Bicyclists, Do you ride properly in the bike lane?

[DC Tom]

Bike traffic is fake traffic, specifically due to the laws of physics.

 

Then so is motorcycle traffic and SmartCar traffic.

 

Some day, I'm going to get a used SmartCar, and hit the damn thing with my truck. Just to see if it really does crumple like a beer can.)

[GG]

Then so is motorcycle traffic and SmartCar traffic.

 

Some day, I'm going to get a used SmartCar, and hit the damn thing with my truck. Just to see if it really does crumple like a beer can.)

 

But at least with these two, the velocity matches the cars, they are more visible, they are more likely to obey road rules, so it's not a total wipeout.

[The Big Cat]

Because you're being such an elitist prick about it. "Share the road" works both ways. And because, while many bicyclists I interact with on the road know the rules, so many don't, and they royally piss me off.

 

Not that most drivers are any better, honestly...while I've seen plenty of cyclists blow red lights (through heavy traffic, without looking. Death wish, like I said), I can honestly say I've never seen a cyclist blow a red light while texting.

 

Basically, people are idiots, and I'm comfortable with the whole concept of "they died because they were stupid".

 

I don't ride like an idiot, so I guess we're in agreement. You must have missed the whole part about how the vast majority of Chicago motorists are happy to comply and give cyclists passage. Your beef is just as much with them as it is with me. I NEVER assume that a motorists will do so, and am never alarmed/appalled when they don't.

 

Homey, really. Wow, what a dink you are.

 

And I stand by my contention that it may work for YOU but it does nothing to make the motorist's trip (or the trips of those behind / around him) any more efficient.

 

Whatever, homey. You clearly don't live in Chicago, so you have no idea how traffic works in our city. Stop trying to convince me I'm wrong when it's part of my daily routine and has nothing to do with you. I don't come to your place and insist I know how to treat anal fishers, do I? No, that's your ballpark.

 

 

Lots of bikers where I live and they are a pain in the ass. They seem to like the long and windy roads that I find a re good cut threw roads, but often these roads have no shoulder, and there one lane in each direction, and the bikers hog the lane and force the cars to go 10 miles and hour. Bikers are pretty douche to me.

 

Well fortunately, we have nothing but straight, flat and wide roads here. I was just back in Central PA, though and saw some bikers going up and down narrow, windy roads and thought they were crazy for sharing the space with cars making blind turns.

 

Bike traffic is fake traffic, specifically due to the laws of physics.

 

Then I guess you can sleep well knowing if you !@#$ one of them up, it was their fault for not having a four-wheeled petrol vehicle as the laws of physics insist all travelers should.

[DC Tom]

I don't ride like an idiot, so I guess we're in agreement. You must have missed the whole part about how the vast majority of Chicago motorists are happy to comply and give cyclists passage. Your beef is just as much with them as it is with me. I NEVER assume that a motorists will do so, and am never alarmed/appalled when they don't.

 

I hadn't assumed otherwise.

 

I do, however, believe it is your responsibilty to, when someone yields their right of way to you, wave them through insistently while explaining that by the rules of the road they have the right of way, call them morons for not understanding that, and if possible throw something at their car.

[Taro T]

I don't ride like an idiot, so I guess we're in agreement. You must have missed the whole part about how the vast majority of Chicago motorists are happy to comply and give cyclists passage. Your beef is just as much with them as it is with me. I NEVER assume that a motorists will do so, and am never alarmed/appalled when they don't.

 

 

 

Whatever, homey. You clearly don't live in Chicago, so you have no idea how traffic works in our city. Stop trying to convince me I'm wrong when it's part of my daily routine and has nothing to do with you. I don't come to your place and insist I know how to treat anal fishers, do I? No, that's your ballpark.

 

 

 

 

Well fortunately, we have nothing but straight, flat and wide roads here. I was just back in Central PA, though and saw some bikers going up and down narrow, windy roads and thought they were crazy for sharing the space with cars making blind turns.

 

 

 

Then I guess you can sleep well knowing if you !@#$ one of them up, it was their fault for not having a four-wheeled petrol vehicle as the laws of physics insist all travelers should.

Whatever.

 

Have fun getting run over, dink.

[GG]

Then I guess you can sleep well knowing if you !@#$ one of them up, it was their fault for not having a four-wheeled petrol vehicle as the laws of physics insist all travelers should.

