Comments on: Let Me See The Light Again http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/ Life, Minutiae, Toys, Irrational Phobias, Peeves, Fiber Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:37:26 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Steve http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/comment-page-1/#comment-5010 Steve Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:26:10 +0000 http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/#comment-5010 Last weekend I was riding my bike across an intersection, watching two cars turn left in front of me. I stood there with my hands up like "wtf", until a third car through finally let me through, only to be rear-ended by a FOURTH car. And the driver of the fourth car started yelling at me until I rode away. Bicyclists have the same rights of way that cars do! What part of "share the road" don't you understand? Last weekend I was riding my bike across an intersection, watching two cars turn left in front of me. I stood there with my hands up like “wtf”, until a third car through finally let me through, only to be rear-ended by a FOURTH car. And the driver of the fourth car started yelling at me until I rode away. Bicyclists have the same rights of way that cars do! What part of “share the road” don’t you understand?

]]> By: summervillain http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/comment-page-1/#comment-5009 summervillain Wed, 05 Dec 2007 12:18:32 +0000 http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/#comment-5009 Hero Bill, Flasshe, InfK -- Just for the record, some cycle commuters are as peeved as you are. Not just me -- other responsible cyclists sometimes spontaneously express their peevedness to me. Hero Bill, Flasshe, InfK —

Just for the record, some cycle commuters are as peeved as you are. Not just me — other responsible cyclists sometimes spontaneously express their peevedness to me.

]]> By: InfK http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/comment-page-1/#comment-5008 InfK Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:54:49 +0000 http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/#comment-5008 OK, now I'VE got a pet peeve - cyclists that make the rest of us look bad! I hear a lot of anti-bicycle venom here in Australia too, and they're all talking about behaviors I've never seen anyone engage in. I haven't even ridden a bike outdoors in probably 5 years, come to think of it. But back in the day, I put in over 100 miles a week. I mean, in Denver of ALL places, the bike path system is so great you hardly have to interact with traffic to get around town. So who are these bozos who seem to be trying to get bikes banned from roads?! OK, now I’VE got a pet peeve – cyclists that make the rest of us look bad! I hear a lot of anti-bicycle venom here in Australia too, and they’re all talking about behaviors I’ve never seen anyone engage in. I haven’t even ridden a bike outdoors in probably 5 years, come to think of it. But back in the day, I put in over 100 miles a week.

I mean, in Denver of ALL places, the bike path system is so great you hardly have to interact with traffic to get around town. So who are these bozos who seem to be trying to get bikes banned from roads?!

]]> By: Flasshe http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/comment-page-1/#comment-5006 Flasshe Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:18:37 +0000 http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/#comment-5006 Now that I'm working downtown (or near it, at least) I thought that the bicyclists would be more careful and respectful than the ones in the suburbs. But no, if anything they're worse. I can't believe how often I've almost run into someone merrily biking down the middle of Lincoln without a bike helmet, talking on a cell phone or listening to an iPod, totally ignoring traffic. It's like they want to get hit. Now that I’m working downtown (or near it, at least) I thought that the bicyclists would be more careful and respectful than the ones in the suburbs. But no, if anything they’re worse. I can’t believe how often I’ve almost run into someone merrily biking down the middle of Lincoln without a bike helmet, talking on a cell phone or listening to an iPod, totally ignoring traffic. It’s like they want to get hit.

]]> By: Bill the Galactic Hero http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/comment-page-1/#comment-5005 Bill the Galactic Hero Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:19:31 +0000 http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/#comment-5005 Ah, dear host, you may be paying attention, but for every attentive jogger there are nine others who are not. As much as one part of me would like to "weed the gene pool" (there are some of those nasty quote marks) the better part of me would be saddened at pasting a fellow human with my car. The bicyclists OTOH are really pushing the limit of human charity with me... Ah, dear host, you may be paying attention, but for every attentive jogger there are nine others who are not. As much as one part of me would like to “weed the gene pool” (there are some of those nasty quote marks) the better part of me would be saddened at pasting a fellow human with my car. The bicyclists OTOH are really pushing the limit of human charity with me…

]]> By: Flasshe http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/comment-page-1/#comment-5002 Flasshe Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:02:36 +0000 http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/#comment-5002 Oh yeah, I <em>hate</em> that. Especially the people at the other side of a two-way stop sign intersection (or sometimes a stop<em>light</em> intersection) who are going straight while I'm turning. They clearly have the right of way, yet sometimes wait for me to go. The standoff can last for days. Oh yeah, I hate that. Especially the people at the other side of a two-way stop sign intersection (or sometimes a stoplight intersection) who are going straight while I’m turning. They clearly have the right of way, yet sometimes wait for me to go. The standoff can last for days.

]]> By: 2fs http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/comment-page-1/#comment-5000 2fs Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:32:46 +0000 http://www.flasshe.com/2007/12/04/let-me-see-the-light-again/#comment-5000 I'll extend your peeve to the following: People who, out of a misplaced sense of politeness, yield a clear right-of-way to you (whether as pedestrian or driver). I realize they're trying to be polite - but the effect gums up the system, because (a) traffic does not flow as expected, (b) you're never sure if they're really waving you on or if you're misreading them, and (c) the time you spend deciding whether to take up their offer ultimately means the whole negotiation of the intersection or whatever takes longer than it would have had the other person simply made use of their right-of-way and gone on ahead. In some cases, I think people don't know what a right-of-way is, or who has it. (Relatedly: the idiots who <i>stop</i> at YIELD signs even when there's clearly no traffic or pedestrian to yield to. Grrr.) I’ll extend your peeve to the following: People who, out of a misplaced sense of politeness, yield a clear right-of-way to you (whether as pedestrian or driver). I realize they’re trying to be polite – but the effect gums up the system, because (a) traffic does not flow as expected, (b) you’re never sure if they’re really waving you on or if you’re misreading them, and (c) the time you spend deciding whether to take up their offer ultimately means the whole negotiation of the intersection or whatever takes longer than it would have had the other person simply made use of their right-of-way and gone on ahead. In some cases, I think people don’t know what a right-of-way is, or who has it. (Relatedly: the idiots who stop at YIELD signs even when there’s clearly no traffic or pedestrian to yield to. Grrr.)

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