FBinNY 

Feel free to disagree. That's what forums are about.

However, please accept that we live in different worlds, and therefore will see things differently. I focus my concerns on my own actions, and don't feel compelled to "correct" others. That doesn't mean I agree with them, or condone their actions, simply that they fall into the very wide gap between what I endorse and what I'm willing to fret over.

rc5781

NO we live in the same world. If you are a cyclist with a red light at a crosswalk and cars are crossing, do not cross until there are no cars or if you have green crosswalk light. I am pleased to "correct" you on this fact.

JoeyBike

Just throwing this in here for general interest: When a motorist with the right-of-way politely waves me on to cross in front of them I DO NOT make eye contact. I put both feet on the ground, fiddle with my GPS, check my helmet strap buckle, gaze skyward at the airplane overhead, etc. There is no room for misinterpreting my ambivalence to crossing the street in front of them.

FBinNY 

Sorry, apparently, I should have been clearer. Yes, we live in the same physical world, but also in very different metaphorical worlds, separated by space, local culture, and personal philosophies.

I absolutely do not feel a need to criticize or "educate" others, while you do. So, I'm not saying you're wrong, just that you can live your way, and I'll happily live my way.

So, different world.

jon c. 

Why is the cyclist using a crosswalk?

rc5781

So you disagree with me that cyclists should not cross at a crosswalk with a red crosswalk light, where cars have a green light. Ok, you keep adding 2 plus 2 to equal 5...

rc5781

MAJOR bike trail...

FBinNY 

No, I know that I'm a newly landed alien, but I'm not saying that. I described what I do, which is to let the situation guide my decision.

As for what others do, they don't ask for or need my permission, so I'm happy to let them do what they will anyway. So, you can feel free to be everybody's mother in law, but count me out.

Now, know that my live and let live attitude distresses and/or offends you and some others here, but guess what. I don't care about that either.

rc5781

OK so you DO cross a crosswalk with a red light even if cars have a green light. OKEY DOKEY. Why bring your mother in law into this spat???

FBinNY 

So, I guess you didn't read my post (#13) where I made my approach clear.

So, try to imagine what my reaction might have been if you witnessed me "trangressing" and called me out. Then, imagine what I might be thinking now.

Attilio

It's too late and the system is too far gone. I honestly don't care about anything anymore. I have started acting like there are no rules to the road and I own it. Not trying to be a troll but sick of bike lanes, sick of shoulders, sick of traffic lights and incompetence on the powers that be that make commutes more and more difficult. The truth is that all of this can be fixed with traffic circles. I remember how easy it was to drive around maybe 10-20 years ago and the road system has been changed to pen you in stopped in pretty little lines that go nowhere. Awful. It's gotten to the point where biking places is almost as fast as driving BUT with biking I mix business and pleasure because instead of sitting on my butt I also use that time to exercise freeing up time later on to do other things.

I almost feel an obligation to make cars hate cyclists to they will vote against more of those God awful bike lanes that make everything worse for everyone and just narrow down the road. It was better when the roads were wider, bigger and allowed more free range for cars, pedestrians and bicycles. The changes of the last 10-15 years have made it worse for everyone involved without providing any improvements. Just like the rest of society and the economy and work it's an inexporable process of incorporating the worst elements of both socialism and capitalism getting rid of the advantages of either system; nothing you can do. But at least police where I live do not enforce bicycles at all so I get free reign and taking full advantage of it. I use flat bar gravel bike with 650b tires to commute it's quick enough and very controllable, helps me hop curbs and get on side walks or go across patches of sand or use power line access roads as shortcuts when needed. Acting like its totally lawless and everyone is my enemy trying to grab everything I can to deny it to everyone else like a sociopath on two wheels is all I can do to adapt as I am sick of waiting in pretty little lines going nowhere fast which didn't have to happen. Such is the world where we live. I am afraid for my kids the next step is probably chipping people but we're 90% there with the phones; that's another story.

livedarklions

So first you scream at him for being argumentative for agreeing with you about cyclists running red lights, but then he's argumentative because he doesn't buy your argument about cars that yield "their" right of way?

