Let's talk about something highly controversial: Bicyclists!

[Harriet Vane]

I have lots of questions. :D

 

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic?

Yes, we all do, but dh does more than the rest of us.

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles? Yes, absolutely. This is the law as well.

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes? Yes, I see them from time to time. They are usually all fitted up in a sporty way and it is clear that they are riding for exercise.

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal?

It is legal. I don't see why it wouldn't be so. If they ride at the side of the road it seems cars can just go by.

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane? Again, there is not reason why they cannot ride at the side of the road. The slow lane is not a good place because even the sportiest cannot usually sustain the same speeds as a car.

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

I only find cyclists annoying if they are riding where cars are supposed to be. If they are riding at the side of the road, they have every right to be there and cars can just ride by. I have nothing but respect for anyone choosing to cycle--it's cheaper, good exercise, and much better for the environment. I support doing everything possible to make cycling easy to do.

:)

[LucyStoner]

 

Barring of course, some sort of S.M. Stirling post-apocalyptic change where internal combustion engines no longer work. :D

 

It is not a post-apocalyptic thing...within some period and a long stagnant economy, driving will become too costly for many more people because of rising fossil fuel scarcity and increased food costs. I don't think it will be the end of the world, but I do think it will happen relatively soon and require people to change how they get around. If not in our lifetimes, in the lifetimes of our children and grandchildren.

 

Even now with the recession, a lot of people are having to drop their second car or all of their cars because they can't afford the costs. Cycling is faster than walking and relatively cheap and does not require a huge investment of public dollars like expanding rails does. It's a natural choice given those circumstances.

Edited June 1, 2012 by kijipt

[warneral]

Yes to all but 5. I cycle recreationally and do it on farm roads to get to the bike path. If a big ole fast car can't watch out for me, they should get off the road because THEY are the danger not me.

[Tap]

I have lots of questions. :D

 

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic? DS17 rides often.

 

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles? Yes, but I think they should follow the rules better than most do in our area. I also think that they need to be more responsible about passing cars on the right and cutting corners.

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes? Yes, and Yes. I live in the PNW where cycling is encouraged.

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal? I think it is the same for any one using the road. They should pull over periodically and let others pass, but otherwise they have the same rights as I do to use the road.

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane? I would say emergency lane in that scenario.

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

Nope. I see that seasoned bicyclists are pretty astute in our area. The most annoying are teenagers/students as they are more likely to do unexpected things. I think that after a person learns to drive a car, they are more cognizant of the dangers of 'cyclists doing the unexpected' which is a common problem I see. Once a person learns to drive, they seem to understand the low visibility issues of a cyclist. The high-end bike cyclists tend to wear brighter colors and ride as a speed more appropriate to traffic.

[Julie Smith]

Then the drivers should learn to pay more attention.

 

Btw, many people do not bicycle for recreation, they use it as a valid mode of transportation. Not because they want to be "green", but because they realize that their bodies are designed to, and capable of, covering a few miles without the help of gas burning engines. It is cheaper, healthier, a good relaxation after a workday.

 

I mainly bike as a mode of transportation. If I have lots of stops to make. I don't want to be driving in and out of several parking lots. Other then that I don't like driving.

 

My biggest gripe is when they follow BOTH the rules of traffice and pedestrians.

 

They ride in the car lane, then speed through the light with the people. :confused:

 

I never know what to do when I see a bike on my right when I need to turn right. Do I treat them like a car and turn on red, or wait for them like I would a person. Sometimes they are on the sidewalk and sometimes they are on the roadside. It changes from bike to bike and (I think ) if they are late to something. The only way for this to work is to have DEFINED bike rules and punishments.

 

As to having bikes on narrow roads. I find this very dangerous. I constantly think they are going to slide on the gravel and slip into traffic and die. I give them so much room that I become a hazard. I honestly will not drive on these types of roads unless I have to, and yes, I curse the entire time-- not really at the bikers, but at the situation and lack if solution.

 

I use the bike lane or the side walk. For me I decide which to use depending on how fast I will be going. If I'm out by myself with no load then it's the road. If I have 100+ pounds of books and food then I take the sidewalk. But then I'm going at a speed that if I need to I can easily slip into walking my bike without missing a beat. In those cases I am going so slow I'm a nuisance for other bikers.

 

Doesn't it seem that allowing bikes on sidewalks would eliminate many of these problems?

 

I have gotten rude comments for biking on the sidewalk while out cycling with my then 5 and 7 year old biking in front of me. Sometimes those bike lanes go through intersections, between rows of cars... I wouldn't trust them to successfully lead the way or follow me. To scary.

 

Now that they are getting older 6 and 8 I am going to transition them over to bike lanes. But it's scary. The cars are so close you could lean over, reach out and touch them.

 

We all bike for transportation in this house. During the biking season last year (meaning no worries about snow or ice) by boys would go about 40K a week getting to various places.

 

Dh bikes to work.

[WeeBeaks]

Haven't read all the replies but posting this and then reading as the kids let me.

 

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic?

 

Yes, my DH is a bike commuter to work (5 miles each way), urban environment.

 

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles?

 

Yep.

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes?

 

Yes, lots of bikes. Bike lines vary from none to nice new separated ones along major highways. It just depends.

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal?

 

Yes, just as legal as an Amish buggy, a slow motor scooter or other modes of transportation. Cars aren't the only way to get around.

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane?

 

Yes. Most of our freeways here have parts of them where bikes are allowed if there are not other reasonable ways to get through that area other than the freeway lanes.

