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edit: wtf link? Holy random image - no idea what happened there
"Get a car loser!"
This is the kind of call I'll hear from time to time, often over the din of some $40 subwoofer as some pimply-faced 17 year old's 1982 Honda tries desparately to hold itself together.
I have a car, thank you very much. In fact, it just so happens that my car is a super sweet sports car that adds at least an extra inch to my already staggering genitalia. Oh, and for the record I own a motorcycle of such sleek, rich beauty that it would cause Batman to fall to his knees and weep. So when it comes to western-style consumerism for the sake of consumerism, I'm definately on board. But thanks for checking up on me anyways.
The problem is that I choose to ride my mountain bike to work every day. I live close to the office so to me it really is a no brainer - save gas, get exercise, Al Gore, etc., etc. The problem is that I've really grown to hate everyone who drives a vehicle.
It seems any modern, western city is designed around the automobile. I know this based primarily on how travelling just 5 blocks on a bike involves a labyrinth of back roads and parking lots. Few of our intersections actually have crosswalks and few of our roads actually have sidewalks. If you want to be healthy, you better be willing to die for it.
People are just spoiled. You sit on ass all day at home, sit on ass all day at work, and sit on ass all day everywhere in between. Getting through the day takes absolutely no effort. And god forbid you try to break the cycle - you'll be looked down upon by every overweight, arrogant, self-centered prick on the road. It's just so North American of us to treat driving as our damned right and to hell with anyone who disagrees.
The best way to relate my frustration with people and their cars is through a story:
A few months back I was hit by a truck at a marked crosswalk. Now, this happens. People don't pay attention, speed up to get through the crosswalk so they don't have to stop - any number of things that could potentially cause a truck on bike collision. But that's forgiveable; people make mistakes. What really got me was how the driver yelled at me as he drove away and I lay there bleeding on the road. He told me, in direct quotation to "learn how to cross, asshole". I suppose I'd better, since I'm still pretty banged up from the crash and don't think I could handle another one anytime soon.
But that sums up the attitude of most people on the road. It's essentially the internet except where people die. You take away personal accountability, add in a dash of anonymity and a feeling of invincibility, put these people in congested proximity, then sit back while the magic unfolds.
My point is lost.
I originally started typing this blog entry with the intention of stating my ideas for encouraging more people to get exercise and park their cars, but the whole thing has gone somewhat off-topic. I guess it's still worth pointing out that right now the opposite thing is happening and people are actually discouraged from making a potentially better choice - and that is kind of sad.
 
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Sad, but true. You'd get along with my dad. He just turned 50 and rides his bike everywhere.... to & from work, to meetings, photos, interviews, etc. Actually, it's amost scary, cuz if i saw this printed out on my desk with no name on it, I'd assume it's his work, haha.
Occasioanlly, Ill walk to work, but usually it's a pain if I gotta go somewhere. I usually walk my coffee/lunch breaks.
You should go take up a free lance writing gig somewhere. You've got all the criteria down: good writing style (your internet analogy ha), you're angry and you liek to drink.
ps. go on your site and check out the vid i posted, youll be in a good mood again in no time
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oh, and your link at the top of the page goes to some dude holding a kid, i dont think thats your inspiration?
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You should've gotten the license plate # on that truck and grabbed a few witnesses. If you get injured in that situation, you've got every right to sue the truck driver responsible. For an extra special, you can add emotional damage due to his comment.
Ironic, isn't it? I'm suggesting a way to fight American methods with American methods.
EDIT: Uh...so it seems you're not American -_-
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I feel like getting a car for driving around with friend and if just going around myself, get a motorcycle.
actually that still involves sitting there and not doing anything but w/e, lol
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I TOTALLY agree. People who can't share the road with bicyclists and pedestrians make me ENRAGED. A friend of mine had a similar experience to you... she was WALKING across a crosswalk in Boston and some lady turned right on a RED LIGHT and hit her, knocking her onto the pavement. This lady then got out of the car and yelled at her! Of course, as soon as my friend got up, looking pissed off, the lady came to her senses, but I have no doubt plenty of drivers would feel that somehow they are in the right in that situation.
