Crazy people swearing at and driving RIGHT beside cyclists

[Veloxe]

You should try walking places, people love being douchebags when they can just drive away and be no worse off for things. It's like the random internet trolls except in real life.

 

[Lonan]

Also, the right is very dirty and I will not get my clothing dirty so some people can shave a minute off their travel time.

Yeah, alright, I give up. That alone just completely and utterly ruined any chances of me gaining any sort of respect for your viewpoint. I tried to understand, I tried to see where you were at least coming from. But it's over.

At least that answers the question of why the local cyclists wear those disgusting full body suits, I guess.

Parked cars sit on the side of the road, and they drip oil. That oil then permanently stains my clothing. I already lost a nice North Face shirt to the oil which is on the side of the road. Since I moved into the right tire tracks of cars, no more of my shirts have been ruined. I'm not going to keep buying new shirts so that people can whizz by me without minor inconvenience. How utterly entitled. Fortunately, the people with the badges and guns are on my side, and I do not have to make my life revolve around the people whose life is just SO BLOODY HARD. They have to wait until there is an opening, and then they get to pass me. My heart bleeds for them.

And of course the Oxford intellectual response from some of the people on this supposedly intellectual website will be, "one day your heart will bleed if you don't get to the side of the road." These are likely the same people who have rudely told me to get off the road previously, and obviously cannot share the road, and their final desperate plea for not having to have a minor inconvenience is essentially "do it or I, or someone with more courage than me, will kill you." I will not live in fear. I will obey the law, and that's final.

*edit* To this I will add that being told to get to the gutter reminds me of Schindler's List, when the gentlemen is walking along on the side-walk, and the Nazi tells him "No. In the gutter." They considered it an inconvenience to have to see a Jew, just like some Americans used to consider in an inconvenience to have to know that two homosexual men were having sex with one another, or that a black and white person were in a relationship, and so this was strongly prosecuted. I am not in any way compared driver bigotry to the bigotry of the Nazi's or redneck Americans, but being told to get to the gutter certainly reminds me of that, and makes me think I am being treated like a second class citizen, which I certainly am, if I needed to keep buying new shirts, and slow down my commute so others would be able to avoid a minor inconvenience.

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

So is it really so hard to see why American's hate seeing cyclists in the middle of the road?

To make a small analogy: I'm a tall guy and when I walk I tend to walk faster than most. If slower people, say, some old lady, are walking in front of me and I can't get past her for some reason, I won't push her aside. Or seeing as a two ton car at high speed is far more dangerous than people think, the analogy should be more: firing a few shots in the air with a gun to make her move aside. And then to start complaining about slow pedestrians... It's getting late for me .

A fairly good point, though I would point out that even old ladies will move over and let you go by if possible. In my experience, anyways. The least a cyclist can do is let people get by them if it doesn't pose a threat. (Again, kind of a foreign concept for me as I have never had trouble seeing cyclists) Also, a little old lady can't really help her condition, whereas as a cyclist can use a sidewalk\bike lane\whatever, which means it's usually within their power to obey road laws while not inconveniencing anyone, either.

This talk of people almost ramming cyclists off the road got me thinking of something, by the way. There is a major road around here where the speed limit is 50mph. Whenever I'm stopped at a stoplight waiting for a turn signal, I can feel the entire car being shaked by the wind velocity caused by the other cars. It even used to scare me a little, and I'm in the reasonably protected two ton steel machine.

So I'm having a hard time comprehending why the hell someone would want to take a bicycle on a road like this, as it seems it would be a death trap. Yet, I get the impression a lot of people here would do just that. It's not that I necessarily hate cyclists (A lot of annoyance that has gradually built up over a long time, sure), it's that I fear for everyone's safety when I see one not using the path/sidewalk and using the road instead. It just seems like an unnecessary and dangerous thing to do.

