My case against cyclists

[geK0]

I usually prefer to bike on the sidewalk... I've been hit by a vehicle while cycling before, was badly injured; definitely not a pleasant experience : S

Yea cyclists should be weary of drivers when on the road, they're a lot more vulnerable to dying in a collision than a car is.....

 

[La Barata]

My case against cyclists: They think they're vehicles.

No.
Bicycles do not belong on the road.
They are children's toys and belong on the sidewalk.

 

[2HF]

It is illegal for cyclists to ride on the sidewalks in the state of Tennessee. At least that's what I'm told. That's where I live.

What are the laws in your state?

 

[geK0]

It is illegal for cyclists to ride on the sidewalks in the state of Tennessee. At least that's what I'm told. That's where I live.

What are the laws in your state?

pretty sure it's technically illegal in Ontario as well; it's not like police are wasting their time enforcing it though. I really think bikes don't belong on the road; if people feel so strongly that they should be separated from pedestrians then bikes should have their own lane with at least a curb between them and the cars.

 

[Warforger]

Do you think people should be allowed to ride bikes on any road they want, or should it be isolated to less busy residential streets and sidewalks?

Being a cyclist the main problem tends to be that the side walks are full of people, there are bike lanes but when cars can go into them for a turn they become less attractive than the sidewalk. The people are annoying because now you have to stop and try to talk loud enough so that they can hear you over the cars, sometimes they have their headphones in full blast and you just have to hope that there would be an opening to get past. So of course because of crap like that it's much more preferable to try to get into a bike lane when there's more pedestrians on the sidewalk. Of course stopping in the middle of the road (which I'm assuming is the problem here) is a different story, but bikes are more maneuverable than cars so if its on the dashed line on the road I see no reason why not.

 

[Dags90]

You can has dead from cyclists?
I mean, I would prefer being a pedestrian having to worry about bicyclists riding by me than having to worry about cyclists while I'm driving. Worst case scenario if you're a pedestrian is getting knocked over by the bicyclist. Worst case scenario with a car is a serious case of dead.

But no, I understand you can fight a vehicular manslaughter charge, my point is you don't have to fight any charges if you're a pedestrian and a bicycle is involved.

Yes, you can has dead.[footnote]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/11/woman-hit-by-cyclist-dies_n_924759.html[/footnote] About one person a year dies in New York City from being hit by a bicyclist. At least 1,000 people wind up in the hospital a year.

Also, most people aren't charged in fatal bike-car collisions, because the person on the bike is usually doing something wrong as well.

 

[orangeapples]

as far as I know, if there is a bike lane, cyclists should be in it. If there is no bike lane, they should still be on the far right of the road. Remember people: the side walk is on the side, and it is for walking. The only time a cyclists shouldn't be in the far right is if they want to make a left turn (or in a country where they would be in the far left...).

Sometimes it feels as if everyone who gets on the road feels like they own it and everyone needs to follow that person's schedule >_>

 

[SilentCom]

You can has dead from cyclists?
I mean, I would prefer being a pedestrian having to worry about bicyclists riding by me than having to worry about cyclists while I'm driving. Worst case scenario if you're a pedestrian is getting knocked over by the bicyclist. Worst case scenario with a car is a serious case of dead.

But no, I understand you can fight a vehicular manslaughter charge, my point is you don't have to fight any charges if you're a pedestrian and a bicycle is involved.

Yes, you can has dead.[footnote]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/11/woman-hit-by-cyclist-dies_n_924759.html[/footnote] About one person a year dies in New York City from being hit by a bicyclist. At least 1,000 people wind up in the hospital a year.

Also, most people aren't charged in fatal bike-car collisions, because the person on the bike is usually doing something wrong as well.

Wow... I guess you learn something new everyday right? and today I learned that bicycles can run you the f*ck over... Thanks for scaring me. D=

 

[Ultrajoe]

My case against cyclists: They think they're vehicles.

No.
Bicycles do not belong on the road.
They are children's toys and belong on the sidewalk.