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

 

Not here. It's the teen boys and young men that seem to have a death wish around here, not the cyclists in full gear. And if I go in certain beach areas those young men are still bad cyclists with a death wish and often drunk to boot and weaving in and out of lanes, sidewalks and taking on oncoming traffic. Our regular cyclists are generally pretty decent here.

[nmoira]

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic? Yes

 

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles? Yes

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes? Yes, but just as many or more passing through and near our neighborhood use them to commute. We have bike lanes and corridors, paths, and bike boxes at numerous intersections..

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal? Same way I feel about Amish and Mennonite buggies or a farmer moving equipment... deal with it. :) Though it might make me nervous were I the cyclist.

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane? This is generally not safe

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL. Not around here

 

.

Edited June 1, 2012 by nmoira

[Butter]

WHY aren't you PASSING them? Just saying. If I see a little old lady doing 25 in a 45 zone, I pass unless it is a double line/no passing zone. No passing zones are short. Just go around them. Give them three feet of space to their left when you do.

 

Where a whole lot of bikers bike around here the no passing zones last for miles. It's not as simple as just going around them, especially since they tend to ride two across the lane.

[JadeOrchidSong]

I am sorry about your friend. But we really don't want to get into a debate how many more bicyclists and pedestrians get killed by cars each year.

 

 

In other countries it does. But there I have not observed as much hatred and vitriol directed towards bicyclists as in the US. Hm....

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

Edited June 1, 2012 by aomom

[JadeOrchidSong]

 

My opinion in summary: Bicyclists and drivers can coexist if they each follow the rules of the road and don't act like they own it. I do wish more people would be empowered to stop their short commutes in single occupancy vehicle cars. If more people cycled to work we would have a host of personal and public benefits:

 

-Less pollution

-Cost savings that can then be used for investment or spent in the economy.

-Increased fitness and healthfulness and the lower healthcare costs that would result.

-Less depression from increased activity.

:iagree:

Well said. Thank you!

[WeeBeaks]

No joke. We used to see them a few times a week but haven't lately. My daughter said she heard some of the moms she babysits for mention seeing them too. Maybe they heard some of the negative feedback and decided to knock it off.

 

They must have moved from here (CA). LOL It's very common here.

[LucyStoner]

Where a whole lot of bikers bike around here the no passing zones last for miles. It's not as simple as just going around them, especially since they tend to ride two across the lane.

 

Riding two across wide on the lane is rude. I get that.

 

I think there should be signs posted reminding bicyclists to travel single file and to the right/on the shoulder if there is a car behind them on a road with long no passing zones. I would call the local government and ask them to make a road sign, just like they do for the no passing zone.

 

We have tons of hills and trees here and I have never encountered a passing zone that would take more than 3-5 minutes (at slow speed) to get through. I also have never encountered bicyclists who are blocking me from passing. Maybe it is because cycling is more common? I dunno. :confused:

 

Sometimes it seems that drivers get irked at anything that causes them to slow down for a second, be it construction, bikes, detours etc. I think things would be better if people slowed down a bit in general. Rarely is being a little late a life or death matter AND rarely do things like bikes cost anybody more than a few minutes. People should cushion their travel times to allow for some delays. That's just life. If I have an 8AM appointment across town, I do not leave at 7:40 because even though the driving time is 20 minutes in the best conditions, I don't expect the best conditions. There will be an accident, bad weather, construction or something somewhere.

Edited June 1, 2012 by kijipt

[wintermom]

I think it's awesome that bikes are commonplace elsewhere. Realistically, though, the US is a car-based nation. Most towns and cities were not developed with pedestrian or cyclist safety in mind. That is not going to change for *most* of us, regardless of how many people suddenly start riding bikes on roads.

 

 

Historically speaking, most US towns and cities were planned and developed before cars were in common use. What the US, and Canada, does have is lots of space to spread out, and no immediate need to have people stop using cars. This doesn't mean that cars have to be the only things on the roads. Bikes can be a quicker, a cheaper, and certainly a healthier, way to get around, and they don't take anything away from cars on the roads. They have a right to use the roads, and drivers and bikers both have obligations to follow the rules.

[Momof3littles]

I have lots of questions. :D

 

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic?

 

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles?

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes?

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal?

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane?

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

1) DH rides his bike several times a week for 25-50 miles. He commutes by bike from 1-2 days a week depending on the weather. He has a 40-45 min afternoon commute home and can ride it in just 10 more mins than driving it because traffic is so heavy. He rides on a few big roads but mostly sticks to riding through subdivisions to and from. But yeah, with traffic as bad as it is, he isn't a lot slower than a car.

 

2) yes, provided they are following the rules of the road. DH is a stickler for doing so.

 

3)Not a ton, but yes, a good number, and no we do not have bike lanes. DH reads a lot of columns written by experts on safety, and I think he's mentioned some experts feel bike lanes can actually be dangerous because cars tend to use them like a "shoulder" to go around other cars and so forth. We lived in one town that had bike lanes but they would drop in and out, which can be confusing to drivers and dangerous for cyclists. Almost worse than not having one at all I guess.

 

4) yes, it should be legal. I was a serious runner in high school and my coach was also a driver ed teacher and a serious cyclist. She beat into our heads that pedestrians are part of the transportation system. Growing up, if I didn't leave on time for school and was 5 mins late, I got stuck behind farmers crossing their cows on the road going from one field to another. Or a tractor. Or any number of other things. Annoying? Yes. Are cyclists sometimes annoying? Honestly yes, but I feel they are entitled to be there and it is my job to share the road. I have lived in several small to medium towns and rural roads are a big part of what most cyclists ride. Kind of tough to avoid them unless you live in a city and have bike lanes, but that type of biking isn't exactly ideal for many types of training/riding because then you are stuck stopping at stoplights and so forth.

