Stupidity is a powerful force never to be underestimated. Geese are a good example; a more stupid vertebrate one would be most challenged to come across yet should you wander into a flock of them pecking about peacefully in a field, one is likely to erupt from its grazing to grab a billful of your ass and commence beating you savagely with its wing. I witnessed such an event in Minneapolis, where a goose goosed a friend of mine. To our collective dismay, he showed off his buttockian bruise proudly for many weeks.
I’m not immune my own stupidity, which is unfortunate because if you already have to deal with other people’s stupidity, you should at least be free of dealing with your own. Tragically, the opposite appears to be true. In point of fact, a dominant portion of my life is spent recovering from my own acts of idiocy. For example, I recently rode an Imperial century on Whidbey Island in scorching heat. To combat dehydration, I carefully prepared my usual two bidons – one with electrolyte and one with plain water as is my custom – and proceeded to leave them in the car rather than place them on the bike. I was gleefully unaware of this oversight until I was well over an hour into the ride and I reached down for a drink in my usual Casually Deliberate style and found the cages mockingly empty.
Stupidity is also why I believe the iPhone has always been designed to be a one-handed device, to allow its user to send messages with one hand while driving, leaving the other hand free to drink coffee or wave the bird at other drivers. This leaves plenty of bandwidth for the vehicle to swerve off the road and stack up bicyclists on its hood.
There is no courage without fear, and no intelligence without idiocy. The problem with the latter in both cases is that they are much easier than the former and it feels a lot like easy win on the push with most of the population. Which means that in the majority of cases, we are dealing with idiotic cowards which is not an encouraging scenario, especially when taking your own stupidity into account.
Last year, the New York Times published an essay on the mentality of motorists when it comes to Cyclists. Its a terrifying read, the sort of writing that makes you question whether its smart to keep riding on the road. My personal conclusion is that the road is where I find my soul; to stop riding would be its own kind of death. Nevertheless, it is frightening thought that not only are many motorists inattentive, but some feel bicycles don’t belong on the road in the first place, and that should they be struck and killed, it is somehow their own fault. A truck driver in Seattle recently killed a female Cyclist who was commuting downtown. The local news celebrated the driver’s integrity for not leaving the scene of the accident.
Which raises the question of how one is to stay safe while riding. Personally, I’ve found myself riding ever more defensively aggressive when I’m on the road. I’m riding farther out from the side on narrow roads to keep cars passing at dangerous points and I’m avoiding the highest-trafficked roads whenever possible. In the rain, I’m even riding The Reflective Bike of Authority. (I draw the line at donning a YJA; we’re not a savages.)
These are easy things to do, but the fact is we are still at the mercy of our peers on the road who may not be watching for us, or – worse – not care if they hit is or – worst of all – feel it is somehow our own fault by being on the road in the first place. Changing this begins with us, the Cyclists, through the idea that we are ambassadors for our sport. With that, I felt it an appropriate time to remind us of our Urban Riding tips and update them a bit.
The best rides are those you come home from; always ride to proactively avoid placing yourself in dangerous situations and have a plan if you find yourself needing to take a risk. Stay safe and always remember we’re all brothers and sisters on the road. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
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Timely article, I do a lot of night riding and although I am stupid, Im Australian after all , Im not so stupid as to realise my pissy little carbon frame and spindly bones are going to be able to go on a rampage against a 10 tonne truck.
So , whether im in the right or wrong, in those situations im always going to be wrong.
Road ID - Check
Rear flashing red light - check
white flasher front at dusk and AY-Ups at night - check
Idiot factor reduced but not eliminated
The sailing analogy with the big and little boat is spot on !
@Puffy did not see the apology vid but she was fired from her job - a police officer! What a twat.
@Frank, Im not sure I want to play nice anymore? Back in the dark ages as a lone commuter for 4 years in London I had to obey all traffic rules and cars were, for the most part, respectful. Fast forward to these days, bikes as anarchists and cars pissed off, I choose to follow the lead of the cars and act like them - which in Miami is give them as much shit as they give each other and me. The translation for those who do not know is every one is freakin riding and driving like turds so I will be aggressive, offensive and ride very visibly as defense against their dumb, aggressive shit.
Yes I probably piss off some good gentle folk but I do not care when 3-4,000Lbs of impatient asshole is shut down just a little, it feels good. What I'd really like is a law that allows us to carry Samurai swords, the long fuckers on our backs and when the next Caddildo Escalade cuts me off or can't find the 10 seconds to wait before it comes close enough to nick me with the wing mirror then its time to chase it down and at the next light slash its hood/bonnet, chop off the offending wing mirrors and deflate all four tires.
Ok, I feel better and of course, especially here in "hey everyone has a gun" Miami, I am just taking it all with the attitude that unless they make contact or threaten me I let it go. Its just bad driving. But I am serious about being Offensive, aggressive and visible as the best defense.
@frank
Road ID actually have a smartphone app, you add a couple emergency contacts and your own details, then take a screenshot and set it as your lock screen.
