this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2024
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Fuck Cars

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[–] misk@sopuli.xyz 66 points 5 months ago

This is normal day for a bmw driver.

[–] OpenStars@discuss.online 63 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I know this is fuckcars, but that's not even a car thing - it's a human thing, and all the worse for it:-(.

The thing is, if you both were on a bike, the interaction would have so much less potential to have become accidentally deadly:-).

[–] veganpizza69@lemmy.vg 53 points 5 months ago (1 children)

cars bring out the worst in people.

[–] OpenStars@discuss.online 23 points 5 months ago (6 children)

Yup. Ironically I think it's that feeling of pseudoanonymity that does it, which seems backed up by how people often behave online. It allows someone's true colors to come out, whatever they may be.

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[–] dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net 27 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I think cars and car culture are inextricably linked to this kind of behavior, and it gets worse with bigger cars. People definitely can ride bikes like assholes but it’s less common-something about having zero barriers between a person and the world makes them less susceptible to acting like the world isn’t there.

[–] OpenStars@discuss.online 14 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Driving around in a climate controlled cockpit with surround stereo, splashing rain and mud on all those who they pass by, while laughing at "the poors" who cannot afford to drive or perhaps soon helicopter around everywhere. It definitely has an effect - bc Power Corrupts.

But it's not solely their fault - the fault is also (or even... primarily?) ours for voting in such a way that so much space is dedicated to these rich assholes, while leaving no room for ourselves.

Though also, I bet this asshole would have been just as douchy if both sides of the conflict here had been walking. So the car made the situation so much worse, rather than creating it.

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[–] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 30 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

When I lived in Calgary I almost got hit at crosswalks jogging with my dog countless times. By the time I moved away I was ready to throw the fuck down every time someone almost killed me or my dog (unless they gave me some sign that they were apologetic, which was very rarely). wtf is wrong with these people? Watch for people not in fucking cars, there’s crosswalks and bike laws for a reason, there’s other people doing shit in the world than just you. And I am not above breaking your mirror off your vehicle if you piss me off.

[–] Albbi@lemmy.ca 10 points 5 months ago (2 children)

There are crosswalk and bike laws, but if you were killed by a car there'd be almost no consequences for the driver. Don't trust any car at a crosswalk and be responsible for your own safety. Take it one lane at a time and make sure the car in that lane is stopped, or at least sees you for sure and you can tell the car is stopping and not getting ready to turn or something like that. Eye contact with the driver.

[–] yonder@sh.itjust.works 9 points 5 months ago

As an additional precaution, authorities also recommend bringing a brick no less than 1kg in mass to show to drivers while crossing.

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[–] rimu@piefed.social 29 points 5 months ago
[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 26 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Tesla drivers have been overtaking (or at least rising to the level of) BMW drivers as the worst on the road.

[–] Marx2k@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 5 months ago

Around here the worst drivers are mostly larger cars. Broncos, wagoneer, range rovers, etc. Tesla drivers sometimes try to get zippy, same as BMW sefan drivers, etc. But the larger car drivers are aggressive af, tailing you reeeeeeeal close for however long it takes before they can whip around you.

[–] the_tab_key@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I don't agree. In fact, the Tesla drivers around me are some of the better drivers. I still hate Tesla though.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 14 points 5 months ago

That has not been my experience at all. I guess we just need more data.

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 23 points 5 months ago (12 children)

ESH IMO, the "Not gonna let them pass me crowd" is almost as dangerous as the wreckless driver crowd. Just let them pass, if you feel they are breaking the law then report them accordingly.

Stop taking the law into your own hands, it's dangerous.

[–] rockSlayer@lemmy.world 42 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It's a one lane one way street, there's nothing to let them pass though. They were just driving responsibly from the sounds of it.

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 17 points 5 months ago (2 children)

on a single file one-way side street with 2 designated bike lanes. He was furious that I wouldn't let him speed past him

The description is weird, but it sounds to me like there's 1 lane for cars and 2 (narrow) bike lanes on either side and the biker was in the middle to prevent him from passing

They were just driving responsibly from the sounds of it.

That may be so, but pulling to the side to let an aggressive driver pass you is the smarter choice. Especially on a bike. Bike vs Car faceoffs usually don't end well for the biker.

[–] Hawke@lemmy.world 19 points 5 months ago (7 children)

You may have missed the part where the driver of the BMW “hopped the curb” “at 70”. I have some doubts about the speed, but if you’re going over a curb at speed to try to pass someone, you’re in the wrong.

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago (4 children)

Never said he wasn't, but the biker was also putting his and his kids life at risk just to make a statement. The same type of aggressive driver who will "hop the curb at 70" are also the same who are unpredictable and could lose it and run you over.

Is taking the law into your own hands just to make a statement really worth your or your children's lives? When you could have just avoided the entire situation by pulling to the side and letting the aggressive driver pass while you noted down the license plate?

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[–] DrunkEngineer@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Most likely one contraflow bike lane, plus one car lane with sharrow, like this.

Also, bike needs to be in the center of the lane to avoid the door-zone.

[–] mindaika@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 5 months ago (2 children)

No, the group of people who don’t kill any people with their vehicles is not “just as dangerous” as the group who kills 25,000+ people/year

[–] hardcoreufo@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I like biking but don't do much of it anymore because of crazy drivers.

