Bad Seattle Drivers GRRRRR

[teigyr]

I like the idea of calling in drivers who ignore the rule. I wonder if anyone will do anything though? I guess I have had THE worst experiences ever with the police up here. Apathy, would be the word. I know they crack down on carpool lane offenders and litterers but those offences have their own reporting numbers.

[Eden]

You can call about agressive driving and road rage (there is information here http://www.wsp.wa.gov/traveler/roadrage.htm ) There is also an online form for areas that you've observed multiple acts of road rage or agressive driving. I wonder if I should report the area in front of Redhook over in Redmond. It rarely fails that when I am riding over there I am passed in the turn lane - while I am signaling that I will be making a left - by a car who does not wish to wait until I move over. I had some idiot do that just this Wednesday. I came around the corner and stayed in the lane, as I would be moving over to the left turn lane in about a block, as soon as I signaled left the jerk revs it up and speeds around me on my left then slams on the brakes, turns sharply- squealing tires - the wholen nine yards - into the brewery and comes to a stop in the entrance. I think he may have been thinking about getting out of the car, but it turned out there was another cyclist behind us who saw it all.... I don't know what he was playing at, but if he had just been patient for about 10 seconds I would have moved into the left turn lane and turned left onto the trail. That's the second place where people do this to me, on my way home I get passed by dumb@sses doing the same thing. I come out of a light and have to go 1/2 a block before turning left - it rarely fails that someone comes around me on my left as I am signaling my left hand turn...... they would never try this if I was in a car.

[Micki Rider]

Hey - Sorry - I'm back on this topic now.

The Give 3 Feet sickers are available through Cascade Bicycle Club. They've created a website for the campaign, too. It's www.give3feet.org

They'll hook you up with stickers if Mimi hasn't already sent them to you.

Go figure - I had so many new and freaky things happen in traffic on my 5th commute to work (Bellevue to Tukwila) yesterday that on National Bike To Work Day, I drove. What a drag. To top that off, freeway traffic was so bad this morning that I realized I'd rather be spending any harried time on my bike than driving in a line where I'm more likely to get rear-ended. Bad decision to drive today. I should have bucked up, but I'll calm down and start bike commuting again next week.

[teigyr]

Thank you for all the links! I really didn't know all the WA bicycle rules and found it all very interesting. It seems like the laws are very much in favor of the cyclist despite the fact that drivers ignore some of them. I didn't realize we had the choice to ride on the sidewalk, I always thought we weren't allowed to. Not that I'd want to, of course, but sometimes it's the only safe option.

I have saved all the info and will start acting on it. I think dangerous intersections or areas should be reported as should dangerous drivers.

Thanks again and Eden, Be Safe! (same goes for everyone else, of course)

[Starfish]

Yes, thank you very much, Eden, for the info. And, I definitely think you should report what you have been describing to us.

[KnottedYet]

Nobody likes them. They look dorky. Geek alert.

But honestly, when I did a big organized ride and had a honkin' orange flag on my bike (required by the ride) cars gave me wide berth. If only so they wouldn't scratch their car on the flagpole. I kept using that flag for a while on my bike commute. It was amazing.

If I get into commuting on the busier streets or if I start hauling a trailer, you can bet I'll be putting a flag on my bike again.

I don't mind looking stupid if it helps drivers see me.

[MM_QFC!]

Starfish - yep, me too; I've had the litter hotline on my speed dial for a while now...and use it too. It catches my eye when I spot something being tossed from a car window and, you know what? it's always been a cigarette butt! I react as a rider, in that it is not only littering to me, but a fire hazard too! What if that still burning tobacco hit my skin while I'm riding near that car? Arrrghh, I'll be damned if I agree to some idiot's careless branding on my arm, face, etc! And, how about anyone driving in a convertible getting hit?
It's just amazing that people still smoke, then carelessly toss their burning butts out car windows without a thought as to who else they could be hurting or maybe even causing a wild fire if it hits dry brush during our summer season.
If the letter that is sent helps get one person to pause and think before doing that again, then it's worth it and yeah, it helps calm me down too!