Bicycle riders

[Tidewater]

I'm speaking as someone who commuted on bike for decades, the last 15 or so on a twisty mountain road, Bankhead Parkway, for those familiar with the area. I always dodged rush hour, leaving after it in the AM and either leaving early or late for lunch. I usually drove in the afternoons. I see more and more bikers out driving at hours and places where I would not choose to ride. However, speaking to exactly where you place your bike on the road is a matter of conditions. Taking Bankhead Parkway as an example, there are places safe to pass and places profoundly unsafe to pass. Where it was unsafe, I always took the middle of the right lane. As soon as it was safe, I would move over and motion drivers by. To ride right next to the right stripe in an unsafe area is a fast way to get killed. That invites careless/ignorant/impatient drivers to try to squeeze by you in an unsafe area. In that situation, the only thing which will give is flesh and blood. Huntsville is more bike friendly than most towns. The mayor even leads an annual evening bike ride and there are rental bikes available throughout most of the central town area. Nevertheless, at every civic association meeting we have here on Monte Sano, it becomes evident that there are a large number of citizens who feel bikes have no right to be on the roads, period. This attitude is a big part of the problem...

I had a strange experience riding down the west side of the Blue Ridge. I was coasting at about the speed limit (35 m.p.h. just there) on the outside of the lane (US Highway 250 is two lanes going up and one lane going down) with a large pickup truck about 5 feet off my rear wheel. An 18-wheeler was going up the mountain in the opposite lane and the pressure wave as it passed sucked me towards the middle of the lane. My front tire went into a deep crack (about 3 inches deep) in the pavement and I lunged forward with such force that my handlebars came loose in the C-clamp that holds them. If I had taken a spill just there, the pickup driver would have had about 0.1 seconds to react before running me over. I other words, I would have been in deep kimchi.

 

[uafan4life]

Sure there is that. But even at 45 in a curve that you can’t see around there’s a risk of an accident if a bike has a trail of 5-6 cars going 15...

This is no different than a slow-moving, over-sized load; a construction vehicle; or a piece of farm machinery going down the same roadway - all of which, as well as bicycles, have the same legal standing to be on that roadway as do regular cars.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I had a strange experience riding down the west side of the Blue Ridge. I was coasting at about the speed limit (35 m.p.h. just there) on the outside of the lane (US Highway 250 is two lanes going up and one lane going down) with a large pickup truck about 5 feet off my rear wheel. An 18-wheeler was going up the mountain in the opposite lane and the pressure wave as it passed sucked me towards the middle of the lane. My front tire went into a deep crack (about 3 inches deep) in the pavement and I lunged forward with such force that my handlebars came loose in the C-clamp that holds them. If I had taken a spill just there, the pickup driver would have had about 0.1 seconds to react before running me over. I other words, I would have been in deep kimchi.

Ouch! Those are the times that you think over a number of reps, sometimes just before sleep. Once, I decided to ride from Gatlinburg to Cherokee (stupid should have been reverse) on July 4 (stupid again). When I finally topped out and started down, a car passed me with, of all things a 47 Alabama tag. A couple of teens raised up out of the sunroof and I thought sure they were going to start throwing stuff. Instead, they were holding up both hands, fingers extended, repeatedly. They were telling me I was doing 55 mph...

 

[Bazza]

Ouch! Those are the times that you think over a number of reps, sometimes just before sleep. Once, I decided to ride from Gatlinburg to Cherokee (stupid should have been reverse) on July 4 (stupid again). When I finally topped out and started down, a car passed me with, of all things a 47 Alabama tag. A couple of teens raised up out of the sunroof and I thought sure they were going to start throwing stuff. Instead, they were holding up both hands, fingers extended, repeatedly. They were telling me I was doing 55 mph...

I may have approached 40, IIRC....55...that's crazy!

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I may have approached 40, IIRC....55...that's crazy!

It was a candy apple red Cinelli with full Campy gear. That may have helped...

 

[Bazza]

It was a candy apple red Cinelli with full Campy gear. That may have helped...

