Dear driver who passed me today

Di3012

...YOU may not like bikes on the road, but those of us on bikes have EVERY right to the roadway that you have. We pay the same taxes, but our miles on the bike don't do the damage to the roads that cars do.

So, yeah...we DO, in fact, "own the road."

How much gas are you putting in your bicycle? None? Then how are you paying the same taxes as someone who puts gas in their car?

I have no disagreement with the "same rights" statement but folks who don't buy gas don't pay the same taxes as those who do.

Ahh in the UK, all taxpayers contribute to the roads, whether they have a vehicle or not, this includes cyclists.

Except people that drive cars pay an additional road tax. Carefully ignored there, I see.

I would have no problem with cyclists if the majority of them weren't asshats with no respect for the rules of the road.

Yes the vast majority of cyclists also own a car. There not ignored

sathor

Riding two abreast: If there is enough room or two lanes I will ride two abreast, but we generally try to drop down to single file if we hear the car coming.... otherwise we just MAY NOT HEAR YOU! It's not that we're being jerks! Windy days are especially tough to hear cars coming behind us.

Strictly speaking, this is also illegal, but motorcycles do it too. You can be ticketed if a cop decides to enforce that particular law.

Actually, Ohio Revised code allows 2 cyclist side by side on roads. :

§ 4511.55. Operating bicycles and motorcycles on roadway.
(A) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable obeying all traffic rules applicable to vehicles and exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.

(B) Persons riding bicycles or motorcycles upon a roadway shall ride not more than two abreast in a single lane, except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles or motorcycles.

(C) This section does not require a person operating a bicycle to ride at the edge of the roadway when it is unreasonable or unsafe to do so. Conditions that may require riding away from the edge of the roadway include when necessary to avoid fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, surface hazards, or if it otherwise is unsafe or impracticable to do so, including if the lane is too narrow for the bicycle and an overtaking vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.

legmotor

Wow, I am shocked at how many ignorant statements are being made about cycling or those that choose to commute by bike. Think for a second about what you are saying.

Di3012

Can't we all just get along? Let's talk about something non-controversial . . . like the death penalty.

Or religion or politics or sommat :laugh:

MikeSEA

I'm not super fond of the fact that cyclists (here anyway) get to choose at a whim whether they want to act as a pedestrian or a vehicle. I'd rather not see you on the road, period, for that reason. Of course I'd rather not see most other drivers on the road because they're morons, so I think it probably evens itself out in terms of my dislike for stupid things I see on the road.

Spending time as an auto claims adjuster does interesting things to how one navigates the roads.

Di3012

why are you supposed to ride with the flow of traffic? i hardly ever ride a bike but when i do it seems like it would be safer facing traffic so that you can see if a car is swerving or riding close to the side of the road.

You are joking right? I sincerely hope you are, otherwise please, do not cycle again on the roads - ever.

ironanimal

The majority of cyclists I encounter, then, sheesh. I don't care that much about the taxes but was just adding a carefully avoided fact into the conversation.

And I'd bet money that you're not even noticing all of the law-abiding cyclists...because they are giving you no reason to notice them. And you probably brush-off the same sort of infractions from other drivers, since you're "on the same team." It's called modal bias.

I think drivers that jump lights, turn without warning and drive without brake lights are asshats too. The percentage of cyclists like that seems higher in my experience, however.

sathor

I am not trying to be rude... just have an honest question and suggestion...

The question... why is it a driver who is traveling at a speed that impedes traffic can be ticketed because it is unsafe, but a bike rider can impede traffic without consequence? I know, for a fact, that you can be ticketed for driving too slow for the conditions in some areas because it can actually be just as dangerous as driving too fast (grew up in a family of cops). So, why can bikers hold up the flow of traffic and not be ticketed?

http://www.cincinnaticycleclub.org/education/law/trotwoodvselz/

summery: because a slow moving car isn't moving at a normal speed for a car, but a bike is traveling at normal bike speed and as a vehicle, it IS traffic, and thus can't be impeding traffic if it is going the expected speed for a bike. (This is also why farm vehicles and amish buggies, etc, don't get ticketed.)

groovyfirechick

The bicyclist that ride on our country roads up here like to ride 3 and 4 wide and take up the whole road. It's annoying. Those people I will honk at! You sound like you are following the rules so thats ok! People need to be careful around bikers....we pick them up off the road and take them to the hospital when people hit them all the damn time!

obeserat

I lived in South Africa for 20 years and rode a bike for a long time. I felt safer there than in England.

zoom2

The majority of cyclists I encounter, then, sheesh. I don't care that much about the taxes but was just adding a carefully avoided fact into the conversation.

