Looks like the velo fascists found the thread.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If cyclists would simply do THREE things, I would happily cede them a dedicated lane everywhere:

1) stop at red lights and wait until green to proceed, just like cars do.

2) stop at stop signs.

3) don’t shoal through traffic (that’s where traffic is temporarily caught behind a slow biker, gets an opportunity to pass the biker, does so, and then at the next red light, the biker weaves through the line of stopped cars to the front of the line, and runs the red light, forcing everyone formerly trapped behind them to be trapped yet again, over and over. This has the effect of slowing ALL traffic on the road down to the speed of the biker.)

If they’d quit doing those three things, people would stop hating them.

Honk at them. Every time. Scares the crap out of them but gets their attention.

Honking like at is illegal. So you are advocating for people to do illegal things.

Brilliant.

If someone, bike or car, is blowing through a stop sign, it is not illegal to honk at them. Won't do much good, but not illegal.

This is a dumb tangent to this thread but in DC it is definitely illegal to honk at someone in this circumstance. In DC it is only legal to use your horn to prevent an accident - honking in this instance is more likely to cause an accident.

Good thing this thread is about bikers in VA.

Actually it is about road diet in Alexandria which impacts and benefits drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and residents of the street. The horn honking thing was a weird tangent introduced by an anti bike zealot.

In any case I think someone up thread cited the VA code and it is illegal in VA to honk your horn to try to send some kind of message to someone who you think might be breaking the law. But two wrongs make a right don't they?

It’s not illegal. Read the law.

It shall further be unlawful for any person at any time to use a horn otherwise than as a reasonable warning

I think your reading of what a reasonable warning is, is absurd, but have fun debating this before a judge some day.

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get is how confrontational bikers are to drivers. I witnessed a man pull over in bike lane to confront a woman driver who was parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Lee Highway at 8:30AM bc she almost cut him off. She did signal and he was far enough behind her that she could safely move over to park but he flipped out. He almost caused an accident by stopping in bike lane and pulling up next to her window--literally blocked her from opening her car door. Insane.

Most likely because he felt that she cut him off, which is something that can - and regularly does - kill people on bicycles. That kind of stuff can make a person confrontational.

Unless you were next to the bicyclist, it's difficult for you to judge whether or not the driver was far enough ahead of the bicyclist in order to be able to move over safely to park.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd have more compassion for cyclists if they treated pedestrians respectfully - stop for them in crosswalks, don't bike like maniacs on trails and "thread the needle." Slow down and share the trails.

PP, some people are just transportation jerks. They're jerks when they're driving, they're jerks when they're on bikes, they're jerks when they're walking. That's not an argument against good bicycle infrastructure. It's an argument against being a transportation jerk.

What's more, the more good bicycle infrastructure we have, the less people on bikes have to share facilities with people on foot (as well as with people in cars). I am out in the exurbs, and I ride on the sidewalk a lot, because it's too dangerous to ride in the road. When I ride on the sidewalk, I always keep in mind that the pedestrian has the right of way. But I'd prefer not to have to ride on the sidewalk in the first place.

Good for you, but you know not every cyclist is like you. The lycra jersied, aerodynamic sunglasses wearing Lancholes on trails don't give a sh!t, and there are far too many of them.

What an odd point. As though you told me, "I stop at stop signs," and I responded, "But you know not every driver is like you. What about the sports car drivers? There are far too many of them, and their cars are ugly. I don't think we should build any roads for drivers until those sports car drivers can behave more respectfully."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If cyclists would simply do THREE things, I would happily cede them a dedicated lane everywhere:

1) stop at red lights and wait until green to proceed, just like cars do.

2) stop at stop signs.

3) don’t shoal through traffic (that’s where traffic is temporarily caught behind a slow biker, gets an opportunity to pass the biker, does so, and then at the next red light, the biker weaves through the line of stopped cars to the front of the line, and runs the red light, forcing everyone formerly trapped behind them to be trapped yet again, over and over. This has the effect of slowing ALL traffic on the road down to the speed of the biker.)

If they’d quit doing those three things, people would stop hating them.

Honk at them. Every time. Scares the crap out of them but gets their attention.

Honking like at is illegal. So you are advocating for people to do illegal things.

Brilliant.

If someone, bike or car, is blowing through a stop sign, it is not illegal to honk at them. Won't do much good, but not illegal.

This is a dumb tangent to this thread but in DC it is definitely illegal to honk at someone in this circumstance. In DC it is only legal to use your horn to prevent an accident - honking in this instance is more likely to cause an accident.

Good thing this thread is about bikers in VA.

Actually it is about road diet in Alexandria which impacts and benefits drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and residents of the street. The horn honking thing was a weird tangent introduced by an anti bike zealot.

In any case I think someone up thread cited the VA code and it is illegal in VA to honk your horn to try to send some kind of message to someone who you think might be breaking the law. But two wrongs make a right don't they?

It’s not illegal. Read the law.

