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From: albert@harvard.ARPA (David Albert)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: Bicycles, Violence and Hatred
Message-ID: <66@harvard.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 22-Apr-85 10:40:16 EST
Article-I.D.: harvard.66
Posted: Mon Apr 22 10:40:16 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Apr-85 08:19:46 EST
References: <1370@reed.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Aiken Computation Laboratory, Harvard
Lines: 39

>      Well, the bicyclists at the meeting began to  say  that
> both the second and fourth alternatives were good ideas, but
> then several non-bicyclists began expressing their opinions.
...
>      I wish that I could sum up this essay with  a  positive
> conclusion,  but I can't.  What is there but hatred and fear
> on the streets out there?  How can anyone  change  that?   I
> wish I knew.
> 
> Dave Kehoe


About half of my drive to work each day is through Cambridge, MA, with
a large cyclist population, and I pass about 15 bicyles every morning.
With two exceptions, I have never had any cause to complain of
their on-road conduct, and fortunately on the two occasions when a
cyclist darted in front of me suddenly, I was able to stop safely.
Unfortunately, however, even a very small number of such incidents can
sour motorist-cyclist relationships.  I am quite nervous each time I
approach a bicycle on the road, and have a hard time passing them for
fear that they will cause an accident -- for which I, as the motorist,
would be held responsible.

I realize that I am a somewhat timid driver, but I venture that other
drivers react to similar feelings with the hostility you mentioned in
your article.  It is unfortunate that the actions of a few bikers
should cause such widespread dislike.

Is there a solution to this problem?  How would bikers feel about a
"biker's license" that would be required of all on-street bikers?
Perhaps such a measure would serve to remind bikers that they are
also required to obey the traffic laws.  This is just a suggestion.

Do similar feelings exist in other countries?  Amsterdam:  you should
be in a good position to respond!
-- 

David Albert
ihnp4!seismo!harvard!albert (albert@harvard.ARPA)