As promised, here's a post with some ways to deal with those few drivers who think that they and their needs/wants take precedence over all other things on this earth.

1. The Kensington Thing - I find no fault whatsoever with the courier who returned litter to the driver who had chucked it on the ground. While it is illegal to litter (here in Toronto, anyways, punishable with a $300+ fine), it is not illegal to return litter to who dropped it. This goes for unacceptable behaviour on our roadways too. If no one speaks up and says something about a bad behaviour, it's not going to stop. Don't like litter? Do something about it. Don't like drivers who honk and yell at cyclists? Speak to them. Let them know that cyclists have the same rights as drivers and riding down the middle of a traffic lane in our fair city is completely legal.

2. There were some problems in Portland a couple weeks ago involving a cyclist and a bus. The bus nearly hits a cyclist while passing, and the cyclist catches up to the bus and blocks the bus by parking in front of it. While not advisable (and the cyclist is known to be "passionate" about biking), he was obviously pissed off. The bus driver lets off an ex-boxer (nicknamed "Gator") who proceeds to sucker-punch the cyclist. The bus driver then lets "Gator" back on the bus and drives off, leaving Randy (the cyclist) lying bleeding on the side of the road.

Pretty awful stuff... but Portland biking advocates respond beautifully by launching a "Share the Road" Campaign on the same bridge where Randy was assaulted. This campaign gives out (or "shares") donuts with all the bus drivers, asking nicely, (pretty please) to share the road.

It's a whole "catching more flies with honey than with vinegar thing", I guess. It's far better than the violence that the idiots of our society like to use to resolve any differences.

Finally, the wonderful site BikingBis had a nice poll just after the Portland incident entitled "To Flip Or Not To Flip", and found that over half of respondants don't do anything but focus on the fact that they are out for a nice bikeride. The other half agreed that motorists should be informed of their mistakes.

It's true that there are idiot cyclists out there too (hello sidewalk and against-traffic riders!), but since there are seemingly more cars, the percentages work out to there being more idiot drivers than idiot cyclists.

See, math comes in handy sometimes.

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