Good stuff, Ernest. I see you have diffused things with a winky-smiley again. ;) Seriously though, I am with you on this one, even though I'm sure all this won't resonate too well with most of the list (which is afterall made up of car enthusiasts).
Note: Soapbox being mounted. Yeah, the running of stop signs, etc. is something that drivers get hung up on a lot. Actually I had a bicycle vs. bicycle stop sign conflict the other day as the slew of ferry riders blew through a four way stop even though I was there waiting my turn before some of them. I'm not for that type of behavior. The thing is: People (drivers) run stop signs all day long, every day. And overall, by my rough estimation, drivers only use turn signals about half the time. (most non-signal-ers are just not thinking about it, though there are definitely those who view signaling as a sign of weakness or as something that they are "above". (nobody is going to admit this, even to themselves, but think about it). Why does that operator of the Jaguar in downtown Minneapolis or Chicago or Seattle at night not use his signal? Well, you just don't! It's a foregone conclusion. The worst group may be the youngest drivers for whom signaling is totally lame. How can you drive like a gangsta or a playa if you use your signal? That ain't dope, yo). I've even seen it humorously acknowledged in a sitcom that using turn signals is lame. And I see cops blow off using turn signals pretty often. So I don't agree with the big hangup that drivers have with a bicyclist blowing off a traffic law. The point is that laws are blatently broken all the time. So I don't get too worried that I am troubling a driver with my running a stop sign. Drivers see a bicycle running a stop sign as somehow unfair probably due to their feeling of emnitiy with us in the first place, and because unpredictable or otherwise wiley behavior by cylcists makes them feel that we are placing them at risk of hitting us which is very unsettling and maddening for them. I do try quite hard not to irritate drivers, and do go to the trouble of making a show of respect for my fellow man when time allows. I am not interested in causing consternation for anyone. But truth told, in my mind, someone who is piloting a Suburban when they could have either ridden a bike or carpooled or driven something less road-hogging and gas guzzling, has some ground to make up with me already. Brian _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