 

5) I don't have an opinion on 5 that is backed by anything. If cyclists aren't banned, then they are entitled to be there and it is the cars' job to deal with the cyclist IMO as long as the cyclist is following the laws. If they aren't prohibited, then yes, they have a right to be there IMO and my annoyance or whatever is pretty much irrelevant anyway.

 

6) DH has an expensive bike. It was his gift for completing his PhD. It doesn't inherently make him a jerk. I think experienced cyclists are often more assertive on the road, which can be perceived by some people to be an issue. IME most of the time they are just more assertive, not being jerks. For example, DH reads a lot of blogs, columns in cycling magazines, etc. related to safety. When in town, he will sometimes insert himself into a lane as if he was a car, because if he's turning across traffic or something, that is the safest option according to him. He can pretty much keep up w/ traffic in that type of situation. I'm sure someone in a car without cycling experience might think that's more dangerous, but he thinks it is the safest option. There are cyclists who are jerks and don't follow the rules, but there are also many drivers who don't understand cycling safety, the laws, or why cyclists do things they do (like insert themselves into a lane as if they were a car). I have seen far more dangerous drivers interacting with cyclists than cyclists doing something wrong.

 

eta: I went back and read the responses. Several people mentioned cyclists out on windy country roads with no passing zones, etc. being a problem. Let me toss this out there...where DH and I grew up, where we live now, where we lived in our last home....all fairly rural areas...it involves those types of roads. I mean, that's pretty much what there is to ride on. Or a highway, which also ticks people off. So cyclists should pack up and *drive* somewhere so they can cycle and avoid "country roads" with almost no shoulder? I mean, it kind of defeats the entire purpose. Where we are now, and where we grew up...that's just where cyclists ride. Yes, as a driver it may take a while until you can pass safely. But really, maybe 3-5 mins at the absolute, positive upper limit IME. Lots of people live in more rural areas without bike lanes. Where we live, almost all of the backroads are windy and have double yellow lines. If the road isn't like that, it is super, super busy or a highway, and those don't offer bike lanes either in my area. Riding in a city is often commuting, and as I said above, different from what someone does to train for a race or build endurance. It is a different type of riding since you have to stop at more lights and so forth. There are reasons why people bike commute or ride in a city, and there are reasons they may be out and about on windy, back country roads. As long as they are following the law, it is my job to deal with it as a driver. They have the right to be there.

Edited June 1, 2012 by Momof3littles

[Momof3littles]

DH suggested I post a youtube video about a cyclist ticketed in NYC for not using a bike lane. He gives a good demonstration of what cyclists deal with in "bike" lanes in places like a major city.

 

Warning: in the very beginning there are a few swear words, so if you are sensitive to that, don't watch.

 

[Colleen]

Honestly? They annoy the crap out of me. I'm fine with it if they stay off to the side of the road, but come on people! I have a car. I can squish you. It won't be on purpose, but if you mess up riding your bike, I can squish you dead. It drives me nuts when they DON'T stay off to the side of the road, or they double-up and ride next to each other. In my mind, it's all part of natural selection. If you truly think it's a good idea to ride your bike with tons of cars whizzing by.........

 

And attitudes like yours annoy the crap out of me.

[Annie G]

DH suggested I post a youtube video about a cyclist ticketed in NYC for not using a bike lane. He gives a good demonstration of what cyclists deal with in "bike" lanes in places like a major city.

 

Warning: in the very beginning there are a few swear words, so if you are sensitive to that, don't watch.

 

 

 

How did that guy make that video without being injured???

[Colleen]

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic?

 

Yes. Bicycles are both a form of recreation and transportation.

 

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles?

 

Absolutely.

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes?

In this general region, it's fairly common for adults to ride bikes recreationally (and as a means of transportation). Bikes are standard in the liberal, bigger city down the road. Most people in my ultra-conservative town are far too attached to their carbon-footprint enhancing vehicles to consider riding a bike. As to the second part of this question, bike lanes aren't as common in Western WA as one might think.

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal?

 

If the cyclists and drivers are being conscientious, there won't be any notable slowing down of traffic. If there is a minor slow down, no biggie. People have time to sit in front of screens for hours each day; they can take an extra minute to accomodate a cyclist.

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane?

 

The vast majority of people who ride in such an environment are perfectly capable of doing so.

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

 

No. I notice a whole heckuvva lot more annoying drivers than I do cyclists.

[Colleen]

Bicyclists and drivers can coexist if they each follow the rules of the road and don't act like they own it. I do wish more people would be empowered to stop their short commutes in single occupancy vehicle cars. If more people cycled to work we would have a host of personal and public benefits:

 

-Less pollution

-Cost savings that can then be used for investment or spent in the economy.

-Increased fitness and healthfulness and the lower healthcare costs that would result.

-Less depression from increased activity.

Right on.

[KungFuPanda]

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic?

 

Sometimes, but not for several years.

 

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles?

 

Absolutely. It's the law.

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes?

 

Yes and yes

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal?

 

They don't have a lesser right to the road just because they are slower. It's part of life and the same as being slowed down by farm equipment or Amish buggies. I don't feel more entitled to public roads because I have a car.

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane?

 

I've only seem them in the slow lane on multiple-lane roads.

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

 

Nope. We see all kinds here . . . from serious cyclists, to 9-5 commuters, to teens biking to burger-flipping work.

 

 

 

Now to read the replies. I did it backwards. :D

[Colleen]

I think it is dangerous and impractical to mix cyclists and cars. Wanting it to work out doesn't mean it actually works out in reality.

