You may not want to ride a bike

[terriphill]

I am not a fan of the cyclist simply because they do not think they have to obey the rules of the road. I thought riding two abreast was not legal on motorcycles, why should it be for bicyclists?
We have a 21 mile paved path around the city. It is used by people for many reasons...excercise, recreation, walking and biking. I choose to walk across a section of this path that goes over the Lock and Dam (Yes, we call it the Big Dam Bridge)
I have been walking across the Big Dam Bridge three to four times a week since January and I have yet to walk that path that I have not been almost run over by a cyclist. They FLY down that path full of kids, dogs, roller bladers and walkers with no respect for anyone. There seems to be the impression that it is their road and we walkers are in their territory (much like people driving cars believe bikers don't belong there)
I am not a fan of more laws (I wear a seatbelt because it is sensible, but I don't support mandatory seatbelt laws) but what do we do as a society to protect the idiots from themselves or from hurting others with their self-absorbed, boorish behavior?
Mandatory biker classes (license) and helmets to ride on a public thoroughfare?

 

[AngliaGT]

Boy, that dredged up some memories.
A few weeks ago,I went to the British Car meet
in Woodland,CA.
The highway that goes from 101 to I5 is mostly
2 lane.There was a bike race,with some riders riding
2-3 wide in some areas,& in some cases blocking one
lane completely.I got so irritated that I laid on the
horn many times,& had to take chances by going into
the opposing lane many times.VERY inconsiderate &
rude.
I've riden bicycles many times,but always gave
cars the right-of-way.Besides,who do you think is
going to win when the two collide?

- Doug

 

[Guest]

Hmmmm . . .

Ya know, there's a lot of guys out here with trucks about 10' tall with tires taller than our cars that would probably make a lot of the same comments about LBCs as some of you have made about bikes. And I guess I'm the only person here that has ever driven their LBC (or other little loud obnoxious car) unlawfully and irritated some other driver on the roadway? And by the way, LBCs really give little protection in an accident and consequently are really unsafe, most probably do not meet US crash standards.

There was recently a movement here to ban PWCs (personal watercraft) and they did so in certain areas. But as many times as I've been nearly run down by them while windsurfing, I didn't support banning them and spoke out against a complete ban. Rather, I felt they need to be regulated and the regulations enforced - for others safety - not their own. (If they don't want to wear a helmet and like jumping waves and doing backflips let them. Just make sure I don't cushion their blow when they screw up.) Another windsurfer that agreed with me had lived in an area where there were a lot of windsurfers. They would frequently crowd certain beaches. And a group of citizens got together and had them banned from the beach.

I think we all need to be a bit more tolerant. And keep in mind that we all have our own odors and others probably don't like smelling us. We might just be the next group that gets banned from the elevator.

 

[DNK]

Alan- your not a fan of the young bucks on thee Asian racers in shorts,T-shirt and tennis shoes?

It was a hog, not a nipponese bike.

I'm not a fan of anyone that inconveniences <span style="font-style: italic">me</span> by <span style="font-style: italic">their</span> stupidity.

That is 1 thing I perceived when we chatted

 

[Deleted member 3577]

In Europe bicyclists respect autos!

True...I would say rather that they respect roadway laws.

When a cyclists speed and a motorized vehicle's speed become the same, the cyclist need not stay right. (as in town)

In fact it is preferable if the cyclist moves to the center of the lane for visibility.

So all turning, stopping and signaling can be readily observed by other drivers.

On all <span style="font-style: italic"> public </span>roads cyclists have the same rights AND responsibilities as motorists.

If you are driving slowly in the left lane, you are as wrong as a cyclist who does not move over.

I firmly believe that they should be ticketed for lane splitting & failure to signal.
(If you don't want to obey traffic laws...Stay on the sidewalk)

They give professional/avid cyclists a bad reputation.

 

[Guest]

Alan- your not a fan of the young bucks on thee Asian racers in shorts,T-shirt and tennis shoes?

It was a hog, not a nipponese bike.

I'm not a fan of anyone that inconveniences <span style="font-style: italic">me</span> by <span style="font-style: italic">their</span> stupidity.

That is 1 thing I perceived when we chatted

what can i say - guilty as charged...
:blush:

 

[angelfj1]

I agree. But this is a cultural issue. In Europe and many other parts of the world, bicycling is a necessary form of transpotation, not just a leisure-time activity. Thus, from a very early age, both cyclist and auto drivers develop a strong level of respect for each other. Won't happen here - ever!

 

[angelfj1]

"......& if they end up on their butts, their problem"

Diagnosis: passive agression!

Treatment: anger management sessions

 

[Tinster]

Me and the Mrs were quite a bit late for our Saturday
morning breakfast sandwich at panaderia La Castilla.
I almost passed out from low blood sugar waiting on these
pretty boys to move on out!!

Even the old geezers get in the way!!

d :lol:

 

[tony barnhill]

"......& if they end up on their butts, their problem"

Diagnosis: passive agression!

