And you don't expect some doofus to just jump out into traffic like that.
They are both equally at fault. Luckily no injuries. I had to laugh at how they both just so calmly accepted fault and went on they own ways.
I can't tell for sure if that's NYC, but if it is you sure as hell better expect people to cross like that, as it's the norm. The same goes for a lot of big cities.
I had an interesting issue with a guy on a bike today, although "issue" may be a bit strong. Went for a run on a path that is split into running and bike/blade for parts and shared for parts. While on the shared part, and way to the right (running on the white line basically) I had a bike go by fairly close despite their being no other traffic around. He didn't clip me, but I was kind of like 'you'd be losing it if a car did that to you'. Just found it kind of funny.
I also had a guy on a bike run into my back on that path, but that was due to some dumbass riding along with his dog on a leash beside him, or rather all over the place, causing a mess on a busy path.
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I can't tell for sure if that's NYC, but if it is you sure as hell better expect people to cross like that, as it's the norm. The same goes for a lot of big cities.
It doesn't matter what city or what the norm is. This whole thread is about cyclists running through stop signs and red lights. Most are arguing that is the norm for cyclists. If a car hits them are they then less at fault because that is the norm and the car should have been expecting such an event?
I avoided this topic... its seems rather imflamitory or a fight waiting to happen... but I give in...
I "hate" cyclists for one reason. It essentially boils down to the cyclists that feel they can "switch" rules from cyclist to pedestrian whenever its most convenient, sometimes 4 or 5 times in a minute... which realy boils down to not following any rule set at all. It’s infuriating when I manage or patiently work to get by a bike on the road only to have them pass everyone in the shoulder at the light and force us to go through it all over again. Seeing them suddenly decide to use a cross walk signal and then hop up on the sidewalk is just irritating. The pure lack of consistency means that as a driver I can never, ever depend on ANY cyclist to obey the rules of the road and so therefore whenever they are near me I have to fear for their lives and assume they have no sense of self preservation, I have to assume this based on the behavior of some.
I know the responsible bikers will pipe up and say they hate these cyclists as well… but it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t depend on any of you for fear that you may be one of the loose cannons.
It doesn't matter what city or what the norm is. This whole thread is about cyclists running through stop signs and red lights. Most are arguing that is the norm for cyclists. If a car hits them are they then less at fault because that is the norm and the car should have been expecting such an event?
If the car is also running a red light I suppose you'd have a point. I also didn't say a thing about who was at fault, but I guess if you want to run, or pedal, off down that road by yourself feel free.
This is a bike going the wrong way down the street, and a pedestrian checking for traffic from where traffic should be expected to come from. They're both in the wrong technically, but if that's a city where pedestrians frequently cross like that the guy on the bike should be well aware that someone could be stepping out.
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When you do a signature and don't attribute it to anyone, it's yours. - Vulcan
I can't tell for sure if that's NYC, but if it is you sure as hell better expect people to cross like that, as it's the norm. The same goes for a lot of big cities.
I had an interesting issue with a guy on a bike today, although "issue" may be a bit strong. Went for a run on a path that is split into running and bike/blade for parts and shared for parts. While on the shared part, and way to the right (running on the white line basically) I had a bike go by fairly close despite their being no other traffic around. He didn't clip me, but I was kind of like 'you'd be losing it if a car did that to you'. Just found it kind of funny.
I also had a guy on a bike run into my back on that path, but that was due to some dumbass riding along with his dog on a leash beside him, or rather all over the place, causing a mess on a busy path.
This post reminded me of this video: Why you shouldn't run on trails with music on
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Rode up to a 4 way at 14 ave and 15 st yesterday. I was behind a car as we came to the sign and a guy on 15th just rides through on 15th. No pause no nothing. I (the cyclist) yelled at him "stop sign?" Dude didn't hear me of course but it made me grumpy and made me think of this thread.
Later as I got close to my house at another 4 way as I came up to stop there was a driver already at the intersection and he waved me through as I rolled up. If I was following the rules I would have done a 3 sec stop and caused him annoyance instead of accepting his gesture. Car drivers often treat bikes differently than other vehicles. We can all coexist somehow.
