Monday, June 11, 2007

Of bicycles and 4x4

<idle musing>
This weekend, Debbie and I were riding on busier roads than usual and a trend emerged. Nearly every time a large 4x4 passed us, they seemed to feel obligated to gun the engine. If it were only the ones passing us, I can somewhat understand it; it makes sense that you want to get past as soon as possible and get back in your lane—although a vehicle going 50-60 mph passing a bicycle doing 15-20 mph doesn’t need to accelerate very much. But, the oncoming vehicles, why should they need to gun their engines? It’s not like they are passing us!

So, I ask, what is it about a bicycle that causes the driver of a 4x4 to feel the need to gun their engine? It certainly can’t be that we are a threat to them, can it? When was the last time you saw a bicycle pass one? It must be something deeper. Could it be that it reveals the secondary nature of the power they control? Is a bicycle a threat to their masculinity, so much so that they have to reassure themselves by gunning the engine? Perhaps “muscle trucks” is a misnomer and they should be called muscle-less trucks : )

Just an idle musing on a Monday morning
</idle musing>

2 comments:

Andy said...

There is joy in noise, horsepower, and speed. (You drive a Geo Metro. You don't know about that.) There is joy in quietly getting somewhere under your own power. And, of course, there's a certain sense of fun in needling people who don't choose to enjoy the same things. Seems you're just as guilty as they are, James. :-)

Eric Welch said...

I'm sure the riders up here deal with the same thing. The road between the seminary and our town is narrow and winding with plenty of hills. It's fun on a bike, but even more fun zooming in a car. In the summer we have to crank up the caution because there are so many people on bikes. Your post is a good reminder to give the riders a little respect.

Oh, and thanks for the heads up on the back to school sale!