Bicyclists suck!

[MrMastodonFarm]

I can't wait for pylon to respond!

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by NuclearPizzaMan

Why should a city like Calgary where biking season lasts 4-5 months spend a single dime on bike lanes? Investing said cash in transit or sidewalk maintenance makes more sense.

I've always hated that line of argumentation. Why spend money building and maintaining baseball diamonds? How about outdoor pools? Soccer fields? Outdoor rinks? these things are are seasonal. Waste of money right?

Even so, about 40% of bike commuters cycle year round - even with Calgary's abysmal on street infrastructure and winter bike lane maintenance. My father for instance rode his bike 40km round trip all year round for about ten years. If it takes cars off the road or makes LRTs less crowded for relatively little cost, all while reducing the conflicts everyone has been fighting about, why not build bike lanes?

[red '00]

I cycle to work a few times a week, and also just ride for fun around the city fairly often.

I admit I take advantage of being on a bike. If I can get around faster by hopping a curb, bombing through a field, then back onto a different street, I'll do it. Stop signs are also more of a coasting yield - permitting there's no cars also at the intersection.

However, I feel like I'm safe about it, and respectful of pedestrians. I also try not to make it a habit to scare the #### out of drivers by acting unpredictable. so yes, I take advantage of being on my bike but only when it's safe to do so.

When there is cars around me, I do my best to obey all the traffic laws. Problem is, this seems to piss drivers off, or confuse them. Can't count the number of times I've stopped at a stop sign to let a car with the right of way proceed, only to have them stop and waive me along. This earns them a stupid look followed by a point to the stop sign, before they carry on looking like they've crapped themselves.

Bottom line, I might not "act exactly like a car" all the time, but I'm always aware and generally pretty safe. All I expect is for drivers to be the same, and hopefully not decide today is the day vehicular homicide is a kinda cool. Some people are mildly ######ed and make it hard for everyone, whether on a bike or driving a car.

Also, completely ignoring my existance on the road and merging directly into me is an offence worthy of losing your mirror with a quick swing of a U-lock. Just saying.

[normtwofinger]

Originally Posted by red '00

When there is cars around me, I do my best to obey all the traffic laws. Problem is, this seems to piss drivers off, or confuse them. Can't count the number of times I've stopped at a stop sign to let a car with the right of way proceed, only to have them stop and waive me along. This earns them a stupid look followed by a point to the stop sign, before they carry on looking like they've crapped themselves.

The real problem is the that the 'tour de calgary' dirt bags blow through red lights and stop signs causing us defensive drivers to not know what a cyclist is going to do.

[jayswin]

Damnit! The fact that Pylon thanked Bunk's post (4 posts or so up) means he's read Locke's epic response to his rant, so we likely won't see a response. I was really looking forward to it.

[HPLovecraft]

You suck.

[V]

I'm surprised MarchHare has such an opinion on this. I wouldn't expect pedestrians to care all that much about bicyclists following the rules of the road.

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

The real problem is the that the 'tour de calgary' dirt bags blow through red lights and stop signs causing us defensive drivers to not know what a cyclist is going to do.

In the case of a stop sign, when an intersection isn't busy a cyclist should be able to treat the stop as a yield. Plenty of cyclist friendly cities already have this rule in place.
I think that could really help motorists and cyclists.

[getbak]

I was looking for a picture of how they do on-street bike lanes in Munich, and came across this blog: http://blueeurope.blogspot.com/searc...cle%20planning

It's a good summary of the way they've done things in Munich, which has focused on keeping cars and bikes and pedestrians separated as much as possible.

These are the points I think Calgary should also focus on:

• On main routes, the focus is on getting separate bike lanes or paths instead of sharing space with cars.
• The quiet residential streets are considered to be the “muscles” of the bikeway system.
• The travel concept is to show route options off the busy major streets.

