Fu*king Cyclists

[summit]

Yeah admittedly, it's exactly as you describe. But it's the first stretch of open road after a mile or so of stop and go traffic, waiting for pedestrians/tourists to cross ten times. I can't tell you how many times I've seen cars just mat it and hit 50 by the time they pass my house. Occasionally you get the jr BMW driver go up to 70.

I just wanted to illustrate my point of dealing with this sort of bike path mentality on a daily basis. Barely out of my driveway and there it is. I could film a drivers Ed movie if I felt like wasting my time. It is a problem in our town and I drive accordingly, but I still find them fucking obnoxious and annoying. That doesn't mean I don't respect them and their right to enjoy the day, either... Just please ride sensibly and stay safe.

Well, it sounds like the motorists who are the problem there and the solution is some enforcement. I'd be ticked off if people were doing 20-35mph over the speed limit in front of my house.

[SkiBall]

You stop a lot of times in roundabouts? Because you are going a bit slower?

Brain hurts.

Not in so much as before I can safely enter. Aleve your brain of all that over-thinking.

[Flea]

Well, it sounds like the motorists who are the problem there and the solution is some enforcement. I'd be ticked off if people were doing 20-35mph over the speed limit in front of my house.

Ticked off? I get fucking livid. I live on a private dirt road that cuts thru from a main road a mile right to the ocean and has a 15mph speed limit with no trespassing signs. Well 15 doesn't mean 50 and you've got all these fuckers speeding thru there with no respect at all.

I huck balls at cars, put big rocks in the road, drag trees and branches, chase after cars with my chainsaw or whatever i might have in my meat hooks at the time. Oh ya good times. Fuck em.

[BigDaddy]

It's a great fantasy, but I don't want to see someone hurt. I'd feel like a real ass if I caused someone to hit a tree and die. Cops are pretty good about keeping an eye on things, so I prefer to let them handle that.

Well, it sounds like the motorists who are the problem there and the solution is some enforcement. I'd be ticked off if people were doing 20-35mph over the speed limit in front of my house.

They frequently set up across the street from my house and fill the coffers. At least 3-4 times a month. I feel like I have body guards.

[stfu&gbtw]

I think it's specious to say that drivers have more concern for the lives of cyclists than the cyclists do themselves. And, of course, no one wants to hit a cyclist.

Specious, huh? Every day we drive around and see cyclists engage in behavior that would be predictably deadly were cars not rounding every corner expecting to see a bicycle. If bicyclists actually feared for their lives, they wouldn't do things like riding side by side, 30 mph below the speed limit, around blind corners. But they do... And those who do are essentially saying to the cars around them, "I dare you to hit me." The cyclists are creating the risk, and expecting the driver of the car to ensure that risk is avoided.

[::: :::]

You willfully fail to see that bikes are a part of traffic. It's not up to you. They are. Your perception of cyclists' intent has zero to do with the issue.

The scenario you describe is legal, and the responsibility for rounding a corner lies with the individual driver. If the driver can't react to conditions, he is driving beyond his abilities.

[TomCrac]

Not just abilities. Responsibility.

Just like in skiing, the rule of thumb is that the downhill skier has the right of way.
If you can't stop whenever you need to, you own some of the problem.

Unless you are on a closed course, you gotta deal.

[Flea]

You willfully fail to see that bikes are a part of traffic. It's not up to you. They are. Your perception of cyclists' intent has zero to do with the issue.

The scenario you describe is legal, and the responsibility for rounding a corner lies with the individual driver. If the driver can't react to conditions, he is driving beyond his abilities.

Just like skiers that go mach loony and blame the slow ass newby for erratically zigging and zagging all over and across the slope below them, for causing the ski accident.

Cyclists listening to music is the worst. So dangerous. I like to be able hear what's going on or coming up behind me. Road cycling with earbuds blasting=super stoopid.

[Flea]

Oops TomCrac beat me to it.

[ex-powderbroker]

That statement reeks of entitlement... unfounded entitlement.

Bikes were NEVER the primary user of roadways. They were always the 3rd tier minority behind horse/pedestrian and then motor/pedestrian.

Automobiles predate bicycles by a century if you go by prototypes, but if we go by machines we would recognize today, the pedal-bicycle was invented in 1860s and the gasoline powered automobile came along about 20 years later.



So if traffic obstruction is for visibility/safety purposes, it sounds like we need a public safety law mandating reflective fluorescent clothing... might interfere with everyone who wants to look like they are spancered-like-Lance... I mean Landis... I mean... who is the current roadie hero who has yet to get caught doping?

Also, we should mandate daytime running lights for bikes (just like new cars and motorcycles have for years).

And let's crack down on drinking and biking!

And let's crack down on bikers who don't wear helmets!

Don't like those ideas? Then stop pretending this is about safety.

Unfounded entitlement? Why do you think mass transit sucks in this country. What about the real estate and public space dedicated to storing people's stupid cars? Cars should not be the only way to get around in this country but we've subsidized and legislated and criminalized and stigmatized every other method. Read this thread.

