RubeRad

That surprises me, I thought everybody in Toronto (and Canada) is super nice

I-Like-To-Bike

Doncha know that for some cyclists, anyone who doesn't fit their own profile is by definition not nice and subject to being disparaged with jargony names?

Squeeze

There was a thread about those folks perhaps a year or so ago calling them 'niceholes'.

KD5NRH

I've used "squirrels" for the ones who suddenly change directions, stop or start without looking.

Joe Minton

Folks who are overly polite can be irritating and even, sometimes, dangerous.

The very best we can hope for is that everyone obey the 'rules'.

When I approach a four-way stop, I 'expect' that I will be treated the same as any other vehicle. And, that generally works out very well; --- we share the roadway.

However, what I 'expect' and what often happens sometimes differs. The biggest problem seems to be with mothers (don't dump on me -- I've seen the movie ;o).

Women with children (some of them husbands) are extra cautious: they tend to assume that we bike riders are going to do something childish/stupid (same thing) LOL. --- Whatever --- said 'mothers' slow me down, irritate my a$$, and --- make me smile that there folks out there (mostly mothers) who give a $hit about the safety of others.

LOL ;o)

Joe

wilfried

Now that the weather is finally changing, the Sunday Citi Bikers are starting come out. Citi Bike is our bike share. Many of the riders ride daily, are sensible, and know what they're doing. But on weekends in good weather, you get gaggles of people who decide to go for a spin. They have no common sense or etiquette, have no regard for other people on bikes or traffic, and ride in these slow moving amorphous clots that bung up streets and bike lanes. My new collective noun for them, a coagulation of Citi Bikes.

BobbyG

BobbyG

Tbone2

Yes this is when I sometimes deliver a rather loud etiquette lesson.
I know your not supposed to do that but sometimes I just gotta do it anyway.

Darth Lefty 

Gutless wonders! I just thought that one up

BobbyG

wolfchild

It's all going to get a lot worse for cyclists and drivers when weed becomes legal some time next year here in Canada.

wolfchild

You're mistaken.

RubeRad

Totally. I try to be as friendly as possible, giving waves to drivers that I can tell consciously avoided me or held back to change lanes behind me instead of racing ahead. But the driver who (properly) goes through a 4-way stop before me, I ALWAYS give a friendly head-nod and smile, so they know on behalf of all cyclists that we want only our fair share of right-of-way, no more.

RubeRad

See now, a Murican would have said YER RONG YA FRIGGIN IDJIT

kickstart

It's legal here in Washington, and hardly a day goes by I don't catch a wif from a car, but can't say I've noticed any tangible difference.

79pmooney

I call the ninjas "stealth" riders. It's actually based on rather sound thinking. Military experience. Those who dress to not be seen don't get hit. And it works rather well. Those drivers that intend to mangle cyclists collect their stars hitting cyclists they can see.

Ben

Korina

Unless they randomly cross the road in front of traffic, usually between street lights for maximum invisibility. Every once in awhile someone pulls this stunt and gets hit, leaving some poor schlub feeling guilty for something that's not their fault. I call it "natural selection in action".

mcours2006

I can't imagine that working well anywhere. Can't think of any instance where a commuter deliberately dresses not to be seen. Maybe you're kidding about it, but that's just silly.

Korina

Not commuters as such, but around here people (mostly guys) without cars tend to ride around on their little BMX beaters with all reflective surfaces removed, wearing dark pants, dark hoodies with the hood up to block their peripheral vision, and often a black backpack. They wander the streets, crossing randomly and without warning. It's crazed but true.

79pmooney

That was completely tongue in cheek. More seriously, it is additional evidence in defense of Darwin's theory of evolution.

Ben

Motolegs

Colorado resident here. Get whiffs aplenty too! Have noticed a certain degree of spaced outedness in some drivers- (more than usual) and some really slower ones as well, it's entirely possible it can be attributed to weed. So far it has been easily sensed and avoidable as far as riding a bike. There haven't been any publicized accidents that I can recall being directly attributed to MJ. More of a menace IMO is the smart phone distracted driver. And drunks of course.

kickstart

Totally agree, a stoned driver is likely to be less of a threat than a drunk, distracted, or aggressive driver.

Mauriceloridans

Back on the term for the 4 way stop driver who wants to give you his right of way when he was there first, the name I picked up years ago (don't recall where) is BAD SAMARITAN.

I usually stop anyway and shake my head no while I wait for them to go to make the point. I like the idea above of the nod an smile to drivers who do take their right of way and move on (so i can slow roll through).

BobbyG