Sharing the road with bicyclists...(motorcycles...automobiles) (vehicles, lane, best)
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I have no problem with bicyclists sharing the road and even once and I while I personally like to go out for a ride. However on several occasions I find that bicyclists lack common sense or that they feel the need to clearly exert their right to use the road.
There are just some roads out there that cyclists should not be on. Such as roads in industrial/commercial areas where the traffic is 45-50mph and there is a large percentage of tractor trailers, dumptrucks and other types of work vehicles combined with loads of passenger cars.... just dense, naturally unyielding traffic. Today for instance, traveling on one of these roads I see a cyclist causing all sorts of scare for people. The shoulder of the road is about 1.5' and there is a very lightly used sidewalk not 4 ft from him. However the cyclist continues to endanger his life and put everyone driving on the road in a very scary position. There were a few trucks that had to make rather sketchy lane changes to avoid this person.
This is not an isolated incident... I see this everywhere quite often. I understand it is the law for a cyclist to travel on the road however it is completely insane and selfish to put yourself in that sort of danger and make yourself a huge liability for drivers.
I am not bashing cyclists at all but I really think that they need to exert more common sense and hide their pride away in situations like this. No police officer in their right mind would fault a cyclist for using sidewalks in the areas I am describing.
I have no problem with bicyclists sharing the road and even once and I while I personally like to go out for a ride. However on several occasions I find that bicyclists lack common sense or that they feel the need to clearly exert their right to use the road.
There are just some roads out there that cyclists should not be on. Such as roads in industrial/commercial areas where the traffic is 45-50mph and there is a large percentage of tractor trailers, dumptrucks and other types of work vehicles combined with loads of passenger cars.... just dense, naturally unyielding traffic. Today for instance, traveling on one of these roads I see a cyclist causing all sorts of scare for people. The shoulder of the road is about 1.5' and there is a very lightly used sidewalk not 4 ft from him. However the cyclist continues to endanger his life and put everyone driving on the road in a very scary position. There were a few trucks that had to make rather sketchy lane changes to avoid this person.
This is not an isolated incident... I see this everywhere quite often. I understand it is the law for a cyclist to travel on the road however it is completely insane and selfish to put yourself in that sort of danger and make yourself a huge liability for drivers.
I am not bashing cyclists at all but I really think that they need to exert more common sense and hide their pride away in situations like this. No police officer in their right mind would fault a cyclist for using sidewalks in the areas I am describing.
What does everyone think?
As an avid life long cyclist one of my greatest sadness is that cycling in America is still in the "toy" stage with no real education programs for the cyclist or the motorist.
What is needed is the same efforts that are matter of daily life in Europe and Asia were the bicycle is still respected as the elegant transportation machine it really is. Respect from the government to make room for cycles and respect from the people to employ the bicycle in their lives. With so many people in America now living in cities or urban settings there is now the opportunity to implement the bicycle into your life.
In the large east coast city where I live there is a "war" going on with pedestrians and motorists on one side and bicyclists on the other. Feelings are bitter and intense among all partys. Things are made worse because the city activly encourages bikes with bike lanes and other accomidations where they are not appropriate. (the mayor loves his bike) I myself am anti-bike and believe they are dangerous and should be banned from the center of the city. 99% of the bike riders disregard all traffic laws and behave like outlaws.
As someone who has been car free in a very car-centric part of the country, I know what it's like for cyclists in traffic and I have been known to defend cyclists in arguments. As a cyclist, you can obey every law in the book and half the people on the road will still hate you with every fiber of their being for no reason other than the fact that you're slower. That being said, I routinely see cyclists doing some pretty insane things, as much as I hate to admit it. If it's a busy road and there's a sidewalk there, you better believe I'm going to use it. Ideally a cyclists should be on the street instead of a sidewalk, but in reality it's often just not worth the risk. And as the OP states, very few if any police officers are going to bother a cyclist who's using the sidewalk on a dangerous road.
On the flip side, the few bike lanes in my town are some of the most dangerous places to ride. Many, many times I've seen drivers using these lanes for passing at full speed (50+mph). A couple of years ago a woman was found nearly dead lying in the ditch beside the bike lane. Chances are she was hit by some genius who couldn't wait 5 seconds behind another person turning left. It seems driving can make otherwise normal people insanely impatient. So much so that they'll risk everything to save literally a few seconds. If everyone would slow down and have a little patience, we'd probably have considerably safer roads.
In the large east coast city where I live there is a "war" going on with pedestrians and motorists on one side and bicyclists on the other. Feelings are bitter and intense among all partys. Things are made worse because the city activly encourages bikes with bike lanes and other accomidations where they are not appropriate. (the mayor loves his bike) I myself am anti-bike and believe they are dangerous and should be banned from the center of the city. 99% of the bike riders disregard all traffic laws and behave like outlaws.
Not to defend out of hand cyclists, but when you've been constantly harassed and nearly killed despite doing everything you're supposed to, eventually it's easy to become somewhat "outlaw-minded". You even start to go into "survival mode" and just do whatever it takes to get home without being hit, even if you have to **** off some people. You start to think, "They won't respect me no matter what I do, so why should I respect them?" Of course, if everyone starts to think like that, every trip down the street will be a life-or-death battle for everyone. Best to just obey the law, be patient, and try to be nice. And that goes for everyone.
From personal experience, it's a bigger problem with drivers acting like they own the road.
I can't count the times I've seen them do maneuvers that could've easily harmed or killed the person on the bicycle.
Just start thinking of it like a car going very slow, because you're not supposed to pass them without giving them the full lane.
Absolutely... both motorists and cyclists are to blame however there are clearly some places that bicycles do not belong. A loaded 18-wheeler cannot nimbly avoid a cyclist when he is surrounded by cars and more trucks.
Another thing that bothers me is when a bunch of cars are stopped at a light and a cyclist decides to slowly weave his way through to the front and then cross the intersection when he sees the opportunity!!!! I have even seen some of these weavers bump into vehicles... thats way out of line!
...however there are clearly some places that bicycles do not belong. A loaded 18-wheeler cannot nimbly avoid a cyclist when he is surrounded by cars and more trucks.
That's true, but perhaps the cyclist had no choice. Not everyone can afford a car, and sometimes you simply do what you must to get to work, if you want to keep your job. Of course, I've also seen cyclists riding on incredibly dangerous main roads when one block over is an extensive series of quiet, neighborhood streets that go the same route. To survive as a bicycle commuter, you have to plan your routes and learn how to avoid as much traffic as possible. Being knowledgeable of all the quiet side streets in town does wonders for one's ability to not be run over. Yet sometimes there is just no avoiding a high-traffic road. It sucks, but if you don't have a car and poor or no public transportation, it just happens sometimes. It's not as simple as just hopping in the car and taking all the fastest roads everywhere. Unfortunately many cyclists don't realize this.
That's true, but perhaps the cyclist had no choice. Not everyone can afford a car, and sometimes you simply do what ....
The main culprits I see are the cyclists with ALL the nice gear and the expensive lightweight bikes. I could understand if it was some guy in a hoody and ripped jeans riding a junky bike... funny thing is its those less fortunate riders that seem to have more common sense and actually are out of the way.
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