To the downtown cycler in the Flames jersey

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Maybe we could, if the sidewalk wasn't filled with 500 pound McDonald hamburger pounding behemonths belching on the way to their SUVs bitching about cyclists as they prepare to bumber-to-bumper it to their overpriced cardboard boxes in suburbia.

When was the last time YOU saw YOUR toes?

Saw your wife's toes this morning, so I really don't care about mine

Badum badum

[STeeLy]

damn it people, u're supposed to SHARE the road. Bicycles AND motor vehicles

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Saw your wife's toes this morning, so I really don't care about mine

Badum badum

[Thunderball]

Ideally, the roads should be shared, but personally, I've never felt it was safe having bicycles on the roads with 2000+lb vehicles screaming around them (even if they are driving safely). Its not about who is a ######bag driver, or who isn't being safe... its physics... if a cyclist isn't careful, or hits a gravel patch and loses control, they're dead.

I think they should be on sidewalks... yes, there are a lot of fat, slow walkers there, but at least if there's a collision, its a case of dusting off one's shoulders and moving on. Perhaps there could be a bike lane on the sidewalk?

Downtown is a different case though... seeing as traffic rarely moves faster than 30 and for more than a block or two.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Cyclists can keep up with the traffic. They are the traffic.

Particularly downtown, where you are only able to go a block or two at a time, it's easy to sprint light to light and flow with vehicular traffic.

Cyclists that don't follow the rules of the road though, are asking for it, and that's coming from a cyclist. Submarining (riding up lanes of traffic alongside stopped cars) is my big pet peeve - it's suicide because drivers have already checked that there is nobody alongside them, whether its to turn or to open a door. Stay in your lane, in your spot, like everyone else.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Any tool can buy some spandex garb and spend $2000 on a mountain bike.. you guys are heros.. Last I checked the roads were meant for cars and trucks.. I was merely stating that you shouldnt ride on a road if you can't keep up with the flow of traffic..

The only road not open to bicycles is Deerfoot. Check the "Share the Road" signs out there, they're not open "just for cars and trucks". Again, if you're unable to coexist with bikes on the road, do us all a favour and get a bus pass. It takes a whole 10 seconds out of your day to pass safely by.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

Ideally, the roads should be shared, but personally, I've never felt it was safe having bicycles on the roads with 2000+lb vehicles screaming around them (even if they are driving safely). Its not about who is a ######bag driver, or who isn't being safe... its physics... if a cyclist isn't careful, or hits a gravel patch and loses control, they're dead.

I think they should be on sidewalks... yes, there are a lot of fat, slow walkers there, but at least if there's a collision, its a case of dusting off one's shoulders and moving on. Perhaps there could be a bike lane on the sidewalk?

riding bicycles on sidewalks is illegal.

[LeftWing]

The only thing that irritates me about cyclists is that classic move where they decide they are a vehicle and everyone affords them the appropriate room. And then ... the light turns red, all vehicles stop, except for super-bicyclist who rockets to the front of the line. Then the light turns green and everyone gets to go 25 km/h while the cyclist decides to be a vehicle again.

Other then that I'm mostly in awe of the hundreds of cyclists that manage to navigate the core without getting squirshed.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by habernac

riding bicycles on sidewalks is illegal.

I realize that. I'm saying it shouldn't be.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by LeftWing

The only thing that irritates me about cyclists is that classic move where they decide they are a vehicle and everyone affords them the appropriate room. And then ... the light turns red, all vehicles stop, except for super-bicyclist who rockets to the front of the line. Then the light turns green and everyone gets to go 25 km/h while the cyclist decides to be a vehicle again.

Other then that I'm mostly in awe of the hundreds of cyclists that manage to navigate the core without getting squirshed.

I ride the core a lot, and for the most part Calgary drivers are excellent. I have only ever had one close call, and the driver was VERY apologetic.

Sure I have seen lots of jerks and had to maybe stop or jump a curb suddenly, but nothing too serious. I find it has a lot to do with the cyclists attitude and knowledge.

On that note, I would argue that a cyclist should have a DRIVERS LICENSE to be able to ride on the road with cars. Else, its only bike paths.

[Bertuzzied]

I smoked a bike courier in downtown rush hour traffic at 50km/h back in 1996. I made the news! hehe. The guy was so lucky i was driving an old honda accord which was a really low car. I hit the bike and the guy fell onto my windshield. I thought I had killed him but when i got out of the car he was standing up and getting ready to ride away. haha His bike lock was like a half block away from us.

It was some guy from Quebec and it was his first day on the job. haha. He went through a red light and 3 lanes of traffic when i hit him.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by habernac

The only road not open to bicycles is Deerfoot. Check the "Share the Road" signs out there, they're not open "just for cars and trucks". Again, if you're unable to coexist with bikes on the road, do us all a favour and get a bus pass. It takes a whole 10 seconds out of your day to pass safely by.

I find it rediculous you can argue your right to pedal down a road at 40 when traffic is blasting by at 90... You guys are so desperate to save the environment yet you bottleneck traffic behind you, makes sense to me..

I don't care whether or not you want to ride your bike to work, but trying to pedal down 22x at 6 am is just asking to be a statistic.. Also I love the brainwaves that use the crosswalk to continue riding even though traffic they were riding in has stopped at a red light.. I saw one try and cut back into traffic from the sidewalk and he almost ended up under a car..

