Why can't (or won't) people drive decently...

It amazes me how much downright dangerous behavior people are willing to accept to cut their commute down by 20 seconds. I was riding my bike, in the right lane almost to an intersection with a green light, and traffic was at a standstill on the otherside. The guy in the lane to the left of me was already stopped, and then figured "what the hell, I'll make a right turn and stay out of this mess". One emergency turn later, I made it across to the other side...

And it's not just the drivers... What's with the idiotic bicyclists who wait until the light turns green for cross traffic to cross through an intersection?

I really fail to see what is constantly so important that manslaughter charges or suicide are worth the risk...



[/rant]

wait, you actually think people even think or give crap about anything/anyone else when they're driving? cause as far as i can tell its all ME ME ME!!!! ME GO FASTER!! YOU GO FAST OR DIEE!!!!!

just like their insignificant daily lives!!!

/ranty

Originally Posted by Zach L.

It amazes me how much downright dangerous behavior people are willing to accept to cut their commute down by 20 seconds. I was riding my bike, in the right lane almost to an intersection with a green light, and traffic was at a standstill on the otherside. The guy in the lane to the left of me was already stopped, and then figured "what the hell, I'll make a right turn and stay out of this mess". One emergency turn later, I made it across to the other side...

And it's not just the drivers... What's with the idiotic bicyclists who wait until the light turns green for cross traffic to cross through an intersection?

I really fail to see what is constantly so important that manslaughter charges or suicide are worth the risk...



[/rant]

Ack - I hate city drivers - there are so many morons on the road here, and yeah like no-one said, its all about me me me.

One thing about bicyclists - I hate having to fight my way past them (busy road and can't give them a full lane like I am supposed to) and then when I get to the lights, if I don't put my tire right on the curb, they slide between me and the curb, and then when the light goes green, I have to fight my way past them again. There, thats my rant for the evening...

Yeah... I just wish people would use their brains... It's not "go fast or die," it's "go fast and die."*

It's like a game theory problem: Everyone can drive like morons, bullying people with a ton or two of metal, occassionally killing each other, and cause gridlock and traffic jams and get to wherever slowly... or they (the drivers, the bicyclists, the pedestrians) can follow a decently orderly flow and make good time.

It doesn't help that Boston was designed by a blind chimp with epilepsy, though.


* I've got nothing against people who can (and do) compentently drive fast when the conditions are suitable. Keyword: competently.

Originally Posted by kermit

Ack - I hate city drivers - there are so many morons on the road here, and yeah like no-one said, its all about me me me.

One thing about bicyclists - I hate having to fight my way past them (busy road and can't give them a full lane like I am supposed to) and then when I get to the lights, if I don't put my tire right on the curb, they slide between me and the curb, and then when the light goes green, I have to fight my way past them again. There, thats my rant for the evening...

Yeah, I know where you're coming from. Some places, it is legal for cyclists to pass on the right, others it is not. Regardless, they should use it wisely (i.e. not on narrow streets). People wonder why cyclists are much maligned by drivers... it's no wholely undeserved (for many, at least).

The stupidest thing I saw while cycling was the following: I was on a two way street -- one wide lane each way, a little traffic in my direction, virtually none in the opposite direction. The right side of the road was in horrible disrepair, so I was out a bit in the road (though, there was still room to pass me as several drivers proved), but as close to the edge as I was willing to get given the condition of the road. A car comes up and the driver starts laying on the horn. I look over as he passes me, and I see this guy waving his cell phone with one hand, and honking with the other... no hand on the steering wheel. It truly boggles me.

Okay... I think that's it... my ranting is done (feel much better now)... thanks for all who bothered to click the link.

Cheers

why? because people are assholes.

I love how they beep at each other. Any little thing and it's beep beep beep. Would they get out of the car, come over and swear at them in person? I bet not. I've seen it especially from women drivers in 4WD's.

if you dont like the way i drive, stay off the sidewalk.

that all i have to say.

Our cities are really quite bike friendly. Okay, we still get a few accidents, but even in the centre of Copenhagen, there are distinct cycle paths which running beside the main roads, but physically seperated from them by a kerb of sorts.

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Road         Cycle       Pedestrians

Most of the accidents do tend to happen at junctions.

Originally Posted by stovellp

Would they get out of the car, come over and swear at them in person? I bet not.

I dont know about the place you live but here (Belgium) I´ve heard it several times on the radio about street agression ( people getting out of the car at a red light to beat up the person in front of them for instance ).

What amazes me though is not the bad driving, but the pedestrians. In a city near where I live there is a somewhat big university that pretty much keeps the whole town running. The university covers most subjects but has a big presence for its law segment. What amazes me is these law students are completely clueless!

As an example, we were driving through a parking lot one day and one of the students walked by. He didn't even look to see if anything was coming! Almost ran over him!

A different day, we were going someplace and the student looked in the direction the traffic was going! Not the direction it was coming from, but where it was headed! And these are the types that are going to defend people in court!

funny, traffic stops for me when I stop and look before walking across the street.
( in the middle of the block no less )

been hit as both a pedestrian and bicyclist.
( 5 times in total )

always, the person driving the car didn't see me.
( how can you not see someone right beside your passenger window? when they are pacing you on the road? 40 km/h on flat section of road the twit turned right, into the parking lot of Ford dealership . [ and over my front wheel ] )

now, I only walk or use public transit, and if someone gonna hit me when I'm in the crosswalk, that's okay, I can use the money. >
( after being hit 5 times and olny ever getting scrapes I'm not worried about dying )

I think the biggest cause of the problem is that people don't realize how little time they're actually gaining.

I was driving with my sister to Utah once, and this dude passed us, not going that fast, but he was obviously trying to accelerate because his engine was revving pretty high. He kept switching lanes and cutting people off, and he didn't get more than a hundred feet ahead of us for a couple of minutes. We ended up seeing him refeuling at a truckstop about 200 miles later.

My wife of 43 years drives like all the roads have her name written on them and nobody else should dare use her roads. Almost nobody where I live ride bikes on public roads -- there is just too much auto traffic which makes it very dangerous for bike riders. All that may change though with recent and expected gas price hikes. I drive about 20 miles each way to work every day, so riding a man-powered bike is out of the question. But I'd love to get a motor scooter.

In the Netherlands it's the bikes you have to worry about. Not only are they more aggressive than cars, but they also have the right of way. Not a very pleasant combination when travelling through small, city streets.