NICE!!! Speaking of Italian bikes.....I'm sure you saw this classic movie.....and your story reminded me of this clip:

 

[dayhiker]

I can't get past the 4 point font of the OP. Looks like a cut and paste tirade and not worth actually reading.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

About seven years ago or so the cycling fad hit our area. There were "riding clubs" popping up everywhere. At that time we lived in a part of the city where it was the most popular and it truly became an issue. Our city simply didn't and still doesn't have the infrastructure to accommodate cyclist as some other cities do where cycling is more than a flavor of the month. This quickly became a problem (more prevalent on weekends) because neither the motorists nor the people new to the world of cycling understood how to convey courtesy to the other. Nor did anyone really understand the laws and rights each had to the road. After lord knows how many confrontations either on the road or via social media. The city finally began addressing this issue through online articles, segments on the local news etc. They informed the public the rights everyone had to the road. It somewhat got better but really didn't get a lot better until the fad ran its course. The fad was created from those who got tired of "crossfit". It seems that same crowd has now grown tired of cycling and are doing the "mudder" runs and 5K's where at some point in the race they throw this multi colored powder on you.

 

[uafan4life]

About seven years ago or so the cycling fad hit our area. There were "riding clubs" popping up everywhere. At that time we lived in a part of the city where it was the most popular and it truly became an issue. Our city simply didn't and still doesn't have the infrastructure to accommodate cyclist as some other cities do where cycling is more than a flavor of the month. This quickly became a problem (more prevalent on weekends) because neither the motorists nor the people new to the world of cycling understood how to convey courtesy to the other. Nor did anyone really understand the laws and rights each had to the road. After lord knows how many confrontations either on the road or via social media. The city finally began addressing this issue through online articles, segments on the local news etc. They informed the public the rights everyone had to the road. It somewhat got better but really didn't get a lot better until the fad ran its course. The fad was created from those who got tired of "crossfit". It seems that same crowd has now grown tired of cycling and are doing the "mudder" runs and 5K's where at some point in the race they throw this multi colored powder on you.

I'd say that the biggest problem is that the majority of drivers seem to be inconsiderate a-holes who think they own the road, know very little of actual traffic laws, and really have no business driving unless and until they address the previous two aspects.

For the record, I don't really ever ride a bicycle but I do ride a motorcycle from time to time.

 

[uafan4life]

Speaking of riding motorcycles...

I've had a number of people give me various, good bits of riding advice which I've compiled into a two-rule axiom:

1. Assume that you are invisible to half of the drivers on the road.
2. Assume that the other half is going to actively try to kill you.

While it's intended for motorcycle riders, I'm pretty sure it's fairly applicable to bicycle riders, as well.

 

[92tide]

Speaking of riding motorcycles...

I've had a number of people give me various, good bits of riding advice which I've compiled into a two-rule axiom:

1. Assume that you are invisible to half of the drivers on the road.
2. Assume that the other half is going to actively try to kill you.

While it's intended for motorcycle riders, I'm pretty sure it's fairly applicable to bicycle riders, as well.

when i first moved to atlanta, i used to ride my bike to work a lot. it was about 13-14 miles each way mostly along a 2-lane road (that is now 5+) that was heavily trafficked. i was a solo rider and always followed the rules of the road. i had a lot of anger directed at me every-time i rode, sometimes agressively. when i worked in mid-town a few years ago i started riding to work again some and had several close calls, that if they weren't intentional, sure seemed that way. i hung up the bike for good after that because it just wasn't worth it.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I'd say that the biggest problem is that the majority of drivers seem to be inconsiderate a-holes who think they own the road, know very little of actual traffic laws, and really have no business driving unless and until they address the previous two aspects.

For the record, I don't really ever ride a bicycle but I do ride a motorcycle from time to time.

I agree that that is about 90% of the problem. First, cycling is not a flash in the pan here. It's shown a steady growth over the decades. In Europe, a much heavier concentration of bicyclists is seen than here. You won't see them on the autobahns, but you see them in heavily traveled areas, centers of cities, etc. Bikes and cars get along much better than here, but, then there's a totally different attitude towards bikes on the part of drivers...

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Speaking of riding motorcycles...

I've had a number of people give me various, good bits of riding advice which I've compiled into a two-rule axiom:

1. Assume that you are invisible to half of the drivers on the road.
2. Assume that the other half is going to actively try to kill you.

