectability, and it planners should pay attention.Moderator cut: remainder of copyrighted excerpt
Very interesting stuff here. I was always a part-time bicycle and transit commute but since ditching my truck a few weeks ago I've begun to think about the social implications of being carless. At a party of young professionals last night (a circle I am really not a part of anyway), I felt like there were some curious eyes on my as I chained up my bike out front and came in the door, helmet in hands. However at a more "bohemian" party later in the night, I met others who ditched their car for financial reasons (and a little bit environmental, too).
I've been on both sides of biker-driver fury as well, but more times than not, it's been near-misses while riding my bike safely and in accordance with the law. It is now state law in Maryland to give a cyclist 3 feet, but I haven't seen anyone pulled over for it. I informed one driver who nearly clipped me (despite having an empty lane to the left of them) and she told me to get on the f-cking sidewalk.
I'm the only person at my job (probably about 1,000 people in the building) who rides a bike to work. I don't say that to be arrogant, it's just the facts. There was one other but he retired. Many other take the bus. But most of my coworkers are in too poor of physical shape by this point and are probably not going to get on a bike anytime soon. Plus the building's suburban location makes biking less appealing (you have to bike creatively to make it work).
Moderator cut: orphaned it is a crock. I have a dim view of articles that try to paint people with a different POV from the author as somehow being mentally ill.
Last edited by Bo; 01-06-2011 at 01:47 PM..
Reason: orphaned - the post you were replying to was edited
In addition to that post being a major copyright violation, something for which I once received an infraction, it is a crock. I have a dim view of articles that try to paint people with a different POV from the author as somehow being mentally ill.
If you had spent any significant time outside of your car, you might feel similar to the author.
God help you if you have the audacity to be a pedestrian in a sprawl-burb area. On an errand Wednesday I had to walk for a little while on 50 mph roads with no sidewalks to my destination. The shopping center I was trying to reach has a fully-built station that has sat, unopened, for 15 years because the adjacent business owners think blacks from the city will ride the train to come rob them and then escape on the train(?). So I had to walk from the nearest station about a mile away.
The walk wasn't really a problem. There should be sidewalks if there's going to be a train station, but I'm not going to get too upset about it.
This is what I'm upset about: While returning to the station and walking in a crosswalk, an A-hole in a Suburban (what else) actually sped up and forced me to sprint. He missed me by 2 yards, maybe. If I had tripped, I'd be dead. Then he stopped (why couldn't he just stop or even slow down to let me cross, it's the freaking law) just to yell "get out of my way you a--hole!".
It's this sort of mentality we're talking about here, which is nothing short of mental illness.
I'll just come right out and say it: That's a dumb article. A little objectivity, common sense, and/or realism, if you please.
At some point, pedestrians must concede that cars are bigger, faster, and more powerful than they are. Even the most cautious, well-meaning motorist can make a mistake. I don't assume that any car will see me or stop for me, and I make myself as visible as possible (I wear red or lime green a lot!).
Quote:
Originally Posted by HandsUpThumbsDown
It's this sort of mentality we're talking about here
While I'll agree that many, many suburban residential and commercial developments are poorly designed and deter or are outright dangerous to pedestrians, surely you know that not all motorists, suburban or otherwise, have the attitude of the a-hole in the Suburban. And God knows I've been confronted by plenty of heedless, if not outright dangerous, motorists driving SUVs and subcompacts alike ... in the city.
Maintaining eye contact with motorists helps; making yourself as visible as possible helps; even more effective is perfecting the "hairy eyeball" expression.
Last edited by Ohiogirl81; 01-06-2011 at 10:11 AM..
I disagree with this article strongly. For a long time I rode my bike 10 miles each way to work and back, and I have never gotten more respect from those around me than when I did that. For every one person who told me to get off the road, I had 10 people tell me they wish they were doing the same thing instead of driving.
I disagree with this article strongly. For a long time I rode my bike 10 miles each way to work and back, and I have never gotten more respect from those around me than when I did that. For every one person who told me to get off the road, I had 10 people tell me they wish they were doing the same thing instead of driving.
Where was this? In Seattle I was respected. In Baltimore I am run off the road.
Where was this? In Seattle I was respected. In Baltimore I am run off the road.
Pittsburgh, commuting from within the city to an office in the suburbs. People are aggressive towards cyclists and pedestrians in the east, but they are aggressive towards other drivers as well. It isn't personal, it is just how commuting is in eastern cities. The person who honks at me for holding up traffic when I am on my bike is the same person who honks at the 70 year old lady driving 30 in a 35mph zone. They aren't MORE aggressive towards cyclists and pedestrians than they are towards drivers.
If you had spent any significant time outside of your car, you might feel similar to the author.
Any significant time outside of my car? I work 20-27 hrs. a week! I rn ahouse. I raised kids. I wasn't doing all that in my car.
Quote:
God help you if you have the audacity to be a pedestrian in a sprawl-burb area. On an errand Wednesday I had to walk for a little while on 50 mph roads with no sidewalks to my destination. The shopping center I was trying to reach has a fully-built station that has sat, unopened, for 15 years because the adjacent business owners think blacks from the city will ride the train to come rob them and then escape on the train(?). So I had to walk from the nearest station about a mile away.
The walk wasn't really a problem. There should be sidewalks if there's going to be a train station, but I'm not going to get too upset about it.
This is what I'm upset about: While returning to the station and walking in a crosswalk, an A-hole in a Suburban (what else) actually sped up and forced me to sprint. He missed me by 2 yards, maybe. If I had tripped, I'd be dead. Then he stopped (why couldn't he just stop or even slow down to let me cross, it's the freaking law) just to yell "get out of my way you a--hole!".
It's this sort of mentality we're talking about here, which is nothing short of mental illness.
I'm sorry for all your problems. However, owning a car is not a mental illness.
I'm sorry for all your problems. However, owning a car is not a mental illness.
That wasn't the point of my post nor of the story. The "Only cars should be on the road" mentality was.
If you think I'm exaggerating, I wish it would've been you nearly mowed down. You would think otherwise.
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