26001 pound truck vs guy on a bicyle

[Safeway]

I was a bike messenger in Austin, TX while in college, but no, I am just an avid cyclist.

hanoverphist: The introduction of bicycle lanes make riding a bicycle more dangerous. If there is a bicycle lane present, you must ride in the lane. Other times, this encourages large vehicles to pass you without leaving much room. After all, you have your own 2 foot wide bicycle lane. The safest way to ride is smack in the middle of the lane. That way, you can't push other cars out of the way. You have to safely pass by changing lanes. There are laws regarding safe passes, too, you know.

Further, hanoverphist, I don't stick my head into anyones' window, shouting obscenities. I have had the opposite occur in Austin. Some taxi driver thought it was okay to hit my rear tire on purpose at a stoplight, and shout at me. I turned my bike sideways and blocked the entire fucking street for 5 minutes shouts at THAT self-important fucker.

As I said, lane control is the safest way to ride. Maybe if you got off your lazy ass and rode a bike for once, you would understand. Instead, you'd rather take a dick your ass and shout at the bicycle riders! Oh gooooood.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: Safeway

Originally posted by: krylon

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: Safeway
You are the fucking moron. It is illegal to ride on sidewalks you piece of shit motorist.

Bicycles are afforded equal lane usage rights. Learn to respect the law fucker.

Laws are not infallible. Which is more sensible: traffic builds up behind a bicyclist going 10 mph under the speed limit, or a bicyclist uses an empty sidewalk to get out of the way? If you go 10 mph under the speed limit in a car, you can be cited for insufficient speed; are bicycles subject to the same law? Common sense should dictate your actions more than adherence to a law that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

:thumbsup:

Which makes more sense, riding on the street doing 20 mph (what I do) or riding on the sidewalk, which is extremely dangerous when crossing side streets and hitting uneven sidewalk surfaces which could damage my $5,000 bike, and getting a fucking ticket for riding on the sidewalk because impatient fucks forced me onto the sidewalk.

Share the road and shut the fuck up.

Which is the bigger difference. 45mph 3000lb vehicle vs 20mph 250lb man and bicycle or 20mph person and bicycle vs a 3mph person.

When other cars are weary of a giant construction vehicle, you can count on some asshole bicyclist to come in and show how much of an asshole he is.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Safeway
You are the fucking moron. It is illegal to ride on sidewalks you piece of shit motorist.

Bicycles are afforded equal lane usage rights. Learn to respect the law fucker.

On the contrary - in Ohio (op's profile):

§ 4511.711. Driving upon sidewalk area.
No person shall drive any vehicle, other than a bicycle, upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area except upon a permanent or duly authorized temporary driveway.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting local authorities from regulating the operation of bicycles within their respective jurisdictions, except that no local authority may require that bicycles be operated on sidewalks.

That not withstanding, the bike does have as much right to be on the road, especially a large multi-lane road as the OP describes which should have provided the OP ample room to pass the bicycle if everything was kosher.

However, it sounds like:

§ 4511.55. Riding bicycles; motorcycles abreast.
(A) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable obeying all traffic rules applicable to vehicles and exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.

This probably wasn't being followed.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: AbAbber2k
Bicyclists should use the sidewalks if they're empty. And if you're holding traffic up on a busy 4-lane/hwy/etc... get the fuck out of the way every once in a while so the 20 cars behind you can get by. I don't think the city/police will fault you for having half a brain and keeping yourself and other motorists safe.

I don't care how many of you are irate cyclists pissed off because someone clipped you with their mirror or something. Sucks to be you, sorry. But I've seen too many dick cyclists who think they own the road and have the right to do whatever the fuck they want including blow through four-way stops and jump across lanes without warning.

No-Sidewalk riding laws are retarded and you can be damn sure if I'm on MY bike during rush hour I'm gonna be on the sidewalk unless I've got a big-ass bike lane.

