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A Question And a Mild Rant

Offline I'm Still Bison

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A Question And a Mild Rant
on: June 08, 2007, 07:22:33 AM

Yesterday,I was out taking my normal Tour De Pothole around town,and I nearly lost count the number of cyclists out riding contrary to what I always thought was the rules of the road..riding with the traffic,stopping at intersections..that sort of thing. Numerous times I've seen riders,young and mature riding the wrong way on a one way street,more than once I've had to swing far into the street to avoid riders, and that's not to mention  riders breezing through stop signs at intersections. It's tough enough at times putting up with motorists apparently oblivious to cyclists.
.Do you,my fellow forumites,and riders try follow the rules of the road,at any rate the ones set by law where you live?
I


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #1 on: June 08, 2007, 12:03:24 PM
I always did, making sure to stay off the sidewalks, signal etc.  It was frustrating to find out that not nly did very few other cyclists follow the rules, but many drivers also were not aware of what the hand signals were.  At one point I seriously considered mounting turn signals on my bike but I thought since no one pays attention to turn signals on a car, that it was pointless.

All in all, I think people only keep their cars on the road most of the time because they are scared of the punishments they will get if they don't.  If there was someone enforcing the rules for bicycles then maybe it would be a different story.

Def
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us Offline J-sews

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #2 on: June 08, 2007, 01:20:26 PM
It's case by case in my town. Folks seem to keep their bikes off the sidewalks, and they don't often ride the wrong way down one-way streets. Most cyclists ride with the traffic, it's usually teenagers who I see riding against the flow. I assume that no one has told them right from wrong.

However, NOBODY in this town signals when making a turn, and stop signs around here have absolutely no meaning to someone on a bicycle.  :angry:
In order to be certain of having the right tool for every job.........one must first acquire a lot of tools


Offline I'm Still Bison

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #3 on: June 08, 2007, 05:05:49 PM
 I don't have a problem with younger kids riding on sidewalks,in fact for the under 10 crowd,I'd prefer it..for safety reasons.
         One of the thngs I've seen,are adults with the child carriers on the bike..with kid..ignoring all rules of the road,and common sense..where are the police when kids need them the most? :(
I


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #4 on: June 08, 2007, 05:14:28 PM
Of course kids under 10 should be on the sidewalk... but people old enough to know the rules should be following them, and there should be some enforcement for those who don't.  Maybe then we'd have less cops like this guy:



They keep doing PSA's on the radio about how cyclists should wear helmets- it would be nice if they also put some effort into keeping their bikes out from under passing motorists.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #5 on: June 08, 2007, 06:32:44 PM
I do try wherever possible to obey the traffic regs, but sometimes you have to bend them as it can be more dangerous to follow the letter of the law rather than apply a bit of common sence!,

there is a big problem in london with the cycle couriers, disregarding there safety and that of others, which is anoying as every cyclist gets tarred with the same brush!
Give in, buy several Farmer's!!!!!!


us Offline NutSAK

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #6 on: June 08, 2007, 08:33:00 PM
I always follow the rules of the road on my bikes, and discourage those who don't.  However, there is one exception when I'm riding a MTB.  The downtown area in my hometown has very narrow streets and alot of traffic so, when I feel that the roads are not safe enough to ride, I will sometimes ride the sidewalks.  I am VERY cautious about this though, and I keep my ears open and head on a swivel for cars that might be crossing my path at the alleyways.
- Terry


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #7 on: June 08, 2007, 09:15:19 PM
I think common sense is the best approach, and for those that don't have any, there are the laws!

All in all, safety gear and common sense are your best weapons against making a driver feel bad, and you feeling nothing ever again.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


Offline I'm Still Bison

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #8 on: June 08, 2007, 10:36:59 PM
The schools and AAA around here at one time co-operated on teaching basic principles of safe bike riding..I need to ask around to see if that's still done.If not,that's a civic service project for some club,that begs to be done.
I


gb Offline Roadie

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #9 on: June 08, 2007, 10:51:53 PM
For my daily ride to lectures most of my riding is done on campus with half a mile of road to get on campus, this means i have more to fear from pedestrians getting in my way than cars even with all the cycle paths. The road section has a cycle bit on it so that makes things easier (apart from when i bus pulls in infront of you!) My campus riding is more like offroad riding as its easier to go off the beaten track to get to most places. But when i'm away from campus i try and abide by the rules but if i think its safer for me not to then i break them. When i'm at home which is a lot more rural the biggest worry of mine is meeting a tractor on a road just wide enough for me to get off and pull my bike in close to let the tractors past.
sorry for the rambling thoughts!
Roadie
Life is like a sandwich...the older it gets the crustier it becomes!


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #10 on: June 08, 2007, 10:57:17 PM
I think it's a shame that society is at the point where it discourages natural selection. 

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


gb Offline Roadie

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #11 on: June 08, 2007, 11:03:26 PM
You ever read the Darwin Awards? They certinaly give people a reason to disengage themselves from the gene pool!

