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Things people blamed on bicycles

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Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#71

Post by ajuc »

eptcyka wrote: post #49
imgabe wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no legitimate reason to hate on any other mode of transportation. Unless you're on an interstate or other highway that specifically forbids certain vehicles or has a minimum speed, everyone else has the same right to use the road you do.

Generally yes, but, especially in California, people often forget that it's the slower vehicle's responsibility to yield to faster traffic, regardless of the type of slower vehicle. EDIT: Yield here is a misnomer, what I mean to convey is that slower moving traffic by law is supposed to pass faster moving traffic if it's possible to do so safely, and this is a feat that I rarely see take place, be it with cyclists or…

> it's the slower vehicle's responsibility to yield to faster traffic

WTF is wrong with you in America?

When a bike goes on the pavement it's the bike that has to yield. When a pedestrian or a bike goes on a road - it's the cars that have to yield (usually, there's exceptions).

Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#72

Post by watwut »

illuminati1911 wrote: post #53
fzfaa wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When driving, cyclists are dangerous for themselves and for others. When walking, cyclists have absolutely no regard for my physical safety. When I lived in a city with a lot of cyclists I ended up developing some kind of fear that made me look around all the time because of how many cyclists had almost killed me when I was peacefully walking along the pavement. Oh god how I hate cyclists.

I love cycling and bicycles, but I have to say you have a point in your second statement. Back in the days when I used to live in Helsinki, streets became much more dangerous after cycling became popular and city built dedicated cycling lanes. Suddenly all the hipsters with their 5000 USD handmake Swiss custom bikes are out there to kill the pedestrians. Outside of some developing countries I've never felt threatened…

> Outside of some developing countries I've never felt threatened by cars, but I've been just less than a second away from death or permanent disability because of bicycles in Helsinki, Berlin, Tel Aviv etc.

One seriously distinct American thing is to claim deadly dangers in extraordinary safe situations and places.

Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#73

Post by nomercy400 »

eptcyka wrote: post #47
mrweasel wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hate to say it, but when I see how bikes are "integrated" into for example American traffic, I don't blame the drivers at all. WTF is a bike doing in the middle of the road? If there's no bike lanes, then the bikes go all the way to the right, there are almost no exceptions. I've watches a few videos of people biking, on bike lanes, in New York, and those lanes are placed by a mad man. Sometimes they are even on the…

How am I supposed to make a left turn at an intersection? Other than that, yes, being on the far right on the road is where I'd feel safest.

With bike lanes, you go straight until you reach the bike line of the crossing road, and then you wait for the (bike) lights on that road to turn green. You really need bike lanes.

Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#74

Post by grapeskin »

narag wrote: post #12

I wonder if nowadays we still see most of these as undesirable. I don't mean appendicitis :) but the rest... Reading books is nice, but better if balanced with exercise. Most other scares are really moral panic about people getting more freedom "than in the presence of chaperones" :) Actually, it doesn't seem to be specific of bikes. Probably cars were too expensive for women and young people to own.

Appendicitis is desirable now?

I’m more out of touch with modern trends than I thought.

Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#75

Post by watwut »

eptcyka wrote: post #49
imgabe wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no legitimate reason to hate on any other mode of transportation. Unless you're on an interstate or other highway that specifically forbids certain vehicles or has a minimum speed, everyone else has the same right to use the road you do.

Generally yes, but, especially in California, people often forget that it's the slower vehicle's responsibility to yield to faster traffic, regardless of the type of slower vehicle. EDIT: Yield here is a misnomer, what I mean to convey is that slower moving traffic by law is supposed to pass faster moving traffic if it's possible to do so safely, and this is a feat that I rarely see take place, be it with cyclists or…

Do you have driving license?

Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#76

Post by evandijk70 »

ChrisRR wrote: post #52
vocram wrote: post #15

Hate for bicycles hasn’t changed. People think a bike travel is recreational, and thus less important than a car travel. Someone goes out of their way to affirm that, by having to overtake bikes or not let them overtake their cars. A couple of times I met cars busting their brakes trying to keep up with me with a disc road bike on long technical descents

In the UK as a cyclist I still get so much hate on the road. I'm just trying to get to work like everyone else, but people still drive their cars up right behind me, squeeze past when there's not enough space, beep their horns and shout out the window. And then the justification is always "well I saw a cyclist run a red light once, therefore all cyclists are shit"

How often does that kind of thing happen? Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly?

Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#77

Post by rcMgD2BwE72F »

cocoto wrote: post #24
gernb wrote: post #4

I wonder if the "cross a red light anytime I want to on a bike" is the reason so many are now doing the same in their cars. it could be (1) got used to it on a bike so repeating in car (2) saw cyclists get away with it so decided might as well do the same (3) unrelated reason note: I'm seeing egregious traffic violations by cars every time I drive now which was not true say 10yrs ago. Don't know what changed as a cyc…

In France, crossing red lights by bike is allowed when there is a special sign. It’s extremely convenient but dangerous when you are used to it and rarely driving a car.

Comes from Idaho https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop

Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#78

Post by schoen »

mrweasel wrote: post #65
eptcyka wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How am I supposed to make a left turn at an intersection? Other than that, yes, being on the far right on the road is where I'd feel safest.

You don't. Sorry, bikes DO NOT make left turns in intersections. You go straight across, then cross from there. I've biked to school and work for 25 years, and in intersections, I never make a left turn. It takes 2 minutes extra at the most, small price to pay for not being under a truck. Smaller roads, sure, if there's no traffic, you just look over your left shoulder and make the turn if it's all clear.

I took a bike safety class that was supposedly taught by professionals and supposedly based on local vehicle legislation (in California) and they taught us to make vehicular left turns, by positioning ourselves in the rightmost traffic lane which is allowed to turn left, and indicating our intentions to make a left turn with our hands. I've subsequently done this several hundred times in various kinds of traffic.

Did they make a mistake? Is this not consistent with what motorists are being taught to expect? Are motorists commonly not being taught what to expect, and getting confused about this?

Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#79

Post by cstrahan »

ginko wrote: post #44
fzfaa wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When driving, cyclists are dangerous for themselves and for others. When walking, cyclists have absolutely no regard for my physical safety. When I lived in a city with a lot of cyclists I ended up developing some kind of fear that made me look around all the time because of how many cyclists had almost killed me when I was peacefully walking along the pavement. Oh god how I hate cyclists.

You seem to be under the impression that bikes are like cars where you're essentially guaranteed to be dead of at least maimed when they hit you. In reality the most likely thing to happen to you is that you maybe get so nasty scratches and dirty clothing.

… unless you’re longboarding around 20 mph and just about to go through a green light when a dozen bikes come flying through at 20-25 mph 5 seconds after their light turned red.

That’s what happened to me. Only reason I didn’t get trampled was because I had a funny feeling and decided to slow down as I approached the intersection (buildings obscured my view of possible traffic).

They had zero sense of self preservation, let alone any regard for anyone else.

Re: Things people blamed on bicycles

#80

Post by zizee »

watwut wrote: post #72
illuminati1911 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love cycling and bicycles, but I have to say you have a point in your second statement. Back in the days when I used to live in Helsinki, streets became much more dangerous after cycling became popular and city built dedicated cycling lanes. Suddenly all the hipsters with their 5000 USD handmake Swiss custom bikes are out there to kill the pedestrians. Outside of some developing countries I've never felt threatened…

> Outside of some developing countries I've never felt threatened by cars, but I've been just less than a second away from death or permanent disability because of bicycles in Helsinki, Berlin, Tel Aviv etc. One seriously distinct American thing is to claim deadly dangers in extraordinary safe situations and places.

Being hit by a cyclist is no laughing matter, especially if you are a child or elderly. That said, cyclist/pedestrian accidents account for relatively few deaths and injuries compared to other forms of transport.
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