mcs328

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009...-on-a-bike.php

Weird conclusion the author makes. Most of the time it's the car drivers fault but cites that the cyclists are jerks and breaking the law.

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Cubsfan

This is the town I live in. There are lots and lots of cyclists here, and many of them are very poorly behaved on the road. There's lots of instances of them being outside of the bike lanes, riding the wrong way on bike lanes, ignoring traffic laws, etc.. I'm not saying the drivers are good, in fact, I'd say the drivers are just as bad, but each group always wants to put 100% of the blame on the other group.

InfiniteNothing

FYI they are allowed to be outside the bike lanes. They have as much right to the road as you do. You treat them as you would a street sweeper or other slow moving vehicals.

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As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.

ray

I have no problem sharing the road, but there are a few things that piss me off about cyclists these days.

1) Bicycles are not permitted to be ridden ON sidewalks. You must walk them on the sidewalk and across crosswalks. Bicycles are considered moving vehicles, and last i checked, automobiles weren't allowed on sidewalks.

2) Cyclists typically ride wherever there is space, regardless of whether they're going the a) wrong direction on a 2 way road or b) the right direction but either to the left or right of another moving vehicle (wherever there is more space). While I can understand having some breathing room, if there isn't enough space, take up a spot behind a car rather than sitting in someone's blind spot being a douche.

3) Cyclists rarely use hand signals to denote they are stopping or turning, at least in recent years. When I was growing up riding my bike, I was taught the proper hand signals so that cars behind you know you're going to be turning or potentially slowing down. These days, Cyclists feel like they have right of way all the time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_signals

I have had my fair share of close calls with moving vehicles in the past, but in all honesty, they were almost always my fault. When I moved to Boston for college, I made it a habit to follow all the rules because m*******s can't drive.

Cyclists should be sharing the road with automobiles and vice-versa. But I have no tolerance for cyclists who can't abide by simple traffic laws.

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Airencracken

I rarely see a cyclist that is following any resemblance of the laws. They seem to perpetually run red lights and cross intersections diagonally among other things.

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Cubsfan

Not quite true here. They are allowed to be in the lanes but don't have the same rights as cars. They can be in the lanes, as long as there is no bike lane. But they don't have the same rights as a car. For one, they can't impede traffic for an unreasonable amount of time. Also, if they ride two abreast (which is the most they can), they have to move to single file if there's a car. A car can pass and is legally allowed to cross the center line, but must give the cyclist 3 feet clearance in order to pass.

http://blog.leescyclery.com/tag/bike-shop-fort-collins/

Chgoman

I know there is no way to break it down, but it would be interesting to know how many of the accidents involved what you would call 'serious' riders (those who do it regularly for exercise or sport) vs. casual riders (riding for fun or to get from point A to point B).

My friend and I ride a few times a week and I would venture to say that most people I see that are more serious riders follow most of the laws and generally ride 'safely'. A lot of it is just common sense.

Cubsfan

That would be interesting. Around here, I'd say they both have their own bad habits. Casual riders are likely to not know the rules and be a bit careless. Serious riders are likely to know the rules but be happy to break them (many riders around here like to ride 4 abreast, or blow through stop signs as to not have to slow down).

Personally, I ride on the sidewalk 90% of the time. It's legal here, and if I encounter a pedestrian I just dismount and walk by. It's much slower to ride that way, but I don't trust cars to not kill me. And in the end, even if I'm in the "right", if I get hit then I'm the one that's going to be killed.

mcs328

We have some *******s cyclists here. They real jerks are ones who knock you down and speed away. The red light runners are all too common.

Prngr44

I yelled some "pleasantries" at a cyclist just yesterday morning.

The stoplights were red all around and I was going through the crosswalk when I happened to see a cyclist bearing down on me. I managed to jump out of the way as he blew through the red light and damn near took me out.

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Chgoman

I hadn't thought about Stop Signs. Most people do seem to blow through them.

clutchy

i've been a cyclist for about 3 years now and a motorcyclist for about 7 years.

We are basically invisible and i always ride with that in mind.


It infuriates me to the point of yelling at motorcyclists who do the dumbest things. Daily without fail i hear on the radio in LA accident in blah blah with a motorcycle down. Inevitably the motorcyclist was probably doing something stupid or he wasn't paying enough attention. One way or another motorcyclists are getting squished alot.


cyclists are another story. I'll raise my hand right now and say i'm guilty of blowing through lights, stop signs. etc. If it's illegal to do in a car it's the same for a bike but i rarely pay attention to that stuff. I do however make sure that when i do said things it's in a safe manner. I'm aware of cars and other vehicles. I'm aware of everything going on. It's unsafe yes, but i've found that it seems to be safer than the alternative, which is behaving like a normal motor vehicle. We're too easy to miss and if we're behaving normally we don't get noticed at all.

whatever the case it's worked for me so far. I've never been hit or down on either of my 2 wheeled vehicles.

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LK was treated unfairly

thanks X

InfiniteNothing

Interesting. I didn't know the laws varied that much.

Yossarian

i'm a delivery driver, and everyday i see more cyclists breaking the law or potentially causing accidents than i do cars/trucks/ect... i understand share the road, but it goes both ways. don't be a duche on a bike and you won't get killed

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VTGreg

As Cubsfan stated, both sides have dbags. I can't speak for everyone but I do notice that cyclists in major cities tend to be a little bit more cavalier with respect to traffic laws. I will run a light or a stop sign but always ensure that it doesn't impact any traffic. I do find it funny that cyclists are vilified for not following traffic laws but drivers run red lights and stop signs with regularity and it is just considered the norm.

I too would be interested to see the break down of accidents involving a bicycle traveling in the wrong direction of traffic involving cyclists versus individuals who casually ride a bike. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of cyclists don't spend much time riding against traffic. I for one see few if any.

In the end we would all be better off if we didn't classify motorists and cyclists based on their worst 5-10%.

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mcs328

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=596&sid=1807568

I'm sure the mayor of DC doesn't help the stigma of cyclists. Not only does he ignore the traffic laws but he clogs up traffic and sticks the taxpayers for the bill.

VTGreg

The only thing in that entire montage that was illegal from a bicycling perspective was riding on the Clara Barton parkway. The traffic jams that were caused by the mayor's cycling group were done so while they were exercising their legal rights.

I don't think the motor cops should be using their lights to escort the group through lights. However, having a security detail assigned to the mayor is not a crazy idea and should support his lifestyle as long as it is within reason.

That piece didn't seem like it had much news to it and was more an expose against cyclists using public roads.