Out of anger, it got me thinking: Cycling is surprisingly risky.
I don't blame myself though since, contrary to my Facebook posts of me "driving liek a B-word", I consider myself an objectively good driver and cyclist.
I'm talking about the life-threatening rubbish haunting the roads of Metro Manila, the capital of the Philippines.
I wanna release my rage now, so let's get started:
Stray Dogs
No offense to any dog lovers who read this.
I have always been afraid of dogs since I was a kid.
Both my previous and current neighborhoods are filled to the brim with dog owners--around 60% of the households had dogs. They bark loudly every time they see a person.
But the neighborhoods don't just have owned dogs--they have loads of stray dogs. While I admit they're not as hostile as owned dogs, I'm still paranoid of them attacking because I've seen two events of stray dogs running after motorbike riders. On the other hand, I'm afraid of blood, so I don't want to run over a stray dog even if it blocks my way through the road.
Also, I've had nightmares and real-life events of me being chased by dogs. I even got bitten in one nightmare.
Dogs aren't a big deal if I'm in a wide, open road where I can go around them while outspeeding them, but, in combination with bad drivers and/or large crowds of pedestrians, dogs are extremely hard to evade when provoked, unless the cyclist doesn't care about other pedestrians or drivers.
So, for the love of all that is good, train your dogs to behave properly. If you work in law enforcement or have a high political rank, help bring these stray dogs to an animal shelter.
Edit, October 13, 2018: I got chased by a stray dog near two schools while cycling. I shouted swear words in panic and "OUT OF MY WAY!" to pedestrians as I cycled at high speed.
It's hard to follow road rules with these menaces in the way.
And, in case someone tells me to train to fight against dogs, thanks, I'll look into it, but I'm more afraid of dogs than I am of knives and guns.
Edit, October 13, 2018: I got chased by a stray dog near two schools while cycling. I shouted swear words in panic and "OUT OF MY WAY!" to pedestrians as I cycled at high speed.
It's hard to follow road rules with these menaces in the way.
And, in case someone tells me to train to fight against dogs, thanks, I'll look into it, but I'm more afraid of dogs than I am of knives and guns.
BAD DRIVERS!
Thank goodness for MandJTV and my driving instructor informing me about the types of bad drivers, because now I can adapt to them accordingly. Let's just hope none of them drive exactly like GTA players, because those drivers are tough as nails to evade.
Bad drivers in general think they have the road all to themselves, so they disregard other drivers as they move. Like Michael Groth (2017) from MandJTV said, they change lanes without signaling even if there are other drivers in the other lane at high speed, and they don't let others into their lanes.
The above are not a big deal since I can evade vehicles with my fast reflexes and small bicycle. They are annoying while I'm driving a car, especially the ones on motorbikes.
But, in busy roads where I can't see the vehicles surrounding me because of large vehicles like trucks and buses blocking my view, overtaking and swerving motorcyclists become a massive problem. Since my bike doesn't have mirrors, I have to turn my head frequently in order to react, and that hurts my neck.
I've also seen lots of news reports of cyclists getting road-killed and trucks not braking properly.
Edit: I also see a lot of drivers who don't use their turn signal when making a turn, even though I'm close to them. You've got to be kidding me.
Bad drivers in general think they have the road all to themselves, so they disregard other drivers as they move. Like Michael Groth (2017) from MandJTV said, they change lanes without signaling even if there are other drivers in the other lane at high speed, and they don't let others into their lanes.
The above are not a big deal since I can evade vehicles with my fast reflexes and small bicycle. They are annoying while I'm driving a car, especially the ones on motorbikes.
But, in busy roads where I can't see the vehicles surrounding me because of large vehicles like trucks and buses blocking my view, overtaking and swerving motorcyclists become a massive problem. Since my bike doesn't have mirrors, I have to turn my head frequently in order to react, and that hurts my neck.
I've also seen lots of news reports of cyclists getting road-killed and trucks not braking properly.
Edit: I also see a lot of drivers who don't use their turn signal when making a turn, even though I'm close to them. You've got to be kidding me.
Criminals
Stray dogs and bad drivers are easy to avoid since they are somewhat predictable and they're not persistent in trying to harm others. Once the stray dog calms down or the bad driver speeds off, they're no longer a problem.
But criminals are a whole different story. They're the most dangerous hazard to cyclists since they're persistent--they usually won't stop until they successfully steal or kill.
Sneaky tactics like pickpocketing usually won't work on me because I watch my surroundings frequently, especially during a stop light, since beggars and street vendors are notorious for getting drivers' attention during stop lights here in Metro Manila. I also put my arms around my bags while stopping so that I can feel sudden movements like a hand reaching into my stuff. I also know a lot of common scams, so they can't talk their way into making me give my stuff. I'm lazy to reply, after all.
However, sneaky tactics become more dangerous in busy roads with slow-moving vehicles where I have to react properly to other drivers and pedestrians, or even stray dogs. I have to keep moving to avoid being a sitting duck and allow other drivers to move, while not provoking stray dogs (and being ready to kick them if they do attack). I can't grasp my backpack while holding the handlebars, or else I will lose balance. This gives pickpockets a chance to exploit my divided attention.
Violent crimes are the most dangerous threats since they are incredibly difficult to avoid.
I know martial arts, so I have no problem if the attackers come at me with fists. And, while I'm afraid of bladed melee weapons, I can simply avoid them by cycling away. Rock throws are also easy to dodge, despite being ranged attacks.
But, considering the horribly common news reports of guns, grenades, and illegal drugs being confiscated from suspects, I am extremely paranoid of gunmen. Unlike a car, which can endure a bullet or two without letting the driver die, cyclists are completely vulnerable to guns. Even if I cycle away, there's no way I can dodge bullets, and even if I miraculously survive, I still have to weave in and out of traffic due to fear, endangering myself and other drivers in the process.
In conclusion...
Respect and protect the world's cyclists. We save the world by promoting an eco-friendly yet fast and muscle-building method of transportation.
Keep your dogs in line, give way to other drivers and cyclists, and stop using or selling illegal drugs.
Also keep your cars well-maintained because the lack of brake fluid TRIGGERS me.
TL;DR summary: Cycling is risky because of stray dogs potentially biting, bad drivers who don't give way and risk bumping others, and criminals who will usually stop at nothing to steal from or kill cyclists.
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