Treatment: anger management sessions

Just the facts, sir, just the facts....they're responsible for their actions....I give bikers a wide arc & respect those who respect the rules of the road....many do just that: if they're riding 2 or 3 abreast on a back road & I pull up behind them & blip my horn, most move over to single file so I can come around.....I wave & go on my way...its the a$%^*&^$#%&^&* who look over their shoulder & salute with a finger who deserve what they get (& there are becoming more & more of those latter ones than the friendly bikers).

Just the facts....

....& when I disobey the rules of the road in one of my LBC's, I deserve what I get. Not long ago I got stopped by a Deputy Sheriff for speeding & "following the line" through curves - not the lane - in my Jag....when he asked why I was driving like that, I told him the truth, "Its fun!"....& paid my ticket Monday morning when the courthouse opened!

 

[angelfj1]

OK OK

So who is the mystery man on the three-wheeler???

 

[tony barnhill]

OK OK

So who is the mystery man on the three-wheeler???

hehehehe....Dale photoshopping me on a 3-wheeler because he thinks at 62 I'm old!!

 

[Shane]

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'">Being 62 doesn't make you old...however, wearing those loafers will!</span> :thumbsup:

 

[DeltaAir423]

Thankfully I don't run into bycyclists a lot due to my route to work. However driving home at night (roughly 2300-2330hrs), I seem to have to dive out of my lane on the road leading up to my house as I have a pedestrian that will be walking in the middle of the lane wearing black clothes. I've stopped past them several times, and tried to explain the error of their ways, however they don't seem to get it.

 

[Tinster]

OK OK

So who is the mystery man on the three-wheeler???

hehehehe....Dale photoshopping me on a 3-wheeler because he thinks at 62 I'm old!!

<span style="color: #CC0000">That's YOU, Tony?? Where's yer ridin' gear and pot!
I had no idea that wuz you. I scabbed that photo offen some
magazine for the elderly that's published in Al-lee-bam-mi.
The rag's called "Life Begins at Seventy"

This was their cover photo in April 2008. :thumbsup:

</span>

 

[angelfj1]

I knew he was older than me! But, with penny loafers and no socks, he has to be a baby boomer. I think I met him at Max Yasgur's in Aug. '69.

 

[Tinster]

I knew he was older than me! But, with penny loafers and no socks, he has to be a baby boomer. I think I met him at Max Yasgur's in Aug. '69.

<span style="color: #000099">Frank, psssssstttt..........
Tony escorted Mae West to her senior prom in high school.
je,je,je,je </span>

 

[kennypinkerton]

I like this one better

 

[Steve_S]

1. Bikers ride motorcycles. Cyclists ride bicycles. Not trying to be pedantic but since both are being discussed, the conversation is confusing when these terms are used incorrectly.

2. If the cyclists in Mexico were in a race, the roads should have been closed. If it was a recreational ride (which many people confuse with an actual race) then it's a different situation.

3. Saying anyone who isn't on the side of the road deserves to be killed by a car is sick and inhumane. What if it was a group of kids riding their bikes to a ball game? Do they deserve what they get because they got run over? Whether they were blocking traffic or not is not the point. And if someone of a bicycle is blocking traffic, they deserve a ticket like anyone else.

Honestly and without getting too nasty, the views of some people make me ill when it comes to certain things. How hard is it to wait a few second and go around a group of bicycles? Heck, I'd rather have them on the road than more cars. Rather than pay additional taxes (<span style="font-weight: bold">cyclists pay the same road tax as everyone else</span> btw), perhaps we should pay THEM for doing something to reduce pollution, lower dependency on petroleum products and eliminate further traffic problems.

I feel it should be mandatory for everyone to spend some time in other countries to see how petty the things are that Americans complain about, especially when it comes to how we use our public roads.

Also, events such as bicycle races bring a lot of revenue into the cities that hold them. It's understandable for someone to be frustrated by closed or blocked roads if they aren't into the event being held. I wouldn't like being stuck in traffic because of a running race or other special event, but I do respect the fact that I'm not the only person living in the area, and it isn't a big deal to take another route. I drive old British sports cars. I have no problem taking the scenic route home!

That photo is horrific, but it's far more shocking to see the responses posted about it!

BTW, in case anyone is wondering I've been a motorcyclist, bicyclist and car / truck driver for many years although I haven't been into anything but cars for some time.

 

[tony barnhill]

Okay, I'm talking about cyclists!!

And they do not "pay the same road taxes as everyone else"! At least not in Alabama...part of the drivers license fee goes into the general fund which is used for road repairs! As does part of the taxes I pay when I license my cars every year.

"Cyclists" don't pay those taxes!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]How hard is it to wait a few second and go around a group of bicycles? [/QUOTE]
& how hard is it for them to be polite & obey the same rules we all obey?

When I ride my Norton, I don't ride abreast of another motorcycle - & I ride off to the right side of my lane unless I'm putting my turn signal on to turn across lanes. Would that most cyclists did the same -