My biggest cyclist pet-peeve is idiots who ride the INSIDE line of their bike lane. You've got 3+ fucking feet of pavement and you're in MY lane? Fuck you if you get clipped.

Keep in mind, I live in a VERY bicycle friendly city with MILES AND MILES of bike lanes and EVERY OTHER car has a biking bumper sticker or custom cyclist license plate, and despite the city catering to cyclists and erasing much needed parking for bike lanes, I still see cyclists everywhere abuse the fact that just cause they're on a bike, everyone else has to watch out for THEIR ass and not the other way around.

Are you going to pay the tickets for riding on the sidewalk? No? It isn't you place, your fault, your responsibility?

Okay then, I will keep riding in the middle of the lane. Do what you are responsible for -- driving safely and obeying the traffic laws.

 

[Away]

Car vs. bike --> Car wins

/thread

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: Safeway
You are the fucking moron. It is illegal to ride on sidewalks you piece of shit motorist.

Bicycles are afforded equal lane usage rights. Learn to respect the law fucker.

On the contrary - in Ohio (op's profile):

§ 4511.711. Driving upon sidewalk area.
No person shall drive any vehicle, other than a bicycle, upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area except upon a permanent or duly authorized temporary driveway.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting local authorities from regulating the operation of bicycles within their respective jurisdictions, except that no local authority may require that bicycles be operated on sidewalks.

That not withstanding, the bike does have as much right to be on the road, especially a large multi-lane road as the OP describes which should have provided the OP ample room to pass the bicycle if everything was kosher.

However, it sounds like:

§ 4511.55. Riding bicycles; motorcycles abreast.
(A) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable obeying all traffic rules applicable to vehicles and exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.

This probably wasn't being followed.

You think law makers know what is best for a small sub-class of road users? No.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: zoiks

Originally posted by: Safeway

Originally posted by: krylon

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: Safeway
You are the fucking moron. It is illegal to ride on sidewalks you piece of shit motorist.

Bicycles are afforded equal lane usage rights. Learn to respect the law fucker.

Laws are not infallible. Which is more sensible: traffic builds up behind a bicyclist going 10 mph under the speed limit, or a bicyclist uses an empty sidewalk to get out of the way? If you go 10 mph under the speed limit in a car, you can be cited for insufficient speed; are bicycles subject to the same law? Common sense should dictate your actions more than adherence to a law that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

:thumbsup:

Which makes more sense, riding on the street doing 20 mph (what I do) or riding on the sidewalk, which is extremely dangerous when crossing side streets and hitting uneven sidewalk surfaces which could damage my $5,000 bike, and getting a fucking ticket for riding on the sidewalk because impatient fucks forced me onto the sidewalk.

Share the road and shut the fuck up.

I hope the OP runs the fucker over the next time around. Road mortar ftw!

Do you realize that you just condoned vehicular manslaughter? Way to go fucking sicko.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Safeway
You think law makers know what is best for a small sub-class of road users? No.

You think lawmakers know what's best for the failing economy? You think they know what's best for health care? I could go on, but P&N is over <--- there. That doesn't mean you don't have to follow the laws just because you think you know better than them.

 

[AstroManLuca]

It's still illegal in many places to ride a bike on the sidewalk.

 

[IEC]

I'm not sure which is worse. Asshole in a car or asshole on a bike. But I can definitely tell you that the asshole in the car is more dangerous.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: Safeway
You think law makers know what is best for a small sub-class of road users? No.

You think lawmakers know what's best for the failing economy? You think they know what's best for health care? I could go on, but P&N is over <--- there. That doesn't mean you don't have to follow the laws just because you think you know better than them.

I follow the laws when I ride my bike on the streets. I control my lane. I stop at stop signs. i signal turns. I don't ride in the fucking rain gutter which is hazardous to my bike and my well-being. I ride in the middle of the lane, which I am legally able to do.

How about you motorists do the same. Follow the law regarding safe passes. Follow the speed limit. Follow the safe following distance laws.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

How the fuck did you get a Class B CDL and not know something as basic as bicycles have a right to the road just like any other passenger vehicle?

