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Drivers who disrespect cyclists

^So transportation and exercise can't be accomplished at the same time?

By law a cyclist can take up an entire lane should the need arise. The reason they aren't allowed to ride on the sidewalks, at least in a city like Chicago, is because you are more than likely to cream someone coming out from a store or residential building clipping along on a bike.
 
Finder said:
By law a cyclist can take up an entire lane should the need arise.

I'm sure you can see why this would suck for the cars backed up behind the bike? Bikes are not cars, they are like motorcycles with autism.
 
I'm not advocating a cyclist should use the entire lane for long periods of time, merely when the need arises.
 
Finder said:
^So transportation and exercise can't be accomplished at the same time?

By law a cyclist can take up an entire lane should the need arise. The reason they aren't allowed to ride on the sidewalks, at least in a city like Chicago, is because you are more than likely to cream someone coming out from a store or residential building clipping along on a bike.

Well i was talking more about the suburban atmosphere rather than bustling city. 2ndly i make a bit of an exception for those using it as a mode of transportation, if they do it doubly as the benefit of exercise fine by me. I was merely complaining about people who decide to work out at everyone else's annoyance
 
as someone who uses sidewalks to walk, I'm much happier with a cyclist on the road than having to jump off a sidewalk so some idiot who doesn't know where he's supposed to be can whizz by me.
 
[edit: I know you're joking but others don't, so keep it friendly]
 
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why do some people believe that they're somehow more entitled to the road than others simply because they're behind the wheel of a car?

alasdair
 
must be those state and federal gasoline taxes that go toward their construction.

fucking selfish bastards.
 
Right techniclly bikes have the right of way and can use the whole lane..

I usually don't act like an ass and make cars slow down and pile up behind me, I'd be really embarrsed if that happened auctually.. I take the extensive bike trails by me to get around town, theres one about 6 blocks from me and I can get all the way to the other side of town and to other nearby towns.. Theres even one that goes nearly to Chicago.. bummer it stops in Oak Park or I'd ride all the way to my guys in the city..

That said I do ride on roads to get all the way to my destination usually. I get out of the way of cars and try to ride on the sidewalk when its safer. Sometimes its not the best thing tl do tho, esp if theres lots of driveways with hedges obsurring my veiw of anyone thats backing out of the driveways.. I was HUALING ASS down a sidewalk one time, day dreaming and thinking about getting to the trail and all of a sudden a car backed out of one of the driveways and totally douched me right off my bike.. I got up and expected the guy to beat my ass for scratching his Camero but he was all apoligising and asking if I was alright even tho it was completly my fault.. after that I watch myself as far as not hauling ass on the sidewalks when I can't see cars backing out of driveways.

I'm always watching out for people walking too, I slow down and go out into the street when I come up on people. I know a lot of people walking on trails or sidwalks see bikers especially people on mountain bikes as a nussiance so I try my best not to be meancing and not ride up on people real quick so they don't hate us so much and have a bad image of bikers.

When I used to have a car and drive I was always super curtious to people riding bikes on the roads even if they were being a pain in the ass and taking up the road, its really hard sometimes when you try to pass them and theres a car coming but I still keep cool and don't honk at them or anything. You gotta respect the fact that a car could just barely tap a bike on the back whell and the person on the bike is fuct forget about if theres full on contact.

Those human sperms with the speedo shorts and helmets make me laugh tho, I see them as my mortal enemy or something when were on the bike path, those guys that ride the swchwinn type road bikes. I usually mess with them and kinda race them.. well in my mind its a race anyways..
 
atlas said:
must be those state and federal gasoline taxes that go toward their construction.

fucking selfish bastards.

