Warning: iPod Zombie Cyclists On the Rise

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I'm glad to see some people on here pointing out that thebikes in traffic thing is a two sided problem, and not the fault of just one side.

I had a big long rant here, but nobody wants to read that. I'll just say that I've seen ignorance, and outright stupidity from both motorists and cyclists. I live in a state where the unified vehicle law covers bicycles, but not many people seem to know that.

As for those who think that bicycles should get off the road, that's actually considered more dangerous. Apparently, you're more likely to be hit by a car, while riding on the sidewalk. Riding way over at the edge, like I do is also considered dangerous, because you're less likely to be seen. Ironically, I feel safer there.

Now, don't get me started on the guys who constantly complain that motorists need to share the road, but won't do the same, for the motorists. You don't have to get off the road, but you can move over to let people around you more easily.

Back to the original article, when I'm on my bike, I listen as much or more than I look for traffic. I wouldn't dream of riding, with ear phones. I know Ohio law makes it illegal to wear head/earphones wile operating a bicycle or motorcycle on public roads, with an exception made for two way radios to keep in contact with people you're traveling with.
 
Lol, this thread delivers. Just goes to show that most american motorists hate cyclists and pedestrians to a lesser extent. It is almost a part of the motoring-get-out-of-my-way car culture the country has it many parts. Here in socal it is the worst: people who use public transport, walk or cycle are looked upon with scorn and derision.

You think you have it bad because a distracted motorist almost hit you or because a cyclist took a lane causing you an extra ten minutes of travel time... try getting around in any mode of transportation in italy, india, brazil or taiwan. Then get back to me.
 
iPod zombie...isn't that kind of redundant? I thought all Apple product users were zombies. :D
 
Lol, this thread delivers. Just goes to show that most american motorists hate cyclists and pedestrians to a lesser extent. It is almost a part of the motoring-get-out-of-my-way car culture the country has it many parts. Here in socal it is the worst: people who use public transport, walk or cycle are looked upon with scorn and derision.

You think you have it bad because a distracted motorist almost hit you or because a cyclist took a lane causing you an extra ten minutes of travel time... try getting around in any mode of transportation in italy, india, brazil or taiwan. Then get back to me.

Yes, a three page thread on a tech based forum with tons of defense from cyclists who actually follow the rules "just goes to show that most american motorists hate cyclists and pedestrians to a lesser extent". You just made this thread deliver dumbness all over my face. Well done, sir.
 
Lets not kid ourselves. Most American are very aggressive and as such get angry over the smallest of inconveniences. This goes for all aspects of life especially when its comes to driving/cycling. If people relaxed and realized that rushing in life (especially driving) is pointless, we would all be much happier.
 
There are some cyclists (local club) that like to ride on the windy roads I take to/from work. They like to ride 2-3 wide in the middle of a lane and there have been a number of times where I almost killed 20-30 people because they can't realize that it's a several mile stretch of blind corners and a car length isn't enough time to stop a car at 40 mph. The worst part is they avoid a much nicer area to ride along the river that happens to have a damned full width lane for cyclists.
I'm seriously amazed that there hasn't been a serious bike vs. vehicle collision on those roads in the last 20 odd years I've been in the area despite large trucks recently being banned on the road after a bad string of head-on collisions at the corners.
 
They like to ride 2-3 wide in the middle of a lane and there have been a number of times where I almost killed 20-30 people because they can't realize that it's a several mile stretch of blind corners and a car length isn't enough time to stop a car at 40 mph.

If, on a given roadway, the time/distance between visible contact and collision is less than the stopping distance required for a given speed... Perhaps one should choose a lower (read: safer) cruising speed, if only for that section of road.

Just a thought.
 
If, on a given roadway, the time/distance between visible contact and collision is less than the stopping distance required for a given speed... Perhaps one should choose a lower (read: safer) cruising speed, if only for that section of road.

Just a thought.

