Should you "aim"...screw it, has turned into the cyclist and cager thread

[JWC]

Mass:You may ride your bicycle on any public road, street, or bikeway in the Commonwealth, except limited access or express state highways where signs specifically prohibiting bikes have been posted.

NC:In North Carolina, the bicycle has the legal status of a vehicle. This means that bicyclists have full rights and responsibilities on the roadway and are subject to the regulations governing the operation of a motor vehicle.

California: Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this division, including, but not limited to, provisions concerning driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs

PA: In Pennsylvania, a bicycle is considered a vehicle and, as such, is governed by a general set of rules (common to all vehicles) and a specific set of rules (designed for bicycles).


It continues on...but you get the picture.

The "designed for bicycles" exception applies to helmets, letting people ride on your bike etc.

[Soup DeVille]

Mass:You may ride your bicycle on any public road, street, or bikeway in the Commonwealth, except limited access or express state highways where signs specifically prohibiting bikes have been posted.

NC:In North Carolina, the bicycle has the legal status of a vehicle. This means that bicyclists have full rights and responsibilities on the roadway and are subject to the regulations governing the operation of a motor vehicle.

California: Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this division, including, but not limited to, provisions concerning driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs

PA: In Pennsylvania, a bicycle is considered a vehicle and, as such, is governed by a general set of rules (common to all vehicles) and a specific set of rules (designed for bicycles).


It continues on...but you get the picture.

The "designed for bicycles" exception applies to helmets, letting people ride on your bike etc.

Show me a person who has had his bicycle towed for lacking turn signals in NC, and I'll agree with you.

[JWC]

We don't tow cars for lack of turn signals.  Turn signals have to be operational...and like automobiles, bike riders are LEGALLY required to signal before turning.

[Soup DeVille]

We don't tow cars for lack of turn signals.  Turn signals have to be operational...and like automobiles, bike riders are LEGALLY required to signal before turning.

The fuck you don't. But, that's another story entirely.

If a car and a bicycle get in a collision: when the cop shows up, who's getting the evil eye? Who's getting the ride to the hospital in the magic white van?

Like it or not, cyclists can and do get away with a lot more than motorists do; they are not treated equally by the law or under the law.

I am fully behind you on supporting the rights that cyclists do have and wanting more people to know what the rules are and act accordingly; but you know what?

Well, of course you do.

[Raza]

You probably wouldn't think it a good idea if you realized that some cyclists carry "devices" for taking care of arrogant car drivers.

And it's statements like this that make me hate cyclists even more.  The sheer idiocy of a cyclist thinking that he can go up against a car and come out on top trumps the arrogance of any driver on the road.

Seriously. I don't have any reservations about smacking a car with possible dent force that cuts me off, etc. Most drivers just think they hit me, which is shock enough for them.

And then one of these days, you're going to end up either panicking someone too much and they'll make an abrupt movement that makes cutting you off seem completely innocuous.  Or, you'll dent the car of the wrong person who will intentionally make cutting you off seem playful.  And you'll entirely deserve what you get. 

Fuck etiquette. Cars don't do bikes any favors.

Yet you wonder why people go on rants against fucking holier-than-thou cyclists.

Exactly.  I'm a biker and I ride on the side of the road quite often.  If there're cars coming...forget the fact that I'm a legal resident of the road I'm on...I'm moving the fuck over.  A) Pissed drivers are in control of 3000+ pound pieces of machinery, B) why would I want to piss anyone off?, and C) It's my fucking life on the line.  I'll be nice and move the fuck over so I don't get hit.

That's the first sensible thing I've seen from a cyclist in a long, long time.

Which increases the belief among car drivers that THEY own the road. 

We do.  We pay registration for our vehicles.  We pay licensing fees.  We pay taxes to run our cars.  When cyclists do all that, then I'll gladly share the road. 

When I'm driving a car, I get more pissed at bike riders who are not following the rules.  I pulled up to an intersection a couple of weeks ago, green light and I was making a left.  I bike rider was coming from the opposite direction.  I stopped, turn signal flashing, and waited for him to go through the intersection.  Instead, asshole stops.  He had no idea he had the right of way.  If I pull out and he takes off resulting in me hitting him, I making the illegal move.  I gave up on trying to wave him through and risked it. 

More evidence that bikes used on roads and their riders should be subject to the same licensing process that drivers go through.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I just did 20 laps around my kitchen on my bicycle, and I almost got hit by a car.

[Raza]

I just did 20 laps around my kitchen on my bicycle, and I almost got hit by a car.

Stop parking your Metro in your kitchen then!

[Eye of the Tiger]

Stop parking your Metro in your kitchen then!

I don't even have a Metro.

[NomisR]

I don't even have a Metro.

Well, there's your problem.

[Rupert]

[...]

And then one of these days, you're going to end up either panicking someone too much and they'll make an abrupt movement that makes cutting you off seem completely innocuous.  Or, you'll dent the car of the wrong person who will intentionally make cutting you off seem playful.  And you'll entirely deserve what you get. 

[...]

If they cut me off already, there's not much more they can do, other than throw it into reverse.

And I can handle myself, unless they've got a gun, in which case, I'm fucked. I'll take my chances.

[S204STi]

What I don't get is what is so hard about giving some courtesy to cyclists.  It's not like every one of them on the road is out to piss the rest of you guys off.

[AutobahnSHO]

What I don't get is what is so hard about giving some courtesy to cyclists.  It's not like every one of them on the road is out to piss the rest of you guys off.

