Bicyclist Rant

[DetailKitty]

Ok, anyone on here an avid bicyclist?

I want to know why bicyclist think they own the roads?
Around me, I constantly come across these guys who not only ride on extremely dangerous backroads, but they ride 2-4 deep and don't move over.

I almost had a head-on collision with a Tahoe (I would have lost that battle) because some cyclist was riding on a very narrow backroad with no shoulder and was going around a blind curve.

Thank goodness my car is small.... basically the Tahoe, my MINI and the bike all passed one another at the same time.

And to continue my rant, I was on the trail this weekend running with a friend, and most of the cyclists that passed us did so at high speed and barely moved over. Really? You had 5 feet on the other side of you, yet you missed me by a few inches.

What the ef???????

 

[parttimer]

Well, technically in Ohio bicycles are considered vehicles and therefore are entitled to use the road just as a motor vehicle. They are to travel in a lane and obey traffic signals. Not sure about bike/jogging paths.

 

[HUMP DIESEL]

I can answer this, because I was a competitive cyclist for over 11 years and am still a recreational/fitness cyclist. The law is that a motor vehicle must yield 3 feet from the cyclist. Now, that is easily attainable if you have a single file line of riders or a single rider. In the case of a group of cyclist, the rear most rider is to signify when I vehicle is approaching and the other cyclist should move over "as far to the right as safely possible," to allow the vehicle to come by. The main problem I encounter is impatience. The driver must get to the stop sign or light faster than anyone else, so they drive fast out in the other lane to get around the cyclist. I can tell you that numerous times I have had this happen and then I catch the car sitting at a light or a sign.

In your situation, it does not matter what was on the road, a walker, a jogger, or a dog. The problem was that the Tahoe passed in a blind curve, that in and of itself is ignorant.

Now to your next comment. If it is a mixed use trail and they did not slow down for you, then they are idiots. The purpose of a mixed use trail is just that, mixed-use.

The main thing to gain from all of this is to have a smidge of common courtesy and common sense. If you are driving up on a cyclist, slow down until it is safe to pass, just as you would a tractor or a runner or a slower vehicle and don't pass a cyclist in a place you would not pass another vehicle, such as the blind corner or hill.

HUMP

 

[trekkeruss]

Ok, anyone on here an avid bicyclist?

I used to be, and I have worked in the bicycle industry for 30+ years.

I want to know why bicyclist think they own the roads?

Many motorists have that same POV. I cannot tell you how man times I have been yelled at to get off the road. I have also been assaulted...some motorists have felt the need to throw things at me.

Around me, I constantly come across these guys who not only ride on extremely dangerous backroads, but they ride 2-4 deep and don't move over.

I do not believe in hogging the road. Cyclists should move over if it is practical to do so. But sometimes it is better to slow down traffic than it is to become road kill. So in that respect, it is like being stuck behind a slow moving truck or construction vehicle. They (and cyclists) are there legally, and if you get stuck behind one or some, it sucks, but that's just something you have to live with every once in awhile.

 

[DetailKitty]

I don't know if it's my area or what...

Part of "sharing the road" means everyone needs to obey traffic laws. And many of these cyclists DON'T. They don't stop at stop signs, weave through traffic, etc. Yet they expect to be treated like a vehicle on the road.

I still don't quite get the backroads rides. I understand they are scenic, but I wouldn't put myself in danger riding my bike on them. I don't run on roads because of this. Too many people are in a hurry and do stupid stuff in cars. Hell, they'll run another car off the road to get somewhere!

 

[trekkeruss]

It's not just your area. There are bad and inconsiderate cyclists, motorists (and people) everywhere.

 

[Swift]

Ok, anyone on here an avid bicyclist?

I want to know why bicyclist think they own the roads?
Around me, I constantly come across these guys who not only ride on extremely dangerous backroads, but they ride 2-4 deep and don't move over.

I ride a bicycle. As a rule of thumb (for my own safety) I follow, 'road belong to cars'. Even though I stay away from motorist, I have lost count number of times I have had near miss on the road. Number of times, motorist have zoom past me just for fun. I have had buses, trucks, SUVs getting less than a feet away from me. When I respect a motorist, why the hell they can't respect me?? Most of the time motorist are impatient. All they want is empty roads so that they can just speed past. This attitude of motorist is what really pisses me off. At times I do get yelled upon, what do I do? I tell them #### YOU (loudly and clearly) :xyxthumbs:


FYI: It takes time for cyclist to move out of the way. You never know how long the rider is riding, people get tired and move out of the way in a bit clumsy manner. Whats clumsy for motorist, its safe way for cyclist. Request to all, please be little patient around us (cyclists).

 

[Coopers ST]

They are terrible here in Wyoming also. Worse yet are the motorcycle riders. I really dislike how they ride on the center line, I had someone (I think Jesse James) give me the finger leaving Sturgis a couple weeks ago. Whoever it was was on the center line I guess in the left lane varying speed from the limit, to way under. I got impatient I admit and passed. I picked a lane and stayed in the center of it. I get just as much of my lane as the other guy gets of his. He did not like how close I got and gave me the finger, when he saw I was not backing off he did and moved over. When I completed my pass he was right back to the center holding up traffic.

 

[bulldog shine]

Down here in Florida, bicyclist are all over. The town, I am from spent millions on bike paths around the city and the bicyclist still use the road. They are the ones that are inconsiderate. They ride 2-3 even 4 wide.

