UPDATED: Cyclists: I was almost run down by a 7 ton Bus

[WyteWatt]

Originally posted by: oboeguy

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: Sentinel
People have no concern for cyclists or runners for that matter. I know this from experience. It's good you filed a report.

and some cyclist are morons and ride on roads that are too dangerous to ride on. The 2 lane highway that i drive to work on is one example. Its country two lane road, speed limit is 65 with NO SHOULDER. The white line is at the edge of the road then its dirt for about 1 foot then a ditch on both sides. A lot of semi's use that road as a shortcut to Boulder or I-25 to top it off its a very hilly road. there is nothing worse than driviing along and as soon as you crest the many small hills there is a dumbass cyclist there 2 feet to the left of the white line and i have a fricken gravel truck coming towards me and im doing 65. I didnt hit the guy, how i dont know but i was severly shaking after that and was very tempted to stop my car to chew the dumbass cyclist out.

I am all for cycling and colorado is very friendly towards cyclist, but as i said above there are some roads that cyclist should not be on.

Dude, blame the big trucks which shouldn't be on small country roads to take shortcuts. :disgust: Also, you have brakes, use them. You can't tell us that a cyclist who is basically stationary with respect to you and the truck can't be easily avoid by bleeding off some speed?

Edit: arrg I should check posts for clarity before submitting

I agree that it was not the cyclist fault but the big trucks. Like you said you can slow down in your car so your not close to the cyclist.

So many people driving cars, not all, want to run cyclist off the road it seems I always wondered how they would feel if they killed someone on a bike ? I bet it would be with them forever. Thats not worth it even if it was on accident. Just like with other cars, trucks, , garbage trucks, etc alway stay a safe distane away from the other person no matter what they are ridding. That includes bikes!

 

[AmberClad]

Originally posted by: Ilmater
As a fellow cyclist, I say get the fvck off the streets and onto the sidewalk.

And as a pedestrian, I say you cyclists get the fvck off the sidewalk . I can't count the number of times I've nearly had my toes run over by some n00b biker weaving from side to side on the sidewalk.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: aidanjm
what if the bus driver loses his job?

Bus drivers are supposed to be able to hold their tempers in check. We can't have road raging bus drivers cruising around our cities just waiting to explode. This guy deserves to lose his job.

What if he has babies and kittens to support? Who will feed them?

Too bad, I guess he'll have to find a different job. The world is a tough place and some jobs demand a certain type of personality. Overly agressive guys should not be driving around in vehicles for a living if they can't hold their temper.

Maybe he should have been a cop instead.

 

[WyteWatt]

Originally posted by: Kalmah

Originally posted by: Armitage

Originally posted by: mcvickj

Originally posted by: Armitage

Originally posted by: Ilmater
As a fellow cyclist, I say get the fvck off the streets and onto the sidewalk.

If you were really a cyclist you'd know that in many places its illegal to ride on the sidewalk, and often more dangerous.

When is the last time anyone has been pulled over and fined for riding on the sidewalk?

But as I said, riding on the sidewalk is very dangerous - your moving alot faster then pedestrians, and cars aren't looking for you in the crosswalks. You're better off taking your place in the lane.

Yeah, a bike hitting a pedestrial is so much more dangerous than a bus hitting a biker. :roll:

I don't understand how a biker can ride down the side of the road, holding up traffic and not feel like a di**?

Bikes are suppose to be driven on the road.

 

[WyteWatt]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: aidanjm
what if the bus driver loses his job?

Bus drivers are supposed to be able to hold their tempers in check. We can't have road raging bus drivers cruising around our cities just waiting to explode. This guy deserves to lose his job.

What if he has babies and kittens to support? Who will feed them?

Too bad, I guess he'll have to find a different job. The world is a tough place and some jobs demand a certain type of personality. Overly agressive guys should not be driving around in vehicles for a living if they can't hold their temper.

