Bicycles on the road & why reading the actual law is always wise

Gearheadotaku wrote: Just like I can't drive a steady 75mph on the freeway without slaloming slower traffic and semi's governed to 55mph?

Your analogy is off. The difference is in the speed ratio, not the actual number so it's more like trying to slalom through traffic that's going 55 mph while you're doing 200. I'm sorry, if you're not a seasoned cyclist and haven't tried riding a bike on a sidewalk, you really don't know what you're talking about. I'll take my chances with cars... every... berking... time.

Threads like this should get added to the banned topic list... always turns into a bitch-fest...

I'm not going to go into rant mode but I ride a few times a week on the road. I ride as far to the right as I can. I always signal with my arms when turning from a stop sign. If I am on a narrow road and there is traffic behind me who wants to pass, I will try and pull into a drive way and get out of the way so they can pass and be on their way. A couple added seconds to my ride isn't going to hurt. There are bad cyclists and bad drivers who ruin it for both sides. I don't like riding in some groups because they ride two or three abreast and take over the road or they don't stop at stop signs/traffic lights and are just total asshats. Also, there are drivers who don't give any room for passing or pull right out in front of me from a driveway or side street with no regard or not even looking. I haven't had anything thrown at me but I have gotten the bird flipped at me a few times. I don't ride with the intention of trying to take over the road. Hell, I am riding a 20lb bike and people are in 3,000lb vehicles. I know who would win this battle.

In regards to riding on the sidewalk, it is illegal in some places and also a hazard. People on the sidewalk aren't usually paying attention. Also on a path, it is very hard to keep a distant pace when you are dodging runners, walkers, people with strollers, casual hybrid bike riders. Also, if you let people know that you are passing to the left, they usually don't hear you because they have their earphones plugged in and are in their own little world listening to music or they give you the look of death.

That is the end. Back to your regular scheduled programming.

We get them doing 50 mile rides near me. The like to ride 4 and 5 abreast, at times riding past the centerline into oncoming traffic and they refuse to let anyone past, including oncoming traffic. That's idiotic.

I may be a fatty, but I do still ride. Not much on the road as it's boring as hell to me riding mile after mile of flat, straight roads.

carguy123 wrote: I personally think most road riding bike riders are idiots. Who would purposefully go out there in an area covered with faster, bigger moving vehicles when you have zero protection? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Even the slightest mishap cannot go in the favor of the bike rider. Regardless of what the law says I ride on the sidewalks whenever I can since a bike/pedestrian crash has less potential to be deadly than a bike/car crash. I never ride on any road with traffic, especially the 2 lane roads around me. Fortunately I have about 6 miles of private roads in our neighborhood so I can circle them. There's rights and then there's reality. Reality trumps the rule book every time!

the worst ones are the lance armstrong wannabes around here who ride through our beautiful metro park system with hundreds of miles of paved bicycle paths along the road. yet they choose to ride out in the street where there is zero shoulder space. they also choose not to adhere to traffic laws like signaling your turn or stopping at stop signs.

The city where I live has been making designated bike lanes for a couple years. Where there is space they put in a ~6' lane next to the curb. On 2 lane in the same direction they have marked the right lane as a bike lane. When they started this it was made clear that cyclists were to use the bike lane except when making a left turn.

Today I got to see the enforcement of that. I was driving down 7th Street which has a separate bike lane next to the curb. There was a cyclist in the car lane in front of me for several blocks. Then the city cop behind me passed me and pulled him over. Don't know if he got to pay the $40 or not but it is nice that the city is providing a place for cyclists and making sure they stay there.

Looks like I made a few friends last night. Y'all internet people are wound up a bit tight lately.

I'll make a note to not post any opposing opinions or anything in jest from now on.

FWIW, I'm not a spandex-clad, shaved-leg roadie. I'm just a lowly cycle commuter. I stick to neighborhood side streets and one main thoroughfare with a decent sized bike lane. I DO use my hand signals, and I am mindful of my place on the road. I use my lights and wear bright clothing. Yet, nearly everytime I ride to work, I nearly get run down by some asshat in a 4000lb cage looking to shave seconds off their sprint to the Burger-Rama.

I fully agree, a lot of cyclists are complete idiots. Cycling fever is a real thing right now, even with all the bad press from doping. I wouldn't expect it to go away anytime soon. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't lump every man powered two wheel device together.

Every motorcyclist isn't a squid. Every Honda driver isn't a ricer. Every cyclist doesn't fit into your neatly hedged category of Lance Armstrong wannabe.

