Dear Cyclists,
I know you’re all super-special because you get your special pants and your special headgear and your special smug “I’m-not-polluting-and-getting-a-workout” attitude, and that’s okay. But remember, YOU share the road just the same as the motorists. And your arms are for more than just raising your chai-venta-mocha-latte with half-skim half-soy fair-trade family-friendly organic coffee to your oblivious, empty head.
I’m a motorist of 10 years with no tickets, no record and no accidents. I’m perfectly willing to share the road with cyclists and whoever else wants to use it. But the next time you decide to make a turn or cut in front of me without signaling, remember this basic physics lesson: if my two-and-a-half tons of steel hits your 200 lbs of bone and flesh, you will go bouncing down the street like a pinball. I’m BIGGER than you are, and traveling MUCH MUCH faster. I have to signal my intent before I make a lane change or a turn, so is it too much to ask for you to return the favor so you don’t end up as a greasy spot and I don’t wreck my day?
This article appears in Jun 5-11, 2008.
Dear Motorist,I move slower than you. It’s just a simple fact of physics. I know that’s a hard one to get through your brains sometimes but my point is.If I’m approaching an intersection ahead of you without signaling then I’m NOT TURNING. Over taking me and doing a right turn is cutting me off. I really don’t want to go bouncing around. Really I don’t.I check over my should but there’s only so much I can do. I have to keep from not vereing off course and into someone else.So could you please respect the rules of the road? Turn behind someone who’s in front of you.
Bingo. Both the original bitch, and the comment below me from John are dead on. Not all cyclists are perfect, and not all drivers are perfect, and some people from both groups need a reality check on both the laws of the road and the laws of physics.
This morning some guy in a black convertible pulled a ridiculous maneuver in traffic to get in front of me, which was fine. I even scootched over further to the right to let him by. But when he got in front of me, he slowed down until I had to either brake or try to pass him on the left. And there was nothing in front of him. WTF, Black Convertible Guy? WTF?