Bicyclists on the road

I've been a serious, spandex clad, Lance wannabe road cyclist for over 13 years. At the same time, I own a badass lifted Tacoma that I drive on a regular basis. Last week I completed the Devil Mountain Double, 205 miles in one day. So yes, I ride a lot, usually over 12 hours of training a week during the season. Since we have heard a lot of “driver” opinions, it’s my turn.

I have to deal with passing riders when in my truck just as much as you guys. Actually, probably more since I live in popular riding area. If riders are in a single file line, I simply cross slightly into the other lane and pass going 10-20 mph faster, pretty simple, no need to get all frustrated. I don’t fly by (out of respect) and I don’t cross completely into oncoming traffic for god sake! This whole process adds maybe 10 seconds to my drive time, much less than hitting a red light. If a pack of riders is in the road and it’s a windy road, I realized I’m probably screwed (this happens only a few times a year.) I will honk or wait until the road is visible enough for a pass. As you know, there are packs of riders who simply ride unprofessionally, they paint us all with a broad brush and tick off drivers. I’ve yelled at other riders while on a ride myself when they don’t get over for cars, it ticks me off too. I’ve been in 100+ guy group rides that travel at 30+ mph for large sections of the ride. With this many riders, there is no way to single file it out, it would be dangerous and annoying to drivers who have to pass a mile long line of bikes. Rides like this are scheduled and predictable, be an adult and just learn to avoid them! It’s like leaving before rush hour traffic...it’s a planned decision, pretty simple so grow up and stop crying.

Look at the statistics on the CHP website, road cycling (when riding within the law) is safer than riding a motorcycle or driving in most situations. Most fatal bike accidents are the cyclists fault, and it’s mostly the riders in town going the wrong way on the roads, or riding on the sidewalk. Most riders are killed or hurt in town, not on rural roads without a bike path.

If you are winning on this forum because of losing a few seconds or minutes of driving time due to “some Lance wanna be,” you honestly sound like a spoiled teenage girl. Whiners and complainers are watering down our society and robbing us of passion and work ethics for an idea or sport. I’m so sick of the entitlement generation who expect everything handed to them on a silver plate for free, everyone thinks they own something, like the road, when they don’t. Grow a pair and get on a bike, see if you last 20 miles before you give up, because you probably will.

 

I'd love to pick off one of these Lance Armstrong pecker woods around here.
1. they wobble all over the road
2. don't obey traffic laws
3. ride too far over in to the road.
4. act arrogant because they have cyclist gear on so they think they're pros

...but what I hate more is people who walk or jog on the road when there's a sidewalk right beside them...WTF is up with that?

 

HIGHLY annoyed when there's a big group of them and they ride outside the bike lane (when there is a bike lane).

 

for many it's that the asphalt is softer and easier on your body than running on cement.

 

...buy better shoes.
If a road has potholes and cracks in it, I don't drive on the nice even cement sidewalk.

 

wow... - someone thinks it's stupid to ride for pleasure on a rural road? REALLY???? (I get the part about keeping to the side of the road, etc.... but man, the best riding is riding for pleasure - in a rural setting! (or at the beach in summer, if you know what i mean!).

 

x2.

that's what bugs me.

 

I'm going to avoid you like little boys should have avoided Michael Jackson. Have fun on the couch.

 

1. Drivers, read your state's freaking drivers handbook and understand the laws of the road.
2. Bicyclists, advise other riders when they are being DBs and tell them to read their state's drivers handbook and understand the laws of the road.
3. Everyone, stop being so freaking selfish and excercise some courtesy and common sense to each other (which others have already said several times on this thread).

Now can we start a thread about turn signals or being stuck behind RVs?

 

Anyone thinks this is funny is a fucking idiot
Thats all

 

Take it easy noob...tread lightly

 

Just one of the many reasons I ride on dirt.

 

AMEN!

 

I'm sorry papa bear, please don't put down the Playstation controller and slither off the sofa. You've found your den, stay there and bask in inactivity while complaining about everything you hate.

 

The whole "Bicyclists don't pay taxes" thing is bs. "I pay gas tax and registrations and bicyclists don't so they shouldn't use the road"

I've got the following all registered and legal
Jeep
Taco
Motorcycle
Trailer
Kayak

And I also own 3 bicycles that I buy stuff for and pay sales tax on, and pay income tax(which in the commonwealth goes into the giant budget, skimmed off, robbed, stolen, and some goes to highways).

Most people riding recreationally pay taxes. Does a broke ass person that doesn't pay taxes have the time and ability to drop 1.5k on a bike and accessories and spend hours a week riding for fun?

If a study were done I would be willing to bet the average adult cyclist makes more money than the overall average and contributes more tax dollars as a result.

 

Follow the average cost of homes, success of local schools, and powerful companies based in a city, and you will discover where most cyclists reside. Yes, they do make more than the average and pay more to the State and Fed in taxes.

Example: Palo Alto average home lists for about 1.5 million, 2nd most expensive place to live in the US next to Newport Beach CA. Companies like Apple and Facebook are based out of Palo Alto and not to forget Stanford University. Palo Alto also has the highest density of cyclists in the whole bay area.

Los Gatos CA, a ride though here is not complete without seeing at least one Lamborghini (the dealership is on the route anyhow). Three bike shops within a mile radius. All shops stock $6000+ bikes in various sizes. Best schools in the area, most cyclists in the South Bay.

 

I'm just gonna finish your thread title.... Should all be run over

 

In spite of owning a taco, jeep, and motorcycle which are capable of getting me to school, work, etc. I often ride my bike.

It saves gas, it is more pleasant on some days, and it is good for my health. I like being thin and in phenomenal shape.

Quite frankly I would rather take my chances getting hit by car than be a piece of shit fatbody.

When I ride I follow all traffic laws and stay on the shoulder if it is feasible. If not I will move into the lane a little, but only take the lane if I can keep up to speed or am about to make a left turn. I'm not gonna thread the needle with bolts and broken beer bottles going down a hill at 40 mph if I can avoid it.

If someone is such an impatient asshole that they feel some need to be physically aggressive towards me, I will sue the crap out of them.

Where I live in the boonies freaks abound. The kinds of folks you might see at the end of Easyrider with a goiter on their neck.

Fortunately it is also a shall issue state so if someone were to physically confront me I'm not totally sol. The tricky part is trying to conceal a pistol in spandex.

 

I guess you must be the most fit, in shape person on this site then because you ride a bike on the road?
What about mountain biking, hiking, going to the gym? All of which I do. No one gives a shit if you ride a bike...
If you rode like a arrogant bitch around me and deserved to get slammed on the road, I would have no issues.
What I'm saying is, their may be good bikers who follow rules which I'm all for. Their may be arrogant pussies that ride safely and try to defend all bikers (you). And their are also bikers that do not follow any traffic laws.

Just because you live in a bike happy area, outside Philly it's not the same. There are no bike lanes, there's no huge bike following here because there are no areas or room to do so. So don't be pus hurt, if you'd read carefully you can see in my first post I said "people around HERE" ...not all bikers.