Bad Driver TV Episode V from Brendan on Vimeo.
It's Thursday again, the day after our indoor training night with the Bulldogs and I was all pumped up to ride outside again. It was a beautiful morning, a little on the chilly side, but I was dressed just right and the riding was very pleasant. I only witnessed one poor driving incident, chronicled in the video above. It got me to thinking, as usual, about all of the nutty stuff I see people in cars, and on bikes, doing out on the road and how one stupid act by one person can lead to a crappy day for lots of other folks. How many times have you been late for work because of a traffic jam caused by inattentive drivers colliding and bring all traffic around them to a halt? The deeper I get into the bike advocacy world, the more it seems an impossible task to get people to think and behave differently when it comes to how they drive. I have to look into the statistics but my gut tells me that there are probably more and more accidents on the road as people become more and more distracted by their electronic doodads and our lives become more and more rushed as we try to squeeze the demands of the modern world into the same 24 hours we have always had. The demands seem greater but the time allowed to meet them remains the same. The technology that is supposed to reduce our burdens and worry seem only to be creating more stress and anxiety in the world. Tempers are short and the quality of "quality time" seems to be getting lower. Really, all I want is to be able to go on a nice ride and not be constantly worried that some bonehead is going to run me over. Is that too much?
Really?!?! Bad driver?!?!
ReplyDeleteHe gave you plenty of room. And while yeah, he rolled through the light so do plenty of others. Nothing exceedingly out of the ordinary or dangerous to cyclist here.
I wish I had a helmet cam. I've seen at least 10 incidents far worse than that over the past 7 days.
Great Blog otherwise but you lost me on this one.
Wait, what? did you say something?
ReplyDeleteI was trying to steer with my knees while opening a Powerbar and update my Facebook status.
Andy, this video was not so much about the iminent danger to me, I was more amused at the fact that he blew through the red light because he had to get to the liquor store. I think it is also disturbing that people seem to be ignoring traffic control signals more and more.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm wrong. Maybe I should just start playing by the same rules as everyone else. Me first, screw everyone else and anything is ok if you don't get caught!
Oh, and one more thing--even though he gave me some space, going through a red light into a 4 lane highway is still pretty crappy driving.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
ReplyDeleteStill, I wish I had a helmet cam to show you the guy that nearly ran over a young woman today while she was crossing the street in a perfectly legal manner. He even had the nerve to honk the horn at her and pushed his car through the intersection in front of her.
I confronted the guy a block latter. He was a complete dick ("What are you gonna do about it" he said). Other witnesses on the street wanted him ticketed too.
The cameras are not too expensive and the response you got from the unruly driver is exactly why I use it on every ride. That way, when the guy asks what you're gonna do you, point at the camera and say "When I go to the police to have them issue you a summons I will provide them with this evidence as well." Here's the Visa commercial-
ReplyDelete"Helmet Camera-$200. Visit to the local police station-20 minutes, look on the offenders face as he stands in the courtroom accepting a $400 fine and 6 points on his license? Priceless!"
Oh yeah! The above scenario is quite real. Cathy was driving on route 46 last year and got totally harassed by a guy who was in a hurry. Tailgaiting, speeding, honking, flashing his high beams. All this in a "safe cororidor". Even without a video, Cathy went to the police and filed a report. They issued a summons and the guy had to come to court. He lost. He paid-double.
ReplyDeleteBrendan,
ReplyDeleteI know the tech is cheap and incredibly small but $200 is $200 more than I have to spend at the moment. But I agree, if I had one I would use it every time I ride.
Peace
Are you spooked out?
ReplyDeleteWhen I get spooked from watching the hectic crazy people driving autos, I ride more often with my 'daytime running lights'.. 2 tail lights and my front light.
If I'm really spooked, I'll add a little helmet light and a reflective sash.
If you see me all decked out like this and wearing dual reflective ankle bands, someone/something just scared me really bad.
-Dean