I just got off the phone with Tim McNamara. Tim is the program manager for The Playhouse radio show and a partial owner of Rose City Radio, which owns KXL-AM and KXJM 95.5.
I assumed Tim had written me off as a rogue, backstabbing blogger (this is what I had heard from other journalists that had spoken with him), but I decided to send him and P.K. one last email to see if we could work things out. I got a call-back within minutes.
Tim admitted that when he heard the comments on Thursday’s broadcast he called the station right away. Tim was absolutely appalled that the show hosts clapped at the story of a cyclist being hit.
Tim apologized profusely for what was said on the show. He said, “We all make mistakes, it’s how you deal with them and grow that matters.”
To make amends, he told me that he made P.K. apologize on-air during Monday’s “pro-bike” show and that he put P.K. on a bike with a reporter from the Willamette Week today.
I can confirm the Willy Week claim because I met with the reporter who rode with P.K. right after the ride. They did a 2-hour jaunt through downtown and it was very interesting (that’s all I can say). You can catch the story in next week’s issue.
Back to Tim.
He claims to have personally replied to 711 emails so far, fielded calls from several lawyers and from people as far away as Australia.
He repeatedly said, “What can I do to make this stop?! I will do anything you ask.” He said he would be happy to run public service announcements, give away free bikes, donate to the BTA, and so on.
Unfortunately, according to Tim, the vast majority of the emails have been “out for blood.” He read me one that said something to the effect that he should “perform euthanasia” on himself. Geez. If that’s true, please mellow out folks. Your feedback to the station has much more impact if you are sensible and level-headed.
Tim claims that he has received death threats and that a few cyclists greeted him with threatening comments outside his home early in the morning on Tuesday. Tim says he chased them down and they pushed him off, kicking and screaming as they rode away.
As for the missing recording of the broadcast: It now seems to me that if it ever does surface, the station will have to release it against their will. Tim certainly made no offer to release it himself.
Tim continues to maintain that he does not have a copy of the recording and that he pulled the podcast from the web because a bottle of Rockstar energy drink (who they have $100K in ads with) was crushed on-air and he was afraid they would get upset (the show is also viewable on TV).
I think it’s quite clear that the reason the recording has not surfaced is because they cannot handle any more heat (read the last paragraph of this new story in the Mercury).
So now what? It’s clear to me that both P.K. and Tim are very sorry and realize they have made a big mistake and I have a hunch that P.K. is starting to see cyclists in a different, more positive light. Tim, while repulsed by what he calls the “militant, violent, and threatening” bike community, seems willing to work with us to turn things around.
I also have a hunch that the word bicycle will never be said on that show again.
Now the question for the community is, do we continue to demand an official vetting of the original broadcast and keep applying pressure until the show receives a more serious, official sanction (which might be regulatory, legal, etc…)? Or do we try and cut a deal with Tim, forgive and forget, and just move on?
If we do make a deal with Tim, what should we ask for?
I’m still not sure. It’s been another long day. I think I’ll sleep on it.
Thanks for reading.
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On behalf of the BTA, I mentioned PSAs when talking with Tim earlier this week. We talked about it more this morning in our staff meeting. A Share the Road PSA, perhaps directing people to the J. Maus-created, PDOT-funded IShareTheRoad.Com website might be most appropriate.
Anyone want to work on the script? Describe what the PSA should focus on?
Here’s a three-minute scribble (heck, help me out):
“>honk, honkring, ringgarbled yelling
Seems to be good progress. If its true that there were bikers at his front-door in the morning – shame shame shame.
Wow! It is hard to ask for more than this.
I just posted the following comment on the previous thread. It is more appropriate here as it looks like he read my mind as I typed:
The problem here is there are already too many issues that make using the streets dangerous for all users. A public figure (DJ on KXJM) has no business deliberately trying to escalate the danger level. He has no more right to do so than he does to make on the air “jokes” about bombs on aircraft. Why? Because someone may take him seriously. If he made similar jokes about air transport that he made about bike transport, he would be in a federal lockup by now, maybe on his way to Gitmo. What we need to do is our best to help him see the dangerous situation he has created and to stop doing it in the future. And a public apology.
It is interesting that crushing a bottle of soda was more imperative than crushing a human being…
There definitely is some kind of restitution in order. Ideas? A huge contribution to the bike lighting guy, a free safety helmets for kids campaign… Hell, I don’t even care if he puts Jammin stickers on them.
We are moving forward in a positive way.