Found some online references to the AASHTO Green Book on Highway Design:
http://www.dot.state.co.us/DesignSupport/Design Guide 05/DG05 Ch 03 Elements of Design.pdf

Pay attention to pages 3-5 through 3-7. You're gonna need at least 10 car lengths even at 15mph to have safe decision distance for the driver. Now if he's only getting 1 car length of sight distance, then the horizontal curve has to be off the charts (which means the design speed has to be far lower than 15mph). So yeah, I don't think you can engineer any kind of design for this to be safe.
 
here is australia and new zealand.

bikes must obey the same road rules as cars.

must stop at signs
must stop at red lights
must use turn signals
must use lights at night
must wear a helmet

you can be done for dui (drugs or alcohol)
and like i have been done for speeding, doing 65km/h in a 60 zone, 245 dollar fine.... :(
 
i do not like cyclists here at all..

i was one too,

and we are all idiots, we never obey traffic signs and do so when we have the time (never)..

we are idiots,.... i have seen one cyclist cause an accident by blowing thru a redlight.. total damage cost of trucks and cars and goods 12million aus dollars..and the cyclist got nothing.. if your gonna be an idiot on a cycle then your gonna pay one way or another..
 
As a driver I don't care about cyclists. As a pedestrian I hate them all. I regularly see cyclists ride through the middle of crowded crosswalks, and have had to stop and step back to avoid being hit by a bike going 20+ miles per hour on a few ocassions. The worst are the ones taking a corner as you don't see them coming until the last second (not like they signal after all). I have seen other people nearly hit dozens of times too, and every time it is multiple pedestrians dodging like mad that stop the accident. If peds didn't make way the cyclist WOULD hit them. Bastards.
 
I don't know if you realize this, but causing a 1-lane road to have its design speed, let's say 35-40mph for a rural arterial, cut down to 10mph b/c of a single cyclist is the definition of the world revolving around the cyclist. There's nothing more selfish than a cyclist thinking he owns the road b/c he's on a bike and not a car.

So what should the cyclist do in this situation, take flight? Go subterranean? We live in a society where road cycling is legal and encouraged. So deal.

Mav451 said:
I'm friends with cyclists who ride through G'town or the back areas of Virginia every weekend. Now only b/c they are my friends, I don't really share my opinion. But they really sound like dicks when they complain that pedestrians won't jump out of their way when they're on a mountain trail. That, by definition, is the world revolving around a cyclist. Maybe they should try to think outside of their helmet for a change.

Pedestrians can be dumbshits, especially when they walk abreast. It really is stunning how dumb they are on clearly-marked "Bike paths," when there is a ped lane right next to it.

At least most cyclists look around for cars. But granted, cyclists can be dicks too. I do think roadies are bigger dicks than MTB'ers, as I have done both and roadies seem less friendly.

My point is: Be courteous! People's lives are at stake!
 
Pedestrians can be dumbshits, especially when they walk abreast. It really is stunning how dumb they are on clearly-marked "Bike paths," when there is a ped lane right next to it.

QFT.

I'll never understand why some peds like to stroll down the bike lane, oblivious to the fact that it is, y'know, a bike lane. And that they have a sidewalk. But it happens.

Then again, some folks on bikes like to ride on sidewalks. And motorists... Well, given that I drive 125 miles a day in the Bay Area, I can go on for days on that topic.

Moral of the story? Idiots can be found in all walks of life.
 
The rules and law of traffic are as follows for rights of way.
Pedestrian Foot Traffic > Bicycle > Personal Vehicles > Commercial Vehicles

If you run over a pedestrian or cyclist with a car are always at fault, in some states you might get charged with reckless driving in others it might be manslaughter, even if you hit a j-walker.

Pretty sure this isn't the case in Texas. Its also why our pedestrians and bike riders aren't complete assholes, other than high school kids who think slowing down 45MPH, 3 lane traffic is cool to do (until I downshift and call their bluff).
 
