To all of you drivers in here complaining about the idiots on bicycles (notice I did not call them cyclists):
Real cyclists hate those idiots far more than you do. The majority of us ride safely and pay attention to the flow of traffic and the rules of the road. You just don't notice us because we stay out of your way and do nothing to piss you off. In fact, you often don't notice us when you very nearly hit us. You do notice every idiot you pass though, and since they're the only ones you notice, they're the only ones you remember. You then come to assume anyone on a bicycle is an idiot, as seen in this thread so far.
So, you hate the iPod Zombie Idiots on Bicycles because they're annoying and inconvenience you on your commute. Cyclists hate them because they make drivers resent anyone on a bicycle. They don't just endanger themselves, they make the roads more dangerous for all of us.
And, if you don't like sharing the road with bicycles, ask your city to install more bike lanes.
Things to note: Unless the road specifically prohibits non-motorized traffic, then cyclists have a right to the road. Given that you need a license to drive, cars only have the privilege to the road. Not saying it's right or wrong, just saying.
Now, I've seen my fair number of people on bikes that don't follow the rules, and frankly it ticks me off. Not as a driver, but as a cyclist. Almost any major road in the Bay Area has nice, wide bike lanes. Yet so many of these idiots on their $50 Huffy's ride on the sidewalk, and often times the WRONG WAY. They'll ride at night in dark clothing and no lights or reflectors (Protip for new riders: Reflectors are effectively useless. Get lights.). They'll ride with no helmet. And then they get indignant when you call them out or nearly hit them. This bothers me as a cyclist.
I'll admit, I play a little fast and loose with the rules at times. Usually only when it comes to stop signs. If I've got good momentum going, and the intersection is clear, I'll blow through a stop sign. If a car is there, I stop to let them go by. 9 times out of 10, they wave me on anyway. *shrug* I always stop at red lights, though. I treat 'em just as if I were in a car. More importantly, I ride in the bike line, on the correct side of the road. I wear my helmet. I have lighting on the front and back of my bike. I keep aware of my surroundings.
I'm with Nanan on the fear of large vehicles and inexperienced drivers. I used to ride my bike to high school every day. Having to deal with idiot teens and self-absorbed soccer moms in SUVs and the like who had a great habit of not noticing me and trying to run me off the road taught me well.
In my experience, there are idiots in cars as well as as idiots on bikes. I'm equally frustrated by both, but just as I don't hate ALL drivers, I certainly don't hate all those on bikes. All I can do is do my best to keep myself safe, lawful, and expedient in all situations.
Well said by both. There is some serious "guilty by association" going on that often times has nothing to do with the people that actually pay attention to the laws of the road. As a cyclist, I am more wary of the people flying through the streets then anything else. People here seem to generalize true cyclists with the "squeaky wheel" idiots that dont pay attention and believe that everyone should yield to them. Those are the ones that should be hit. No matter what type of biker you are you should always wear protective gear (hell my wife and I were helmets, etc. riding our beach cruisers around the back streets) and realize that a car is much bigger and will more than likely kill you if not permanently injure you.
When riding with your ipod, it should DEFINITELY not be loud enough to impair your realization and understanding of things going on around you. If you can't hear sirens, cars approaching, etc then you shouldnt be wearing it.