Cyclist v Motorist

I didn't know that, thanks! The bicyclists really annoy me where I live because they DO do this, and I always seem to run into them when I am about to turn a blind corner so it really gets frustrating, not their fault, just seems to be what always happens, AND we have a beautiful bike trail that no one seems to use their actual bikes on, so it's frustrating....

I love to utilize a beautiful bike trail. Where I currently live - or near where I live - we are blessed to have about 4 or 5 excellent options (one is 72 miles long, one is 44 mile round trip; one is a 26 mile round trip; one is a 50 mile round trip, and the other I'm not sure as I have never ridden it). These are trails built out in the open farm land where you can really put the power to the pedals and not have to slow down for other trail users, road crossings, etc...as they are out in the open prairie of the Midwest.

The caveat being - you have to get to the trails and it is sort of silly for many of us to load up the bikes in a car, drive to a trailhead, unpack the bikes and go for a ride. Sort of defeats the purpose of saving fossil fuels, the environment, etc... . However, I do load up and take the bikes to several of those trails as they are more than 25 miles from my front door. The one that is close enough (just a few miles away), I must ride on the road from my house to get to it.

As I said about those trails where I live, they are all the type where you can really let it out and ride fast for a long time without interruption. That is not the case on many trails around the US. I used to live in California (East Bay Area) and riding the bike trails (Iron Horse was one I frequented) there were frustrating because they are filled with baby strollers, walkers, joggers, slower riders, stop signs nearly every block or two and as a cyclist - you simply could not get moving and let it out to enjoy a good cardio burn work out. You were always stopping every few minutes to cross a street. Slowing to wait until you could pass. Waiting at a stop light. It was more like a series of sprints and you felt you never really got the bike rolling to get your miles in. Hence, the desire and choice by many cyclists who are out exercising for cardio to get steady state, tempo riding work in that is hard to do on a bike trail in urban areas where there are so many street crossings, stop signs, stop lights, pedestrians, joggers, baby strollers, slower riders that it borders on being a video game with difficulties to get your HR up.

Not saying that trails like that are not still beautiful and offer an option that appeals to many, but just trying to explain why you sometimes see cyclists not utilizing those trails. They many not go where the cyclist wants to go (commuters or cyclists riding a bike as transportation). They may not have enough flow to get the bike up to speed due to all the stop signs, crossings, trail traffic, etc... . They may not be near the cyclists house. Or the cyclists might be seeking other places to ride on the road where they can ride uninterrupted for 30, 60, 90, 120, 180+ minutes. The open road provides that more than a lot of the urban multi-use trails.

Since this is a fitness and exercise forum, hopefully one can appreciate an endurance athlete's need for steady state and tempo rides that consider anything less than a 90 minute ride to be too short to count. Give me a bike trail that provides that and is close to my house and I'm there. However, not everyone has that luxury.

Whether it is a motorist or cyclist, I am amazed at the number of people who are oblivious to what is going on around them.

I have been on both sides. I get irritated when riding on the shoulder and a car will not go around me. On the other side, I get irritated when a cyclist will not move over to allow me to pass safely. I get irritated a lot :explode:

HOWEVER, there are some roads that are just not worth riding. Narrow winding highway roads, why would you WANT to ride on that unless you're on a motorcycle?

If there is no room on the road for you, find another road. If you commute, well, again find another road. Sometimes it's not worth the fight or risk.

Still, the fact remains that there are a large percentage of drivers like myself who would have retaliated by using our vehicles as a weapon to any cyclist who thinks it is wise to use a baton to bash in my window.

Not to interject in your lovely conversation thread (I like many others are waiting for you two to start making out), but the idea of ever attempting murder in response to anything short of being murdered is a pretty good way to end up in jail.

I'm sure you are just full of bravado but honestly, when you accidently hit someone and these records come up pointing out that you have planned the death of bikers you might regret the claims you have made.

Welcome to the internet, where everything is evidence.

I am not concerned, because unless someone bashes my windows in which is a direct threat to me, then cyclists are safe across the world. If anyone should be worried, it is the guy who has admitted to property damage. I hope that driver is not a member of MFP and haven't been able to track him down to cover the repairs.

No it isn't. It's property damage, not a direct threat to your person. Essentially what you're saying is that you're willing to kill someone over some broken glass. Are you going to shoot someone who keys your car? Stab someone to death because they slash your tires? Unless he pulls a gun and is taking aim, "self defense" is not a viable alibi for trying to kill a cyclist.