While it's intended for motorcycle riders, I'm pretty sure it's fairly applicable to bicycle riders, as well.

They are and I followed them for years...

 

[uafan4life]

I agree that that is about 90% of the problem. First, cycling is not a flash in the pan here. It's shown a steady growth over the decades. In Europe, a much heavier concentration of bicyclists is seen than here. You won't see them on the autobahns, but you see them in heavily traveled areas, centers of cities, etc. Bikes and cars get along much better than here, but, then there's a totally different attitude towards bikes on the part of drivers...

Not to mention on the part of law enforcement.

 

[Its On A Slab]

I noticed around here that bicycle riders tend to blow thru stop lights, stop signs, etc. And also assume that they have the right-of-way to zoom up your right side as you are approaching a right-turn lane (got flipped off by one because I made the mistake of turning on my turn signal, and merging into the turning lane, and he ran up against the side of my car....silly me?).

Most of them are law-abiding and good riders. Just like the a-hole drivers, there are bad eggs that stand out.

There is also the vision thing. On the roadway, a driver just isn't always scanning the horizon for a two-wheeled vehicle with a very thin signature. That's why headlights(flashing preferably), and bright clothing are advisable. Anything to bring attention.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I'd say that the biggest problem is that the majority of drivers seem to be inconsiderate a-holes who think they own the road, know very little of actual traffic laws, and really have no business driving unless and until they address the previous two aspects.

For the record, I don't really ever ride a bicycle but I do ride a motorcycle from time to time.

Maybe that's the biggest problem in your experiences. But that wasn't the case in our area. Equally as big of a problem (in our area) was the majority of the biking groups not knowing their responsibilities of the road and being just as big of a-holes to people who didn't have all day to ride down a 3-5 mile stretch of rural road. Not every person in a motor vehicle is a triggered a-hole.

 

[uafan4life]

Maybe that's the biggest problem in your experiences. But that wasn't the case in our area. Equally as big of a problem (in our area) was the majority of the biking groups not knowing their responsibilities of the road and being just as big of a-holes to people who didn't have all day to ride down a 3-5 mile stretch of rural road. Not every person in a motor vehicle is a triggered a-hole.

Fair point. I'm aware that there are many two-wheeled vehicle drivers who behave similarly to the four-plus-wheeled vehicle drivers.

However, an a-hole on the road is still an a-hole on the road. :biggrin2:

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Fair point. I'm aware that there are many two-wheeled vehicle drivers who behave similarly to the four-plus-wheeled vehicle drivers.

However, an a-hole on the road is still an a-hole on the road. :biggrin2:

And I would venture to say (and I'm just guessing here :biggrin2 that most of those on the two wheeled vehicle are primarily four-plus-wheeled vehicle drivers during working hours. So that would make them a-holes who don't know the rules of the road as well. LOL!

 

[92tide]

I agree that that is about 90% of the problem. First, cycling is not a flash in the pan here. It's shown a steady growth over the decades. In Europe, a much heavier concentration of bicyclists is seen than here. You won't see them on the autobahns, but you see them in heavily traveled areas, centers of cities, etc. Bikes and cars get along much better than here, but, then there's a totally different attitude towards bikes on the part of drivers...

same with atlanta, it has always had a huge number of cyclists.

i go to berlin every february for work and am always amazed at the number folks riding to work in freezing rain, sub 0 (c) temps, and other nasty weather, like it's any normal day. and the bikes, cars, and peds all function together very well.

 

[Tidewater]

I agree that that is about 90% of the problem. First, cycling is not a flash in the pan here. It's shown a steady growth over the decades. In Europe, a much heavier concentration of bicyclists is seen than here. You won't see them on the autobahns, but you see them in heavily traveled areas, centers of cities, etc. Bikes and cars get along much better than here, but, then there's a totally different attitude towards bikes on the part of drivers...

This blew me away when I was in Copenhagen (this is at the central train station).

People in Copenhagen ride 1.3 million kms per day.
The city authorities synchronize traffic lights for bicycle speeds.
One day in October, it was 34 degrees F and pouring down rain. Bikes were all over the place.