"Just the sight of a bicycle makes me angry!"

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Originally Posted by westtexas

I think a lot of it is ignorance.

I love how I come to a stop sign and actually stop and cars are paralyzed as to what to do. Normally they blow through stop signs with a tap of the brakes. But a cyclist? Holy crap we all have to stop and stare at the anomaly that might... follow the rules of the road? I have no idea.

But I do chuckle at people who pass me at full blast in a very aggravated manner and then I see them at the next stop light and wait with them until it turns green. Just shows you don't really get anywhere faster!

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I for one love the fact of how many drivers have no idea of the laws and how they pertain to a cyclist being on the road. I love the funny looks I get when I pull into a turning lane with the vehicles to keep from being hit. Here in the Detroit Metro area, if you don't ride like that, they act like they don't see you.

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Originally Posted by 2Wheels

Agree. But just as there are reckless motorists, let's not deny it, fellow friends, there are reckless cyclists. I've observed cyclists who cross the road, regardless of oncoming cars, assuming that the drivers will have to stop in order not to kill them. If all of us would be perfect bikers, then perhaps "just the sight of a bicycle..." won't make them so angry anymore.

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I couldn't disagree more. We could be perfect and it wouldn't matter an iota....... As it is, a lot of drivers totally have a double standard. They can completely and totally ignore rude and hazardous driving while railing about the same behaviors in road users that don't represent a teeny tiny fraction of the danger that a 2,000 lb+ motor vehicle does. Many of them simply view you as an obstacle and will find a reason rational or not to hate you.

Bottom line is that there just are self centered jerks who think that they are the only thing that matters in this world and that your life is worth less than a few seconds of their time and the attention that it takes to exercise a little care while near you. For some reason getting into the drivers seat can bring out this side of people who may otherwise be reasonable.

I don't behave badly on my bike. It does nothing to stop either ignorance of the laws, poor driving habits or outright abuse from motorists.

I suspect 2Wheels is a troll. Don't feed the trolls, please.

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Originally Posted by marinerider

I for one love the fact of how many drivers have no idea of the laws and how they pertain to a cyclist being on the road. I love the funny looks I get when I pull into a turning lane with the vehicles to keep from being hit. Here in the Detroit Metro area, if you don't ride like that, they act like they don't see you.

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I used to be afraid to claim my lane and would let cars crowd me out of a turning lane, then I remembered something my Dad taught way back when he was teaching me to ride a motorcycle. He said that if you don't claim ownership of a lane by riding in the middle, cars will try to crowd you out of it. Since I started claiming the turning lane, cars have given me a lot more room, and I think they recognize me as a vehicle instead of something that should be on a sidewalk.

As far as the d-bags, I have a friend who is good at memorizing license plate numbers. He reports them as drunk drivers to the police. He said the cops will ignore a complaint about a dangerous or aggressive driver, but they have protocols requiring them to investigate drunk drivers.