2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

Again, as I said, this is my perception resulting from seeing unsafe acts, and, real or not, and it is not only my perception. I bike also, as I said, and there is not dangerous debris over every bike path on every mile. I would much rather risk that than be within inches of a driver who can't see me. You seem so defensive about your position that you seem (perception again) to hear only the word offensive to you and not the rest of what I said about sharing the road. When cyclists ride the line, ride in groups in front, and test the limits of the truck I drive, I have to think of them as arrogant, entitled, unskilled, or incredibly stupid. How am I supposed to know it is you and you have chosen to put yourself in harm's way? It's not just your skills you have to be confident in, but you are taking it for granted that the vehicle drivers you share the road with are as confident and competent as you. As you describe, they are not. I have to expect the worst, things other people do that are unexpected, or not what I would have chosen to do. The risk is too great. The risk to the cyclist. I too, could tell stories of incidents, but I chose to try and give a point of view from the seat of my 80k vehicle for better understanding and seek a solution that involves compromise.

posted 5 years ago
view in context

I am the truck driver that was on the show this morning. My point about the arrogance and entitlement of some bicyclists seems to be lost in the emotional perception of an insult that is mirrored on the road and in these comments.
For instance, I drive on Greeley Ave in Portland, very close to where the tragic accident between a bicyclist and cement truck occurred, along with hundreds of other trucks and many bicycles every day. There is a bike lane in both directions, 4 feet or more wide, no parked cars, and a speed limit of 45mph. Every day hundreds of successful transactions are made between bikes and cars. The arrogant, entitled individual I had in mind chose to ride on the white line that separated the bike lane from right lane, ignoring the four feet of bike lane for protection. This is extremely intimidating to a safety minded trucker when the bike is in the blind spot from the time it is even with the front tire until well after I pass it. To me, this individual and others like him are sending the message that they are testing us, conforming in only the minimal way. Of course he is right, and in the bike lane, just as expected. But if there is a mistake, or I am one of the crazy drivers you talk about, and there is a collision, he is still right. I may lose my job, but the risk for bikes is just too high. How much does it help to be right in the hospital? Maybe this act wasn't arrogance. Maybe it was just unawareness, or stupidity, but the risk is still too great.
Defensive driving means looking for and being able to react to the unexpected. They can come in all shapes and vehicles, and riding bikes too.This topic is hot right now because bicyclists are being killed in an attempt to share the road. More courtesy and awareness would go a long way.
I would love to be able to take this rider, other riders, or motorists with me for a day to watch what it is like to move my 65 foot long vehicle around city streets and things in the blind spots with 3 inches of clearance.
I accept that bikes are here to stay, along with longer, heavier and wider trucks, entitled drivers and bike riders, and people who are too dumb to know or just make mistakes. Are you?

posted 5 years ago
view in context