Hi Ann, hi all,
It seems that this problem is universal. Here in Berlin it is very popular to turn right without looking, which is bad for those on the bike path. I´ve had my share of bruises, but do tend to make myself hit before my bike does (I heal, my Leg doesn´t. Leg, as in Legnano). In a big city commuters seem to be in a rush, and all of them, even the cyclists, are on edge. I´ve had the occasional swerve in my direction, or door opened while cruising through cars at red lights, on several of those occasions the motorists had to go on with one outside mirror. I believe that there is a lot of envy towards cyclist, since they can get through the traffic more efficiently than cars. There was an incident of poetic justice last year when this a++hole felt it necessary to cuss at me through his passenger side window and ended (pun) up rear-ending a truck, burying the hood of his car under it. He wasn´t hurt, but the car was junk. I was laughing all the rest of that day. Fact of the matter is, motorist who are cyclists tend to drive a lot more careful, than those who aren´t.
Cars don´t kill, drivers do!
kim klakow berlin germany, home of VW, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes Benz and other bicycle killers
> Today one of my customers came in with his Bottecchia.... in two pieces.
>
> He was in one piece, but with a lot of staples in his skin and he has to
> wait for the staples to come out before they will do an MRI.
>
> Apparently some foolish person made a left hand turn in front of him at
> Stone Mountain Park, our little Dollywood managed refuge away from Atlanta
> craziness. We all ride there, its got bike lanes and some nice climbs.
>
> 2 witnesses said they saw her hit the brakes before she decided to turn in
> front of him. She said she didn't see him at all, which was kinda hard in
> his radioactive, asparagus pee green Pearl Izumi jersey and bright red
> helmet.
>
> He went through the windshield and bent the roof of her car up, pretty
> much
> totaling it. We get going to about 28 mph on this downhill and I suspect
> he was doing about that. Sadly he doesn't remember very much, having come
> to in the ambulance.
>
> Anyway, my rant is against the drivers who don't look, the lack of
> driver's
> skill and knowledge here in GA and the abuse my customer just took because
> someone couldn't wait just a second to make sure oncoming traffic was
> clear. Even if it was a bicycle.
>
> My fear is for my son, my boyfriend, my friends, my customers and
> myself. We ride there a lot.
>
> I wouldn't be so angry, but this is the third person I've known personally
> who has gotten hit by a clueless driver since October - on a vintage
> bike. The first one got hit when the driver made a left turn in front of
> him. The second, when someone ran a stop sign. Later that gentleman
> claimed "that stop sign was on the wrong side, so of course I didn't see
> it." In that case, the judge took the man's license away because it was
> clear he was not competent to drive. Thing is, I don't know every cyclist
> in Atlanta, so knowing these 3 people personally??? How many DON'T I know
> that are getting hit?
>
> Sigh....
>
> Ann Phillips, Decatur GA
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
-- Kim Klakow Diplom Grafik Designer Akimbo71@gmx.net +49172-1786481
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