Fear the Citizen-Avenger

[Tremulant]

Bollocks. Thanks for resetting my "dumbest thing I've heard today" meter.

loansoldier is good at that :thumbup:

 

[mcteague]

i have more respect for cyclists than i do for other motorcyclists. ive ridden through rush hour traffic ONE time on a bicycle and omg i was terrified. everyone was ripping by me and leaving inches in some cases. I even had a semi truck buzz me. THAT was an experience i wont soon forget.

I then promptly stayed off the roads and stuck to the sidewalks or the grass.

Bicycles do NOT belong on the roads. they slow down traffic (10 seconds for every car that has to pass one adds up after about 15 cars one behind the other) and they endanger their own lives by not riding on the sidewalks or the grass.

there is no need to be on the roads. Some roads have a shoulder built in....cyclists can fit in nicely there. but roads without shoulders (i.e. MOST roads excluding freeways/highways) are just hindering traffic and endangering cyclists.....all because the cyclists want to play with the big boys.

For the record ever since that i was out riding through rush hour traffic halfway across town.....I have always kept to sidewalks and grass. Sure sometimes you have to ride around a pedestrian or two.....but thats the way it has to be.

We do not live in china where bicycles have the right of way and special traffic lights and entire lanes for them. Also, there are not 850,000,000 of them in any given village.

If anyone is going to fight the system here fighting to change legislation is the way to approach this......not jamming the roads will a ton of bicycles without ANY warning or any build-up.

You are quite the piece of work. It's legal for bikes to be on the road and not the sidewalk but you ride the other way around.

I think cyclists who ride on crowded city streets can cause lots of anger and I don't do that. I ride for fitness and sport and stick to county roads avoiding busy streets when possible. Most people pass with little fanfare. It's the nervous Nellies who can't seem to pass that really cause the backups.

Quite a few drivers seem to think they need to give me over 10' berth. They move completely into the other lane when passing, often around a blind turn. I cringe every time I see that. Some day there is going to be a car coming around that bend.

I'm sure many cagers think motorcycles should be banned as well. How about getting rid of joggers, slow cars, old cars, SUVs with dark windows, etc. etc. We all have things that bug us while driving. Glad we acutally have laws to protect us. Mob rule makes for bad legislation.

Tim

 

[lonesoldier84]

Why cant bicycles just ride on the sidewalk? There are never tons of pedestrians in most places (and the places where there is a ton of foot-traffic sure hit the road by all means).

I just dont see why bicycles need to be on the road when there is very often a sidewalk right there. And road tires work pretty well on grass too.

Obviously the hardcore cyclists will not agree with my assessment, but I stand by it. It would prevent annoyances to motorists, and keep cyclists safe.....all at the expense of some minor inconvenience to cyclists.

I can understand why cyclists will be on the road in the less trafficked parts of town....but on the roads that see a lot of vehicular traffic....i just dont think cyclists need to be on the road.

I'm sticking to my guns on this one.

sorry if it ruffles feathers.

 

[ReblTeen84]

I'm gonna have to agree with the statement bicycles don't belong on the roads sentimet. When my bike was my only method of transportation, I stayed the hell off the road and stuck to the sidewalks and bike paths. Sure, I had to give way to walkers and such, but hey, thats ok. Mind you, I also live in Northern VA and work in DC...major bicycle heaven. Also home of some of the dumbest riders I have ever seen. Around here, the only road you won't see them on is 95, 495 and 66. Rt. 1, PWC Parkway, FFX Parkway...they're all fair game, and they all have speed limits of 45-55. Bicyclists have no business being on these roads in any way shape or form, blocking up traffic and yet they are, and they don't ride to the right.

 

[Heather]

Sigh. I guess it really is pretty hard to understand for those who have not experienced the tremendous limitations of riding a bike on the sidewalk for many miles. Lone, please try riding your pedal bicycle around your block on the sidewalk. Then try riding it on the road. Then think about riding your bicycle on the sidewalk for 10 miles, and compare it to the idea of riding 10 miles on the road. Maybe this will help you to understand?

I've bicycle commuted off/on for 20+ years now in major cities, and also commuted by car / motorbike / bus, etc. Sometimes it is really challenging to get around pedal bikes on the road when you're in/on a motor vehicle, depending on the cyclist. (Some cyclists drive me CRAZY!...especially the ones that ride two or three abreast on edge of the shoulder on a major highway!) But most cyclists are paying their share of taxes, so we should all enjoy privileges to the road - as long as we ride/drive in a safe and appropriate manner. (In fact, those of who ride bicycles are saving the pavement, thus saving taxes etc. ...)


I've found it takes a lot more nerve and strength to ride a pedal bike in traffic than a motorbike. Those of us who ride pedal bikes have to deal with unbelievable stupidity from motorists (e.g. I've been curbed, brushed and door'd (out of that deal, I got a new front wheel and a lot more awareness of how inattentive people in cars can be!). We also have very little protection. However, experienced, mature bicycle riders accept the hazards, and deal with them accordingly. Buddy that was an idiot to you probably just couldn't deal anymore. His bad, so on behalf of those of us who are proud of how we ride on our bicycle commute, I apologize!