I'm sure plenty of pedestrians have been killed by cyclists. I've almost been run over multiple times by spandex warriors running red lights. I'm not convinced if you looked at percentages and not raw numbers you wouldn't find just as many irresponsible cyclists as you do drivers. I see multiple drivers doing something stupid every day and I see a cyclist every week or two doing something stupid. Difference is I see 200 cars a day and 4 cyclists.

The best thing for your safety on a bike is to let the aggressive driver go, not to police them. Antagonizing an irate driver is a recipe for disaster no matter if you are in a car, on a bike or a pedestrian.

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[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 11 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)
[–] SomeoneSomewhere@lemmy.nz 12 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Taking the lane shouldn't be necessary if there are actual bike lanes and you don't need to turn. This sounds like deliberately blocking traffic.

[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 6 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

You may be correct, but if I'm not fully convinced there are proper bike lanes both ways in OOP's post.

If the cyclist provision is a "sharrow" then the bike should be in the centre of the lane. If the cyclist is turning left without proper turning infrastructure they can be in the centre of the lane. If it's a divided lane then they should be on the side.

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[–] Blackout@fedia.io 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Hey it's an entitled little man in the flesh. As a lifelong biker fuck you. My taxes pay for the roads too. Cars are traffic so it makes no sense for them to get impatient and risk the lives of others. The car is the one not obeying the laws.

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago

The car is the one not obeying the laws.

Yes and I said:

if you feel they are breaking the law then report them accordingly.

You're putting your own life in danger when you do crap like that, all it'll take is one aggressive driver having a particularly bad day to run you over. Sure, they'll probably get arrested and face consequences for that, but it won't really matter all that much to you when you're dead.

It's like debating with the "fuck seatbelts" people stg.

[–] theskyisfalling@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 5 months ago (3 children)

It isn't about stubbornly not letting people past it is called riding defensively. People pass far too fucking close in their cars and usually at too high a speed. If you place yourself in a position where they can't pass you until there is enough room to do so safely then it protects yourself more from these idiotic cunts. I couldn't care less if I am pissing you off if it means you aren't going to put my life at risk trying to squeeze past me.

Bikes have as much right to be on the road as cars and if you wanted to could ride right in the middle of the lane and that is still completely within the law if that is what you are so concerned about. In fact being the smaller and more vulnerable of the road users the bike has the right of way in the eyes of the law so the driver, by law, should be giving way to the cyclist. They should also be giving 1.5m of space when they do pass the cyclist which 75% of people don't do.

Most drivers don't know the rules and laws of the road and just make up their own like you are now pretending people are "taking the law into their own hands" because you car brained fucks want to get to where you are going 30 seconds faster.

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[–] PunnyName@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Nah, let em kill me. Fuck it.

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago

I was on my way to my kids school (with bike seat)

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[–] nifty@lemmy.world 21 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

Treating bikers poorly is not just a U.S. thing, I’ve seen it the EU too, pretty nasty interactions. Drivers should be heavily fined for endangering people in more vulnerable situations.

Edit multiple people saying losing driving privileges, I think it usually works that way for repeat offenders. If someone does it once and the fine deters them then mission accomplished

[–] Zementid@feddit.nl 18 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Fined? They shouldn't have the privilege of driving.

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[–] uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 5 months ago

BMW lost any enthusiasm from me when they introduced subscription car features. I think they did it before anyone else.

Now I'm happy to think of BMW as full-throated supporters of the German Reich.

[–] whome@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 5 months ago

I could have written the exact same paragraph even though I live on the other side of the planet. It's crazy how universal this shit seems to be.

[–] Harvey656@lemmy.world 14 points 5 months ago (4 children)

As someone who does enjoy cars, fuck BMW owners, they are always the stupidest, angriest, pettiest drivers on the road. I wouldn't invite one to my wedding.

[–] InputZero@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago

I'm just saying this because yesterday I drove behind a BMW M5 driver who was the exact opposite of an aggressive driver. They were so cautious and considerate of others around them I actually took notice. Broke my world for a moment, I expected them to be a jerk but nope. It was a welcomed weird.

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[–] Flatworm7591@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 5 months ago

Can confirm. Just walked the Camino and everyone I talked to had a bad experience with BMW drivers. The brand is like a dickhead magnet.

[–] OsrsNeedsF2P@lemmy.ml 12 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Anybody have experience adding a dashcam to their bike? I wonder if documenting these cases could help start change

[–] SoGrumpy@lemmy.ml 10 points 5 months ago

Go on 'The Youtube', there are thousands of videos of bicyclists with dash cams in hairy situations.

[–] marzhall@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago (3 children)

There's an app for that - it's called, succinctly, "dashcam for your bike". They sell clip-on phone holders for your bike and do some image stabilization in the video they record, and have integration so you can report people/items blocking the bike lane to the local infrastructure. Would recommend.

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[–] oo1@lemmings.world 11 points 5 months ago

The BMW comes with the special edition highway code has that extra rule at the end.

I didn't think it was true until I was a passenger in one and the driver - whom I previously thought to be a semi-sane human - missed the motorway junction that we wanted; this is no problem at all for BMW, it has hazards and a reversing gear . . . genius!

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Sounds about right. I had a similar encounter with a commercial minivan driver on a 30 kph backstreet in Toronto.

[–] desktop_user@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 5 months ago

nta, the biker was going too slowly unless they were on a step hill, bikes only deserve respect when they are going at least 35 kmh

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 5 points 5 months ago

Why did you have his toddler in the back seat??

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