I can't believe how stupid people are. What causes you to feel so self-righteous that you feel it's okay to hit a stopped bike? Especially after you had just hit them while you drove by? I guess that the driver of a white ford with license BEPT 819 here in Ottawa knows what that feels like. Do they hit cars that stop in front of them in traffic? I guess only they and their body shop knows.
Depending on the weather and where Laura is going to, I commute by bike, car or bus and I'm always conscious of the "others". The person with the less mass will always lose, but that doesn't make them the loser in the interaction. - as the video shows.
This just makes me mad. I hope that the driver gets charged and convicted for this senseless act of aggression and danger. How many times does this kind of thing happen without a camera?
I have a friend who was bumped from behind by a car. At a stop sign none the less. The person said they apparently didn't see him. There are some really bad drivers out there. Maybe time for more people to start using car scratchers. http://www.robotnine.com/2010/06/bicycle-car-scratcher-has-your-car-been.html
ReplyDeleteI hope the guy gets charged with a hit and run, and anything else they can charge the guy with.
I have to admit that I've thought of those car scratchers before, but I don't think of any good would come of it. Again, if the person in the car does *anything* stupid, the person on the bike will always lose. If you've already identified them as stupid, it's best not to poke them.
ReplyDeleteI like the "yellow card" idea better.
http://boingboing.net/2010/12/18/magnetic-yellow-card.html
Yeah, kind of going to extremes, and most likely will just cause more problems by making drivers angry. I find it best to just ride like nobody can see me. In the situation demonstrated in the video, I don't think I would have pulled into the lane. He was trying not to get doored. It might have been better to just keep right, and slow down so you can stop in time. Also, it appears that by the time he got hit, there was a free lane beside him. Granted the driver is still an idiot, but I don't think I would have put myself in that position. Always assume that you are invisible, and that everyone else is an idiot. It works for both cyclists and drivers.
ReplyDelete"Always assume that you are invisible, and that everyone else is an idiot."
ReplyDeletehahhahaa... awesome advice. I love it. ;-D