I always stop to let pedestrians cross streets, crosswalks or no. Besides, that sometimes irritates those alpha-type drivers in cars behind you, which is a great side benefit. My philosophy is, if you're in too much of a hurry to let someone cross the street without getting your panties in a bunch, I can't wait to inconvenience you. Your honking and bitching are music to my ears....
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On September 13 2007 04:16 Hawk wrote:
oh, and your link at the top of the page goes to some dude holding a kid, i dont think thats your inspiration?
lulz. No idea what the picture is of either. Nice copy/paste, me.
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On September 13 2007 04:16 ilovezil wrote:
You should've gotten the license plate # on that truck and grabbed a few witnesses. If you get injured in that situation, you've got every right to sue the truck driver responsible. For an extra special, you can add emotional damage due to his comment.
Problem is that that'd make me a hypocrite so I can't do it and not feel like a douchebag. I'm always the guy bitching about over litigation and sue-happy people, so suing in a situation where I'll eventually be perfectly fine just seems pointless in the long run.
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On September 13 2007 05:04 Clutch3 wrote:
I always stop to let pedestrians cross streets, crosswalks or no. Besides, that sometimes irritates those alpha-type drivers in cars behind you, which is a great side benefit. My philosophy is, if you're in too much of a hurry to let someone cross the street without getting your panties in a bunch, I can't wait to inconvenience you. Your honking and bitching are music to my ears....
The funny thing is that the dude who hit me *was* one of those alpha-type drivers in the vehicle behind someone else.
What I mean is that normally I'd wait til the road is completely clear before going since it's best to assume no one is going to stop for you. But this time someone did stop so I figured it was good to go. The problem is the alpha-type driver in the truck behind her thought "screw this, I aint stoppin", switch to the next lane, kept going, and smoked me.
Heh. Live and learn.
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I biked to work for 2 years, I feel you.
People in cars are assholes to people on bikes.
However sometimes I get pissed at people on bikes who just ask for it, like biking in the lane at 5 mph up a hill when there is a sidewalk right next to them, holding up traffic.
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I agree with you, especially that the trucker who hit you is a dick. But sometimes I think bike riders can get a little too bold. For instance, when I'm driving home on a backroad near my house, there are often bikers riding in the middle of the lane in front of me going 15 MPH not letting me pass. This is a problem because this road has MANY blind turns, so if the bikers don't want me to pass them, I basically won't be able to unless I want to risk hitting another car head-on. The worst, though, which has happened quite a few times, is when there are a few bikers conversing IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD BEHIND A BLIND TURN. They aren't riding, just sitting on their bikes, stopped, talking with eachother. When I come around the turn and have to do some kind of crazy evasive maneuver to avoid plowing them over they yell at me and give me the finger. Maybe I should just run them over next time.
In conclusion, if you're a biker and you pretty much follow the rules of biking (don't be a dick and ride slowly in the middle of a lane, don't sit around in the middle of traffic talking with your friends), then I sympathize with you.
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Yeah, those guys are no better than the jerks in the trucks.
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Baltimore, USA22258 Posts
The story is kind've fucked up, but I'm posting just to say I love your writing style. 
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By most of my friends' standards, I'm an environmentalist, but if I had to choose between being the asshole trucker or the socially-conscious guy getting hit by the truck, I'd take the former. Sorry. 
That's obviously a false dichotomy, but it's certainly sad.
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Love this blog. Definitely one of the best.
Just so you know, I sold my car (or what remained of it after someone was kind enough to release me from the duty to sell it through some accident while the car was parked) and I am about to buy a bicycle to get around in town. I am in walking distance from my uni and usually I use the bus, but maybe I may find the time and motivation to just ride it a bit for exercising purposes.
I am now almost completely Al Gorified. I hope he approves.
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On September 13 2007 05:13 Flaccid wrote:Show nested quote +On September 13 2007 04:16 ilovezil wrote:
You should've gotten the license plate # on that truck and grabbed a few witnesses. If you get injured in that situation, you've got every right to sue the truck driver responsible. For an extra special, you can add emotional damage due to his comment. Problem is that that'd make me a hypocrite so I can't do it and not feel like a douchebag. I'm always the guy bitching about over litigation and sue-happy people, so suing in a situation where I'll eventually be perfectly fine just seems pointless in the long run.
