lineinthewater

Yesterday, I was riding along the main college drag ... and this guy darted out in front of me, against a red light, on his (from what I could tell) mid-high level road bike. I was trailing behind him (stopping at red lights and then speeding up to pursue) while he just went FULL SPEED (probably 15-20 mph) through the following three red lights WITHOUT even looking. I mean, this behavior is not only suicidal, it also enrages me as it further prejudices drivers against all cyclists. Where the heck are the police? If someone T-bones this guy, you can bet he will turn around and try to sue them.

chipcom 

I can see why you chose that particular user name now...trolling seems to be your thing.

lineinthewater

I WAS ON MY BIKE ... did you actually read the post? a little trigger happy, eh?

Note to new BF members: if you bring up a topic that doesn't conform to the standards of an older, established member, they have the right to, at any time, throw the word "troll" out to destroy your credibility. Tread lightly.

RapidRobert

Only Mr. Give-em-all-the-finger, who apparently ran out of original things to say a long time ago, can't seem to stay on topic, and snipes his pithy little insignificant comments from the real cheap seats.

Ajenkins

Yeah, well, people ride all kinds of ways I don't approve of. Mostly they're just risking themselves. If someone gets whacked running a red, they kind of brought it on themselves. I doubt if the lawsuit argument holds much water, cyclists barely get a fair shake in the courts in the first place.

I wouldn't worry about the damage to cyclists' reputation, though. Even if you got 99% of cyclists to obey the law, people will remember and point to the 1% that screw up.

That's the same with us and motorists. A gazillion cars pass me every day, it's only the one that passed me with barely a foot to spare that I remember. 99% of the motorists treated me just fine. But you can bet that it's that one who I'll put on a good rant about.

kendall

I've run into a few cyclists that have caused me to wonder about them.
A whle ago I was on my way to work heading west on a side street and was just pulling up to a stop sign, when a bike rider coming south on the cross street decided to cut his left turn as much as possible, came within a foot of the curb corner (my side) and kept going in my lane, barely bmissing the drivers corner on the the bumper, and brushing my mirror with his jacket.
The only thing that kept him from being hit was that I had already been slowing for the stop, and had stopped 20ft back when I saw him come around the corner so stupidly. This was dawn, enough light to see by, and my lights were on so there's no way he couldn't see that I was there, while he had no lights, and dark clothes on. The only easily seen things he had was a white lunch box on the rear rack, and a reflective stripe on his bar bag.
If I was the type to rush around corners, he'd have been flattened (and we'd have another thread on careless/unsafe drivers hitting a poor innocent cyclist making a left turn on his way to work)

Ken.

chipcom 

You should look up the meaning of the word troll, as it applies to internet forums.
But then again, based on your thread creation record, I believe you chose your username based on that definition, so spare me the crocodile tears, m'kay?

This is only like the eleventy billionth "no wonder why driver's hate cyclists" thread.

PS: a noob troll giving other noobs advice...nice.

unterhausen

well, at least this particular troll picked a bad behavior for all the psychotic drivers to hate us over. Here's my advice to noobie trolls: pick a cyclist that is riding in an assertive but legal manner, and start a thread saying that is why motorists hate us. That sort of thread drives this forum into a frenzy.

I guess for some cyclists thinking that some other cyclist's bad behavior causes all the road rage is a defense mechanism. They don't want to believe that all the pointless hate and dangerous behavior coming from the occupants of motor vehicles is due to them riding their bike in a legal manner.

gcottay

I prefer the old lstserv usage in which troll was applied to the post rather than the poster as in, the original post here is an obvious troll and, as chipcom suggests, the poster seems to have chosen an appropriate nym.

DX-MAN

Although this usually happens with cars where I live, it did happen once with another rider; my difference is I didn't see him in time to do what I wanted to:

Timed for his close pass, lean towards him and bellow, "HEY, F***HEAD! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"

This one got that over my shoulder, kept going with a weaselly little, "F*** you...."

lineinthewater

You obviously have no idea what you are talking about.

I'll say this one last time: I'm NOT a troll. Although it doesn't surprise me that a "well used" member's word is treated as gospel, especially on BF. I'm glad BF mods encourages such a hospitable, welcoming attitude.

Thanks for ruining the thread.

chipcom 

Since botto is on vacation....

crhilton

https://catb.org/jargon/html/T/troll.html

Your post was a troll under definition 1 because this topic always creates a flame war on this forum. You may not have realized you were trolling, but that's not chipcom's fault.

chipcom derailed the troll by pointing it out. He's done a service to humanity in this way.


By the way, chipcom successfully flamed you. You've been out trolled. Welcome to The Future.

