[Digital_Cowboy]

Yesterday as I was coming home from my usual (albeit slightly shortened) ride. I was stopped at a red light. When I have a rather impatient gal pull up behind me wanting to make a right hand turn on red.

She starts both honking her horn and trying to inch up on me. I guess she thought that she could intimidate me into moving out of her way. At one point I just turn and say "Where do you want me to go?" She responds with "I'm turning."

Had she been both polite and patient about it, I would have been willing to move to my left to allow her to pass. But given her behavior I was not inclined to make things easier on her by moving from my position.

She resumes both her honking and inching forward. Finally she has inched forward enough to make her right turn. Given the slow speed with which she was "forced" to make her right turn I knew that I was in no danger from her and her close passing of me.

I just had to laugh at her inpatients and how she was the cause of her not being able to make her turn when she felt that she had the "right" to do so.

The "fun" part is I can only imagine what story she told to her friends and family about the "rude" cyclist who didn't allow her to make her turn.

[Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY]

This is why I can't ride on the road. People are so ignorant to the fact that cyclists have to follow all traffic laws, much the same as a car.

So that being said, no.... you may not turn right on red, as I am in front of you in line.

How rude of her!

[Digital_Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY

This is why I can't ride on the road. People are so ignorant to the fact that cyclists have to follow all traffic laws, much the same as a car.

You shouldn't allow others ignorance to keep you from riding in the road.

Originally Posted by Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY

So that being said, no.... you may not turn right on red, as I am in front of you in line.

How rude of her!

That was basically the look that I gave her. If I had been a car she would have had to wait until the light changed and I had either moved into or cleared the intersection before she made her turn.

I have to laugh at the way that a lot of motorists seem to think that they "own" the road. That and that their idea of "share the road" is that we as cyclists have to cower in fear at the side of the road. Or that we have to get the hell out of their way as soon as we hear their engine.

[Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY]

I ALWAYS give cyclists well over 5ft of clearance between us. I drive a large truck, I know what it feels like when one zooms past you on a bike too close. It's scary. I will often ride behind to protect a cyclist on a turn as well.

I can't bring myself to ride in the road. People don't realize the several ton vehicle they are sitting in is a killing machine. So I stick to my back country roads and out on trails.

Sorry that woman was a twit to you. You did the right thing, though.

[Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY]

I got to thinking.... I am in a large red truck and people often times do not see me and try to merge into me. THIS is why I am terrified to take my bike to the streets. If these drivers miss a 4300lb RED truck, they'll never see me on my 20lb grey/blue bike with reflectors.

[Digital_Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY

I ALWAYS give cyclists well over 5ft of clearance between us. I drive a large truck, I know what it feels like when one zooms past you on a bike too close. It's scary. I will often ride behind to protect a cyclist on a turn as well.

Thank you, it is appreciated. Again, thank you, every little bit helps.

Originally Posted by Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY

I can't bring myself to ride in the road. People don't realize the several ton vehicle they are sitting in is a killing machine. So I stick to my back country roads and out on trails.

I understand that not everyone is up to the challenge of doing so. It takes time to gain the skill, experience and confidence to do so. Exactly, that and they don't realize how much ground they can cover in only a "seconds" time when they take their eyes off of the road to change the radio station, or to change CDs, or anything else that they do.

Hell I've known a few who have changed clothes or engaged in "extracurricular" activities while behind the wheel of their unguided missile.

Also sadly for me I don't drive so if I restricted myself to "back country roads" and trails. I'd never get anywhere.

We do have a nice rails-to-trails trail, but it is more of a linear park and is only open from sunrise to sunset. But I have used it to help get out to the VA when I have a doctor's appointment or need to go to the ER.

Originally Posted by Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY

Sorry that woman was a twit to you. You did the right thing, though.

That she was, can ya imagine the rant she had for her friends and family about the "rude" cyclist who wouldn't "let" her make a right hand turn? And thank you.

[Digital_Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY

I got to thinking.... I am in a large red truck and people often times do not see me and try to merge into me. THIS is why I am terrified to take my bike to the streets. If these drivers miss a 4300lb RED truck, they'll never see me on my 20lb grey/blue bike with reflectors.

Oh, truly understand that. As 99.9% of the time when a motorist hits another car, a bicycle or firetruck/ambulance/cop car the first words out of their mouth is "I didn't see _______."

When I'm riding at night I wear a nice big reflective vest, I've got a Planet Bike Super Flash mounted to the back of my helmet, and a Cateye 5-LED mounted to my pannier rack. I've got two Cateye Uno's mounted to my handlebars in flash mode and a third mounted to my helmet in steady mode. Plus both my pannier and top bags all have reflective pipping on them. If someone says that they didn't see me they'd have to be blind.

On my other bike I have two Cateye 3-LED blinkies mounted to my pannier rack and a Blackburn and a Serfas headlight mounted to my handlebars.

[photosbymark]

Yet don't give up just yet. Some places I believe bikes, though they have every right to be there, are asking for more trouble than its worth. Is it legal to ride a bike in NY? Sure, but I wouldn't even think about it. Then again there are not many places on this planet that would rate lower on the places Id want to go than NY. Riding between cars, weaving in and out of traffic,riding right up next to parked cars just waiting to get doored, for me no thanks. But for those that want to do it, I wouldn't support any type of restriction in them doing so. That each rider needs to decide for themselves.

That being said I do ride some fairly busy roads. Its less about how much traffic is involved than how many outs I would have if needed. You are not a passenger on a bike. Staying alert, being proficient at emergency stops, keeping a well maintained bike, and riding assuming that every car is out to get you will keep you out of most trouble. I also now wear my Road ID every ride just like a helmet. After that you have to decide if the reward is worth the risk.

[Nigal]

Originally Posted by Shocks_Pegs_LUCKY

This is why I can't ride on the road. People are so ignorant to the fact that cyclists have to follow all traffic laws, much the same as a car.

So that being said, no.... you may not turn right on red, as I am in front of you in line.

How rude of her!

That's why we need more bikes out on the road. The more bikes that are out there the more people will learn about how to interact with them. The single best thing a cyclist who has reservations about road riding can do is buy a mirror. Once I got my mirror it allowed me to be completely aware of my surroundings. I know what is coming up behind me and I can almost always tell how close they're going to pass me and when I need to be the one to give a little room. And no matter what, even if I'm down on the drops chugging, I ALWAYS wave to those who give me space. 8)

[Poolie]

Heard on the radio the other morning that most people would fail their driver's test if they had to take it again. I sometimes wonder how many of them got their license in the first place. I think if you have a pulse they will give you one.

Luckily I have enough bike paths around town that I don't have to ride on the roads very often. When on the motorcycle I ride as if I'm invisible, which isn't too far from the truth considering the attention span of most drivers.