Well, I don't know about "perfectly fine" if you're still suffering some sort of effect after that incident, but I get what you mean. As long as you can live without regretting your decision...
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On September 13 2007 05:29 Auspicious wrote:
I biked to work for 2 years, I feel you.
People in cars are assholes to people on bikes.
However sometimes I get pissed at people on bikes who just ask for it, like biking in the lane at 5 mph up a hill when there is a sidewalk right next to them, holding up traffic.
It's their right to ride on the road if there's no bike lane (excluding highways of course).
I'm not 100% sure so check me on that.
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On September 13 2007 07:38 LySin wrote:Show nested quote +On September 13 2007 05:29 Auspicious wrote:
I biked to work for 2 years, I feel you.
People in cars are assholes to people on bikes.
However sometimes I get pissed at people on bikes who just ask for it, like biking in the lane at 5 mph up a hill when there is a sidewalk right next to them, holding up traffic. It's their right to ride on the road if there's no bike lane (excluding highways of course). I'm not 100% sure so check me on that.
While they have a right to be on the road they should move over to the side of the road so vehicles can actually approach the speed limit without nearly hitting them.
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Dude you ok? Driver apologize?
I cant say I hate cars, mostly in America you need a car to get by, and if you go somewhere further away you cant ride a bike on the high way...
But yeah people use the car way too much
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I'm sure you were pretty scared and hurt, but coudl've tried to get his driver's license and contacted police. Or track him down and smash his car, and tag it with like, "Learn how to stop at crosswalks... asshole."
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Sucks, consider moving to northern California.
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i like ur writing style
would read again
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Calgary25989 Posts
In drivers' defense, it is unbelievably annoying trying to get around a biker on a congested downtown street. There's not enough width for a car and a bike in one lane, so you can't get around them and have to slow to their pace, or go a little into the left lane.
I don't mind it usually, but on small streets during rush hour, it's very annoying.
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On September 15 2007 00:43 Chill wrote:
In drivers' defense, it is unbelievably annoying trying to get around a biker on a congested downtown street. There's not enough width for a car and a bike in one lane, so you can't get around them and have to slow to their pace, or go a little into the left lane.
I don't mind it usually, but on small streets during rush hour, it's very annoying.
Yeah, I agree. I think it's the bikers responsibility to stay out of the way as much as possible and the driver's responsibility to realize that being invincible shouldn't allow him to be a bully.
Of course the world isn't perfect. When I'm riding my motorcycle I have to do so with the mindset that no one is going to do me any favors based on me being more vulnerable than they are. People are still going to cut me off, they're still going to turn infront of me at intersections, etc. Rather than see my vulnerable position as something worthy of a little breathing room, they are more likely to see it as a greater reason to push me around on the road. It's pretty sick, but that's life. As such, I make sure to drive expecting that everyone around me isn't paying any attention at all =p
Anyways, the whole point is that people take their cars for granted. If people weren't able to abuse the priviledge and drive everywhere and were instead forced to walk or bike from time to time, they might see things from the other side and drive with a little more empathy.
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People are even more retarded when theres motorcycles on the road. i remember driving down the shore this summer and watching two guidos cut off like 5 dudes on bikes, nearly killing them. then we all stop at a big red light and they all get on both sides of the car and start yelling (a benz that mommy & daddy bought, ofcourse). the guidos had enough balls to tel lthe mto fuck off and roll up the windows and lock the doors.
however, revenge was exacted when the bikers took off their helmets and started slamming it on the hood and door panels =p
but i cant tell you how many times you see idiots merge onto the highway at like 35mph without giving any consideration to the motorcyle—or car—thats doing a solid 65. you need to come to the nj/ny area to experience real retarded driving, your head would spin.
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On September 13 2007 16:50 byChris wrote:
Sucks, consider moving to northern California.
That's where I live. The bikers here are assholes.
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