It's the equivalent of leaving your cart in the middle of a aisle when others are trying to move through the aisle and holding everyone up all so you can take your sweet time picking out what ice cream you want. You show no consideration for others, and act offended saying things like "I have as much right to it as they do" to your self to justify such actions. It's an immature and selfish world view you need to grow out of if you want to truly function in society.

That is probably the most perfect analogy I have seen here so far.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Do you pay road tax?

No?

You don't have the same right to the road as a driver, who by default pays road tax.

I hate cyclists. I have a sympathy, that there should be more cycle paths etcetera, but until there are more cycle paths, get off the road.

Another good point is speed. I drive at thirty miles an hour in a thirty zone, if I drive at forty, I'm booked for dangerous driving and being too fast, but by the same token if I am driving at 15mph for disrupting traffic and dangerous driving because I am too slow.

Until cyclists can pedal at 30mph, they are a danger to the road.

So, danger to the road, and by the rules of the road not allowed to be on the road in a car. I do have some other points for my anti-cyclist policy.

Taxes paid by everyone go to city services, which include roads. Are you saying motorists have to stop at booths on the side of the road to pay road taxes, while cyclists whizz by? Utterly ridiculous.

You can't own a car without paying car tax, it's part of the tax disk which you have to display at the front (those circle thingies in the window aren't for show, they mean something). That car tax is also called road tax, and it varies depending on the vehicle. A bigger car has more road tax.

The road tax pays for the roads, a lot more than the basic tax everyone pays. The basic tax everyone pays is distributed amongst all public services, the police, hospitals, schools, government officials whatever, the road tax, the specific tax a car driver pays, pays for the roads.

A car driver driver pays specifically for the right to use the road, by paying car tax, you pay in general for the right to be a citizen of the country. Ergo, you have less right to use the road.

 

[Lonan]

Do you pay road tax?

No?

You don't have the same right to the road as a driver, who by default pays road tax.

I hate cyclists. I have a sympathy, that there should be more cycle paths etcetera, but until there are more cycle paths, get off the road.

Another good point is speed. I drive at thirty miles an hour in a thirty zone, if I drive at forty, I'm booked for dangerous driving and being too fast, but by the same token if I am driving at 15mph for disrupting traffic and dangerous driving because I am too slow.

Until cyclists can pedal at 30mph, they are a danger to the road.

So, danger to the road, and by the rules of the road not allowed to be on the road in a car. I do have some other points for my anti-cyclist policy.

Taxes paid by everyone go to city services, which include roads. Are you saying motorists have to stop at booths on the side of the road to pay road taxes, while cyclists whizz by? Utterly ridiculous.

You can't own a car without paying car tax, it's part of the tax disk which you have to display at the front (those circle thingies in the window aren't for show, they mean something). That car tax is also called road tax, and it varies depending on the vehicle. A bigger car has more road tax.

The road tax pays for the roads, a lot more than the basic tax everyone pays. The basic tax everyone pays is distributed amongst all public services, the police, hospitals, schools, government officials whatever, the road tax, the specific tax a car driver pays, pays for the roads.

A car driver driver pays specifically for the right to use the road, by paying car tax, you pay in general for the right to be a citizen of the country. Ergo, you have less right to use the road.

You live in the United Kingdom, which I do not. We do not have tax disks in Canada. Taxes to the Provincial and National government pay for roads, as well as some municipal tax. Your premise is therefore mistaken because you are basing what my decisions should be on the laws of a different city and country.

 

[Sieg The Bum]

*edit* To this I will add that being told to get to the gutter reminds me of Schindler's List, when the gentlemen is walking along on the side-walk, and the Nazi tells him "No. In the gutter." They considered it an inconvenience to have to see a Jew, just like some Americans used to consider in an inconvenience to have to know that two homosexual men were having sex with one another, or that a black and white person were in a relationship, and so this was strongly prosecuted. I am not in any way compared driver bigotry to the bigotry of the Nazi's or redneck Americans, but being told to get to the gutter certainly reminds me of that, and makes me think I am being treated like a second class citizen, which I certainly am, if I needed to keep buying new shirts, and slow down my commute so others would be able to avoid a minor inconvenience.

