Jeremy gave me this heads up on this article via BRAIN.
LA Times Highlights City of Mean Drivers
LOS ANGELES, CA (BRAIN)—The LA Times recently ran a feature story on the dangers of riding your bike on Los Angeles city streets.
Times staff writer Jeannine Stein said that bicycle-related accidents have increased slightly in the past year. There were 25 deaths and 2,885 injuries in 2005 and an estimated 28 deaths and 2,910 injuries in 2006, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety.
Across the Golden State, fatalities numbered 120 in 2002 and roughly 155 in 2005.
Scott Sing, who works at Helen’s Cycles in Southern California, and who logs between 250 – 400 miles a week, said that a couple years back kids in a car threw a tire iron at him.
“If anything, it’s gotten worse,� Sing said of LA’s inconsiderate and sometimes mean spirited drivers. “As I’ve become more experienced, I feel less threatened. But twice or three times a week I hit the brakes because somebody is doing something illegal.� —Jason Norman
I guess it depends on people’s routes. I haven’t had any issues with drivers on my 2 years plus of commuting, as long as I respect them, I get respect back.
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Bike Commuter Essentials at PricePoint.com
8 responses so far ↓
1 Lance // Aug 16, 2007 at 9:51 am
Wow, I’m having issues daily! Yesterday I’m riding and got buzzed on the left by a man in a brand New Cadillac. He missed me by inches and I was a good 4 or 5 feet out in the lane.
THEN, I get the middle finger and he motions like I’m supposed to move over to the right for him!!! Needless to say I was angry.
2 Moe // Aug 16, 2007 at 10:11 am
RL had issues with Orange County drivers as well, what’s up with that???
3 RL Policar // Aug 16, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Orange County Ca. has some of the world’s most pompous drivers! All arrogant and they think they’re GOD!
4 Laura // Aug 16, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Saw this blog that quotes a NC congressman Patrick McHenry on his thought on using a 19th century mode of transportation. Lovely. Time to start writing a few letters.
http://johnprolly.blogspot.com/2007/08/north-carolinas-disgrace.html
5 Moe // Aug 16, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Thanks Laura for the link, man, that guy is a total DUMB ASS!
6 Ghost Rider // Aug 16, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Wow…that guy is a complete and total assclown. And the good folks of N.C. elected him! Is that ever embarrassing!
7 Lance // Aug 16, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Garrrr!!! Yup that’s the same type of anger I was feeling yesterday. These are real people right? ugh.
8 L. M. Lloyd // Sep 30, 2007 at 8:49 am
You know, the drivers here in LA aren’t great, but they are a million times better than the drivers in Austin, Texas. The last time I was in Austin, I was there for all of three days before someone hit me, totaling my bike. It wasn’t an accidental collision either, as I guessed from the “get off the road” the guy yelled as he pulled off after sideswiping me.
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