Simmer down Jack, you're off the rails.

livedarklions

It's absurd to connect the one incident as having any relationship to the other. I'm not assuming drivers are Pavlov's dog and I'm conditioning them. If they're waving me on, they obviously know it isn't "expected".

livedarklions

I'm sensing that you think you're a mind reader, what with all the interpretations of guilty looks, divining the source of a kid's misbehavior at a crosswalk, and now this person's actual beliefs.

Odd that you're so good at mind reading when your actual reading comprehension is obviously very poor. You can't even tell when someone is agreeing with you.

livedarklions

If I'm at a 4 way intersection, can see clearly behind and around the car where a driver is waving me through, and can see that there is literally NO OTHER TRAFFIC, I am not going to sit there and wait for the light to change. That situation seems completely safe to me, and to me your assumption that this somehow corrupts the driver's future driving skills is the silly assumption that makes 2+2=5.

livedarklions

BS, the big change from the old days is that the motor vehicles got larger and there's a lot more of them. And as far as roads being freer in those days, do you really think "gridlock" is a new term?

rc5781

I'm assuming the car has a green light. If yes, you still should not go. Because that car is stopping traffic with a green light. Even if you see "no other traffic", things can change very quickly when it comes to road situations. Also, in the future this driver may think they must yield to cyclists at a crosswalk even if they have a green light. This is dangerous.

If there are no cars at all in sight. Then go, I'm fine with that. Even in this case, I sometimes just wait for the green crosswalk light. I was once at a crosswalk waiting for the green. On the opposite side of the street, there were 3 little girls with their tiny little bikes and tiny little helmets waiting to cross as well. I waited for the green, even though the coast was clear. I didn't want to instill any bad habits in them.

livedarklions

No, this is absurd. I can't even imagine why you would think that was a possibility. If they're waving you on, they know that isn't the rule or they'd just assume you were going to go without a signal from them. This is exactly where YOU go into 2+2=5.

I don't know why you think you are a better judge of these traffic situations than we are. I know how to tell when there is no other traffic. The biggest danger in this situation is when the stopped vehicle is screening your view. If there's any possibility of that happening, I won't go. But I'm not going to let some internet rando's neuroses about teaching drivers bad lessons influence that decision.

veganbikes

That is a little bit creepy. I mean reading back at your responses it is not looking so good for you. You misunderstood FBinNY so heavily it felt like you don't speak or understand any English and nearly the same with livedarklions Maybe it is time to just quietly exit and pretend this never happened.

Maybe people agree maybe people disagree maybe they are remaining neutral but to fight them all just seems to not make sense. I get it you are new here you have a lot of strong opinions like many of us and you want to share them as if they are etched in stone but maybe relax a little. Just a little go for a bike ride maybe or do something to get your mind off of this. For me it is Diablo III for you it might be something else but it helps to even out. I have been dealing with the loss of a friend and my job as a result but I have done my best to keep myself on the rails and it isn't easy but you gotta try.

rc5781

You people need to lighten up, sheesh...

"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus

I think this quote applies well to this forum.

veganbikes

If I got any lighter I might just float away ; )

I am sitting here laughing and smiling and having a good time. The only thing that is making me down is there is an issue with Hulu not logging in but I have plenty of other stuff to watch and do so I am doing just fine.

livedarklions

Really sorry to hear that. Here's wishing for better days ahead,

veganbikes

Thanks, I am hoping we will open back up a new and keep on his dream. At least he died doing what he loved and there was no signs of exterior tampering.

livedarklions

Man, you just can't make this up! The irony.....

Eric F 

It seems that the only person in this thread getting twisted about responses is you.

That said, you mentioned crosswalks multiple times. Why so much focus on what the crosswalk signal is indicating? We (bike riders) are vehicles, not pedestrians. Our movement is governed by traffic signals, same as it is for cars.