No, no. It does seem to me like you are comparing the "bigotry". And all I have to say is wow.

Most people in this thread have said some really stupid things but that one... wow.

If both sides would stop fighting for a second and think, it would be apparent that neither one is at fault. It's a bad situation. I can't blame either side for being angry.

If only there were someway to have a separate lane for bicyclists. I'm sure I've never seen those round [sarcasm]

 

[Sampler]

snip

You're lucky - my favourite is the assholes who wait till they're alongside you before hitting the horn, yes I was already aware of the fucking great big van you're driving, you on the other hand don't appear to be aware of the width of it as I could've fit a fucking bus past me so there was no need to be up my ass for the past hundred yards which seemingly pissed you off so.

I've had sweets, bottles and cans thrown at me - the sweets in particular were a long thin wrap of gummies which I believe were aimed to get stuck in my spokes.

I've had idiots lean out of cars and yell at me as the pass.

I've had an idiot on the pavement blow an air horn at me inches away from my ear - if I wasn't on the way back from a sixty mile round trip I'd've seriously kicked his ass (plus there was like eight of them)

I've had a women who seemingly didn't realise what her inside mirror was for and after being alongside me for the best part of three mile (I have a road bike so can easily hit 35mph, especially down hill like this was) she decided to make a left turn (we're in England here) and drive through me - this is my bike (well, shop stock anyway):

Spoiler

It's bright yellow - I was also wearing a luminous jacket, I may be a fat bastard but seemingly that's not enough to make drivers see me so I go all out, as it's my life on the line.
I tried to stop as soon as I saw what she was doing but as mentioned I am a big fella which carries some considerable momentum - I ended up scraping down the side of her car (with my arm not the bars though so left no mark on her car, unlike the mincemeat my arm now was) and bent the mirror she never used backwards. What really pissed me off was the expression on her face - it wasn't "oh my god I nearly killed someone with my reckless driving" but more like it was my fault. Stupid *****.

And I'm a considerate cyclist, I stay as far left as I can - even picked up a few punctures for it. It's illegal to ride on the pavement in the UK and I do obey traffic laws as I drive forty five miles to work every day and another forty five home again I can't afford points on my licence for the car I drive and somehow don't seem to be affected by cyclists.

Yes they're poor cyclist but there are MANY more poor drivers and when it boils down to it a poor cyclist may cause you thirty seconds of inconvenience whereas a poor driver will cause a permanent inconvenience to someone

 

[Sampler]

Do you pay road tax?

No?

You don't have the same right to the road as a driver, who by default pays road tax.

I hate cyclists. I have a sympathy, that there should be more cycle paths etcetera, but until there are more cycle paths, get off the road.

Another good point is speed. I drive at thirty miles an hour in a thirty zone, if I drive at forty, I'm booked for dangerous driving and being too fast, but by the same token if I am driving at 15mph for disrupting traffic and dangerous driving because I am too slow.

Until cyclists can pedal at 30mph, they are a danger to the road.

So, danger to the road, and by the rules of the road not allowed to be on the road in a car. I do have some other points for my anti-cyclist policy.

Taxes paid by everyone go to city services, which include roads. Are you saying motorists have to stop at booths on the side of the road to pay road taxes, while cyclists whizz by? Utterly ridiculous.

You can't own a car without paying car tax, it's part of the tax disk which you have to display at the front (those circle thingies in the window aren't for show, they mean something). That car tax is also called road tax, and it varies depending on the vehicle. A bigger car has more road tax.

The road tax pays for the roads, a lot more than the basic tax everyone pays. The basic tax everyone pays is distributed amongst all public services, the police, hospitals, schools, government officials whatever, the road tax, the specific tax a car driver pays, pays for the roads.

A car driver driver pays specifically for the right to use the road, by paying car tax, you pay in general for the right to be a citizen of the country. Ergo, you have less right to use the road.

