OT-Bicyclists

[Myrtleknight]

I find bicyclists obnoxious and dangerous. How are they allowed on two lane roads over 25/35 mph. There is no way for them to keep up with traffic and they cause dangerous situations for the passing drivers and the bicyclists themselves. I don't care how healthy or good for the environment their activity is. And I do not want to hear that they have just as much of a right to the road, when the engineers designed the roads, they designed the roads for motor vehicles not yuppies on bikes.

Sorry for my rant but I was driving home tonight, on a 45 mph road, some idiot on a bike was going to wrong way on a two foot shoulder and I had to swerve out of the way and almost had a head on collision. This guy was as bad as a drunk driver. Still even when they are following the rules, they are still a dangerous.

 

[njdirt]

Agree
Sorry for those who do , but most are considerate and stay to the right when possible. But lately have been behind the groups who think they own the road and don't give a crap if holding up traffic & still stay 2-4 wide .

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

It's amazing that the OP felt the need to post such an overtly selfish rant. Truly the downside of anonymity. If people had to include their names, we wouldn't have to wade through half the crap that's posted on here.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

All is forgiven if the cyclists are wearing Rutgers gear. Truth.

 

[NewJerseyGuy]

Well, I do often wonder why they get dressed up in their Breaking Away costumes.




When I go out to throw a football around with my sons, I never feel inspired to dress up in a helmet and full pads.

 

[bac2therac]

OP is spot on. Cyclists are the worst and have no consideration for the cars on the road or for pedestarians or for following the rules of the road. They insist on riding on curvy backroads with no shoulders creating dangerous situations.

 

[RU205]

Agreed. I will take it a step further. When I'm driving everyone annoys me. Bicyclists, joggers, women pushing baby carriages, slow drivers, etc. just move out of my way.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Well, I do often wonder why they get dressed up in their Breaking Away costumes.




When I go out to throw a football around with my sons, I never feel inspired to dress up in a helmet and full pads.

Not even a little bit?

 

[S.B. Crumb]

 

[RutgersRaRa]

OP,

It starts when they're young. Some of them learn to have no fear.

 

[Knight Shift]

The ones that ride two or three wide and flip you off when you try to nicely warn them you are about to pass are the worst ones. I ride a mountain bike, and when I am on the road, I make sure I am inside the white line and not in the way of traffic. The Lance Armstrong wannabes are the worst.

 

[LC-88]

Most cyclists have no idea what a STOP sign looks like.

 

[Knight_Light]

Most cyclists have no idea what a STOP sign looks like.

Laws/rules do not apply to them.*

PS. I'm fortunate that I live right next to amazing bike trails so 99% of the time I'm on a trail.

No clue how anyone would want to ride on a road, considering all the texting that goes on...as just 1 or 2 degree tilt of a steering wheel could kill them.

Why take that stupid risk?

 

[RC1991]

Well how about we take the opposing point of view as to how drivers can be a bunch of morons and have no regard for bicyclists - blowing through stop signs, passing a bike and then making a right turn in front of them, etc. If these drivers are from certain countries where driving is a free for all such as those who have settled in my area of NJ it's even worse. I agree that bicyclists can be just as guilty, especially when these bike groups try to take over the whole road but most of us that are out there for exercise follow the road rules by riding on the side of the road with traffic, stopping at intersections with stop signs and lights.

On a lighter note don't you remember the bike safety movie from elementary school in the late 70s called "Just Like a Car"??

 

[RUaMoose]

This problem calls for some good old fasioned coal rollin. Screw the Priuses for now.

 

[newell138]

Well, I do often wonder why they get dressed up in their Breaking Away costumes.




When I go out to throw a football around with my sons, I never feel inspired to dress up in a helmet and full pads.

I just said the same thing to my wife the other day, its kind of odd, especially the ones who weigh like 300 pounds and look like a stuffed pepper. I always get a kick out of the ones who actually dress up and ride their bikes on the boardwalk down here in OC. They are trying to ride on a saturday morning with all the walkers and families riding their surries. They just look ridiculous

I'll usually throw a 10 inch piece of rebar in their spokes as I drive by to slow them down

 

[MrsScrew]

this thread is a compilation of every single thing that Mr.Screw says when he sees bicyclists on the road.

 

[Mod9a]

I just said the same thing to my wife the other day, its kind of odd, especially the ones who weigh like 300 pounds and look like a stuffed pepper. I always get a kick out of the ones who actually dress up and ride their bikes on the boardwalk down here in OC. They are trying to ride on a saturday morning with all the walkers and families riding their surries. They just look ridiculous

I'll usually throw a 10 inch piece of rebar in their spokes as I drive by to slow them down

Hey, do any walkers ever get run over on the boardwalk in OC? I went down there a couple of years ago and it was like the Autobahn on the boardwalk with jitneys and bikes flying by. My daughter and I almost got clipped a few times. It just seemed overly dangerous to me, quite different from Spring Lake, Belmar, etc.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

this thread is a compilation of every single thing that Mr.Screw says when he sees bicyclists on the road.