Here in socal it is the worst: people who use public transport, walk or cycle are looked upon with scorn and derision.
Take a drive up PCH on a Saturday or Sunday and you'll hate cyclists as much as I do. Until then, it's hard to take your commentary seriously.
 
Around where I live (Saint Paul MN) there are a good amount of roads with designated bike lanes.

There are many cases when I see a cyclist plow right through an intersection like hes the only person on the road, and a lot of the time I'm inclined to think that *most* cyclists think this way. Around here traffic laws apply to anything using the road, and I have seen cyclists ticketed for going through stop signs.

Personally I don't like sharing the road with cyclists. It's not because all of them are willy nilly everywhere, its because with all the experiences Ive had in my years of driving when I'm around a cyclist I get nervous and worried because who the hell knows what the person is going to do. How am I to know the person wont randomly swerve out in front if me? How am I supposed to know if hes actually going to stop at this intersection? I mean no offence to those of you who follow the laws, use signals, but the vast majority have this "im the only person in the world right now" mindset and god does it get me heated. I think what is road legal should use a road, and what is not road legal should use a different path.
 
cyclists are fucking pricks around here. Had one in the middle of the lane, 50Mph zone, doing about 25. Wouldn't move over either. So I finally had the change to pass him and did. While passing the asshole he tossed his water bottle at my car and was cursing me out or some shit. Blood boiling I finished my pass and immediately slammed on my brakes. He had two choices, hit my car or bail over the guard rail. He bailed over the guard rail and rolled in to a drainage ditch.

Cyclists, you don't own the fucking road. 4000+ lb vehicle vs a 5-10lb bike, I'll win every time.

Oh yeah, forcing traffic to go slow by staying in the middle of the lane IS breaking the law. You are, in fact, impeding traffic. But instead of calling the police on your asses I choose to introduce you to the pavement. Let those faggy tights save your ass from road rash.
 
cyclists are fucking pricks around here. Had one in the middle of the lane, 50Mph zone, doing about 25. Wouldn't move over either. So I finally had the change to pass him and did. While passing the asshole he tossed his water bottle at my car and was cursing me out or some shit. Blood boiling I finished my pass and immediately slammed on my brakes. He had two choices, hit my car or bail over the guard rail. He bailed over the guard rail and rolled in to a drainage ditch.

Cyclists, you don't own the fucking road. 4000+ lb vehicle vs a 5-10lb bike, I'll win every time.

Oh yeah, forcing traffic to go slow by staying in the middle of the lane IS breaking the law. You are, in fact, impeding traffic. But instead of calling the police on your asses I choose to introduce you to the pavement. Let those faggy tights save your ass from road rash.

Wow, dude. You're cool.
 
cyclists are fucking pricks around here. Had one in the middle of the lane, 50Mph zone, doing about 25. Wouldn't move over either. So I finally had the change to pass him and did. While passing the asshole he tossed his water bottle at my car and was cursing me out or some shit. Blood boiling I finished my pass and immediately slammed on my brakes. He had two choices, hit my car or bail over the guard rail. He bailed over the guard rail and rolled in to a drainage ditch.

Cyclists, you don't own the fucking road. 4000+ lb vehicle vs a 5-10lb bike, I'll win every time.

Oh yeah, forcing traffic to go slow by staying in the middle of the lane IS breaking the law. You are, in fact, impeding traffic. But instead of calling the police on your asses I choose to introduce you to the pavement. Let those faggy tights save your ass from road rash.

How the hell did you manage to persuade the license bureau that you could get a drivers license?
 
As long as it can be proven they were wearing a device which impaired their senses when you run them over, then the law should rule in your favor :)
 
cyclists are fucking pricks around here. Had one in the middle of the lane, 50Mph zone, doing about 25. Wouldn't move over either. So I finally had the change to pass him and did. While passing the asshole he tossed his water bottle at my car and was cursing me out or some shit. Blood boiling I finished my pass and immediately slammed on my brakes. He had two choices, hit my car or bail over the guard rail. He bailed over the guard rail and rolled in to a drainage ditch.

