27 speed ?
Therefore ban bikes.
The other day, I nearly hit two cyclists with my hubby’s truck.
They were flying down the sidewalk, on the wrong side and proceeded across right in front of me as I attempted to turn right on red. In the long run, it would have been my fault.
But, I have to say, I didn’t expect it. Full speed on the sidewalk, through a crosswalk. I wouldn’t have taken those chances as a cyclist. I followed the rules that cars had, traveled on the right side in the street like a car. I was instructed that when you are on the sidewalk, you should follow the rules of pedestians. A flashing hand means stay there.
I was taken aback and will look from now on. They even stopped to yell at me and I apologized. I could have killed them or hurt them badly on something I never expected. Time to watch for cyclists.
Good for him.
And not just to speak, either. Laws are for "other" people.
I would also add my observation that on the average, the serious male cyclists tend toward being...effeminate. But that would be catty.
Since it’s green-ecologically-friendly-non-petroleum-based-fuel-using transportation, any road rage asociated with it is allowable.
I know in my area there are tons of immigrants that ride their bikes to jobs. Almost all of them are in dark clothing at night, no reflectors or lights and ride on the wrong side of the road. These guys are the most dangerous of all — even to other cyclists.
well if they live close enough to ride a bike to work, then more power to them. I am not about to trek 25 miles one way in the hot arkansas heat on bike.
I ride and ride a lot to and from work and on the weekends in the hill country. However, there are both Idiots who ride bikes and do not obey traffic laws and there are morons in cars that do not obey traffic laws, neglect to see cyclists and endanger the lives of bike riders.
OK, just 30 posts in and we’ve already got:
—Cyclists are freeloaders.
—Ban them.
—Buy new bumpers to hit them with.
—They’re all liberals.
—And, of course, hinting that all the guys who ride bikes might be gay.
Any more?
SE Asia is heavily motorscooters (under 150cc) and bikes, and there are lots of little accidents (although a family friend died a few weeks back after losing his grip on a wet bridge and crashing into the rocks about 25 feet below, wearing a helmet).
Anyway, the funniest one I ever saw was a teenage student on one bike, and two Buddhist monks on the other, each going about 3mph in downtown Saigon. They were approaching each other from opposite directions but couldn’t seem to decide who goes right and who goes left and so they ran head-on into each other instead.
No one was hurt at that slow speed, they just sort of careened over and regained their balance, but it was kind of funny. Nobody said a word, they just got back on their bikes and carried-on like nothing had happened. Definitely a YouTube moment.
The roads were paved for autos, and the sidewalks are for walkers. Bikers should stick to designated paths.
Our younger son, who is an avid biker with several excellent bikes lived in the Portland area for about 17 years.
Fortunately, he returned to California two years ago, before these current groups of insane bikers became a problem in Portland. He said many of the good Portland drivers are beginning to hate all bike riders because of these insane biker. I think they call themselves retro bikers.
These insane bikers blow through red lights, ignore stop signs, go the wrong way on their bikes, ride on sidewalks and try to cause problems with drivers and pedistrians.
The punk cited in the article provoked the driver, a friend of my son several times before attacking the car and driver.
The punk made the mistake of taking a swing at the driver’s son and got his clock cleaned with a great ko punch.
The driver of the car is a long time biker, in the bike industry and has pushed for high standards of bike riders. He tried to get the insane rider to calm down and not be a disgrace for other bike riders.
Apparently several of these bikers are no longer around as they hit cars and trucks like Kamikazis.
In our area, we have a problem with illegal aliens in our area riding bikes, riding the wrong way, on side walks and running red lights. Fortunately, a lawyer friend told me to carry a disposable camera in case of a run in with one of these bastards on bikes or in some rolling wreck of a vehicle.
Shortly after I bought the disposable camera, one of these biking idiots ran a light on a cross walk and ran into the hood of my OJ Simpson Bronco and hit the right front wheel of the Bronco and flew over the hood of the Bronco. I had just started go on the green light when I saw him kamikazing at me in the crosswalk while running the red light on my right side. I hit the brakes and was stopped when he hit and did his airborn flip over the hood of my truck.
He was cursing me until I stepped out with the camera taking pictures of him and walked around to take pictures of his bike laying by my Bronco and my cell phone in my other hand. He ran around the Bronco and grabbed his now deformed bike and ran up the street and turned at the first alley. I think he was saying nasty things about my parents and me as he was running away.
I have nothing against cyclists or cycling. Public roadways are just that - public.
However, I have yet to see a single cyclist use hand signals, as is legally required, to indicate their intent to turn or stop.
I routinely see cyclists ignore rights of way and traffic signals and generally make nuisances of themselves by failing to respect the rules of the road.
Most motorized vehicle drivers make a conscious effort to accomodate cyclists, even though most cyclists can’t keep up with traffic, and often create dangerous situations (mostly for themselves) by not adhering to traffic rules - no motorist wants to kill a cyclist, and there’s a good possibility of that happening.
But a little bit of common courtesy from cyclists to motorists, IMHO, is warranted and well overdue and for many of the same reasons that car drivers should be courteous to and observant of big rig drivers - your life may depend on it.
Oddly enough, when cyclists do have the ability, they often exceed the speed limit by larger amounts than motorized vehicles. IMHO, the technology has been available so bicyclists on public roadways should be required to have speedometers, turn signals and brake lights if they refuse to use hand signals, hazard signals of some sort if they are beyond a certain threshold below the speed limit, audible horns, more visible reflective surfaces, and very visible lighting at dusk and at night.
Target rich environment?
Anybody on a bike touches my car and he gets his teeth knocked out!
About a month ago I witnessed a bicyle run a red light and cause a collision...with another bicycle...the officer kept asking me to control my laughter until he was done with my statement. A stupid person is a stupid driver regardless of what manner of vehicle he is driving. And downtown Portland and the Hawthorne district seems to attract stupid people in huge numbers.
First came a drunk cyclist repeatedly smacking the driver of a car with his bike July 6, before a passerby stopped the melee by knocking the pedaler to the ground with one punch (the driver happened to be a longtime cycling advocate, who'd kicked off the altercation by chiding the biker for blowing through a red light.)