yellow cards

[Hyena Dandy]

As a side note on that point, this is one reason why I spend a lot of the time biking on the sidewalk when there isn't many/any pedestrians... even though I know I have every right to use the roadway, and could do so legally and safely and more quickly (since you aren't permitted to go as fast on the sidewalk), I'll still spend the time on the sidewalk, because as a person with absolutely no defense against a car strike (save a 2 pound piece of plastic and foam... yeah, not doing much against a 3000 pound steal projectile), it doesn't really matter who was right if I'm dead.

I feel the same. And I don't want to provoke people who can run over me.

[blas87]

I don't think two wrongs make a right....I don't intimidate bicyclists or throw things at them or try to run them off the road, but I also am not happy with the ones adament that they will take up an entire lane, just because they can.

Is it more important to be right or be safe? I think being safe would be more important than proving a point.

[BlaqueKatt]

BlaqueKatt, whether or not any of us like it, cyclists do have a major image problem and most of it is earned.

no it's not. That's the equivalent of saying that if you're a white male, you're probably a serial killer as most serial killers are white males.

We all post on a website about sucky customers because we remember them but the good ones are barely a blip on the radar. Same thing with cyclists. You don't notice the good ones because they blend in, you focus on the bad ones, and decide to paint them all with the same brush.

If I used that logic-I would hate every driver on the road. I don't hold what one singular person did against every person that chooses to the same mode of transport as for example, the woman that hit me, and didn't even notice.

Trust me, I abide by the laws, and still because of a few bad apples, I get punished for it. And in the driver's mind it's justified because "I ride a bike just like that one guy 5 years ago that ran through a red light and caused me to be late for work"

a few articles to read
First two were written by a man killed in 2004 by a drunk driver-driver was convicted of murder.
Advice to a motorist
Bigotry of motorists
America's taboo against cyclists

Lance Armstrong was a victim of vehicular assault in texas(driver that ran him off the road got a 10 year sentence)-simply because he was on a bicycle and "inconvenienced" a motorist.

[Android Kaeli]

If a biker ever put that on my car, and I saw it, I wouldn't hurt them. I'd have them arrested for vandelism and press charges against them. I have a fairly brand-new car, I sure as hell don't want someone -- bikers included -- to put anything on MY car because they believe that I cut them off or did something they didn't like.

I'm not the world's best driver, but I'm sure as anything better then the vast majority of bikers in my area. I've nearly gotten into a half a dozen accidents because some moronic biker decided to keep on going without looking, without stopping, when I or someone else was trying to turn into another street. They don't look, most bikers act like they own the streets and expect everyone else to bend to their will.

Um, no. I lump the good bikers with the bad ones. Because it's RARE that I get a biker that uses a shred of common sense and, you know, STOP AT A FREAKING BREAK IN THE SIDEWALK! Or doesn't take up half of the road, inconeniencing the ten cars behind them because it takes twenty minutes for two cars to pass them.

Not all bikers are bad, while not all drivers are good. However I seldom see bikers use the little thing I like to call 'common sense'.

[Plaidman]

Good luck with that vandalism charge. Since it isn't desctruction, or marring, or tampering, or anything like that, it wouldn't stick. It's why people can place flyers on your car without vandalism charges.

[Hyena Dandy]

I was thinking about this one today as I biked to the center. I think that, Blaque, that bikers do have a well-deserved bad reputation. Not because the majority of times you notice a biker they're breaking the rules, but because a lot of times there are bikers who don't fully know the rules regarding bicycles in their area. Today I was discussing this with people at a biking cafe, and I noticed that there were a lot of people there who weren't fully aware of the rules. The general consensus seemed to be that bikers have as much of a right to the road as anyone else, but shouldn't be expected to stop at red lights, because they're not likely to hurt anyone.

I'm sure that you're a conscientious biker, not unlike my neighbor Paul (not to be confused with my boyfriend Paul). But he said he's had trouble with a lot of bikers around here himself.

Also, perhaps this is just a local phenemon, and its possible around the US most bikers are conscientious, friendly people, and just happen to be assholes in my area (that's not impossible, Massachusetts has a lot of hipster-types).

But one thing that I don't think is unique to Massachusetts is that many people view their cars as an extension of themselves. If you put something on a car that says they're driving badly, that's more likely to come off as if you slapped a sticker on someone's back telling them they're talking too loud on their cell-phones.

Yes, it might be true. Yes, you might only do it if people WERE talking to loud on their cell-phones. People might even AGREE that they're talking too loud on their cell-phones. It might do no long-term damage. But it still feels like an invasion of your personal space.

To sum it up, because I ramble.

1) Around here at least, the reputation for being assholes is well-deserved.

2) Slapping a magnet on someone's car while they're driving feels like an invasion of personal space, whatever the intention, and people will react accordingly.

[kibbles]

If I saw one of those on my car, I'd probably flip out.

Papers on windshield wipers are harmless also, but I get upset when I leave a store and see someone putting ads on people's cars. DON'T TOUCH MY FUCKING CAR!

How would you like it if I put something on your bike that said "The middle of the road is not an appropriate place to peddle during rush hour, thank you kindly !"