Cyclists, you don't own the fucking road. 4000+ lb vehicle vs a 5-10lb bike, I'll win every time.

Oh yeah, forcing traffic to go slow by staying in the middle of the lane IS breaking the law. You are, in fact, impeding traffic. But instead of calling the police on your asses I choose to introduce you to the pavement. Let those faggy tights save your ass from road rash.

While I find that completely hilarious and full of karma, you really need to be arrested for going too far and endangering someone's life and limb over a water bottle.
 
cyclists are fucking pricks around here. Had one in the middle of the lane, 50Mph zone, doing about 25. Wouldn't move over either. So I finally had the change to pass him and did. While passing the asshole he tossed his water bottle at my car and was cursing me out or some shit. Blood boiling I finished my pass and immediately slammed on my brakes. He had two choices, hit my car or bail over the guard rail. He bailed over the guard rail and rolled in to a drainage ditch.

Cyclists, you don't own the fucking road. 4000+ lb vehicle vs a 5-10lb bike, I'll win every time.

Oh yeah, forcing traffic to go slow by staying in the middle of the lane IS breaking the law. You are, in fact, impeding traffic. But instead of calling the police on your asses I choose to introduce you to the pavement. Let those faggy tights save your ass from road rash.

So basically, because a cyclist abused a few seconds of your time, and you're an impatient dickwad, you decided to endanger his live in a maneuver that almost killed him. And then, "I'll win every time."

You, sir, typify the worse of motorists, and the kind who's licenses should be revoked permanently.

And, I don't drive. I bike everywhere. I follow the rules of the road. You didn't. Get off your high horse.
 
As long as it can be proven they were wearing a device which impaired their senses when you run them over, then the law should rule in your favor :)

So when all those idiots with their stereos cranked, who can't hear anything outside their car, get in collisions, they should automatically be at fault? Sounds exactly like you're implying with cyclists.

The sheer number of you without basic respect for other people's lives on the road truly frightens me.
 
You won't win every time, unless you consider showing your prison cellmate how tough you are, without benefit of 4000 lbs of steel around you, a win.

A physician's conviction in a bicycle crash case reveals a noxious form of road rage.

I sincerely hope that you get arrested and tried for felony assault, and that this post is used as evidence to convict you. I suggest you read the above article, where the headed-for-prison driver wanted to "teach the riders a lesson." Now he will be taught a lesson by a large cellmate. For several years.

I'd also ask Steve and Kyle to officially respond to someone on their forums boasting about committing a violent felony.

cyclists are fucking pricks around here. Had one in the middle of the lane, 50Mph zone, doing about 25. Wouldn't move over either. So I finally had the change to pass him and did. While passing the asshole he tossed his water bottle at my car and was cursing me out or some shit. Blood boiling I finished my pass and immediately slammed on my brakes. He had two choices, hit my car or bail over the guard rail. He bailed over the guard rail and rolled in to a drainage ditch.

Cyclists, you don't own the fucking road. 4000+ lb vehicle vs a 5-10lb bike, I'll win every time.

Oh yeah, forcing traffic to go slow by staying in the middle of the lane IS breaking the law. You are, in fact, impeding traffic. But instead of calling the police on your asses I choose to introduce you to the pavement. Let those faggy tights save your ass from road rash.
 
You won't win every time, unless you consider showing your prison cellmate how tough you are, without benefit of 4000 lbs of steel around you, a win.

A physician's conviction in a bicycle crash case reveals a noxious form of road rage.

I sincerely hope that you get arrested and tried for felony assault, and that this post is used as evidence to convict you. I suggest you read the above article, where the headed-for-prison driver wanted to "teach the riders a lesson." Now he will be taught a lesson by a large cellmate. For several years.

I'd also ask Steve and Kyle to officially respond to someone on their forums boasting about committing a violent felony.

