Revenge of the Cyclist

[Dannyboy]

I went out for a quick ride this morning.  As I was coming up to one of the traffic circles, I saw an S-10 pick up coming around the circle.  I started coasting because I didn't think he was gonna stop.  I'm looking right at the guy and he finally sees me and slams on his brakes.  Now, I was almost at a stop by this point, so I'm not sure why he hit the brakes so hard.  Anyway, I jump up and try to start going again.  I was cruising along in the big ring with a stiff Brigantine tailwind and I forgot to downshift, so this was harder than it should have been.  As I make it past the truck and the car stopped at the next street over, coming into the circle, I hear a bang and the sound of an engine revving.  Turns out there was someone paying even less attention than the guy in the S-10. 

I felt pretty good on the ride but that made all the pain go away.  I've already been smacked with a truck mirror by some jackass that wasn't paying attention, so this made my day.

[drewtam]

Cyclist should really stay off public roads that are busy and have speed limits above 35mph. Its not safe for anyone. As your experience and example shows.

[Nitrogen]

...Unless they can ride at the speed the rest of traffic is traveling at.

[Balog]

What Drewtam said. If a car was going bike speeds it'd get an "obstructing the flow of traffic" ticket, yet bikes get a pass.

[mfree]

Er... don't vehicles in the circle already normally get right of way?

[alex_trebek]

Er... don't vehicles in the circle already normally get right of way?

I think the rule states that the biggest vehicle gets the right of way.... 

[cosine]

Er... don't vehicles in the circle already normally get right of way?

I think the rule states that the biggest vehicle gets the right of way.... 

What, you mean the laws of physics aren't suspended for the smug, superior cyclist? I'm so crushed...

[AmbulanceDriver]

Couple things I learned as a teenager while learning to drive:

1:  The lugnut rule.  He with the most lugnuts, wins

2:  YTT:  Yield to Tonnage.

[41magsnub]

Yep, bikes do not have the right of way automatically they have to follow traffic rules as if they were a car.  If the truck was already in the traffic circle and you were not in it yet he had the right of way, not you, and it caused an accident.  I hope you didn't get anybody hurt.

[Dannyboy]

First of all, the speed limit was 25 going into the circle and 20 on the circle.  The speed limit for most of the island is 25 or 30, with bike paths on the main road.  I was doing the speed limit until I started coasting.  This circle, for some reason, is different in that people coming into the circle from the main road have the right of way.  Not sure why but that's how it is.  As for staying off of the road, bite me.  I pay my taxes and unlike most people in cars, I obey traffic laws.  I know it's a risk but it's one I'm willing to take.  That's why this was so gratifying.  Inattentive jerkoffs are the biggest problem on the roads and these 2 got what they deserve. 

Cyclist should really stay off public roads that are busy and have speed limits above 35mph.

So, we should ride on sidewalks?  Then it's just the same as cyclists on roads.  Except with less room for error and movement.  So, no, that's not gonna work.  Any other bright ideas?

[alex_trebek]

Insert Quote
Quote from: alex_trebek on Today at 10:00:59 AM
Quote
Er... don't vehicles in the circle already normally get right of way?

I think the rule states that the biggest vehicle gets the right of way....  grin

What, you mean the laws of physics aren't suspended for the smug, superior cyclist? I'm so crushed... Tongue

Yep, but also applies to smug prius owners vs. pickup, arrogant diesel silverado owners vs. Semi, etc.  It's cool how sometimes things just take care of themselves.

[atomd]

Cyclist should really stay off public roads that are busy and have speed limits above 35mph. Its not safe for anyone. As your experience and example shows.

Well said. I've seen way too many traffic problems caused by cyclists. Many of them hold up traffic even when they have an opportunity to get out of the way. I've been stuck going 15mph in a 45mph zone for miles only to see some jerk on a bike holding everyone up. Their smug attitude makes them think their method of traveling is worth obstructing hundreds of other people.

There is a speed limit for a reason. Going much slower than that limit is not obeying the traffic laws...no matter what you're in or on.

[mfree]

"This circle, for some reason, is different in that people coming into the circle from the main road have the right of way."

Ok, that was my only concern.

[HankB]

Traffic circles are an abomination designed by idiots.

And all the self-rightous indignation in the world won't help the Darwin-award-seeking bicyclist who insists that he has a right to pedal around in heavy or high-speed traffic when he finally tries to occupy the same place at the same time as a motor vehicle.

And the worst offenders will take pleasure in collisions they cause . . . until karma catches up to them, as it inevitably will.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

The problem is not cyclists on the roads.  The problem is idjit drivers who don't pay attention to what they're doing.  Idjit, inattentive drivers will cause wrecks whether their are cyclists (or motorcyclists, or pedestrians, or...) on the roads or not.  The cyclists are merely coincidental.

