For the most part, bicycles ride are peaceful and fun. If bicycle rides weren’t something I enjoyed I would not ride nearly as much or at all. Basic Pavlovian response stuff. I do what feels good to me. Yet, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows and unicorns all the time when on two wheels.
Similar to road rage, there is a feeling of aggressiveness that surges up at times when on the road on a bicycle seat. Naming this feeling “Bike Rage” (like Road Rage when in a car) is not quite right. I rather like to think of it as Bike Pet Peeves. *Note: Multiple occurrences of Bike Pet Peeves in one day could steer any cyclists down the road of Bicycle Rage.
I had such an incidence today of a Bike Pet Peeve that came close to Bike Rage – a car cutting me off while I was on a bicycle.
One of the reasons that cars cutting off bicycles borderlines from Bike Pet Peeve to Bike Rage is because of the frequency of occurrences. It has happened over and over and over again.
Which got me to thinking that some serious schooling needed to occur on this issue.
I don’t get the logic that is occurring in a motorists mind, that if they accelerate the car and make a sharp turn in front of a bicycle that it is ok. Ever.
I just returned from a week trip to the urban bicycling capital of the U.S. of A. – also know as Portlandia. There is one law that is enacted as a civil action between motorists and cyclists. Oregon Revised Statute 811.050 requires motor vehicles to yield to bicycles in bike lanes. It blows my mind each time I cycle the bike ways. Note this act of motor vehicles yielding to bicycles occurs outside of bike lanes too, like some North Western common courtesy. Bike ways, entire streets dedicated to the bicycle as the dominant form of transportation, in which bicycles and motorists share the road, motorists still actively choose to give bicycles the right of way. It feels like the incidental diametric opposite of being cut off by a car in Austin, Texas.
When I get cut off by a car some primal adrenaline takes over. When the primal response occurs, I have consciously chosen not to use the flying bird signal anymore as my first means of communication. When it comes to fight or flight, my innate action is fight, thus the middle finger gesture.The effect of giving the bird when used is: animosity breeds more animosity. So I opt not to use it. Although at times I do feel like displaying a strong and solid thumbs down hand signal, held high in the air, is an effective way to communicate disdain.
Communication sign language aside, my intrigue is not hand gesturing to drivers on the roadway alone. I would rather supercede the Central Texas common uncourtesy that exists as the majority norm between motor vehicles and bicycles, and replace it with courtesy for amongst all, motorists and cyclists alike.
on Jan 19th, 2012 at 11:41 am
I don’t condone violence, but if the cut-off is so close and the speeds enable you the control to give the trunk or side of the car a rap to say “hey, hello I am right here” then I have been known to do this during my bike rage. I think of it as my bike horn, since I don’t carry around an air horn.
on Jan 25th, 2012 at 10:54 am
On a similar note, does capitol metro have an official stance on this? It seems like they (bus drivers) will try to speed up and get ahead of you only to stop right in front of you at a designated bus stop.
Do they have a policy on this? I was on Cameron road this past weekend and sure enough he tried to speed ahead of me only to stop right in front of me.
on Jan 26th, 2012 at 5:45 pm
I don’t know if Cap Metro has a policy or procedure in regards to the bus and bicycle interactions.
I usually try to give the buses the right of way, since their human transport number heavily out weights my solitary bike. Ie., if I can get on the sidewalk and give the bus the go ahead I try too. But I understand that is not always an option.
However, here is the link to the contact info for Cap Metro:
http://www.capmetro.org/contact.asp
on Mar 20th, 2012 at 6:06 am
BICYCLE RAGE
The “critical mass” tactic creates hostility around the world. Some of these drivers who are stopped have to pick up young children, miss critical appointments, etc. This creates a gereral hostility toward all cyclists.
The most common problem, the unexpected right turn in front of cyclist, is because they have a blind spot on right and shorter or older drivers are completely unaware of the cyclist. I know, they SHOULD be aware, but that doesn’t repair my bike or shoulder. An air horn? Usually too late. Shouting? More hostility. Use your mirror to identify overtaking traffic? yes.
Attack back? A U-lock across the fender? spray something? ice pick paint? I know the drivers of motorized vehicles make us crazy, but resist the urge. Ironically, in Sun City, the golf cart drivers cut me off far more than cars.
If you are peddling and they are motoring, then you are ahead of them in joy and physical condition. bob Stockburger