 

Travel to some other countries and prove yourself wrong.

[ravinlunachick]

WHY aren't you PASSING them? Just saying. If I see a little old lady doing 25 in a 45 zone, I pass unless it is a double line/no passing zone. No passing zones are short. Just go around them. Give them three feet of space to their left when you do.

 

The main road where we have problems is two lanes, double yellow line for miles at a time, very little to no shoulder to speak of, has lots of hairpin turns, AND is heavily traveled by cars and heavy trucks. I drive it every day and cross my fingers that I never have car trouble because there is hardly any safe place to get out of the road. Yet we see a steadily increasing number of cyclists, out in the middle of the lanes, backing up traffic like crazy. There's no safe way to pass them sometimes; you're just trapped.

[ravinlunachick]

No Amish buggies here, LOL. I was just reading my state's laws on bicycles earlier, and animal-drawn carts are expressly prohibited on highways. The towns around here were certainly around before cars were common. So what? The vast majority of the roads did not exist then, and there was a fraction of the current population.

 

And hey..... my gamer husband is plenty active, TYVM. He just prefers his feet to a bike, and he has enough sense to stay out of the road while walking.

[Jamee]

 

Maybe they all fold up their bikes and take them inside and hide them before showering and changing into the clothes they keep at work. I guess I'll never know for sure.

 

That. My husband doesn't carry anything with him on his commute, maybe a backpack, but I'm getting him a cycling bag. He keeps his bike in his office and changes there too. I think you'd e surprised at the number of cycling commuters--he biked to work in the states.

 

I agree with a pp, I don't understand the hostility towards cyclists in the US when the rest of the world, for the most part, makes it work just fine and in some cases with worse road/traffic conditions.

[bluemongoose]

1)

eta: I went back and read the responses. Several people mentioned cyclists out on windy country roads with no passing zones, etc. being a problem. Let me toss this out there...where DH and I grew up, where we live now, where we lived in our last home....all fairly rural areas...it involves those types of roads. I mean, that's pretty much what there is to ride on. Or a highway, which also ticks people off. So cyclists should pack up and *drive* somewhere so they can cycle and avoid "country roads" with almost no shoulder?

 

 

Actually in my area this is what they are doing in reverse. They are packing up and driving from the city (where there are bike lanes and even green-spaces with biking trails) to the country- windy- blind corner- roller coaster hills-cant pass- cant see ya roads to travel in large packs and play chicken with cars. It wouldn't bother me if it wasnt so dangerous for everyone involved. It is not the time constraint of waiting to pass as much as the danger for me. When I drive in town and share the road and I dont even bat an eye at it. It is just safer there. There is at least a shoulder or a bike lane and no hair pin turns and hills everywhere.

[KatieWonderGirl]

:glare:

 

yikes. i seriously kept reading and waiting for one of you to advocate scaring some sense into the people on bikes with your car... some of you seem to have rather large chips on your shoulders about bikes.

 

it is very ironic to read the posts of people who drive cars (which kill and injure so many people every year) talking about the dangers caused by people on bikes... and even some people complaining about pedestrians crossing the street in "their" lane! (at least here in Oregon, cars must stop for pedestrians regardless of whether there is a crosswalk present or not... pedestrians ALWAYS have the right of way because those of you in your cars can so easily kill them)

 

when did owning a polluting, resource wasting death machine give you full ownership of the public built environment?

 

also, as was mentioned elsewhere, biking on the shoulder is less safe for everyone than taking the lane and is actually illegal in many places. if there are no bike lanes you'd better believe my kids and i will take the lane so we are visible. all it does to hug the side is encourage drivers to pass you dangerously close.

 

geez.

 

--katie

[momofkhm]

I have lots of questions. :D

 

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic?

 

I do.

 

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles?

 

Yep

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes?

 

yep. But mostly on trials, not roads.

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal?

 

Well, since I do it, yes. I see it as a safer place to ride that in all the traffic other places.

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane?

 

I usually don't have a designated bike lane. But I also don't ride on streets with more than 3 lanes unless there is a median strip down the middle. But I hug that little white line on the edge.

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

 

Not here. The most annoying ones are the large group rides. They never move over, think they own the whole road and are generally obnoxious. I will admit to "using" them one time when I was crossing a busy street. I tucked in at the end of the group and rode along until I was across. Then I slowed back to my normal pace.

[Candid]

Doesn't it seem that allowing bikes on sidewalks would eliminate many of these problems?

 

No, see this blog on the topic:

http://garyridesbikes.blogspot.com/2008/08/coexistence-3-bikes-on-sidewalk.html

[Granny_Weatherwax]

No, see this blog on the topic:

http://garyridesbikes.blogspot.com/2008/08/coexistence-3-bikes-on-sidewalk.html

 

Thanks for the link.

I like this quote from the end of the blog ..."If you are a motorist who is still unconvinced bikes belong on the road, I would like to remind you that legally bikes are vehicles, and it's the obligation of all modes using the road for transit to coexist. Cyclists are allowed to ride on the same roads as automibles except where expressly forbidden, such as most urban freeways.[C.V.C. 21960] If motorists and cyclists (many of whom are also motorists), behave responsibly and look out for each other, sharing space on the road does not have to be fraught with conflict."

[ravinlunachick]

when did owning a polluting, resource wasting death machine give you full ownership of the public built environment?