You live in the United Kingdom, which I do not. We do not have tax disks in Canada. Taxes to the Provincial and National government pay for roads, as well as some municipal tax. Your premise is therefore mistaken because you are basing what my decisions should be on the laws of a different city and country.

Firstly sir may I say you're talking out of your rear mouth:
http://ipayroadtax.com/
And secondly, I do pay road tax as a cyclist - as the forty five mile over the Pennines takes six and a half hours (I did this last week whilst on holiday) it makes cycling to work awkward. As I can't afford a new car I have to settle for a twelve year old motor which doesn't do so much miles to the gallon but meters to the rainforests it destroys as so much crap comes out the back of it so even it's only a 0.9 litre Micra I'm still sat towards the top of the emissions and probably pay more car tax then you so, to put it in the vernacular, shut your fucking face you retard.

 

[SilentCom]

I get a little uncomfortable driving around cyclists and pedestrians. Where I live, it's legal in most areas (freeway excluded) for cyclists so I won't get pissed off at them. Fortunately for me there aren't very many cyclists where I drive.

 

[Berethond]

At a top speed of 10 mph it would take 15 hours to cross my county. Notice that there's no 'R'. County. Europeans who recommend that Americans ride bicycles more often have no sense of scale whatsoever. America is bigger than you can possibly imagine.

Stop trying to tell us how to transport ourselves. I'd imagine we know more about how to get places in America, mostly because we live here.

May I ask how far the local town centre (excuse me, mall)is from your home or how long a commute you have to work/school? I'm willing to bet that that doesn't require you to cross your county.

I'm quite aware of the difference in scale, btw. I can even turn the reasoning around. When you live in a tiny little country like mine, with quite a few people (country's average is over 900p/sq mile, but my region's average is about 1200) the roads tend to be more densly packed with traffic. In the vast counties of the states there should be plenty of room for both cyclist (who keeps to the right) and driver (who drives like a responsible adult) to get along together.

We use bicycles for local transport, why would I use it to get to the other side of the count(r)y?

Really, I'm astonished at the amount of hate in this thread.

My school is seven and a half miles away.

I don't have a job, but my mother works about 30 miles away.

Another common misconception is illustrated in your post. My city doesn't have a center, it's all sprawl.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Personally, I find Cyclists to be a nuisance. I certainly give them the space the require and when I feel the need to pass I change lanes in order to do so but in so many parts of my city they simply serve to exacerbate an already taxing driving situation. What's worse is that the vast majority of traffic accidents in my immediate area involve a cyclist and, as often as not, a pedestrian.

As far as I'm concerned, cyclists have a right to the road but they should also have their own dedicated lane. Any other scenario results in increased congestion and an increase in risky passes and lane changes.

 

[Lonan]

*edit* To this I will add that being told to get to the gutter reminds me of Schindler's List, when the gentlemen is walking along on the side-walk, and the Nazi tells him "No. In the gutter." They considered it an inconvenience to have to see a Jew, just like some Americans used to consider in an inconvenience to have to know that two homosexual men were having sex with one another, or that a black and white person were in a relationship, and so this was strongly prosecuted. I am not in any way compared driver bigotry to the bigotry of the Nazi's or redneck Americans, but being told to get to the gutter certainly reminds me of that, and makes me think I am being treated like a second class citizen, which I certainly am, if I needed to keep buying new shirts, and slow down my commute so others would be able to avoid a minor inconvenience.

No, no. It does seem to me like you are comparing the "bigotry". And all I have to say is wow.

Most people in this thread have said some really stupid things but that one... wow.

If both sides would stop fighting for a second and think, it would be apparent that neither one is at fault. It's a bad situation. I can't blame either side for being angry.

If only there were someway to have a separate lane for bicyclists. I'm sure I've never seen those round [sarcasm]

As I have previously said, there are few bike lanes in Calgary, and none where I was biking. Also, you didn't explain why you thought what I said was stupid, you just said it was, and by extension, me.

