Road Rage

[SPR]

This might be long but it is an interesting story in which many can relate too:
http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/7596.0.html

After watching the Daytona 500 yesterday I thought if they would have started earlier they wouldn't have had to drive so fast.:etard:

[ThorSonic]

I'm beginning to wonder if there isn't something much deeper going on in the brain of the Road Rager. It seems that there is a certain subspecies that has a trigger in their primitive brains that causes them severe discomfort when they witness anyone propelling themselves on a two wheeled vehicle. You can see the look in their eyes and hear the Howler Monkey type scream they emit. I imagine it is the same look that the Neandertals had when they saw the cool tools the Homo Sapiens were sporting. They must know deep down that if they were put on a two wheeled conveyance they would quickly wobble off a cliff causing their extinction, and with it would go NASCAR, WalMart, and mono-colored townhouse complexes.

Richard

[Tex]

It seems that there is a certain subspecies that has a trigger in their primitive brains that causes them severe discomfort when they witness anyone propelling themselves on a two wheeled vehicle.

Maybe it's guilt. Maybe they feel guilty for sitting on their fat a$$es in their big gas burning coffins. While we're out there making the world a better place, and having fun in the process. How couldn't they hate us?:fool:

[waitabit]

I'm beginning to wonder if there isn't something much deeper going on in the brain of the Road Rager. It seems that there is a certain subspecies that has a trigger in their primitive brains that causes them severe discomfort when they witness anyone propelling themselves on a two wheeled vehicle. You can see the look in their eyes and hear the Howler Monkey type scream they emit. I imagine it is the same look that the Neandertals had when they saw the cool tools the Homo Sapiens were sporting. They must know deep down that if they were put on a two wheeled conveyance they would quickly wobble off a cliff causing their extinction, and with it would go NASCAR, WalMart, and mono-colored townhouse complexes.

RichardAnd what a better place the world would be.

[SickBoy]

Funny thing about Whitey Debroux - he used to live in Rhinelander, WI and raced WORS until about a year ago. Weird. I would say at the risk of being a geek to not go so far as to thrash someone's car with your thrashed bike, You'll get a lot more sympathy in the courts that way (unfortunately less personal satisfaction involved).

[redwood]

I think it's satisfying and very natural to let your blood boil when cars are deliberately aggressive on the road. I do it all the time. But, It might negate some of the benefits of fresh air and exercise.

Here's my anecdotal recollection of some scientific evidence: I had a lecture in school by a psychyatrist about the effects of accute and chronic stress on the body. There was a break in the middle of the lecture, and seeing that he was in bike cleats i decided to talk shop with him. He said that he'd just resolved to bike to the hospital/university everyday,about 12 miles round trip. i said that I thought that spending time on a bike rather than in a car in traffic should help lower his stress level. He told me that on the contrary, there was a recent study (British, i think) that showed that stress from commuting (I don't know how they measured it) was proportional to the amount of time spent commuting, and that according to the study the results were the same whether on bike or in a car.

So, If you're trying to improve psychological well-being by being on a bike, Chill out!

When I sense my blood heating up, i pretend I'm stoned :etard: and try to feel sympathy for that mother $^%*& who just $*%*& cut me off! He's luck I don't catch his ^%&*%& ass and break his %&%&* window with my ^*(!! U-lock!!!!!!!!

[Don Youngdahl]

I can't honestly say I'd be any less confrontaitonal, but I don't think I'd be dumb enough to get on my bike in front of a lady who's almost hit me once and has verbally threatened me again.

[tns1972]

Why is it so hard for motorists to share? This is a subject that always gets my wheels spining (inna my head) and my blood boiling. It's not just bikes, it's everyone who wants some time on the road. It seems that people think the car, because of it's size and power always gets the right-of-way. Mix that with a self-important, self-absorbed society that increasingly needs to get where they are going faster than the next guy/gal. It adds up to road rage. I always avoid the confrontation, I quit flipping people off, they now get a thumbs up or a S**t eating grin and a wave. BUT, when they harrass my wife, who isn't a full time cyclist. Dude, I get pissed. I trust my riding skills to get me out of most jams, but she's got no skills! And thanks to some Eastview High School girls (avoid 140th St. In Apple Valley), she's not really into road riding anymore. This year I'll be towing my 18 month old son behind me. I really hope no motorist is stupid enough to pull those shenanigans while there is a toddler in tow. What happened to us Man? Where's the love?
Mean people who drive motorized vehicles suck. Maybe for '05 it could be; "Share the Road or else, WHAM, you get seatposted!" Great now I'm road ragin' in my desk chair, anybody got any Guiness?
:fool:

[LightWeight]

This year I'll be towing my 18 month old son behind me. I really hope no motorist is stupid enough to pull those shenanigans while there is a toddler in tow.

I really hope you're not planning on pulling your boy on a busy street. I always stick to the paths when I'm pulling the Burley. You never know what might happen...

[tns1972]

I will take all percautions when he is with me. I have one of those Dakota county bike maps, and there are plenty of safe routes. You just never know, I've had plenty of instances where there was absolutely no need for harassment. It just happens.
THX

[syntaxjunkie]

I was out in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. And at least on the main drag (Ocean Ave.) in Santa Monica, the bike lanes are the same size as the vehicle lanes. Guess that helps make up for having to breathe the Superfund site that passes for an atmosphere out there. But I'll bet it also helps cut down on road rage--at least the car/bike variety.

[funky-funky-chicken]

I was out in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. And at least on the main drag (Ocean Ave.) in Santa Monica, the bike lanes are the same size as the vehicle lanes. Guess that helps make up for having to breathe the Superfund site that passes for an atmosphere out there. But I'll bet it also helps cut down on road rage--at least the car/bike variety.

Oohhh... I bet that cuts down on road rage. I can just imagine what some angry fool stuck in traffic might think looking over what likely amounts to a mostly empty lane dedicated to bicycles. Sure, I'd bet that would calm someone down. :)

I happen to think that having dedicated lanes for bicycles is worse than simply having your right to the regular road. I leaves people (both riders and drivers) with the impression that they should only ride routes that have dedicated lanes or paths for bicycles. If people get that mindset, drivers think that bicycles don't belong on the regular roads and riders think that there is nowhere else to ride.

I cannot tell you the number of people who ask me where I ride my bike. The ones who think they know a lot about riding always proceed to ask me if I have ever ridden this bike trail or that one. My answer is always "nope" followed by the explanation that I ride on the roads on my road bike. I always defer questions about riding off-road to the MORC website! :)