Thank you Jonathan, and everyone here who has given this effort their best this week!
Grace
Ummm…
YAY!!!
And also NAY to all you biker jerks who still follow the mantra of an eye for an eye. Its like, the 21st century folks, catch up with the times.
All i can say is wow. Id ask for public service anuncments donations to various charities and advocacy groups relating to cycling. Offical on papper and on air appology. I would also ask for the free bikes say 10 mid range bikes motobecanes or something similar to them to be donated to a charity that then gives these bikes to those who need a bike but can not afford them.
What you all have done is quite amazing I tip my hat errr helmet to you and all those who helped to bring this about. In these few days you have done more for cycling advocacy than most have done in a years of worth cycling advocacy.
Again congrats all
from Jerome of norton ohio
Oh hey better idea than bike donations to charities. Make that lights and helmets for the donation. Say to the tune of $4500 in helmets/lights
I think that this is a fantastic development! I cannot wait to read the Willy Week article and P.K.’s bike ride.
I am also shocked that someone threatened to kill him and his family. Wow.
As for restitution: I’m all for educating and properly equipping kids with proper bike gear.
This is truely BikePortland’s finest hour.
It’s worth noting that we have no way of verifying the veracity of Tim’s claims about getting death threats and so on.
Given how some people act I don’t neccessarily doubt him, but he has a lot to gain by painting cyclists as violent, crazed, irrational people.
The soda can vs. bike controversy thing strikes me as dubious, as well.
Bravo, Jonathan! It would be great if the station could reach out to their own listeners as well as “the bike community” (whatever that is). How about lots of free bike giveaways on the show and at station events (like the on this weekend); get Transportation Options to table their events (is it too late for the 22nd?)?
What if the station were to sponsor (financially or organizationally) cyclist education programs like Effective Cycling classes?
PSAs ought to include good solid advice for drivers (and cyclists too?) beyond just share-the-road sentiments: Look before opening your door, Look before turning, Leave four feet when passing, Focus on driving (hang up that cell phone), and something in the vein of Be polite, take deep breaths, imagine that’s your own kin on the bike and act accordingly.
I still wonder how sorry PK is. He carried it on for days afterwards. The damage he did has kind of been done. I think him issuing a genuine apology for his comments might be helpful and perhaps a few days suspension. Just a thought.
Personally, I feel that a negative action deserves a postive one.
Is there not a breakfast on the bridge coming up in the next weeks?? I may be calling it be the wrong name, but either way, ask Tim to make arrangments the Station to host one, and PK and his morning buddies act as the servers for it. They can broadcast the morning show from the location on the Hawthorne Bridge, make appologies directly to those their comments affected and get a little personal with th people who ride the bikes. It might just take away that “I don’t care about you” attitude that PK has.
It seems to benefit everyone to me..
Thats why i say a onair and writen appology signed by him and the on air one must match the on paper one exactly.
Such a typed signed appology letter is infact a legal document in most states. In a real legal sense its a legal conffesion and at the same time its you signing off on restitution.
garrett wrote
Garrett
July 19th, 2006 16:43
14
I still wonder how sorry PK is. He carried it on for days afterwards. The damage he did has kind of been done. I think him issuing a genuine apology for his comments might be helpful and perhaps a few days suspension. Just a thought
nice work jonathan.
amends…i think PK should apologize on-air for the remarks and then commute by bike for a two weeks. perhaps even hire a messenger or two to go with him for verification/ride partner. no significant monetary penalties; just the experiences which regular bike commuters go through daily. 10 days in “their” shoes.
I worry that the people involved are sorry that they got caught, rather than understanding why what they said and did was a problem.
I both drive and bike, and I get frustrated about cyclists running stop signs and especially stop lights, riding the wrong way, and riding without lights (mostly because it’s dangerous for cyclists to do so). So I can understand that people can get frustrated with cyclists not following the rules of the road. And I can understand wanting to vent some of that frustration. But it is not, in any way, funny to me when someone gets heckled, injured, or killed.
I wish that drivers would understand how dangerous it is on the road– not because of some inherent danger to biking, but because of people’s attitudes. The solution is not to stop biking. That would be akin to refraining from driving because people die from car accidents every year. The solution is to educate cyclists and drivers on the laws of the road, change the laws that we deem less safe, and enforce the laws that are in place.
