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Bicycle riders

TIDE-HSV said:
The problem is, of course, that they will always impede traffic to some degree. If they can't, then they might as well just be outlawed, which is obviously unacceptable...
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Well, I'm really referencing those who take the 'right to be on the road' to the extreme - where two or more riders ride side-by-sid taking up an entire lane or one rider rides in the middle of the road. Surely even if they ride on the edge of the road they'll slow responsible drivers down, but when you have a group of Tour de France wannabes taking up an entire lane of a two-lane road, it's begging for trouble.
 
crimsonaudio said:
Well, I'm really referencing those who take the 'right to be on the road' to the extreme - where two or more riders ride side-by-sid taking up an entire lane or one rider rides in the middle of the road. Surely even if they ride on the edge of the road they'll slow responsible drivers down, but when you have a group of Tour de France wannabes taking up an entire lane of a two-lane road, it's begging for trouble.
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Where I used to live (about a mile from the Al/Tn state line around the Hazel Green area) there was a group of 20-25 cyclists that rode through the area every Sat and Sunday. They were decked out in full apparel like they were in the Tour de France. They would take up the entire road (both lanes on a two lane road) until a car would be coming in the opposing lane, then the riders in that lane would squeeze over just long enough for that car to go by and then they would fan out again. If you got behind them, they never looked back, or acknowledged that you wanted to pass so you were either stuck behind them or had to turn onto another road to bypass them. Fortunately, I only got stuck behind them a couple of times, and only for a few miles, but it was easy for me to see what potentially might happen when the wrong person having a bad day got behind them. I overheard several folks at the local convenience stores talking about getting caught behind them as well, and like I figured, heard a couple of “bubbas” in the group of people that hung out at the store pop off about what they were going to do if they got behind them. After a couple months, I didn’t see them riding anymore. I don’t know why they stopped riding in the area, but I would imagine they started catching flak from the locals and moved to a different area.

The area is very rural, but there is still quite a bit of traffic. It’s not uncommon to get behind a tractor or slow moving equipment, but I’ve never got behind anyone that didn’t have enough respect to pull over enough to let me go around until I got behind that group. From reading a few posts in this thread it sounds like similar events have occurred to other people to. There is absolutely no way I would block up traffic without regard to anyone but myself when I rode a bike. Right or wrong, I know how vulnerable you can be to passing motorist while riding a bike or walking in good conditions, much less when you’ve ticked off those passing motorists.


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The number one issue with cyclists and motorists sharing the road is when either have that "good old" sense of entitlement.

Number two is not understanding the law.

Number three is not having - let alone using - common sense.

 
Morons like these give legitimate cyclists a bad rep. They really need to be cited for doing this.

The guy is right about the last person in line yelling forward "Car back". That said, when riding on most roads, I never ride in anything except single file.

 
Bazza said:
The number one issue with cyclists and motorists sharing the road is when either have that "good old" sense of entitlement.

Number two is not understanding the law.

Number three is not having - let alone using - common sense.

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And as is typical with even drivers of automobiles, when they are reminded of their jackassery behavior, the guy will flip you off rather than admit that he's doing something dangerous and stupid.

When I lived in West O, I passed a cyclist, dressed in his finest Lance Armstrong gear, I drove up to a stop light with my turn signal on.....as I started making the turn, he came up the right side of my car and grabbed it.....as if I had pulled out in front of him. I stopped and naturally asked if he was ok. His response? Flipped me off, with more 4-letter words.

As someone said, these jabronies give good cyclists a bad name. But they are out there.

It is the same with said cyclists who think narrow running trails are invitations to Tour de France speeds, and zip around corners in top gears, barely announcing their presence. I have seen the aftermath of collisions with pedestrians and runners. When I was running, I always said that if one of those guys hit me, I was going to grab him and throw him down hard if I could.
 
No video to post but there are plenty of motorists who don't have the patience to hang back behind a cyclist until it's safe to pass either. Many times we're only talking about 15-30 seconds - but that's way too long.

Entitled motorists....or just plain clueless.
 
Bazza said:
No video to post but there are plenty of motorists who don't have the patience to hang back behind a cyclist until it's safe to pass either. Many times we're only talking about 15-30 seconds - but that's way too long.

Entitled motorists....or just plain clueless.
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a few years ago, I was riding on a road with no bike lane. The speed limit on this road is 25. It did have "Share the Road" signs everywhere. I was practically hugging the curb as far out of the way as I could get. THis road also has several traffic lights along it. The guy behind me yelled "Get out of the road" (there were some banned Tidefans words thrown in.) This was directly in front of the aforementioned sign. I yelled back "Learn to read" and pointed at the sign.

Actually it was more than a few years ago, it was when I had no car and I was biking to and from work. This would have been 2011.
 
