It is the warm season here in New England, which means the proliferation of bike riders on the roads. It also means the increase of bicycle caused accidents and injuries.
Don’t get me wrong, I applaud people who want to be healthier who ride for exercise. I also applaud people who ride their bike to work, school and errands to help save gas or be kinder to the environment. I also recognize that for every 25 cars on the road, one is going to be careless near a bike.
What gets me is the tendency of bicycles to think they own the road, or that they deserve to do whatever they wish because they are making some perceived self sacrifice in riding a bike, or, worse, when bike riders are careless. The careless bike riders put not just themselves at risk, but drivers and pedestrians as well.
Things I’ve seen so far this year:
• Bicyclists riding 5 across on a two lane highway, blocking a line of cars behind them and flipping off the drivers when they rolled their windows down to ask them to ride single file.
• Bike riders who refuse to stay on the outside of the white line, away from cars, swerving in and out of the narrow roads unpredictably, making it difficult to pass them for their own safety.
• Bike riders who punch the hoods of cars as they go by.
• The riders who choose to ride on the most rural of roads. If there is not a white line, and not enough room for cars to pass, much less a bike, you shouldn’t be on that road. It’s a hazard for bike riders and those driving.
• People who ride and talk on a cell phone. I mean, do I really have to spell out why here?
• Bikes who crowd walkers into the street on the rural roads here. You’re faster, pass a walker on the left quickly, then get back on the outside of the white line, or preferably onto an off-road bike trail instead.
There are many more things that I’ve seen bicycle riders do that put themselves and others at risk. Bike riders, don’t be a hazard. Make it EASY for us not to injure you or ourselves trying our best to avoid you.
Yeah, people who ride bikes should totally be more careful!
Especially in my complex, when Poppa Sye gets behind the wheel. Yet Another individual that should NOT be allowed to operate ANYTHING that has wheels.
I always do my best to drive slowly, steer clear, and keep my distance, but sometimes they really DO act like they OWN the road, block traffic and cause accidents!
I have a WHOLE NUTHER POST about elderly drivers on here somewhere… it's under Blog Rants category. In fact, probably more than one… lol
[...] motorists aren’t even aware that we are allowed to be riding on the road. I ran across this rant this morning and it kinda hit home with me. Not only does the author joke about shooting cyclists [...]
You know who acts as if they own the road? CARS. Remember: roads in this country were first made for hooves and wagon wheels – THEN bicycles, then cars. Roads today are not exclusive to automobiles – all taxpayers pay for them, and all who have legal place on the road (including people on bikes, mopeds, motorcycles, horse-and-buggy, rollerblades, skateboards, and scooters) have a right to be there. Get over your obsession with your car and realize that your right to be on the road is not more valid than any others.
This rant is pretty pathetic. Filled with ignorant oversights, hypocritical parallels, and middle class entitlement. You should lose your license for this.
Lose my license for blowing off steam in a safe online blog rant and not behind the wheel? That is an interesting perspective, but that's part of what the 'net is for – hearing opinions other than your own.
the only thing you need do to understand and identify with the way people feel in the USA when they ride a bike is to try – actually riding a bike – to get places, to do things. You quickly will realize that rants like this can only be written by people who never ride bikes, and hence don't know what the hell they are talking about.
You have dashboard perspective. Since cyclists also own cars and drive, the cyclists also understand the dashboard perspective in addition to the bicycle perspective. The combination of both perspectives allows them to understand that you are reckless and narrow-minded as a car-driver only. You can not realize what you really are, because you can only know your side of the equasion.
It first occurred to me that it might not be worth it to express my opinion in this seemingly close-minded forum. You seem pretty steadfast in your beliefs. But, my annoyance got the best of me in the end.
Here's the deal. There is ignorance and recklessness on both sides of the coin. Sure, bikers can do some obnoxious shit. I am occasionally guilty. But, if you had ever actually ridden a bike, you would realize what a pain in the ass 75% of drivers are. I've been spit at, nudged over, doored, followed, insulted, threatened and nearly killed several times. Motorists can be a hate-filled breed. Understandably so. You are all trapped in boxes waiting in line, while us cyclists have managed to avoid this expensive curse. How sad for you.
You must also realize that isn't much room out there for us. We have to share. If you want us out of your way, write to the city about adding more bike lanes.
And if you think joking about shooting us is going to be taken lightly, you've got another thing coming. You're only exacerbating the problem. So, go ahead, keep it up. Its stuff like this that makes us feel entitled about taking up what little space we do on the road. Just take it easy. We're all gonna get there. Just some of us will get there faster and in better shape.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090929...
It first occurred to me that it might not be worth it to express my opinion in this seemingly close-minded forum. You seem pretty steadfast in your beliefs. But, my annoyance got the best of me in the end.
Here's the deal. There is ignorance and recklessness on both sides of the coin. Sure, bikers can do some obnoxious shit. I am occasionally guilty. But, if you had ever actually ridden a bike, you would realize what a pain in the ass 75% of drivers are. I've been spit at, nudged over, doored, followed, insulted, threatened and nearly killed several times. Motorists can be a hate-filled breed. Understandably so. You are all trapped in boxes waiting in line, while us cyclists have managed to avoid this expensive curse. How sad for you.
You must also realize that isn't much room out there for us. We have to share. If you want us out of your way, write to the city about adding more bike lanes.
And if you think joking about shooting us is going to be taken lightly, you've got another thing coming. You're only exacerbating the problem. So, go ahead, keep it up. Its stuff like this that makes us feel entitled about taking up what little space we do on the road. Just take it easy. We're all gonna get there. Just some of us will get there faster and in better shape.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090929...