Like that is the sole source of funding for road construction. 8)
 
^ indeed.

atlas said:
must be those state and federal gasoline taxes that go toward their construction.
so availability of 'road-time' is a function of how much gas tax one pays? in that case, should suv drivers be allowed to use the roads at certain times of day when, say, hybrid car drivers are not?

it's not practical to draw a straight line between each cent paid and availability of public services.

glassass420, i don't think you should be riding your bike on the sidewalk at all.

alasdair
 
don't put words in my mouth. You just asked why certain roads users felt a sense of entitlement.

observation 2: the roads with their markings, their widths... they almost appear to be intellignetly designed for cars and trucks. ;)

please don't post a picture of a bike lane. This is just devilish advocacy.
 
stationsign.jpg


Have any real arguments?
 
atlas said:
don't put words in my mouth. You just asked why certain roads users felt a sense of entitlement.
i didn't put any words in your mouth - i just asked a question :)
atlas said:
This is just devilish advocacy.
indeed it is.

alasdair
 
Illinois just passed a state law mandating motorists to keep 3 feet distance from cyclists while passing them.

And as for people who disrespect you on your bike... well, that why I keep some ball bearings handy at all times..
 
i really like that the stereotype of cyclists and motorists absolutely hating each other is proving itself to be true. ;)
 
^^ You misread me. Like while driving, when on a bike there are assholes who don't seem to care that there are others who share the road with them. Only when you're on a bike, it can mean life or death much easier because they have the upper hand.

Before taking to the bike more, I drove almost always. I never disliked cyclists. I certainly hated some ignorant, cellphone-wielding drivers, though. And now even more-so on a bike, though there is more fear of them. So when they swerve near you and honk like an idiot who doesn't understand right-of-way, you need more than a finger..
 
Chubba75 said:

Too bad, we have full legal right.

On a Saturday, our typical group is 120 - 130 people... we just take up an entire lane (ride 3 - 4 wide) even on the highway, forces people to change lanes and is much safer then dickheads trying to squeeze past.

And I have a "full legal right" (as opposed to what? - 83 percent legal right?) to tell you that in my opinion, your typical group, if it takes up an entire lane while peddling considerably more slowly than the speed limit ON THE HIGHWAY, consists of a bunch of inconsiderate "dickheads" (your word).

Possession of marijuana is illegal almost everywhere in the US, even though it harms no one (other than the user) and not so long ago, blacks were considered to be three-fifths of a person.

Point being, there were (and are) many unfair laws, and further, there are plenty of activities that are legal yet inconsiderate - there are plenty of valid arguments you can reasonably make in favor of almost anything, but in my opinion, "too bad; we have full legal right" isn't one of them.

Finder said:

Andecdotal.

Maybe it's only 98.7 percent.

Sorry.

And while gasoline taxes might not be the SOLE source of funding for road construction, you and I both know that multi-billion dollar highway systems would NEVER get built but for the convenience they afford DRIVERS OF VEHICLES THAT DON'T CONSIDERABLY SLOW EVERYONE ELSE DOWN.

If there's a bicycle lane, and you are considerate in using it, then I sincerely salute you.

But with that said, in my experience, while SOME drivers of automobiles are inconsiderate, MOST people who ride bicycles on public roads are inconsiderate when they are engaging in that activity.

Again, it's anecdotal evidence, but that doesn't make it invalid.

And as someone alluded to earlier, there are built-in disincentives for automobile drivers NOT to be inconsiderate when they drive; bicyclists (like the throngs of inconsiderate pedestrians you mentioned by their nicer-sounding moniker, "tourists") do NOT have the same disincentives - bicyclists and pedestrians KNOW that if they commute inconsiderately, they will probably scare the shit out of everyone else and get away with it with no ramifications other than a few distant shreikings of "Fuck you AND your large order of Shrimp With Lobster Sauce!"

I've gotta go now - I've got to go rollerblade along Broadway so I can get to a petition-signing so people who like walking on their hands can get a mini-mini-lane to further inconvenience the rest of us.

And the next time you're in town, Finder, cab fare is on me. :)
 
I fully support pedestrians who walk on the bike path. They simply cannot get a proper workout on those crowded sidewalks and there is plenty of room on most bike paths to share.
 
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