grant40

READ ALL OF THIS.

I live in America in a city that has more cycling infrastructure than what I heard from descriptions of other cities in the United States, but I noticed people get really politically upset and don't want to use any use any cycling specific parts of the city as some sort of political protest. Like they lane split in the middle of the road, even if there is a large and sometimes protected bike lane. Also see people just riding into traffic and then procede to scream at drivers or even break their mirrors on extreme cases. I have been made fun of for riding in the bike lane or taking a bike path for being a "pushover to the evil billionaires". These people get hit by cars all the time for doing erratic cycling but they still do the behaviors as some form of angry protest. I don't ride the safest to be honest, but I try to be aware of traffic and I tend to ride in the bike lanes and I have not had much issues with traffic besides dumb and overly agressive drivers. But this is apparently "rich boomer" behavior and that I am being a pushover to corrupt corporations. I am getting tired of this and I feel like are acting too political in the wrong ways and it pisses me off.

mackgoo

I've never experienced any of what you say.

Bald Paul

What city are you talking about? I want to be reminded not to visit there.

Steve B.

I would bet bottom dollar it’s NYC. They likely have one of the largest cycling infrastructure of any U.S. city and certainly have a lot of entitled cyclists who meet the OP’s description. Not sure what the complaint is exactly. NY is nit Amsterdam, that’s for sure. I check in on a webcam at a university somewhere j. holland, the place in front of the library, where a few hundred people leave their city bikes on provided bike racks. Nobody locks the bikes and I gather few get stolen. I infer this as I watch folks walk to a spot wheee they have left there bikes, and ride off. They certainly have a different riding experience then NYC, where even with a pretty good network of paths and bike lanes, cyclists are still stressed by the attitude of those in cars and trucks to get off the road. Tends to make some cyclists a bit testy and less than law abiding as they negotiate a crowded urban area.

veganbikes

It's not real it is just stirring up the pot. Usually it is more harmless pictures of bikes he probably owns that he thinks people will think are goofy.

Politics belongs in the P&R section.

shelbyfv

I'm thinking maybe a 10% chance anyone has ever called OP a "pushover to the evil billionaires" or "rich boomer." If it actually has happened, then I figure about 90% chance the encounter was instigated by OP.

slow rollin

It's best to let it all out, then re-read what you have written and understand why you said those things. Just try your best to ignore what other people say when it comes to where you ride as long as it's safe. Just like on the internet you meet the most deranged and outspoken people you will meet them in the deepest depths of hel- I mean that part of the city.
Take a long ride to the countryside when you can and have a nice meal.

I-Like-To-Bike

I very much enjoyed cycling in Holland but your webcam check ins are deceiving you. Locked and probably all unlocked bikes on the streets of Amsterdam are likely to be stolen at any time. Bike theft is a big problem. Some people use frame locks, others humongous chains, but leave them unlocked on the street or in front of a public building? - Not likely!

Steve B.

The webcam I observe has many cyclists either placing a bike in a slot, or retrieving one. I pretty much don’t see the users spending much time locking or unlocking, thus my comment. Riiks University Groningen if you are curious. And no argument over how often bikes get stolen.

shelbyfv

Those Dutch girls are cute, especially in the Spring, cycling in the short skirts. Cool find!

work4bike

I agree, this sounds like something out of NYC.

It's crazy rationalization...or lack of...However, I'm starting to wonder if I'm a pushover for all the billionaires by washing out all my "recyclable" plastics.

There are so many ways we're all pushovers for the filthy rich, but riding in a bike lane is no more being a pushover than driving a car on sidewalks.

jon c. 

Ride where you feel safe. Let other riders choose the position that works for them. Don't worry about anyone but yourself and your "problem" will evaporate.

urbanknight

You're making a lot of assumptions without actually going to the source for the real reasons. I can't speak about your locale or the riders you have observed, but there are various possible reasons to avoid cycling infrastructure. Some "protected" bike lanes hide riders from the view of drivers, putting them at risk at every intersection and driveway. Some bike paths are overcrowded, often with non-cyclists (walkers, runners, dogs, etc.). Some bike lanes are in door zones. As for someone who teases you for making your own decisions for your own reasons, without at least giving a logical argument, they're obviously not worth your time.

jack pot 

i am at a loss for how anything in this thread can segue into "being a pushover to billionaires" ... all the billionaires that i know could give a rat's tail about cycle yokels and where when how and what they ride

Rick

There is some bicycle infrastructure that is unwise to use. In the early eighties I lived in Provo Utah. The city got some kind of funding and made a painted line bicycle lane which had two way traffic for bicyclists on one side of a very busy road. Due to the high incident rate this bicycle infrastructure was promptly removed.