Chris Connaker's reminder of « your ignore lists »

[17629]

I am all for safety, so I can't support the "strobing" lights that many bicyclists and motorcyclists are using these days. At least in my state (surely others as well) they are technically illegal reason being that they are a distraction (a non-standard light that forces you to pay attention to it and not other motorists, pedestrians, etc.) but this seems to be little enforced.

 

A couple of times I have even repeatedly flashed my headlights at folks "strobing" me as they ride by and sure enough, they stare at me instead of the road (in other words, I become a distraction for them). This of course is naughty on my part but it sort of proves the point that these things need to go away for the benefit of EVERYONE on the road...

 

 

Should they remove them from police cars, ambulances and fire trucks as well?

[PopPop]

"But actually the doe I hit was a small one and I cut him completely in two and I totaled the bike and slid about 100 feet on my ass. God bless Kevlar nickers."

 

Her. No rack of horns and no rack of nuts.

 

Transgender deer![emoji15]. Meant to say her. I'm glad I have you cleaning up after me. [emoji106]

[esldude]

Bicycles have exactly the same rights and responsibilities on the road as any other vehicle. Riders and drivers have to realize that and do a better job of respecting that. Cyclists who take a bad attitude misrepresent the majority of cyclists and may put them self at risk. Motorists who take an attitude misrepresent the majority motorists, they put themselves and the cyclists at greater risk with their shenanigans and pranks. I don't ride my bicycle as much as I used to but I never ceased to be astonished by the level of self righteous, ignorant, and dangerous behavior of motorists toward cyclists. Sure, some cyclists ignore stop signs and will slow down cars on narrow roads and hills. There is no excuse EVER for endangering their lives because a motorist thinks he has a superior right of way. End of rant.

 

I seem to recall a town in MN was experimenting with different rules for bicycles. Bikers treat stop signs as yield signs, and red lights as stop signs. Seems there was one other change. It has been done a few places and supposedly improves interaction between cars and cyclists. As long as drivers know the bikers are legal doing so. Of course some people simply will never accept that bicycles do have the rights to the road that cars have.

[PopPop]

I don't know, Dennis. I haven't heard anything of the like but then, I have been out of the bicycle culture for a number of years.

[Priaptor]

Bicycles have exactly the same rights and responsibilities on the road as any other vehicle. Riders and drivers have to realize that and do a better job of respecting that. Cyclists who take a bad attitude misrepresent the majority of cyclists and may put them self at risk. Motorists who take an attitude misrepresent the majority motorists, they put themselves and the cyclists at greater risk with their shenanigans and pranks. I don't ride my bicycle as much as I used to but I never ceased to be astonished by the level of self righteous, ignorant, and dangerous behavior of motorists toward cyclists. Sure, some cyclists ignore stop signs and will slow down cars on narrow roads and hills. There is no excuse EVER for endangering their lives because a motorist thinks he has a superior right of way. End of rant.

 

I think one needs to recognize the reality of the situation before believing that the "rights and responsibilities" will persevere. The reality is 3000-4500 pound car being driven by people who rarely put on blinkers, wear seat belts, use their driving as a time to talk and/or text VERSUS a 15 pound bicycle with a 90-180 pound person. Guess who is going to win and who is going to lose. I wish more places would have protected bicycle lanes or dedicated bicycle paths separate from the roads.

 

End of rant.

[PopPop]

A wise approach.

[Allan F]

I think one needs to recognize the reality of the situation before believing that the "rights and responsibilities" will persevere. The reality is 3000-4500 pound car being driven by people who rarely put on blinkers, wear seat belts, use their driving as a time to talk and/or text VERSUS a 15 pound bicycle with a 90-180 pound person. Guess who is going to win and who is going to lose. I wish more places would have protected bicycle lanes or dedicated bicycle paths separate from the roads.

I agree that reality cannot be ignored and careless insistence on equal rights to the road can be both foolish and dangerous. Cyclists in traffic have to be especially alert to the unexpected actions of motorists. At the same time, more and better education of the latter regarding the legal rights of cyclists can only benefit both groups.