I am saddened that the original show likely encouraged drivers to take their frustrations out on cyclists, I am saddened that a subsection of the cycling community thought they should counter that with threats rather than real action, and I am sad that the hosts of the show still don’t seem to realize why encouraging anger towards cyclists is harmful.
1) There needs to be a geniune, on-air apology. None of this “what I meant was…”
2) The PSA idea is a great one. What a better way to make amends than to advocate for bikes on the road round-the-clock on the air?
I think the charity donations are a fine idea, but I think the above are the most important.
I’m very happy at long last to see this very constructive progress.
And i concur heartily with Sara’s sentiments in the posting above.
Kirsty x
Now that would be a good idea. Heck maybe they could make a anual event out of it?
Id say things like a live broadcast from a location like that could not only be a good way to make ammends but also be a good way to have a heck of alot of fun for all later down the road.
Once every couple years they have a morning news program broadcast from the various parks in the area in my neck of the woods and its always a heck of alot of fun. Even if you cant stand the show in question.
Author : Puck
Comment:
Personally, I feel that a negative action deserves a postive one.
Is there not a breakfast on the bridge coming up in the next weeks?? I may be calling it be the wrong name, but either way, ask Tim to make arrangments the Station to host one, and PK and his morning buddies act as the servers for it. They can broadcast the morning show from the location on the Hawthorne Bridge, make appologies directly to those their comments affected and get a little personal with th people who ride the bikes. It might just take away that “I don’t care about you” attitude that PK has.
It seems to benefit everyone to me..
I think that more important than donating to the BTA would be financial encouragement of bicycle commuting among the stations employees. If employees are given sheltered parking and vacation time/bonus/trimet pass in exchange for cycling to work, than this would help create more bike commuters and give them a fresh perspective.
The broadcast from breakfast on the bridges equals restorative justice and promotes a sense of mutual respect and community for the future. It is better to have the show as a friend in the future. Come on folks, show some grace. It’s a big W!
All,
I am a biker. I ride to work all the time and I ride for fun. I ride downtown in traffic constantly, and also all around this city. I don’t own a car.
This whole situation has been blown out of proportion in my view. While I have seen many comments that this website has been even-handed in its postings, I disagree completely.
I think BikePortland.org needs to take a serious look at its role in this process. As distasteful as the radio show’s comments may have been, this site has been equally distasteful.
There’s no doubt that the issues raised and discussed here have all been valid, and that the discussion has been worth having. What I am questioning is the way BikePortland handled this. The sense of urgency and daily updates that constantly pushed for some sort of action contributed greatly to the overall perceived problems.
If BikePortland had spent more time talking to the parties involved, or indeed was simply more patient with them, I think everyone would be better for it. While I am glad that the radio show and BikePortland finally were able to talk rationally, I hope that BikePortland takes this chance to recognize its part in contributing to this furor. Where P.K. speaks to their core audience, BikePortland speaks to theirs as well. As is obvious by the comments on this site, just as many unsavory and unfortunate comments (and threats) were made by BikePortland’s audience as any other.
Keep that in mind when faced with a similar situation in the future. You are not really any different than P.K. (as an entity) and you made some of the same exact mistakes that they did last week.
I lost respect for this site over the ast few days, not gained.
S
What to ask for…
A 5 to10 minute spot on the Playhouse show where the rules are responsibilities of motorists and cyclists are spelled out by a cycling advocate and the shows hosts. Maybe we could get Ray Thomas to do it. This will be done with visuals for the television audience.
Don’t cover all rules of the road, but specifically mention the right of way of cyclists in bike lanes: cars can’t block bike lanes at any point including at the intersection. They must wait for bicycles before they either turn or park. Drivers must learn to look over their right shoulders and check their mirrors before making right turns across the bike lane.
Also cover the right for bicycles to occupy the main lanes of traffic: when traveling the speed of cars, when passing other bicycles or avoiding obstacles, or preparing to make turns. The new law allowing bicycles to pass on the right when safe even without a bike lane is another possibility.
The bicycling advocate must then express the need for cyclists to obey the traffic laws: no running stoplights or stop signs and stay off the sidewalk downtown. Stress that disobeying the traffic laws fuels motorist animosity toward all cyclists, and we really don’t like that.
Since this is comedy show the material has to be worked up before hand. It has to be entertaining. The cycling advocate should work out the shtick with the radio people before hand.
Forgive, Forget, and donate to “Get Lit”, who has already given out 1300 lights. We could use a boost of cash to buy more lights (for fall) or moneies for a helmet giveaway at CARFREE DAY. It cost about $2000 for 275 helmets. They were a great success at Earth Day & MCBF, total helmets given out? 500!
