October_30th's Journal: [Rant] Just got almost overrun by a jerk in a Toyota

Cars are bicyclists' natural enemies. They are larger than us, they overpower us and the jerk inside is protected by a hard metal shell so that he won't feel a thing if he collides with you. If you want to hurt the jerk, you'll have to drag him out of his protective shell and hope that he's not that much bigger and stronger than you are.

Do I sound a tad bit upset today? Well, I am upset. I was just almost overrun by a jerk in a Toyota.

He was coming from a parking lot to my left, trying to join the traffic and apparently he thought it was not worth checking out his right (where I was coming from) because, hey, all the traffic was coming from his left. Yeah. All the cars were coming from that direction, but there's traffic on the bike lane, too, and it goes both ways.

So, this genius decides to go for a non-existent gap in the traffic just when I'm in front of him. There must not have been more than 10 cm between his front bumper and my left ankle when he stopped.

A mutual exchange of hand signals and shouting ensued but then I was on my way again.

Ok. Now someone might say that even though I had the right of way, I still should have stopped because of the reasons I mentioned at the beginning of this rant: in a collision between a car and a bike, the car always wins. That's correct and I used to believe in giving away my right of way, too. Now I'm not sure anymore.

The reason why the jerks can basically ignore us bicyclists ("oh, who cares about the bike lane?") is that we let them get away with breaking the rules. The more we give away our rights, the more arrogant and dangerous the jerks get.

Another excuse the jerks use is that it is difficult to see bicyclists. Bollocks. If you find it hard to see us, you are just not paying enough attention to your surroundings. That's a lousy excuse.

I am not hard to see in my screaming blue biking jacket and, when it's dark, with my blinking halogen front light and light reflectors. It's you who're either paying attention to wrong things (like today's jerk) or you're not paying attention at all. Maybe it's because you're chatting away on your cellphone, getting a blowjob, putting on makeup or eating your breakfast while driving. Or, maybe you're just a jerk who is betting on that the bicyclists will always give way. It doesn't matter. You failed it.

So, what's the solution? Where to hit these jerks so that it hurts them? A Martyrs Brigade of bicyclists, supported on their flank by a Heavy Lawyers Brigade, volunteering not to give away their right of way even if it means getting injured in the process. If the jerk tries to ignore the rules, you crash and sue him/her.

I'm tempted. If only I could get funding for such an operation.

(Note: I have used the term 'jerk' throughout this rant. I know there are polite and safe car drivers in the traffic. You are not jerks and none of this anger is aimed at you).

hey...

[isfugl]

Did someone say they need a lawyer? ;-)