Bicyclists suck!

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Do you somehow gain wisdom by shaving your legs, wearing ugly coloured spandex and putting clown shoes on your feet?

Go on...

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

What's evident to me in this thread is the people who are complaining the most never cycle. I don't know if that's a criticism or not. I drive and bike. I don't have any problem moving over for a cyclist who goes to the front of a red light. I honestly can't comprehend how some people are getting so upset by that.

I look at that cyclist and am glad that he's one less stinking car on the road and the "inconvenience" of having to change lanes or at best move over 4 feet rolls off my back.

I'm afraid of the tribal righteousness of either side, but moreso of the people in the 2000lbs pollution machines.

The issue is when the road is narrow and it is rush hour AND the cyclist is only going about 25 km in a 50 zone or a 60 zone. He / she is causing traffic to back up. You know how much traffic is in the city and how it can back up and cause problems.

If the road is not narrow and there is room for the cyclist then go for it.

But if the road is narrow and there are a number of red lights or stop signs which allow the cyclist to catch up then it can be very frustrating. Having to pass the same cyclist 3 or more times is dangerous for everybody involved. Pass them or go 30 km.

Under these circumstances the #######s who drive the cars turn into jerks and it gets more dangerous. So then it can escalate out of hand. We have all heard stories.

So yes, the cyclists has the right to be on the road but do they not see the big picture of the traffic flow? Why put yourself in that kind of dangerous situation just because it is your right?

[Tinordi]

I drive in rush hour with cyclists. Unless it's grid lock there's always room to move over. You put on your blinker, move over a bit and pass. I know this concept is loath to many Calgary drivers and the idea that they "own" lanes they're driving in.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I drive in rush hour with cyclists. Unless it's grid lock there's always room to move over. You put on your blinker, move over a bit and pass. I know this concept is loath to many Calgary drivers and the idea that they "own" lanes they're driving in.

What? The cyclists in this thread have repeatedly condemned that as unacceptable. They claim that they have just as much right to that lane, ergo if you dont have a lane to move over to in order to pass them then you should be stuck behind them.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

What's wrong with that?

Nothing whatsoever.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Locke

What? The cyclists in this thread have repeatedly condemned that as unacceptable. They claim that they have just as much right to that lane, ergo if you dont have a lane to move over to in order to pass them then you should be stuck behind them.

It's the most irritating when you are in traffic that doesn't easily allow you to change lanes (like downtown a lot of the time). Obviously bikes are slow and it's annoying when you can't pass them and you could be driving 50 and you are going 15. It's the equivalent of a biker being forced to ride behind a pedestrian.


But I don't drive around that much so this issue isn't a hot button for me. But I have a cyclist passing policy. I will change lanes to pass them the first time, after that if they jump ahead at the light I assume they don't mind me taking the same courtesy and passing right by them on the road.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

[Edit] This is in response to rayne008's post above:

Funny you should mention that area. I walk along that stretch of 11th St. everyday on my way to work, and I was reminded of this thread this morning.

On my walk today, I saw two cyclists using the paths, and it made me wish that Calgary had more bike lanes like this one throughout the city. Literally 30 seconds after I had this pro-cyclist idea, a moron on his bike bombed through the crosswalk by the Co-op (corner of 11th St. and 11th Ave. SW), dangerously slalomed around pedestrians, then hopped the curb and rode on the sidewalk heading east-bound on 11th Ave. Any sympathetic thoughts I had towards cyclists instantly disappeared because of that d-bag.

And to answer your question, yes, there are dedicated bike lanes on both sides of 11th St.

I'm a cyclist and if you had the opportunity to cause that bozo to come off his bike in a painful manner (for him) and did so, I'd buy you a beer.

[MarchHare]

On my walk today, I saw two cyclists using the paths, and it made me wish that Calgary had more bike lanes like this one throughout the city. Literally 30 seconds after I had this pro-cyclist idea, a moron on his bike bombed through the crosswalk by the Co-op (corner of 11th St. and 11th Ave. SW), dangerously slalomed around pedestrians, then hopped the curb and rode on the sidewalk heading east-bound on 11th Ave. Any sympathetic thoughts I had towards cyclists instantly disappeared because of that d-bag.

Quoting myself because I saw yet another ###### cyclist at the same intersection during my walk home from work today. This moron decided that he'd rather ride on the sidewalk and cycle through crosswalks even though there is a dedicated bike lane two feet to his right. I watched him do this for two blocks along 11th St. (from 10th Ave to 12th Ave). The stupid camera app on my iPhone didn't load fast enough for me to get a photo of him using the sidewalk instead of the bike lane, but I did get this shot of him cycling through a crosswalk.