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get is how confrontational bikers are to drivers. I witnessed a man pull over in bike lane to confront a woman driver who was parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Lee Highway at 8:30AM bc she almost cut him off. She did signal and he was far enough behind her that she could safely move over to park but he flipped out. He almost caused an accident by stopping in bike lane and pulling up next to her window--literally blocked her from opening her car door. Insane.

Since you were not riding, you may not have been able to judge whether he was safe or not - plus on Lee Highway, swerving around is not a safe option I guess.

Also I don't think you realize how many times in the course of a single commute we see drivers doing something illegal and/or dangerous, and even how many times we are actually endangered. You can reach a breaking point.

You also probably don't notice the times drivers honk at people on bikes (or at other drivers stopping for them) or do a "punishment pass". Or you know, rail against cyclists on line, at public meetings, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd have more compassion for cyclists if they treated pedestrians respectfully - stop for them in crosswalks, don't bike like maniacs on trails and "thread the needle." Slow down and share the trails.

PP, some people are just transportation jerks. They're jerks when they're driving, they're jerks when they're on bikes, they're jerks when they're walking. That's not an argument against good bicycle infrastructure. It's an argument against being a transportation jerk.

What's more, the more good bicycle infrastructure we have, the less people on bikes have to share facilities with people on foot (as well as with people in cars). I am out in the exurbs, and I ride on the sidewalk a lot, because it's too dangerous to ride in the road. When I ride on the sidewalk, I always keep in mind that the pedestrian has the right of way. But I'd prefer not to have to ride on the sidewalk in the first place.

Good for you, but you know not every cyclist is like you. The lycra jersied, aerodynamic sunglasses wearing Lancholes on trails don't give a sh!t, and there are far too many of them.

I wear lycra because its wiking, hi visibility, etc. I wear sunglasses because it makes it easier to see, which also makes me a safer rider. I pass peds wide on trails, calling out or ringing my bell, and if the traffic in the other direction is too heavy, I slow to walking speed and wait till its safe to pass rather than thread the needle.

The other day I was almost killed by a negligent driver. I have been hit twice (neither time seriously, thank God) by negligent drivers.

There are people who do stupid things in all modes - drivers, bike riders, and walkers. Only drivers regularly kill people.

I am glad that the Council adopted a plan that will make Seminary Road safer for pedestrians AND for people on bikes (and for law abiding drivers)

What I don't get is how confrontational bikers are to drivers. I witnessed a man pull over in bike lane to confront a woman driver who was parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Lee Highway at 8:30AM bc she almost cut him off. She did signal and he was far enough behind her that she could safely move over to park but he flipped out. He almost caused an accident by stopping in bike lane and pulling up next to her window--literally blocked her from opening her car door. Insane.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd have more compassion for cyclists if they treated pedestrians respectfully - stop for them in crosswalks, don't bike like maniacs on trails and "thread the needle." Slow down and share the trails.

PP, some people are just transportation jerks. They're jerks when they're driving, they're jerks when they're on bikes, they're jerks when they're walking. That's not an argument against good bicycle infrastructure. It's an argument against being a transportation jerk.

What's more, the more good bicycle infrastructure we have, the less people on bikes have to share facilities with people on foot (as well as with people in cars). I am out in the exurbs, and I ride on the sidewalk a lot, because it's too dangerous to ride in the road. When I ride on the sidewalk, I always keep in mind that the pedestrian has the right of way. But I'd prefer not to have to ride on the sidewalk in the first place.

Good for you, but you know not every cyclist is like you. The lycra jersied, aerodynamic sunglasses wearing Lancholes on trails don't give a sh!t, and there are far too many of them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If cyclists would simply do THREE things, I would happily cede them a dedicated lane everywhere:

1) stop at red lights and wait until green to proceed, just like cars do.

2) stop at stop signs.

3) don’t shoal through traffic (that’s where traffic is temporarily caught behind a slow biker, gets an opportunity to pass the biker, does so, and then at the next red light, the biker weaves through the line of stopped cars to the front of the line, and runs the red light, forcing everyone formerly trapped behind them to be trapped yet again, over and over. This has the effect of slowing ALL traffic on the road down to the speed of the biker.)

If they’d quit doing those three things, people would stop hating them.

Honk at them. Every time. Scares the crap out of them but gets their attention.

Honking like at is illegal. So you are advocating for people to do illegal things.

Brilliant.

If someone, bike or car, is blowing through a stop sign, it is not illegal to honk at them. Won't do much good, but not illegal.

This is a dumb tangent to this thread but in DC it is definitely illegal to honk at someone in this circumstance. In DC it is only legal to use your horn to prevent an accident - honking in this instance is more likely to cause an accident.

Good thing this thread is about bikers in VA.

Actually it is about road diet in Alexandria which impacts and benefits drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and residents of the street. The horn honking thing was a weird tangent introduced by an anti bike zealot.

In any case I think someone up thread cited the VA code and it is illegal in VA to honk your horn to try to send some kind of message to someone who you think might be breaking the law. But two wrongs make a right don't they?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If cyclists would simply do THREE things, I would happily cede them a dedicated lane everywhere:

1) stop at red lights and wait until green to proceed, just like cars do.

