[kneedrachen]

You Can Choose More Than One Selection

Cycling is a funny thing. We're all supposedly united for equal road rights and respect. Within this elusive unity there stems different branches of cyclists. Mountain bikers, roadies, recumbent riders, utility cyclists, commuters, fixie hipsters, messengers, cyclo-tourers and the list goes on.

If we're all united, there has to be a common denominator among what irks you about other cyclists when it comes to blocking our push to become an accepted form of transporatation. Think about it, riding a bike is an "alternative" form of transportation just like walking is considered "alternative." What? Most people learn to walk by the age of 18 months and its taken millions of years of evolution to get us walking upright. How is that alternative? Cycling-most people learned to ride a bike sometime between 6-12 years of age, way before driving a car. This is alternative?

Anyway, what do you perceive as your biggest pet peeve to our being accepted on the roads?

 

[cderalow]

biggest for me:

Cyclists who have no understanding what their actual rights and laws governing their shared use of the road are.

In MD, you are a considered a unprotected vehicle, and you must obey all traffic laws and signals.

Above all else, at most you can ride two abreast if it does not impede traffic. Otherwise, it's single file.

I can't count the number of times I see this violated during the spring, summer and fall months on the weekend, with large clubs riding 5-6 across impeding traffic on roads with 35mph+ speed limits, in blatant violation of the law.

It's hard, even as a new cyclist, to share the road with those type of people.

 

[Xela]

I guess a Salmon Cyclist rides against traffic? That's a big one, but I don't see it very often, so I guess I'm going with the running stop lights/signs. Now, I do know certain lights around here that will not change for a bike, so I myself have ran those after a complete stop and adequate time that the light should have changed.

 

[kneedrachen]

Xela, yup they run against traffic the way a salmon swims across the current to spawn.

There's a lot here by my building that won't recognize a bike (optical sensor) but running it isn't an option due to a blind curve being on (my) left if I were to run it.

A traffic light at the end of a blind curve. . . .

 

[Sneakers]

I can't stand cyclists who run stops and disobey general rules of road. Just the other month a cyclist, with a expensive bike and the full kit, cut between a whole line of cars waiting at a red light that changed so he could get over to the left turn lane, so 3 lanes of traffic were slamming on their brakes so he could cut between cars, that was a major accident waiting to happen.

Then just the other week another full tilt cyclist is in a bike lane, which is great, except he swerved in front of me so he could cross the street in the middle of the block! I was doing about 30 (in my car) and had to slam on my brakes to prevent giving him a major body ache. Then the other cars in the opposing lane had to hit their brakes; then this moron proceeds in riding his bike the wrong way on the bike lane on the other side of the road.

Then just yesterday I saw a cyclist run a red light and a car, who had the green, had to slam on the brakes and weave into the opposing lane to avoid hitting the little bast.

And then I can't even begin to count the number of times I've seen a cyclist riding around without any lights or ever reflectors at night and the close calls I've had and other motorists have had. I wish cops would give cyclists tickets for that. Indiana law though says that if a motorists hits a cyclist at night and that cyclist does not have adequate lighting then even if the motorist ran a red light for example, it's not the fault of the motorist! I would rather see tickets issued then to see a dead cyclist.

I see this all the time with cyclists whether in my car or riding my bike. I hate to say this, especially being a cyclist, but I hate cyclists that do this stuff with no regard to the law or even their own safety, then scream after an accident that cars should be banned or some such nonsense.

 

[rola643]

Man... I must live in a great area! There are no sidewalks, maybe 3 stops lights, depending on which route I ride , little cell phone reception so people arent talking on them, and very rarely see another cyclist So...lucky me, no cycling peeves :d

 

[kneedrachen]

Is this because it is Friday, Mr. Happy Pants?

 

[rola643]

Must be cuz here was the massive traffic jam I faced on this mornings ride

 

[kneedrachen]

Well played sir, well played

 

[kneedrachen]

I must say, I'm a bit disappointed no one chose the last 2 choices. . . .

 

[DChapman]

Recent observations:

While riding-
Cyclist pulls out on trail from behind bathrooms without looking and nearly hits me.
Two girls riding bikes on the MUP ( I won't dignify them by calling them cyclists because they were helmetless and clueless) side by side, spread across the entire trail nearly hit me head on as I came around a curve. Luckily, I slow for blind curves. I had seen them outside the park, riding on the sidewalk. Thanks to this forum, I now know unsafe that is.
Cyclists blowing past ME on the MUP without any warning.

