Fu*king Cyclists

[abraham]

My hope is it's a form of Darwinian self selection. It's hard to see that concrete wall in front of you while watching your videos

I've now seen porn twice in traffic as I walk by in the morning. And some people playing pokemon go, and shitty telenovelas, and, and.....

[muted]

If I only used roads with shoulders I pretty much wouldn't be able to ride a bike.

Not sure anyone cares about this but you.

And sorry, I'm not going to hug the edge of the dirt so I can have cars going by me with inches to spare. Without a shoulder there is not room for a bike and a passing car to fit in one lane. All I'm doing is riding maybe 2 feet from the white line, I don't think that suddenly makes me a "lane hogging traffic cop," I just want cars to give me some space and maybe slow down a bit.

Sounds good on occasion when your safety is compromised. To do this for an entire ride is an asshole move.

Another thing, does it take longer to pass 15 bikes all in a single file line, or 15 bikes in a shorter but wider group?

If they were in the shoulder, because group rides should pick safe routes, this is not an issue. And absolutely in some circumsatances it is faster to pass riders in a single line with no shoulder, than a pack.

My philosophy while road riding is "Just because I can, doesn't mean I should". Think about it.

[Art Shirk]

Biker: Treat me like a vehicle
Me: Act like a vehicle
Biker: No

[huckbucket]

Me: Act like a vehicle

Other than stopping at stop signs and not blowing lights, what does this mean? Cause acting like a vehicle means taking the lane and keeping the lane. That's not going over so well in this thread.

[Sirshredalot]

Other than stopping at stop signs and not blowing lights, what does this mean? Cause acting like a vehicle means taking the lane and keeping the lane. That's not going over so well in this thread.

Acting like the automobile drivers means getting wasted and texting while blowing stop signs and traffic lights, if we want to get pedantic about it.

[Art Shirk]

Other than stopping at stop signs and not blowing lights, what does this mean? Cause acting like a vehicle means taking the lane and keeping the lane. That's not going over so well in this thread.

I was more responding to Bmills frustrations with waiting for bikes to blow stop signs. So yes, I mainly mean blowing lights and stop signs. But I would add crosswalk ignorance to the list. But to your point, if my vehicle only went 15mph in a 50 mph area, I might consider that my choice to operate it on that road was the overarching issue.

[narc]

I regularly have to watch getting run over by them crossing the road at pedestrian crossings in London. Apparently they think red lights don't apply to bikes, one got his just desserts recently when I stepped out and he went over the bars as he anchored on.

Some roads really cannot take bikes and cars safely which is a real problem. Country roads with blind corners are the worst, it is ridiculous to expect cars to crawl along a 60mph road at 15mph in case there is a bike half way around the corner and an oncoming car in the other direction.

[Soups]

My philosophy while road riding is "Just because I can, doesn't mean I should". Think about it.

I wish this would resonate in everyone's head.

I'm not a road biker but I do ride in downtown Denver on occasion. It always amazes me when riders will ride on a one lane, one-way street with parked cars on both sides and one block over is a street with a dedicated bike lane. Nothing like going up a hill at 8-10mph with no safe way to pass because some dumbass couldn't be bothered to ride one block over.

[::: :::]

there is certainly no right to hold an intersection to keep the group together
and
regarding pelotons, there really aren't any legal rights to use the roads as a recreational race way
so the competitive rides are basically fucked and taking their chances riding that way
smarter route planning is part of better group rides

[digitaldeath]

I wish this would resonate in everyone's head.

I'm not a road biker but I do ride in downtown Denver on occasion. It always amazes me when riders will ride on a one lane, one-way street with parked cars on both sides and one block over is a street with a dedicated bike lane. Nothing like going up a hill at 8-10mph with no safe way to pass because some dumbass couldn't be bothered to ride one block over.

this happens in my city like crazy

funny thing is the only people doing it are women

several have perished on a specific street like you describe




When im biking on city streets my top priority is getting out of cars way and giving them right of way - if they behind me i ride the curb slowly and allow them to pass - or jump to sidewalk for portions of ride

[The SnowShow]

It goes both ways. This asshole was caught on camera a few weeks ago:

https://youtu.be/RuYO8Tsmhv8

[Soups]

When im biking on city streets my top priority is getting out of cars way and giving them right of way - if they behind me i ride the curb slowly and allow them to pass - or jump to sidewalk for portions of ride

Exact same here. My 185lb of ego and rights as a cyclist don't mean shit to a 2000lb battering ram with a possible cycle hater or clueless person behind it.

[huckbucket]

there is certainly no right to hold an intersection to keep the group together
and
regarding pelotons, there really aren't any legal rights to use the roads as a recreational race way
so the competitive rides are basically fucked and taking their chances riding that way
smarter route planning is part of better group rides

All true and the reason why many towns have laws prohibiting more than two-wide. I remember a really stupid road race years ago where the organizers limited us to two-wide or risk getting kicked out.

[::: :::]

if my vehicle only went 15mph in a 50 mph area, I might consider that my choice to operate it on that road was the overarching issue.

i understand where you're coming from, but

this same logic would say to keep farm equipment off developed roadways...sorry farmers!

or that not only could a peloton blow down the road in front of a school at 25mph, but that that is exactly where they should ride.
think of all the 35mph or less roadway environments and confine recreational racers to those streets...i don't think that would go over well

it's notable that we don't have minimum speed limits

i don't believe you're arguing it that way, but i also think you may not have considered it as fully as you might




it definitely falls back to treating people fairly on the road -- it goes both/all ways

[::: :::]

I regularly have to watch getting run over by them crossing the road at pedestrian crossings in London. Apparently they think red lights don't apply to bikes, one got his just desserts recently when I stepped out and he went over the bars as he anchored on.

