Well crap..... I never knew.... :o

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a649cb30c6.jpg
The mirrors fold in but they don't retract, sorry!
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b96551f0dc.jpg
So fun to drive, didn't know it made me aggressive.


:lol::lol::lol:

Older-style flat-nosed buses and big-rig trucks.

One of the most "annoying" (scary) vehicles for me: when an older-style city bus or big-rig truck with a tall and flat nose comes up from behind and doesn't allow for much passing room as it passes. In my experience, there's a huge wall of air shoving its way to the left and right of such vehicles. If speeds are north of 40mph and the passing gap isn't all that great, I've found myself shoved over to the side a good couple of feet from the blast of air that hits me as the vehicle passes.

Back when I lived in Southern California, I would have said inline skaters. I don't know if that is still a big thing. Now I would say the people using super bright strobe lights on the bicycle paths.

A dripping garbage truck on a 95deg day.

.... which wouldn’t have become a think if people didn’t wander all over the path and ride two abreast on a narrow bike path - never mind the collisions. And it’s just getting worse with the explosion of novice e-bikers with zero bike handling skills.

I'd add old model Audi estate drivers.

Most of the time, they are the people with the bright strobes. They're just going to ride side-by-side and talk and not pay attention to who is up the path. They want us to look out for them, because they are not looking for anyone else.

When I noticed this thread, that's came to my mind. And it is especially bad in a crosswind blowing either way. Luckily I don't have those high profile rims which would make it even worse.

Also don't like those over polite car drivers or distrusting pedestrians who wait till you make a hard stop... Don't like that either driving a car myself or being on a bike.

The same with drivers who don't follow the rules of right of way by being polite... Not only it creates dangerous situations ripe for accidents to happen but often it also involves breaking traffic rules in the process or at minimum, creating unexpected non-standard situations for other drivers, be they on bikes on in cars.

Where I live and ride, I’ve noticed a distinct improvement in rider and pedestrian behavior with a flashing day light. That means more safety for both me and the other guy. Tough luck if it’s irritating - so is stupid out of lane behavior and not paying attention. Just look the other way if it bothers you.

And the rest of your post claiming everyone who uses a light does it to claim unfair use of the path is just pure bullsh$t.

J.

I thought I was the only one who gets anoyed at drivers who stop for me, even when they have the right of way. I wave them across, I want to yell, go, go, you have the right of way you idiot. I don't need you to stop for me. iratates the hell out of me.

They're trying to be nice. The only time it bothers me is when I can't see them through their tinted windows. I'm ready for them to wave me through and it's a lot nicer than a lot of things drivers do. I always thank them.

Yeah, I understand that they are trying to be nice, and your right, the one with dark windows that I can't see the driver anoy me also, I had a guy this past week roll his window down so I could see him. Just bugs me, but it also bugs me when a driver stops to let me walk across tstreet. I want to say, "hay, I can find my own way across this street buddy" I think I need to live in New York city, with it's get out of my way attitude. Wouldn't get people stoping for me there.

It’s actually quite dangerous to cross in front of them. This is a situation where you have a right of way vehicle stopped in a place that drivers behind are not expecting to see a stopped vehicle. Meanwhile, you’re crossing in front of this guy (admittedly, trying to be nice) who gets rear ended and the whole thing gets pushed on top of you.

The other thing that can happen and there have been fatalities in my county of this exact thing. A guy stops, a pedestrian crossed in front and a following vehicle passed on the shoulder, hit the pedestrian (or could be cyclist) and killed them.

There are reasons we have right of way rules.

No way will I cross in front of a guy like that. No way.

Each situation can be different and you have to use your judgement. Today I rode 50 miles with some friends and we were waved through several intersections by drivers. One time we weren't sure and we all unclipped and waved the car through. All of the other times felt safe. You can't trust the law every time.

My younger brother was hit in a crosswalk the same way as you described. 16 year old girl was driving and she fled and went home. Cops were given her license plate and they spoke to her but didn't even give her a ticket. He had some bad injuries.

I can see that. We have a one-way street with two lanes of traffic right in from of my office. Many times I have had a car in the closest land stop, and if it's a big car I can't see the other lane and they can't see me. I wave them on and they wave me on, so sometimes I just turn around and walk away so they will go on.

In inland San Diego I find generally that big trucks, buses, especially school buses (that we don't have going now) don't bother moving at all for a bike. In Cali there is a law now that vehicles should leave at least 3 feet between us. A recent close pass by a highway patrol car made it clear to me that if cops don't get the 3 feet rule why would anyone else.

Here in Japan things are different from other places. The worst annoying vehicles are:

Other cyclists. In Japan cyclists ride on streets and sidewalks, can ride either way on a one-way street. Cyclists here are generally commuters, housewives, old people, and students. They tend to ride unpredictably, and cause at least as many accidents as cars.

Motorcycles. Motorcycles are common in Japan, especially the cities, as they use little gas, are easy to park, and cost little to register compared to cars. And as car drivers are generally more careful in Japan, riding motorcycles here is generally less dangerous. But motorcyclists are less careful, and often modify the exhaust on their bikes in a way that makes them louder than Harleys in America. And motorcyclists here have this odd habit of riding with their feet hanging instead of sitting on the foot pegs. Lane splitting is legal in Japan, as is passing on the shoulder, and these guys often pass too close to cyclists.

Nazi vehicles. In Japan there are nationalist nuts who long for the days of Imperial Japan with battleships in Tokyo Bay, clouds of Zero fighters in the air, and soldiers marching on parade in the palace grounds. Most of these nationalists are related to the Yakuza, or gangsters, and most of them are descendants of the Buraku, or Eta, an outcast class who were executioners, butchers, or tanners. Having been spurned by society, they somehow end up as Nazi wannabes, wearing jackboots, and coveralls which looks like uniforms adorned with old Japanese battle flags and Nazi swastikas. In Japan they drive black vans and buses which are decorated with the Imperial chrysanthemum, and old battle flags. These also have huge loudspeakers on top over which they play old propaganda songs from the 1930's, and which they also use to harangue the police, and annoy anyone within 1 kilometer.

Trash Trucks. Tokyo is a huge city which generates lots of trash, and it takes a lot of work to get it picked up and disposed of by the middle of the day. Trash truck drivers here are like moonshiners of the old south, though the police never seem to do anything to slow them down.

Kei trucks. These are the little trucks which old farmers use to get around. They have a 600cc engine, and accelerate slower than a Schwinn Stingray ridden by a first grader. Perhaps half the accidents in Japan are caused by the drivers of these little trucks, the median age of these guys is over 80.

Just wow! I had no idea. I would think the Japanese on surface at least society would have a lot of respect for ech of us on the streets.

Absolutely!

On one of my regular routes, there are a couple busy streets that I have to cross; two lanes in each direction and a speed limit of 45 MPH. Invariably, I'll get a car at one or the other of those two streets wanting to wave me on across. The problem, as I see it, is the guy coming up in the other lane who isn't on board with the "waving across" gesture so he's just zooming by at 45 MPH. That's the guy most likely to T-bone me! I'd rather they BOTH zoom on by because in thirty seconds, all four lanes will be empty because the red light cycles tend to do that, and I can cross safely.

I often ride on a certain rail-trail that in a few areas runs right alongside a very busy active mainline railroad. Sure enough, at some of the busier street crossings, there is some overly-polite motorist who stops to wave the bikes across, thus causing the car behind them to stop on the railroad tracks. That's an accident waiting to happen.