MOVING TARGETS
Incidents where cyclists showed forms of road rage and aggressive behaviors to motor vehicle drivers and pedestrians are becoming more common today. Taking place in Denver, where commuting to work on a bicycle became very popular and more bike lanes were painted, more cases of bike rage occurred. The idea of “sharing the road” seems more like “competing for limited real estate” for pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicle drivers. In many other metro cities, such as New York and Raleigh, cycling continues to grow but in turn, causes more accidents. Psychologists and traffic experts say summer road rage and the “my hurry matters more than your hurry” syndrome occurs when drivers feel others are goin gto slow. Another factor which possibly causes driver aggression is riders are inexperienced and do not yet know the traffic laws from a bikers point of view. The article also notes aggressive behaviors during court cases involving a bike accident. Many jurors and judges are not familiar or uninterested in bike laws and are against cyclists even in the court rooms, seeing them as a nuisance.
ROAD RAGE PORTLAND:
BIKES, CARS, CLASH
What would be the aftermath of increased gas prices, cyclist, and bike rage? Factors which cause cyclist to show aggressive behaviors are very similar to those of motor-vehicle drivers. There is an obvious vicious circle of rage between drivers and riders--drivers get mad with riders and riders get mad with drivers--causing everyone on the road to potentially have road rage. For example, a cyclist ran a red light and ran into a pick-up truck and the driver insisted to law enforcement the rider failed to wear a helmet. The rider keyed the driver’s car and threw his bike lock at the driver. This goes beyond rage just on the road, but causes assaults off the road as well. However, the article suggests the more pedestrians and cyclists on the road, the more awareness and caution drivers will have. When there are enough cyclists on the road, it exemplifies to lawmakers that there is change that needs to be done on traffic laws to protect both cyclists and drivers.
6 Ways to Defuse Anti-Cyclist Rage
1. Drive Your Bike
2. Obey the Law
3. Lobby for a Version of the Idaho Stop Law in Your State
4. Arm Yourself with a Smile and a Wave
5. Don Your Finest, Brightest Plumage
6. Remember Biking Has a Bell Curve