And it will cost a car driver what, 1-2 seconds of their busy day ???

[Raza]

If they cut me off already, there's not much more they can do, other than throw it into reverse.

And I can handle myself, unless they've got a gun, in which case, I'm fucked. I'll take my chances.

They have a car...

[Raza]

What I don't get is what is so hard about giving some courtesy to cyclists.  It's not like every one of them on the road is out to piss the rest of you guys off.

Maybe not every cyclist...

[Rupert]

They have a car...

I can go places a car can't.

[Raza]

I can go places a car can't.

Yeah.  No one can get out of a car.  Once you get in it, you're chemically bonded forever, unless you need to leave to pollute or something.

[Rupert]

Yeah.  No one can get out of a car.  Once you get in it, you're chemically bonded forever, unless you need to leave to pollute or something.

[...]

And I can handle myself, unless they've got a gun, in which case, I'm fucked. I'll take my chances.

So, to sum it all up, I can outrun a guy on foot, out-maneuver a car, and if all that fails, I can take care of myself.

[giant_mtb]

What I don't get is what is so hard about giving some courtesy to cyclists.  It's not like every one of them on the road is out to piss the rest of you guys off.

The way I ride, people are courteous to me.  Probably because they think I'm being courteous to them by giving them the space I think I deserve.  Most people that pass me in their cars move over partially into the next lane...and I ride the outside of the shoulder.  Give and you shall receive.

[S204STi]

The way I ride, people are courteous to me.  Probably because they think I'm being courteous to them by giving them the space I think I deserve.  Most people that pass me in their cars move over partially into the next lane...and I ride the outside of the shoulder.  Give and you shall receive.

So you think that it's discourteous to be on the shoulder but not 10 feet over from the white line?

[giant_mtb]

So you think that it's discourteous to be on the shoulder but not 10 feet over from the white line?

I think it's discourteous to ride the white line whilst there are cars passing by in both directions.  ...as I've said a few times before in this god forsaken thread.

[Raza]

So, to sum it all up, I can outrun a guy on foot, out-maneuver a car, and if all that fails, I can take care of myself.

Okay.  And if aliens come for you, I'm sure you'll just activate your wings and fly away.

[NomisR]

The way I ride, people are courteous to me.  Probably because they think I'm being courteous to them by giving them the space I think I deserve.  Most people that pass me in their cars move over partially into the next lane...and I ride the outside of the shoulder.  Give and you shall receive.

If people all think like this, the world will be a better place.  It's it's all about me, me, me!  Plus, majority of the cyclists don't follow the traffic rules anyways. 

[giant_mtb]

[S204STi]

I think it's discourteous to ride the white line whilst there are cars passing by in both directions.  ...as I've said a few times before in this god forsaken thread.

I think it's discourteous of automobile operators to expect a cyclist to GTFO of the way just because he has more mass, even though the cyclist has every right to be there.

[giant_mtb]

I think it's discourteous of automobile operators to expect a cyclist to GTFO of the way just because he has more mass, even though the cyclist has every right to be there.

Is there not a minimum speed that a vehicle is allowed to travel on a given road?  If so, I would suspect that a cyclist has NO right obstructing traffic on a 55-MPH highway.

[S204STi]

Is there not a minimum speed that a vehicle is allowed to travel on a given road?  If so, I would suspect that a cyclist has NO right obstructing traffic on a 55-MPH highway.

Depends.  The highway that ran through my home town had a speed limit of up to 65 in parts, and cyclists could be found on it on occasion.

Shit, when I was more hard core my personal benchmark ride was on the same highway during an 8 mile climb.  On the way down I outran cars in parts.

And you know what?  People actually moved over and didn't shout or throw shit at them and generally act upset about it!

[NomisR]

Depends.  The highway that ran through my home town had a speed limit of up to 65 in parts, and cyclists could be found on it on occasion.

Shit, when I was more hard core my personal benchmark ride was on the same highway during an 8 mile climb.  On the way down I outran cars in parts.

And you know what?  People actually moved over and didn't shout or throw shit at them and generally act upset about it!

I get pissed at both cars and cyclists equally for holding me up.  You stay out of my way, and I stay out of your way, you're happy, I'm happy. 

[giant_mtb]

Depends.  The highway that ran through my home town had a speed limit of up to 65 in parts, and cyclists could be found on it on occasion.

Shit, when I was more hard core my personal benchmark ride was on the same highway during an 8 mile climb.  On the way down I outran cars in parts.

And you know what?  People actually moved over and didn't shout or throw shit at them and generally act upset about it!

I give up.  You're one of the roadie douche bags that holds up traffic.  I'm one of the realistic, I-want-to-keep-my-life-so-I'm-sensible bikers. 

[Cookie Monster]

I give up.  You're one of the roadie douche bags that holds up traffic.  I'm one of the realistic, I-want-to-keep-my-life-so-I'm-sensible bikers. 

I also stay as far to the right as I can, although I hate biking between parked cars and the cars in the right lane.

My biggest fear, though, is someone not paying attention in one of the parallel parked cars and they just randomly open their driver door. It always scares me so I try to look into the cars to make sure they're empty while I bike past.

[giant_mtb]

I also stay as far to the right as I can, although I hate biking between parked cars and the cars in the right lane.

My biggest fear, though, is someone not paying attention in one of the parallel parked cars and they just randomly open their driver door. It always scares me so I try to look into the cars to make sure they're empty while I bike past.

That's exactly your responsibility.  You do that when you're in a car, don't you?  Being on a bike makes it no different.