 

Fortunately, Vancouver has many dedicated bicycle lanes and I restrict my riding to them. A different and frustrating problem exists where there are parallel dedicated bicycle and pedestrian paths and members of one group, through ignorance, carelessness or selfishness, persist in getting in the way of the other. Far too often, as a cyclist I find myself pointing out to pedestrians that they are on the wrong path and, as a pedestrian, I am doing the same thing to cyclists.

[mansr]

I wish more places would have protected bicycle lanes or dedicated bicycle paths separate from the roads.

 

Cycle lanes like this one?

[firedog]

I gave up bicycling after the driver of a large commercial truck, who didn't like the fact that he couldn't find an opening to pass me on a busy 2 lane road without shoulders, literally pushed me off the road with his truck. And I can assure you it was quite intentional.

[wgscott]

I am all for safety, so I can't support the "strobing" lights that many bicyclists and motorcyclists are using these days. At least in my state (surely others as well) they are technically illegal reason being that they are a distraction (a non-standard light that forces you to pay attention to it and not other motorists, pedestrians, etc.) but this seems to be little enforced.

 

A couple of times I have even repeatedly flashed my headlights at folks "strobing" me as they ride by and sure enough, they stare at me instead of the road (in other words, I become a distraction for them). This of course is naughty on my part but it sort of proves the point that these things need to go away for the benefit of EVERYONE on the road...

 

The day I don't have to worry about someone in their car splattering me all over the place because they "didn't see me" is the day I will turn off the strobe lights and stop wearing neon yellow bike clothing (including shoes).

[crenca]

I gave up bicycling after the driver of a large commercial truck, who didn't like the fact that he couldn't find an opening to pass me on a busy 2 lane road without shoulders, literally pushed me off the road with his truck. And I can assure you it was quite intentional.

 

I used to be a regular road biker, but too many incidents similar this one and after a good friend was seriously injured, I realized the "share the road" idealism is just that - an idealism. Fact is, we are a car culture and (here in America) and that is certainly not going to change anytime soon. At the end of the day, I am not entirely sure it should because the simple fact is the cost to properly expand roads and educate drivers to make a true "share the road" situation/culture probably could not be justified, given the tiny percentage of the population who actually bicycle to any significant degree (whether for actual transportation or merely for fitness). It is also the reason why I don't own a MC, though I would (and have in the past) enjoy the occasional ride.

[wgscott]

I also bring a video cam with me, so I can get the license plate of whomever tried (or succeeded ) to kill me, so that my family can recover damages. Most cars here do a hit and run, especially when the driver is intoxicated, which in Santa Cruz is probably 9 out of 10.

[sandyk]

I also bring a video cam with me, so I can get the license plate of whomever tried (or succeeded ) to kill me, so that my family can recover damages. Most cars here do a hit and run, especially when the driver is intoxicated, which in Santa Cruz is probably 9 out of 10.

 

Perhaps they should Breathalyse cyclists too .

Has anybody ever seen an R.B.T. with a cyclist being tested ?

[esldude]

I think the biking/car discussion is entirely appropriate for a thread about ignore lists. Most drivers of the cars at best have bikers on the ignore list or the run over list or the shoot as you pass by list.

[esldude]

Perhaps they should Breathalyse cyclists too .

Has anybody ever seen an R.B.T. with a cyclist being tested ?

 

I have seen people being sobriety tested when stopped riding their lawn mower to the liquor store on the side of the road. They of course had lost their license due to DUI's and were trying to do the responsible thing. I must admit I didn't feel threatened by the drunk on his riding mower doing 3.5 mph on the edge of the road. So I would have given him a pass unless he kept veering into the roadway (which he didn't).

[sandyk]

I think the biking/car discussion is entirely appropriate for a thread about ignore lists. Most drivers of the cars at best have bikers on the ignore list or the run over list or the shoot as you pass by list.

 

I don't have a problem with bikers as long as they act responsibly, as well as considerate to fellow road users. Riding 2 or 3 abreast isn't what I would call either responsible or considerate though.

It's also a good way to keep fit (weather permitting) and increase your vitamin D exposure, as well as saving money on public transport or petrol etc. costs.

[wgscott]

............

