I am a cyclist and I have cycled to school/work/friends since I was seven years old.
I have been lazy lately though and not had much places to go.
My rant is about drivers, you know who you are.
I was cycling home on the backroad late one night with the road lit up by the moon, as bike lights tend not be very bright. A jeep struck me with their blinding headlights, like someone had shined a flashlight into my eyes. I could not see the road at all, nothing, only this light. I seen the line the driver was taking, I steered to avoid and suddenly, I dropped down, falling into a large ditch.
Dip your headlights to low beam! I estimate that about 30-40% of drivers that I’ve come across don’t do this. They could argue that it’s easier for them to see me, yet what difference does this make? They are normally rocketing around at night thinking they won’t see anyone, If I was to veer into the road they would not be able to stop in time. The annoying thing is that I know they dip their lights for other cars, yet it is nowhere near as blinding in a car.
I told my friends back when it happened, and they made fun of me
I guess it’s because I’ve been told many times that driving in the dark is dangerous and I’ve argued that I know every pot-hole, every curve like the back of my hand and that there is less traffic. It is a little funny, but I was pissed (not drunk, angry) at the time!
I love the cool crisp air at night, it makes the journey much more enjoyable. Of course, not if I fall into a ditch, but that only happened once, normally I just stop, which ruins my rhythm (I hate when people ruin my rhythm)! >.<
Oh, and late on halloween 2006 a friend and I were cycling into town, and it was here he realised that I was not exaggerating ("I can't see!" xD).
And for the lorry drivers, why do so many of them come way too close? I can literally feel the air vacuum they leave behind them, making me lose my rhythm (again, grrr), slow down and have to work extra hard to get back to speed. Lorry drivers are also a big killer for cyclists, and it’s not surprising seeing as how many of them STILL have a mobile stuck to their ear while driving.
I get grumpy coming up to christmas - expect more rants ^^
I have been lazy lately though and not had much places to go.
My rant is about drivers, you know who you are.
I was cycling home on the backroad late one night with the road lit up by the moon, as bike lights tend not be very bright. A jeep struck me with their blinding headlights, like someone had shined a flashlight into my eyes. I could not see the road at all, nothing, only this light. I seen the line the driver was taking, I steered to avoid and suddenly, I dropped down, falling into a large ditch.
Dip your headlights to low beam! I estimate that about 30-40% of drivers that I’ve come across don’t do this. They could argue that it’s easier for them to see me, yet what difference does this make? They are normally rocketing around at night thinking they won’t see anyone, If I was to veer into the road they would not be able to stop in time. The annoying thing is that I know they dip their lights for other cars, yet it is nowhere near as blinding in a car.
I told my friends back when it happened, and they made fun of me
I guess it’s because I’ve been told many times that driving in the dark is dangerous and I’ve argued that I know every pot-hole, every curve like the back of my hand and that there is less traffic. It is a little funny, but I was pissed (not drunk, angry) at the time!
I love the cool crisp air at night, it makes the journey much more enjoyable. Of course, not if I fall into a ditch, but that only happened once, normally I just stop, which ruins my rhythm (I hate when people ruin my rhythm)! >.<
Oh, and late on halloween 2006 a friend and I were cycling into town, and it was here he realised that I was not exaggerating ("I can't see!" xD).
And for the lorry drivers, why do so many of them come way too close? I can literally feel the air vacuum they leave behind them, making me lose my rhythm (again, grrr), slow down and have to work extra hard to get back to speed. Lorry drivers are also a big killer for cyclists, and it’s not surprising seeing as how many of them STILL have a mobile stuck to their ear while driving.
I get grumpy coming up to christmas - expect more rants ^^
