urbanknight

I have had more close calls on MUP's than regular roads, most likely because the roads are regulated better (no rule to check your blind spot, signal, stop suddenly, etc. on the path). Yes, the likelihood of survival in the event of an accident is far greater on the path, but riding while using a brain so as to avoid any accidents wins over them both.

JoeyBike

I've had one close call on my local MUP in 20 years. Caused by a cyclist with two dogs on leashes even though pets are NOT allowed on that particular MUP. It caused a nice crash involving the mutt's owner and his riding companion. The rest of us survived unscathed. Otherwise, I have five hair raising experiences every day on the roads here. Some accidental, some purposeful.

The point I was trying to make in the post you responded to was to THINK. Not just blindly follow some stubborn dogma that "I won't give up my road" if there was a safer option at hand. If your roads are safer, then by all means avoid the MUP. I could ride 60 miles on my MUP and maybe see 10 other people, all courteous and paying attention. No pets, no kids. Heaven.

urbanknight

Oh, absolutely agreed. I think that's the underlying theme of all these threads. Take the lane or take the shoulder, take the MUP or take the road, use the crosswalk or use the turn lane, stop at the stop sign or... well, you know what I mean... but use your brain.

My closest MUP is in a major park littered with peds, runners, dog walkers (with retractable 25' leashes), cars going in and out of driveways, and even clueless cyclists. River trails are better, but then you apparently risk getting mugged. Around here, acting like a car (which includes stopping at lights/signs and waiting your turn) generally gets you respected like one.

Russ Roth

My own recent experience with Montana drivers didn't leave me impressed with their abilities to begin with, better off on the MUP. Was sitting stopped, realized the car coming up on me wasn't stopping; turned the wheel, quick checked the mirror, and slammed the gas as the car finished screeching to a halt where my front seats had been. Thankfully a 2 lane road and not an oncoming lane or the kids in the back would have been seriously injured. That was the closest incident but hardly the only close call in only 5 days in the state. Always thought Rochester, NY drivers sucked, the state of MT gives them a run for their money. My father-in-law even commented while we were there on the antagonism between truck drivers and cyclists, and while he's a cheap beer swilling redneck with a truck, he's got 3 grandkids heavy into cycling and understands both sides of the issues better.

livedarklions

Reading that forum was like swimming in an outhouse. Frankly, I don't see the point in subjecting yourself to that, but to each his own. I won't be back.

Gear_Admiral 

I would hazard a guess here that this situation is different for those outside of Tallahassee and those inside a city like Tallahassee. The people living in cities who buy trucks 100% for vanity reasons are almost universally "bad" in my experience, whereas in the rural areas it can be a toss-up. Yeah, we cyclists have problems with confirmation bias with truckers, but if thinking like an international relations realist, you have to consider that one truck driver out of thirty could easily *kill* you by "accident" or on purpose. Sure, your neighboring country may never choose to invade you, but there's a chance it could choose to militarily invade you. Let's take Portugal. If Portugal had zero army, then it would be a sitting duck if Spain wanted to conquer it again. Hence, Portugal will maintain some army for protection or as deterrent. Even if Spain were to help out in some humanitarian mission, like a volcano exploding in a city like Lisbon, Portugal has no idea what Spain may choose to do in two or twenty years' time.

Likewise, people on bikes can (and, I argue, should) be especially wary of two to three-ton machines with hoods higher than our heads.

Florida is also a strange beast with the number of transplants it has. Many are fine people and many are bad people who were drawn to Florida for the wrong reasons, for real or merely perceived reasons such as "woohoo, I can surround myself with only antisocial types and not pay any taxes at all and tint my car windows 99%. Florida, here I come!" (The reality is not this, but those people chasing this lifestyle will move to Florida). I didn't spend much time in the panhandle and these types are probably more likely to move to non-panhandle areas, but I could be wrong. I only lived there for a few years.

boozergut

Love that area. I should have quit my job and moved down there 15 years ago.

Korina

For some masochistic reason I read the entire thread. I'm kind of disappointed the OP didn't point out that some of them seemed to be okay with injuring or even killing the six-year-old kid involved in the crash. Within two posts it devolved into cyclist bashing and managed to keep it up for 14 testosterone-fueled, entitled driver pages; it's impressive, really. My opinion of men has dropped another notch.

holytrousers

I'm sure you mean cagemen, not all men, right ?

jon c. 