 

[DetailKitty]

I ride a bicycle. As a rule of thumb (for my own safety) I follow, 'road belong to cars'. Even though I stay away from motorist, I have lost count number of times I have had near miss on the road. Number of times, motorist have zoom past me just for fun. I have had buses, trucks, SUVs getting less than a feet away from me. When I respect a motorist, why the hell they can't respect me?? Most of the time motorist are impatient. All they want is empty roads so that they can just speed past. This attitude of motorist is what really pisses me off. At times I do get yelled upon, what do I do? I tell them #### YOU (loudly and clearly) :xyxthumbs:

I don't think cars have the right to speed past you, or act like an a$$ either. When I pass a bike (when I see them), I wait patiently until there is an opening for me to pass them. I also move all the way over in the opposite lane so I'm not inches from them.

Down here in Florida, bicyclist are all over. The town, I am from spent millions on bike paths around the city and the bicyclist still use the road. They are the ones that are inconsiderate. They ride 2-3 even 4 wide.

OMG! Yes! I drive 15-30 min away so I can run safely on a trail. The 2-4 wide makes me mad. It makes it harder to pass them.

 

[hernandez.art13]

Or you could just join them...

 

[DetailKitty]

Holy crap it's half a MINI! Perfect!

 

[Desertnate]

It's problems like this that have led me to almost abandon the sport all together.

I loved riding the back roads because they had little vehicle traffic to contend with and were scenic. Growing up as a kid in Colorado it was easy to find those lightly traveled roads and most had a reasonable shoulder to utilize to get out of the way of passing cars.

Where I live now, the roads have no shoulders...back roads or not. There is no way I'm going to ride in traffic. There are too many motorists that get impatient when they come upon a cyclist. They will either run the cyclist off the road or pass in a way that is dangerous to other motorists. I've been run off the road too many times to even want to deal with it any more. Once in Texas I was on a shoulder wider than a car I still had a solitary car with no traffic ANYWHERE on a lonely country road, veer into the shoulder in an attempt to hit me.

Now days, if I ride, it's on a trail. The good ones are not close, so my rides aren't as frequest as I'd like.

 

[HD.Detailing]

back road riding is great for training as you can pick up speed, maintain, and less traffic.

As far as them riding in groups, it's legal 2 wide, When I see a car coming up behind me and does not appear to be slowing, I will move into the center of the lane to force them to slow down, it's rude for them not to use caution while passing a legal vehicle on the road... I also use a gopro so if a motorist does cause trouble, break the law, or anything else.. it's easily proven to the police.

 

[conman1395]

I am used to do competitive cycling, but I rode the 40+ mile trail by my house for training. However my experience with other cyclists is just like other drivers. Some are obnoxious on the road and others are not. Also like drivers, some cyclists are better on the road than others and fail to ride a predictable, consistent line on the road. That is much more important than riding faster in my opinion.

 

[Dr_Pain]

I've seen well over 27,000 miles in a saddle (bicycle) and I can tell you that this subject is a little touchy for me. As stated before there are laws on the book regarding motorist and cyclist. EVEN with those laws we are subjected (as cyclist) to the recklessness of motorist. The same as the expressed opinion that bicyclist think they own the road, I feel that motorist think they own it. The truth is that WE own it and WE have the right to use it equally. Here are a couple of things to consider before branding cyclists with some hateful rant (not that this is what you are doing Monica).

- Why do we share the same road? That one is pretty obvious (same with tractors, horses, buggies etc...
- Why don't cyclist move to the shoulder, or the far right of the lane? Because roads are not well maintained and there are debris, nails, rocks etc... More importantly though, it is because motorist are extremely brazen and will forgo the 3ft yield lateral distance and try to "squeeze in" going 40 mph. Ever been hit by a rearview mirror going 40 mph????.

I personally ride in the right wheel path (less road debris in well traveled paths) to force motorist to acknowledge my presence which forces them to treat me as a motorist by actually making a lane change (this is for my own safety). If they have to drop their speed to 20 mph to follow me till the next opportunity to pass me safely then so be it!!!! I will definitely not give them an opportunity to think that they can squeeze in. As to the argument of 2-4 wide.... it is absolutely no different to me. You should (as a motorist) make a full lane change. To think that you can pass them easier because you can use 1/2 the lane to pass them is reckless thinking.

Is it annoying? Absolutely!! FOR BOTH! I know how it is to be a cyclist and know how it is to be a motorist. My question to the motorists is: "Are you in that much of a hurry to get where you are going that you can't take a few moments to make sure to do a proper lane change??" Being a road bully just because you are bigger, faster, heavier and travel faster..... and with a different purpose (ie. work, shopping etc.. compared to training or enjoyment) is not acceptable. Please slow down and appreciate that others may get as much enjoyment in getting from point A to point B on a bicycle..... and that they have equal rights to do so.

 

[Klasse Act]

They've built bicycle lanes here in downtown Chicago for them and guess what, they NEVER follow traffic laws! Wanna be respected, follow the damn law, period!

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online

 

[eroz]

I don't mind the bicyclist riding on the road. I'll wait for it to be safe for both the both of us to pass them. I just hate when sitting at a red light bicyclists weave between the waiting cars or just ride the curb line to get back in front of all the other cars.

 

[Desertnate]

- Why don't cyclist move to the shoulder, or the far right of the lane? Because roads are not well maintained and there are debris, nails, rocks etc...

This is a huge issue for me. The roads have no shoulders and the road surface is crumbling along the edges. There isn't a bike made that can survive that type of road surface. Heck, it will bend a wheel on a car if you hit it wrong!

They've built bicycle lanes here in downtown Chicago for them and guess what, they NEVER follow traffic laws! Wanna be respected, follow the damn law, period!

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online

Slightly off rant, but I've been run off the road while riding in a bike lane..twice...one of those by a city bus passing a slow car on the right! I don't know about Chicago, but it's often safer to ride in traffic than the bike lanes.

 

[trashmanssd]

I just wish the would give us permits for car races on public streets and block them off and put cops at every intersection like they do so they can have bicycle races.