 

[Drako]

Originally posted by: Safeway

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: Safeway
You are the fucking moron. It is illegal to ride on sidewalks you piece of shit motorist.

Bicycles are afforded equal lane usage rights. Learn to respect the law fucker.

On the contrary - in Ohio (op's profile):

§ 4511.711. Driving upon sidewalk area.
No person shall drive any vehicle, other than a bicycle, upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area except upon a permanent or duly authorized temporary driveway.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting local authorities from regulating the operation of bicycles within their respective jurisdictions, except that no local authority may require that bicycles be operated on sidewalks.

That not withstanding, the bike does have as much right to be on the road, especially a large multi-lane road as the OP describes which should have provided the OP ample room to pass the bicycle if everything was kosher.

However, it sounds like:

§ 4511.55. Riding bicycles; motorcycles abreast.
(A) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable obeying all traffic rules applicable to vehicles and exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.

This probably wasn't being followed.

You think law makers know what is best for a small sub-class of road users? No.

Wow, you sound like one of the Critical Mass assholes we have here in the SF Bay Area. Common sense fails with your type.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: Spartan Niner
I'm not sure which is worse. Asshole in a car or asshole on a bike. But I can definitely tell you that the asshole in the car is more dangerous.

I'm normally just a person on a bike, but when confronted with an asshole in a vehicle, I can and will out-asshole them. I've read reports of shouting matches between a driver and a biker, followed by the driver reversing and running over the biker. If that happened to me, I'd get the fuck out of the way or shoot the whore.

The only aggression I received while riding was in Austin, TX, and I sadly was not carrying my pistol. Had I been, the other guy would have known it.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Safeway

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: Safeway
You think law makers know what is best for a small sub-class of road users? No.

You think lawmakers know what's best for the failing economy? You think they know what's best for health care? I could go on, but P&N is over <--- there. That doesn't mean you don't have to follow the laws just because you think you know better than them.

I follow the laws when I ride my bike on the streets. I control my lane. I stop at stop signs. i signal turns. I don't ride in the fucking rain gutter which is hazardous to my bike and my well-being. I ride in the middle of the lane, which I am legally able to do.

How about you motorists do the same. Follow the law regarding safe passes. Follow the speed limit. Follow the safe following distance laws.

Here's your Texas laws, which say the same thing:

Sec. 551.103. Operation on Roadway.

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person operating a bicycle on a roadway who is moving slower than the other traffic on the roadway shall ride as near as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway, unless:


(1) the person is passing another vehicle moving in the same direction;

(2) the person is preparing to turn left at an intersection or onto a private road or driveway; or

(3) a condition on or of the roadway, including a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, pedestrian, animal, or surface hazard prevents the person from safely riding next to the right curb or edge of the roadway.

(4) the person is operating a bicycle in an outside lane that is:
(A) less than 14 feet in width and does not have a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane; or

(B) too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side.


(b) A person operating a bicycle on a one-way roadway with two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as near as practicable to the left curb or edge of the roadway.

(c) Persons operating bicycles on a roadway may ride two abreast. Persons riding two abreast on a laned roadway shall ride in a single lane. Persons riding two abreast may not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic on the roadway. Persons may not ride more than two abreast unless they are riding on a part of a roadway set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles.

Move the fuck over dumbass.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: Drako
Wow, you sound like one of the Critical Mass assholes we have here in the SF Bay Area. Common sense fails with your type.

I don't, and will never, ride in Critical Mass rides. They break every traffic law in the book. They run lights and cruise through stop signs.

As I said, I actually follow the traffic laws.

 

[Safeway]

Thanks for that snippet, but you should have bolded more:

UNLESS:

(3) a condition on or of the roadway, including a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, pedestrian, animal, or surface hazard prevents the person from safely riding next to the right curb or edge of the roadway.

