[net.bicycle] Dogs and Cars - the last word

jeff@dual.UUCP (Jeff Houston) (04/06/84)

Ok, I've seen everyones beefs about dogs but I feel that cars
are my worse enemy when I'm on the road.  During the last six
years I've managed to ride aprx. 40,000 miles and the current
score concerning dogs/cars/belligerent people is the following :

Item Causing Trouble	# of Incidents
--------------------	--------------
Dogs			0
People			2 or 3
Cars			+20

Now I like dogs, and generally dogs like me - I don't mind them drooling
on my hands if I have a hanky along with me - But cars (the drivers) are
often not prepared to deal with cyclists that travel at the same speeds
and in the same places.  People (non-cyclists) tend to feel that bicyclists
do not have the same right to the road as a car does.  I have a number of
scars to prove it - The last incident involved a woman traveling in the
opposite direction turning left into me as I was crossing an intersection
and having my left shoulder go thru her windshield (fortunately a Honda
Civic).  I don't mean to be down on drivers but they do present more of
a hazard to an everyday cyclist, they seem to be even more unpredictable
than good ole canines.

I rant and rave to much...


	Jeff Houston
	Dual Systems Corp., Berkeley, CA
	{ucbvax,ihnp4,cbosgd,amd70,zehntel,fortune,decwrl}!dual!jeff