You Know What Really Grinds My Gears? Now with 3x more gears...

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I don’t typically wish harm on people. But I make an exception for the obnoxious morons who ride loud bikes and treat the roads like their playground.

A couple years ago my wife and I were stopped at the lights at Anderson and 14th when we heard a loud whining behind us. A dude on a crotch-rocket wove in and out of traffic, then took the turn-off to 14th street without slowing down. He lost control, dropped the bike, and rag-dolled onto the meridian.

My wife got out of the car to see if he was alright and wait for the ambulance. Meanwhile, as a line of cars taking the 14th street turnoff slowly drove past the broken dude laying on the meridian, several of them rolled down their windows and gave him the finger or yelled at him.

Obnoxious motorcycle riders: You are hated.

Get a stick. Poke the exposed bone. Ask if it is annoying and/or painful. Repeat until ambulance arrives. Profit.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by fotze2

What is that? If it’s like trying to get an estate probated then f that.

Just email them and say dead?

My buddy’s wife killed herself a few years ago, but her LinkedIn saying her “open for work” anniversary comes up every year…..and people actually congratulate it. Brutal.

A really sad story took a really bad turn...congrats?

[Titan2]

Quad-post Platinum Award. Brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by WideReceiver

You can’t be serious. Car drivers want to kill motorcyclists because they beat them to a light? I’ll assume you’re being hyperbolic.

Kill them? Maybe not, but based on daily experiences commuting by bike I refrain from pulling up to the front of traffic at lights now. Too many unhinged folks that will gladly close pass you or worse for no reason, and giving them one (even if imaginary) just isn't worth it.

[Brendone]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Kill them? Maybe not, but based on daily experiences commuting by bike I refrain from pulling up to the front of traffic at lights now. Too many unhinged folks that will gladly close pass you or worse for no reason, and giving them one (even if imaginary) just isn't worth it.

By “close pass you”, they actually swerve to buzz you, or they proceed in a straight line rather swerve to avoid you? If they’re buzzing you, they’re a-holes. Driving straight (I’m assuming this is multi lane traffic?)…. Gonna say part of biking to work?

[Bigtime]

Swerve to buzz, close pass when there is a perfectly good lane to the left, busting the safe passing distance, you get it all.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Swerve to buzz, close pass when there is a perfectly good lane to the left, busting the safe passing distance, you get it all.

That’s completely ignorant of anyone who intentionally gets closer to a cyclist while passing, real jerk move.

Downtown is a weird case with respect to the passing distance bylaw. So I’m thinking 2 lanes of traffic heading in the same direction and a cyclist riding near the curb. The traffic lights turn red, everyone stops and the cyclist proceeds to the front of the line. When the light turns green, the way the bylaw is stated, no traffic can pass the cyclist (1m gap required between bike and car) because that space doesn’t exist on the roads downtown.

The ability for one singular cyclist to impede the flow of traffic for one lane is pretty ridiculous, doubly so when there are bike lanes near by and cyclists choose not to use them for whatever reason.

[SutterBrother]

Full volume iphone in a public space. Buy some airpods you inconsiderate mammy rammer.

[Fuzz]

Naw, that's silly. You are permitted to cross lines to give cyclists space, and there is zero reason most of the time you can't slide over to the left a metre in between other vehicles to give a little space to get by, and other vehicles to make space. Done well and considerately, no one would be inconvenienced. Unfortunately drivers are not at all at a skill level where they can do that, because they are either arse holes or incompetent. But this is not on the cyclist.

[GGG]

In my opinion downtown is a drive in the center of the lane like a car area. You can maintain traffic speeds for the most part with all the lights, there is not a shoulder space to ride in, it’s unsafe for cars to pass you in the same lane you are in.

All of that suggests that riding center of the lane is the correct move. It maintains the most outs for you when some car tries to kill you.

Filtering to the front doesn’t make sense because there is no shoulder lane for you to be riding in.

[Bigtime]

Keep in mind my experiences are not downtown, but rather on a 4 lane road that is never busy enough when I am riding it to "force" a driver to blow right by me closely, yet that is a regular occurrence.

[Shazam]

Maybe they're just trying to get a better look at your ass.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Naw, that's silly. You are permitted to cross lines to give cyclists space, and there is zero reason most of the time you can't slide over to the left a metre in between other vehicles to give a little space to get by, and other vehicles to make space. Done well and considerately, no one would be inconvenienced. Unfortunately drivers are not at all at a skill level where they can do that, because they are either arse holes or incompetent. But this is not on the cyclist.