 

It's simple really. If I'm on a highway and an 18 wheeler is barrelling down behind me, I get out of the way. When I'm on a bike on a city street, I obey the laws and let cars pass just to be carefule. When I'm in a car on a winding road with no shoulder and I come upon two bikers riding abreast, I let them know with a horn right next to them.

 

Share the road doesn't mean having real traffic devolve into bike traffic.

[JoeFerguson]

 

Whatever, homey. You clearly don't live in Chicago, so you have no idea how traffic works in our city. Stop trying to convince me I'm wrong when it's part of my daily routine and has nothing to do with you. I don't come to your place and insist I know how to treat anal fishers, do I? No, that's your ballpark.

 

 

Where in Chicago are you driving your bike? I drive in Chicago everyday and do not like bikes who disobey traffic rules.

[shrader]

Big Cat, just because you act a certain way on your bike doesn't mean that every other biker acts the same way. I see far too many who fly through red lights and stop signs. A lot of them never even bother to look before doing it either. It's pure stupidity and I wish the cops would start going after it out here in Boston.

 

It's simple really. If I'm on a highway and an 18 wheeler is barrelling down behind me, I get out of the way. When I'm on a bike on a city street, I obey the laws and let cars pass just to be carefule. When I'm in a car on a winding road with no shoulder and I come upon two bikers riding abreast, I let them know with a horn right next to them.

 

Share the road doesn't mean having real traffic devolve into bike traffic.

 

I like this one. Whether I'm walking/riding a bike/whatever, even if I'm totally in the right with what I'm doing, I'm going to err on the side of caution. Any collision with a car? Yeah, I'm not winning that one.

Edited June 9, 2011 by shrader

[The Big Cat]

Where in Chicago are you driving your bike? I drive in Chicago everyday and do not like bikes who disobey traffic rules.

 

Oakdale to Clark to Wells to Huron.

 

Big Cat, just because you act a certain way on your bike doesn't mean that every other biker acts the same way. I see far too many who fly through red lights and stop signs. A lot of them never even bother to look before doing it either. It's pure stupidity and I wish the cops would start going after it out here in Boston.

 

 

 

I like this one. Whether I'm walking/riding a bike/whatever, even if I'm totally in the right with what I'm doing, I'm going to err on the side of caution. Any collision with a car? Yeah, I'm not winning that one.

 

I've acknowledged this several times already and share your frustration with those giving "us" a "bad" name.

[Pete]

I bike all the time and no I don't stay in the bike lane all the time. Great video- I hope he put a dent into that cop car blocking the bike lane

[DrDawkinstein]

LOLing here. I figured it would get back to the Stop Sign argument sooner or later, but within 7 posts?!? Well done, guys.

[JoeFerguson]

Oakdale to Clark to Wells to Huron.

 

 

Do you work at Ed Debevic's?

Edited June 9, 2011 by JoeFerguson

[Wacka]

On the Stanford campus, you have to be ultra careful because those stuck up trustafarians won't stop for anything on their bikes, even other bikes. I saw an accident where a guy about 5'6" on a bike was hit by a guy about 6'2" on another bike. Must have gotten sick of it happening again. The shorter guy grabbed the pump off his bike and started wailing on the taller guy's bike while screaming about idiots that can't even ride a bike. The tall guy just stood in shock and the crowd applauded the shorter guy.

Edited June 10, 2011 by Wacka

[boyst]

i love bikers. i respect them because i do not want to kill them and as long as they are traveling safely i'm fine...but...they usually pay attention to an F350. However, I have had some not respect me hauling with my tractor and that gets insange. For the middle of no where in the country a lot of those dudes are out there in their singlets.

[plenzmd1]

so I ride a bike a ton! not to commute , but to train for triathlons I rarely ride in urban areas, mostly in semi rural to rural areas. I obey all laws, always wear bright clothing, etc. I will say 99% of motorists are cool, but everyone in a while you will get a douche that is pissed cause he had a feakin 10 second stretch where he had to slow down from 50 to 30 in order to wait to pass me. A whole friggen 10 seconds. I have actually had a dude push me from the paaenger side window on a pickup cause he had toslow down for 5 seconds.