Dealt a Lemon Make Lemoade or Make bikers safer in Portland.
As for Tim’s befuddlement over the animosity directed toward him and his station’s show…
The show pretty much called for indiscriminate violence directed at cyclists. The show’s host has tried to make a disclaimer about his remarks saying that they are only directed toward cyclists who disobey the law. But since most drivers (and I would suspect the Playhouse hosts) don’t seem to understand the law regarding bicycles, all of us cyclists end up being the target of those remarks. I would rather not have the humor of a cyclists injury or death be determined by an individual driver’s knoweldge of the law regarding bycycles.
The idea of being hurt by motorists who fail to yield the right of way isn’t an abstraction for most of us. It’s a daily reality. Every day, usually several times each day on my commute, I must take evasive action to avoid injury because a motorist doesn’t obey the law and threatens to hit me.
When the radio show says it’s funny when cyclists are injured or killed, some people are going to view that as a threat respond in kind. That’s what Tim found himself the object of. Ugly though it is, it’s a reflection of how serious some people found the comments on the radio show.
Demonizing cyclists as a group of people it’s OK to hate and injure is completely unacceptable. Those opinions, while probably perfectly legal to express, are still morally reprehensible. That kind of eliminationist rhetoric cannot be allowed to stand. We can’t just be quiet and hope this goes away. People internalize those ideas when they go unchallenged whether they actively think about them or not. We must push back and instill in people’s minds that any intentional violence toward cyclists is not acceptable.
I was hit by a car about a month ago on SW Broadway. While I was in the bike lane, a car that was driving next to me decided it was going to park, drove through the bike lane, and pushed me to the curb. I went over the front end and ended up with road rash on my face, a fractured scaphoid, and a shoulder injury. Fortunately the police cited the driver, making things easier for me.
Monday I was almost hit on 1st street when an SUV going the opposite direction made a left turn into my path. If I hadn’t jumped on the brakes really hard he would have run me down at 20 mph full on with the bumper, not just a t-bone. When I yelled at him all I got was the “who me?” look from him.
This stuff happens all the time. That’s why cyclists are up in arms over any action that intentionally makes things worse.
i agree with with puck’s idea (breakfast on the bridge)….though my morning commute doesn’t take me over any bridges, i’d be sure to get up early and make a detour. I bet a lot of other people would as well.
Well at least now everyone knows that Portland Cyclists will not back down.
puck, that’s genius. i vote for a 95.5 breakfast on the bridges. “why thank you p.k., i do take sugar in my coffee…”
good job jonathan, and everyone who put in a (non-threatening!) phone call or email.
I say we keep the pressure up (but maybe turn down the dial a little bit) until a satisfactory resolution is actually in hand.
Well, I live in Los Angeles. I know nothing of what was said in this incident. I was forwarded this page because I was recently hit while riding my bicycle. I have a broken leg and numerous cuts and bruises. After reading this article I am irritated to say the least.
I want to get this straight, someone wishes ill upon cyclists (applauding when one was hit by a car) but is surprised he has recieved threats?! Let me tell you first hand that my life has been flipped upside down due to no fault of mine, simply because some 20 year old was too engrossed in a cellular phone conversation to notice me as he pulled out of a parking lot without looking. To make matters worse, this kid gave me a bunch of false information and his license plate was also stolen/falsified. You quoted Tim in regards to the cycling communities response, “militant, violent, and threatening”. And to that I say, “YOU”RE GODDAM RIGHT”.
I’ve had it with people who think because they are in a car that no other vehicles should be on the road (bicycles, motorcycles etc.) I do not wish ill upon you, Tim, I wouldn’t wish this pain on even my worst enemy. But part of me would like to come see you in an ER after being hit by a car and see what your attitude is like then. No amount of apologies or community service will erase your IGNORANT disregard for other human beings and OUR right to pursue life as we see fit.
Think a little bit before you speak, especially if you are in a publicly broadcast forum such as radio. Above all, show respect for your fellow human beings by understanding we all have the right to live. Because by applauding something like a cyclist being struck by a car is admitting that you don’t care if they are killed or maimed (which is a very likely outcome when you put flesh and bone against steel at 30 MPH). We, as cyclists, run that risk every day doing what we love to do because of fools like you, Tim.
Perhaps I am too much of a curmudgeon, but remember that programs like this flourish when they get publicity– good publicity, bad publicity, doesn’t really matter.
