Quote:
Originally Posted by GMScud
We've had this discussion before I think tryfuhl. I really hate that bikers get the same rights to the road as cars. You seem like a level headed guy and I'm sure you're a safe cyclist. But I just feel like bikers need to get the eff out of the way. It drives me up the wall.
So often I see bikers in the middle of a lane of traffic just pedaling along, not giving a shit that there's a line of cars behind them. And many get angry when they're honked at. Also, many bikers seem to get visibly annoyed if they aren't given all the rights of an automobile... but what do they do next? Run straight through a stop sign. A red light? Merely a suggestion that they slow down, glance back and forth, and go right through the light. Eff that. If you want to be treated like a car, follow the rules of a road just like a car. I mean how often does anyone see someone on a bike actually stop at a stop sign? It's rampant in the DC area, it pisses me off, and I definitely let every cyclist I see breaking the rules know about it. I have zero patience for that crap. It's one of my biggest pet peeves when I'm behind the wheel.
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Haha we probably have. I'm not the typical I'm in spandex (it's not actually spandex people) on my 5 thousand dollar carbon frame so I'm going to show it off type of guy. Nor am I the hipster on his fixie drinking a PBR (not that I don't ride fixie and/or drink PBR).
I ride too fast for sidewalks, I'm not a beach cruiser type rider. I stay in my lane typically and will wave people on to pass for the most part. If I'm riding in the city I'm not going to run the risk of having a door open into me though, so it can take a bit longer for me to get over, but I'll maintain 20-25 in most cases. If I'm backing traffic up I'll stop and pull over or sometimes I'll move a block over temporarily or just pull at the intersection and wait for a good spot to jump back in.
I know exactly what you're talking about with the cyclists getting mad at drivers, they'll pull up beside cars and beat on the windows at the intersection, for all I'm concerned unless someone was trying to hit you or getting dangerously close, I hope the person jumps out and smashes them. When on a bike you do have to take up more than just the edge of the road or lane though, motorcyclists can attest to the need to be seen, which is typically why cyclists do that. There are a lot of hit and runs against cyclists and it's not easy to do much about it after the fact.
I won't say I never run a light or sign but I won't breeze through pedestrians or traffic to do it. I generally don't get pissed off driving or riding though so after a couple of seconds I'm fine, I'm not going to berate somebody unless they yell at me, which some people do even if I do take a sidewalk in a suburban area, then I'll yell right back. It's insane how many people have yelled at me on 2 lane, single direction, roads when there's an empty lane and it's really only them and I, it's weird because I get more road rage on a bike than in a car, but that's because I know that there's no reason for them to yell at me, oh well, change your fucking lane and keep going. That's mostly when I advocate share the road. I advocate it on any road, but I'm also smart enough to know that your car could crush me and that I should let you do the speed limit and if I'm the slower link, I need to yield. However if it's a 25 and I'm doing 25, whatever, I won't schneed you but I'll be more relaxed in taking my time to get out of the way.
So I share in your frustrations in a way, but in so many more words evidently haha