Cycling版 - 【转贴】an open letter from one Toronto cyclist to another |
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i*********5
发帖数: 19210 | 1 http://spacingtoronto.ca/2011/06/03/guest-post-an-open-letter-f
An open letter to my fellow cyclists
[Note: Most people who read this will already be aware of these things. I’
ll probably be preaching to the choir. But I had to get it out anyway. And I
don’t care if it sounds like a lecture. You know how it is.]
This morning was like any other. I sat stopped at a red light while cyclist
after cyclist blew past me. I reminded each one of them that the light was
red. Some told me they knew, others shrugged, one girl gave me the thumbs-up
, and another girl gave me the finger. I asked a woman who had informed me
that she knew the light was red (quite indignantly, might I add), if she
knew what she was supposed to do at a red light. “Of course I fucking know.
Who are you, the bike police?” She sped up.
I wish I could say that cyclists who break the rules of the road are in the
minority, but I really don’t think they are. Maybe the split is 50/50. But
in my experience, more cyclists carelessly zoom through intersections, and
fail to signal or pass properly, than those who do not. I have never seen
people travel with such reckless abandon (aside from a good chunk of
pedestrians, and excessive speeding). This is something I am constantly
Hulking out over and complaining about. By the time I get to work I am so
incensed by the carelessness of others that my days are always off to a bad
start. Why do cyclists feel that they’re above the law in almost every
single situation? Why the sense of entitlement and “because I can?” There
’s a widespread attitude that we don’t have to follow the rules simply
because we’re not in a car. It’s unsafe and quite frankly, stupid.
It’d be easier not to care. I’m reminded of this every time I mention a
bike jerk incident and someone says something like: “Well, to each their
own” or “If they break the rules, it’ll be their fault when they get hurt
.” Well, duh. But disregarding rules of the road and overall safety affects
everyone, drivers included, and in two main ways: Safety and image.
On safety
It’s funny for me to talk about safety, someone who has been hit by cars
more often than a person a should. But I was always doing everything right:
crossing when I should, keeping an eye out for doors, et cetera. But things
happen. We can’t always avoid them, but we can do our best.
I don’t care what anyone says: Road rules exist for very important reasons.
Everyone knows them. Whether we’re driving or cycling, we depend on others
to follow them so that we can move along efficiently and avoid accidents.
We expect cars to signal when they’re turning right so that we can either
make our presence known or pass them on the left. Cars expect us to signal
so that they know where we’re going and you know, not hit us. Whether you
like it or not, safety on the road isn’t just about you, it’s the actions
of others. That’s how it works. And many cyclists seem to just not give a
shit.
Stopping
Answer me this: If you are a cyclist who goes through reds, streetcar stops,
and stop signs, why do you do it? If you are so committed to the more
physically active way of getting around, why are you so opposed to stopping
and having to start up again? Is it that you’re in a rush? Because stopping
for a minute at a light or sign isn’t going to set you back very far.
I’m of the mind that everyone should stop at red lights. Period. All it
takes is one pedestrian, or a fast car, or another unseen cyclist, to result
in disaster. For stop signs, I would actually advocate for them being used
as yield signs for cyclists, but until then, I implore you to at least slow
down and look both ways. I have watched cyclists not do this and narrowly
avoid being hit by cars. I have watched cyclists do this and collide with
one another. Use your brain.
Paying fucking attention
Listen, you have to look left when you’re turning right. Just because you’
re entering a bike lane, it doesn’t mean you can just ride onto it because
SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT BE COMING and hey, maybe they can’t hit the brakes fast
enough. And if they can, maybe they’ll end up with a broken face and it’ll
be your fault. Not that you’d care, I guess. (Can you tell that I’m
feeling particularly vitriolic about this one?)
Music. If you are listening to it, you better be even more aware than
cyclists who are not. You can’t hear warning bells. You can’t hear people
saying “on your left.” You can’t hear vehicles approaching. Get some
mirrors and/or look around all the time. Or listen on a low volume. Whatevs.
(I saw a hipster cyclist on his fixie with an earbud in one ear and his
phone in the other. He was also smoking a cigarette. I’m not going to lie,
I was kind of impressed until he started having steering issues.)
If you are swerving to avoid the various potholes and debris we cyclists are
often forced to ride in on the sides of these lovely city roads, LOOK
AROUND YOU FIRST. Don’t assume that there’s no one there.
Signalling and miscellany
Not signalling makes you at jerk. It also makes you a prime candidate for
getting hit by a car or another cyclist. As I said above, riding and driving
safely depends on anticipating the actions of others.
If you are going to spit, please make sure you are far enough away from
other cyclists. (I was hit by a nice gob before. And the dude responsible
yelled at ME. Ayup.)
If you cannot steer a bicycle, do not ride one until you can.
Stay off the fucking sidewalks. Seriously.
When streetcar doors are open, it means you stop. You don’t inch forward or
weave around people. Don’t be a jackass.
Drunk? You probably shouldn’t ride. Consider walking.
On the cyclist image
Many of the infractions I’ve touched on above put tremendous stress on
everyone on the road. It makes me despise my fellow cyclists (when really I
truly love you all, in a way). They contribute to the negative stereotype
that cyclists are just assholes who think they and they alone own the road (
which actually seems kind of true for many of us).