While driving:
Motorists cruising halfway in the BIKE LANE (Seriously?!!!) while traffic is backed up. Guess they think they have to see around the line of cars.
I've also seen a fair nimbler of salmon cyclists.

I have had fun pointing out to my future cyclist daughters the safe an unsafe practices we see.

 

[DChapman]

I must say, I'm a bit disappointed no one chose the last 2 choices. . . .

Hey, quit talking about me like that, lol! (Not really)

 

[kneedrachen]

Dc-

 

[Mannylove]

Don't pay attention..

The folks that think that they are riding all alone and don't realize that they blew a snot or spat in the wind towards the rider behind. :hate:

 

[newleaf150]

I get frustrated by cyclists who pass others without warning - whether it's other cyclists or pedestrians. This is excellent practice if you're looking to incite anger and anti-cycling bias. Not so much otherwise.

It's especially ironic to me to see cyclists 'buzz' pedestrians with no warning. As cyclists, we pretty much all hate it when cars pass us too closely at high speeed. WHY would a cyclist do the very same thing to slow-moving pedestrians? Think defensively! Pedestrians often drive cars when they're not walking. I'm not saying it's right, but I bet it feels pretty good to buzz cyclists in your car after being buzzed by them up and down your local MUP. Payback is a b!tch. If we act like jerks toward others, we can't very well be surprised when they return the favor.

 

[DChapman]

I get frustrated by cyclists who pass others without warning - whether it's other cyclists or pedestrians. This is excellent practice if you're looking to incite anger and anti-cycling bias. Not so much otherwise.

It's especially ironic to me to see cyclists 'buzz' pedestrians with no warning. As cyclists, we pretty much all hate it when cars pass us too closely at high speeed. WHY would a cyclist do the very same thing to slow-moving pedestrians? Think defensively! Pedestrians often drive cars when they're not walking. I'm not saying it's right, but I bet it feels pretty good to buzz cyclists in your car after being buzzed by them up and down your local MUP. Payback is a b!tch. If we act like jerks toward others, we can't very well be surprised when they return the favor.

Amen, amen, amen and amen! You should read some threads on MUP sites, especially after that elderly woman fell and hit her head and died. She turned into a cyclist who called out "on your left". The hate was palpable.

 

[bikertank]

Coming around blind corners or over a hill two abreast on MUPS - they probably make the same mistake on the road and have lots of accidents - people that won't get over (two abreast) when they see another rider approaching - usually going two miles an hr

 

[curry]

I can't stand cyclists who run stops and disobey general rules of road. Just the other month a cyclist, with a expensive bike and the full kit, cut between a whole line of cars waiting at a red light that changed so he could get over to the left turn lane, so 3 lanes of traffic were slamming on their brakes so he could cut between cars, that was a major accident waiting to happen.

Then just the other week another full tilt cyclist is in a bike lane, which is great, except he swerved in front of me so he could cross the street in the middle of the block! I was doing about 30 (in my car) and had to slam on my brakes to prevent giving him a major body ache. Then the other cars in the opposing lane had to hit their brakes; then this moron proceeds in riding his bike the wrong way on the bike lane on the other side of the road.

Then just yesterday I saw a cyclist run a red light and a car, who had the green, had to slam on the brakes and weave into the opposing lane to avoid hitting the little bast.

And then I can't even begin to count the number of times I've seen a cyclist riding around without any lights or ever reflectors at night and the close calls I've had and other motorists have had. I wish cops would give cyclists tickets for that. Indiana law though says that if a motorists hits a cyclist at night and that cyclist does not have adequate lighting then even if the motorist ran a red light for example, it's not the fault of the motorist! I would rather see tickets issued then to see a dead cyclist.

I see this all the time with cyclists whether in my car or riding my bike. I hate to say this, especially being a cyclist, but I hate cyclists that do this stuff with no regard to the law or even their own safety, then scream after an accident that cars should be banned or some such nonsense.

Here in Tucson the officers of the law will pull you over for no headlight and no rear light. Not all of em but some. Also ticket those riding on the sidewalk.

 

[bongofury66]

Jumping lights.

 

[qmsdc15]

Passing on the right.