yellow cards

[AdminAssistant]

I'm sorry, but nothing hacks me off more than a cyclist going down a main road (with a 40 mph speed limit) holding up 20-30 cars. There are plenty of side roads that are safer for the cyclist to use and they aren't impeding traffic. I personally wish that we could just widen all sidewalks and create a "walking lane" and a "biking lane". Cyclists can be safe, and car drivers can get to where they're going without being stuck behind a bike going 15 mph.

[Rapscallion]

If this got adopted over here, I'd consider buying a case and adding a load to my car at all times because it would piss people off.

Rapscallion

[Boozy]

With the added bonus of getting other drivers to give you a wide berth.

[Rapscallion]

A silver lining I hadn't expected! Good point

Rapscallion

[Plaidman]

heh. People here were upset that cyclists were holding up traffic and demanded the city give bigger cylice lanes, so they did. It's pretty sweet.

Now people are upset that their are cycle lanes. They should just ride in traffic or sidewalk like normal, and not take up valuable car space.


Never pleasing people, not even in Portland.

[blas87]

My gripe goes with what Admin described. A main road with a reasonably fast speed limit, and some cyclist is holding up several vehicles because it's their God given right to ride in the middle of the road and they are also traffic and deserve to be treated as such.

Inconvenience is one thing.....a pile up and gridlock caused by a cyclist is a totally different subject. Gridlock rarely ever happens around here because it's a smaller area and most of the time you don't see cyclists on the highways and main drags, at least not in the middle of the road with traffic. However, one day on a 35 mph road, a cyclist had traffic nearly at a standstill for several minutes until he finally turned off onto a residential street. Vehicles were stopped at a green light so they weren't blocking the intersections from people turning from other streets, because we were backed up so far.

[Andara Bledin]

My gripe goes with what Admin described. A main road with a reasonably fast speed limit, and some cyclist is holding up several vehicles because it's their God given right to ride in the middle of the road and they are also traffic and deserve to be treated as such.

A cyclist in the road is subject to the same laws as a motorist. If they are going too slow, they can and should be cited for obstructing traffic. It's up to the police to decide what "too slow" is, so report them for it. I would and have.

^-.-^

[blas87]

I've never seen a cop pull over someone on a bicycle. That kind of thing just doesn't happen here.

I've seen someone on a lawnmower get pulled over, though

[Andara Bledin]

I've never seen a cop pull over someone on a bicycle. That kind of thing just doesn't happen here.

Aren't you usually asleep during the times most cyclists would be active?

Just because you never see it happen, doesn't mean it never happens or even that it happens rarely. Merely that it has yet to happen within your presence.

^-.-^

[Rapscallion]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWJTUAezxAI

Rapscallion

[blas87]

I'm asleep during the mid-day and evening rush hours. But you have to remember that I come home during morning rush hour, that includes people on bicycles.

Also, there are a few people here and there who bike at night. Thankfully, they have lights and reflectors, so I've never had much of a problem with night driving.

You also have to keep in mind that my commute is almost all highway and freeway. Any time I see cyclists is when I'm closer to home or on the weekends when I stay in my own city.

[BlaqueKatt]

A cyclist in the road is subject to the same laws as a motorist. If they are going too slow, they can and should be cited for obstructing traffic.

nope-as stated previously, we are required to follow MOST of the laws a motorist has to, we are exempt from some, and have some that ONLY apply to us. In WI it is not illegal to impede traffic on a bicycle, but it's a dick thing to do.

[smileyeagle1021]

wow one post in the door I was purposely blocking gets thrown open-nice

BlaqueKatt, whether or not any of us like it, cyclists do have a major image problem and most of it is earned. Does it suck for those of us who ride safely, yes it does, but until it is actually addressed then sadly it will still be a valid point in the debate.

I would like to point out, that in my state anyway, a cyclist is allowed to take up the whole lane if they wish.

as a slight aside, just because it is legal and allowed doesn't mean it is appropriate. it is entirely legal for me to go up to my manager and call him vulgar names not worthy of repeating in public... but it most certainly wouldn't be appropriate.

inconvenience =/= endangering a life

Tell that to the person in the ambulance stuck in traffic...
Hell, tell that to the woman in labor waiting for her doctor to get to the hospital.
We live in a very fast paced world, and as much as I value cycling myself and appreciate every car taken off the road (because I do so enjoy breathing), I understand that there are people who have a legitimate urgent need to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible.

I'm sorry, but nothing hacks me off more than a cyclist going down a main road (with a 40 mph speed limit) holding up 20-30 cars. There are plenty of side roads that are safer for the cyclist to use and they aren't impeding traffic.

Oh, if I had a dollar for every person who insists on biking up State st rather than going a block out of their way to take Main st (State street= 3 lanes each direction 45 mph limit, Main is a small side street that is practically residential). Are there valid reasons to bike State street... sure, but I highly doubt that everyone who bikes it had no alternative that was no significantly longer or even the same distance.

I've never seen a cop pull over someone on a bicycle. That kind of thing just doesn't happen here.

I've seen someone on a lawnmower get pulled over, though

I've seen bikes get pulled over... I've seen pedestrians pulled over (for lack of better terms)... some cops actually do their jobs

[Hyena Dandy]

BlaqueKatt, whether or not any of us like it, cyclists do have a major image problem and most of it is earned. Does it suck for those of us who ride safely, yes it does, but until it is actually addressed then sadly it will still be a valid point in the debate.

I agree with Smiley on this one. I'm sure you do obey the laws, and that's good. But a lot of cyclists don't.

That said, the magnets are just a bad idea. While it would be nice to let people know if they're driving badly, they're not going to take criticism of their driving from someone they don't know, and probably don't respect, to heart. And I know if I drove (I don't, I bike) I'd be pissed off by that too. Its my car, people shouldn't be sticking stuff to it. I don't care whether or not it harms the paint job, that's not the point. The point is that it feels like a violation of personal property.

As a biker, I know how frustrating bad drivers can be. But I don't think yellow cards can help.

[smileyeagle1021]

As a biker, I know how frustrating bad drivers can be. But I don't think yellow cards can help.

As a side note on that point, this is one reason why I spend a lot of the time biking on the sidewalk when there isn't many/any pedestrians... even though I know I have every right to use the roadway, and could do so legally and safely and more quickly (since you aren't permitted to go as fast on the sidewalk), I'll still spend the time on the sidewalk, because as a person with absolutely no defense against a car strike (save a 2 pound piece of plastic and foam... yeah, not doing much against a 3000 pound steal projectile), it doesn't really matter who was right if I'm dead.