tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post6055787634197789078..comments2024-01-02T07:16:03.732-07:00Comments on Endless Velo Love: Second Class CitizenG.E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13429419832660419144noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-1510244527075425792015-11-30T07:17:04.181-07:002015-11-30T07:17:04.181-07:00That kind of disturbs me too. That some people are...That kind of disturbs me too. That some people are against bicycles on principle regardless of whether or not they are actually inconvenienced by them...it's like they are offended merely by the presence of a cyclist and feel they need to express it. You could be stopped on the side of the road fixing a flat and they would scream at you. It's weird and without reason.Chainringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07646119297937166114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-67559951487733937642015-11-26T15:44:22.084-07:002015-11-26T15:44:22.084-07:00Yeah, sorry about that. I suppose I could've c...Yeah, sorry about that. I suppose I could've come up with a title that was less of a downer. I am definitely okay, but always surprised by these sorts of incidents, even though I know they will happen from time to time.<br /><br />I am grateful that we have the opportunity to vent frustrations to each other. It's nice to have a community of others who understand or who have found ways to G.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02748009691282638366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-14683982656332462862015-11-26T15:41:42.254-07:002015-11-26T15:41:42.254-07:00Isn't that just the way things seem to go? I k...Isn't that just the way things seem to go? I know I try to plan for those sorts of incidents too, but sometimes when that realization that serious injury could have occurred kicks in and it's tough to not say something. I don't think I've had an incident like yours that didn't involve some involuntary shaking after the fact.<br /><br />At least you were able to laugh as you G.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02748009691282638366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-17940540789691997792015-11-26T06:06:22.627-07:002015-11-26T06:06:22.627-07:00Wow. I put off reading this post a few days as I k...Wow. I put off reading this post a few days as I knew the content was not going to be, hmm, 100% "positive", shall we say. Having read it, I'm actually relieved: you're OKAY. <br /><br />So many people are just a mess in their heads these days. We can't fix them. I agree with everything everyone else has posted here, and would particularly like to "+1" what John Rebecca Oldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05979821146538393459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-57618929297058522262015-11-25T12:38:07.335-07:002015-11-25T12:38:07.335-07:00I usually ignore people who yell or honk at me. I ...I usually ignore people who yell or honk at me. I always told myself that if I were ever confronted directly, I would do everything possible to de-escalate the situation. That's a great theory. Problem is the first time it ever happened I completely lost my cool! A guy pulled up behind me as we were approaching an intersection and really laid on the horn. He got closer and closer and kept Kendrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18329731743529266746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-49997199282444977952015-11-25T07:45:52.083-07:002015-11-25T07:45:52.083-07:00This is an interesting idea you bring up... I have...This is an interesting idea you bring up... I have wondered myself if the anger is pointed only at those who appear to be middle class and the motorist thinks the individual should have a car, or if they would make the same comments to anyone on a bike. We have a lot of homeless folks locally who ride bikes too and I wonder if they get shouted at out of car windows? I know it would be challengingG.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02748009691282638366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-52195649835357222382015-11-25T07:38:30.212-07:002015-11-25T07:38:30.212-07:00I remember that incident. I think those are the ty...I remember that incident. I think those are the type that bother me more because there was a physical interaction and you can't help but wonder how far someone will take it. Of course, I know you're not the sort to let anyone get away with it and you like to offer your own "special" response. :)G.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02748009691282638366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-10004158070936208072015-11-25T07:37:09.451-07:002015-11-25T07:37:09.451-07:00Sam and I have been out riding in town a couple of...Sam and I have been out riding in town a couple of times and there have been teenage(ish) boys who like to yell things at us. For some reason, those instances don't bother me. We've all been the immature teenager, so I understand that one day they'll get through it and understand (at least hopefully) that they were behaving in a silly manner.<br /><br />As for adults, I agree that G.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02748009691282638366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-11631680433725009102015-11-25T07:31:50.483-07:002015-11-25T07:31:50.483-07:00I talk to myself quite a bit on my bike. People ma...I talk to myself quite a bit on my bike. People may think someone with a butterfly net will soon pick me up. :) But, sometimes it's the only way I can work through a situation -- to have the imaginary conversation with the person I've just encountered... or, sometimes I'm just working through whatever in my own head. <br /><br />I agree with you -- having those conversations is a G.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02748009691282638366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-47571328674670937902015-11-25T07:29:39.597-07:002015-11-25T07:29:39.597-07:00I agree with you. I tend not to engage with people...I agree with you. I tend not to engage with people who are angry on the roads because I don't need to make the situation worse. I think, more often than not, it has nothing to do with me (or anyone riding a bike). There are times when I feel as though I have no choice but to interact, especially in situations like Chainring describes below when a driver could very well have severely injured G.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02748009691282638366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-22682181578453242242015-11-25T07:23:43.281-07:002015-11-25T07:23:43.281-07:00Agreed. So many people have severe depression duri...Agreed. So many people have severe depression during the holiday season too, so I'd think that cannot be helping the anger and aggression that is so often misplaced.G.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02748009691282638366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-62934987110785528212015-11-25T06:35:18.963-07:002015-11-25T06:35:18.963-07:00I don't understand the attitudes so many peopl...I don't understand the attitudes so many people have toward cyclists, but I'm convinced it's a cultural factor that will never change. People fear what they don't understand, and I think most people don't understand why a seemingly middle-class adult would chose to ride a bike instead of drive a car.<br /><br />I wonder how often low income people on bikes get harassed.<br />Chainringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07646119297937166114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-7133719571032716112015-11-25T06:02:18.537-07:002015-11-25T06:02:18.537-07:00My most violent encounter happened at the beginnin...My most violent encounter happened at the beginning of last spring, simply riding with traffic across an intersection on a weekend. A man in his large pick-up truck had a one-way conversation in a very angry way with me (I was wearing headphones), and he flicked a lit cigarette butt at me, which made brief contact. My response was one with a single finger gesture, and mouthing of significant Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10157077226245963330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-79588663269693144772015-11-25T04:25:35.763-07:002015-11-25T04:25:35.763-07:00It happens to me only once in a while, but I figur...It happens to me only once in a while, but I figure it's not directly related to me because I am riding a bike. It's always someone yelling from a passing vehicle. It must be rage, hormones, whatever, and they need a release...and cruising by means they never have to account for their actions. A quick yell and it's all over. I don't let it ruin my day. anniebikeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02737989268380822651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-64849739094743450742015-11-24T17:21:37.416-07:002015-11-24T17:21:37.416-07:00I had to laugh at your mention of the "imagin...I had to laugh at your mention of the "imaginary conversation". I can't tell you how many times I've found myself doing the same after similar encounters with bozos like you came across. The bright side of such events is I typically find I've climbed a long, hard hill and had not given it a thought - as I just spent the past few minutes focused on my imaginary repartee Augsburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06109555620818668190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948910318159742024.post-83765760584712364182015-11-24T16:31:36.097-07:002015-11-24T16:31:36.097-07:00Many people I encounter in the streets have pent-u...Many people I encounter in the streets have pent-up rage and barely controlled anger ready to burst forth at small triggers. Often they have legitimate problems and stresses weighing them down. The problem is not so much that they have these problems, stresses, and negative factors--don't we all who live on earth to some extent or another?--but that they seem so ill equipped to deal with themJohn Romeo Alphahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01289456379789026152noreply@blogger.com