Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Another Cycling Thread

I’m always harder to see than, say, an Amish buggy or tractor. I make allowances for being on my mirrors and totally vacating the asphalt in a heartbeat if necessary.

I am asking a lot from drivers. Why have I not been hit yet?

Luck.

This is the second response that didn't answer the question.

Hundreds of motorists safely passed you because they saw you. What could magically make you hard to see to a driver in the same conditions on the same road?

You are not asking a lot from me as a driver to not run over you when you are riding in compliance with the law. I am telling you, it is ridiculously simple.

You cyclists are friggin' crazy.

SP, pretty much all the cycling threads end up this way............

I spent 24 years in a job where my 'Mission' was to provide for 'the Safe, Orderly, Expeditious' flow of air traffic............ in that order....

What I, and the others like me, really did was look for stuff that was going to go bad............... Nobody got in trouble when things were going 'right'....

If you're into that sort of thing, looking for the potential for bad, then road cycling is a wet dream....

IMHO....

Nope. I can't speak for "cyclists" just like you can't speak for "motorists" but since I started this dumpster fire I'll speak for myself.

It's not that pedestrians have the right of way that I don't like. Pedestrians must have the right of way, there's no way around that and I don't know any bikers that begrudge them for having the right of way. Like birdwatcher said, a bike rider has to make allowances for not only walkers but slow riders, kids on tricycles, dogs on 20 foot leashes, etc. There's an elderly woman who gets out on the local trail in her motorized wheelchair and she gets the royal treatment by everyone who passes her. And she's always over to the right so people can pass.

It's what some pedestrians do with their right of way (or rather don't do) that I don't like. That being, hog the trail so that faster traffic can't pass.

The irony is, when they're in their car driving to the trailhead and come across a biker riding on the road, they expect the biker to move to the right so they can pass. Hell, some have commented right on this thread that bikers shouldn't even be on the road. But when those drivers are walking down a trail, some don't have the presence of mind to show the same courtesy and stay to the right. The golden rule and all that.

JAG, I think my favorite is the alligator, lying in wait, like a crocodile at a zebra crossing.......

IMHO, that depends 100% on the road. I have to ride a little over 5 miles round trip to and from the trail. All on residential streets with a top speed limit of 30 mph and marked bike lanes with plenty of room for cars to pass. ANd a ron of bike riders.

That may not fit your definition or road cycling but it's about as far as I'll push my luck.

LOL, which one has the right of way???

And please, whatever you do, don't post pics of jag in spandex.

I've got a better one. If we asked cyclists whether pedestrians should always have to carry chilled lemonade (fresh squeezed of course) and provide the lemonade to thirsty cyclists, how would the cyclists vote, and why?

Irony... you don't like so you complain.

And there is a difference on cars driving on roads where there are traffic laws vs recreational travel ways. And driving to the recreational travel ways is not recreating, or to work, or to the store, or movies, or on vacation.

Cars vs cyclists 'in' the roadway and cyclists vs pedestrians on recreational travel ways, It's about the disparity in speeds and the hazard this presents. Cyclists want it both ways.

I didn't bring up the subject of this thread, but do see the irony, and irony can be a source of humor.

Kent

If by "both ways" you mean cyclists expect the same courtesy from pedestrians that the pedestrians expect from cyclists when they're driving, you'd be right.

Traffic laws on roads say a biker can ride in the lane and has the right of way vs an automobile approaching from the rear. And if you don't think there are rules governing bikers and pedestrians on trails, get on your bike, mow down a pedestrian, and see what happens.

This isn't about courteousness, it's about complaining about uncourteousness...

Why complain when it's a reality of life, going to happen, deal with it.

Irony...

Kent

It's a little deeper than that. Most cyclists walk and can identify when a pedestrian is being discourteous or oblivious relative to their position on the path. Most out of shape, middle aged, angry, white men don't bicycle and often misinterpret a cyclists defensive tactics as discourtesy.

Most guys rode a bike for transportation from age 5 to 15, I think we can relate to a cyclist, especially one that uses it for primary transportation vs recreation.

Kent

We lived on bikes as kids. Those experiences do not transfer well at all to what I experience on the road today. A person's purpose for legally using the road has NOTHING to do with the post you quoted.

A pedestrians purpose for legally using a 'recreational' travel way, is of no concern of yours then, how do you know they aren't being defensive?

What do you experience on the road today that pedestrians don't experience from cyclists on a 'recreational' travel way.

It's sure they experience the same complaining.

Kent

The discourteous cyclist...

wishes to ride with abandon on the highway and on the recreational by way, complaining about faster traffic and then slower traffic... but not wanting to hear any complaints from either about themselves.

Ironic...

Kent

Sorry, I was not aware you were clairvoyant, and knew what this thread is all about. I just started the thread, what do I know?

But let me ask you a hypothetical. You're walking alone on a popular bike trail, nine feet wide. Bikes are passing you at the rate of about one every 2-3 minutes.

Do you:

1) Take notice and walk over on the right side of the trail so the bikes can pass; or

2) Walk down the middle of the trail and act surprised when a bike comes up behind you.