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Its On A Slab said:
It is the same with said cyclists who think narrow running trails are invitations to Tour de France speeds, and zip around corners in top gears, barely announcing their presence. I have seen the aftermath of collisions with pedestrians and runners. When I was running, I always said that if one of those guys hit me, I was going to grab him and throw him down hard if I could.
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I'm a casual bike rider and only go on bike trails that are away from automobile and foot traffic. I'm not looking to compete with either; I don't want to hit or be hit. There are some hiking/walking trails around a nearby lake that I frequent, but I don't bike there. The few cyclists that ride those winding trails are aggressive. I've come across the aftermath of a few collisions. Nothing too serious, but it's just a matter of time. Lots of families with little kids are on the trails.
 
Bodhisattva said:
I'm a casual bike rider and only go on bike trails that are away from automobile and foot traffic. I'm not looking to compete with either; I don't want to hit or be hit. There are some hiking/walking trails around a nearby lake that I frequent, but I don't bike there. The few cyclists that ride those winding trails are aggressive. I've come across the aftermath of a few collisions. Nothing too serious, but it's just a matter of time. Lots of families with little kids are on the trails.
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One of the trails in Omaha has wooden bridges over small creeks. As you know, wood will eventually get pretty slick when wet and covered in some miniscule fungus. There was an aggressive rider out there who wiped out, broke a collarbone and arm, and had to be taken by ambulance. One of his fellow riders was complaining to the city about the slick surfaces. When, if you'd just slow down, there wouldn't be a problem.

I came upon a woman who had been walking and got hit. She was a bloody mess, broken nose. Just a matter of time on a busy trail and people are riding too fast around blind curves.
 
Its On A Slab said:
One of the trails in Omaha has wooden bridges over small creeks. As you know, wood will eventually get pretty slick when wet and covered in some miniscule fungus. There was an aggressive rider out there who wiped out, broke a collarbone and arm, and had to be taken by ambulance. One of his fellow riders was complaining to the city about the slick surfaces. When, if you'd just slow down, there wouldn't be a problem.
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SMH. These clowns sound as dumb as they are irresponsible.
 
I suspect the trading of anecdotes about both arrogant stupid bike riders and the same classification of drivers could go on forever...
 
Bodhisattva said:
I'm a casual bike rider and only go on bike trails that are away from automobile and foot traffic. I'm not looking to compete with either; I don't want to hit or be hit. There are some hiking/walking trails around a nearby lake that I frequent, but I don't bike there. The few cyclists that ride those winding trails are aggressive. I've come across the aftermath of a few collisions. Nothing too serious, but it's just a matter of time. Lots of families with little kids are on the trails.
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That is sad and so dangerous to be aggressive on trails with walkers. We ride on our local mountain bike trails every week. Luckily, the other mountain bikers are pretty considerate and know the trail etiquette.
 
Bazza said:
A horn like this is useful but on my last work truck I had one of those musical horns and it was awesome and not as obtuse, I suppose....

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1752858098128436
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I used to ride my bike a lot back home in my early 20s. I took those back roads on a recent visit and thought how fortunate I was that I didn't get killed. We didn't have bike lanes back then. For that matter, I used to run on those narrow roads with no shoulder.

I did wear a helmet when riding my bike. Those old-fashioned styrofoam-core helmets.
 
The county has been working on this for the past few years. NO CARS! :)

Volusia County has completed construction of two pedestrian bridges and three segments of the East Central Regional Rail Trail, which one day will stretch 52 miles from Deltona to Edgewater, including a 10-mile leg to Titusville. The showcase trail is 12 feet wide and paved, making it accessible to walkers, joggers, in-line skaters, bicyclists, and people with disabilities.

  • Pedestrian bridge over State Road 415 in Osteen
  • Pedestrian bridge over State Road 442 in Edgewater
  • 5.7 miles from Green Springs Park in Deltona to State Road 415 in Osteen
  • 3.7 miles from Rotary Park to the pedestrian overpass on State Road 442 in Edgewater
  • 3 miles from the pedestrian bridge over State Road 415 to Guise Road in Osteen


38784283_2008443692519393_7589243345591861248_n.jpg
 
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Bazza said:
The county has been working on this for the past few years. NO CARS! :)
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Nice. Plus, being in Florida, no hills to speak of.

I have mentioned this before, but in Virginia, localities have to ask for permission of VDOT to NOT put in a bike lane.
Well, Blacksburg requested (and got) permission to skip the bike lane on Main St. In a college town. With lots of car traffic congestion. Not sure what they were thinking, but whatever...
 
Tidewater said:
Nice. Plus, being in Florida, no hills to speak of.

I have mentioned this before, but in Virginia, localities have to ask for permission of VDOT to NOT put in a bike lane.
Well, Blacksburg requested (and got) permission to skip the bike lane on Main St. In a college town. With lots of car traffic congestion. Not sure what they were thinking, but whatever...
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Wow.....that's crazy.......

And yes....we are lucky to not have too many elevations. That said, we have two bridges that connect the barrier island with the mainland. The North Bridge is a draw bridge and not much of an incline. But the South Bridge is not a draw bridge.....and that is where you go to incline train. Not this time of year though....ugh....
 
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