Bikes that think they're cars

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care as long as they act like a car in all scenarios. I witnessed an accident the other day where a bike blew through a red light because he thought he had enough time to get through before the other light turned green. He didn't and was clipped by a car. Thankfully they had just started moving when he went through and the bicyclist appeared ok. I stayed behind to make sure the cops knew whose fault it was.

What was your conclusion? Sure, the cyclist ran the light, but the driver who hit the gas when the light turned green also failed to ensure that the intersection was clear before pulling into it. There's some blame to go around in the scenario you described.

OK -- this is what infuriates me the most. The attitude that 'you are a car, I am a bike so I always have right-of-way and if you hit me when I am doing something wrong it is your fault for not giving me precedence in everything because I am better/more environmentally friendly/whatever . . ."

No, the same would be true if it was a car coming through the red light. You can't just floor it because the light is green; you have a duty to ensure that the intersection is clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care as long as they act like a car in all scenarios. I witnessed an accident the other day where a bike blew through a red light because he thought he had enough time to get through before the other light turned green. He didn't and was clipped by a car. Thankfully they had just started moving when he went through and the bicyclist appeared ok. I stayed behind to make sure the cops knew whose fault it was.

What was your conclusion? Sure, the cyclist ran the light, but the driver who hit the gas when the light turned green also failed to ensure that the intersection was clear before pulling into it. There's some blame to go around in the scenario you described.

OK -- this is what infuriates me the most. The attitude that 'you are a car, I am a bike so I always have right-of-way and if you hit me when I am doing something wrong it is your fault for not giving me precedence in everything because I am better/more environmentally friendly/whatever . . ."

No, the same would be true if it was a car coming through the red light. You can't just floor it because the light is green; you have a duty to ensure that the intersection is clear.

If the vehicle is stuck in the intersection and can not complete crossing sure, but the poster wrote " a bike blew through a red light because he thought he had enough time . . ." Could easily not have been seen . . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If the vehicle is stuck in the intersection and can not complete crossing sure, but the poster wrote " a bike blew through a red light because he thought he had enough time . . ." Could easily not have been seen . . . .

No, you need to look out for everything - not just cars, but also people on bikes, and people on foot or in wheelchairs, and people using any other means of transportation.

People on bikes are not transparent. And they're moving. You can see them, if you're looking for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care as long as they act like a car in all scenarios. I witnessed an accident the other day where a bike blew through a red light because he thought he had enough time to get through before the other light turned green. He didn't and was clipped by a car. Thankfully they had just started moving when he went through and the bicyclist appeared ok. I stayed behind to make sure the cops knew whose fault it was.

If you want to be treated like a car, you need to obey all the rules. Not just the ones that benefit you

100% Cyclist routinely run red lights around here and are quite nasty when confronted about it.

It’s the sometimes I’m a car and sometimes I’m a pedestrian cyclists who are the problem.

[Anonymous]

Suck it op

[Anonymous]

Angry person driving thinks it's people on bicycles who are slowing them down, completely ignores that it's too many people like them driving that slows them down.

Also, killing the planet.

Try harder, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I'm all for bike lanes. I'm against going 15 miles an hour in a 40 mph zone when there is an empty sidewalk and no restrictions on bikers using them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I'm all for bike lanes. I'm against going 15 miles an hour in a 40 mph zone when there is an empty sidewalk and no restrictions on bikers using them.

Do you regularly bike that route? Most people who ride bikes quickly figure out what the best and safest space is for them. Just like you do while driving. It's not about inconveniencing you. It's just that your convenience is not more important than what's best for me.

For example, did you know that riding on the sidewalk can be more dangerous than riding in a street? When I'm in the street, you see me and (generally) don't hit me. When I get to an intersection on a bicycle, it is far more common for a driver to hit me because I "came out of nowhere". You're not looking for someone moving 15 mph and you don't see me.

If you're not biking it with me then you probably have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeh bikes need to follow car road rules.

No. People who are riding bikes need to follow the laws for people who are riding bikes. Some of which are the same as the laws for people who are driving cars, and some of which are not the same as the laws for people who are driving cars.



Find out what the laws are for people who are riding bikes, before you complain that people who are riding bikes are not following the laws.

Obeying traffic lights and stop signs are good starting points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Angry person driving thinks it's people on bicycles who are slowing them down, completely ignores that it's too many people like them driving that slows them down.

Also, killing the planet.

Try harder, OP.

NP, Don't talk about killing the planet with moral superiority if you are a carnivore. Meat eaters do far more damage to the environment than cars. In other words, a vegetarian car driver is more eco friendly than a meat-eating cyclist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeh bikes need to follow car road rules.

No. People who are riding bikes need to follow the laws for people who are riding bikes. Some of which are the same as the laws for people who are driving cars, and some of which are not the same as the laws for people who are driving cars.



Find out what the laws are for people who are riding bikes, before you complain that people who are riding bikes are not following the laws.

Obeying traffic lights and stop signs are good starting points.

And while driving, so is not speeding, tailgating, doing anything on your phone, drinking alcohol... etc.

So since I obey traffic signals and stop signs while biking will you stop endangering my life and honking at me?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Angry person driving thinks it's people on bicycles who are slowing them down, completely ignores that it's too many people like them driving that slows them down.

Also, killing the planet.

Try harder, OP.

NP, Don't talk about killing the planet with moral superiority if you are a carnivore. Meat eaters do far more damage to the environment than cars. In other words, a vegetarian car driver is more eco friendly than a meat-eating cyclist.

Depends how much meat you eat and how much you drive. How many gallons of gas do you burn and how much meat do you think I eat? I'm happy to go meat-lite or even meat free. Any other tangents that you'd like to toss out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Angry person driving thinks it's people on bicycles who are slowing them down, completely ignores that it's too many people like them driving that slows them down.

Also, killing the planet.

Try harder, OP.

NP, Don't talk about killing the planet with moral superiority if you are a carnivore. Meat eaters do far more damage to the environment than cars. In other words, a vegetarian car driver is more eco friendly than a meat-eating cyclist.

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care as long as they act like a car in all scenarios. I witnessed an accident the other day where a bike blew through a red light because he thought he had enough time to get through before the other light turned green. He didn't and was clipped by a car. Thankfully they had just started moving when he went through and the bicyclist appeared ok. I stayed behind to make sure the cops knew whose fault it was.

If you want to be treated like a car, you need to obey all the rules. Not just the ones that benefit you

100% Cyclist routinely run red lights around here and are quite nasty when confronted about it.

It’s the sometimes I’m a car and sometimes I’m a pedestrian cyclists who are the problem.

No, the problem is that people don't know what the laws are for bicyclists. You're complaining about legal behavior that the law explicitly provides for. For example, bicyclists are allowed to ride in the middle of the lane - like drivers. And bicyclists are also allowed to use crosswalks and pedestrian signals - like pedestrians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeh bikes need to follow car road rules.

No. People who are riding bikes need to follow the laws for people who are riding bikes. Some of which are the same as the laws for people who are driving cars, and some of which are not the same as the laws for people who are driving cars.

Find out what the laws are for people who are riding bikes, before you complain that people who are riding bikes are not following the laws.

Obeying traffic lights and stop signs are good starting points.

I live by a 3-way stop. The number of car drivers who actually stop at the stop sign, when there isn't another car in the intersection, is zero. (School bus drivers do stop.) I'm sure that most of the drivers would say that they're stopping, but they're not. Stop means stop, not slow to a roll.