Roadie
Life is like a sandwich...the older it gets the crustier it becomes!


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #12 on: June 08, 2007, 11:09:00 PM
Yup- I have kept up with the Darwins since they began.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


Offline knife-man

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #13 on: June 09, 2007, 02:36:28 AM
you should see some of the cycle path's round here.

Boy that's a quick way to suicide.

One was originally designed to bump you off the main road onto the pavement. Which is great ... unless you happen to be going the other way .. when suddenly you find the cycle path trying to push you onto a busy main road going against the traffic  ::) . you HAVE to ride on the pavement there or die.

Many of the cycle lanes are put in places so narrow that car's have to cross over in to them.

One place the cycle lane cut's across the road which is great if you need to get on it coming from one direction .. but if your going in the other direction you have to signal to go down a road the car's dont see .. so they dont know what your doing.

Car's are almost alway's parked in them.

Outside the train station is a big development where they have had to close the pavement and the people walk down the cycle lane ... TOWARDS you.

The police dont have much clue either 4 miles away from home at 3 in the morning the batteries on my light's go the pavement is deserted s i think I will go up there instead of getting flattened on the road .. police officer stop's me .. I explain and he said "your not allowed to cycle on the pavement" and I have to walk home or ride on the road (which is also illegal without light's)

My view is that road's are not designed for cyclist's .... so a certain amount of making it up as you go along is required. .... and of course the fact that everyone claims that car's don't see bike's ... they bloody well do .. they choose to ignore them ... Ive made eye contact with people who have pulled out into my way before.
[


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #14 on: June 09, 2007, 03:28:58 AM
I have run over pedestrians that said the same thing...  >:D

Seriously, I always drive defensively, and especially so around cyclists.  I usually reduce speed and wherever possible pass slowly and giving as much space as I can.  I know I am in the minority, have spent an awful lot of time on a bike myself, but most cyclists seem to appreciate my concern for their well being.  Some on the other hand, are maniacs with death wishes.

As with anything else, there are idiots on both sides.  A few years ago I hit a cyclist- barely touched him, but did knock his bike over.  He didn't even spill his coffee.  I felt guilty for it until I realized what happened.  At the end of my tiny little side street is a house that is raised up.  There is a stone wall that raises about five or six feet at the corner, so you can't see around it.  Then, there's a sidewalk, then the main road.  This guy was going along the sidewalk and shot out in front of me with no hands on the handlebars while he opened the lid on his coffee cup.  There's no way I could have stopped in time, despite only inching forward to see if there was any traffic coming.  His bike didn't even scratch the plastic bumper cover on my Sunfire and he more lost balance than was knocked over.  I felt bad but was more concerned whether or not my insurance would go up on account of this idiot!

When I rode constantly ( I had dreams of one day competing in the Tour de France and rode many hours and miles each day for several summers) I always looked on it as no matter who was at fault, I was going to come out of a collision much worse than the guy in the car and did my best to make certain that I was never at risk of getting nailed.  In most cases that meant signaling, riding defensively and in designated areas, but as everyone else mentioned, sometimes you had to take matters into your own hands and make things up.  I never put any faith in the guy in the car's abilities and always rode with caution and it kept me safe.  Sure, accidents could still happen, and they did, but fortunately I am still here to tell the stories!  I drive my car the same way- never putting faith in another driver, cyclist or pedestrian, and assuming they are going to do the absolute dumbest thing.  Very rarely am I disappointed, but I and everyone else get home alive! 

If more folks did that rather than being idiots behind the wheel or on two of them then maybe there wouldn't be such a problem!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


Offline I'm Still Bison

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #15 on: June 09, 2007, 06:48:55 PM
Knife-man,just who was the sadist of an urban planner that designed your bike paths?
Def, speaking of pedestrians,Thursday evening I was approaching a cross walk,and some teenage twit saw me approach,and with maybe 300 feet seperating us,he decides he'd cross the street.he could've easily crossed with distance to spare..but NOOOOO..he just shambled taking his good old time,I had to swerve to avoid contact..I do hope he heard the string of expletives launched his way.
I


Offline I'm Still Bison

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #16 on: June 09, 2007, 06:51:51 PM
You ever read the Darwin Awards? They certinaly give people a reason to disengage themselves from the gene pool!

Roadie
Ahh,if only people would quit swimming in the shallow end of the gene pool,there'd be much more hope for the future.
I


us Offline Splat

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Re: A Question And a Mild Rant
Reply #17 on: June 09, 2007, 07:20:48 PM
We've all seen this. Some of us possibly have been hazarded because of another bicyclist's uneducated actions. What cracks me up is cops will stop someone in full attire for the same thing they'll let an average Joe get away with.... like not stopping at red lights, etc..  I've seen it. Sure, when talking to casual bicyclists I mention the proper rules of the road if the conversation warrants, but the only thing you can do is go to your municipal meetings and make light of it. You never know......
Splat


 

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