Cyclist v Motorist

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  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    I live in Chicago and HATE most people on bikes. Most of them ignore all stop signs and traffic signals. When I'm a driver I'm terrified of hitting them because they're reckless, and as a pedestrian, I've had to jump out of their way when they blow through stoplights and I have a walk signal.

    Some bikers are good, and I totally respect them. But a lot are *kitten*.

    You know, we could easily substitute the word motorist for people on bikes or bikers in your sentence and it would also hold just as true. And I'm speaking from the angle of being a motorist myself - obviously. People running red lights, not coming to a full stop at stop lights, pulling out in front of you, not using their turn signals, changing lanes without looking, forcing themselves between your car and the one in front of you even when there is not enough room, speeding, speeding, speeding, speeding, and on and on.

    If you really pay attention to what motorists are doing when out on the road - yes, a lot are *kitten*. ;-)
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
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    I live in Chicago and HATE most people on bikes. Most of them ignore all stop signs and traffic signals. When I'm a driver I'm terrified of hitting them because they're reckless, and as a pedestrian, I've had to jump out of their way when they blow through stoplights and I have a walk signal.

    Some bikers are good, and I totally respect them. But a lot are *kitten*.

    You know, we could easily substitute the word motorist for people on bikes or bikers in your sentence and it would also hold just as true. And I'm speaking from the angle of being a motorist myself - obviously. People running red lights, not coming to a full stop at stop lights, pulling out in front of you, not using their turn signals, changing lanes without looking, forcing themselves between your car and the one in front of you even when there is not enough room, speeding, speeding, speeding, speeding, and on and on.

    If you really pay attention to what motorists are doing when out on the road - yes, a lot are *kitten*. ;-)

    and as a cyclist I agree they there are plenty of bad cyclist out there that don't play by the rule and it makes me mad as hell when I see it. But there are more responsible cyclist just trying to get a good ride in that take a beating for nothing. I once had an iced coffee thrown at me when I was on the side of the road stretching a quad cramp after a nasty climb, I was off the road completely. Tell me why that is ok? its like people get behind a windshield and turn into monsters.
  • Escloflowne
    Escloflowne Posts: 2,038 Member
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    As a cyclist myself, I don't think bikes should be on the road, they rarely obey the rules of the road. They use crosswalks when the light is red and don't even stop for stop signs most of the time. They break all these rules and then complain when a car cuts them off because they are "vehicles". If you can't drive the speed limit or there is no dedicated bike lane, they shouldn't be on the road.
  • p4ulmiller
    p4ulmiller Posts: 588 Member
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    Well I spend most of my time not as a driver or cyclist, but as a pedestrian. And I can tell you there's no one ruder or less considerate than someone on a bike.

    Rubbish.
  • Hophead43
    Hophead43 Posts: 1,634 Member
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    As a cyclist myself, I don't think bikes should be on the road, they rarely obey the rules of the road. They use crosswalks when the light is red and don't even stop for stop signs most of the time. They break all these rules and then complain when a car cuts them off because they are "vehicles". If you can't drive the speed limit or there is no dedicated bike lane, they shouldn't be on the road.

    I'm liking this post!! Its safer for all involved.
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
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    As a cyclist myself, I don't think bikes should be on the road, they rarely obey the rules of the road. They use crosswalks when the light is red and don't even stop for stop signs most of the time. They break all these rules and then complain when a car cuts them off because they are "vehicles". If you can't drive the speed limit or there is no dedicated bike lane, they shouldn't be on the road.

    Curious what kind of speed you intend to average while on the sidewalk.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    As a cyclist myself, I don't think bikes should be on the road, they rarely obey the rules of the road.

    Maybe you don't...

    I'm well used to being in situations where there are 20-30 bikes at an ASL in London, one might burn through a red light and that suddenly becomes all cyclists...
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Well I spend most of my time not as a driver or cyclist, but as a pedestrian. And I can tell you there's no one ruder or less considerate than someone on a bike.

    Rubbish.

    Great argument. Of course my personal experience is invalid, because you're a biker and you disagree with me.

    Thereby proving my original point, most people riding bikes are *kitten*.

    That would be sarchasm
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    As a cyclist myself, I don't think bikes should be on the road, they rarely obey the rules of the road. They use crosswalks when the light is red and don't even stop for stop signs most of the time. They break all these rules and then complain when a car cuts them off because they are "vehicles". If you can't drive the speed limit or there is no dedicated bike lane, they shouldn't be on the road.

    Whether cycles should or should not be on the road is a moot point because they are and will continue to be. That I think is unlikely to change where I am although it may be different where you are, I don't know.

    I think the question really is how do we improve relations between cyclists and motorists so that everyone benefits? It is as I said before to have open dialogue, time, and to consider the concept of responsible v irresponsible road user rather than motorist v cyclist.