Really? I thought he just makes the "vroom vroom" noise while he drives.

 

[MrsScrew]

Really? I thought he just makes the "vroom vroom" noise while he drives.

he drives a Raptor. That thing makes vroom vroom noises all on it's own.

 

[JPhoboken]

No Need for pissing match between bicyclists and drivers. I have seen bad behavior both ways. I was run off the run on a bicycle in Bridgewater while riding clearly on the shoulder by a pickup truck with a large mirror sticking out that hit me and sent me flying into the woods, and he didn't even bother to stop. Not to mention the $500 damage to my bike and the painful injuries and scrapes to my legs.

Drivers need to respect bicyclists on the road. Do your best to give them room is always welcome. Getting too close and honking horns for no reason to piss bicyclists off is not.

Bicyclists need to remember that they need to obey traffic laws too. Stay to right, make clear signals when turning, and don't just think because you are on a bicycle you can blow through traffic and any intersection you want on a red light.

It really comes down to common courtesy on each side. I make sure when I am riding or walking around Jersey City that whenever a car slows down or stops to let me cross, I wave to them to say thank you and let them know it is appreciated. If there was more of this, I think Bicyclist and drivers could coexist more peacefully.

 

[jvdavy]

In the city bicyclists are awful. They blow through lights, swerve between traffic and menace pedestrians. every messenger and even Citibike renter seems to think they can just run lights between traffic coming the other way, but then they want to tell you nonstop how drivers don't pay any attention and are dangerous to bicyclists. Same goes for motorcyclists who think they can squeeze between traffic on multi-lane roads and don't have to wait like everyone else.

 

[MrsScrew]

In the city bicyclists are awful. They blow through lights, swerve between traffic and menace pedestrians. every messenger and even Citibike renter seems to think they can just run lights between traffic coming the other way, but then they want to tell you nonstop how drivers don't pay any attention and are dangerous to bicyclists. Same goes for motorcyclists who think they can squeeze between traffic on multi-lane roads and don't have to wait like everyone else.

I loathe the motorcyclists who do this. Happened to me last weekend while I was stuck on the Belt Parking Lot...I mean Parkway. I always want to pull my car to the right just in time to knock them over and I pray out loud that there is a cop up ahead to give them a ticket.

 

[R1776U]

bicycles are for sissies..

 

[T2Kplus10]

And it's just downright dangerous in most parts of NJ. Lots of high traffic roads with no shoulders. If a driver is faced with avoiding another car or a bike, guess which one is going to get hit?

 

[RUsSKii]

In the city bicyclists are awful. They blow through lights, swerve between traffic and menace pedestrians. every messenger and even Citibike renter seems to think they can just run lights between traffic coming the other way, but then they want to tell you nonstop how drivers don't pay any attention and are dangerous to bicyclists. Same goes for motorcyclists who think they can squeeze between traffic on multi-lane roads and don't have to wait like everyone else.

+ 100. Bicyclists in Manhattan make the ones being complained about here look like invisible angels. I've seen cars slam on their brakes on 5-lane avenues because a delivery guy or speedster blew through a red light without a care in the world. I just give them a dirty look when walking on my green light, basically daring them to get in my way..

I loathe the motorcyclists who do this. Happened to me last weekend while I was stuck on the Belt Parking Lot...I mean Parkway. I always want to pull my car to the right just in time to knock them over and I pray out loud that there is a cop up ahead to give them a ticket.

Eh.. I'm going to disagree with you here, unless they're dangerously threading and swerving between lanes at 25+ mph. If there is ample space between lanes, why not let smaller motorcycles slowly/carefully pass by? My reasoning is that it would be inefficient for them to take up the whole space where a car or truck would typically be while stuck in traffic, and moreso dangerous to the motorcyclists themselves because they can be pinched in a rear-end collision anytime by inattentive drivers behind them (as opposed to just body damage on a car/truck). I'd personally do the same thing if I had a bike..

 

[mildone]

I just said the same thing to my wife the other day, its kind of odd, especially the ones who weigh like 300 pounds and look like a stuffed pepper. I always get a kick out of the ones who actually dress up and ride their bikes on the boardwalk down here in OC. They are trying to ride on a saturday morning with all the walkers and families riding their surries. They just look ridiculous

I'll usually throw a 10 inch piece of rebar in their spokes as I drive by to slow them down

Ah, so that's your wife in your avatar?