To be honest, you are no better as a person for supporting and taking pleasure from the corrupt situation in our prison systems, and for falling in line with the unacceptable blood lust and counterproductive vengeance addiction that America suffers from.
 
To be honest, you are no better as a person for supporting and taking pleasure from the corrupt situation in our prison systems, and for falling in line with the unacceptable blood lust and counterproductive vengeance addiction that America suffers from.

I am no better than a violent criminal because I think violent criminals should be prosecuted? In what left-wing, upside down universe do you live in? I suppose you would give this apparent violent psychopath a big warm hug and sing Kumbaya? The purpose of the criminal sanction is, in part, to set an example, we do not tolerate this behavior in society. Apparently, Mr. Self-Righteous, you are such a compassionate person, you do not want to set any such example, for any crime? Am I bad guy for wanting child murderers incarcerated as well? Bad me.

For the record, I do not take pleasure in the state of our prisons. I assure you that I am on the opposite side of those responsible for it, such as the ACLU, lefty legal aid groups, and liberals in general who aggressively litigate so that prisoners should have so much freedom that they are allowed to continue to practice their violence. Lock prisons up like supermax and see how much violence there is.
 
I am no better than a violent criminal because I think violent criminals should be prosecuted? In what left-wing, upside down universe do you live in? I suppose you would give this apparent violent psychopath a big warm hug and sing Kumbaya? The purpose of the criminal sanction is, in part, to set an example, we do not tolerate this behavior in society. Apparently, Mr. Self-Righteous, you are such a compassionate person, you do not want to set any such example, for any crime? Am I bad guy for wanting child murderers incarcerated as well? Bad me.

For the record, I do not take pleasure in the state of our prisons.

Do you not realize the irony here? You wish the current corruption of our prison system on him for "teaching lessons" to a biker, in order to "teach him a lesson". How is that any different than what he was doing? Or are you, uclajd, the sole arbiter of when it is ok to use corrupt punishment on people?

I guess it is a good thing front page threads aren't editable or you may have been successful in your attempts of revisionist history.

I sincerely hope that you get arrested and tried for felony assault, and that this post is used as evidence to convict you. I suggest you read the above article, where the headed-for-prison driver wanted to "teach the riders a lesson." Now he will be taught a lesson by a large cellmate. For several years..

And, for the record, I never said shit about him not going to jail. In fact, above your post, I LITERALLY CALLED FOR HIS ARREST. Apparently you are just too fucking daft to acknowledge that and would rather ramble on with your hyperbole ridden post. I don't support punishment for the sake of punishment, but I do support the removal and rehabilitation of people who are a threat to others until they are no longer a threat to society.

So, no, you are no better than him for being a scumbag, because you are just the same as him at heart, and it shows in your sentiments. You are literally just too big of a pussy to be an actual asshole like him, so you get your fill by mentally masturbating to the thought of people getting beaten while in prison. You are trash. Do the world a favor and stop being trash. Thanks in advance.

I assure you that I am on the opposite side of those responsible for it, such as the ACLU, lefty legal aid groups, and liberals in general who aggressively litigate so that prisoners should have so much freedom that they are allowed to continue to practice their violence. Lock prisons up like supermax and see how much violence there is.
Yeah fuck the ACLU for being unbiased in their defense of human rights. Might as well just kill off all the prison populace (you just mentally orgasmed to that, didn't you?). You obviously have no idea what rehabilitation is, nor do you care to see any prisoners rehabilitated. You think pure fear is some sort of effective deterrent to crime, so I fully acknowledge that you are going to respond to this post with and even more intellectually retarded post than the previous one.
 
So basically, because a cyclist abused a few seconds of your time, and you're an impatient dickwad, you decided to endanger his live in a maneuver that almost killed him. And then, "I'll win every time."

You, sir, typify the worse of motorists, and the kind who's licenses should be revoked permanently.

And, I don't drive. I bike everywhere. I follow the rules of the road. You didn't. Get off your high horse.