Maybe he should have been a cop instead.

:thumbsup:


Life isn't suppose to be fair and I know no one said it was.

 

[WyteWatt]

I think the only time things will change is if gas starts becoming very limited or to expensive to afford. Then just maybe some of the people who drove cars that must bike to some places may learn what they were doing.

 

[WyteWatt]

You must ride further to the left than the bike lane or else you risk your safety of not being seen. Yes even if you have lights!

 

[WyteWatt]

Do you all think people who abuse the road by trying to run off cyclist should be forced to ride a bike for their punishment?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: imtim83
Do you all think people who abuse the road by trying to run off cyclist should be forced to ride a bike for their punishment?

yes...a pink one...with tassles on the handlebars

 

[WyteWatt]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: imtim83
Do you all think people who abuse the road by trying to run off cyclist should be forced to ride a bike for their punishment?

yes...a pink one...with tassles on the handlebars

Oh now would that be funny!

 

[vailr]

If street and highway designers included planning for bicyclists, they'd always include (at least) a small 2 to 3 foot wide berm "lane", to the right of the white line. Not necessarily an official "bike lane", just sufficient room (when heavy traffic conditions require it) for bicyclists to be able to get out of the way of the 4-wheeled vehicles.
That, in addition to having strict rules that: every storm sewer grate is perpendicular to the line of travel; and, checking that all railroad crossings are easily passable by bikes, at a speed of at least 10 to 15 mph, without any danger of crashing and/or tire or rim damage.

 

[shimsham]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: shimsham

Originally posted by: dainthomas

Originally posted by: shimsham

Originally posted by: Fausto

Originally posted by: shimsham
so who cares if im late for work, as long as "cyclists" get to ride their bikes, eh?

oh no wait, i should plan to leave 10mins earlier so they dont have to get off the road...designed for cars. my bad.

Who really makes you late, the bikes or the other cars?

whoever is holding up traffic. slow drivers are just as bad, imo. but its a 5:1 ratio of cyclist that wont get over for 10secs to relieve the build up of cars behind them. last week i was late 2 times because the same guy wouldnt even move over to the edge of the road and let cars pass.

actual driving time to work is 10mins. i give myself 25 to account for traffic, and usually im 5-10 mins early.

I would have loved to hear that conversation with your boss.

Whiner: Sorry I was late twice. There was this guy on a bike, and I had to slow down, like, a lot.

Whisersboss: Leave earlier.

Whiner: But you don't understand! It wasn't my fault! He should have stopped and gotten off his bike every time a car passed. It was SO inconsiderate!

Whinersboss: Leave earlier.

Whiner: I can't believe you are making me take responsibility for my own actions!! This is an outrage!!

:roll:

Why the eye roll? If someone's late and they explain to their boss that the same biker is making them late day after day, I believe that's pretty much the reaction they're going to get.

because it wasnt even worth typing this explanation for someone whos just trolling and calling me names, but ill do it for drpizza, as i respect you around here.

thats the first time ive been late since ive been working this job. no one said anything about day after day. im no kid, and i know when i need to make adjusments. im a manager there, so its ok if im a little late. ive been friends with the owner for 12 years, so its not like hes going to fire me. i, personally, dont like to be late, and up until this cyclist showed up last week id never had any problems.

he just wanted to be a smartass and was hoping for some "pwned" quote, so i really didnt want to waste my time. i shouldnt have even posted the roll, but the whiner comment got under my skin. im not whining, just trying to bring the points from the other side. the other posts ive made show that im not trying to bash cyclists, and have no problem sharing the roads. but motorists and cyclists need to use courtesy and common sense to make it as safe as possible for all.

 

[shimsham]

Originally posted by: DaShen
Hi ShimSham,

First of all, I want to alleviate the unneeded tension and undue hostility here. Your posts do make you SOUND like a road rager though, but as you have said you are not, so I apologize for my accusatory tone.