    Re: the speed limit thing - in London where I live the average moving speed of traffic is 10-11 mph. Most cyclists even if they are pottling will exceed that. At the same time because they are not in single occupancy vehicles they are not contributing as much to additional traffic. If all cyclists switched to cars it would make the average moving speed even lower. Motorists benefit by having cyclists on the road.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Well I spend most of my time not as a driver or cyclist, but as a pedestrian. And I can tell you there's no one ruder or less considerate than someone on a bike.

    Rubbish.

    Great argument. Of course my personal experience is invalid, because you're a biker and you disagree with me.

    Thereby proving my original point, most people riding bikes are *kitten*.

    That would be sarchasm

    How? And even if it was (I'm sure it's not) how could I possibly tell it was sarcasm from one word typed on the internet?

    Do you know what sarcasm is?

    I was torn on whether it was sarcasm or irony, the reaction is looking like the latter now though :) HTH HAND and all that

    And my speeling was intentional...
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
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    The vast majority of cyclists in my city do not obey the rules of the road.

    They have a go where I want, do what i want, noone can stop me attitude.
    Mind you a lot of auto drivers have the same uppity attidue.
    Pedestrians tend to be as bad or worse.
    Motorcyclists aren't much better.

    Difference is, in an accident the car will always win vs. the cyclist/pedestrian/motorbiker.

    Everyone needs to follow the rules, to make it safer for everyone else, but the majority won't.

    I give room to cyclists when passing them, or wait patiently for them if i can't safely pass.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    It's not irony either.

    Just stop.

    Aww diddums...
  • p4ulmiller
    p4ulmiller Posts: 588 Member
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    Well I spend most of my time not as a driver or cyclist, but as a pedestrian. And I can tell you there's no one ruder or less considerate than someone on a bike.

    Rubbish.

    Great argument. Of course my personal experience is invalid, because you're a biker and you disagree with me.

    Thereby proving my original point, most people riding bikes are *kitten*.

    Well, actually, I'm an IAM-trained car driver and a cyclist, also with Bikeability training. And I object to your offensive generalistic claptrap, made without justification.

    You have made a very poor attempt to shoehorn every cyclist into the same narrow-minded view you have of them.

    We have posters on here who think ramming cyclists off their bike is acceptable - with your view, that would make every car driver an aggressive moron.

    But in fact, that's not the case. You have never seen me ride my bike. Similarly, you don't know how I drive either of my cars. You don't know what courtesies (if any) I afford other road users, and yet you call me a rude and inconsiderate *kitten*.

    I contend that it is you who is offensive.

    (If you want my opinion, it is bus drivers who are the worst offenders; not car, van, motorcycle or horse riders)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    As a cyclist myself, I don't think bikes should be on the road, they rarely obey the rules of the road. They use crosswalks when the light is red and don't even stop for stop signs most of the time. They break all these rules and then complain when a car cuts them off because they are "vehicles". If you can't drive the speed limit or there is no dedicated bike lane, they shouldn't be on the road.

    It seems to me that, since over 90% of all accidents and traffic fatalities are caused by automobile drivers, it is CARS that shouldn't be on the road.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    I'm an IAM-trained car driver

    For non UK readers; Institute of Advanced Motorists.

    My IAM instructor was a police traffic officer, and my examiner was a senior traffic officer.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
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    As a cyclist myself, I don't think bikes should be on the road, they rarely obey the rules of the road. They use crosswalks when the light is red and don't even stop for stop signs most of the time. They break all these rules and then complain when a car cuts them off because they are "vehicles". If you can't drive the speed limit or there is no dedicated bike lane, they shouldn't be on the road.

    It seems to me that, since over 90% of all accidents and traffic fatalities are caused by automobile drivers, it is CARS that shouldn't be on the road.

    I would really like to see the US shift gears into more bike lanes and more public transportation. I loved living in cities where I didn't have to drive, and would happily commute the 12 miles each way everyday via bike if I didn't think I'd get killed. Given the incredibly high fatality rate, let alone the comments in this thread, I think it's more than clear that there are too many aggressive and/or lousy drivers out there.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    As a cyclist myself, I don't think bikes should be on the road, they rarely obey the rules of the road. They use crosswalks when the light is red and don't even stop for stop signs most of the time. They break all these rules and then complain when a car cuts them off because they are "vehicles". If you can't drive the speed limit or there is no dedicated bike lane, they shouldn't be on the road.

    It seems to me that, since over 90% of all accidents and traffic fatalities are caused by automobile drivers, it is CARS that shouldn't be on the road.

    I like you.
  • p4ulmiller
    p4ulmiller Posts: 588 Member
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    I called you rude, because of what you said to me. The only thing I know about you. The more I find out, the less inclined I am to change that original assessment.

    I said your opinion was rubbish and I stand by that; you turned it into a personal attack. There's a difference.

    I'll stick to my own opinions of you, also. I hope you don't mind.

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