That could be. I don't ride in the city that often and when I do it's largely on the less affluent southside. If you're theory is correct, the worst of it would be in the northeast suburbs. Where there are a lot of large, expensive pickups. And a lot of traffic. I suspect the riders who live are often the folks who drive to my area to ride.

AmandaKY

Oh, I have no idea.

Korina

Sure.

genec

The sad thing is... some of us cyclists actually drive pickup trucks from time to time.

genec

Please don't give up on "men."

Some of us are kind, gentle and caring humans...

The large "boy-children" of that thread obviously have little respect for anyone besides themselves, and likely have never learned to "play well with others."

Daniel4

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them are proud boys.

genec

I don't know, don't wanna speculate... that might make the thread political and force a move.

Bottom line is that those folks expressing those opinions about cyclists, or any other user of the road, apparently didn't learn how to "share" in kindergarten, nor did they learn the rules of the road... "don't hit that which is in front of you..." Nor did they learn basic human courtesy.

Now they have big trucks and a Jackazz attitude toward others on the road. Folks of a similar nature also go around blocking EV charging stations... simply because they can and again, have bad attitudes about others... Essentially acting like "fourth graders" on the playground.

It certainly isn't a proper rural or western attitude... which usually includes a bit of "help your neighbor."

trooper2899

My experience is that most Bike haters are obese cigarette smokers and are pizzed off by the appearance of slender people on bikes on the public by-ways.......there was a popular NY radio celebrity who routinely raved about driving behind "skinny" Bikers with their "little skinny Azzes on those Little seats"......he would really go off on it - Alas he had a coronary and EXPIRED (case closed)

Daniel4

There was a time when I went to a lot of trade shows. Then one year, I took notice of something.

The people who go to the Outdoor Adventure Show (canoeists, wilderness camping, hikers, backpackers, cycling, adventure vacations) were generally skinny people.

The people who go to the Sportsman Show (fishing, hunting) were generally overweight people. Not all, of course because I was there.

genec

So the generalization is that people that do "self powered" things... hiking, cycling, kayaking, etc have the bodies that reflect those activities...
People that sit on or in motorized vehicles for "entertainment" have the bodies that reflect that passive lifestyle.

But the question is where does the "attitude" come from?

mschwett 

i followed the link too, i have seen toxic forums but that’s worse than anything i’ve seen on the common internet.

Polaris OBark

Our local person who spews that kind of venom and ran me off the road, twice, and lectured me about how I don't belong on the road, is a woman.

I do suspect that the attitude and aggression is more prevalent amongst males, but it is also worth noting (a) internet forums, like that one and even this one, skew heavily male, and (b) a lot of it was bravado/bull-shyte.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of horrible people, and no one sex/gender/race etc appears to have a monopoly.

Polaris OBark

Those are called mountain bikers.

Korina

I know quite a few decent men. Unfortunately they're not the ones in power.
As with all generalizations, it's not accurate. I agree about it being largely bravado/men one-upping each other.

Daniel4

I don't know. You tell me since you made the conclusion, not me. I just reported the observation.

Gear_Admiral 

When in a country where obesity is uncommon, the obese American expat is a strange duck. (1) She or he somehow manages to remain obese in a place where food is healthier and walking is more common and downright necessary in daily life. (2) She or he is clearly insane and/or envious of locals and refers to them as anorexic and gets angry about them existing. This is very attractive behavior and consistently makes people who are able to date locals decide to instead date the Americans who happen to be obese and cranky.

You see this in America itself, of course, but the angry, obese American expat spouts off daily about it when over 95% of the people are a constant reminder of how poor your own health and physical appearance are.

It doesn't take much to trigger this. Just be twenty pounds overweight where almost everyone is within the BMI recommendations or is a semi-athlete.

Americans have so normalized obesity, it is insane. "Oh, when you hit 37, your waistband increases by 4 inches because your metabolism slows down." No, your metabolism falls like a rock when you're in your late 60s, not your late 30s.