4 ms·

> no driver I know wants to hit someone and injure them As a cyclist I don't think this is completely true. I've been in cars with drivers who do dangerously

by nl 2y ago

> no driver I know wants to hit someone and injure them As a cyclist I don't think this is completely true. I've been in cars with drivers who do dangerously close passes on cyclists and the common excuse is "oh I just want to scare them" or similar. So while I guess it's technically true that even these drivers don't technically want to hit the cyclist the distinction is somewhat moot.

kmoser 2y ago
There is something about bicyclists, and especially skaters, that leads to active hostility from drivers. On at least two occasions, I've had cars purposely try to hit me when I was skating. I know it was on purpose because in one case the driver said "you're not a vehicle" as he came within inches of hitting me, and in another case the driver, completely unprovoked, began cursing loudly and tried to run me off the road. You might argue that the first one didn't actively "want" to hit me, but he certainly wouldn't have cared if he did. > Cars and bikes don't mix except when cars are going bicycle speed. I wouldn't want to get hit by a car going 15 mph. Or even 1 mph. So I would say cars and bikes don't really mix at all, especially since many drivers are either actively hostile to bikers and skaters, or indifferent about hitting them.
- Moru 2y ago
  It takes a lot more than just separating the trafic in different lanes. The whole climate is getting harsher between humans. We are experts of dehumanisation of our fellow humans.
- mmooss 2y ago
  > I wouldn't want to get hit by a car going 15 mph. Agreed, f=ma and the car has 10x the mass of you and your bike. I meant that if they are moving at the same rate then accidents are much less likely. Even when it's just cars and no bikes, if most cars are moving at 80 km/h then a car moving at 20 km/h creates much higher risk of accidents.
- saagarjha 2y ago
  The "you're not a vehicle" stuff is pretty amusing considering that bikes are, actually, legally classified as vehicles in the US and you can get ticketed while riding one. (I have also been yelled at for the same reason.)

by nl 2y ago

kmoser 2y ago

There is something about bicyclists, and especially skaters, that leads to active hostility from drivers. On at least two occasions, I've had cars purposely try to hit me when I was skating. I know it was on purpose because in one case the driver said "you're not a vehicle" as he came within inches of hitting me, and in another case the driver, completely unprovoked, began cursing loudly and tried to run me off the road. You might argue that the first one didn't actively "want" to hit me, but he certainly wouldn't have cared if he did. > Cars and bikes don't mix except when cars are going bicycle speed. I wouldn't want to get hit by a car going 15 mph. Or even 1 mph. So I would say cars and bikes don't really mix at all, especially since many drivers are either actively hostile to bikers and skaters, or indifferent about hitting them.

Moru 2y ago
It takes a lot more than just separating the trafic in different lanes. The whole climate is getting harsher between humans. We are experts of dehumanisation of our fellow humans.
mmooss 2y ago
> I wouldn't want to get hit by a car going 15 mph. Agreed, f=ma and the car has 10x the mass of you and your bike. I meant that if they are moving at the same rate then accidents are much less likely. Even when it's just cars and no bikes, if most cars are moving at 80 km/h then a car moving at 20 km/h creates much higher risk of accidents.
saagarjha 2y ago
The "you're not a vehicle" stuff is pretty amusing considering that bikes are, actually, legally classified as vehicles in the US and you can get ticketed while riding one. (I have also been yelled at for the same reason.)