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From: oyster@uwmacc.UUCP (Vicious Oyster)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle,net.politics
Subject: Re: Bicycles, Violence and Hatred
Message-ID: <1158@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-May-85 16:13:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.1158
Posted: Tue May 28 16:13:58 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 31-May-85 03:12:55 EDT
References: <1370@reed.UUCP> <983@vax1.fluke.UUCP> <1385@vax3.fluke.UUCP> <313@varian.UUCP> <132@iitcs.UUCP>
Reply-To: oyster@uwmacc.UUCP (Vicious oyster)
Distribution: net
Organization: UWisconsin-Madison Academic Comp Center
Lines: 42
Xref: watmath net.bicycle:1213 net.politics:9150

In article <132@iitcs.UUCP> draughn@iitcs.UUCP (Mark Draughn) writes:
>     I don't mean to imply that cyclists are too stupid to watch where
>they are going, after all, we drivers manage to hit each other regularly
>because our minds are on something else, or a dog runs out in front of us,
>or something.

  Yes, there ARE unintelligent/non-law-abiding bicyclists and motorists;
however, people in both groups tend to emphasize the jerks in the other.

>  When I'm coming
>up behind a cyclist, I honk my horn to let him know I'm going to pass.
>Usually he will move to the right, or wave, or something, and then I pass.
>That's communication.  Occasionally, however, he flips me the finger.  That's
>not communication; and it hardly proves my superior communication skills/
>morality/intellect to hit him with my car :-)
>
   Almost all bicyclists I know (myself included) interpret a car honk
as an extremely rude thing.  (Consider for a moment in what situations
one generally honks a horn... usually when somebody turns in front of you,
or stops in the middle of the lane, or otherwise does something that you
think is, um, "inconsiderate".)   Although I personally reserve "the finger"
for extremely upsetting moments when I can't control my rage (e.g. I'm
nearly run down), don't be surprised if you don't get good reactions to
your honking.  However, if the 'cyclist IS riding in such a manner that you
cannot safely pass, and does not notice you on his/her tail after a while,
a *brief* honk would be appropriate, I guess.

   There is one thing that I try to do on those occasions when I use my
car that I haven't seen suggested yet: try to avoid those streets marked
"bike route."  It's generally quicker using other roads anyway, and it
just may cut down on "inter-vehicular" incidents.
   
   My personal feeling is that if BOTH motorists and bicyclists would
use turn signals consistently, obey traffic signs and signals, and be
generally more tolerant, getting between our respective points A and B
would be a bit more enjoyable for everybody.  (If only everybody was
like me... :-)

-- 
 - jvop

{allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!oyster