 

--katie

 

Death machine? It's a vehicle, not an electric chair. :001_huh:

 

I don't believe that cars get "full ownership of the public environment," but let's face it.... roads and highways are built primarily for vehicles,using taxes collected from licensing fees and gasoline taxes, among other things. Sure, there's other uses for them. I enjoy a good parade now and then, but the primary function is to allow motorized vehicles space to travel in relative safety. Any other use is secondary, imNsho, and those secondary users ought to cede the space as necessary (ie, pulling over to let traffic pass) to those "death machine" going by at double or triple or quadruple their speed.

 

I'll say again, just so I hopefully don't get remembered as the angry lady running bikes off the road, that I do not drive aggressively, even when I'm trapped behind one of those cyclists who is blocking traffic flow. I don't roll down my window and scream or curse at anyone. I don't try to teach anyone a lesson. I figure time will do that for me.

 

In the end, if bicyclists want to be respected on the roads like vehicles, I think they should be willing to be subject to the same traffic laws. If they want to take up space like a car, they should be tagged and licensed, and have blinkers and lights. They should get the same traffic ticket and fine as the car who goes far under the speed limit and impedes traffic flow. I'd also add that if communities want safe bike paths and lanes, they ought to be heard by their city councils, and their wishes taken into account in future planning.

 

Kumbayah?

[Granny_Weatherwax]

 

We all bike for transportation in this house. During the biking season last year (meaning no worries about snow or ice) by boys would go about 40K a week getting to various places.

 

Dh bikes to work.

 

This makes me laugh; it has to be a typo. 40,000 biking miles in a week?

That's over 200 miles an hour, 24 hours a day. What kind of bikes are they riding?

[Laura Corin]

There's no safe way to pass them sometimes; you're just trapped.

 

You are travelling at the speed of a bicycle until it is safe to pass. No-one has trapped you. You are obeying the rules of the road about when it is safe to pass another road user.

 

I always assume that I will have to wait behind a tractor or a cyclist on any journey I make. I allow time for that. They have the right to be on the road and I have the duty to be courteous. The roads are narrow, there is no hard shoulder, and cyclists have to ride in the middle of the road because of the camber/broken road edge. That's fine. They have the right to the road as much as I do. I take curves slowly and am constantly aware of who is behind me in case I need to brake fast.

 

The only thing I will complain about is cyclists that don't use lights after dark - mostly students, some of whom come from countries where lights are not compulsory.

 

Laura

[Julie Smith]

This makes me laugh; it has to be a typo. 40,000 biking miles in a week?

That's over 200 miles an hour, 24 hours a day. What kind of bikes are they riding?

 

Oops, sorry. That is 40 KM.

[Laura Corin]

This makes me laugh; it has to be a typo. 40,000 biking miles in a week?

That's over 200 miles an hour, 24 hours a day. What kind of bikes are they riding?

 

Laura

[Candid]

I have lots of questions. :D

 

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic?

Not any more, I did when younger, but it was too scary for me.

 

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles?

Yes.

 

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes?

Yes and some. Bike lanes are usually on heavily traveled suburban roads not for country roads (we don't have much of a downtown but no bike lanes there).

 

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal?

Yes. But it would be wise to take precautions.

 

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane?

Usually this is illegal. I'm pretty sure this is because on a four lane interstate doing 65 a car could easily come upon a bike with not enough time to prevent an accident no matter how quick and sharp the car's driver.

 

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

No, at least where I am the people wearing neon striped outfits usually seem to know what they are doing.

 

We have had a big bicycle death case here. The biker was on a rural road near sundown. Was hit by a mom who said the sun was in her eyes and couldn't see the biker. The mom stopped, called for help, etc. There have been many angry letters from bikers to the paper calling for a severe penalty for the mom. Theme of many of the letter is bikes have a legal right to be on the road.

 

Anyway since this case I've kind of kept track of things bicyclist have done that perplexes me. It started with the two bikers I almost hit. It was after dark, I was coming from my side road up to a busy four lane road. This main road has been recently landscaped and now has divided meridian and side walks on both sides. My side road was pretty dark due to older trees overhead blocking street lights. I had my head lights on and the street lights were on over head. I was coming to a stop sign and was going pretty slow which is why these guys didn't get hit. But the reasons I almost hit them were two-fold: they were riding on the sidewalk which meant when they crossed my side road they were in the space that legally I could be in. I had not reached my white line on the road to stop at. AND they did not have any headlights or reflectors so they were invisible. This was doubly the case because the cars on the main road had headlights on but because the cyclist weren't on the road where they should have been the headlights didn't illuminate them.

 

Next there was the young girl that we encounter while my 15 year permit driver was driving. I'm guessing she was about the same age as him maybe 14. We were approaching a stop light but had green (and it had not just changed). She turned out of the side road head on towards us which meant she was going the wrong way on both roads.

 

Next there was the guy in my neighborhood. I saw him as I was stopping at a four way stop. The stop sign for him was in the middle of a pretty steep hill (I know I often walk the dog that way), I slowed down and pulled over as I went through the stop sign because thanks to the two incidents above, I was curious to see what he would do. Our neighborhood is pretty sleepy during the day so there were no cars or other traffic, but it was still a stop sign, I stop for them when I'm in my car. He didn't stop.

 

Then there was the guy in the bike land, he rode the whole way right on the white line on the outside of the lane. Since the road he was on is not particularly wide this meant that even though he was "in" the bike lane he was difficult to pass if there was oncoming traffic. Could I ever ride with my wheels on the line of road without getting a ticket? I don't think so.

 

I lost track of bicyclists not wearing helmets. I'm not sure what our state law says about bicyclists and helmets but motorcycle riders are required to wear them. Those are the bikers that scare me the most because I figure if they don't care enough to wear a helmet they aren't going to care much about other safety measures.

