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Share the road?

Mean bicyclists kicked my R60/6 down an embankment where it was parked at the side of the road. I guess they thought they owned the road, and didn't like the idea of sharing the parkway (yes, a state park). It took me a while to drag the thing up. I was just down by the river enjoying the view, and happened to look up as they passed, about 6 to 8 of them when one of them reached out with his foot and kicked it on over. Luckily, I had duct tape to re-hang the rear turn signal bar and broken turn signals. Always carry duct tape with you in case of mean bicyclists! They tried to kick the '48 Indian Chief over, as well, but that thing is a lot heavier...my buddy helped to drag the R60 up the embankment. Those mean bicyclists were long gone by then.

well, that sure was pretty ridiculous behavior on their part. pretty atypical, I would think (hope).
 
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As a law abiding bicycle commuter, I 'd like to be able to ride with a sign announcing that I'm not like those others. One problem is that too many riders grow up with the idea of the bicycle as a toy and that the rules of the road don't apply to them. The pack mentality exacerbates the problem.

If this should happen again, try to notice bike shop or other local sponsor screens on the jerseys and complain to those sponsors about the behavior of those wearing their name. My LBS threatened to stop sponsoring a local group if the riding behavior the members did not improve. It worked.

Bob Koreis
'02 R1150RT
'98 Waterford 2200, Canary Yellow w/Campy Chorus

+1
:nod
 
A lot of them (not all) like to point out their bicycle is more eco-friendly than whatever you are riding/driving. As such they've developed a "holier than thou" attitude.

I pulled up at a red light for a right turn and made a complete and full stop to check all was clear before proceeding. A bicycle rider pulls up along my left side and without slowing hooks a sharp right turn in front of me just as I'm pulling out into my turn.

Another time, I'm approaching a controlled crosswalk. There are people standing on the sidewalk (to my right) along with one person on a bicycle. The crosswalk light showed a red hand for do not enter. Just as I'm about to reach the crosswalk, the bicycle rider pulls out into the street. I hit the brakes and my horn. The bicycle rider makes a panic stop right in front of me (...didn't see me?). He then points to the white lines and yells he has the right of way, then proceeds on towards the "red Hand" which was telling him not to be in the crosswalk in the first place.

As others have said, the best way to approach bicycle riders is to expect them to NOT follow the road rules of polite society.
 
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I think we can agree that there are smart and truly dumb people on or in every type of vehicle. The smart (aware) ones try to make the drive/ride safer not only for themself but also other road users. The dumb think only of themself. The dumbest don't think of themselves either.

It boggles my mind that any adult would ride a bicycle on a public road without a mirror. You HAVE to know what is coming up behind you! And if you are on a narrow back road, see a wide vehicle approaching you in a blind left bend, it makes good sense to move to the middle of the lane to block any attempted pass by the vehicle behind you. When safe, move to the right, wave them by, and give them a thumbs up.

Just an example, but I think the idea of taking charge of a situation, and then acknowledging the person who respected you is THE way to diffuse road rage. Let's practice it, even as we know not all will. Have to start somewhere.
 
I’m an x bicycle racer who spends more time on a bicycle than I do on my motorcycles, putting on hundreds of miles a month riding the two lane costal and twisty mountain roads of Santa Cruz.

The latest statistic from Cal-Trans is “Single vehicles running off the road to the right are causing 33% of traffic fatalities,”

If you feel vulnerable at all on a motorcycle regarding car/motorcycle collisions, try spending a few hundred miles on a bicycle in traffic now days. It is not an activity for the faint of heart or the timid.

A strong case can be made for the bicyclist taking the lane in certain situations, and in many states it is legal to do so.

Of course, as has been said already, there are idiot bicyclists much like there are idiot motorcyclists.


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A recent law here, PA., requires motorists passing a bicyclist to give the bicyclist four clear feet of room when passing. That means crossing a double yellow into oncoming lane at the motorists risk. Also, here, we cannot lane split, pass on the right, run stop signs and lights, ride the sidewalk when inconvenienced on the street, ect.. all things routinely going unobserved by the bicyclist. Recently a bicyclist, while making an illegal left at an intersection, was hit by a motorist. Who's paying for that hospital bill? Who's paying for the damage done to the motor vehicle? Rules of the road need to be observed by all users of public thoroughfares. Licensing and testing should be required for the same.
 
Yes, the law requires them to give the bicyclist 4 feet of space, even if it means crossing the double yellow line with danger to the racing maniac motorist, or, he can slow his raggedy a** down and show some courtesy to someone else in this world. And wait for a safe moment to pass. Oh, no, wait, he can't. He is too big and important to do anything other than race his car like a maniac. Big and important, just like a pizza delivery boy.
Here is Los Angeles (I haven't been to PA for a few years) they drive like frantic maniacs. Like 'get this pizza over on Main Street in 5 minutes, or you have to pay for it.'
Training? Are you joking? What training or education do the car drivers get? None, as far as it showing.
dc
 
HaHA

The bicyclist that made the illegal left WAS delivering a pizza.

As far as training ,you are correct. ALL need more training and education to navigate the roads SAFELY.
 