To answer the payment/legislation question:
They have tried to pass legislation and even got more funding this year for exactly that, but it isn't enough. Most of that funding went to fixing regular roads. That is bureaucracy for you. Bikers regularly raise funds for just that bike routes, but it is too little still.

Also this is my reasoning on the matter:
I hear car drivers complain about truck & semi drivers all the time, and I agree with them too. For the same reasoning. Cars have just the same amount of rights on the road as a semi, bus, or truck, yet these always tend to tailgate and muscle cars out o fthe way. You don't like that either, I figure. Bike riders don't like it either. That is the point. In fact most riders I know are more courteous than most drivers when it comes to letting people pass, at least in Houston. Most cars here will muscle there way around even if they are holding up traffic. A bike rider, will get to the side of the road. It is bike edicate. But most of the time they get hit anyways.

You are complaining about bikers for a completely different issue. Inconvenience (being late which most of the time isn't really caused by a lone biker) vs. Life-threatening situations (close to murder/man-slaughter). Most of the bikers I know try to be extremely courteous to cars and trucks. It is actually an unwritten rule of bike edicate to let cars pass if you are holding up cars for more than a second (which BTW wouldn't make anyone more than a few seconds late), and when other bikers see bikers holding up traffic, I guarantee they get chewed out by us.

And I complain about motorists because more than often road ragers take their aggression off of the person they think they can easily get away with it. Bikers are a prime target: they usually try to go on desolate roads (no witnesses), it won't damage their car to run a biker off the road, and more than likely they can hit and run. That is the distinct difference. It is a cowardly act of maiming or manslaughter.

well, i still dont see where you find reasons to make those assumptions of hostility and rudeness on my part. ive only responded in kind to people quoting me. but, it is the internet and people misread things all the time, so no big deal. its just another thread.

just as most cyclists are courteous, most drivers i know are courteous to bikers. no one has a problem with them sharing the road, even myself. my other posts indicated that. i personally have never seen the events you describe, but i dont doubt they do happen.

my only basic point is some cyclists inconvenience motorists just as often as motorists do cyclists. its just as easy for cyclist to practice the same common courtesy and sense that they want from motorists. it just seems that most cyclists in this thread paint motorists with too broad a brush, when in reality it cant be that bad if they continue to ride and arent dead or maimed yet.

i dont ride, so im not going to campaign for bike lanes. that responsibility falls upon those that would actually use them. there are also many alternatives around here for them to ride on that is actually safer with a shoulder and plenty of room. but i have no problems with my money going for them. i want it to be safe and convenient for all. but just as citrix posted below you, there are some roads cyclists just shouldnt ride on as its flat out unsafe for everyone. bottom line is everyone needs to be safe, as no one owns the road.

ah well. this post is rambling and probably incoherent. but i just woke up afte pulling a 60hr week, with one more afternoon to go, so cut me some slack.

 

[skyking]

That bus driver should not be driving at all, and for sure not driving a bus.
My bro drove city bus for quite a few years, and had the perfect temperment for that.
The Sh!t just rolled off his shoulders
He loved it when some a$$ driver cut him off and knew it, then would glance over and expect a glare or rude gesture from him.

He'd smile big and wave <yeah, I see you Fvcker>.
It would SOOO mess wtih thier heads

 

[JinLien]

I have had several incidents similar to that with cars & buses drivers (twice vs. buses). I learned that it is better to get out of harm way even if I?m in the right, because I'm the one that is going to lose if I argue against bigger moving vehicle.

In BC Canada it is pointless to file a complaint against the bus driver because the union protected them, therefore I would ended up award the driver from 2~10 day of unpaid lost of work pending the number of complaints against them. However, the driver is protected under the union that forces the employer to award 75% of their wage regular wage for staying at home during this reprimanded time. The bus drivers are protected under this backward system and it would require that they kill someone before any serious consequences can be implemented. Also, insult the bus driver can get a person charge with aggregation assault if you are caught by the cops.