 

If you do ride a bike obey the rules of the road that cars have to obey, even when inconvenient, those rules help protect you. I also found this website a long time ago that shows how to ride defensively in traffic:

 

http://bicyclesafe.com/

 

And I'm not so sure about bikes and motor traffic in other countries. I looked up Chinese traffic because friends who have lived there describe it as insane with an every man for himself mentality. They even mentioned having cars drive up on the sidewalk. I found lots of videos on it (here are two):

 

 

 

 

In this second video the bikers even a divided off section, but its still fairly crazy over on their side, just not as much as the car side.

 

Since I have also heard about traffic in Mexico City, I looked for videos of that city as well. However, although there were videos, there were no bikes at all in them.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Oops, sorry. That is 40 KM.

 

That's what I figured. It still makes me giggle, though.;)

[gardenmom5]

I have lots of questions. :D

 

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic? yes.

 

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles? within reason

 

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes? yes - and we have bike lanes in some places, but not all.

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal? depends why traffic is slowing. is there heavy traffic? are they deliberatly riding in the road so cars can't pass?

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane? if there is no designated lane - I expect them to ride to the side so cars can pass.

 

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

yes - and my most recent experience with bikers was a spread out pack on a road WITH a bike lane - but even though they were riding single file - the bike lane wasn't "wide enough" for them (re: they really didn't USE it!) and they still forced cars into oncoming traffic to pass them.

[Butter]

I think there should be signs posted reminding bicyclists to travel single file and to the right/on the shoulder if there is a car behind them on a road with long no passing zones. I would call the local government and ask them to make a road sign, just like they do for the no passing zone.

 

That would be a great idea... if we had shoulders (or even space to go... our roads end in a drop off into a ditch. Seriously... our roads aren't extremely safe for cars (quite a few accidents because of that drop off and over-correcting). Add bikes and it's a mess.

[Butter]

So cyclists should pack up and *drive* somewhere so they can cycle and avoid "country roads" with almost no shoulder? I mean, it kind of defeats the entire purpose.

 

Does it? Apparently not here! Because that's *precisely* what many of the high-tech cyclers do. I've seen them time and again driving to a public place where they can park (school parking lot, driveway of a closed historical building, etc.) and then they get their bikes off their vehicles and go riding.

[Laura Corin]

And I'm not so sure about bikes and motor traffic in other countries. I looked up Chinese traffic because friends who have lived there describe it as insane with an every man for himself mentality.

 

When I first lived in China in 1985 there were wide cycle lanes. All the cyclists travelled at the same pace and junctions were designed to let cyclists and (the small number of) cars go through safely. I was stopped by a policeman for cycling too fast - one had to move with the pack.

 

When I moved there again in 2004, many cities had taken out the bike lanes because there were more cars. Cyclists still cycled as though the roads were safe for them but all the systems that kept them safe were removed. The accidents were horrific.

 

So China proves not that cars and bikes can't co-exist, but rather that they can successfully if the system is designed for both.

 

Laura

[BridgeTea]

I have lots of questions. :D

 

1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic? Yes, if necessary to get where we are going. We utilize Rails-to-Trails almost exclusively, but also use rural roads and small town streets. We try to avoid highways and residential areas (the latter being the most dangerous in our experience).

2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles? Yes, but... I choose to ride during daylight hours only if I'm going to be sharing the road with motorized vehicles. Not sure about the rights of the night pedalers. The ones around here don't go out of their way to make themselves visible.

3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes? Many more adults than children on bikes in this area. Zero bike lanes.

 

4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal? As a rider, I'm not trying to slow you down, but it's going to happen at times. I'll hug the shoulder so you can pass safely for all of us. As a motorist, I encounter bikes in the road regularly. I take a breath, hang back, and pass when I can. Should it be legal on a two-lane rural road? Yes.

 

5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane? Not sure on this one, as I personally wouldn't do it and I don't recall coming across any bikes using highway lanes in this manner. Yeah, I'm avoiding controversy here by not taking a stand on this issue at this time.

6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL.

Actually, it's the opposite here. And I would say they ride dangerously, not annoyingly. I'm shocked a few of them are still alive, because they take risks I never would (like riding at night in the middle of the country road with zero reflective clothing or lights).

[Harriet Vane]

 

In the end, if bicyclists want to be respected on the roads like vehicles, I think they should be willing to be subject to the same traffic laws. If they want to take up space like a car, they should be tagged and licensed, and have blinkers and lights. They should get the same traffic ticket and fine as the car who goes far under the speed limit and impedes traffic flow. I'd also add that if communities want safe bike paths and lanes, they ought to be heard by their city councils, and their wishes taken into account in future planning.

 

Kumbayah?

 

Tagged and licensed? I'll be honest, the last thing I want is for more reasons for the government to require more paperwork and more expense from us. What implications would something like this have for kids and teens? For the poor? The bureaucratic mess this suggestion represents boggles the mind.

 

I'd love to see more bike lanes and accommodations for bikers. Until that happens, though, there is NO reason why we cannot learn to share and get along.

[warneral]

Tagged and licensed? I'll be honest, the last thing I want is for more reasons for the government to require more paperwork and more expense from us. What implications would something like this have for kids and teens? For the poor? The bureaucratic mess this suggestion represents boggles the mind.

 

I'd love to see more bike lanes and accommodations for bikers. Until that happens, though, there is NO reason why we cannot learn to share and get along.

 

Agreed. I think dissenters should just get on a bike and go somewhere. Perhaps then they would realize that cars are not the only mode of transportation.