[Edit]
Here's a Google Maps street view of the same intersection clearly showing the perfectly good bike path that he wasn't using.

[Bunk]

If people really care - the City through its bike strategy is looking to fund three new positions - one dedicated to education and promotion, one to network planning and one engineer with expertise in bike lanes within roads to design and guide the development of infrastructure. During budget time, I would suggest writing your Alderman to support this funding if you think it's important enough.

[Byrns]

Originally Posted by Bunk

If people really care - the City through its bike strategy is looking to fund three new positions - one dedicated to education and promotion, one to network planning and one engineer with expertise in bike lanes within roads to design and guide the development of infrastructure. During budget time, I would suggest writing your Alderman to support this funding if you think it's important enough.

How about 4th one called enforcement?

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Byrns

How about 4th one called enforcement?

CPS enforces, but part of what the role of education and promotion will be to work with CPS on effectively enforcing (and communicating).

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Quoting myself because I saw yet another ###### cyclist at the same intersection during my walk home from work today. This moron decided that he'd rather ride on the sidewalk and cycle through crosswalks even though there is a dedicated bike lane two feet to his right. I watched him do this for two blocks along 11th St. (from 10th Ave to 12th Ave). The stupid camera app on my iPhone didn't load fast enough for me to get a photo of him using the sidewalk instead of the bike lane, but I did get this shot of him cycling through a crosswalk.



[Edit]
Here's a Google Maps street view of the same intersection clearly showing the perfectly good bike path that he wasn't using.

Looks like no helmet either (which in my head seems to be a pretty stupid idea in general, pardon the pun.)

[Nuje]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I drive in rush hour with cyclists. Unless it's grid lock there's always room to move over. You put on your blinker, move over a bit and pass. I know this concept is loath to many Calgary drivers and the idea that they "own" lanes they're driving in.

That's what I do. The cyclists should stick to the far right of the roadway anyways if there is no bike lane. If everybody stopped giving a crap about what's legal (although that's important too), and worried more about what's logical, it would work better. Motorists can be dicks to cyclists, and cyclists can be inconsiderate to the fact that they are sharing lanes with vehicles much faster than they are. On the rare occasion I ride a bicycle, I stick to the right, and cars have passed me in the same lane, whilst appreciating that I try to give them as much room to pass.

[driveway]

Having been here in Taipei for the last three weeks, I can honestly say that any complaints about how people use the roads in Calgary have completely vanished from my mind. Y'all have no idea, if people want to ride in the crosswalk, let 'em, it could be so, so, so much worse.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by driveway

Having been here in Taipei for the last three weeks, I can honestly say that any complaints about how people use the roads in Calgary have completely vanished from my mind. Y'all have no idea, if people want to ride in the crosswalk, let 'em, it could be so, so, so much worse.

That's a rather simplistic way of thinking. Just because things are worse elsewhere doesn't mean that they can't be improved here.

[Bill Bumface]

All you cyclist haters would have loved my maneuver this morning when I decided it should be no problem getting 3 feet of air to jump a puddle at Memorial and Edmonton trail (heading onto the path to get out of the way of drivers on the narrow bridge). My left foot unclipped, I think caught my front spokes, and wham, right over the bars. It's pretty embarrassing to come into work bleeding from your 7 minute bike commute.

[BurningYears]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

All you cyclist haters would have loved my maneuver this morning when I decided it should be no problem getting 3 feet of air to jump a puddle at Memorial and Edmonton trail (heading onto the path to get out of the way of drivers on the narrow bridge). My left foot unclipped, I think caught my front spokes, and wham, right over the bars. It's pretty embarrassing to come into work bleeding from your 7 minute bike commute.

Damn, that sounds too painful, I prefer the remove the feet from the pedals and raise the feet up high puddle manuever myself.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by BurningYears

Damn, that sounds too painful, I prefer the remove the feet from the pedals and raise the feet up high puddle manuever myself.

That would have hurt a lot less! If I would have gotten my #$%# together and bought a front fender I just would have rode right through it without caring.

[Locke]

Pfft. And they're worried about cars! Look at the amount of damage puddles cause!

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Locke

Pfft. And they're worried about cars! Look at the amount of damage puddles cause!

In truth, besides people being oblivious when they choose to open their car doors, I've only had one driver pull a dink move, which was driving about 6 inches beside me when there was a lot of slush and snow on the ground.

I've gone down twice commuting, once was from frozen slush that rendered my front tire an icy puck, and once was from a puddle. Well more specifically me trying to go all x-games on a puddle.

The city really needs to crack down on water. Fact: Water kills more people than gun shots every year. Think about it.