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From: kfl@hoxna.UUCP (Kenton Lee)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle,net.politics
Subject: Re: Bicycles, Violence and Hatred
Message-ID: <501@hoxna.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 9-May-85 09:39:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: hoxna.501
Posted: Thu May  9 09:39:10 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 10-May-85 03:12:56 EDT
References: <313@varian.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 25
Xref: watmath net.bicycle:1133 net.politics:8919

xxx
I agree the other cyclists are a major traffic hazard.  See the
book *Effective Cycling* by John Forester (MIT Press) for many
reasons to avoid bike paths and other dangerous roadways.

Here in New Jersey, however, cars drivers are also a problem.  I
have been cut off several times recently (once in 10 hours?).  Now
that I've learned to ride several feet from the curb going into
intersections, I haven't been cut off from behind, but people will
still turn into my path.  New Jersey law, by the way, says you have
to ride near the right side of the road, but not so near that your
saftey is indangered.

I've also had car drivers and passengers take more aggressive,
unprovoked action.  Last weekend, a kid leaned out his window as
his car passed me and yelled as load as he could into my ear.  Once
last year, someone threw a smoke bomb at me and 2 friends (one of
us almost ran into a telephone pole before he could stop).

What can you do?  A car weighs a 100 times more than your bike and
can leave several times faster.  I just keep my eyes open.
-- 
Kenton Lee
Bell Labs - WB 
ihnp4!wbscc!kfl   or   ihnp4!hoxna!kfl