If they have a big apology, shake hands, do PSAs, whatever, they will still have generated a tremendous amount of word of mouth. They will still, in the long run, profit from their behavior.
I say, keep up the pressure for FCC sanctions, fines, and other substantial penalties. Apologies are wonderful, particularly if they actually appear sincere, but I would also like a meaningful consequence applied that may keep them from doing something similar in the future.
First of all good work Jonathan. I like the idea of a PSA, definately some links on their website to agencies in Portland.
I also think it would be a good idea to target cyclist education. I mean this was PK’s point right? Perhaps he could lead an appropriate cyclist education seminar, teaching cyclists, not drivers how to appropriately share the road.
Jonathan, thank you for rallying the bike community to bring some resolution to this issue. Many thanks to all those who wrote in and made calls! Great job!
Greg
“I mean this was PK’s point right? Perhaps he could lead an appropriate cyclist education seminar, teaching cyclists, not drivers how to appropriately share the road.”
PK needs to do the education bit on-air to his listeners, not in an elementary school auditorium to a few dozen soccer moms.
My vote is also for a broadcast from the bridge. In terms of value per dollar, the Playhouse can donate the most on the airwaves.
I don’t think an apology from PK is helpful here. An on air apology would only seem forced and wouldn’t further the goal here (making urban bike riding safer).
I want PK to ride his bike to work everyday for a year. Day in, day out. Rain shine. Live in the shoes, on the wheels. That would be an eye-opening experience for him. As a bonus, it would have the added effect of confusing his listeners. “Is that PK? Maybe it is. Gee I guess I can’t run him off the road.”
I think he might learn really fast how vulnerable we can feel and why some of us reacted so quickly and perhaps a bit over-the-top. I do not agree with the threats etc. but having been assaulted by drivers, I can easily understand how someone could have been pushed over the edge, wanting them to feel how being threatened feels.
Let’s all take a step back, take a deep breath and think about the city we want.
I’m not jumping for joy over the latest development. Though I am proud of the biking community for not giving up, it is too early to say this is over. I am still disappointed in our civic leaders and suspect of Tim’s sincerity.
Here it is 6 days later and we are finally getting an apology.
The reason Tim gave for the missing podcast is pathetic and obviously a lie – he still needs to provide the podcast for the record.
To think Tim apologized because he knows he and PK were in the wrong is naiive. I was probably one of the first to email him. My email was not in any way threatening and I have yet to hear a peep out of him.
Neither Tim nor PK have shown themselves to be of good character and I doubt they have changed overnight.
I agree that PK should bike commute every day for at least a month. No doubt he still feels the same about bicyclists. He probably learned a valuable lesson, but there should be consequences for his actions – if not termination or suspension, then a bike commuting commitment.
This is all and good for Portland … but this is a Nationally Syndicated show.
How does all of the NPO’s like the BTA, Get Lit and whoever want to help Tim “just make this go away” help the other communities that are affected?
There are 13 other markets that were affected much worse than Portland, Oregon … where we have a strong community to stand up for us. If the BTA wants to REALLY do something, how about they use their lawyer resources to find a legal reason to get a copy of the tape.
I am truly saddened by the thought that the station is trying to buy their way out of this. This was NOT their tone just 2 days ago. They are scared because they feel threatened and have something of value to loose. Very much like I do when I think all my friends riding their bicycles … and just not in Portland, Oregon.
Let us hear the tape and decide. Right now they are offering to sell us their Air Time which is very cheap. especially since BY LAW all radio stations have to run PSA’s. They are also trying to spend much less money than what bringing the tape to the light of day will cost them.
For PK it should cost him his his show. For Tim it should cost his FM license. Which I feel is fitting for both have proved that they are unfit to be custodians of our public airwaves.
That cost is nothing to me, compared to the terror cyclist have ensued and will have to ensue long after this business try to sell us out caused by their gross negligence and destructive arrogances.
I thought I heard a comment about how some cyclists are rude on the road, running through stoplights, hogging the lane, etc. I believe money would be best spent (to help solve the problem, and would benefit both sides) to educate cyclists on how to share the road with motorists. I think that sounds like a fair solution… Have 95.5 fund a cycling program.
It doesn’t seem like giving away free bikes or lights would really help solve this problem. I think that both sides can say that they wouldn’t want this to occur again.
And for you people who did harass Tim, realize that this is worse than just mentioning it on the radio. Be nicer.