And I'd bet money that you're not even noticing all of the law-abiding cyclists...because they are giving you no reason to notice them. And you probably brush-off the same sort of infractions from other drivers, since you're "on the same team." It's called modal bias.

I think drivers that jump lights, turn without warning and drive without brake lights are asshats too. The percentage of cyclists like that seems higher in my experience, however.

Start riding a bike on a regular basis. Your experience would likely change drastically...or at least your perception of things.

jamiesadler

We have a wonderful system of bike paths where I live and some cyclists still want to ride in the middle of the road. Taxes we pay when we fuel up our cars pay for these awesome bike paths that bikers refuse to use. It basically boils down to courtesy just like if you are in the fast lane doing 45 and a car wants to pass move over, or if you want to do 75 dont ride someones *kitten* in the slow lane go around them. But then again courtesy is all but gone in todays society.

obeserat

Only struggled with idiot drivers myself , come to a standstill in front of you without any warning , when you try to go round they obviously haven't looked as they try and open the door

future_marathoner

I am confused as to how people think that cyclists "own the road" as well as drivers? Do you have to pay to register your vehicle? Do you have to get an inspection sticker every year? Do you have to follow the bazillion traffic laws? Do you have to pay for insurance every month because its a law? No you don't.

So in my opinion, drivers who pay thousands of dollars a year for a car, they own the road. So when you choose to ride on a 1 lane road, and i have to go 10 mph behind you because I can't pass you, it pisses me off and makes me late. So can you not just pick a road that has a large shoulder? Or ride in a neighborhood? Or only ride on roads with at least 2 lanes so we can pass you? I'm all about you guys going out and getting exercise but choose your roads wiser.

cyclerjenn

Where I live (in OK) you're treated as if you're a vehicle. You CAN ride on highways, just not the interstate (though I'm not ballsy enough to even try a highway -- thanks but no thanks!) you have to stop at stoplights and stop signs or you can be (and should be) ticketed, and at least in the town I live in (not sure about the entire state) it's illegal to ride on the sidewalks. After all, it is called a sideWALK.

As a law-abiding cyclist, it's irritating that people get annoyed by a few cyclists that probably don't really know the rules of the road and then all of us are lumped into one category. Same with stupid drivers that probably don't know the rules of the road as it pertains to cyclists. And yes, I am a taxpayer, so technically I DO own the roads I ride on, thankyouverymuch, and I'll keep riding my bike like I do. (Following the law, of course)

We have the same laws and I do get annoyed when my team mates (Licensed cyclists with USACycling) do not follow the law. It just makes the rest of use look bad and this is why most motorist hate cyclists.

obeserat

...YOU may not like bikes on the road, but those of us on bikes have EVERY right to the roadway that you have. We pay the same taxes, but our miles on the bike don't do the damage to the roads that cars do.

So, yeah...we DO, in fact, "own the road."

How much gas are you putting in your bicycle? None? Then how are you paying the same taxes as someone who puts gas in their car?

I have no disagreement with the "same rights" statement but folks who don't buy gas don't pay the same taxes as those who do.

Ahh in the UK, all taxpayers contribute to the roads, whether they have a vehicle or not, this includes cyclists.

Except people that drive cars pay an additional road tax. Carefully ignored there, I see.

I would have no problem with cyclists if the majority of them weren't asshats with no respect for the rules of the road.

Drivers of cars are the main problem on the road cause more accidents and take more chances, majority of accidents on the road involve cars not bikes. My main problem cycling to work is cars coming to a stop on double yellow lines to go and buy stuff from the shop clearly ignoring rules of the road. I ride in an orange jacket with lights on the front and back of my bike , I wear a flashing light on my head, reflective strips on my arms, legs and helmet yet drivers of cars still fail to see me , come on I weigh more than 300lb and wear a bright orange jacket I'm really not difficult to see.

obeserat

I am confused as to how people think that cyclists "own the road" as well as drivers? Do you have to pay to register your vehicle? Do you have to get an inspection sticker every year? Do you have to follow the bazillion traffic laws? Do you have to pay for insurance every month because its a law? No you don't.