Some roads really cannot take bikes and cars safely which is a real problem. Country roads with blind corners are the worst, it is ridiculous to expect cars to crawl along a 60mph road at 15mph in case there is a bike half way around the corner and an oncoming car in the other direction.

i'm amazed that cyclists are able to share the road at all in the UK given the roadway widths. even without shoulders, US roads are huge in comparison (and, well, vehicles are too).

i did a drive through scotland that had my american passengers cringing at how close other vehicles were to us on rural two lane highways

[muted]

i understand where you're coming from, but

this same logic would say to keep farm equipment off developed roadways...sorry farmers!

The same logic doesn't apply to farmers at all. They are trying to get a job done, driving short distances from one field to another. If they were riding side-by-side chatting it up, then that's different. Or riding in the middle of the road instead of trying to be as far right as possible...safely.

And I want to eat their vegetables.

[BmillsSkier]

it goes both/all ways

Stop it. This is TGR damnit and if you don't take a side and irrationally defend it at all costs then you're ruining it for the rest of us.

Looks like I'm going to have to cook up a banger of a vegan-commercial farming-wolf-reintroduction-paleo-Subaru thread.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

What I've learned in this thread is that bike nazis don't realize that it's a cyclists obligation not to impede traffic, most "cyclists" are self centered cunts and lack a self preservation instinct. I'm looking at this from a decades long perspective as a bike commuter(10+ years in the Bay Area alone) and recreational road cyclist. I can't believe the choices I see road bikers making on route selection when there is almost always a safer and more pleasant option. They must be lazy, stupid or both.

[digitaldeath]

Exact same here. My 185lb of ego and rights as a cyclist don't mean shit to a 2000lb battering ram with a possible cycle hater or clueless person behind it.

average car weight is more like 4000lbs

only came to this thread after seeing a soups818 post

[narc]

i'm amazed that cyclists are able to share the road at all in the UK given the roadway widths. even without shoulders, US roads are huge in comparison (and, well, vehicles are too).

i did a drive through scotland that had my american passengers cringing at how close other vehicles were to us on rural two lane highways

Yeah, our country roads also have loads of bends and corners with no slightlines (hedgerows/trees) which all make cycling them pretty hazardous especially as car sizes just get bigger and bigger and people's SUV fetish continues. Many of our residential roads we can't get cars going in opposite directions past at once due to parked cars which tends on panic US drivers! Our motorway lanes are also being reduced in width in widening measures to get additional lanes in.

My cousins learned to drive in the US (Colorado) and when they moved back here all had to basically start from scratch with lessons they were so scared of how packed in the traffic was.

[PNWbrit]

a banger of a vegan

Are they gluten free though?

[BmillsSkier]

Are they gluten free though?

You'll have to weigh in on the next thread to find out!

[From_the_NEK]

Yeah, our country roads also have loads of bends and corners with no slightlines (hedgerows/trees) which all make cycling them pretty hazardous especially as car sizes just get bigger and bigger and people's SUV fetish continues. Many of our residential roads we can't get cars going in opposite directions past at once due to parked cars which tends on panic US drivers! Our motorway lanes are also being reduced in width in widening measures to get additional lanes in.

My cousins learned to drive in the US (Colorado) and when they moved back here all had to basically start from scratch with lessons they were so scared of how packed in the traffic was.

How does the UK produce so many world class cyclists?
Maybe it is because the ones that survive are able ride at the same speed as the cars?

[KQ]

i'm not sure you can claim ROW at 50mph when approaching an intersection
imagine standing in front of a judge saying that

All you can do is drive responsibly and know that other road users won't be predictable



i totally understand the frustration
i drive around groups of cyclists too

You've combined two of my posts that aren't discussing the same roads or situations.

Road I was on where I was seeking input to right of way is posted 50mph. There is no change/reduction posted as you approach that particular intersection which, as I noted is essentially a "T" with no signage what-so-ever. I was traveling along the top of the "T" the cyclists were perpendicular to me. It is in eastern Washington.

The other discussion was about a road in western Washington in the Snohomish Valley that is particularly hard to navigate even when it's doesn't have multiple modes of transportation moving along it.

Most of the folks frothing over cyclists breaking the law break the law themselves. It's just that sometimes cyclists break the law in different ways than drivers do. Are cyclists doing things like rolling though stop signs disproportionately versus cars speeding, texting, honking, not yielding to pedestrians, etc. ?

Didn't your mother ever tell you two wrongs don't make a right?

[GoldMember]

On road 1 where you're continuing in a straight line and they are nearing the end of their section and have to turn onto yours, you have the ROW. Two reasons; it's the law AND you're driving a large farm truck at 50 mph and they're on bicycles. I'm a cyclist and would abide by reason #2, personally.

I've been involved in a bike/car collision and it's not fun for the cyclist, i.e., me. Woman went past me then made a right hand turn (no signal) right in front of me. I hit her rear quarter panel and went over the trunk of her car, splatting on pavement. Fortunately for her, my impact didn't do any damage to her car. I, on the other hand. had road rash all up my left leg, left arm and shoulder, and a chipped bone in my elbow. Her reasoning was that she thought she could beat me around the corner. Wrong! I am always leery of stupid drivers, now more so than ever but I also pretty much quit road riding after that and stick to the dirt. Hence, my belief that reason #2 above should be heeded.