The Chainlink

You come to a stop at a red light and wait. Then another cyclist comes up on your side and, without their feet leaving the pedals, slowly creeps forward into the intersection in anticipation of the green light and then when they are finally about 2 bike lengths into the intersection (hit by cross-traffic territory) the light turns green and we all go.   Is there a word for this?

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Then don't start one.

Friggin' prig.

The biggest problem with The Chainlink, IMHO, is this propensity for self-righteousness in all its manifestations.

If you have a point to make that doesn't involve name--calling, I'll be happy to consider it.

The point was found in the second line. Dig.

You really think drivers who do dangerously aggressive things do them because other riders don't follow the rules exactly and not because they're angry jerks in general?  I watch people drive all day, mostly from a truck in traffic.  Some people are terrible, aggressive and dangerous in general without a bike in sight.

I am not sure how a person cheating a light directly affects your safety but I am vaguely interested to hear it.

I think drivers who act with hostility towards cyclists do so for lots of reasons, including sometimes just being angry jerks.  Another reason is that they're frustrated with cyclists who ride poorly and create dangerous situations.  This carries over to their attitude towards cyclists in general.  Both things are true.

As far as cyclists cheating red lights are concerned, I've seen, both driving and riding, bicyclists get hit that way, along with lots of drivers having to serve and slam on brakes when they had the right of way.  I have also, as a cyclists, been hit by other cyclists running red lights and entering intersections prematurely.  Especially in difficult riding conditions like the Loop.  So yes, the way that other people cycle directly affects my safety.

I have witnessed and experienced situations where a driver who got ticked off at one cyclist ended up taking it out on the next one. 

I also have knowledge of crash cases where someone had serious injuries after a driver took it out on that person after having a confrontation or getting ticked off by another cyclist just before the crash. It's real. It happens. Maybe not all the time, but it's not an imaginary problem.

And the motorist is not ultimately responsible for their rage/violence because a previous cyclist was breakin' the rules, was unruly, or was an asshat. Right.

Wrong. The driver's choice to indulge in violent road raging behavior IS their responsibility. The point is that what one cyclist does may tip that driver over the edge, and another cyclist can end up being the target of that rage. 

And how far back do we trace the line of causality?  Prenatal care? The flapping of a butterfly's wings?

As far as tipping a driver over the edge, you mean like saying "Nice Stop" sarcastically? 

Exactly. 

It's called "how I roll."

I'm a creeper, I'm a peeper, I'm a late morning sleeper (sung to the tune of Steve Miller's "The Joker."

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