I live in Renfrew by 8th Ave NE east of Edmonton Trail. It's a designated bike route, which means that about a year ago, a city road crew drove down 8th Ave and painted a white bicycle on the road once or twice a block. 8th Ave is one of the widest roads in the area, but it's also one of the busiest. To me, it would make more sense to designate a less busy road like 9th Ave as the bike route. It's not as wide, but it's also a lot less busy.

You could even put up barricades every few blocks that bikes can get through, but cars can't, which would reduce traffic to only local access (like they've done on the streets around Kensington, for other reasons). Because people hate having traffic in front of their homes, it's probably something most NIMBY types would actually be in favour of too.

Since there aren't any obvious "quiet" streets in the downtown core, other solutions would need to be worked on. One of the things that boggles my mind is that one of the few streets where you're not allowed to ride a bike in Calgary is along the Stephen Avenue Mall. If anything, that should be encouraged as the main route for cyclists to take to move through the core.



BTW, here's the picture I was looking for:


Anytime there are cyclists and cars sharing the same street, the cycle lanes are clearly marked with white lines on the sides and a red strip down the middle. Cars can cross over the bike lane if needed, but the bike has the right of way in the lane.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

http://umanitoba.ca/news/blogs/blog/...ycling-habits/



Emphasis added.

Are you saying a website whose goal it is to not have to wear helmets might have posted data that supported it's point while ignoring other data?

That is just absurd!

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by V

I'm surprised MarchHare has such an opinion on this. I wouldn't expect pedestrians to care all that much about bicyclists following the rules of the road.

Why is this surprising? As a pedestrian, I find cyclists who don't follow the rules of the road (e.g. staying off sidewalks) to be a much bigger safety hazard than motorists.

[The Yen Man]

I just realized, all this time I've never treated a cyclist like a car. I've always treated them like pedestrians. I just move enough to the left to pass them and then continue on. It never even occurred to me that I should be moving to the left lane. I guess I'll keep that in mind next time I pass a cyclist.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Damnit! The fact that Pylon thanked Bunk's post (4 posts or so up) means he's read Locke's epic response to his rant, so we likely won't see a response. I was really looking forward to it.

You don't take a nut shot like that and get up right away, pylon might just be getting his bearings.

[MelBridgeman]

I don't see no bike jams on existing bike lanes, therefore one must conclude that no more lanes are needed at this time.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

I don't see no bike jams on existing bike lanes, therefore one must conclude that no more lanes are needed at this time.

Thanks Major Dueer.

[pepper24]

The city needs more people riding bikes to work removing more cars. Unfortunately, unsustainable suburban sprawl doesn't allow this.

[squiggs96]

I often hear motorists complaining about bikers. The alternative to me biking to work is me driving. This would put one more car driving to and from work. Since I drive the way I bike, by stopping at all stop signs completely, stopping at red AND yellow lights and obeying all other road rules, I will probably annoy the same motorists even more. If more people who are cyclists switch to driving, there will be more cars on the road and the commute to and from work will take even longer. Instead of being jerks to bikers, they should be encouraging more people to bike. This would take cars off the road and make the drive to and from work quicker for the cars that remain.

[pylon]

Okay, my much anticipated response.... never knew anyone actually gave a crap about my opinion...lol

Originally I was gonna type out a big FU response, however that wouldn't have been productive.

Don't forget, I do drive cars as well, and motorcycles, so it is not like I cannot see it from both sides. A lot of Locke's points I agree with, some, I do not. I was simply stating how I ride, and I know some of my etiquette isn't perfect.

Here is the problem. If you really want to see mayhem on the roads, then have cyclists obey all the traffic rules like a car...fine. You will wait longer at 4 way stops, you will miss lights, you will be stuck in heavy traffic behind a guy that can only pedal so fast. A ton of the time, when I hop up on a curb, or stay on the shoulder on a 3 way and go straight through, it is in consideration of the flow of traffic a lot of times. . If it is a 3way stop, what would you rather have me do. Get in line like all the cars, and you have to wait...or for one more rotation, or just be on my way, and take myself out of the equation? I feel bad when I hold up traffic, and stay on the side streets whenever possible. I have been there too behind the cyclist that thinks he owns the road and it is frustrating, I agree, but he has as much right as me when I am in my car to be there.

