A Los Angeles driver was recently convicted of using his car as a weapon. His victims? Two cyclists. The details of the ordeal are shocking.
Sadly, though, driver road rage against cyclists is a common — and dangerous — problem. I’ve experienced it. I imagine almost every cyclist has experienced it. Most of the time I think a lot of drivers don’t know that bicycles are considered a vehicle and have ever right to be on the road. Sometimes uneducated cyclists make all cyclists look like idiots. Whatever the reason, road rage against cyclists is not acceptable.
Here’s a tip for drivers and cyclists: share the road. We all have a legal right to be there. Be smart, know your safety rules, and know your rights.
(Getting off my soapbox now.)
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I too have bad experiences regarding bicycling, sometimes with vehicles, othertimes with people who don’t chain their pets, etc. I was confused with one aspect of the article… it said the bicyclists were riding side-by-side, isn’t it a law in most states that you have to ride single file except for passing? Not sure what the laws are in CA, but i would encourage bicycle education in these manners!
Scary – people are really scary…
It made me sick to read this. A doctor, for crying out loud. Unfortunately, it did not surprise me. I have seen this ugly side of people, both on my bike and in the ugly comments people make “jokingly” about what they hope happens to a cyclist that gets in the way. It’s scary that normal people can all too easily we can dehumanize someone enough to commit a violent act.
I don’t think you can repeat this too many times. For some reason, people get nasty behind the wheel of a car. Once I was driving in my car, behind some cyclists, and the woman in the minivan behind me was outraged that I was giving them room, waiting for the road to widen so I could pass safely. She was gesturing, etc, but I guess I deflected what she would have given to the riders themselves!
At least you had the smart sense to keep a safe distance between you and the cyclists! Some people are such idiots…
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