 

[michaelod]

I was driving at 15kmph on a 100kmph road because I had two cyclists travelling side by side on a main road. It filled me with rage as it was a particularly dodgey road so I couldn't risk overtaking for quite a while. It filled me with rage.

 

[captaincabbage]

Sorry but I don't really care. I have to put up with fuckin' cyclists everyday acting like douchebags, because they know if they get hit, bumped or knocked off at all, it'll be your fault, not theirs.

It's the worst when you have to pass a bunch of them, since it seems to them like they're giving you a bunch of space to pass, but they can't seem to comprehend that cars need extra space on either side of them to overtake safely.

Don't get me started on they arseholes I've found riding double file.

 

[Frostbyte666]

Cyclists are a horror, who scream about knowing their rights on the road and yet disobey every traffic law they can, jumping between 'vehicle' and pedestrian rules. Also you can't report cyclists for bad riding like you can with other vehicles since they don't have licence plates, which is a shame really. On the other side of the fence it's a case with car drivers you follow the 1 golden rule of the road:
"Everyone's an idiot, expect them to do something stupid."
I am neither a cyclist or a car driver (though I do use the car for work and going to site), but for commuting I use the motorbike so all of you fill me with rage, with particular note on car drivers who don't look when pulling out and cyclists who do not apply common sense or awareness of their surroundings.
Also a lot of cyclists are asking to be hurt when they don't bother even wearing helmets, though my greatest scorn for not wearing protective gear would be fellow bikers who seem to forget that it doesn't matter if you didn't cause the accident if your involved in it your going to get hurt and badly.

 

[PTSpyder]

A couple of points -

1 - I don't believe you when you say that you follow traffic laws, especially things like stop signs and traffic signals. In my experience *and I have a lot of it since I live just outside of Boulder, CO, the cycling capital of North America* No cyclist ever, ever, EVER does. Even if you do, you will get lumped into the same group as the majority of cyclists - Slowing traffic to an unsafe pace because it suits them, riding two, three, or even more wide in a lane even though it?s illegal to do so, riding down the lane marker to the traffic signal so they can be at the front, slowing even more people down when the light turns green than if they took their place in line like everyone *including themselves* are required to...

2 - You can feel entitled to the road all you want to, and have all the legal designations you want as well, but in the end you are a form of non-motorized transport. This means you will unreasonably impede the normal flow of traffic no matter how polite you are. Also consider that traffic accidents do happen and are actually quite common, and when a cyclist is involved in an accident, they will likely be gravely injured if not killed.

Legality issues aside, cycles belong not in the gutter, but on the sidewalk with all other non-motorized transport. There truly is no real distinction between roller bladers, skateboarders and cyclists. I?m sorry, but if there is no bicycle lane, get off the road man.

 

[Vault Citizen]

As a cyclist I tend to stay out of the way of traffic when I can and I don't go through red lights (anymore) but sometimes I can't help it in which case car drivers can give me all the hot air they want but it isn't going to get me to move any faster. One time the other day I was a bit further into the lane than I would have been because I was coming to a part in the road when I would have to move over to turn right, a car behind me was slowed down because of this and beeping his horn [sarcasm] I feel so bad knowing that I slowed down his trip by a minute, think of the pain I must have caused him knowing that for a indescribably brief portion of his journey he was going at a slightly slower speed than he may have wished to be going. It breaks my heart, it really does[end sarcasm]

On a side note I always find it funny (both as a pedestrian and a cyslist) when drivers beep their horns to make stuff go faster, its almost like they actually believe that doing so will have the effect of making whatever they are impatiently waiting for move faster.

 

[Zaik]

Common sense would suggest that going into the road on a bicycle that doesn't reach 2/5ths of the speed limit is a bad idea. You should probably not go on that road.

You're lucky someone didn't just hit you and speed off before you could get whatever your country uses to identify cars. They'd have probably gotten away with it no problem.

 

[Terminate421]

You are not a car.

Get out of my way.

I say this every time, but they are getting in packs man.

Also, now I have rootbeer coming out of my nose because of this funny comment. Thanks.