One more urban riding rule - Don't undertake!
Cars are very unpredictable and one time I was undertaking, a car just verred directly into my path without indication. Learned my lesson big time.
@Chris E Dub
The clip makes a good point about blind spots but...
1. The camera angle is way too low - like at or below the steering wheel - you could expect the "real" point of view is much higher - 40 - 50cms? Over a foot.
2. Adjust the mirrors.
3. If the truck is at the light first, and signalling left, the bunch is at fault for not recognising the driver has swung wide to make the turn.
4. If the bunch is at the light first, the (professional) driver knows they are there and will wait for them to move off before turning.
5. I think I can see one of the fluro sashs in the mirror.
The heavy transport lobby in the UK and Europe has consistently opposed improvements to mirror and safety features designed to improve visibility and awareness of vulnerable users like cyclists.
Because it will add cost to the outfitting (and retro-fitting) of their vehicles.
The only reason those cyclists can't be seen is because the people who own and run those companies don't give a fuck. Even though in London the majority of cyclist deaths are from heavy vehicles. On construction sites in London they are not even obliged to make health and safety assessments about the impact of vehicle traffic to and from the site.
As an industry they are cunts. And videos like that are designed to put the blame on the victims, not the people who could actually do something about it. Where are all the bike lanes - on the inside, so we are forced to undertake then told it's our fault if we get run over.
I'm with Ron on this. Cyclists are too passive, and cycling organisations keep politely asking for things to be improved.
Why should I obey all those road rules and regulations? Are they necessary because of me, a cyclist, or because of cars? So why do I have to stop and start 30 times on a 10km ride into central London? Cars and trucks have fucked up the roads and the traffic system, not bikes. Every time they see a cyclist passing them it pisses them off and and they just want to take out their impotent anger on someone more vulnerable. I refuse to play that game.
@HMBSteve the two abreast people at least have some sense of what is going on around them. When I am driving I find it necessary to be more patient with the inexperienced riders who spread out with >1 bike length but
@ChrisO
I'm with Ron on this. Cyclists are too passive, and cycling organisations keep politely asking for things to be improved.
Why should I obey all those road rules and regulations? Are they necessary because of me, a cyclist, or because of cars? So why do I have to stop and start 30 times on a 10km ride into central London? Cars and trucks have fucked up the roads and the traffic system, not bikes. Every time they see a cyclist passing them it pisses them off and and they just want to take out their impotent anger on someone more vulnerable. I refuse to play that game.
Those very roads were never for cars at all, they were built for horses, they need to have rules for bikes and rules for cars, make it legal for bikes to roll through red lights if it's safe, then the motorist isn't going to be pissed off because you're no longer breaking the law, you are safe and out of their way in the intersection, 100kg of flesh and bike that travels at 25-35 kph should not have to follow rules designed for 1500kg of metal that travels at 35kph and up.
@frank
That's what I thought as I was getting in and out of those lorries, but kept it to myself as my 10yr old daughter was with me! Also, you have no idea too how far ahead a cyclist has to be before a driver can see them.
On an upside, though purely anecdotal so I expect to be shot down in flames (!) - I've been cycling in central London for many years now, and in the last 6 months I've noticed a small, but marked, improvement in lorry/bus behavior. I guess the various campaigns are beginning to work.
Though to be fair the improvement only means it's gone from piss poor to poor and there is a long way to go.
David
@ChrisO
I'm personally torn on this issue. Are we not ALL road users subject to the same rules? Then again, as per Captain Wray, simply following rules could end up costing you everything.
Jump a light and you piss of a lunatic who drives into you to get revenge.
Stay at a light and you piss off a lunatic who thinks you haven't accelerated fast enough or shouldn't be there.
Then again you have junctions like Commercial Road/Aldgate in East London that on your very first approach you will crap yourself as it's both badly laid out and has unusual signal timings meaning you *will* be out of position and you're screwed whether you follow the rules or not.
Another short, but sweet, pithy comment from the sailing world which summarises the International Regulations for the Avoidance of Collision at Sea (and if you think cyclists get worked up about whether we should follow road rules or not you should see equivalent sailing forums and the debate whether small sailing boats should follow the CollRegs above):
Might is Right
David
I always think that I'm a tractor on the road. Motorist don't curse a tractor going 25km/h, compared to a cyclist going 30+km/h. Bike riders do 20 tops. If a motorist gives me verbal and I happen to catch them at the next set of lights, I ask them to swap places.
I'm yet to start my daylight savings commute to work, after last daylight savings time, Melbourne, being hooked by mum's dropping off kids at a bus stop or school crossing. Five seconds is waaay too long to wait for a cyclist to get past stop. They seem to run over whoever to get their kids there, then their own kids get run over by another mum doing the same thing.
Last couple of months been out the door at V:30am back by 7 - 7:30am to get a uninterrupted ride in. I could go to work at that time, but them I'm stuck with running the end of school gauntlet.