Please watch for bicycles!

I don't know... as bicycle flounderfests go, this one has been pretty tame... but we're still on the first page...

(until now... )

Basil Exposition wrote: It may not be right and it may not be fair, but these are the reasons I don't ride a bike or a motorcycle in traffic. All the whining and lecturing to drivers and all the penalties in the world won't stop the deaths. It just isn't worth it, people. Get a car or prepare to die. There are on average 5 bike riders killed in our city every year. And who knows how many injuries. They have mass rides occasionally to protest the deaths and to "promote safety." Doesn't change a thing. With the advent of smart phones it has just got worse and has become more and more dangerous even to drive something with four wheels, much less two. Save the motorcycles for country rides and the bikes for places with segregated bike lanes. I love y'all and want you to live to ripe old ages.

^ Exactly. That's why I don't ride my bicycle to work even though it's only around 8 miles away. I have a family to provide for and I can't do that if I'm flat on the road somewhere. It doesn't matter how proactive or cautious I am, all it takes is a momentary lapse on my part or from any driver on the road, regardless of how proactive and cautious they are, and I'm toast.

pinchvalve wrote: That definitely sucks. Can I ask, was he on a road passing parked cars? Meaning, would a passing car have smashed her door? Or did she open it into a bike lane or something without looking? I HATE bicycles riding in the streets, but as a motorcyclist and a vehicle operator, I also hate people who don't look when they open their car door or pull out without looking or signaling. Like em or hate em, you still gotta look out for bikes!

He lives and works in Atlantic City, so an urban setting with row homes, cars parked at the kerb, and not too wide a streets.

I ride a lot, but I won't ride to work or ride in AC. I personally find it an accident waiting to happen. He has been doing it for decades without too much drama

Ian F wrote: I don't know... as bicycle flounderfests go, this one has been pretty tame... but we're still on the first page... (until now... )

I drive. I bike a lot - road, mountain, and commute. Heck, I just started a business selling my own jersey designs. So I'm in this all the time.

In general, I think if everyone would be 15% more considerate of the other person it would all be just fine. Any time I ride in a manner or place that causes a pain in the ass for a driver (taking the whole lane when it's not necessary), I put myself at risk and generally make drivers hate cyclists, so I try not to do that. But many drivers take stupid risks around cyclists when there's not really any pain in the ass involved (passing a rider way too close on an empty road). When driving I try not to do that either. It's really not that hard to make both modes of transport work on the same roads, but some people don't like to share from either side of the coin. I've had two really close calls commuting to work, both with moving cars. One was my fault and one was not but I got lucky both times.

Sorry your friend got hurt, and glad he's doing well. If you ride a bike, like riding a motorcycle, it's bound to happen eventually.

WilD wrote:

Sky_Render wrote:

Ian F wrote: In reply to WilD: Yes and no. I definitely get a "holier than thou" attitude from a lot of fellow cyclists - it's the main reason I ride alone. I drive too much and I get pissed off too when cyclists ride like asshats. "I'm on a bike, therefore I'm better and can be selective about what rules to follow..." Berk that. If you want to be treated with respect on the road, you have to give back as much as possible.

one douchecanoe that felt it was his "right" to ride next to everyone else in the middle of the traffic lane. And he yelled and screamed and cursed and flipped middle fingers at every car that passed him.

I can see this both ways. The guy may have been an shiny happy person, or he may not have been (though it sounds like he was). Maybe he was in the process of re-positioning in their pack. I don't know. What I do know, is that sometimes the middle of the traffic lane is the only safe place to ride in some places and it is the duty of those who want to pass another vehicle to do it in a safe and legal manner. Other road users have just as much right to the lane of travel as anyone else and there is no minimum speed in most places. If the necessity of safely passing other road users or occasionally having to slow down and wait bothers you, I encourage you to do some serious self examination. I used to have similar feelings as you, but I've been trying to have a better attitude and open my mind to a better shared experience for all of us on the road. It has helped calm me down quite a bit while driving.

Never said I was impatient. I have several family and friends who ride bikes, and I always give them a wide berth and wait patiently behind them until I have a safe opportunity to pass. However, this one individual was not passing anyone else in the pack and appeared to be doing nothing other than making it more difficult for cars to pass the group. I unfortunately see that a lot around here: cyclists that seem to be "daring" cars to hit them by doing things that are just unsafe. Why ride in the middle of the road when there is a wide, clearly-defined shoulder or bike path?