The guy wanted to be a dick, ride almost the yellow center line, refused to at least get close to the shoulder and then throws a bottle at my car when I pass him because I honked for him to get over. He was backing traffic up mind you. But I'm at fault. I'm the asshole. Fuck him. Hope he learned his lesson.

Good for you that you are a courteous bike rider. Most aren't, at least around here.
 
The guy wanted to be a dick, ride almost the yellow center line, refused to at least get close to the shoulder and then throws a bottle at my car when I pass him because I honked for him to get over. He was backing traffic up mind you. But I'm at fault. I'm the asshole. Fuck him. Hope he learned his lesson.

Good for you that you are a courteous bike rider. Most aren't, at least around here.

No, you're both assholes, You are just the criminally liable one. Do yourself a favor and redact everything you've said as a fictional tale of what you wish you'd have done, in order to avoid some jail time. Remember, kids got tickets for pictures on alcohol in their hands, so your postings here are not protected or safe in any way.
 
The guy wanted to be a dick, ride almost the yellow center line, refused to at least get close to the shoulder and then throws a bottle at my car when I pass him because I honked for him to get over. He was backing traffic up mind you. But I'm at fault. I'm the asshole. Fuck him. Hope he learned his lesson.

Good for you that you are a courteous bike rider. Most aren't, at least around here.

So there were cars behind you? Meaning that, assuming no one followed your lead, you put a biker between two cars and then slammed the brakes? So you could save a minute or two of time?

You willingly risked someone else's life, and quite likely the lives of others (Traffic WAS backing up, you said) just so some errant cyclist could 'learn his lesson.'

You are made of win.
 
I almost never ride my bike in the city anymore. I throw it in the back of the truck and drive to the hills. It isn't worth it - when I ride I'd rather ride somewhere where I'm not sucking down exhaust and dodging between potholes and broken glass.

Ahh, so you're the idiot trail riding without a state parks sticker that I almost hit every time I ride my quad. :D
 
And any of your opinions of me means exactly what to me?

Not much for criticism, huh? Well, have fun rotting in jail when you finally kill someone trying to "teach them a lesson". I've already tried to help you out, but you are obviously too fucking arrogant to care. I just hope you don't have any kids to spread your misguided principles to, setting them up for failure in the process.
 
And any of your opinions of me means exactly what to me?

Actually, I've just been rehashing your own statements of fact in order to highlight the potential impact of your actions on others.

Save for my smartass comment at the end, I haven't injected any opinion into this. It is now my opinion that, seeing as you are bothered by the retelling of your own story, that you realize the wrong you've done, feel guilty, and are trying to deflect. There may be hope for you yet. I mean, you're still acting like a child, but at least you're acting like a child with some semblance of right and wrong.

There. That's my opinion.

On a slightly more on-topic note: I would love to have a bike lane across the Richmond-San Rafael bridge. I could ride my bike to Emeryville if it weren't for the fact that there's a perfectly good bridge with no bike lanes.
 
OK, bicyclists have EVERY right a car does when on the road. They don't have to be at the side of the road, and they do have to follow traffic laws. Bikes should stop at stop signs, and cars should respect when the BIKE has the right of way. I am so tired of cars not yielding to me at stop signs, even when I have right of way. I've even been yelled at out of a car for being on the SIDE of a residential 25mph street. I'm like, "Are you kidding me?" Fucking assholes.

On the other hand, those spandex-clad pricks who think they own the road on their Schwinn need to learn which roads are acceptable to bicycle 30mph on (e.g. NOT the f*cking 35-45mph 4-lane city boulevards with no bike lane). If you are incapable of cycling at the speed limit, get the f*ck off the road, or at least move over. God I hate those guys.

Moral of the story: Both motorists and cyclists are self-centered asshats. However, I will usually side with the cyclist because they are the ones with their lives at risk. They do, however, need to follow the rules of the road. I was hit by a truck who failed to stop at a stop sign while on my bike, and people like the guy who hit me need to be in JAIL, PERIOD.
 
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