(4) the person is operating a bicycle in an outside lane that is:
(A) less than 14 feet in width and does not have a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane; or

(B) too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side.

That applies to nearly every street in existence.

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Safeway
I was a bike messenger in Austin, TX while in college, but no, I am just an avid cyclist.

hanoverphist: The introduction of bicycle lanes make riding a bicycle more dangerous. If there is a bicycle lane present, you must ride in the lane. Other times, this encourages large vehicles to pass you without leaving much room. After all, you have your own 2 foot wide bicycle lane. The safest way to ride is smack in the middle of the lane. That way, you can't push other cars out of the way. You have to safely pass by changing lanes. There are laws regarding safe passes, too, you know.

Further, hanoverphist, I don't stick my head into anyones' window, shouting obscenities. I have had the opposite occur in Austin. Some taxi driver thought it was okay to hit my rear tire on purpose at a stoplight, and shout at me. I turned my bike sideways and blocked the entire fucking street for 5 minutes shouts at THAT self-important fucker.

As I said, lane control is the safest way to ride. Maybe if you got off your lazy ass and rode a bike for once, you would understand. Instead, you'd rather take a dick your ass and shout at the bicycle riders! Oh gooooood.

first, the bike lanes make me feel way safer when i ride my bike in traffic. theres no way id ride on the left white line of it tho, thats just stupid. i have 2 feet of lane on my bike, but im not 2 feet wide so its all good. the cars have 12 or 13 feet, and have 2 feet on either side usually. id say you have plenty of space as long as youre staying far to the right like you should be regardless of whether there is a bike lane or not.

second, the passing thing. the example i gave actually happened, the guy turned onto the street i was on from a parking lot without even looking at me. he was wearing the full spandex get up with a helmet, so im assuming he wasnt just a bum grabbing a bike for a short ride. at that point, it was move to the left or hit him, luckily the car to my left saw and gave me some room. when i see bikes on the road and there is no bike lane, ill wait until a break in traffic comes and change lanes tot go around.

third, in the case of your getting hit, id have done the same. the same shit has happened to me, both on a bicycle and my motorcycle.

fourth. i rode a bicycle with a good friend for many years while he trained for various races, we would ride across the whole valley all the time. i also had just a motorcycle as transportation for many years until i had kids, which forced my wife and i to get a car to transport the family in. i am very much aware of bicyclists, the rules and what they can deal with due to all this, and i still say you should get your happy ass to the right and let people pass. i had a semi truck breeze me off the road one time, honked the air horn as he got next to me as well. the road i was on was 2 lane, no sidewalk and gravel 6" off the white line. scared the hell out of me, i was riding that 6" gap at the time. i picked my shit up and got back to riding tho, didnt yell at him or anything else. of course he was a mile down the road, wouldnt have done any good.


edit: actually im probably more than 2ft wide, but i swear those lanes are wider than that.


edit-edit: yup, shoulders are 2'2" wide, waist is about 17" wide. im really boreded today.

 

[JD50]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: Safeway

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: Safeway
You think law makers know what is best for a small sub-class of road users? No.

You think lawmakers know what's best for the failing economy? You think they know what's best for health care? I could go on, but P&N is over <--- there. That doesn't mean you don't have to follow the laws just because you think you know better than them.

I follow the laws when I ride my bike on the streets. I control my lane. I stop at stop signs. i signal turns. I don't ride in the fucking rain gutter which is hazardous to my bike and my well-being. I ride in the middle of the lane, which I am legally able to do.

How about you motorists do the same. Follow the law regarding safe passes. Follow the speed limit. Follow the safe following distance laws.

Here's your Texas laws, which say the same thing:

Sec. 551.103. Operation on Roadway.

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person operating a bicycle on a roadway who is moving slower than the other traffic on the roadway shall ride as near as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway, unless:


(1) the person is passing another vehicle moving in the same direction;

(2) the person is preparing to turn left at an intersection or onto a private road or driveway; or

(3) a condition on or of the roadway, including a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, pedestrian, animal, or surface hazard prevents the person from safely riding next to the right curb or edge of the roadway.

