Kevin,

Thanks for your thought provoking editorial comment on crazed cyclists who
make things worse for the rest of us.  All of us who've raced, worked as
bike messengers, etc. know that this stuff goes on all the time and indeed
- it gives a lot of car drivers the impression we are yahoos undeserving
of anything but contempt.  We all need to be doing  what we can to squelch
such  behavior, even as we know that as long as there are light bikes, big
gears and testosterone the craziness will continue.

The problem I have with well-intentioned "let's all beat our breasts and
appreciate how bad we look from the car driver's point of view" essays is
how much it is preaching to the choir. As your little essay illustrates -
we are all automobile users and we know darn well how bad crazed cyclists
look to Mr. and Ms. Middle-America car drivers.  To some extent, we are
they.  But do Mr. and Ms. Middle-America on-the-cell-phone and
fussing-with-the-kids while-trying-to-read-the-road-map car drivers know
what it feels like when they cluelessly pass us with 6 inches to spare?
Hell no they don't.  And since the vast majority will never ride out on
places like Williston Road (where cyclists, doing everything  "right"
have been hit and killed by inattentive drivers) they will never attain a
symmetrical state of gut-level appreciation that car drivers can look just
as stupid and careless to us cyclists as some of us do to them.  Except --
they don't  look suicidal to us -- they look homicidal.

So I'd suggest for each "mea culpa" about how bad we look to the American
Auto nation, we also write an accompanying piece about how bad spaced out,
distracted or just downright hostile car drivers (yes, they are  a tiny
minority, but so are these racers that Kevin describes) look to us
cyclists and email it to an AAA on-line forum, Gainesville Sun or mass
media outlet of your choice.  We are never going to get a reciprocal
understanding from the motorists of America that some of them look as bad
(or worse) to us as some of us do to them, but neither are we going to
ever squelch all the squirrely riders in our midsts.  Just because we
can't possibly succeed, it doesn't mean we shouldn't keep trying to both.

happy trails,
rb

kanders@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>Someone on the Hipp ride today almost became a statistic. And I would
>have become a statistic too. First off, I know the Hipp ride is not Team
>Florida and it is not GCC so I am not casting stones at either group as a
>whole. But right now, as an avid cyclist and cycling advocate, I am
>beyond angry, scared and frustrated. Now I have a better understanding
>why some motorists hate us, honk at us, buzz us and write letters to the
>Gainesville Sun. Like a lot of you, I rode my bike today. First into work
>and then home on Williston Rd via Wacahoota, a nice 23 mile semi-daily
>loop. I decided to take my truck, parked for 6 days out of the week, to
>the Publix on 34th and Williston for the weekly grocery run about 7 pm.
>Turning on to Williston, I notice that I'm behind the Thursday Hipp ride.
>Those of you who ride Williston Rd a lot know the area- the crest of the
>hill about 2 miles west of I-75. As I pass the peleton towards the crest
>of the hill, I have two riders in the bike lanes to my right and
>approaching westbound cars in front. No worries, lots of room, eh? After
>all, I ride this particular bike lane every day. Now, I understand that
>this point of the Hipp ride is a sprint to the finish, but the leading 2
>or so riders swing out IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EASTBOUND LANE- and I do mean
>THE MIDDLE OF THE FREAKING LANE to do who knows what, maybe pass some
>unfortunate soul. OK, riders on the right, cars on the left, cars behind,
>WTF do I do! I had to slam on the brakes and do something I have never
>done before to a cyclist- lay on the friggin horn.
>
>There may be many of you who say that as cyclists we have as much right
>to the road as motorists and for the most part I am one with you in that
>regard. But this incident was not only wrong from a legal point of view
>(and yes, I have read the Florida statutes), but just plain stupid,
>ignorant and yes suicidal. I will remain a cycling advocate, but my level
>of understanding of motorists who are pissed at us has increased by an
>order of magnitude.
>
>Riding again tomorrow, but in the bike lane
>
>Kevin Anderson
>
>Team VetMed Faculty Advisor
>GCC Member
>Occasional Team Florida Rider

Rick D. Browning, AIA*
Mail address: 1675 NW 19th Circle
Gainesville, FLA   32605
rbrowning@xxxxxxxx
(503) 358-3274 cell

* registered architect in Oregon

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