Bikes that think they're cars

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drive on a two lane road (40 mph speed limit) with bikers that take the lane. What really annoys me is when I change lanes to pass and get back in front of a biker, and then at a red light they zoom up to the front and slow it all down again. When there's a biker on my route it doubles my commute time.

This is legal.

Generally what slows people down on their car commute is other cars. But certainly your voice would be a welcome addition to the call for more and better bicycle infrastructure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m looking behind me and it looks like a funeral procession right now. About 35 cars all having to go 20 miles per hour right now. All because this bike thinks he’s a car.

35 cars on the road with you? You'd get stuck in less traffic if more people used bicycles for transportation and fewer people used cars.

[Anonymous]

Use a car this is America not 3rd world Asia, bikes are 9th class citizens

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m looking behind me and it looks like a funeral procession right now. About 35 cars all having to go 20 miles per hour right now. All because this bike thinks he’s a car.

35 cars on the road with you? You'd get stuck in less traffic if more people used bicycles for transportation and fewer people used cars.

Wait, you are driving and posting at the same time?

[Anonymous]

In most urban areas, it's illegal for a cyclist to use the sidewalk. They must use the road. Exceptions are for young cyclists (kids). It's too dangerous to have a bike going 20mph on the sidewalks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Use a car this is America not 3rd world Asia, bikes are 9th class citizens

Troll grade: F.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In most urban areas, it's illegal for a cyclist to use the sidewalk. They must use the road. Exceptions are for young cyclists (kids). It's too dangerous to have a bike going 20mph on the sidewalks.

In DC, cyclists may use the road or the sidewalk except in the very busy downtown where they must use the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's great that you're biking. But do you have to be completely taking over a spot in a lane slowing down all the traffic? You are going 20 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone. There is a walk/bike path that you could be using, but in your mind, you are a car.

I just saw the car in front of me almost have a head-on collision, because they are trying to get around you.

This is an intervention. You are not a car.

The car in front of you almost had a head-on collision because they were trying to get around another vehicle that was well within the law doing what they were supposed to be doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m looking behind me and it looks like a funeral procession right now. About 35 cars all having to go 20 miles per hour right now. All because this bike thinks he’s a car.

35 cars on the road with you? You'd get stuck in less traffic if more people used bicycles for transportation and fewer people used cars.

Wait, you are driving and posting at the same time?

Have heard of the concept of being a passenger?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m looking behind me and it looks like a funeral procession right now. About 35 cars all having to go 20 miles per hour right now. All because this bike thinks he’s a car.

35 cars on the road with you? You'd get stuck in less traffic if more people used bicycles for transportation and fewer people used cars.

Wait, you are driving and posting at the same time?

Have heard of the concept of being a passenger?

Yeah, I'm sure that's it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m looking behind me and it looks like a funeral procession right now. About 35 cars all having to go 20 miles per hour right now. All because this bike thinks he’s a car.

35 cars on the road with you? You'd get stuck in less traffic if more people used bicycles for transportation and fewer people used cars.

Wait, you are driving and posting at the same time?

Have heard of the concept of being a passenger?

Sure you are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They shouldn't be on the road if they can't go the minimum speed. Annoying.

Minimum speeds only exist on access controlled highways, where bikes are banned. There are no minimums on local streets. One must not deliberately slow down to obstruct traffic, but a rider of a human powered bike going 20MPH is clearly not doing so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On highly trafficked trails, I've started "taking the lane" as a pedestrian, and go more towards the center line. I'm fed up with ahole aggressive cyclists passing dangerously close when the trail is busy. The considerate cyclists will not care that I take the lane, and will wait and pass patiently.

Taking the lane would mean walking in the center of the lane, not on the left towards the center line. Just as a cyclist taking the lane on a road should ride in the center of the lane, not on the left edge of the lane.

I do cross the center lane on trails when passing a pedestrian - but if you go TOWARDS the center line (not the center of your lane) you make even that dangerous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here we go again...

If that cyclist is really going 20 miles per hour, do you know how dangerous it would be for him to be riding on that walking path? No matter how much you object, he's riding where he is supposed to be.

People walk 3-4 miles per hour, so if the cyclist is going 20 mph, there is a 17 mph differential. There is a 25 mph differential on the road in this scenario. Personally, I don’t think either scenario is safe — bikes need their own lanes or they don’t belong on the road.

The other day I spent 5 minutes trying to get past a biker in my neighborhood who was blocking the road despite the multi-use trail on the side. He was going 10-15 mph, but due to cars parked on the street I couldn’t get around him. Finally, I got around him, only to have him blow by me at the next stop sign because he didn’t stop at it.

Its not only the speed differential - most walking paths there simply is not room to pass with a margin of error. And the surface is uneven. And there is overgrown vegetation. And there are blind driveways.

While some cautious people on bikes will take the sidewalk instead of a fast road, none should be forced to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In most urban areas, it's illegal for a cyclist to use the sidewalk. They must use the road. Exceptions are for young cyclists (kids). It's too dangerous to have a bike going 20mph on the sidewalks.

In DC, cyclists may use the road or the sidewalk except in the very busy downtown where they must use the road.

Also in Alexandria there are a couple of streets in old Town where it is illegal to ride on the sidewalk. Dockless escooters are banned from the sidewalks all over Arlington, Alexandria, and I think DC. So drivers need to be prepared for slower vehicles.