Do I think smashing windows is the right way to get a message across? Not personally, no. Does that make running someone down with a deadly vehicle acceptable? Not by a long shot.

One of the things I keep seeing mentioned is why bike users don't use bike paths and instead ride on the street.

For those not in the know, it might seem odd but more often than not there is a reason.

For me, the biggest reason I avoid SOME of the dedicated bike paths and ride on the adjoining streets is simply because in my city, Minneapolis, paths through parks are often limited to 10 mph which is slow even to my 250 lbs butt riding an old mountain bike.

Additionally, as some other folks have mentioned, bike paths, in some areas, can be littered with people walking in the bike lane oblivious to the fact that there is a dedicated walking lane / path for them to be in. Even though they are terrified by each and every passing bike, it never occurs to them that they are in a lane of moving traffic and that there is essentially a sidewalk off on the side where they can walk safely.

Normally these issues clear up when away from popular parks or at least become more manageable and then I get right back onto the nice bike trails we have here for the rest of the ride.

, i was following the rules of the road, while cycling and pulling a trailer behind me carrying my two children. i was taking my daughter to school.

HOW DARE YOU PUT ME IN A POSITION TO HARM YOUR CHILDREN? I just don't get it, really. I took a rickshaw on a whim once in NYC was too terrified to enjoy it. I bought a fold up bike to make it easier to get to trails and parks. Biking on main roads in city traffic seems stupid and irresponsible to me.

He is not putting you in a position where you may harm his children. The poster has every right to take his children to school in a bike trailer if he wishes. If you want to drive around oblivious to what is going on around you that is YOUR CHOICE.

I've always maintained that our greatest freedom in America is the freedom to be idiots. and that's how I look at people who tow their kids in heavy traffic. it's terrifying.

I'm glad I opened this thread. I've learned quite a bit. But I do have one question. Can someone please explain to me why someone would ride a bike on a two lane, extremely curvy, heavily wooded highway with practically no shoulder, where the speed limit is 55mph?

I can't tell you the number of times I've been trucking along doing 55-60mph, come around a curve, and found a bike right in front of me, with another car traveling towards me at 55-60mph. I have no choice at that point but to just barely squeeze between the bike and the other car, because it's not possible to slow down enough to ride behind the bike until it's safe to pass.

I have no choice at that point but to just barely squeeze between the bike and the other car, because it's not possible to slow down enough to ride behind the bike until it's safe to pass.

When I was learning to drive, and when I was doing high speed driving courses, I was always taught how to maximise my visibility, on the basis that I should be able to stop in the distance visible to me. If I suddenly find myself with insufficient space to stop then I'm going too fast.

Even running under blues and twos the same principle applies.

I have no choice at that point but to just barely squeeze between the bike and the other car, because it's not possible to slow down enough to ride behind the bike until it's safe to pass.

When I was learning to drive, and when I was doing high speed driving courses, I was always taught how to maximise my visibility, on the basis that I should be able to stop in the distance visible to me. If I suddenly find myself with insufficient space to stop then I'm going too fast.

Even running under blues and twos the same principle applies.

Oh, ok.

I'm glad I opened this thread. I've learned quite a bit. But I do have one question. Can someone please explain to me why someone would ride a bike on a two lane, extremely curvy, heavily wooded highway with practically no shoulder, where the speed limit is 55mph?

I can't tell you the number of times I've been trucking along doing 55-60mph, come around a curve, and found a bike right in front of me, with another car traveling towards me at 55-60mph. I have no choice at that point but to just barely squeeze between the bike and the other car, because it's not possible to slow down enough to ride behind the bike until it's safe to pass.

How about I play devil's advocate.....?

What would you do if you came around one of those corners and encountered a slow moving farm tractor in the lane? What if a deer was standing in the road? What if there was an emergency vehicle with flashing lights pulled over blocking the lane? What about a family of ducks or geese in the road? What about a slow moving school bus? Or a stopped school bus picking up or letting off a child at a driveway?

Just asked, because we do encounter a lot of things out on such highways that require us to slow or stop that do not involve a bicycle. I'd say you have the capability to slow or stop for all of it - so why not a bike?

Hmmmm....

I've never ridden on a road with a higher speed limit than 45mph in my life. And I never will. I ride bike paths and neighborhood roads.