The "personal attack" comment was by the gentleman referring to me as a tree hugger who listens to Al Gore. Since I spent so much time in the logging/firewood business, chances are I've killed a lot more trees than he has.
What are "pedal pushers"? I wear cycling shorts. No underwear, just a pad to keep the seams from chafing. Proper attire for the activity.
I know there are a lot of a$$holes out there on bikes, but there are also a lot of them in cars or just walking down the street. I don't feel it necessary for me to defend anything any cyclist has ever done. Sometimes even I get mad at them! I'm still waiting for one of you to tell me that you were driving yesterday and actually saw a cyclist obeying the law. Surely there was one cyclist somewhere doing that!
The cyclist in the fatal accident scenario should have been ticketed. He broke the law. His not being ticketed was the cop's fault. I'm sure a lot of motorists happily drive away from accidents they caused, too.
BTW, it's very difficult to ride a bicycle at 2.3 mph. Surely he was going a little bit faster than that.
Maybe it's a perception problem. A lot of people use words like "most" or "the majority of" in this thread. In Colorado, that doesn't seem to apply. Maybe cyclists are more courteous here. "Some" and "a lot of", sure. You probably don't notice the cyclists obeying the rules, just like you don't notice the motorists doing the same.
Education is the answer. Please let me tell you some things from a cyclist's perspective.
If a cyclist is doing something you don't like and you think honking is the answer, please do it well beforehand. Usually they can hear your vehicle coming. If you must honk, please do it 3 or 4 seconds BEFORE you get to them. They will hear it and have a chance to react. If you wait until you're right behind them, you will startle the h*ll out of them, possibly causing them to swerve into your path. That is usually why cyclists give the "one finger salute" when honked at. If you wanted to scare them, mission accomplished! Anybody here like to be startled? It does get the adrenalin flowing, though. I was hit with a Big Gulp thrown by a teenaged passenger in a car many years ago. They were really surprised to see how fast I could ride. Too bad the light changed just as they got to the intersection.
I'm sure some cyclists think they "own the road". but so do a lot of motorists. Look back at what we learned in kindergarten and share. If they are obeying traffic laws, please be tolerant and accept that they are allowed to be on the road. If you don't like the laws, see your legislators and get the laws changed. If they are breaking the law, contact law enforcement.
Yeah, cyclists are slower than motor vehicles. You may come around a blind corner and encounter one. But, if you can't get stopped before you hit them, it's your fault. You need to be in control of your vehicle. What if you came around that same corner and a rock, herd of deer, broken down car, or child retrieving a ball was in the road? Would you blame them?
Finally, just slow down, relax and enjoy the world. Do you run over little old ladies with your grocery cart because they aren't moving fast enough for you?
We're all fortunate to have the toys we have. Other people enjoy different toys. Please be tolerant and let them.
Al