Are we really that provocative?

[OakLeaf]

I know The only reason I looked it up was after our annual trip to the Monterey area, I started going off on "there oughta be a law," and then I found out there is one

[rhyme]

Well... I think I know where the anger comes from..... A few rotten apples.

I used to get frustrated with bike messengers. Here in Chicago, they routinely do stupid things like run red lights (badly, really badly), swerve and in out of cars or lanes completely disregarding any common sense. Worse, they frequently cut people off forcing people to slam on their breaks. I've seen many of them make right hand turns in front of cars from left hand lanes - or even left hand turns from right hand lanes (without signaling) forcing traffic moving straight to somehow anticipate and react to someone doing something completely unexpected. People get mad when their heart skips a beat.

Bout a year ago, a bike messenger ran a red light and I had to slam on my brakes to avoid him. I honked at him, he pulled up next to me and gave me the finger than pulled in front of my car and slammed on his brakes forcing me to stop. I sighed. He than ran the red light in front of me and went away. Or so I thought anyway. A minute later I find him at my passenger window yelling at me holding up his keys threatening to key my car. I ask him not to and when the light turns green I try to pull away. He keys the car. I put it in park and get out and he runs away.

Like I said, a few rotten apples.....

[mimitabby]

no, Rhyme, I don't agree. The anger and aggression comes from within the angry aggressive person. While he's cussing you out, he's not thinking of bike messengers in Chicago, he's thinking about the fact that you're slowing him down.

I don't think very many people are driving down the street thinking about the idiot on the bike they saw a month ago. They're thinking about the fact that they are late to a job they hate, their girlfriend just left them, some personal stuff, and there's a bike. I HATE BIKES!!! instant anger. that bike's in my way. how dare they get off the sidewalk!

And then there's that thing about being in a car that somehow dehumanizes people. They are protected by this glass and metal box from having to see your eyes, your skin, your human-ness and all they see is something that is impeding them.

[rhyme]

Wow, people in your area must have some crappy lives! Jobs they hate, girlfriends that left them??

I'm sure your right though - a lot of people are probably just pissed off that they are momentarily slowed down.... although I don't think its just some kind of ingrained hate for bikes - I think they'd be just as irritated with someone in a car who was slowing them down or someone blocking the road or double parked or whatever.

Then again, some people are just born mean.

[Fujichants]

I just think we need to get rid of the assholes on the road. Bikes, cars, trucks, even pedestrians. Now if only there was a way to do this...

I've had pedestrians give me dirty looks while on my bike and while in the car. Doing nothing wrong. I don't know what their problem is.

Today I almost got hit (I was driving my car) by a pick-up truck who decided to disobey the stop sign...there was no sign for me, but yet he honked at me and gave me the finger!

And then the countless times that snobbish, arrogant cyclists have almost made me have to ride off the road while on my bike because they are racing each other and going into uncoming traffic. I can't stand them!

But then again...we all have our days where we act like jerks as well.