 

you guys pissed about bikes on these roads is just another example of the me first attitude that has pervaded our society and seen a degradation of common courtesy across the board. yep, , a 5 second delay is absolutely not acceptable, let's lay on the horn or hit a cyclist! he is eating into MY time! I have been hit by a car in an intersection cause,in his words, the light was yellow, he did not want to wait to next cycle, and I was on a bike and should have avoided him.

 

follow all rules yes! not be on the road? no

[BuffaloBud]

I too am a bike rider. I ride for exercise and recreation. I do not ride in heavy traffic areas and when volume is high. I would like to ride my bike to work a couple of times during the week, but there is very little to no shoulder and commuters are very intolerant on my route in to work. On my rides, I ride to the rules of the road and wear a helmet. I have even added a blinking light to my service bag. I ride defensively and offensively. Defensively, because I have rights to the road. Offensively, because I value my life. I triple check intersections and do not ride with iPod stuck in my ear (one of my favorite pet peeves).

 

Last year in Pelotonia I had to remind about 100 people that we are "guests" on these roads. Double file max, stay as close to the right as possible, no crossing the yellow line, announce cars coming up behind. A lot of these riders were new beacuse they were part of a corporate sponsor and really had no clue. You would have thought that I had just landed from Mars. >> Let me ask a question - What side of the road do you walk on? <<

 

I will defend my right to my little portion of the road, but I will not jepordize my life. Give us our space and as Cat said earlier in about 30 seconds you will be clear of us.

[shrader]

so I ride a bike a ton! not to commute , but to train for triathlons I rarely ride in urban areas, mostly in semi rural to rural areas. I obey all laws, always wear bright clothing, etc. I will say 99% of motorists are cool, but everyone in a while you will get a douche that is pissed cause he had a feakin 10 second stretch where he had to slow down from 50 to 30 in order to wait to pass me. A whole friggen 10 seconds. I have actually had a dude push me from the paaenger side window on a pickup cause he had toslow down for 5 seconds.

 

you guys pissed about bikes on these roads is just another example of the me first attitude that has pervaded our society and seen a degradation of common courtesy across the board. yep, , a 5 second delay is absolutely not acceptable, let's lay on the horn or hit a cyclist! he is eating into MY time! I have been hit by a car in an intersection cause,in his words, the light was yellow, he did not want to wait to next cycle, and I was on a bike and should have avoided him.

 

follow all rules yes! not be on the road? no

 

The urban areas are the real problem though. Whether it's the red light runners or the ones riding in the middle of the road against traffic, there are too many people out there who don't realize that bikes have to obey traffic laws too. Mix that with a large number of drivers who are also clueless and you have a recipe for disaster.

[DC Tom]

The urban areas are the real problem though. Whether it's the red light runners or the ones riding in the middle of the road against traffic, there are too many people out there who don't realize that bikes have to obey traffic laws too. Mix that with a large number of drivers who are also clueless and you have a recipe for disaster.

 

It doesn't even take that many to be a problem. Around here, probably a third the bikers I see are clueless and/or suicidal (and the worst seem to be the semi-pros training for a race). Ditto probably one percent of the drivers.

 

But one percent of the drivers on the road and a third of the bikers is a HELL of a lot of stupid people making things dangerous for everyone else. For my commute this morning, that amounts to one dumbass cyclist and four dumbass motorists (including the B word texting with both hands and driving with her knees, not watching the road, with a baby in the passenger's seat improperly secured, who almost rear-ended me at a light this morning).

 

That's the real reason any cyclist who doesn't follow the rules of the road is an idiot. Because someday, you're going to run across that B word.

[BUFFALOTONE]

I love to ride but the combination of 17 year old texters and 90 year old blue hairs make it almost impossible. It is like riding a motorcycle, assume the driver does not see you cause odd are they don't. I hitch the bike to a park and ride there, no issues nothing to dodge or worry about and I keep my pace. There are a lot of D-bags on bikes that run lights and that baffles me. You put yourself at further risk by trying to beat a light on a bike, it's not worth it.

 

I have had my runs ins even when I am in the right, some kids Honda Accord has my foot print in it after he thought he was cute and tried to swerve into the bike lane. Rules are rules no matter if you are in a bike or car. But I get what Big Cat is saying about the stopping, I go, you go thing. It does speed things up.

[DrDawkinstein]

And then there is THIS little case study...