(4) the person is operating a bicycle in an outside lane that is:
(A) less than 14 feet in width and does not have a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane; or

(B) too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side.


(b) A person operating a bicycle on a one-way roadway with two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as near as practicable to the left curb or edge of the roadway.

(c) Persons operating bicycles on a roadway may ride two abreast. Persons riding two abreast on a laned roadway shall ride in a single lane. Persons riding two abreast may not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic on the roadway. Persons may not ride more than two abreast unless they are riding on a part of a roadway set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles.

Move the fuck over dumbass.

lulz, pwned.

 

[Safeway]

(A) less than 14 feet in width and does not have a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane; or

-- This is what you call a quantitative law. It is objective. It has an actual street width.

(B) too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side.

-- This is what you call a qualitative law. It is subjective. Any lane in existence can be arguably too narrow.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: AbAbber2k
Bicyclists should use the sidewalks if they're empty. And if you're holding traffic up on a busy 4-lane/hwy/etc... get the fuck out of the way every once in a while so the 20 cars behind you can get by. I don't think the city/police will fault you for having half a brain and keeping yourself and other motorists safe.

If bikes had to pull over every 30 seconds to let cars by it would take ten hours to get anywhere. Then they would start driving. Yay, more cars.

Originally posted by: AbAbber2k
I don't care how many of you are irate cyclists pissed off because someone clipped you with their mirror or something. Sucks to be you, sorry. But I've seen too many dick cyclists who think they own the road and have the right to do whatever the fuck they want including blow through four-way stops and jump across lanes without warning.

No-Sidewalk riding laws are retarded and you can be damn sure if I'm on MY bike during rush hour I'm gonna be on the sidewalk unless I've got a big-ass bike lane.

I've seen FAR more cars pull stunts like that than bikes. At least if a bike does it the worst that likely happens is they kill themselves.

And sidewalk riding is illegal because a cyclist going 20-30 could easily hurt or kill a pedestrian (especially a child).

 

[JD50]

Don't be an ass and just stay to the side so cars can pass, it's the decent thing to do.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Safeway
Thanks for that snippet, but you should have bolded more:

UNLESS:

(3) a condition on or of the roadway, including a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, pedestrian, animal, or surface hazard prevents the person from safely riding next to the right curb or edge of the roadway.

(4) the person is operating a bicycle in an outside lane that is:
(A) less than 14 feet in width and does not have a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane; or

(B) too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side.

That applies to nearly every street in existence.

In which case you are expected to use the shoulder/parking lane if possible. (Granted, not sidewalk, though you should probably get off your bike and walk it on the sidewalk)

Use common sense dude. 30# bike versus mass of steel. If you care about your life, don't be a dick.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: JD50
lulz, pwned.

Lulz, not pawned. If either of you read the UNLESS section, i.e. the exclusions, you would realize that the bold portion is practically weightless.

As a law student and future attorney, I am especially aware of the exceptions. I have been taught to reading laws thoroughly, so I don't arrive in court citing some law that doesn't actually apply.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: Safeway
Thanks for that snippet, but you should have bolded more:

UNLESS:

(3) a condition on or of the roadway, including a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, pedestrian, animal, or surface hazard prevents the person from safely riding next to the right curb or edge of the roadway.

(4) the person is operating a bicycle in an outside lane that is:
(A) less than 14 feet in width and does not have a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane; or

(B) too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side.

That applies to nearly every street in existence.

In which case you are expected to use the shoulder/parking lane if possible. (Granted, not sidewalk, though you should probably get off your bike and walk it on the sidewalk)

Use common sense dude. 30# bike versus mass of steel. If you care about your life, don't be a dick.

Negative. This law states that I can control the entire lane as I see fit. I conducted numerous hours of research on mopeds, scooters, and bicycles for a legal brief last semester.