[You Need a Thneed]

Yes, a cyclist should have a driver's license or something that helps them understand the rules of the road.

When I cycled to work in summer, it is almost everyday that you wish you had a rock in your hand to throw at some driver who didn't look and almost cut you off. As a cyclist, you MUST assume that every car out there doesn't see you.

Drivers who dont look before driving into crosswalks while they are turning right are a huge culprit. I'm totally surprised that more cyclists haven't been run over due to that alone.

However, when I'm driving a 30 ft long 8 foot wide Gooseneck trailer around, it is REALLY annoying when a cyclist drives past you while you are waiting for a red light, just after you've spent a good deal of time trying to get around them, because I have to pull halfway into the next lane to give you enough space while I'm driving at any kind of speed. Then at the next red light I get to do it all again. Just stay behind me if you don't want to get run over or clipped.

[troutman]

Sure, bicycles have the legal right to share the road, but that's cold comfort if a car driver makes a mistake. Went to high school with a fellow who was perhaps the top cyclist in Alberta - he was killed by a car. Another friend was injured riding to work. It's just risky. Especially on the busiest streets - what is frustrating to many car drivers, is seeing cyclists on very busy streets at rush hour, when there is a dedicated bike path 10 m to the right of the road.

It would be great if more people could ride bikes to work - I just wish it could be made safer. More bike routes?

[llama64]

I get really nervous when there are cyclists on busy roads. One mistake by anyone and that cyclist could very well be dead before anyone can react.

My main beef with the majority of cyclists I encounter is that they fail to recognize that they are indeed a vehicle while mounted on their bike. This means they cannot be treated as a pedetrian. Too many abuse situations by pretending to be one or the other as it suits them. For example, crossing a street in a cross walk only to start travelling in a traffic lane. If you're gonna do that, get off your bike. I once watched an elderly pedestrian get smoked by a cyclist pulling that exact move. And yes, this is the majority of cyclists that I have encountered.

Also, DON'T RIDE BETWEEN STOPPED VEHICLES AND PARKED CARS! No, there isn't another magic bike lane in the 2 feet between my car and the one in the parking spot. Remember, some of us drivers need to turn right at intersections. This is especially important to realize during the evening or early morning when light levels are very low (since black seems to be the predominant outfit colour for stylish cyclists).

[SarichFan]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

Meh... if a downtown cycler cuts you off, you kill him... if you cut off a downtown cycler, you kill him... I think cars need to be a bit more careful considering they can kill bycicles (not vice versa).

So why the heck aren't downtown cyclists more carefull on the road? They are the ones assuming the majority of the risk.

[llama64]

Originally Posted by SarichFan

So why the heck aren't downtown cyclists more carefull on the road? They are the ones assuming the majority of the risk.

Never misjudge the power of righteous ignorance and the overpowering sense of entitlement. Bikes are allowed to be on the road too, so move over fatty SUV driver!

Well, some cyclists are like that. But no one posting on this board would be dumb enough to subscribe to that particular view

[habernac]

Originally Posted by llama64

I get really nervous when there are cyclists on busy roads. One mistake by anyone and that cyclist could very well be dead before anyone can react.

My main beef with the majority of cyclists I encounter is that they fail to recognize that they are indeed a vehicle while mounted on their bike. This means they cannot be treated as a pedetrian. Too many abuse situations by pretending to be one or the other as it suits them. For example, crossing a street in a cross walk only to start travelling in a traffic lane. If you're gonna do that, get off your bike. I once watched an elderly pedestrian get smoked by a cyclist pulling that exact move. And yes, this is the majority of cyclists that I have encountered.

Also, DON'T RIDE BETWEEN STOPPED VEHICLES AND PARKED CARS! No, there isn't another magic bike lane in the 2 feet between my car and the one in the parking spot. Remember, some of us drivers need to turn right at intersections. This is especially important to realize during the evening or early morning when light levels are very low (since black seems to be the predominant outfit colour for stylish cyclists).

this is a mistake made by motorists as well. When I pull up to the four way stop, you don't need to wave me through, I'll wait my turn, thanks.

And I agree that education on both sides is a good thing. Not enough motorists know the rights of cyclists on the road.

Most cycle commuters I know have reflective vests and lights on (and I know the police are ticketing people without lights as well, this is a good thing, too).

[habernac]

Originally Posted by troutman

Sure, bicycles have the legal right to share the road, but that's cold comfort if a car driver makes a mistake. Went to high school with a fellow who was perhaps the top cyclist in Alberta - he was killed by a car. Another friend was injured riding to work. It's just risky. Especially on the busiest streets - what is frustrating to many car drivers, is seeing cyclists on very busy streets at rush hour, when there is a dedicated bike path 10 m to the right of the road.

It would be great if more people could ride bikes to work - I just wish it could be made safer. More bike routes?

you're talking Memorial Drive? I know some of the faster cyclists take the road because they get speeding tickets on the bike paths.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I find it rediculous you can argue your right to pedal down a road at 40 when traffic is blasting by at 90... You guys are so desperate to save the environment yet you bottleneck traffic behind you, makes sense to me..

That's the third time you've made reference to the environment. You think there might be some other reasons other than the pointless old environment?