I'll give you another example, on 5th street and 50th ave, which is a bike route from Chinook Centre to Stanley Park, there is a crosswalk button that immediately triggers the traffic light. The second you hit it, the light goes orange. The button for this light is also set up right next to the curb so you do not have to dismount to push the button or cross the street. I never push the button. I just check both ways and go once it is safe. Why? Because why should traffic be held up in both directions, so one guy can cross the street. Does that make me a dangerous cyclist?

In the middle of the night at 11:00pm, if I am in Mount Royal, or going down Haddon road, or through Kingsland, and there is nobody in site or ear, of course I am going to just go through the stop signs. Remember when you are on a bike, you have the added advantage of hearing everything, and having zero forward blind spots. Sometimes you would be lucky to see a car every 20 minutes.

There is a huge difference between a bike and a car, and as a cyclist you are far closer to a pedestrian than a motorist. The likelihood of me killing you in your car while I am on my bike is probably 0.00000000000000000000001%. The likelihood of me killing a pedestrian is probably 0.00001 %. After a quick google search, I couldn't find one scenario where a cyclist killed a pedestrian in Calgary, ever.

I think it is an ego thing to be honest. A ton of motorists get all peeved because they get passed by the same cyclist in a rush hour situation a few times. Look at some of Pinners old posts, he admitted he would block them to impede their progress... why? Ego. Where as a bike enthusiast, I am usually checking out what kind of bike they are riding, but a lot of drivers are all rage mad because my $1600 ten speed, is giving them the perception that I am getting there quicker than you $45000, 450 HP Mustang. In tight traffic in the core, maybe.. probably, but trust me, after it is all said and done, the car will beat the cyclists once you get out of congestion. I am not racing the cars, but a lot of drivers, and admittedly cyclists, are racing.

I choose to cycle to work when I can for no other reason than my health, and I love the feeling of accomplishment when I become the engine. It adds an hour of commute time each day I ride, but it also saves me a trip to the gym for a cardio workout. I don't go out each day and say "I wanna piss off some drivers!" I do everything in my power to stay out of the way. However, I have been swerved at, spit at, had a slurpee heaved at, and almost killed by a Pinner "block" when I was shoulder checking, to enter traffic.

All I have ever done, is hold someone up for an extra 30 seconds. Remember, if cyclists were the same as cars, you guys would also be able to cut through parks, and use the pathway system, you can't, but I legally can. The small advantages I get as a cyclist, is the odd shortcut, bypass, and yes pedestrian/sidewalk switcharoo sometimes... but rest assured, I won't beat you to your destination, and for some, that seems to be the biggest issue.

I will leave with this. Locke, It is obvious by your post you know very little about cycling. Not a slight, simply an observation. Why don't you do this. Why don't you, accompany me, through the downtown core, on a weekday say at...7:30 am, and see if your opinion is any different. See the hell that cyclists have to deal with from the other side. See how comfortable you feel riding in a bike lane, that drivers are cutting into, see if you will really sit in traffic at the head of the line at a light with a guy waiting to turn right on your back wheel, or if you take the curb instead. I have a pile of bikes, I would be happy to lend you one for the experiment.

[Yasa]

I just want people to be consistent. I don't care what they choose. But it's not going to happen. #######s will always ruin a group for somebody.

[MarchHare]

I'll give you another example, on 5th street and 50th ave, which is a bike route from Chinook Centre to Stanley Park, there is a crosswalk button that immediately triggers the traffic light. The second you hit it, the light goes orange. The button for this light is also set up right next to the curb so you do not have to dismount to push the button or cross the street. I never push the button. I just check both ways and go once it is safe. Why? Because why should traffic be held up in both directions, so one guy can cross the street. Does that make me a dangerous cyclist?

When you use a crosswalk as a cyclist, do you dismount and walk your bike across? If not, do you expect other vehicles to yield to you as they would a pedestrian?