Today's weird behavior observation

[johnridley]

I've gotten three emails recently at work CC'ing me the news report that a cyclist was hit and injured by a hit-and-run driver here in Dexter. No other text, just a copy of the news article.

I don't know exactly what people are saying by sending me these. After all, I don't send emails to everyone I know that drives a car every time someone is injured or killed in the area while driving a car; I'd be sending out dozens of emails to hundreds of recipients every year, and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate it.

My best guess is that these are the people who feel that riding a bicycle on the road is wrong / dangerous / stupid, and think that this will convince me of the same. I really doubt that me sending them similar messages about people getting killed while driving would have that effect on them.

Comments

[c0nsumer.livejournal.com]

Stuff about Jason Lummis?

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

yup.

[isherempress.livejournal.com]

Are these emails from people who don't know you well? Kinda sounds like it. I guess I'd take them as well-meaning... as opposed to busybodies who don't have a clue how careful you are.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

One from a guy who's about the most aggressive driver I know; twice as bad as his wife, and I seriously won't ride in a car his wife is driving anymore. The other two from mother hens who are sure they're going to see my body on the side of the road any day now.

[rmeidaking.livejournal.com]

It's the "OMG Don't you know it's dangerous out there" mindset that gets the folks to send emails like this. Yeah, it's dangerous. The thing is that the dangerous part is allowing drivers like that to get away with it. The driver's spouse, family, probably neighbors, and some co-workers all know his truck was damaged, and they've probably heard that a cyclist was hit - and they're all letting him get away with it. The mindset that says you let someone you know get away with this behavior is more dangerous than the behavior, in the long run.

Meanwhile, I hope that the rider is able to recover. They need to widen Dexter-Pinckney Road, IMO; I came back down it once from Hudson Mills and decided that the white stripe isn't wide enough. There really aren't any good passing zones, and the cars will zoom by anyway. It's interesting how much difference an extra foot can make, you know? The difference in driver attitudes between Huron River Drive and Dexter-Pinckney is also interesting; they seem to give cyclists more room on HRD.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was thinking about that on the way in this morning, as I eyeballed the right-hand mirror on every truck and SUV that passed me. Someone knows who did this and isn't saying anything.

Dexter-Pinckney isn't great. I'm OK with riding it, but the width combined with the constant curving is not ideal. I've never ridden HRD, and haven't really driven on it more than 3 or 4 times maybe, but IIRC it's mixed, there are areas where it's relatively good, and others where it's horrible.