So in my opinion, drivers who pay thousands of dollars a year for a car, they own the road. So when you choose to ride on a 1 lane road, and i have to go 10 mph behind you because I can't pass you, it pisses me off and makes me late. So can you not just pick a road that has a large shoulder? Or ride in a neighborhood? Or only ride on roads with at least 2 lanes so we can pass you? I'm all about you guys going out and getting exercise but choose your roads wiser.

Get a bike you'll get there quicker

ccmccoy09

I am confused as to how people think that cyclists "own the road" as well as drivers? Do you have to pay to register your vehicle? Do you have to get an inspection sticker every year? Do you have to follow the bazillion traffic laws? Do you have to pay for insurance every month because its a law? No you don't.

So in my opinion, drivers who pay thousands of dollars a year for a car, they own the road. So when you choose to ride on a 1 lane road, and i have to go 10 mph behind you because I can't pass you, it pisses me off and makes me late. So can you not just pick a road that has a large shoulder? Or ride in a neighborhood? Or only ride on roads with at least 2 lanes so we can pass you? I'm all about you guys going out and getting exercise but choose your roads wiser.

As a cyclist and a driver, I have 3 things to add to this convo:
1. In most states, DMV fees pay for freeways (bikes not allowed) and your state's DMV operating budget (doesn't service bikes). YES bicyclists have to follow the bazillion traffic laws and those who regularly break the laws are either ignorant or *kitten* (and YES I'm making a sweeping generalization of all cyclists who break the law, because if you don't follow rules you either don't know them, or can't be bothered to follow them, and that's that.)

2. Car drivers have to have insurance and bikes don't because a car is capable of doing more damage than a bike. A truck's insurance is more expensive than a car's, and a commercial rig's is more expensive than a truck's. Motorcycle insurance is only sometimes higher because of the increased likelihood of an accident. I'm sure the claims adjuster can back me up on this one. It's the law because too many people were at fault for accidents that caused damage they couldn't pay for. Laws are born when people can't be trusted to be responsible for their own actions.

3. A lot of people riding bikes on the road are commuting or otherwise have a specific place they're going. Try to think of it this way: why couldn't YOU just ride a different road that isn't crammed with bikes? Because that's your route, that's how you get to work, school, home, right? Same goes for bikes.

Everyone has somewhere to be, and everyone has someone who loves them and wants them to get there safely. In most places where bikes and cars share the road, the road is inadequate. Nobody is happy about sharing. We should all just calm down and be in it together.

zoom2

So in my opinion, drivers who pay thousands of dollars a year for a car, they own the road. So when you choose to ride on a 1 lane road, and i have to go 10 mph behind you because I can't pass you, it pisses me off and makes me late.

So it's someone else's fault when you don't allow extra time for unexpected delays? How very American of you...

I do pay thousands of dollars/year for my car, as does my husband...and the bikes we own support our local bike retailers. We also each raised >$4k as JDRF Ride To Cure participants...and are doing so this year, as well (that person getting in your way may be doing a lot to help others). We also raised money for the Lance Armstrong Livestrong Foundation earlier this year--on our bikes. The riding we do also keeps us healthier and lowers our healthcare costs, so it's less of a burden on everyone else.

My husband also has been known to ride his bike to work...30 miles away. On those days he's not pumping fossil fuel emissions into the air and the less we use gas, the less demand there is for gas, and the less the fuel companies can justify requiring us all to pay.

Di3012

Only struggled with idiot drivers myself , come to a standstill in front of you without any warning , when you try to go round they obviously haven't looked as they try and open the door

Sheesh, I had a woman do that to me once, damn well scared the living daylights out of me. Luckily I was able to swerve, but if there had been a car directly behind me, I would have gone underneath it, I am sure.

She got the full-force of a torrent of swear words from me that even I didn't realize I knew!