I can’t stress how bad this is for driver-cyclist relations. It’s
unfortunate enough that there is an us-vs-them mentality on both sides, let
alone that many of us are fueling attitudes that encourage it. Sure, some
drivers hate us simply for being on the road and being “in their way.” But
many I’ve talked to are bitter that so many cyclists disregard the rules
that everyone else has to follow. Sometime last week I was stopped at a red
and had a nice conversation with a woman in a mini van, which started with
her saying: “I’m surprised you actually stopped.” Another cyclist rolled
up and joined in. (Faith!)
In order for everyone to get along better and respect cyclists as road
travellers, we have to “play their game.” And to you know, do our best to
stay alive and uninjured.
We all have to share the roads. We have to be considerate whether in lanes
or bike lanes. Otherwise, I really don’t think anything gets better. So
please, please please please, stop being such jerks. | O****e
发帖数: 3290 | 2 老铁，is that your impression of bike riding in Toronto? I've seen more
cyclists rushing red lights in New York city. But still far from what he
described here.
Also to drivers who feel angry against cyclists after reading this article,
please keep in mind the road rules and infrastructure in US are not designed
with cyclists in mind. When the rule is not fair, it makes it much harder
for cyclists to follow. Yet, I don't think there are significantly higher
percentage of reckless cyclists than drivers.
I
cyclist
up
【在 i*********5 的大作中提到】
: http://spacingtoronto.ca/2011/06/03/guest-post-an-open-letter-f
: An open letter to my fellow cyclists
: [Note: Most people who read this will already be aware of these things. I’
: ll probably be preaching to the choir. But I had to get it out anyway. And I
: don’t care if it sounds like a lecture. You know how it is.]
: This morning was like any other. I sat stopped at a red light while cyclist
: after cyclist blew past me. I reminded each one of them that the light was
: red. Some told me they knew, others shrugged, one girl gave me the thumbs-up
: , and another girl gave me the finger. I asked a woman who had informed me
: that she knew the light was red (quite indignantly, might I add), if she
| i*********5
发帖数: 19210 | 3 yes, much much more cyclists running red lights than drivers (very very rare
). and I'm not even talking about bike messengers. I've also seen cyclists
jumping on an off sidewalks, riding on sidewalks, riding on the wrong side
of the road, all sorts of dangerous things to all road users, pedestrians,
cyclists, drivers etc.
yes, the article made it sound very bad, but everything she said I've
witnessed before and agree we cyclists need to act on it to gain respects
from drivers. until that happens, we'll still be hated and discriminates by
some drivers.
【在 O****e 的大作中提到】
: 老铁，is that your impression of bike riding in Toronto? I've seen more
: cyclists rushing red lights in New York city. But still far from what he
: described here.
: Also to drivers who feel angry against cyclists after reading this article,
: please keep in mind the road rules and infrastructure in US are not designed
: with cyclists in mind. When the rule is not fair, it makes it much harder
: for cyclists to follow. Yet, I don't think there are significantly higher
: percentage of reckless cyclists than drivers.
:
: I
| i*********5
发帖数: 19210 | 4 OK, I have to admit Toronto isn't that bad compared to NYC. Check out this
video:
http://vimeo.com/m/#/24572222
【在 O****e 的大作中提到】
: 老铁，is that your impression of bike riding in Toronto? I've seen more
: cyclists rushing red lights in New York city. But still far from what he
: described here.
: Also to drivers who feel angry against cyclists after reading this article,
: please keep in mind the road rules and infrastructure in US are not designed
: with cyclists in mind. When the rule is not fair, it makes it much harder
: for cyclists to follow. Yet, I don't think there are significantly higher
: percentage of reckless cyclists than drivers.
:
: I
| O****e
发帖数: 3290 | 5 The link seems to point to the wrong video. No cyclist/bikes in it. Or, I
did not get what the video is trying to say.
I'd like to imagine a world where no 3+ wheelers exist. Most people bike to
work. A few run to work. In this world I believe it would be an open letter
to runners who rush red lights.
I don't rush red lights. I do go red lights when there is no car around to
trigger the light to green. I don't encourage people to rush red lights. But
, I also don't feel comfortable to blame those who does in order to gain "
respect" from the drivers.
【在 i*********5 的大作中提到】
: OK, I have to admit Toronto isn't that bad compared to NYC. Check out this
: video:
: http://vimeo.com/m/#/24572222
| s******s
发帖数: 190 | 6 I'm in SF Bay area this summer, moving from a much less crowded town @ east
coast. So I'm not very used to riding in that busy traffic when I bike to
work, and I stop at every red light regardless of the cars around it. But I
found it's actually not that much time wasted on waiting for the traffic
lights. I can always catch up those people who rushed red lights, and passed
me while I'm waiting. Not showing off I'm fast, just pointing out an
observation that those rush-red-light people usually are not in rush at all.
It seems rushing through red lights is just their habit ... | i*********5
发帖数: 19210 | 7 are you looking at "3-Way Street". a video showing a chaotic 3-way
intersection in Manhattan caused by ALL road users!!!
【在 O****e 的大作中提到】
: The link seems to point to the wrong video. No cyclist/bikes in it. Or, I
: did not get what the video is trying to say.
: I'd like to imagine a world where no 3+ wheelers exist. Most people bike to
: work. A few run to work. In this world I believe it would be an open letter
: to runners who rush red lights.
: I don't rush red lights. I do go red lights when there is no car around to
: trigger the light to green. I don't encourage people to rush red lights. But
: , I also don't feel comfortable to blame those who does in order to gain "
: respect" from the drivers.
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