>A lot of negative driver behavior towards cyclists can be explained by the (perhaps subconscious) attitude that "people in cars are more >important than people on bicycles." Darin's incident is one example: The driver DEMANDED that the cyclist inconvenience himself for the >convenience of the driver. I'm sure every cyclist has had similar experiences, including some much more dangerous ones. I can't help >wondering where this attitude comes from. Why does one suburban commuter think s/he has a greater right to use a public road in >Black Earth township than 700 bicyclists?
I believe it's not just cyclists (and pedestrians) who feel the brunt of this attitude. Elderly drivers, drivers of smaller vehicles, even sometimes women and/or "minority" drivers have been the targets of those who believe the roads are just for them and they are the kings of the world. This morning I heard a bit of Robbie on WPR (yea!) and one caller suggested that the roads are designed and built for cars (implying that bicyclists are, I guess, merely guests on the roads.) I didn't hear the whole thing due to morning routine, but there's definitely a hierarchy on the road.
The pre-adolescent boy war mindset (no insults intended, but put two 8 year old boys in the back yard and pretty soon they will be swinging sticks at each other or worse) infects everything we do and when you can legally navigate a weapon at age 16, roads become one of the major battle zones. The biggest and the fastest, the heaviest and the loudest compete. The rest of us are just civilians on the battlefield.
Sometimes I daydream of attaching a paintball gun to my handlebars so I can splat offending (or offensive) car drivers . . .
- cathy
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