"A lot of Americans will see a cyclist and just believe you’re the Antichrist for no reason, and they will try to run you over or try to come so close to you that it will scare you away from riding bikes. That’s a huge problem that’s unique to this country. That would never happen anywhere else in the world. Not China, not the most brutal dictatorial regime on Earth. It would never happen to you in Italy or Denmark or Switzerland or England or France or Spain or Russia or Vietnam or India or Afghanistan. . . . This country has a long way to go in terms of tolerance for cyclists. The vitriol of motorists never ceases to amaze me." -- Bob Roll, quoted in http://www.bikingbis.com/
I get a similar reaction from walkers in our neighborhood. Most runners will muster a wave, but often the walkers will take on a scowling stone face and refuse to even look at you or grunt out a hello.
Then again, the vitriol on Slowtwitch never ceases to amaze me either....
4 comments:
Apparently (and shamefully) Cadel Evans found the motorists around his home town (Geelong, Victoria, Australia) to be far more agressive than those in Europe.
And I certainly agree with you about tri forums......that's not unique to the US either
Sure are a lot of unhappy people out there in the world...kinda scary hmmm?
Turn it around...smile, wave, honk, say "Good morning!" Just might work eventually!
I agree with you concerning Slowtwitch. Pity the poor person who posts a bike picture with the bike facing the wrong direction.
I don't read the tri forums...sometimes Xterra-but who ARE all these people who have time to post and read this stuff on all these sites???
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