Everyone of my outings is potentially a suicidal mission!
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
I'm the victim of terrorist drivers. This conflict --or combat if you
prefer-- occurs when cars purposely ignore me and cut me off --or
block me-- assuming that the law of the jungle will take its course,
ie. I will yield to their bigger size until they stop coming or some
kind soul will remember I'm a human being, not a cyclist.
Such conflict could easily be avoided by making cyclists THE PRIORITY,
such as is the case in the Netherlands. It's sort of reverse
hierarchy, pedestrians and cyclists first, then the drivers. Drivers
are at fault unless proven otherwise when there's an accident with
pedestrians and cyclists. Well, they have bike facilities that
minimize that conflict, but still the right priority is there.
Just last night I took this long ride --on sidewalk, what else?-- and
along the way a car was blocking a driveway. I waited. He moved then
the next car was rolling over to block me too! I just screamed while
the lady driver looked me with this funny look, "Why is this monkey
going so wild?"
Call me suicidal since I tend not to stop, but just remember the
terrorist is behind the wheel and they have power over life and
death.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Don Klipstein
>And nobody cares. That's because I don't threaten anyone but rather
>I'm the victim of terrorist drivers. This conflict --or combat if you
>prefer-- occurs when cars purposely ignore me and cut me off --or
>block me-- assuming that the law of the jungle will take its course,
>ie. I will yield to their bigger size until they stop coming or some
>kind soul will remember I'm a human being, not a cyclist.
>
>Such conflict could easily be avoided by making cyclists THE PRIORITY,
>such as is the case in the Netherlands. It's sort of reverse
>hierarchy, pedestrians and cyclists first, then the drivers. Drivers
>are at fault unless proven otherwise when there's an accident with
>pedestrians and cyclists.
<SNIP from here>
I was in conversation once with someone who had experience in
Amsterdam. According to that fellow, if a pedestrian in Amsterdam
gets hit by a trolley, presumption is that the collision was the
pedestrian's fault for jaywalking into the trolley's way.
Contrast that to Philadelphia, where jaywalking is common, and there
is attitude of, "hit me - I could use the money". I was even scolded by
a fellow mass transit rider for refusing to fall down and get hurt on a
vehicle with a slippery floor (salty water tracked in during a major
snowstorm), when the vehicle made a harsh stop. In Philadelphia, at one
time the transit authority crashed a bus that was empty of passengers,
and 30 of them filed injury claims. Another time, they crashed a trolley
with about 30 passengers, about 60 of whom filed injury claims.
I say, refuse to be a victim! Build some muscle, act like you have
it, and look like you have some chance of surviving being hit to sue
afterwards!
Get a horn or put some b@!!s in your voice! I even have a strangely
"b@!!sy" falsetto when I need it. Every bike I get on has a horn and a
siren! I even get tough West Philadelphia jaywalkers out of my way!
Take the same attitude to tough drivers! Look them in the eye, make
them know you're there! 99.8% of them will take care to not hit you, and
you can evade the other .2% with suitable wariness.
It helps if cyclists obey the rules that they want motorists to obey.
I only run red lights when I'm not getting in way of anyone who has a
green light.
It also helps to have a bike that is faster and more nimble than a beach
cruiser. Then again, I have successfully cycled in traffic in Philadelphia
on beach cruisers - though I grew up in Philly's hilly northwest in a
family without a car!
--
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
> In <37da0070-f0ad-4156-b044-2e443bf06...@24g2000yqk.googlegroups.com>, His
Someone was telling me of a deadly bike accident in town yesterday and
I Googled "bicycle accident in Miami" and all it came up with was
lawyers upon lawyers to take care of all your accidents, which means
that they want you to have the accident and then take care of you. You
know what I mean? IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY.
Where's PREVENTION? Nowhere in America.
***
Other than beach cruisers, mountain bikes are at home on sidewalks but
they become almost a weapon against pedestrians (INNOCENT CIVILIANS).
Cruisers allow you to slow down to their pace without major effort.
There's a sort of hybrid that I feel like perfect for sidewalk and yet
upright and comfortable. Here it is...
***
Eye contact? Not when I'm wearing sunglasses and they got tinted
windows. You take the plunge and face the bull. Spaniards say, "Ole!"
Don Klipstein
>On May 8, 3:32 pm, d...@manx.misty.com (Don Klipstein) wrote:
<I snip to here>
>> I say, refuse to be a victim! Build some muscle, act like you have
>> it, and look like you have some chance of surviving being hit to sue
>> afterwards!
>>
>> Get a horn or put some b@!!s in your voice! I even have a strangely
>> "b@!!sy" falsetto when I need it. Every bike I get on has a horn and a
>> siren! I even get tough West Philadelphia jaywalkers out of my way!
>>
>> Take the same attitude to tough drivers! Look them in the eye, make
>> them know you're there! 99.8% of them will take care to not hit you, and
>> you can evade the other .2% with suitable wariness.
<SNIP>
>***
>Eye contact? Not when I'm wearing sunglasses and they got tinted
>windows. You take the plunge and face the bull. Spaniards say, "Ole!"
I don't wear sunglasses, unless they are bright light yellow ones for
blocking UV and nearly-UV wavelengths. I make the drivers see my eyes.
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
> In <c2110727-2c86-46f3-bee5-4d3bf7c06...@s2g2000yql.googlegroups.com>, His
When they want to ignore you they just avoid your eyes. They even
practice it at point blank.