10 Wheels

Chipcom has much more experience at trolling and giving out red light running tickets.

lineinthewater

This whole thread is the definition of Harassment and Disruption, per BF guidelines. I have reported it to the mods.

RapidRobert

I agree. Regardless of the history of contraversy on a topic, it's not right to derail it into personal attacks or the "taking of one's inventory" (as the 12 steppers like to say) by some clown in the bleachers.

You sick of a topic? DON'T FREAKIN' READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the place for advocacy, not all of which you'll agree with. SUCK IT UP, or at least disagree with the topic.

Please, moderators, stop the crap as shown in posts 2, 7, 12 and 13.

qmsdc15

You got dropped.

Wogster

Gee, people LIGHTEN UP ALREADY

The new guy may not be familiar with the rather strict and unwritten rules, and what subjects cause a sore point with the sensitive types around here. Gee people, it's a little like a bunch of 4 year old boys having a p***ing contest in a sandbox.

Red lights are a problem, personally I stop for them, riders who don't want to risk life and limb, will stop for the red light. For riders that don't, they should expect to eventually be taken out.

Personally, I find the whining, b****ing and complaining about these issues getting annoying. It's a problem, so how about some solutions.

The folks who design road standards, should mandate that all traffic lights that are triggered, must be able to detect bicycles, if this requires a specific position, it must be marked. Once we fix the traffic lights, require that people on bicycles carry government issued photo id, so that the local constabulary can deal with those who don't pay attention.

Chilled

I work close to a college and two days ago I experienced the same thing. A young "buck" or "buckess" managed to keep up to me ONLY by running stops and lights while I complied with traffic regulations. Eventually this turtle 'lost' the race. Who cares. If he/she got smoked by a car I would have still stopped and pulled out the first aid kit. If someone "biased" against cyclists in general started something with me, then or at any other time, I would have pulled out the U Lock. I have input and control in only one of the two scenarios.

My point? Simply do the right thing and learn to pick your battles.

WCoastPeddler

+1.

Ajenkins

I mounted this on my Fuji, and haven't seen a red light since. It is only the Luddite Cyclist that must run reds anymore.

longpatterned

Okay, I'll bite... I think drivers are jealous of cyclists because a) their cars are the wrong shape for the terrain, b) they see someone who isn't taxed on gasoline purchases using the road, c) the cyclists taunt the drivers with their freedom and abandon, and d) the cyclist has a higher percentage of financial freedom and independence.

So, risking two lives by threatening the life of a cyclist who does not portend to share the limitations of the motorists is folly. One either holds all life dear or not. The next time you see some ride with willful abandon, take joy in their expression and run lead blocker for 'em!!

Digital_Cowboy

Okay, where would one mount it on a bike so as not to make it oblivious? Could one carry it in their pannier bags and still have it work?

wheel

Top reasons I should go on a century today ...
lineinthewater

Stopping for school buses - am I the only one?
lineinthewater

It's no wonder drivers hate cyclists ...
lineinthewater

How long do you wait before running a nonresponsive traffic light? Is it legal?
lineinthewater

Rolling drivers at intersections & driveways - what are they thinking?
lineinthewater

spandexwarrior

Get over it. Drivers hated cyclists long before any of them did these things. Some weak minded people prefer ripping to pieces and blaming "those bad cyclists out there," because a guy on a bike is easier to beat up. Yes, all would be love, roses, puppies and kittens if cyclists were nice."

Let's try that theory in other areas involving disenfranchisement.

Cycling: If cyclists were nice, and behaved properly drivers wouldn't hurt them.
Real life: If black people were nice and behaved properly, people wouldn't hurt them.

I'm not diminishing the devastation of racism- just pointing out that racism is at its core is just using skin color to justify classist opportunism. African Americans work the crap jobs we don't want and get paid little. Someone is benefiting from this. That's why it happens. Some bullies who believe they benefit from the disenfranchisement of these people try to keep African American's self-esteem down through racial epithets.

The point being, you don't take up space on the big boy's turf (or road) and not pay the price. This is why we bicker over "bad" cyclists. We are too scared to call a bunch of lazy, automobile driving bullies on what they do. We hand over our lunch money to them and then try to find a guy we can beat up on and guess what? He's "the bad cyclist." I hate bad cycling as much as the next person, but blaming all our ills on them is pretty f$*&ing stupid. Drivers want to hate us no matter what they do. Period. Take all the bad cyclists away and you are still going to find people hating us.
We want manageable problems like "bad cyclists," not unmanageable ones like drivers being ignorant, arrogant and crossing the line more often than not.