Right on, Jason. I totally agree with you. Every point you made is right on.
I’d tell Tim that we will decide on the course of action once we hear the full broadcast. It has been said repeatedly that the bike communtiy is reacting to something out of context, so how can we give a proper response without hearing the whole thing firsthand? To address the concern about other material in the broadcast, he could have a private review of the show with Jonathon.
Let’s be honest here. PK is sorry because he is busted. The station manager is contrite because . . . well, because he really doesn’t have a choice.
PK? He is probably fairly well off, being the host of a program heard in 12 markets. Him buying anything means nothing to me. It’s numbers in his checking account. The radio station is also probably easily able to afford PSAs, helmets, bikes etc. These things may make us feel richer and satisfied, and they may indeed help in a small way, but in the end, they are merely material gain. As amends, they lack the true self-sacrifice that expresses true remorse, the sacrifice that transforms character.
PK, ride your bike. Do it for a year solid. I dare you. Ride rain or shine. Learn the ropes, the hard lessons, put yourself out there. Do you fancy yourself hard? Are you tough? Are you afraid your friends would make fun of you?
I don’t want trinkets. I’m not a child who wants candy. I want another biker on the road, and the transformation of a thoughtless person into someone who understands.
They should be fired. If they were talking about a specific religion or race, laughing at the deaths of said group, they would be canned instantly and the station would be fined.
The minimum amends should be that the radio personalities who made the comments be made to commute on a bicycle for six months. They should ride at least five miles each day on busy streets. They should take a rider safety course too.
They might get in better shape, and they would definately develop some understanding about bicycling. They could use recumbents to remain comfortable.
Jonathan,
Regardless of what amends are made and what forgiveness is extended, FCC action is still needed–and lobbying the FCC (and securing release of the recorded broadcast) should not be negotiable. Why? Because federal investigation and any penalties that follow could set a precedent. The outcome could help curtail shock-jock bullying of not only cyclists but other potentially vulnerable groups–not only here and now, but years in the future and across the country. Why not help make things more civil not only for us, but for your Eleni and my Matt and the kids they may have, wherever they choose to live?
That said, you deserve major congrats just for your efforts so far. Name the place and time, and I’ll buy the beer.
If Howard Stern can’t say dirty words on the radio without facing enough FCC fines to feed Cambodia, then PK and his co-hosts should certainly be fined. Applauding someone’s serious bodily injury, or even death is far more offensive and vulgar and appauling than the “smut” or “poop” talk that gets so many radio hosts fined and fired.
The most satisfying things outside of an “oops I said a bad thing, I’m sorry”, would be FCC action as well as retribution to the biking community as a whole, as in donations to organizations like GetLit etc. I want to see PK seriously reprimanded/fined/taken off the air for a duration, as well as some retribution to those they impacted.
I very much don’t doubt Tim received some pretty heinous emails, just going to show that irrational, violent behavior is not limited to any particular demographic. I know I have had episodes of my own. I hope Tim can show his comments made on Monday (yes, I heard them myself) are not really indicative of his true feelings on the situation and only were said to placate his personalities who popped him on the air without much warning.
I would hope, the station would consider running some PSA’s like the ones Clear Channel had to do. ( Found at http://humantransport.org/bicycledriving/wdcg.htm ) Informing, cyclists and drivers alike of the law can only help both side. I would further hope that my students, the target demographic for the radio station with content for mature adults only, can understand the antics for what they were, antics that could get people hurt if they fell into ignorant brains.
Twice in the last 24 hours I have had very agressive male drivers honking at me and yelling at me that I am not a car, that I do not belong in the street. One, after nearly killing me trying to pass while a car was traveling in the on-coming lane, flipped me off and then sped off, cutting through neighborhoods, when I tried to catch up to him asking him to stop so we could talk and I could explain the law to him. He ran away, like a scared puppy.
I’ld like to think it is pure ignorance of the law that accompanies this agressive, violent behaviour, but I think that’s naive. People simply need to hate others when they are behind the wheel of a car. These are people that would be friendly to you in a bar or restaurant, that would hold the door for you when entering a store. But hate you when you ride a bike, legally and safely, in the street.
I would add that I am a perfectly law-abiding cyclist. I never run stop signs or lights (when cars are present) simply because I never want them using that as fodder against me. I, however, do take the lane as the law allows. So all this talk of them hating only the scoff-law cyclists is complete bullshit. They hate cyclists plain and simple.
This needs to change.