Furthermore, get off your smug horse. I'm not a spandex guy, my interest is in getting from place to place efficiently. As stated, there have been multiple studies that showed that helmets are not of a benefit to riders. Cars drive closer to cyclists wearing them. In addition they are only particularly useful for falling at relatively slow speeds from a bike, not getting crushed at 35mph where they make little difference. Then, if you really cared, motorists should also be required to wear them since they to suffer head injuries at very high rates in accidents.

You are doing a perverse form of victim blaming as if every cyclist was asking for it. Oh my god, two abreast, mow them down!!! Most of the time I've seen cyclists get hit locally, in nyc, where I've been talking about, drivers are not charged with anything because cops do not care. These were not riders making a show of their rights, but people going back and forth to work. How does that fit into your drunk cyclist worldview? Do you not care? Even when drivers break inadvertently break a law and then aren't charged because it was an "accident"?

You seem to have zero value for a single human life if changing anything would inconvenience you so go fuck yourself i guess.

[BmillsSkier]

I met my favorite type of cyclist today on the Beltline trail:

Full spandex bottoms, t shirt, serious looking road bike, going Mach looney down a wide but crowded path yelling and cussing his ass off to "GET TO THE RIGHT, GET TO THE LEFT!", weaving all over the place. The kicker though was his Bluetooth jawbone speaker fastened to his handlebars blasting some kind of techno shit.

I yelled after him if he posts on TGR but he was long gone. I would have loved his perspective on this thread.

Come on guys. Page 15 by Monday, we can do this.

[stfu&gbtw]

You willfully fail to see that bikes are a part of traffic. It's not up to you. They are. Your perception of cyclists' intent has zero to do with the issue.

The scenario you describe is legal, and the responsibility for rounding a corner lies with the individual driver. If the driver can't react to conditions, he is driving beyond his abilities.

As a matter of fact, it's generally not legal for bicycles to ride side by side obstructing traffic, nor is is legal (or advisable) for anyone in any vehicle to obstruct traffic by driving 5 mph in a 45 mph zone. If you don't believe me, consider what would happen if you were bombing down some mountain road at 45 mph on your bike and came around a blind corner to find a car doing 5 mph. That'd be totally legal and reasonable, right?

[::: :::]

It is legal to ride two up in 39 states

If I'm bombing a hill, it is MY responsibility to not hit stuff

[BmillsSkier]

Sir Richard Branson just wrecked the shit out of himself on Virgin Gorda heading down a steep hill towards Levericks Bay.

Got med-flighted to Miami.

No clue if he was riding two abreast.

[stfu&gbtw]

It is legal to ride two up in 39 states

If I'm bombing a hill, it is MY responsibility to not hit stuff

Even cars have to pull over when blocking multiple vehicles from passing on mountain roads.

Next time I pass a bike going up hill, I'll slow down to 1 mph and wait for the well reasoned acceptance of my right to travel at the rate of speed I'm comfortable with.

[::: :::]

Whatever jackassery you pull, just make sure you don't check if it's legal first. I hear you can get off if you're unaware of the local laws.

[iceman]

Ignorance of the law is no excuse my man.

[iceman]

Can we get back to why are bikers such fucking weasels? They're just awful human beings, in spandex, which makes it even worse. Why is that?

[::: :::]

I'll wait for STFU to confirm...he seems to be up on the law

[SkiBall]

I need to get on my bike more. True story.

[ghosthop]

Can we get back to why are bikers such fucking weasels? They're just awful human beings, in spandex, which makes it even worse. Why is that?

some of us bike in cutoffs, jeans if you will. You just happen to live in a place full of awful people, whose luxury sport of choice these days is road biking.

[stfu&gbtw]

Whatever jackassery you pull, just make sure you don't check if it's legal first. I hear you can get off if you're unaware of the local laws.

Most roads don't have minimum speed limits. Surely, the cyclists will understand that I can only drive uphill if I do so at 1 mph while weaving all over the road.

[::: :::]

Most roads don't have minimum speed limits. Surely, the cyclists will understand that I can only drive uphill if I do so at 1 mph while weaving all over the road.

Perhaps they might even pass you?

[jono]

So if traffic obstruction is for visibility/safety purposes, it sounds like we need a public safety law mandating reflective fluorescent clothing...

Also, we should mandate daytime running lights for bikes (just like new cars and motorcycles have for years).

And let's crack down on drinking and biking!

And let's crack down on bikers who don't wear helmets!

Don't like those ideas? Then stop pretending this is about safety.

Good ideas and all being implemented voluntarily by people who value their own safety and to whatever degree they deem necessary. Dozen years ago Cannondale advocated flashing lights whether legal or not. Do you think the people whose asses are on the line have been waiting for you to suggest such things?

The problem isn't that most people are assholes, it's that cyclists have no way to assess who's who so they have to expect the worst 10% of drivers every time. That leaves about 65% of drivers (who aren't in the worst 10% but never ride) wondering what's going on. As per the usual, a vocal chunk of these imagine they know why everyone else acts as they do and finds an excuse, no matter how illogical, to rage at the "other" who does (or says or thinks) something they don't like. Stay classy San Diego.

[stfu&gbtw]

Perhaps they might even pass you?

Only if they can do so safely in a legal passing zone of course. I have the same right to the road as they do, and they don't have the right to put other people's lives in danger just because they're in a hurry.