I have to agree with Blas on this one. It's not about damage to the car, but it's about a stranger touching your car when permission was not given. That would tick me off as well IMO.

[smileyeagle1021]

no it's not. That's the equivalent of saying that if you're a white male, you're probably a serial killer as most serial killers are white males.

The correct correlation to my statement would be "white males earned their bad reputation because most of them are serial killers"
And as Hyena points out...

I was thinking about this one today as I biked to the center. I think that, Blaque, that bikers do have a well-deserved bad reputation. Not because the majority of times you notice a biker they're breaking the rules, but because a lot of times there are bikers who don't fully know the rules regarding bicycles in their area.

there is a major education problem.
This is something that the biking community must take responsibility for, too many are all too happy to blame motorists for everything that is wrong and give a free pass to the cyclists who either don't know better or don't care.

[Gravekeeper]

I'm going with the Bad Idea(tm) camp on this one. This seems like it would have 4 possible outcomes, of which only 1 is good:

1) Road rage incident. Their vehicle is bigger than yours.
2) They find the magnet later but either have no idea what they did, or it pisses them off which isn't liable to make them correct their behaviour either. Or both
3) You end up being fined or causing an accident because you miss with the magnet, drop it, etc.
4) They see the sticker, know what they did and resolve to be better drivers.

I can tell you which 3 are far more likely too. -.-

[blas87]

Yeah, it's just not a great idea.

It shouldn't be, but it seems to be a conflict of interest. While both parties are just trying to get from point A to point B, there's quite the tension and ignorance on both sides. I'll admit I can be very impatient at times, but I can't say that cyclists around here are the most patient or polite with cars, either.

[Andara Bledin]

I have to agree with Blas on this one. It's not about damage to the car, but it's about a stranger touching your car when permission was not given. That would tick me off as well IMO.

I think all you "don't touch my fscking car!" people are a little high strung.

I have a brand new car. I've barely had it for more than a month. I've been poor and had very little in the way of material things until just recently. Yet, I don't flip my shit because someone happened to get within a foot of it. Hell, some douche wrote something unflattering on the trunk a couple weeks back (I think it was a cowardly co-irker) and I honestly couldn't give a rat's ass that they touched it. "Oooh.. they wrote something in the dust on my car... Must Kill!!!1!111"

^-.-^

[smileyeagle1021]

I think all you "don't touch my fscking car!" people are a little high strung.

Let me guess, you have no problem being the passenger in your own car, right?
What you call high-strung many of us call connection. Every vehicle has it's own unique properties (having worked in rental cars I know how true this is). If you've had a car for a while, it has adjusted to you, you have adjusted to it, there is a relationship. I can tell when my car is having problems, I know when it needs to be fixed... hell while driving I have found myself correcting skids before I even realize I'm skidding because I have the feel of the car down so well (and yes, skidding is a huge problem when you live in a city like Salt Lake where it snows, but don't tell UDOT that).
How would you react if someone through something at a good friend? That is how many people feel about their cars.

[BlaqueKatt]

there is a major education problem.

This we agree on. Best way to combat it-call your local alderman, have them pressure the local police(it's what they're elected to do) to start issuing citations for violations. Word it in a manner that implies you are concerned with the safety of everyone on the roadways.

This is something that the biking community must take responsibility for

I am not my brothers' keeper-I don't see any drivers taking responsibility for the reckless drivers, drunk drivers, speeding drivers.
bicycling myths
I think I'll leave this here...

Myth: Bicyclists Break Laws. They Don't Deserve Respect.

Car drivers break laws too, yet are not subject to this frequent rationale used to oppress minorities: "You are responsible for the behaviour of others of your kind." Every person is responsible for their own behaviour. Every driver is responsible for sharing the road safely with other road users.

[Andara Bledin]

Let me guess, you have no problem being the passenger in your own car, right?

Actually, I have issues being a passenger in other people's cars. But that has everything to do with me having some major control issues, and nothing to do with someone else driving my car; I hand the keys over to valets, mechanics, the squad of mobile car cleaners that come by my work, etc, with nary a qualm.

As for how I'd feel if someone threw something at a friend, I'd be pissed. But a car is just a thing. A big, expensive, somewhat personal thing, but still, just a thing.

^-.-^

[Gravekeeper]

As for how I'd feel if someone threw something at a friend, I'd be pissed. But a car is just a thing. A big, expensive, somewhat personal thing, but still, just a thing.

^-.-^

I lean more this way. I wouldn't like some random person touching my car, sure, as its rude to molest other people's property. But I'm not going to flip out and stab them in the groin over it. The problem is there are people out there who *will* stab you in the groin over it. I'd rather not inadvertantly tag a magnet on groinstabber's car. -.-

Still, if you see someone in your rearview mirror farking around with your car, its still going to be a "Hey, what the hell?" moment. It's doubtful you'd be able to see that its just a harmless magnet. You'd likely just see someone reaching over towards your vehicle and doing lord knows what.

Which brings up a confrontation risk. So now you're trying to send a message to a driver *without* being noticed. Which is defeating the point even more I'd think.