 

[robcac26]

I recently picked up a used mountain bike on Craigslist to use for running errands around town. I normally ride on the sidewalk of busy roads instead of the street because I find it much safer. It is much easier for a person on a bike to avoid hitting a pedestrian than it is for a person driving a car to avoid hitting a cyclist, and the fact that I can't see the cars coming up from behind me makes it even more dangerous.

A week or so ago I nearly got rammed by a minivan that rolled through a stop sign. Luckily I was able to barely avoid it, and the driver just smiled at me as if she was amused that she nearly caused me a serious injury.

 

[jiggscasey]

bicycles are for sissies..

Awe shucks. I was enjoying my exercise until some knucklehead called me a sissy. Now if you actually veto doing activities because you don't want to be a sissy, that would make you softer than anyone riding a bicycle.

 

[RC1991]

I loathe the motorcyclists who do this. Happened to me last weekend while I was stuck on the Belt Parking Lot...I mean Parkway. I always want to pull my car to the right just in time to knock them over and I pray out loud that there is a cop up ahead to give them a ticket.

I agree...but believe it or not that is actually legal in some states! Who would have thought....I think it's ridiculous.

Back on the bike front I have gotten hit by bike messengers going to work in the city who don't watch what they're doing or where they're going....but as I and others pointed out a bit of courtesy on both sides would be nice. No reason for bicyclists not to be able to share (the side) of the road.

 

[MURF87]

Bottom line is both groups need to be careful and considerate. I've been riding a road bicycle for 5 years now and I've seen the best and worst of both worlds. I ride quite a few narrow, winding and hilly roads here in central VA and it is important for both drivers and bicyclists to play it safe. If I know a car is behind me and it is slowed and looking to pass me I will let them know (hand signal) that there is no oncoming traffic and they can pass... i'll even slow down to make the pass quicker for them. I will also wave to thank people for slowing down, letting me pass through an intersection, etc. However, I've also had the unfortunate experience of people passing me close by at 50mph on a winding, rural road and one guy who was towing a boat passed me while coming up to a blind curve in the road. He realized he had to get back over to the right quickly after he passed me to avoid any possible head on collision. The boat and the trailer was literally inches from me as he passed, and i had to ride my bike into the ditch. My thought was, "really douche, you couldn't wait 5 extra seconds to pass me after the curve?"

 

[mildone]

When I'm on my bike, bikes should have the right of way and everybody, including other bikes, should get the F out of my way. When I'm driving a car, cars should have the right of way and everybody, including other cars, should get the F out of my way. Simple.

 

[R1776U]

Awe shucks. I was enjoying my exercise until some knucklehead called me a sissy. Now if you actually veto doing activities because you don't want to be a sissy, that would make you softer than anyone riding a bicycle.

i go play football with my buddies.. nice try though

 

[R1776U]

When I'm on my bike, bikes should have the right of way and everybody, including other bikes, should get the F out of my way. When I'm driving a car, cars should have the right of way and everybody, including other cars, should get the F out of my way. Simple.

love your avatar.. i have a beer coozie like that

 

[jiggscasey]

i go play football with my buddies.. nice try though

I don't think you are picking up what I'm laying down. No one is going to stop what they are doing because you call them a name. I don't choose my activities based on masculine stereotypes. Does it make you feel like a big man to call people sissies? Does it help you compensate for something?

 

[mildone]

love your avatar.. i have a beer coozie like that

It does accurately depict an element of my personality. But as avatars go, it's crap compared to the avatar @newell138 is sporting. Now that's an avatar I can get behind.

 

[R1776U]

I don't think you are picking up what I'm laying down. No one is going to stop what they are doing because you call them a name. I don't choose my activities based on masculine stereotypes. Does it make you feel like a big man to call people sissies? Does it help you compensate for something?

it helps me cope with the fact that i have an abnormally large penis

 

[mildone]

I don't think you are picking up what I'm laying down. No one is going to stop what they are doing because you call them a name. I don't choose my activities based on masculine stereotypes. Does it make you feel like a big man to call people sissies? Does it help you compensate for something?

I have a Suburban, a ludicrously oversize watch, one of those gigantic screen phones, a 61" TV, and at one point put a pretty large addition on my house. All this talk about compensation makes me uncomfortable. ;)

 

[jiggscasey]

it helps me cope with the fact that i have an abnormally large penis

Wow. Your insecurity is astounding.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

I go back and forth on this issue. When I'm on my bike, I can't stand cars. When I'm in my car, I can't stand bicyclists. Mostly can't stand their outfits.