Where are our bicycle riders?

[rivan]

Around here you are not allowed to even cross into a bike lane in a car. When people do, they are the ones who get the ticket and I have seen cops sit and wait to cite people who use the bike lane to get up to an intersection and make a right turn. Sadly, they don't do it enough IMO.

I used to ride down a road with a high school just off on a side street and idiot parents would stop in the bike lane on the main road to drop their spawn off for school. The Sheriff would come around and ticket them every couple months and it would help for a week or two but they eventually return to their idiot ways.

And that's fine - but he's crying about getting a ticket for doing something he knows is wrong, then trying to justify it with totally irrational reasons.

I understand and agree that many drivers are not as bike friendly as they should be, but that's got nothing to do with him not riding where he should have been. In fact, getting bikers to follow the rules of the road is just as important as getting drivers to do so.

 

[xanis]

You got honked at because you all think your better than everyone else. Your nothing but a DANGER on the road to the car drivers. We drive a big piece of metal that weights a ton, you ride a 10 pound bike. You do nothing but cause lanes to line up and have to go into on coming traffic lanes to get around you because you ride 10mph in a 45 zone.

You are everything that is wrong with drivers today.

 

[olds]

Around here you are not allowed to even cross into a bike lane in a car. When people do, they are the ones who get the ticket and I have seen cops sit and wait to cite people who use the bike lane to get up to an intersection and make a right turn. ....

I got a ticket for that in 1980. Long line of traffic, not a cyclist in sight.

 

[alkemyst]

I got a ticket for that in 1980. Long line of traffic, not a cyclist in sight.

Yeah wtf's up with that or sidewalks if no one is using them?!?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yeah wtf's up with that or sidewalks if no one is using them?!?

Maybe you should start a petition.

 

[Brainonska511]

Road bikers have a right to the traffic lanes and some simple hand gestures and head turns will notify the vehicles that you are coming in even if its for a little while to avoid obstacles.

I've done this MANY times and never got honked or yelled at by drivers. Oh yea, and I'm biking on HEAVILY TRAFFICkED ROADS WITHOUT BIKE LANES.

In NYS, bikers do not have a right to ride in traffic lanes if there is a bike lane available. Read NY VTL 1234 - in summary, bikers must use bike lanes if there is one available and it is not obstructed/dangerous. Obviously, you might be able to argue what is dangerous, but good luck getting out of that if what you call dangerous is something very transient.

And before you suggest that Title 34, SS4-02 of NYC traffic states (RCNY) that VTL1234 is void in NYC, you should read Title 34, SS4-12, which basically reiterates VTL1234.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE-IMaegzQ

He doesn't help his case by arguing with the officer. Plus, he never shows the "obstruction" that was in his path when he was getting a ticket. If there was a legitimate obstruction, like an illegally parked truck, I'd easily be on his side; I've seen it plenty of times when I ride through Manhattan.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of jackass bikers out there that only hurt other riders: people that ride the wrong way, people that sidewalk ride, people that blow through lights or salmon through people, and riders that just ride erratically...

 

[drizek]

And that's fine - but he's crying about getting a ticket for doing something he knows is wrong, then trying to justify it with totally irrational reasons.

I understand and agree that many drivers are not as bike friendly as they should be, but that's got nothing to do with him not riding where he should have been. In fact, getting bikers to follow the rules of the road is just as important as getting drivers to do so.

He didn't do anything wrong. It is legal to bike in the street as long as you stay to the right.

 

[Brainonska511]

He didn't do anything wrong. It is legal to bike in the street as long as you stay to the right.

See my post above. In NYS/NYC bikers must take the bike lane if there is one available and it is unobstructed. They may only take to the street if there is 1) no bike lane (and then they must stay as far right as is possible, even if it is the shoulder; or as far left as possible if it is a large, one-way street), 2) making a turn that requires exiting the bike lane, or 3) there is an unsafe obstruction in the lane.

 

[hanoverphist]

Was about to insult OP, but then realized how funny video was.

Good post!

at first i was like "great, another self-important douche on a bike thread..." but then i watched it, and the last half was funny

He doesn't help his case by arguing with the officer. Plus, he never shows the "obstruction" that was in his path when he was getting a ticket. If there was a legitimate obstruction, like an illegally parked truck, I'd easily be on his side; I've seen it plenty of times when I ride through Manhattan.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of jackass bikers out there that only hurt other riders: people that ride the wrong way, people that sidewalk ride, people that blow through lights or salmon through people, and riders that just ride erratically...

he does mention the double parked car in front of the cop car, but never shows it. if there were really a double parked car he was getting out of the bike path to avoid, then the cop is a douche.

and there are lots of asshole bikers here in phoenix area, pisses me off when they ride the white line just to be dicks. there is rarely lots of crap against the curb here, get the fuck over so people can do the speed limit without changing lanes in rush hour. i also will slow down for ones that actually signal they are going to make a left turn the right way, but im probably the exception rather than the rule.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Some strong anti-bikers in this thread, haha.

 

[drizek]

Everyone complaining about bikers should try commuting on one just once. Riding in the bike land is scary. Cars drive in it all the time, and parked cars will just open their side doors without looking. It only takes one near-miss before you decide it isn't worth risking your life, and you start to bike closer to the street where you are more visible. If that annoys you, you should start following the law, you should support more segregated bike lanes and you should look behind you before opening the driver-side door into traffic!