Sky_Render wrote: I unfortunately see that a lot around here: cyclists that seem to be "daring" cars to hit them by doing things that are just unsafe. Why ride in the middle of the road when there is a wide, clearly-defined shoulder or bike path?

I can't really answer that... but again... that's why I mainly road-ride alone.

Yeah. Idiots gonna idiot. On a bike or in a car.

In reply to Sky_Render: May well not be the case in this situation, but I have ridden in many areas where the bike lane and/or shoulder were unusable due to broken glass. The cleanest portion of the road is where the passenger side tires of car traffic has swept it clean. Not quite the middle of the lane, but certainly in the traffic flow.

WilD wrote:

Streetwiseguy wrote: Better title might be, "Hey, bicyclists- watch out for hazards." Yes, she was wrong to open the door into traffic. Yes, the biker is in the right. Who got the stitches?

Haha! What you really mean is "Hey cyclists, don't use the roads because motorists have rendered these public thoroughfares unsafe!" No... Members of my family have been harassed while on bicycles, I've been rear-ended by a truck on my motorcycle. Lots of cyclists hit and killed in this state, ditto motorcyclists. An MSP trooper was hit on his patrol bike this morning on the highway and DRAGGED for some distance. I'll be shocked if he survives. I'm tired of this nonchalant attitude entitled motorists have about killing other road users and it has to stop. Even as somewhat of a car enthusiast, I strongly believe there need to be much harsher penalties for "accidents", especially when they involve "vulnerable" road users. We need to get more cars off the road. We need more people taking to the road on bicycles or using mass transit in this country.

Don't you dare put words in my mouth. Who stands to lose in an encounter between a bike and a car? The bicyclist. Who loses between a car and a motorcycle? The biker. Who loses between a car and a pedestrian? Acar and a train? Watch out for your own ass, and understand that stupid people will continue to do stupid things which could have deadly consequences for you.

I try very hard to never leave my life in someone else's hands.

In reply to Basil Exposition:

I actually pulled a muscle for my middle finger today......3 vehicles LOOKED AT ME, then proceeded to pull out anyways, one blew through a red light 10 seconds after it changed(I saw that one coming thankfully), and a group of old people obviously lost since there isn't a buffet with early bird specials here anymore thinking it was acceptable to drive 30 under the limit and stop at every yellow crosswalk sign.....

I don't like the douchebags of any group, I don't weave through traffic, and honestly, I expect retards to do retarded things. I can say, if any one of them had put me down and I was able to get up, I'd probably end them in the name of Darwinism and for the greater good of all society.

Ian F wrote:

Sky_Render wrote: I unfortunately see that a lot around here: cyclists that seem to be "daring" cars to hit them by doing things that are just unsafe. Why ride in the middle of the road when there is a wide, clearly-defined shoulder or bike path?

I can't really answer that... but again... that's why I mainly road-ride alone.

Is the "bike path" one of those turd multi-use paths we talked about in the other thread? I used to complain about bikers riding on the road when there is a path nearby (W&OD in western Loudoun), but now as a biker I totally understand why they do it.

As to why they don't use the shoulder... no idea.

One town over there is a very busy two-lane road, speed limit is 50mph.

They added a separated bike lane, the bike lane has two lanes so it is a two-way lane, it is separated from the main road by three feet of grass boulevard.

Almost every time I drive that road there is some Lance Armstrong wannabee douchebag riding on the road and screwing up traffic.

Invariably the guy will give me the finger when I honk and point out where he should be.

There are dipE36 M3s in every group, unfortunately, they're the ones we all think of when someone mentions that group.

ProDarwin wrote: As to why they don't use the shoulder... no idea.

Lots of roads don't have shoulders to speak of- they are the width of the line, and generally are in bad condition.

Thankfully for us, one of our poor roads was recently re-paved. Great for bikers!

ProDarwin wrote:

Ian F wrote:

Sky_Render wrote: I unfortunately see that a lot around here: cyclists that seem to be "daring" cars to hit them by doing things that are just unsafe. Why ride in the middle of the road when there is a wide, clearly-defined shoulder or bike path?

I can't really answer that... but again... that's why I mainly road-ride alone.

