genec

Let's see... one at a time...

1. Bikers/cyclists are entitled (or think they are better than us.)

Well yeah, I am piloting a pollution free vehicle... other low pollution vehicles get special lanes and stuff...

2. Bikers/cyclists don't pay for bike lanes/roads.

And you don't either... but forgive me as you don't know how taxes are really used...

3. Bikers/cyclists ride in the middle of the lane (and should ride on the sidewalk/or on a different road/or not at all)).

Clearly wrong... after all I DO pay more for the little road I do use, and the laws give me full entitlement to all or part of the road... learn the laws.

4. Bikers/cyclists ride too slowly (and should ride on the sidewalk/or on a different road/or not at all).

I'll do my best to speed up.

5. Bikers/cyclists ride on the sidewalk and should ride in the bike lane (or on a different road/or not at all).

now now, make up your mind. GRIN

6. Bikers/cyclists roll stop signs.

And so do other road users... tell me the difference.

7. Bikers/cyclists wear dark clothing/lycra/chartreuse/tights.

Wow... and what, you want I should wear a suit?

8. Bikers/cyclists don't wear helmets.

Neither do drivers... and more of them die each year than Bikers/cyclists... so who should be wearing the helmet?

9. Bikers/cyclists don't use lights.

Only when it's dark. But yeah, a few of us do fail at this, even in the dark.

Thanks, that was fun.

Rcrxjlb

I'm more concerned with the driver's state of mind.
I don't wanna ride in front of a guy who just lost his girlfriend, job, dog died, & now he's ready to kill someone.
Or some drunk who drinks like a fish, heading home after one too many.
Or a bunch of snotty-nosed brats in mommy's Camry looking for a dude on a bike to throw bottles at.
Or some ding-bat who puts on makeup, fixes her hair, all while texting her girlfriend about tonight's double date & calls that "multi-tasking"

Sometimes I think I need to weld bumpers on my old Raleigh...

AngeloDolce

I don't believe it either.
I find when traffic is light, most motorists just pass. The complaints are most aggressive and profane in congested traffic, where they can't drive any faster than bicyclists and everyone is going from red light to red light.

After all the honking and obscenities I've gotten when I've been in city traffic, my experience is
(i) Drivers complain as much about bicyclists that do stop at red lights as those that don't
(ii) They complain about bicyclists being slow, but not the cars that won't get out of the bicyclists' way
(iii) If motorists are slowing everyone to 6-12 mph, I see no reason they should prohibit bicyclists from riding in the road

YMMV, but I'm not sympathetic to motorists' complaints about bicyclists using streets without bike lanes

kickstart

Cyclists who obsess about motorists who obsess about cyclists who obsess about motorists who obsess about cyclists who obsess about motorists who obsess about cyclists who obsess about motorists who obsess about cyclists......... Its kinda like a tennis match.

Chris516

On #4 , define 'slowly'. Why is a cyclist deemed to be going 'slowly'. If they are going the same speed or faster, than a motorized vehicle.

Chris516

JoeyBike

When I leave work at 5pm and traffic is gridlocked I have counted as many as 200 cars in MY way, which is one huge reason why I ride a bike in the first place - so i am not trapped in that idiocy.

unterhausen

in general, I don't care about other road users and how they think about me. Mostly because I'm pretty sure those that bother to think about me at all are thinking stupid thoughts driven mostly by their own ego. However, I will act in a way that promotes their progress towards their destination if I can. In other words, I don't want idiots behind me.

I know someone that complains about bikes passing him when he's trapped in traffic. I haven't quite figured out why that would be. Personally, I think that the traffic around our work is just ridiculous, and they should do something to get rid of the cars. I've made the mistake of going across campus at 5 on a Friday, and I simply can't believe there isn't a better solution involving banning cars.

Chris516

Living in the DC-Metro region, I am not phased by the revving of engines', and the blowing of horns. Except when I am at a traffic light. Then I just accept it.

spare_wheel

For the record, I posted that list to illustrate that the vast majority of moaning/whining about bikers/cyclists boils down to simple prejudice/bigotry.

spare_wheel

There is nothing I enjoy more on my commute than weaving or filtering through a long jam of cages.

obed7

from my house to my office is about 6 miles.... That drive takes me 20 to 30 minutes in my truck, depending on traffic...(I have to use the truck during the day, so it has to go) that means I am driving an avg speed of 12 to 18 mph....so when I hear folks tell me that bicycles slow traffic down...I just smile...not in Houston traffic they don't...

genec

Fully agree, fully agree.

Yet it seems to get motorists all in a huff when they have to wait oh, 5-10 seconds to clear a cyclist; yet they will sit for a half hour or more in bumper to bumper traffic with other motorists.

thrllskr

I have a Amazon.com : Bike Peddler Take A Look Cycling Eyeglass Mirror : Bike Peddler Take A Look Mirror Compact : Sports & Outdoors mirror that allows me to look behind me without turning my head.
Why do I have this mirror?
I can pull out into traffic, take the lane, observe the drivers behavior behind me without having them notice I am watching them. I am 100% with Joey and keeping an eye on them discretely helps keep me safe and doesn't give them the satisfaction of reacting to my bicycle. Motorists are scofflaws and so are cyclist. Who cares, pedal on.

howsteepisit

My dictionay defines bigotry as:

intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself:

Seems like the incidence of bigotry is as high in the A&S as anywhere.

spare_wheel

Yeah...I'm opposed to low-occupancy cage use because of california stops, failure to signal, and speeding.

I-Like-To-Bike

How many passengers in a vehicle make California stops, failure to signal, and speeding OK with you?

genec

200 or more.

Chris516

That I understood. I was saying how I responded to the bigotry of revving engines, and honking horns. But every other one, I agree with you on.

kickstart

Bigotry or just the annoyance of the moment?

I've been harassed as a pedestrian, cyclists, driver, and trucker by all of the afore mentioned.

S

Chris516

I have also been harassed as a pedestrian.

Number400

Here is how I treat cyclists. I have no problem holding up long line of other cars to help avoid a dangerous situation for everyone.
This was recorded tonight: https://youtu.be/oWGDyOZnEHM

howsteepisit

Looks good to me.

daihard 

How about when a car moves to block your path, but you can just weave to the other side to pass them... nullifying their effort?

AlmostTrick

Well played, sir.