 

[esldude]

I don't have a problem with bikers as long as they act responsibly, as well as considerate to fellow road users. Riding 2 or 3 abreast isn't what I would call either responsible or considerate though.

It's also a good way to keep fit (weather permitting) and increase your vitamin D exposure, as well as saving money on public transport or petrol etc. costs.

 

Depends on the circumstances. I was behind a local weekly group ride a couples years back that pissed me off and I am a rider. They were single file spread out about the length of 4 large semi trucks. This on a curving two lane road with limited areas having visibility for passing. They stayed near the middle of the road which is their right. Had they bunched into groups 3 abreast you could have passed bunches of them at times legally and safely and been on your way. This road had no alternate routes for 7 or 8 miles. So I couldn't safely pass and was stuck behind them at 15-22 mph the whole way. On a highway with a 50 mph posted limit. So I understand someone getting frustrated in such conditions. I also understand when on a group ride that is pretty much the inevitable result. I thought the time of day and the route chosen was a poor one for a group ride if you didn't intend to agitate those in cars. Still that is their right to do such, and I have been behind people in cars who also drove that slow (and felt just as agitated at them). In such conditions it is easy to imagine those who don't bike being pretty upset about it.

[PopPop]

Sounds like you handled it well. I have to keep reassuring myself that I won't turn into a pile of bleached bones on the highway just because I got slowed down by traffic or bicycles. I will get home and survive to live another day. Still ... (damn bikers)

[esldude]

Still ... (damn bikers)

 

Are we talking bikers:

 

 

Or bikers:

[esldude]

Now this is not a biking hazard I have encountered (though I have come across an Angus bull a couple times). Then again I likely wouldn't be riding with snow on the ground:

 

 

Nor have I encountered these people:

WARNING: Adult content......... I think.

 

Solstice Parade 2012 - MountainGroovePhotography

[wwaldmanfan]

Now this is not a biking hazard I have encountered (though I have come across an Angus bull a couple times). Then again I likely wouldn't be riding with snow on the ground:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]25557[/ATTACH]

/QUOTE]

 

I was coming down a hill at a good clip (30+ MPH) on my road bike when an full-adult 8-point buck darted out of the woods directly in front of my front wheel, literally close enough to feel the breeze as I swerved to avoid it. Had I hit it, I probably would have been impaled, or at least knocked down and severely injured.

 

I'd hit a deer with my car at night on a rural Pennsylvania highway, and they sure do a lot of damage to a car at highway speeds.

[mansr]

Then again I likely wouldn't be riding with snow on the ground:

 

When I lived in Oslo, I rode a bike all winter. It was interesting at times.

[esldude]

 

I was coming down a hill at a good clip (30+ MPH) on my road bike when an full-adult 8-point buck darted out of the woods directly in front of my front wheel, literally close enough to feel the breeze as I swerved to avoid it. Had I hit it, I probably would have been impaled, or at least knocked down and severely injured.

 

I'd hit a deer with my car at night on a rural Pennsylvania highway, and they sure do a lot of damage to a car at highway speeds.

 

Oh, I have had encounters with deer a number of times while riding. Or even walking. Walking with my uncle's dog with me in a rural area a big deer sprung out of the roadside brush and missed crashing into me by an inch or two. The dog was just a family pet, but still I expected him to sense the deer rather than being more surprised than I was. He did give spirited chase to no avail.

[Priaptor]

Now this is not a biking hazard I have encountered (though I have come across an Angus bull a couple times). Then again I likely wouldn't be riding with snow on the ground:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]25557[/ATTACH]

/QUOTE]

 

I was coming down a hill at a good clip (30+ MPH) on my road bike when an full-adult 8-point buck darted out of the woods directly in front of my front wheel, literally close enough to feel the breeze as I swerved to avoid it. Had I hit it, I probably would have been impaled, or at least knocked down and severely injured.

 

I'd hit a deer with my car at night on a rural Pennsylvania highway, and they sure do a lot of damage to a car at highway speeds.

 

I recommend some mountain biking to you guys on the off roads of Blacktail Mountain in Montana just off Flathead lake. Mountain lions and hunters are much safer than motor vehicles.