Comments | starphire: I've just got to get this off my chest

starphire

I've just got to get this off my chest

Jun 10, 2009 09:34

For hundreds of millions of people, some of them living even in wealthy parts of this country such as Boston, bicycling is a essential mode of transportation, every bit as crucial to their quality of life as a car is to other people ( Read more... )

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moominmolly June 10 2009, 13:47:32 UTC

Do people you know treat it this way? Or are you talking about yahoos yelling from cars?

coraline June 10 2009, 13:53:55 UTC

yes, unfortunately.

moominmolly June 10 2009, 13:58:00 UTC

That bites. I've certainly had people assume I was driving and be surprised by me showing up on a bike, but I take it this is different and that bites.

(Also I have very violent negative reactions to yahoos yelling from cars. I'm surprised I've never caused property damage in that mood.)

sol3 June 10 2009, 16:55:57 UTC

I used to ride in steeltoes, 'just in case'

moominmolly June 10 2009, 20:23:30 UTC

I think that if I did that I would have used them already. Similarly, it's good that I don't keep a little basket of rocks, or a paintball gun.

starphire June 12 2009, 03:38:01 UTC

Ha! I've thought of the paintballs before. I used to fantasize about designing a bumper sticker to use on those rare opportunities when I might be able to tag a car driven by a really aggressive driver.

moominmolly June 12 2009, 03:46:16 UTC

Me too! Mine would say "I AM A JERKFACE".

starphire June 11 2009, 23:28:06 UTC

I didn't think so until recently, but yeah it was someone I know complaining that bikes shouldn't be getting in the way of cars on narrow streets, and the ensuing discussion which ended with them complaining that bicyclists make the roadways more dangerous!

ampersandy June 12 2009, 05:21:00 UTC

I've also heard the bizarre argument that cars get priority on the roads because their gas taxes pay for the building and maintenance of the roads. I stupidly argued with the guy, a gas station attendant who witnessed a car running me off the road. "I thought one's real estate taxes pay for the maintenance of roads and streets in the cities, and both car owners and bike riders pay into this fund by paying real estate tax, or by paying the rent that supplies funds to paid the property tax." He disagreed with that answer, and insisted that road and streets are for cars not bikes. WTF.

starphire June 12 2009, 14:07:05 UTC

Well, the law is pretty clear that bicyclists and drivers share equal rights as well as responsibilities to observe the rules, and it's not an obscure statute - I've seen it referenced in the driver's handbook that every MA driver is supposed to have read at least once (though I haven't looked recently ( ... )

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