 

[Bulk Beef]

Some cyclists are dickheads.
Some drivers are dickheads.
Generally, when cyclists are dickheads, someone gets their feelings hurt.
Sometimes, when drivers are dickheads, someone gets killed.

Stay safe, dickhead.

 

[MiniDoom]

Some cyclists are dickheads.
Some drivers are dickheads.
Generally, when cyclists are dickheads, someone gets their feelings hurt.
Sometimes, when drivers are dickheads, someone gets killed.

Stay safe, dickhead.

this^...

awesome username/avatar btw! who were you before?

 

[hanoverphist]

Everyone complaining about bikers should try commuting on one just once. Riding in the bike land is scary. Cars drive in it all the time, and parked cars will just open their side doors without looking. It only takes one near-miss before you decide it isn't worth risking your life, and you start to bike closer to the street where you are more visible. If that annoys you, you should start following the law, you should support more segregated bike lanes and you should look behind you before opening the driver-side door into traffic!

i have. i used to ride my bike with a couple friends from south to north phoenix on a regular basis. there was a serious lack of bike lanes back then. and "...you start to bike closer to the street where you are more visible..." is way different than riding ON the white line, with your handlebars, knees and elbows in traffic lanes. i give bicyclists way more leeway and ground than most drivers here, and ive never cut close to them just to be a dick. in the east valley the laws for bikes are pretty relaxed, and its ok to ride on the sidewalks. even next to a bike lane. ive seen people in spandex on bicycles yelling at pedestrians to GTFOut of the way on sidewalks too. douches.

 

[Farmer]

i have. i used to ride my bike with a couple friends from south to north phoenix on a regular basis. there was a serious lack of bike lanes back then. and "...you start to bike closer to the street where you are more visible..." is way different than riding ON the white line, with your handlebars, knees and elbows in traffic lanes. i give bicyclists way more leeway and ground than most drivers here, and ive never cut close to them just to be a dick. in the east valley the laws for bikes are pretty relaxed, and its ok to ride on the sidewalks. even next to a bike lane. ive seen people in spandex on bicycles yelling at pedestrians to GTFOut of the way on sidewalks too. douches.

Spandex = douche

 

[hanoverphist]

Spandex = douche

not always. but it is a decent early warning sign usually. dont get me wrong, ive listed a few things that i run into a LOT here in the valley, but ive also met a decent amount of really cool bicyclists in my days that are very good in traffic. even they complain about people on bicycles on occasion.

 

[MiniDoom]

Spandex = douche

hmmm... the hipster types on fixed gears seem to be the worst traffic law offenders. I don't see them wearing lycra.
also, anyone who rides 30+miles and doesn't dress appropriately (not lycra) is a tard imho...

 

[JulesMaximus]

Everyone complaining about bikers should try commuting on one just once. Riding in the bike land is scary. Cars drive in it all the time, and parked cars will just open their side doors without looking. It only takes one near-miss before you decide it isn't worth risking your life, and you start to bike closer to the street where you are more visible. If that annoys you, you should start following the law, you should support more segregated bike lanes and you should look behind you before opening the driver-side door into traffic!

I commuted by bicycle for two and half years straight and have been doing it on and off for decades in the San Diego area (mainly north county coastal) and I always ride at the left side of the bike lane simply because there is less debris there and it does help motorist see you. I'm fairly aggressive when I ride too. I'm not above banging on the windows of an SUV that is crowding me or taking a lane in areas where there is no bike lane and the lanes are very narrow.

 

[JTsyo]

you have alternatives to bicycle lanes:

wow what an idiot.

 

[drizek]

I commuted by bicycle for two and half years straight and have been doing it on and off for decades in the San Diego area (mainly north county coastal) and I always ride at the left side of the bike lane simply because there is less debris there and it does help motorist see you. I'm fairly aggressive when I ride too. I'm not above banging on the windows of an SUV that is crowding me or taking a lane in areas where there is no bike lane and the lanes are very narrow.

Good for you.

In the suburbs(inland north county) the bike lanes are basically a joke. We have dedicated horse trails, but the side walks are half-missing and the bike lanes are covered in yard waste. I very rarely see people riding in them. The roads have 45mph speed limits, and most people drive even faster than that.

On the other hand, there are a couple of college towns here where bicycling is sort of the standard form of traveling, and people just ride/skate/walk(not necessarily sober) right in the middle of the road, and the cars just have to deal with it.

 

[fire400]

watch the video muted, it helps a lot...

 

[CraigRT]

I have 3 bikes, 2 mountain and 1 road.
I rarely ride the road bike. MTB is just so much more care free.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have 3 bikes, 2 mountain and 1 road.
I rarely ride the road bike. MTB is just so much more care free.

It's funny, I hear more mtb riders say things like that but I see more of them injured every year, some of them very seriously, than I've ever gotten on a road bike in decades of riding.

 

[highland145]

It's funny, I hear more mtb riders say things like that but I see more of them injured every year, some of them very seriously, than I've ever gotten on a road bike in decades of riding.

Trees. They're hard.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Trees. They're hard.

So are rocks.