Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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600 Monday..don't think anyone is blasting anyone...just stating our experiences...I ride and I agree that riders can be inconsiderate just like drivers can be...
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It seems like a lot of them have the attitude of "I have a right to ride on this road too so I'm going to take up the entire lane".
Well, there's a very good reason for that...it is the law! Honestly, a single cyclist has just as much right to the lane on the road as you do in your vehicle. As a cyclist, I ususally ride alone and stay as far to the right as practical. However, group riders benefit from particular spacing and thus should not feel the need to concede the lane just so you can pass them.
To cite a few things from that document:
* Bicycles are considered vehicles and have a legal right to the road
* It is illegal for bicycles to travel against traffic
* Legally, bicyclists must stop for stop signals
* Bicycles must adhere to the rules for "slow moving vehicles" which means they must travel as far to the right as "practicable." Since there often aren't shoulders in NC I'd argue that distance might vary, but they don't have a legal right to the whole lane. A tractor also doesn't have a legal right to the whole lane, and I grew up around a lot of tractors on the road (and they'd move over as much as they could).
I was a very avid cyclist before I had kids, and I really try to give them the right-of-way wherever possible. However, I did adhere to the rules. It really bothers me when I see cyclists violate the rules of the road because I feel like it just gives more fuel to those who don't like cyclists (for some reason I see a lot of cyclists going against traffic every time I go to Chapel Hill, and it freaks me out). However, all of that said, the fact is that this is an area with a lot of prejudice against cyclists, and the majority of it stems from a dislike of cyclists and a misunderstanding of the law. It's enough to make me very hesitant to ride around here. I can respect people who move in groups because it makes sure they are seen, and it reduces the risk that someone will think it is "fun" to run them off the road. There may not be people like that on this board, but there are in this area. G105 Incident (http://www.massbike.org/mbpv/article_archives/newsobserver20030111.htm - broken link)
with regard to "is it okay to ride on sidewalks?" well, on streets like Fall of Neuse/Six Forks and it's so bad that I think I'm going to get hit . . it's just fine if I"m on the side walk...
Well, there's a very good reason for that...it is the law! Honestly, a single cyclist has just as much right to the lane on the road as you do in your vehicle. As a cyclist, I ususally ride alone and stay as far to the right as practical. However, group riders benefit from particular spacing and thus should not feel the need to concede the lane just so you can pass them.
um, that's kind of ridiculous... you expect a line of cars to all travel 5mph behind a bike? roads are for driving on. bike lanes and trails are for riding your bike on. if you choose to ride a bike, more power to you, but inconveniencing everyone else because your town doesn't have bike lanes is just rude. i think everyone should just be considerate of each other... i'm glad it's not just Mass. that has this issue though
um, that's kind of ridiculous... you expect a line of cars to all travel 5mph behind a bike? roads are for driving on. bike lanes and trails are for riding your bike on. if you choose to ride a bike, more power to you, but inconveniencing everyone else because your town doesn't have bike lanes is just rude. i think everyone should just be considerate of each other... i'm glad it's not just Mass. that has this issue though
I was not suggesting that you should not pass the group riders, just that the group of cyclists should not concede the lane. Its a heck of a lot easier for you to hit your gas pedal and build momentum back in your car than it is for a group of cyclists to slow down and then have to pick the pace back up and re-establish their cadence. Its permissible to pass cyclists over a double-yellow line assuming no oncoming traffic. And check above for your statement about roads being for cars only...entirely wrong!
um, that's kind of ridiculous... you expect a line of cars to all travel 5mph behind a bike? roads are for driving on. bike lanes and trails are for riding your bike on. if you choose to ride a bike, more power to you, but inconveniencing everyone else because your town doesn't have bike lanes is just rude. i think everyone should just be considerate of each other... i'm glad it's not just Mass. that has this issue though
Well, you might think it's ridiculous, but it is the law in most states that cyclists have a right to use the road just like any other vehicle, and must also obey the same laws that motor vehicles must obey. Laws do not dictate that there is a minimum speed limit except for in very specific cases, such as on interstates, and bicycles are not allowed on interstates for obvious reasons. Speed limits are maximums, not required speeds. Any vehicle traveling up to a road's speed limit is within the law, so you cannot use that as ammunition against cyclists. I would say that in most cases, cyclists ride at a certain position to try to guarantee their safety as much as possible.
So yes, bikes have a right to be on a roadway. There are hardly any bike lanes in Raleigh, especially in areas where lots of people travel on bicycles, such as near NC State and downtown, so that alternative is not viable for cycling as transportation. There are greenways here that you can ride on, but again, they are more for recreational purposes, and not very practical for transportation in many cases. So we are forced by the local infrastructure to share lanes on busy, cramped roads with street parking, which is particularly hazardous for cyclists. This is a huge annoyance to me, because it is very dangerous to ride on Hillsborough St, for example - but that is where students have to ride, and others such as myself who enjoy riding for the fun of it and for as an alternative to using a car to get somewhere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mdp_az
I was not suggesting that you should not pass the group riders, just that the group of cyclists should not concede the lane. Its a heck of a lot easier for you to hit your gas pedal and build momentum back in your car than it is for a group of cyclists to slow down and then have to pick the pace back up and re-establish their cadence. Its permissible to pass cyclists over a double-yellow line assuming no oncoming traffic. And check above for your statement about roads being for cars only...entirely wrong!
with regard to "is it okay to ride on sidewalks?" well, on streets like Fall of Neuse/Six Forks and it's so bad that I think I'm going to get hit . . it's just fine if I"m on the side walk...
As far as sidewalks go.
1 My $750 rolf wheels which are pumped up to 135psi are not made for sidewalks.
2 If cyclist start riding on sidewalk there would be a thread titled Cyclist or Total Jerks, started by walkers.
When I used to ride often my biggest fear was the Friday afternoon landscape worker who after a few pops forgets he's tailoring a trailer that's 3 feet wider than his truck.
When I used to ride often my biggest fear was the Friday afternoon landscape worker who after a few pops forgets he's tailoring a trailer that's 3 feet wider than his truck.
I've had rednecks throw beer cans at me. The worst was when two teenagers rode up beside me in an Acura Integra, the passenger rolled down his window, grabbed my seat and shoved me off the road into the drainage ditch. Luckily I wasn't hurt and the only damage to my bike was a ruined front rim.
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