[Racehorse]

Sometimes the cyclist is the problem. Sometimes it's the driver. There are idiots on both sides. Cyclists should get as far off the road as they can safely get, but they rarely do. Drivers should pay attention and not put the cyclists in danger, but they rarely do.

All things considered, I value my life too much to ride a bike on busy streets. Too many people don't pay attention.

[Fly320s]

Not to mention that in many states cyclists are required to ride on the road.  When they do, cyclists have the same rights and privilages as car drivers.

[Harold Tuttle]

"Cyclists should get as far off the road as they can safely get"

The curb area collects glass and other debris that poses a hazard to cyclists

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

"As far off the road as they can safely get" usually means a third of the way into the right-hand lane of traffic.  Most drivers don't realize that it isn't safe to ride very far to the right.

[Racehorse]

"Cyclists should get as far off the road as they can safely get"

The curb area collects glass and other debris that poses a hazard to cyclists

Right. That's why I said safely.

[Balog]

Not to mention that in many states cyclists are required to ride on the road.  When they do, cyclists have the same rights and privilages as car drivers.

But they're on equipment that can't handle obeying traffic laws in many cases. Would you drive a 45 mph top speed scooter on a 75mph speed limit interstate? So why are bicyclists a protected class who can break the law and endanger others with impunity?

[Creeping Incrementalism]

When I was a kid and rode a bicycle to school, I was hit by a car at an intersection by an astoundingly inattentive driver.  It was a 4-way stop, and I went when it was my turn.  The person to my right, a woman in a minivan, hit me at a perfect broadside at about 2 MPH.  The strike was such that my right handlebar was against her bumper, and my left against the pavement, such that no part of my body made contact with anything.  She dragged me for about a yard before stopping and apologizing profusely.  I wasn't hurt at all and my bike wasn't even damaged, other than minor scrapes on the end of the handlebars.  I could not believe that she did not see me.  It was like I was a ghost.  I'm right in front of her, yet she didn't even realize I was there after she hit me... it took three feet of being dragged before she stopped.

I narrowly avoided a few other accidents involving drivers making right turns.  But being hit by cars isn't what I disliked about riding a bicycle, it was getting rained on, or hailed on, or people amusing themselves by throwing things at me or spitting at me from cars, all of which were much more common.  Bicycling has got to be the worst way to commute, even though I enjoyed the exercise.  Finally, someone stole my bicycle right out of my own garage.  My mom would always leave the garage door open whenever she went on a short errand because it wasn't automatic and she was too lazy to get out and shut it.  So I rode the bus instead.

[crt360]

Around here, we have so many electric wheelchairs and hoveround type motorized chairs cruising the streets that the people on bikes hardly ever seem like a problem.  In fact, I can't even remember the last time I had to dodge a cyclist or was held up in traffic because of one.  Even if I encountered a dozen a day, it wouldn't compare to the number of retards in cars doing things like stopping in the middle of a 40mph road to turn right across two or three lanes of traffic, making illegal left turns to take a short-cut to McDonalds, doing u-turns on busy downtown streets to beat someone to a parking spot (knowing their suburban or crown vic can't make the turn without backing up a time or three).

I've always enjoyed riding a bike, but much less in the last few years - largely because it seems like drivers licenses and cars are easily obtainable by anyone with a pulse.  Also, as I've said before and those of you here know, Texas cities and roads are not cyclist or pedestrian friendly.  Judging by what seems like a few motorcyclist deaths here every day or so, it's not too good for them, either.  There are many places where you just can't safely get from one point to another without a full-sized, motorized vehicle.  Public transportation is mediocre to non-existent.

An interesting trend I've noticed recently are the growing numbers of middle-aged men, mostly Mexican, who are traveling the roads by bicycle.  I had been assuming much of it was due to the recent passing of Draconian DWI penalties, but now the gas prices have to be factoring in (especially for people making $5.85 an hour).

With what seems like 90% of the road occupied by SUVs and super-extra-crew-club-maxi-hemi trucks driven by the desperately-in-need-of-exercise, something that encourages and aids in safer bicycle commuting needs to be done.   

I'll agree that putting on your Lance jersey and getting out on 360 is stupid, as is riding on the shoulder of most of the state highways and the narrow, shoulderless FMs, but bicyclists ought to be able to at least make it through the neighborhoods and low-to-medium traffic 30mph city streets without being harassed or run over.

[MechAg94]

So what I gather from the OP is that if the S-10 driver had not hit the breaks and let you in front of him, the car that rear ended him would have plowed right over you.  Should you be thanking the S-10 driver?  (maybe I didn't get the picture right)

[geronimotwo]

Not to mention that in many states cyclists are required to ride on the road.  When they do, cyclists have the same rights and privilages as car drivers.

But they're on equipment that can't handle obeying traffic laws in many cases. Would you drive a 45 mph top speed scooter on a 75mph speed limit interstate? So why are bicyclists a protected class who can break the law and endanger others with impunity?

sorry, but aren't we all looking at this backwards? after all what came first, the bike or the car?