Mini-rant over. Enjoy your weekend, fellahs.

The biggest problems with bicyclists.. is the pack mentality. One or two together is not bad.. but once you get 5 or more, they feel safer with the numbers and are willing to take a lot of (bad) risks. Like a pack of wild dogs, they "feed" off of each other and do stupider and stupider things.

I rode with a pack once.. sorta. I was able to stay with a pack of roadies on my mountainbike (which really pissed them off) after watching them take over a road and blow lights and stop signs, I decided I wanted to live another day and turned off.

Same reason I stopped going to BMW meets.

mad_machine wrote: ...watching them take over a road and blow lights and stop signs...

Seriously. WTF are some cyclists thinking?

I used to be a pretty heavy cyclist back in high school. It's how I made my 10mile trip there ever day and was my general means of transportation before getting a car. I would always, and still do, follow all road laws.

Blowing a light or stop sign is just inviting yourself to get run over by a car who is expecting that green means go.

Grizz wrote: I think we can all agree that a lot of bike riders shouldn't be allowed within a mile of a pair of spandex shorts.

that would be my fatness... but if I go out to ride more than around with my kids my bibshorts go on... I ride for MY enjoyment... not yours ;-)

In reply to 92dxman:

As for the traffic being bad on the trails ( maybe it's different where you are) if I pick an appropriate time the trails are empty or just have a few daily runners/bicyclists, not bad at all. Then if I pick a little after the dinner hour the trails get more families/annoyances.

For passing I just call "passing on your left", most everyone is respectful of this. They make bells and other noise makers if you don't want to call out by mouth.

One last option you might try is a bike with lower gearing. You could keep the same pace pedaling wise but reduce the stress from slowing and speeding up.

jere wrote: One last option you might try is a bike with lower gearing. You could keep the same pace pedaling wise but reduce the stress from slowing and speeding up.

Did you think about that before you typed it?

I said this on Facebook the other day: road bicycling is like open carry. It's your right, and good for you for exercising that ride, but I'd like to see some discretion on where you exercise that right.

Joey

jeffmx5 wrote: Turnabout is fair play, I suppose... Bicyclist pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of pedestrian in San Francisco crosswalk

He runs over a 71 year old man, and gets no time. It could be reduced to a misdemeanor.

Thanks. Now I have another reason to hate cyclists.

JoeyM wrote: Thanks. Now I have another reason to hate cyclists.

Seriously? Berk you then.

This thread should be locked.

My final thoughts as well.

It might be legal for me as a pedestrian to go play in the middle of the Nurburgring, but it doesn't make a lot of sense.

My life is worth more than my right. It seems most cyclists are out to make a point and not just to enjoy a ride.

Ian F wrote: This thread should be locked.

Because you read something you didn't like on the internet?

Trans_Maro wrote:

Ian F wrote: This thread should be locked.

Because you read something you didn't like on the internet?

No, because every time this subject comes up on this board, it becomes a "us vs. them" bitch fest during which nobody says anything new and nobody will EVER be convinced they are wrong. It's basically instant flounder material. It's worse than berking politics.

No, because every time this subject comes up on this board, it becomes a "us vs. them" bitch fest during which nobody says anything new and nobody will EVER be convinced they are wrong. It's basically instant flounder material. It's worse than berking politics.

it is a little strange vs politics as people that never agree end up on the same side for a rare change lol

So all these people know how these threads end already, yet still open them. Seems logical.

turbojunker wrote: So all these people know how these threads end already, yet still open them. Seems logical.

Yeah... It's like road kill... I don't want to look, but...

Yep... It's a dead horse... Nothing to see here... Move along...

Sports cars, mountain bikes, motorcycles, racetracks, etc. All things that interest people on this board but a lot of the general population can't stand or think are a menace to society. One minority group griping about another.

This is worse than politics. It's more like the gun debate and there will never be a middle ground.

I like threads like this one.

It's kinda fun to watch as an OP talks about the behavior of some people and then the shiny-happy respondents go ballistic by feigning outrage about all people. Should I ever I meet some you in person, I've already got an idea on who/what to avoid or who can be easily tweaked into an engorged vessel of self-appointed authority.

Thanks, guys.

In reply to Ian F:

Lower gearing and knobby tires do well for road bikes on small gravel trails. Most road bikes have higher gearing for the smoother road. I am wrong here, if so just say as much

Actually, this thread was opened with regards to the significance of reading the law, not just going on hearsay and such.