[NewHavensFinest]

I ride a bike to beat traffic and go where cars cant go bottom line. Motorbikes do the same thing when they split lanes.

Just to be clear, I wont openly blow stop signs. I treat most stop lights as stop signs. If the traffic is high I certainly obey. If theres pedestrians walking across with no worries about a car, im going too. I know this is probably ticking people off, but I bet some of you who drive alongside these cyclists are making driving errors everyday as well and arent even aware of it.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by NewHavensFinest

I ride a bike to beat traffic and go where cars cant go bottom line. Motorbikes do the same thing when they split lanes.

Just to be clear, I wont openly blow stop signs. I treat most stop lights as stop signs. If the traffic is high I certainly obey. If theres pedestrians walking across with no worries about a car, im going too. I know this is probably ticking people off, but I bet some of you who drive alongside these cyclists are making driving errors everyday as well and arent even aware of it.

The issue here is that you are aware of it, yet still continue to do it.

You are not a pedestrian if you're on a bike. You are a vehicle. Period.

[LRPct]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

The issue here is that you are aware of it, yet still continue to do it.

You are not a pedestrian if you're on a bike. You are a vehicle. Period.

Yes. Exactly. Period!

Again.. I only run over cyclists sometimes..and its always the ones that "blow stop signs when its CLEAR" so its OK though.

By the same mentality.

I cant tell you how many drivers Ive known that "have NEVER" been in an accident", yet they are totally oblivious to the countless accidents they have CREATED as people tried to avoid their erradict behavior.

[NewHavensFinest]

The problem is that most drivers are not aware...which could be worse than taking a risk.. Ive seen some riders out there do some nutty things... but drivers take the cake.. If you rode a bike for twenty minutes on a busy street youd get the idea. You wouldnt want to sit around and wait, that makes you vulnerable.


Thankfully, I havent ridden in high traffic areas in a couple years. Its too harsh around here. I keep to the neighborhood and trails.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by NewHavensFinest

The problem is that most drivers are not aware...which could be worse than taking a risk.. Ive seen some riders out there do some nutty things... but drivers take the cake.. If you rode a bike for twenty minutes on a busy street youd get the idea. You wouldnt want to sit around and wait, that makes you vulnerable.


Thankfully, I havent ridden in high traffic areas in a couple years. Its too harsh around here. I keep to the neighborhood and trails.

The "vulnerability" excuse is ridiculous. I don't disagree that drivers are reckless, but that gives you no right to disobey any law while you're pedaling your vehicle.

If you feel that you're too "vulnerable" to act in accordance with the rules of the road, then perhaps it's time to find a new hobby.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by NewHavensFinest

If you rode a bike for twenty minutes on a busy street youd get the idea. You wouldnt want to sit around and wait, that makes you vulnerable.

Pick a better place to ride.

[NewHavensFinest]

This is where I live. I dont really have a choice of where I ride.

Theres plenty of sides to this discussion but it needed more than one.

Cyclists have yet to be widely accepted in everyday traffic and roads.

[skel1977]

Cyclists will never been accepted if they keep riding on busy streets pretending to be cars. Whats so hard about buying a bike rack, and driving somewhere where you can bike in peace without all the traffick? You dont need to bike everywhere.

[FionaMarlowe]

It seems there are two breeds of cyclists - those who are aware of their surroundings and the fact that they're "driving" a vehicle that can both leave them vulnerable, AND can hurt those around them - and those who just don't care.

My boyfriend and I bicycle regularly around town, and we do our best to stay far right, ride with traffic, wait for traffic lights, and signal when we're going to turn.

I think part of the problem is that motorists aren't aware of bicycle "rights," if you want to call them that - I've signaled that I was going to turn, in the correct lane, and still had motorists glare, floor the gas, and zoom around me as if I just broke a traffic law.

In as much as cyclists need to learn how to follow the rules of the road, it seems motorists also need to at least casually acquaint themselves with how to give space to bicycles, how to be more observant in that it's not ONLY cars on the road, and how to read cyclists' arm signals for turns and such.

[veloman777]

Originally Posted by skel1977

Cyclists will never been accepted if they keep riding on busy streets pretending to be cars. Whats so hard about buying a bike rack, and driving somewhere where you can bike in peace without all the traffick? You dont need to bike everywhere.

You're joking right? I mean, a bike is an amazing transportation in populated areas.

Nothing like being part of the problem (traffic, pollution) so you can bike in an 'appropiate' area.


Does anyone know that Utah has a law that allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs if it is clear? Can you explain to me why it works fine there? Why can't it work like that everywhere?

You are kidding yourself if you think a cyclist doesn't have better awareness (sight, hearing) than a driver inside a vehicle. Also, think about the risk. If you screw up in a 3000lb vehicle, you're going to cause a lot more damage than on a bike.

I stop at every stop sign when someone else is near it. I wave drivers on who were there first, all the time.

Also, taking the full lane is the law when it's too narrow for a vehicle to safely pass a cyclist in the same lane, also when taking a left turn.

I've been run off the road by a driver who didn't like me taking the lane on a street with parked cars and I was going 23mph in a 25 zone. Riding in the door zone is extremely dangerous. Why don't drivers understand that?