Koyote

Not entirely correct.

Most likely incorrect.

If you're going to be so sure of yourself, you should probably get your facts straight.

m2244

Well, when 80% (anecdotal statistic) of the discussions I've ever had regarding cyclists being put in danger/crowded/frightened have involved a person in a large truck and often with some sort of redneck pride declaration on their bumper, yeah, give me educated Lexus drivers every day of the week.

RGMN

I had a woman in a convertible make a very close pass and throw a cup of pop at me as we came up to an intersection. I nailed her in the head with my water bottle. I even got the water bottle back as it bounced out of the car.


I was riding with a buddy when some guy in a crew cab pickup reach out and slapped his ass while yelling something that ended with "honey." My buddy used to have long hair and would have it in a ponytail when we rode. We caught them at a stoplight and my buddy pulls up next to the window, blows the guy a couple of kisses, and said "Your place or mine?" The guy that slapped him turned about 10 shades of red and his friends were howling with laughter.

m2244

I had a similar discussion with a lady recently. We all know quite well what the term has come to mean in our society over the past couple of decades, and it isn't coal miners nor farmers.

kaos joe

Koyote, this is the one worried about rednecks.

I've always found that the more rural the venue, generally the more polite the people. It also seems to me that negative interactions are fewer these days than years ago. YMMV.

rosefarts

As a young cocky kid, I got in a yelling match with a carful of people who buzzed me. They proceeded to run me off the road and all jump out to attack me.

It was three on one.

Late 90s, I didn't have a cell yet but some other drivers did. Cops were called, culprits were located at their house. They got a mandatory court date, of which none of them showed.

The cop later told me that since there was yelling on both sides of the argument, that had they showed up, we probably all would have gotten ticketed for fighting. Since only I was there, I believe they each received an $800 fine plus whatever fee's were involved with their no show.

Anymore, I snap a pic if I can manage it and report them on the DUI - Road Rage hotline. I know my one report usually goes nowhere. I hope that when they do actually get caught in something, that an open road rage complaint on them gets them a little stiffer penalty.

Koyote

Agreed. Especially since, in the rural areas where I have been living, cyclists are pretty rare - sort of a novelty. Motorists usually give me wide berth, and people are curious - in a friendly way.

Iride01 

Why are we getting a DA involved? Not every type of assault is going to be deemed worthy by a prosecutor to bring to trial. Much less will a jury be finding grounds to convict except where specific laws are violated in an exactly specified manner.

My statement was just to inform that assault in virtually every thing it's used to describe legally does not involve physical contact. It only means that someone felt threatened with bodily harm.

If I'd seen that crowbar in your hands as you typed out your reply, I might have felt assaulted. But I didn't see it, and I have thick enough skin to handle the reply. <grin>

rydabent

You apparently need to read up on a little history of the mine owners and and union coal miners and their war. You will find I am right. Just google the term redneck. In the coal mine wars where there was actual shooting, the coal miners wore red bandanas so they knew who was on their side, and didnt shoot one of their own.

Koyote

You are the one who needs to read some history; that was not likely the first use of the term, which is what you were asserting.

I actually provided a source; did you?

rydabent

Love it!!!!!!

rydabent

Yes Google.

Koyote

Google is not a source. It is a search engine.

Litespud

I'm less concerned by cars passing closer than the legally required (in NC) 4 ft if they slow down and pass me at a reasonably deliberate speed. I know they've seen me, and they're actually paying attention to the act of passing. Its cars/trucks that pass close without any obvious reduction of speed the bother me. I will say that on the country roads outside Chapel Hill, easily 95% of cars give me loads of space, and only a very small minority of close-passing encounters ever escalate to exchanges or other incidents. In the main, I've learned to chalk it up to life, and I never flip a close passer off, regardless of how much I want to - that never helps things. The last incident, a young dude close-passed me on an otherwise open road, and I gave him a "WTF?!" hand gesture. He stops and hops out, waiting for me to arrive. Starts with a belligerent "did you just flip me off?!" etc etc - basically just ranted about not being on the road where were no shoulders, not being "from around here", moving on to "stupid-looking old man", and finally driving off with a "see you again, I'll run you off the road" and flipping me off.
No actual harm done, but discouraging, and puts a damper on what should have been a good ride.
I was pondering the "cycling situation" recently (while on a solo ride, of course), and while I know a lot of people advocate physically separating cycling infrastructure from other traffic, I'm not wild about spending my time in a cycling-only fishbowl. I'd gladly swap bike lanes for a well-educated and reasonable driving populace.

m2244

This seems like it would be a good topic of discussion on its own, but I doubt the moderators would like it.

GlennR

You're more likely to see a tire iron than a crowbar. But i bet 99.9% of assaults on cyclists are done with a 5000# vehicle.

rydabent

You are splitting hairs. Look it up on any source you want to.

Koyote

You google "origins of term redneck." The very first listing will be the source I provided. Here is a line from it:

"The term characterized farmers having a red neck caused by sunburn from hours working in the fields. A citation from 1893 provides a definition as "poorer inhabitants of the rural districts ... men who work in the field, as a matter of course, generally have their skin stained red and burnt by the sun, and especially is this true of the back of their necks"

The source goes on to note that the term was later applied to miners.

m2244

The first hit I get is from Wiki, first line:

Redneck is a derogatory term chiefly, but not exclusively, applied to white Americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the Southern United States.[1][2] Its usage is similar in meaning to cracker (especially regarding Texas, Georgia, and Florida), hillbilly (especially regarding Appalachia and the Ozarks),[3] and white trash(but without the last term's suggestions of immorality).

Regardless, they certainly seem to be a bigger problem in this country than most of the rest of the world. With that said, I'm talking about the more extreme cases. The gun-toting, beer drinking, uneducated people who feel the need to be jerks for no reason other than to fit in with their gun-toting, beer drinking, uneducated friends.

indyfabz

LOL! Providing a source to back up your claim and telling someone to find their own source that corroborates your claim is hardly "splitting hairs." What it is is par for the course with you. Shoot. You haven't even provided a scintilla of evidence to support your claims of bike ownership.

Mr. 66

WT_, ungenics no thank you.

BenBoozer

When I started commuting to work 2 years ago it took me about 3 weeks of close calls to learn the closer I rode to the right, the closer the cars passed by me. Now I ride about 2 feet into the lane and cars give me more room. I also use a take a look mirror on my glasses and will move off a narrow road if I am holding up traffic to let it pass.

Ben

cbrstar

I've always felt like it should be legal for Cyclists to travel against the flow of traffic on a highway as long as they are on the shoulder. Because you can see if a vehicle is going to get a little too close a lot sooner. The problem is people literally fall asleep / get hypnotized while driving and start heading towards objects on the road then suddenly snap out of it at the last second.

cjenrick

i had to ride against the flow of traffic one time, was on the 63 Cinelli track bike , no brakes, went to make a left in front of oncoming traffic, thought i had enuff time, i did not, so i was forced to abort my line of travel, so i was riding on the right side of the oncoming traffic next to the center divide, scared the hell out of me and about 10 cars before i could finally get across.

BEC111

Here in Northern Virginia many of the roads have signage reminding cyclists to take the lane. Actually it’s to remind drivers that bikes can take the lane.

I’m in Loudoun County where cycling is encouraged and most car drivers are at least bike aware and often bike friendly. They stop and wait at bike trail crossings, even accepting the derision of impatient drivers.