Is the "bike path" one of those turd multi-use paths we talked about in the other thread? I used to complain about bikers riding on the road when there is a path nearby (W&OD in western Loudoun), but now as a biker I totally understand why they do it. As to why they don't use the shoulder... no idea.

I don't know about where everyone else lives, but, where I grew up in IL and here in TX (DFW area) bicycles use a bike lane or ride as close to the right side of the road as possible. Riding on the sidewalk or the shoulder is illegal.

As a rider here in TX I know that if you don't have your head on a swivel you will die. Even the Mayor of Ft. Worth got run off the road while on a ride,

In reply to Trans_Maro: Technically the biker has every right to be on the road- in most states.

"where he should be" is optional.

I know I would (and have chosen that path). But I also would not condemn a biker for legally being on the road. Just drive by- if those 30 seconds are that important, drive a little faster after you pass him.

In reply to Streetwiseguy:

In all seriousness, I either don't understand what you ARE saying, or I do and I very much don't understand why you are saying it.

I understand the virtue of looking out for oneself, but shouldn't we look out for each other as well? This is an auto focused forum, I assume everyone here should be watching out for bicycles. Would you post on a firearms forum that people accidentally shot while taking a walk should have been looking out for bullets when someone else posts about ensuring you have a safe backstop when shooting?

In reply to alfadriver:

Right or not, it really shows the mentality of a person when you give them a safer, faster and smarter option but they still choose not to use it.

You can't "just drive by" on this busy stretch of two-lane road because the traffic is so heavy. That's why the separated bike lane.

These people are just attention whores.

Speaking of bike doin's, there's a big one in my home town this weekend: Hotter'N Hell 100.

I think I'll avoid it.

Kia_Racer wrote: I don't know about where everyone else lives, but, where I grew up in IL and here in TX (DFW area) bicycles use a bike lane or ride as close to the right side of the road as possible. Riding on the sidewalk or the shoulder is illegal.

That's basically the law in Texas, anyway. Some exceptions. Not a lot of people seem to know it.

I know bicycles have the right to be on the road, but, for me, there is zero chance I'd ever ride on a road with a speed limit higher than 25. Others are welcome to it, but the stupid stuff I see other drivers do, stupid stuff I've accidentally done... Not worth the risk in my opinion. Others may find more benefit vs the risk, but not to me.

Joey

ProDarwin wrote: Is the "bike path" one of those turd multi-use paths we talked about in the other thread? I used to complain about bikers riding on the road when there is a path nearby (W&OD in western Loudoun), but now as a biker I totally understand why they do it.

Yes. Most of my teammates live in the DC area and I know the W&OD trail well. It's berkin' deadly. In Philly we have the Schuylkill River Trail. I used to ride on it years ago and it wasn't too bad... but friends who live in Philly say it's gotten exponentially worse with traffic.

slantvaliant wrote: Speaking of bike doin's, there's a big one in my home town this weekend: Hotter'N Hell 100. I think I'll avoid it.

Berk... I'd avoid that too... even on a bike.

In reply to WilD:

I drive small cars, generally cars old enough that I will die in an encounter with a brodozer.I accept responsibility for my own actions, in that if I am run over by a douchebag, I will try to get well enough to hunt him down and kill him, but I also realize my own decisions caused the situation to be worse than it might have been.

I have never hit a bicyclist, I don't curse them too hard unless they suddenly decide to become pedestrians when the situation suits them. I ride a bicycle, but I never go on busy streets, because I think it is a very bad decision, and its not worth the risk to me.

I have made it to 55 by not trusting the actions of other people when they could put me at risk. It has served me well on the street, on the roadrace track, on the stock car track, and at work. Riding a bicycle alongside parked cars at a speed that doesn't allow me to react in time is a risk I choose not to take. Your friend does not deserve to get stitches, but he placed himself in a situation where its a distinct possibility.

Ian F wrote: I don't know... as bicycle flounderfests go, this one has been pretty tame... but we're still on the first page... (until now... )

Sorry, you called?

I'm currently disturbing Seattle with my presence, so I haven't had the oppprtunity to post that 95% of bicyclists are idiots who deserve to be ran over.

I have zero problem with bikes using the road, I have 100% of a problem with them doing ALL of the things people have so far listed, with the number 1 painintheass being FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE berkeleyING ROAD.

Andddddddd I'm out