PS. To all drivers. Please give a cyclist some room and do not pass them too closely, because the extra 5~10 second out of your life is not alot to be nice and safe.

 

[NYHoustonman]

Originally posted by: phreakah
especially the left-turn lane at a light

So I guess you'd prefer I cut across two lanes of traffic to make said left-hand turn, but stay in the right lane?

 

[amicold]

Originally posted by: Ilmater
As a fellow cyclist, I say get the fvck off the streets and onto the sidewalk.

:thumbsup:

Cyclists piss me off. Get on a sidewalk or find an empty area to ride. The streets are made for motor vehicles this day and age.

 

[JinLien]

Originally posted by: amicold

Originally posted by: Ilmater
As a fellow cyclist, I say get the fvck off the streets and onto the sidewalk.

:thumbsup:

Cyclists piss me off. Get on a sidewalk or find an empty area to ride. The streets are made for motor vehicles this day and age.

Last time I checked drivers do not own public roads.

 

[sandmanwake]

The guy sounds like he deserves to be arrested. That said, I've encountered many inconsiderate bikers when I was in college. We had biker's lanes all over the place, yet there were bikers who ride in groups who slows up car traffic just because they wants to chat with their buddy while riding. Their buddy would be in the biker's lane and they would ride in the middle of the road right beside the other biker, chatting away. Then there are the occasional idiots who are apparently afraid cars would drive too close to the biker's lane if there's no deterrent and ride with a slender pole stuck to the side of their bike. The result was that they would be in the biker's lane, but the pole would block any car from using the car lane next to the biker's lane once they're near the biker.

 

[Vich]

good job

 

[mi1stormilst]

Originally posted by: skace

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Yes he did. The words 'try' and 'did' need explaining to you?

I believe his point was that if a bus REALLY wanted to run you over, it could have, very, very easily. What the bus driver tried to do was scare you off the road.

Since when to buses REASON? "if a bus REALLY wanted to run you over" hahaha

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: amicold

Originally posted by: Ilmater
As a fellow cyclist, I say get the fvck off the streets and onto the sidewalk.

:thumbsup:

Cyclists piss me off. Get on a sidewalk or find an empty area to ride. The streets are made for motor vehicles this day and age.

Cyclists frequently **** me off too, bro. Running red lights and stop signs is a good example. Those scofflaws deserve to be pulled over and ticketed, especially the "elite" cyclists pulling that **** (in contrast to the poor folk on beat-up Huffys with milk crates on the back). If you're irritated by bad cyclists, then I'm 5x as irritated, because they're reflecting badly on me as a legit road user.

But the roads aren't made for motor vehicles only, that's ignorance talking. Read the Uniform Vehicle Code of the United States. Read your own state laws. Whether you like it or not, the public roadways are made for people. People in cars, people on bikes, people walking, people on horseback, and your own state laws even explicitly grant full vehicular rights to people on in-line skates (see Article 34 of the New York State Consolidated Laws).

Flip side: they also are obligated to fulfill the same duties (except those which by their nature can have no application). And I recognize that that is not so common.

Anyway, welcome to reality. If at any time you feel disoriented, ask one of your New York bicycle-mounted patrol officers for assistance.

yet there were bikers who ride in groups who slows up car traffic just because they wants to chat with their buddy while riding. Their buddy would be in the biker's lane and they would ride in the middle of the road right beside the other biker, chatting away.

I'm with you on this one too, this is inconsiderate of them. I gave up riding in groups partly due to the embarrasing lack of consideration that they exhibit.

 

[Chaotic42]

They need to get bikers the hell off of the road.

However, given that they have a legal right to be there, stupid as I think it is, we should all show them some respect....

While we're on our cell phones lobbying our law makers to get bikers off the road.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

bike++;

 

[SilentZero]

great work! I hate people like that.