It's illegal for me to ride on the sidewalk, chum. Suck it up. I'd rather not be near your multi-ton, space hogging bumper either, because it won't be you in pieces when either of us stops concentrating.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

I've biked everywhere for.... ever, and i've had no problems like you describe
But that is probably because i don't behave like an absolute thug

 

[Dags90]

Wow... I guess you learn something new everyday right? and today I learned that bicycles can run you the f*ck over... Thanks for scaring me. D=

I wasn't really surprised to hear it. It's not really shocking how getting ran into by someone (at least 130 lbs) going between 10-20 mph can do that when they knock a pedestrian's soft, fleshy face into cold, hard concrete.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

My case against cyclists: They think they're vehicles.

No.
Bicycles do not belong on the road.
They are children's toys and belong on the sidewalk.

I don't know where you're from, but in most states it's illegal for a bike to be ridden on the sidewalk as they are considered vehicles. The real problem is idiot riders who don't know they have to abide by traffic laws.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Normally I have no issues with cyclists since the ones around where I live are rather courteous and nice and know that a car will make them street meat. A couple times I will come across a teen that wants to play chicken and don't realize that they have their own special lane near the sidewalk and choose not to use it.

Hey, if they want to know what it's like to fly in the air, that's their problem, but they don't have to do it near me, the smug bastards.

I will say, I have been to Duluth numerous times, I have family there, and the cyclists there are assholes. Going down the hill towards Brighton Beach is not fun, and adding cyclist to the mix is just an exercise in frustration and a game to see how high the blood pressure will go. You have my sympathies.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

My parents (as well as George Carlin's) always told me to keep my toys in the yard.

In all seriousness though, I've always thought that bicyclists should keep to the side-walks especially if there's one available. I understand that rural roads don't have sidewalks but where there is a sidewalk, there is an area for a bicyclist. Some roads have designated areas for bicyclists which are also fine since that's a section specifically for those people. I can't stand assholes on the road though, no matter what they're driving. Speaking of assholes on the road, an asshole in a semi won't stop for an asshole on a bike texting at a green light. It won't take many of those scenarios to keep cyclists on their own area.

 

[La Barata]

My case against cyclists: They think they're vehicles.

No.
Bicycles do not belong on the road.
They are children's toys and belong on the sidewalk.

I don't know where you're from, but in most states it's illegal for a bike to be ridden on the sidewalk as they are considered vehicles. The real problem is idiot riders who don't know they have to abide by traffic laws.

In Canada, as far as I know and have been told by several police officers, it's perfectly legal for them to be on the sidewalk.

My biggest grievance is when these bloody spandex wearing Lance Armstrong wannabes decide they're big kid toys and insist on riding in the goddamn fast lane on a busy street as I'm trying to get to work.

 

[Wintermoot]

bike,s should be allowed to be on the road as log as they don,t sit in the midle (IE blocking car,s) also texting like this guy did is downright rude.

 

[Penguinishka]

I don't mind cyclists in general.
There is a certain kind of cyclist that I just can't stand though. They're the kind that don't pay attention to traffic patterns, and when you almost hit them they freak out like you just rode up onto a sidewalk.
They're the type that are kinda on the shoulder so you think you could go by them, but you would never wanna hit them with your car, so you ride behind them at horrifically slow pace for untold miles.
They're the kind that are old and wear the really tight body spandex things and wear sunglasses on a cloudy day.
However, I think we can just lump those cyclists onto the general douchebag list.
Wow, I didn't think I had that much to say about those guys.

 

[j0frenzy]

I grew to really hate cyclists when I lived in Atlanta. I have no problems with sharing the road. I do have problems with jackasses who weave through traffic, hold up lanes and run red lights because they are bicycles and we need to 'share the road'. Not that the drivers were much better mind you. I'm so happy I'm not driving there anymore.

 

[Hemlet]

This thread made me sad. To make this clear, I live around Edmonton, Alberta. When I read the OP, my initial thought was "what, that's it?" Then I realized that yes, that is actually a problem. This led to a further realization that the people who cycle and drive around Edmonton are so goddamn awful that I see far riskier and fantastically dumber shit from them every goddamn day. Stuff like people texting while cycling/driving doesn't even pop up on my bullshit radar anymore.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that yes the guy was a douchenozzle, and yes he is wrong. Just remember, OP, it can be much worse.

 

[JaceArveduin]

As a usual pedestrian, what annoys me is when I'm several yards from an intersection, but people insist on waiting for me. Depending on the car and driver, I'll sometimes slow down just cause I'm an ass.