Driver ignorance or malace?
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 60
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RE: Driver ignorance or malace?
Was on a little old country road this morning near Middleburg, Virginia, and coming down the road the other way was a little old lady in an Oldsmobile right smack in the middle of the road. No, not quite. She was more on my half of the road than on hers. She made no effort whatsoever to stay on her side of the road. (No lines on this road. Rokeby Road, if you know the area.) Made no effort to get over even a littlebitwhen she saw me coming. Well, I'm not sure she saw me coming. Who knows?
Anyway, I thought for a while about maybe just I'd switch over to her half of the road and see how that worked. There was more room for me on her right side than on her left side. Decided against it. I'm glad I did.
But, I'm still thinking about.
Anyway, I thought for a while about maybe just I'd switch over to her half of the road and see how that worked. There was more room for me on her right side than on her left side. Decided against it. I'm glad I did.
But, I'm still thinking about.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 310
Likes: 1
From: Tulsa, Ok
RE: Driver ignorance or malace?
ORIGINAL: Hidalgo
I think that pretty well hits it on the head. Ever see a car pull out in front of a semi? Not very often. I don't think it's malice, or "you don't belong here", or anything else except for the simple fact that auto drivers don't see a bike as a threat. You can't flip them over, or otherwise injure them in a collision, so you aren't perceived as any type of threat to them. They don't think this as a conscious thought, but rather as a reaction to the threat at hand. EXAMPLE: If a fly gets in the car, most people swat at it and go on about their business. If a WASP gets in, they freak out and look for a place to pull off and open the doors in hope that it will fly out! Big trucks are the wasps....bikes are the flys. Not fair, and rather sad, but true nonetheless.
I think that pretty well hits it on the head. Ever see a car pull out in front of a semi? Not very often. I don't think it's malice, or "you don't belong here", or anything else except for the simple fact that auto drivers don't see a bike as a threat. You can't flip them over, or otherwise injure them in a collision, so you aren't perceived as any type of threat to them. They don't think this as a conscious thought, but rather as a reaction to the threat at hand. EXAMPLE: If a fly gets in the car, most people swat at it and go on about their business. If a WASP gets in, they freak out and look for a place to pull off and open the doors in hope that it will fly out! Big trucks are the wasps....bikes are the flys. Not fair, and rather sad, but true nonetheless.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 888
Likes: 0
From: Central Illinois
RE: Driver ignorance or malace?
ORIGINAL: pococj
A nice shiny chrome plated .45ACP in a belt holster dissuades some from taking your lane. Of course it also brings on other problems.
A nice shiny chrome plated .45ACP in a belt holster dissuades some from taking your lane. Of course it also brings on other problems.
not sure if they'd have the cajones to complain or not...
Banned
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 20,836
Likes: 7
RE: Driver ignorance or malace?
ORIGINAL: Jezcruzen
About 12 of us took a nice ride yesterday traveling the backroads from Lynchburg to Charlottesville to Appomattox and then back to the starting point - Lynchburg.
At some points along the ride we did have to travel on limited access highways. A group of riders are more visable than a rider alone, of course, but seems not to have mattered much as time and again cages entering the highway bullied their way into the group. Thiscaused riders to perform evasive manuvers so as not to get run over,and somewere squeezed onto the middle of two lanes between cages.[&:] Don't these drivers know that they do not have the right-of-way to enter the traffic lane? We move over if the passing lane is clear, but when its occupied by other vehicles we have no place to go!
This scenerio played out multiple times. Are they just ignorant of traffic laws or do they not care?[:@]
About 12 of us took a nice ride yesterday traveling the backroads from Lynchburg to Charlottesville to Appomattox and then back to the starting point - Lynchburg.
At some points along the ride we did have to travel on limited access highways. A group of riders are more visable than a rider alone, of course, but seems not to have mattered much as time and again cages entering the highway bullied their way into the group. Thiscaused riders to perform evasive manuvers so as not to get run over,and somewere squeezed onto the middle of two lanes between cages.[&:] Don't these drivers know that they do not have the right-of-way to enter the traffic lane? We move over if the passing lane is clear, but when its occupied by other vehicles we have no place to go!
This scenerio played out multiple times. Are they just ignorant of traffic laws or do they not care?[:@]
Ball bearings baby!!!!![:@]
RE: Driver ignorance or malace?
ORIGINAL: Sanford
I was talking to a young driver not so long ago who actualy believed that the yield signs on the on ramps to the interstates were there for the the cars on the interstate to let them know to be aware that cars are coming into traffic. Cripes!!! What an idiot. I told them they should go down to the licensing department and get a handbook and read it.
I was talking to a young driver not so long ago who actualy believed that the yield signs on the on ramps to the interstates were there for the the cars on the interstate to let them know to be aware that cars are coming into traffic. Cripes!!! What an idiot. I told them they should go down to the licensing department and get a handbook and read it.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
From: Binghamton, NY
RE: Driver ignorance or malace?
ORIGINAL: whaap
It's sort of the"big boat rule" = I'm bigger than you, therefor I have the right of way because I know you'll move out of the way!!!!!!!!!
It's sort of the"big boat rule" = I'm bigger than you, therefor I have the right of way because I know you'll move out of the way!!!!!!!!!
Everyone seems to think that they are the only one that has the right of way & you better just get out of their way.
[sm=wtf.gif]happened to common courtesy & common sense?
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 330
Likes: 2
From: Marietta, GA
RE: Driver ignorance or malace?
ORIGINAL: Jezcruzen
This scenerio played out multiple times. Are they just ignorant of traffic laws or do they not care?[:@]
This scenerio played out multiple times. Are they just ignorant of traffic laws or do they not care?[:@]
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 5
From: Currently the pig country of Arkansas
RE: Driver ignorance or malace?
I don't give them the bird, but instead I give them the sarcastichead shake and a"Thumbs Up" (as in, you drive like you have your thumb up your @$$).
Stupid Drivers Syndrone (SDS)strikes peopleeverywhere. However, when I'm in my crew cab, long bed, 4x4, F-250I get treated different. It's fun to watch thesame agressive driving Nimrod who would bully me on the bikewill actuallyyield tosomething bigger than him. The truck burns more fuel, but sometimes it is worth it.
Edmo
Edmo
Stupid Drivers Syndrone (SDS)strikes peopleeverywhere. However, when I'm in my crew cab, long bed, 4x4, F-250I get treated different. It's fun to watch thesame agressive driving Nimrod who would bully me on the bikewill actuallyyield tosomething bigger than him. The truck burns more fuel, but sometimes it is worth it.
Edmo
Edmo
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, SC
RE: Driver ignorance or malace?
They do it because they know they can do it and get away with it.
It'd be great if one of these days the biker the cager cut off followed them till they stop, then administered a much needed beatdown..
Is it still road rage if you get off your bike before you start kicking azz?
It'd be great if one of these days the biker the cager cut off followed them till they stop, then administered a much needed beatdown..
Is it still road rage if you get off your bike before you start kicking azz?