My main 'rule' when riding my bicycle, motorcycle, or car: "Don't do anything that will cause another driver to have to put on his brakes or turn his steering wheel." Overly simple, perhaps, but still effective.
 
Pizza delivery on a bicycle? I find that extremely difficult to believe. That pizza will be cold, if it ever gets there.
dc
 
Look Both Ways

I know when I was growing if you went to cross a street on foot or bike, it was drilled into your head by your parents to Stop, Look Both Ways, Walk.......Not any more.

you see some out jogging and they just continue on across the street with ear buds a blasting. Not sure about you but even if you are in the right....a car bumper is going to do some damage.
 
You want radical bicycle folk, find San Fransisico, Santa Cruz and the like! We have 'em in mass. They do have some point to their "madness", just like us bikers on mc's. Cage drivers rarely pay attention to any two wheelers, so they do their best to ignor most rules and push it! It gets ugly at times, even for us fellow bikers with engines. Randy:dance
I was driving in Palo Alto a month ago. I watched dozens of bicycle riders who regularly blew stop lights. I ride bicycles too so it sorta ticks me off when I see bicycle riders ignoring the rules of the road.
 
Yes, the law requires them to give the bicyclist 4 feet of space, even if it means crossing the double yellow line with danger to the racing maniac motorist, or, he can slow his raggedy a** down and show some courtesy to someone else in this world. And wait for a safe moment to pass. Oh, no, wait, he can't. He is too big and important to do anything other than race his car like a maniac. Big and important, just like a pizza delivery boy.
Here is Los Angeles (I haven't been to PA for a few years) they drive like frantic maniacs. Like 'get this pizza over on Main Street in 5 minutes, or you have to pay for it.'
Training? Are you joking? What training or education do the car drivers get? None, as far as it showing.
dc

I live in Lancaster County, with plenty of Amish buggies, Old Order Mennonites on bicycles, and Amish on foot powered scooters, so am used to slowing my raggedy a** down for others. What frustrates me, and most people I know, are the bicyclists who are 2-4 abreast who refuse to follow the laws that they demand I follow. I gladly slow and wait due to oncoming traffic, but when there is a herd riding 2-4 abreast, and no traffic, but I can't give the required 4' to get arouind, it is frustrating. I know that my insurance will go up, but quite honestly, I won't be the one in the ER if I happen to bump one of these idiots as I try to get around them without going off the road. That seems to be the one thing they forget, my car has bumpers, seat belts, and 8 airbags. Right or wrong, they are the ones with broken bones, road rash or worse. You'd think they would be more concerned with their own safety.........

For the record, my last speeding ticket was in 1984, and I have never caused an accident, so no, I don't make a habit of bumping bicyclists.

Just sayin'
 
glenfiddich said:
I figure there's nothing I can do to change the minds or behaviors of the more militant bicyclists, so I treat them all like deer. Oblivious and totally unpredictable. Getting mad at a bicyclist is about as effective as getting mad at a deer. Hitting one is probably about as painful.

and probably more expensive. The bicyclist will hire a lawyer. :fight

Not only that but you can't hit a bicyclist and kill him, (COMPLETELY accidentally OF COURSE)
then take him home,
cut him up, and
put him in your freezer for future meals. :eat

like you can a deer.

Totally a lose/lose situation. :blush

:bolt
 
In my experience, bicyclists seem to think that they can behave like motorized vehicles when they want; then behave like pedestrians when they want.

I saw something so fantastic one day in Huntington Beach, Ca. that I thought I ought to post it here. Apparently, most bicyclists believe that they don't need to obey traffic laws at some locations. Like when they make right turns against a red light. Well, one day on my way home from work, this group of about 20 bicyclists blast thru a red light making a right turn. The policeman was waiting for them about 50 yards from the intersection and waved them all over. I didn't hang around to find out what happened, but was later told by a policeman that failure for a bicyclist to stop at a red light is a moving violation, same as if they were in a car.

I like to think that they all got tickets and for all of them, they got big fines and their car insurance rates went up.
 
Not only that but you can't hit a bicyclist and kill him, (COMPLETELY accidentally OF COURSE)
then take him home,
cut him up, and
put him in your freezer for future meals. :eat

like you can a deer.

Totally a lose/lose situation. :blush

:bolt

Well, technically you can...it is just not going to win you a lot of friends...:laugh
 
My 1150 is very quiet, and it's not necessarily evident to a cyclist that I am approaching or overtaking. As a courtesy, I simultaneously scream and blow my horn as I get close. It takes a village.
 
My 1150 is very quiet, and it's not necessarily evident to a cyclist that I am approaching or overtaking. As a courtesy, I simultaneously scream and blow my horn as I get close. It takes a village.

your RT is not so quiet that we can't hear it approaching (unless the cyclist has earphones in, which is tough to battle against, and kinda stupid to do on public roads). the scream and loud horn when near us just serves to startle us, possibly tweaking us in the wrong direction. (think- what happens to you on the RT when you get startled by a loud vehicle that comes up upon you unexpectedly?).
I'd advise that you make sure you use the horn (if you still insist upon doing so, even tho it's really not necessary) some several hundred yards before reaching us. a light "toot" is plenty, no big "honks", please.
 
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