I was going straight through a green light (on my bike) and had to slam on my brakes as a tandem gravel truck decided yielding to me was a waste of his time, so he turned left right in front of me.
I then start going again, and the SUV behind him was following to close to the gravel truck, also turning left, and didn't see me and I had to hit the brakes again. At least the second guy waved.
I'm sure those same guys are jerks when they are on their bikes.
I don't hate cyclists or motorists, or pedestrians, I just hate jerks. And rollerbladers.
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I had a run in with a cyclist today and it pisses me off how rude and ignorant they are to the rules of the road. I was walking north on 7th street on the west side crossing 2nd ave. I could see a cyclists coming from the west heading east on 2nd ave and I could tell he wasn't going to stop for me as the pedestrian in the crosswalk or stop for the stop sign he had. He didn't see the car heading south on 7th street and he had to slam on his brakes at the last second stopping right in front of me in the cross walk. I say "what the #### dude" and walk by. He had the audacity to say "you alright muffin, shut the #### up". It took everything I had not to throttle that rude son of a bitch. I hate cyclists that think they are above the rules of the road. I hope that idiot does run a stop sign and gets plowed!
If I was the guy walking I'd be a lot more pissed off. When I cross a one way street I generally only look one way because you don't expect somebody to be coming down the other.
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This thread is starting to effect me. Yesterday I went out for a ride on a bicycle, walk, run path in Fish Creek. There were a group of people congregating and chit chatting. They were older, late 50's, as i'm approaching I just know they are going to disperse right into my path.
I unclip my shoes, i'm ready and sure enough this guy walks right in front of me oblivious. Jay walking across the path. I brake to a stand still and tell him, I got you. But maybe he is posting on here.
Then, I notice I am not fulling standing at a stop sign if there are no cars, I just roll through on a right turn after I see no traffic coming. Nonetheless, breaking a part of the law. If I drive my car I usually come to a full stop at the sign.
People get bent out of shape because cyclists "switch" rules between cars and pedestrians. Well, they take rules from both because they are neither. They are cyclists.
If I'm riding my bike and come to an intersection on a green light where I have to turn left, would you prefer I sit there in the left lane like a car with my arm outstretched holding up a whole row of cars behind me? Or would you prefer I stay in the right lane, cross the intersection on the green, rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise and wait for the light to change?
My point is that all the rules of the road that apply to a car don't necessarily apply to a bike. That's why you don't need a license to ride one.
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If I'm riding my bike and come to an intersection on a green light where I have to turn left, would you prefer I sit there in the left lane like a car with my arm outstretched holding up a whole row of cars behind me? Or would you prefer I stay in the right lane, cross the intersection on the green, rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise and wait for the light to change?
I DO sit there in the left lane. When we get the left green arrow, it takes me a while to get my bike up to speed. So usually I am so slow going through the intersection that I'm the only one that can get through the light on the green arrow. You'd be amazed at how often I am honked at by pissed off drivers, mad at me for following the rules of the road. There's just no pleasing motorists.
Actually there is pleasing motorists. I think most would be happiest if we all gave up biking altogether.
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As for cars turning right, ignoring cyclists in the bike lane.... I have come to just *ASSUME* that the cars are going to ignore me being there. I check the signal light on the car before going through the green light. Even though I have the right of way to go straight through a green, right of way means nothing if you are dead. So, if the person turning right has their signal light on I'll STOP AT THE GREEN LIGHT, look through their window to make sure they see me, and THEN continue through the green.
I do think that it's kind of crazy that bikes are allowed to bike on the road when they don't have the ability to come close to the standard flow of traffic. Especially when they're biking on roads with a 70 km/h speed limit, you can generally tell when there's a cyclist up ahead because there's total chaos for a small stretch of the road. You hear about how the cops can ticket someone for driving significantly below the speed limit, so why not ticket bikes? It's dangerous when a car is stuck behind a bike, everyone beside him is doing 70 and he's trying to find a way to get around the bike.
If it's not a 50 km/h speed limit the bikes should probably stay off the road.
I do think that it's kind of crazy that bikes are allowed to bike on the road when they don't have the ability to come close to the standard flow of traffic. Especially when they're biking on roads with a 70 km/h speed limit, you can generally tell when there's a cyclist up ahead because there's total chaos for a small stretch of the road. You hear about how the cops can ticket someone for driving significantly below the speed limit, so why not ticket bikes? It's dangerous when a car is stuck behind a bike, everyone beside him is doing 70 and he's trying to find a way to get around the bike.