It isn’t always possible depending on the vehicles size (referring more to commercial vehicles) if we are following the bylaw to a T.

The part I bolted is an absolutely boneheaded take. While yes, you may be correct that in the confines of a $203 bylaw ticket it is the drivers responsibility, all of the risk is being taken on by the cyclist. You can fight the power as much as you’d like and push for change, but the biggest risk will always be on the cyclist who has the most to lose. It’s why good drivers are taught defensive driving techniques, some cyclists could use a similar mindset.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Keep in mind my experiences are not downtown, but rather on a 4 lane road that is never busy enough when I am riding it to "force" a driver to blow right by me closely, yet that is a regular occurrence.

Yeah that’s a very different story too, every reasonable driver should make space for you.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

It isn’t always possible depending on the vehicles size (referring more to commercial vehicles) if we are following the bylaw to a T.

The part I bolted is an absolutely boneheaded take. While yes, you may be correct that in the confines of a $203 bylaw ticket it is the drivers responsibility, all of the risk is being taken on by the cyclist. You can fight the power as much as you’d like and push for change, but the biggest risk will always be on the cyclist who has the most to lose. It’s why good drivers are taught defensive driving techniques, some cyclists could use a similar mindset.

Nothing I said was about the safety or wise-ness of doing it. I don't, I take the lane if it feels unsafe. I rarely filter, but I suppose there are cases I do if it feels safer. I'm just saying there is nothing technically wrong with the law, and nothing that would create undue delay on motorists if they were capable of driving. So it's not on the cyclist, who always takes the blame.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Nothing I said was about the safety or wise-ness of doing it. I don't, I take the lane if it feels unsafe. I rarely filter, but I suppose there are cases I do if it feels safer. I'm just saying there is nothing technically wrong with the law, and nothing that would create undue delay on motorists if they were capable of driving. So it's not on the cyclist, who always takes the blame.

Your definition of undue delay is different than mine I guess. The system seems not bad right now, but a 5 ton cube van or garbage truck would not have the space to pass a cyclist without drifting into the adjacent lane, which itself may be a violation depending how it’s performed.

I personally don’t get too worked up over cyclists behaviour. I do cycle a lot during the summer for after work errands, and I’ve had a few close calls, but the law as written is a bit silly and I doubt it changes the behaviour of some d bag who would buzz beside a cyclist.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Your definition of undue delay is different than mine I guess. The system seems not bad right now, but a 5 ton cube van or garbage truck would not have the space to pass a cyclist without drifting into the adjacent lane, which itself may be a violation depending how it’s performed.

I personally don’t get too worked up over cyclists behaviour. I do cycle a lot during the summer for after work errands, and I’ve had a few close calls, but the law as written is a bit silly and I doubt it changes the behaviour of some d bag who would buzz beside a cyclist.

I'm just curious at what point you think it's too much. Five seconds driving below your desired speed? 10? 30? Obviously this isn't a legal thing. Just wondering at what point it becomes an undue delay(which is to say, your time is more important than someone elses safety, because that's what it ultimately comes down to).

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I'm just curious at what point you think it's too much. Five seconds driving below your desired speed? 10? 30? Obviously this isn't a legal thing. Just wondering at what point it becomes an undue delay(which is to say, your time is more important than someone elses safety, because that's what it ultimately comes down to).

Once again I think the system works fine right now. My issue is that if the law was followed exactly as written it would cause significant congestion. If you’re asking for an exact amount of time, I can’t give that to you, but cumulatively among all drivers it would far exceed 5-30 seconds.

You bring up safety as if it’s only drivers responsible for cyclists safety. Every time someone hops on a bike, it’s a risk. Everyone is responsible for their own safety first and foremost, especially when you put yourself in a position of low to modest risk with a high level of severity. When I cycle to the pool with my kid in tow I know it’s me responsible for both of our safety, not the car that may plow into us.

[Fuzz]

Well ya, I adjust to the world we are stuck with.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I'm just curious at what point you think it's too much. Five seconds driving below your desired speed? 10? 30? Obviously this isn't a legal thing. Just wondering at what point it becomes an undue delay(which is to say, your time is more important than someone elses safety, because that's what it ultimately comes down to).

On the flip side, is it really a major convenience for cyclists to line up behind the other vehicles when stopped at a light? Is the few seconds gained by filtering to the front of traffic worth putting yourself in a more dangerous and less visible place on the road, while pissing off motorists who have to pass you again?