Cyclist v Motorist
Replies
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So I don't see any solution to this problem. Mostly what I see are a lot of rude people on bikes complaining about their rights being violated while ignoring everyone elses.
As has been pointed out multiple times in this thread, we have to be careful not to "paint" all cyclists in the category you state as being rude people who are ignoring everyone else's rights. Ditto for motorists. Ditto for pedestrians. There will always be a certain percentage of every group that fits your description.
For a really fun time, drive the speed limit in your car all the time and see how many motorists you really, really piss off because you are obeying the law. I get more people being rude and upset with me driving 70 or 71 on a posted 70 mph speed limit interstate than I do riding a bike any where in the world. Flashing their lights at me, shaking their fists at me, flipping me off, honking - all because I am obeying the law.0 -
I DID IT!!!0 -
Unfortunately, there's always the bad ones that ruin it for the good ones.
I do NOT agree with "tapping" a cyclist because that's just plain stupid idiotic behaviour.
I have no problem sharing the road with cyclist, but they need to obey the rules of the road too. I have seen cyclist blow through red lights because there was no traffic coming in the other direction. I recently encountered a woman riding in the middle of a car lane with headphones on. Her behaviour almost caused a collision with cars behind her, because they had to slam on the brakes as soon as they turned the corner and saw her in the middle of the road.
I get a little angry with cyclist that feel they need to squeeze their bike between the curb and my car because they just need to get to the front of the line. I really don't want my car scratched, thanks anyways though.
However, like I said, it is these who ruin it for the good ones, who I have witnessed obeying traffic rules and respecting the rules of the road.0 -
I DID IT!!!
Dang, we were all about to use the idiot word with your technical skills of posting that. ;-)
Congrats on making it to the 21st Century!0 -
So I don't see any solution to this problem.
Open dialogue and time I think.
Lots of cyclists here are just as frustrated by the minority who break the rules of the road as you are as it makes our lives more difficult.
That said I think the onus should be on vehicular traffic to modify behaviour and learn to share space over and above cyclists for the simple reason it has a much greater propensity to cause harm if used irresponsibly.0 -
thank you, thank you very much
Elvis0 -
Went out for a ride today and had a car cut across the front of me. I made a gesture and he stopped, I jumped of my bike and we had a little exchange of words. My point is why do some car drivers believe that bikes should not be on the road or should be that close to the side that they ride in the drainage channel? I drive a Renault Grand Espace, a big 7 seater and make sure I am well out of the way of any cyclist I need to over take. So what if I have to wait 10, 20, 30 seconds, it's no big deal.
Please can I ask any non cyclist reading to please give us cyclist room on the roads, we have a much right to use the road as you do. :happy:
I agree you do have your rights to the road but I think you all need to choose your roads much more wisely. Around where I live we have almost no shoulder and very deep drainage ditches. It leaves no room for anyone to get around a cyclist. On the other side of this coin there are plenty of roads with "BIKE LANES" that should be utilized. There are also many paved trails that are ment for cyclists to ride safely. Why should motorist feel like we have to give you space on dangerous roads when there are plenty of places designated for you to ride. To be quite honest Im not going to risk my safety so you can ride in already dangerous spots. Sorry if you don't want to hear that but that is how I feel. When I ride my bike I put it on my rack and drive to a safe place to ride. I think the rest of the cyclists can do the same.0 -
So I didn't read through this ENTIRE thread - but I just need to vent... I ride horses and sometimes have to ride down the road a bit to get to the trail.
Oh. My. God. Some people...I just...I just don't understand how they get through an entire day withought accidentally running off a cliff, or getting beat up because they are either A. lacking any shred of common sence of B: A** Holes.
I know people who don't "know horses" may not know how to act around them.... but if you see a large animal carrying a person down the road, why would you find it condusive to drive 90mph as close to the animal as possible with your radio blasting? Generally these are children - 20 somethings driving daddy's car who probbaly havent been in their first accident / gotten their first speeding ticket, YET.
I would never take my horse on the road if she was scared of cars....but if you are reving your engine driving over the speed limit with your crappy speakers truned up with the base set so high all its doing is vibrating your windshild - it scares ME, which scares my horse, which causes her to jig and jump around in the road.... so why would you fly by?? Ever see a car that hit a moose? Granted if she jumps in front of you shes dead and I probably am too, but chances are daddy's car is going to be totaled, and you're going to need some major dental work, especially considering you never were your damn seat belt.
THIS DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Slow down people! And use some common sence - i understand you are in a car and you are probbaly a brain surgeon rushing to save a child genius at the hospital.... but you DON'T own the road... we are allowed to walk, jog, bike, run, and ride on it.... there are bikers, horses, children, deere, moose, pets, construction workers, broken down vehicles, pot holes, etc, etc, etc, and other things you should probably be looking out for...
Now, when I ride on the road, I carry a large flag, on the end of a pole, which I stick out to my left as fas as possible, and I ride in the middle of the god damned road because this is truly the ONLY way I can get people to slow down. The middle. Super obnoxious, totally taking up the entire road, forcing you to slow down, or run me over - your choice (I move, obviously, when the car does need to pass, at a slow, reasonable pace).
Ive done my fair share of "jesus Christ what do you think your own the god damned road" to bikers in my time - but soon after my initial rant in my head, I try to think duh, they are doing the same thing I'm doing, theyve probbaly almost been killed 83 times and are finally saying F-it, Im taking this into my own hands.
On a side note - I DONT have patience for the new / overly nervous drivers that will tailgate a bike for 5 miles because they are scared to pass them when there is on comnming traffic even though the roads are wide enough for 5 vehicles...just PASS damnit! they do this while Im on the horse too, even though Im frantically waiving them by.... \
Sigh....just can't be content lol0 -
I have to be honest, hitting or bashing my window won't get you respect from me, it would get you run over. Cars are 3 tons of metal and can kill you. You should consider respecting that, instead of trying to show that you can go toe to toe with the cars. I use to drive a lot in Manhattan and pedestrians don't stop crossing the street, even when the light is green. Some drivers will sit and wait. I would push through and make them jump out of my way. A few times I tapped some folks with my car just to let them know that I mean business. So consider yourself lucky, because you have bashed windows and thrown eggs on some really good people, since you are not in jail or suffering broken bones at the moment.
The baton gets their attention. If they are stupid enough to keep trying to PUSH ME OFF THE ROAD, that's when I use the .380. If you ever tapped me with your car, that's exactly what you would see. How stupid are you to tap people with your car?
riiight...
and one of these days when you tap the wrong cyclist you will also find out that there are an equal amount of people that carry when cycling.0 -
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*.0 -
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*. ;-)0 -
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.0 -
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.0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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...0 -
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 sarchasm0 -
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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.0 -
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...0 -
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.0 -
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It's not irony either.
Just stop.
Aww diddums...0 -
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)0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0
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