If it's not a 50 km/h speed limit the bikes should probably stay off the road.
Do you realize how limiting that would be?!? How many people go bicycle touring? I want to do the Ottawa to Kingston ride next spring... MOST of the roads are 70 km/h. There is no way to get from Ottawa to Kingston using 50 km/h roads. The road from Jasper to Banff (I90?) was mostly 70... and it is well know as one of, if not THE, best biking trips one can take.
As for cars turning right, ignoring cyclists in the bike lane.... I have come to just *ASSUME* that the cars are going to ignore me being there. I check the signal light on the car before going through the green light. Even though I have the right of way to go straight through a green, right of way means nothing if you are dead. So, if the person turning right has their signal light on I'll STOP AT THE GREEN LIGHT, look through their window to make sure they see me, and THEN continue through the green.
Do you have the right of way in this situation? The bike lane isn't painted through the intersection, and I'm not sure it's reasonable for drivers turning right to not only look for walkers going both ways, but also cyclist who are way farther behind.
Does riding a bike like a jerk get you downtown faster? We tested the theory to find out
So it seems that being a jerk pays off if all you care about is getting to work quickly. If you look at the bigger picture, however, you might want to reconsider. Not only did The Jerk have the most dangerous ride to work, dodging buses and harassing pedestrians, he was also the only one who professed a need for a shower. Tack on 10 minutes, at a minimum, for a shower, and the time until he sits at his desk is pretty much the same as everybody else.
Do you realize how limiting that would be?!? How many people go bicycle touring? I want to do the Ottawa to Kingston ride next spring... MOST of the roads are 70 km/h. There is no way to get from Ottawa to Kingston using 50 km/h roads. The road from Jasper to Banff (I90?) was mostly 70... and it is well know as one of, if not THE, best biking trips one can take.
HWY 97 has nice big shoulders for a cyclist to bike on, and is far from urban, so that's really not relevant to my post in the least. There's no real conflict between vehicles and cyclists. I'm talking about urban roads where cyclists are forced to bike on the roads and be considered a vehicle. If you're operating as a vehicle, and you can't keep up with the vehicles than it should be illegal. It's dangerous as hell.
In Edmonton there are Share-Use-Paths everywhere, which are intended for both cyclists and pedestrians. No speed limits. It's pretty easy to get around on a bike here, without slowing down and getting in the way of traffic.
LOL, I love this thread, it reminds me what a massive D-Bag I must be and all the CP feathers I am ruffling of the CP faithful on a daily basis:
- Drive a BMW, check.
- Ride a 1500 cc Cruiser with loud pipes, check.
- Cycle to work, use the sidewalk, and switch between pedestrian and vehicle mode, check.
I somehow need to combine all 3 of these things into one mega traffic violation while forgetting to signal. There has got to be a way to do it.
I also make my fire way to big at the campground, have a poorly behaved dog at the dog park, work at a car dealership, BBQ on my balcony at like 2 AM sometimes, think Star Wars and anything related is vastly overrated crap. I am the worst person ever on CP.
I can't tell for sure if that's NYC, but if it is you sure as hell better expect people to cross like that, as it's the norm. The same goes for a lot of big cities.
I had an interesting issue with a guy on a bike today, although "issue" may be a bit strong. Went for a run on a path that is split into running and bike/blade for parts and shared for parts. While on the shared part, and way to the right (running on the white line basically) I had a bike go by fairly close despite their being no other traffic around. He didn't clip me, but I was kind of like 'you'd be losing it if a car did that to you'. Just found it kind of funny.
I also had a guy on a bike run into my back on that path, but that was due to some dumbass riding along with his dog on a leash beside him, or rather all over the place, causing a mess on a busy path.
Speaking of NYC, haven't seen this posted here yet; crazyness starts at around 1:00.
^^ I worked with a guy who entered those. Boring lawyer nerd by day, unsanctioned bike race terror on the weekends. I'm surprised more of those guys don't get killed, or at least get their asses kicked.
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