2) stop at stop signs.

3) don’t shoal through traffic (that’s where traffic is temporarily caught behind a slow biker, gets an opportunity to pass the biker, does so, and then at the next red light, the biker weaves through the line of stopped cars to the front of the line, and runs the red light, forcing everyone formerly trapped behind them to be trapped yet again, over and over. This has the effect of slowing ALL traffic on the road down to the speed of the biker.)

If they’d quit doing those three things, people would stop hating them.

Honk at them. Every time. Scares the crap out of them but gets their attention.

Honking like at is illegal. So you are advocating for people to do illegal things.

Brilliant.

If someone, bike or car, is blowing through a stop sign, it is not illegal to honk at them. Won't do much good, but not illegal.

This is a dumb tangent to this thread but in DC it is definitely illegal to honk at someone in this circumstance. In DC it is only legal to use your horn to prevent an accident - honking in this instance is more likely to cause an accident.

Good thing this thread is about bikers in VA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If cyclists would simply do THREE things, I would happily cede them a dedicated lane everywhere:

1) stop at red lights and wait until green to proceed, just like cars do.

2) stop at stop signs.

3) don’t shoal through traffic (that’s where traffic is temporarily caught behind a slow biker, gets an opportunity to pass the biker, does so, and then at the next red light, the biker weaves through the line of stopped cars to the front of the line, and runs the red light, forcing everyone formerly trapped behind them to be trapped yet again, over and over. This has the effect of slowing ALL traffic on the road down to the speed of the biker.)

If they’d quit doing those three things, people would stop hating them.

Honk at them. Every time. Scares the crap out of them but gets their attention.

Honking like at is illegal. So you are advocating for people to do illegal things.

Brilliant.

If someone, bike or car, is blowing through a stop sign, it is not illegal to honk at them. Won't do much good, but not illegal.

This is a dumb tangent to this thread but in DC it is definitely illegal to honk at someone in this circumstance. In DC it is only legal to use your horn to prevent an accident - honking in this instance is more likely to cause an accident.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd have more compassion for cyclists if they treated pedestrians respectfully - stop for them in crosswalks, don't bike like maniacs on trails and "thread the needle." Slow down and share the trails.

I clotheslined a guy who hit me in a crosswalk while blasting through a redlight. He came off the bike and landed on his back, but his bike kept going, all the way through the intersection and halfway down the block almost to 18th St. it was fascinating to see how far the bike went, and it would’ve gone farther but it hit the curb. I was all set to fight him, but when he got up, he looked like he was already halfway knocked out. He must’ve hit his head on the ground when I knocked him off the bike after he bumped me. I was fine, except for he tore my pants with his pedal and got a small scrape on my leg. I laughed at him.

Your story makes no sense but I hope you got a woodie telling it.

So the biker hit you, wasn't knocked off his bike, turned around and when he approached you again you clotheslined him?

The physics of your story don't make a lot of sense either - you'd have to have your feet firmly planted and be pretty strong and heavy to not get knocked over in such a scenario and it is very hard to believe a biker wouldn't see you setting up and just go around you. And how did you mange to extend an arm and clothesline someone and else get scraped by his pedal which is only about 4 inches wide and much narrower than the handlebars which amazingly missed you but the pedals just barely scraped you in such a slight manner that the bike stayed on its previous trajectory.

Nice story bro - I know it sucks living in Sterling.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If cyclists would simply do THREE things, I would happily cede them a dedicated lane everywhere:

1) stop at red lights and wait until green to proceed, just like cars do.

2) stop at stop signs.

3) don’t shoal through traffic (that’s where traffic is temporarily caught behind a slow biker, gets an opportunity to pass the biker, does so, and then at the next red light, the biker weaves through the line of stopped cars to the front of the line, and runs the red light, forcing everyone formerly trapped behind them to be trapped yet again, over and over. This has the effect of slowing ALL traffic on the road down to the speed of the biker.)

If they’d quit doing those three things, people would stop hating them.

Honk at them. Every time. Scares the crap out of them but gets their attention.

Honking like at is illegal. So you are advocating for people to do illegal things.

Brilliant.

If someone, bike or car, is blowing through a stop sign, it is not illegal to honk at them. Won't do much good, but not illegal.

Anonymous wrote:I'd have more compassion for cyclists if they treated pedestrians respectfully - stop for them in crosswalks, don't bike like maniacs on trails and "thread the needle." Slow down and share the trails.

I clotheslined a guy who hit me in a crosswalk while blasting through a redlight. He came off the bike and landed on his back, but his bike kept going, all the way through the intersection and halfway down the block almost to 18th St. it was fascinating to see how far the bike went, and it would’ve gone farther but it hit the curb. I was all set to fight him, but when he got up, he looked like he was already halfway knocked out. He must’ve hit his head on the ground when I knocked him off the bike after he bumped me. I was fine, except for he tore my pants with his pedal and got a small scrape on my leg. I laughed at him.