It all looks the same to me...

[normzone]

I'm referring to a BMW car driver:

a) inching forward down the driveway as you're coming up the road, getting ready to go as soon as you're past
b) shooting out of the driveway as you're approaching, but only planning to cross two lanes and wait in the turn lane until you're past
c) not even being aware that you're there and pulling out

So I've chosen to err on the side of caution and assume the worst.

At lunch some clown did what I THINK was b), but when I nailed the brake and stopped before I got there he said "Oh well, might as well take it all" and came all the way across and up to the light.

I count it points for me that I:

d) did not take it at face value, but assumed the worst
e) did not take it up with him at the light, but restrained myself to reasonably quiet unsportsmanlike commentary while I sat behind him at the light.

He and his lady companion did the " I am not aware that you are even there " routine.

It sure is good for five minutes of adrenaline though...

[Lannis]

One of the biggest gripes I have about drivers, especially drivers coming out from a side road on one's right.

Even my sainted mother, who had 66 years of driving without any tickets or accidents, used to do this, and I would "give her down the river" about it, but I don't think she ever understood the concern.

And that's drivers who are waiting to pull out into your path, and start moving before you get there!

I KNOW what they're trying to do - get a "hole shot" on their pull-out into the road AFTER you pass.   But how can I tell?   Their behavior is exactly the same as that of a drunk or cell-zombie who doesn't see me and is going to pull RIGHT out in front of me, in a way I can't avoid, when I'm 30 feet away (.5 second at 50 MPH), and I have to assume that's what they're going to do.

Maybe in an air-bag equipped car, I'm not so concerned; after all, if he DOES pull out and I center punch his driver's door in the Subaru, HE'S the one at risk of dying, not me.

But when I'm on the bike, it's all me.  And I get on the brakes, and maintain eye contact with the driver, and I STAY on the brakes until his car is completely stopped.   Sometime I almost come to a stop in front of him (if it's safe behind me, and it usually is or he wouldn't be rolling in the first place).  

Maybe they figure it out, maybe not, but you can't take the chance.  You guess wrong, you're dead or in whatever shape your body will be in after you've peeled the roof off his car with it ....

Lannis

[AGRO!]

I hate how drivers do the I didnt see you routine they look at you then pull out look straight ahead and wait for the crunch of your bike if you cant stop.
Just think how many riders do you know of that have pulled out in front of a bike causing a crash?
I dont know any so me thinks that drivers who have never ridden just dont give a care about bikes.

[Spuddy]

Whether or not they know it, they're out to get ya.  I try to wave at every one that doesn't.  Just trying to put a human face on that, and maybe other dern motorcycles.

[Wayne Orwig]

  Sometime I almost come to a stop in front of him (if it's safe behind me, and it usually is or he wouldn't be rolling in the first place).  

I do this often. Their rush to build up inertia to get to speed behind me, may be them pulling into me to kill me. So I slow WAY down to protect myself. Usually resulting in them losing many seconds, as opposed to them gaining a fraction of a second.

[canuguzzi]

I always let them go even if it means stopping. Otherwise, those are the idiots that at the next light and being behind you, keep inching forward until they tap your rear wheel.

[Penderic]

I hate driving in traffic ..... nowadays it seems it is a competition for road space......

Piss off, you, young Whipper Snapper! ::(

[AGRO!]

I hate driving in traffic ..... nowadays it seems it is a competition for road space......

Piss off, you, young Whipper Snapper! ::(

 ;D

[Idontwantapickle]

I hate driving in traffic ..... nowadays it seems it is a competition for road space......

Piss off, you, young Whipper Snapper! ::(

Heh. I think I'd hose that guy with the windshield washer.

[rodekyll]

I'd hate to have that on my windshield at the crash site.

[normzone]

And it just happened again at the exact same site, only this clown just took four of five lanes at one shot and put it right next to me.

Or where I would have been if I hadn't already nailed the brakes and nosed it into the bicycle lane.

Refresh my memory...we don't do yelling at people any more, right? I'm struggling to remember why not.

Some of this is the nature of the location. The freeway dumps off about 25 feet from there, and your chances of getting out of that parking lot exit are so slim that people make desperate moves.

[HDGoose]

And it just happened again at the exact same site, only this clown just took four of five lanes at one shot and put it right next to me.

Or where I would have been if I hadn't already nailed the brakes and nosed it into the bicycle lane.

Refresh my memory...we don't do yelling at people any more, right? I'm struggling to remember why not.

Some of this is the nature of the location. The freeway dumps off about 25 feet from there, and your chances of getting out of that parking lot exit are so slim that people make desperate moves.

Most cars for years have detachable mirrors. The powered mirrors dangle on the cables and bounce all over the side of the vehicle as an added bonus!

[Chuck in Indiana]

And it just happened again at the exact same site, only this clown just took four of five lanes at one shot and put it right next to me.

Or where I would have been if I hadn't already nailed the brakes and nosed it into the bicycle lane.

Refresh my memory...we don't do yelling at people any more, right? I'm struggling to remember why not.

Some of this is the nature of the location. The freeway dumps off about 25 feet from there, and your chances of getting out of that parking lot exit are so slim that people make desperate moves.

You need to find a different route. Seriously..

[LaMojo]

Yeah -  No kidding!

[Lannis]

You need to find a different route. Seriously..

I was thinking "different place to live", but "different route to work" would be a less invasive first step to safety and sanity!!

You'll never fix the road, you'll never make people into better drivers, you'll never reduce your vulnerability on a bike, so I think you should change the part you CAN change before some cell cyborg gets you ....

Lannis

[Carlo DeSantis]

You need to find a different route. Seriously..

And maybe think about making your feelings known to whatever regulatory authority can do something about controlling the traffic problem.  No one wants more stoplights, but sometimes they are necessary.  Hard to believe the traffic engineers could miss something this egregious.

Best,

Carlo