 

Chill when you see a biker. Note that they are going somewhere. Note that you are not in as big a rush that you feel you are. Share the road :)

[Momof3littles]

Does it? Apparently not here! Because that's *precisely* what many of the high-tech cyclers do. I've seen them time and again driving to a public place where they can park (school parking lot, driveway of a closed historical building, etc.) and then they get their bikes off their vehicles and go riding.

Well sure, my DH will drive to a friend's house and they'll start off from there because it is already a half hour drive. Or people meet up for group rides, etc. But for regular day to day, I don't think most cyclists *drive* somewhere to bike. And they certainly shouldn't be obligated to. And *having* to drive somewhere to cycle every time you want to cycle seems to defeat some of the environmental benefits. Some people like riding in groups because they have greater visibility and they feel safer that way. Or they just want or need training partners. But most people IME do not drive somewhere to hop on their bike every time they want to cycle. They often start out from their home base.

 

My point (perhaps not clear in my other post) is that it is pretty hard in many parts of the country to avoid riding on rural roads if one is commuting or going for a ride from their home base.

 

My DH's typical weekend bike ride is 30-50 miles. He will ride as part of races, fundraisers, etc. and do rides of up to 100 miles. Of course he's going to encounter a mix of road types traveling that distance. He may be on some busy roads for a short distance, he may be on windy, back country roads with double yellow lines, he may be in town for a short stint. Kind of unavoidable, and unavoidable for most people who bike longer distances. Even if there are bike lanes available, in most parts of the country they don't extend all that far. They may end at a larger town's outer limits, for example. Where we are bigger cities have bike lanes, but that doesn't help our situation as we are 1+ hours from that type of setup. If DH worked in that type of city they'd be helpful to him if he bike commuted, but for long weekend rides he'd still end up out on roads without bike lanes. Pretty much unavoidable.

 

If DH drives to a friend's house to ride, they *still* end up on back, windy, double yellow line roads because that's the way it is where we live. Our last hometown in a different state was the same way. It is busy roads and small highways, big interstates, or windy, double yellow line roadways. People get annoyed with cyclists on "busy" roads, and then they get annoyed when they ride on back roads. I mean, that's kind of unfair, no? We don't live in an area with bike lanes.

 

Where we grew up, one would have to ride a long distance to get anywhere with bike lanes. In fact, I can't even think of too many places within a half hour that offer them. I now live in a small to medium sized town that is an outer burb of a large city. No bike lanes. We have busy roads with little to no shoulder, and then we have windy back roads with double yellow lines. That's pretty much the mix, and there are no bike lanes.

 

I just don't get where people think cyclists are supposed to ride. If they are on major roadways people complain, and if they are on windy back roads people complain. In many parts of the country, those are pretty much the choices available. It has been that way for most of my adult life living on the east coast in areas without bike lanes. DH attended grad school in a fairly bike-friendly town with bike lanes, but had to ride on windy back roads to get to the town *with* the bike lanes. The town that had the bike lanes (college town) had some issues because the bike lanes dropped in and out at times, which can be dangerous too. Lots of obstructions were common in the bike lanes in the center of town.

Edited June 1, 2012 by Momof3littles

[Julie Smith]

I was going to write a really (at least IMHO ) about biking. But I'm much to lazy.

 

Instead, some bike movies.

 

Premium Rush

 

 

9 Cycling Movies you can't miss

http://www.bicycling.com/news/featured-stories/9-cycling-movies-you-cant-miss

[KatieWonderGirl]

Death machine? It's a vehicle, not an electric chair. :001_huh:

 

I don't believe that cars get "full ownership of the public environment," but let's face it.... roads and highways are built primarily for vehicles,using taxes collected from licensing fees and gasoline taxes, among other things. Sure, there's other uses for them. I enjoy a good parade now and then, but the primary function is to allow motorized vehicles space to travel in relative safety. Any other use is secondary, imNsho, and those secondary users ought to cede the space as necessary (ie, pulling over to let traffic pass) to those "death machine" going by at double or triple or quadruple their speed.

 

I'll say again, just so I hopefully don't get remembered as the angry lady running bikes off the road, that I do not drive aggressively, even when I'm trapped behind one of those cyclists who is blocking traffic flow. I don't roll down my window and scream or curse at anyone. I don't try to teach anyone a lesson. I figure time will do that for me.

 

In the end, if bicyclists want to be respected on the roads like vehicles, I think they should be willing to be subject to the same traffic laws. If they want to take up space like a car, they should be tagged and licensed, and have blinkers and lights. They should get the same traffic ticket and fine as the car who goes far under the speed limit and impedes traffic flow. I'd also add that if communities want safe bike paths and lanes, they ought to be heard by their city councils, and their wishes taken into account in future planning.

 

Kumbayah?

 

 

http://blog.tmcnet.com/green-blog/2010/05/cars-sprawl-are-killing-us-american-public-health-association.html

 

you may call this opinion piece biased but the statistics are solid. i stand by my death machine comment, from air quality to climate change to the 40,000 people killed directly by cars every year in the US (this is more than all natural disasters combined in an average year), driving is one of the most dangerous choices anyone in this country makes.

 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98055567 another fun read about car accidents being the number one cause of death for kids.

 

i refuse to kumbayah with you while you are making unfair requirements of people on bikes before they deserve your full respect on the road (your words). you clearly know that there are situations where someone on a bike cannot go as fast as drivers tend to go. and there are a lot more people on bikes in most areas than driving tractors, and it is safer for people in tractors to pull over to allow passing.

 

and really when you are forced to drive at the speed of a bicycle you are much safer, since the extent of injuries you will receive should wreck in that moment rather than when you are going quadruple the speed (around 13 vs. apparently 50+, although i wonder how often you are really driving that fast on roads that legally accommodate bikes).

