penningtron wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2024 1:24 pm
I love biking but in the US bike commuting is basically like going to war. Critical Mass-types are out of their goddamn minds if they think the average person will subject themselves to being yelled at, spat on, doored and sometimes even killed. And this is in cities with bike lanes, shorter distances, and at least some established 'bike etiquette', the infrastructure and culture is basically non-existent in most suburbs or rural areas.
Many cyclists are fucking assholes, critical mass types being the most poorly behaved of all, worse than drivers of cars WRT following the law, from what I see.
I'm not a "cyclist," but I ride a bike almost daily in Los Angeles and I have a really easy time with it. I also use my hands and arms a LOT to signal
literally everything I'm gonna do. Many cyclists don't ( I see them) and they think everyone is looking a out for them. They aren't. If you're on a bike you gotta speak up! I've encountered nothing but courtesy. Getting doored, yeah, it's a real concern. But spat on, yelled at, has not happened to me in five years of biking around Los Angeles.
[Knocks on wood]