The best way to get bicycles off the road is to get really great bike paths built...so please contact your local city hall or MLA and support this much better option for cyclists. But until better bike paths are built, remember, if you're in/on a motor vehicle, part of the deal is accepting that there are always going to be forms of traffic on the road that are a PITA, which you'll have to work around, including bicycles. I've learned that when I relax and accept this, I have a much more enjoyable drive!

 

[lonesoldier84]

Sigh. I guess it really is pretty hard to understand for those who have not experienced the tremendous limitations of riding a bike on the sidewalk for many miles. Lone, please try riding your pedal bicycle around your block on the sidewalk. Then try riding it on the road. Then think about riding your bicycle on the sidewalk for 10 miles, and compare it to the idea of riding 10 miles on the road. Maybe this will help you to understand?

I've bicycle commuted off/on for 20+ years now in major cities, and also commuted by car / motorbike / bus, etc. Sometimes it is really challenging to get around pedal bikes on the road when you're in/on a motor vehicle, depending on the cyclist. (Some cyclists drive me CRAZY!...especially the ones that ride two or three abreast on edge of the shoulder on a major highway!) But most cyclists are paying their share of taxes, so we should all enjoy privileges to the road - as long as we ride/drive in a safe and appropriate manner. (In fact, those of who ride bicycles are saving the pavement, thus saving taxes etc. ...)


I've found it takes a lot more nerve and strength to ride a pedal bike in traffic than a motorbike. Those of us who ride pedal bikes have to deal with unbelievable stupidity from motorists (e.g. I've been curbed, brushed and door'd (out of that deal, I got a new front wheel and a lot more awareness of how inattentive people in cars can be!). We also have very little protection. However, experienced, mature bicycle riders accept the hazards, and deal with them accordingly. Buddy that was an idiot to you probably just couldn't deal anymore. His bad, so on behalf of those of us who are proud of how we ride on our bicycle commute, I apologize!

The best way to get bicycles off the road is to get really great bike paths built...so please contact your local city hall or MLA and support this much better option for cyclists. But until better bike paths are built, remember, if you're in/on a motor vehicle, part of the deal is accepting that there are always going to be forms of traffic on the road that are a PITA, which you'll have to work around, including bicycles. I've learned that when I relax and accept this, I have a much more enjoyable drive!

dont get me wrong, I respect cyclists more than i do other motorcycle riders. I always take into account the fact this individual is travelling wayyy slower than the rest of us, so I usually ring my bicycle bell as i pass (i have a bicycle bell installed on my FZ6 handlebars it goes brrrrrring brrrrrring) LOL. Yup its gay but it makes me smile. And very often it makes the cyclist smile too (tho theyre probably just laughing AT me and not WITH me).

and please dont think this is a hatred against cyclists thread either. that guy was a solo individual.

my only anti-cyclist sentiment is the fact that i feel the roads (in their current format) do not really allow for an efficient partnership of cyclists and motorists. in china it is a different story. their traffic systems account for cyclists MUCH more than ours does. so, I still think cyclists should try to stay off the roads as much as they can. it helps traffic be more efficient, and it keeps everyone safer.

I do understand your point about riding long miles on a bicycle though and concede the pros to riding on the road will keep many cyclists defending their right to riding on the roads.....

Do I agree with it? not really. but thats because I think the current format of roads and traffic dont allow for bicycles on busy roads. if that changes, then everyone will be happy.

btw I did in fact try to ride on busy roads on my norco CCX......I gave up halfway to my destination and stayed on the sidewalks after that. It was truly terrifying.

 

[psnbye]

I drive concrete trucks and semi's for a living and I live in a place where the roads are not very wide and the shoulders are practically non existant. When a bicycle rides on the road they almost have to ride right on the white line just to stay on the blacktop. When I pass one, I have to scoot over almost into the other lane 'cause my truck is so wide I might hit the bike if I dont. I hate it because it scares the crap out of me and the poor buggers in the oncoming lane. What would happen to the bike if I hit him? Or the oncoming vehicle? I appreciate the bikers rights to ride, but why risk your life? There was a tragic accident in my town in which an eleven year old boy riding his bike was run over and killed by a grain truck. The driver didnt even know he ran over the boy and had to be chased down and stopped. It was terrible and it shook the whole town.

 

[Heather]

I drive concrete trucks and semi's for a living and I live in a place where the roads are not very wide and the shoulders are practically non existant. When a bicycle rides on the road they almost have to ride right on the white line just to stay on the blacktop. When I pass one, I have to scoot over almost into the other lane 'cause my truck is so wide I might hit the bike if I dont. I hate it because it scares the crap out of me and the poor buggers in the oncoming lane. What would happen to the bike if I hit him? Or the oncoming vehicle? I appreciate the bikers rights to ride, but why risk your life?

Agreed. There are some places that bicycles really do NOT belong! Freeways where speeds are high and places where there is no room for the motorist to move over to are prime examples. I avoid those places (e.g. 17th Ave. in Calgary) when I'm on my bicycle.