 

--katie

[Butter]

Well sure, my DH will drive to a friend's house and they'll start off from there because it is already a half hour drive. Or people meet up for group rides, etc. But for regular day to day, I don't think most cyclists *drive* somewhere to bike. And they certainly shouldn't be obligated to. And *having* to drive somewhere to cycle every time you want to cycle seems to defeat some of the environmental benefits. Some people like riding in groups because they have greater visibility and they feel safer that way. Or they just want or need training partners. But most people IME do not drive somewhere to hop on their bike every time they want to cycle. They often start out from their home base.

 

I suppose that's the difference between here and where you live and why my experience is completely different. Very, very, very few people commute anywhere on a bike. They pretty much can't. We're a bedroom community about 30 miles outside of Washington DC. Most people work near DC in MD or VA or in DC. In order to get to the places where they work they have no choice *at all* but to take high speed (55 mph) roads where bikes are not allowed. So commuting to work on bike for 99% of the commuters is just not even possible. A few (very few) people in good weather ride bikes to a Park and Ride and get on the bus to DC. Since you cannot take your bike on the bus, it must be left at the Park and Ride. I can tell you absolutely that the bike racks are practically empty so most people around here are definitely not biking to anywhere to go to work.

 

When most people ride around here, it's for exercise and pleasure on the weekends and holidays, sometimes in the evenings. Honestly, these are most of the local bicyclers. They are the ones who drive somewhere, park, and then ride on our back roads (I don't think they are allowed to ride on the main roads through the little city where I live... at least I have never once seen someone on one of those roads... they might possibly be even *less* safe for bikers come to think of it). It's not about environmental benefits for them (I know quite a few of them so I'm not guessing at that). It's about exercise and fun. So my experience is quite different from yours and it's likely simply because of our location and where people work.

 

Now, when we lived in Northern VA, it was totally different. Most of the bikers were riding to work. And there were a lot more safe places for them to bike and bikers and cars seemed to work just fine together on the same roads. (But, real cities tend to be designed a bit better for that sort of thing than suburban sprawl areas so it makes sense.)

[Momof3littles]

I suppose that's the difference between here and where you live and why my experience is completely different. Very, very, very few people commute anywhere on a bike. They pretty much can't. We're a bedroom community about 30 miles outside of Washington DC. Most people work near DC in MD or VA or in DC. In order to get to the places where they work they have no choice *at all* but to take high speed (55 mph) roads where bikes are not allowed. So commuting to work on bike for 99% of the commuters is just not even possible. A few (very few) people in good weather ride bikes to a Park and Ride and get on the bus to DC. Since you cannot take your bike on the bus, it must be left at the Park and Ride. I can tell you absolutely that the bike racks are practically empty so most people around here are definitely not biking to anywhere to go to work.

 

When most people ride around here, it's for exercise and pleasure on the weekends and holidays, sometimes in the evenings. Honestly, these are most of the local bicyclers. They are the ones who drive somewhere, park, and then ride on our back roads (I don't think they are allowed to ride on the main roads through the little city where I live... at least I have never once seen someone on one of those roads... they might possibly be even *less* safe for bikers come to think of it). It's not about environmental benefits for them (I know quite a few of them so I'm not guessing at that). It's about exercise and fun. So my experience is quite different from yours and it's likely simply because of our location and where people work.

 

Now, when we lived in Northern VA, it was totally different. Most of the bikers were riding to work. And there were a lot more safe places for them to bike and bikers and cars seemed to work just fine together on the same roads. (But, real cities tend to be designed a bit better for that sort of thing than suburban sprawl areas so it makes sense.)

Most cyclists where I live are not bike commuting. My DH does sometimes, but it isn't common at *all* where I live. We have a minimal to moderate of recreational cyclists. Most recreational cyclists I know ride around starting from their home base, but do join in on group rides or ride with a friend sometimes. Most people I know do not drive somewhere to cycle the *majority* of the time, but do so occasionally. We do live about 45 mins from a velodrome where some pros and semi pros train, so we do sometimes see them out here on weekends since their training takes them out and about. But I certainly don't live in an area where cyclists are very common, whether bike commuting or riding recreationally.

 

If DH didn't map out a crazy route that basically takes him mostly through subdivisions, it would be tough for him to bike commute because the driving routes are almost exclusively quite busy roads. Not highways, but heavy traffic and busy roads, minimal shoulder, no bike lanes.

Edited June 1, 2012 by Momof3littles

[elise1mds]

I have no problem with cyclists in general, as long as they follow the rules of the road like everyone else. Most of the time, they do. Last night, though, my husband nearly watched three of them get taken out when they came out of a parking lot without any regard for the car coming toward them - no signaling/indication, nothing. One second they were talking and sitting still and the next minute they cut off the car in front of DH. THOSE cyclists frustrate me. By and large, though, I'm happy to let them go their merry way and wave when they come past the house or we go past them on the road (safely... and I use MY indicator to pass them, too. I'm sure there are enough cars that cut them off).

 

It does scare me when they go against the flow of traffic.

[LucyStoner]

Does it? Apparently not here! Because that's *precisely* what many of the high-tech cyclers do. I've seen them time and again driving to a public place where they can park (school parking lot, driveway of a closed historical building, etc.) and then they get their bikes off their vehicles and go riding.

 

Those are recreational and fitness folks doing a group activity hitting a great route for a long ride. Most of the cycling that I see on a day to day basis is Mr. Office Worker and Ms. Banker and Mr. Car Mechanic getting to and from work. (yeah, my car mechanic rides a bike to and from work - LOVE IT!)

Edited June 1, 2012 by kijipt