https://www.inverse.com/article/54442-cycling-psychological-roots-of-road-rage

Drivers View Cyclists as "Less Than Human" for One Messed-Up Reason
EMMA BETUEL
MARCH 28, 2019
Despite the health-boosting and air-cleansing benefits of bike riding, cyclists have a reputation. Drivers just don’t like them. Maybe it comes down to the Oakley sunglasses or the lycra, but research published this month has another explanation: drivers and cyclists just can’t share the road for deep-seated behavioral reasons that may drive far more hostile human tendencies.

One paper, published in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behavior suggests that tension between drivers and cyclists actually runs so deep that they don’t see each other as members of the same species.

Their research, conducted on 442 Australians, showed that people who don’t ride bikes tend to rate cyclists as “less than human.” What they viewed those bicycle-riding fellow humans as is slightly terrifying.

Motorists actually saw them as cockroach-like, according to a highlight useful pictorial scale developed by Alexa Delbosc, Ph.D., a senior lecturer in the Institute of Transport Studies at Monash University.


In the paper, the authors propose that one of the major reasons cyclists are seen as less than human is because they look and act differently than we expect them to. In other words, they don’t seem human, so we don’t treat them as such:

“They [cyclists] look and act differently to typical ‘humans’, they move in a mechanical way, and their faces are not often seen by motorists, blocking empathic responses that might humanize them,” the authors write. “If dehumanization of cyclists is occurring, this could be contributing to the hostility and aggression experienced by cyclists on the road.”

The idea that cyclists and drivers don’t get along isn’t just anecdotal, There’s data backing up the idea that cyclists really annoy drivers. Analysis 1692 online diaries from UK cyclists in 2015 study found that UK cyclists reported harassment on a monthly basis. Another in 2011 found that 16.6 percent of cyclists report having had objects thrown at them while on the road.

In Delbosc’s sample, she found that 40 percent hadn’t ridden a bike in the past year, which put them in the “non-cyclist category,” the remainder reported different levels of bike activity (a once a month versus weekly riding, for instance) but overall were grouped in the cycling category.

From there her team developed “blatant dehumanization slider” a pictorial scale that ranged from a cockroach, to an actual human being on a sliding scale, and asked people in each category to rate how “human” they believed cyclist was on that scale. Bicyclists came out as part human and part cockroach.

'.... people who don’t ride bikes tend to rate cyclists as “less than human.” What they viewed those bicycle-riding fellow humans as is slightly terrifying....'

I can see that.............

....... and predict this will run 18 pages!

I used to ride the roads in rural coastal MS very regularly. The roads are low traffic density 35-40MPH roads. I generally got treated pretty well with few exceptions. I bought this American flag T-shirt and wore it on a 50 mile ride. I had never been treated better in my life. Cars slowing way down. Cars passing slowly. Cars giving widest possible berth. No engines moaning under the strain of acceleration. People waving as they passed. At the time, I opined that the American flag T-shirt resonated with the good ole boys and girls in the rural south in a way that "humanized" the encounter. No longer was I an annoyance in spandex, but a patriotic human and someone they could relate with. I continued wearing that shirt and continued getting treated remarkably well.

Riding a bike on a trail is one thing. Riding on a road and acting like you are a car is another. Fugg any biker who thinks thats ok

Fuque any pussy that doesn't have the emotional IQ to safely and courteously negotiate a law abiding bicyclist on the road.

“They [cyclists] look and act differently to typical ‘humans’, they move in a mechanical way, and their faces are not often seen by motorists, blocking empathic responses that might humanize them,” the authors write. “If dehumanization of cyclists is occurring, this could be contributing to the hostility and aggression experienced by cyclists on the road.”




That is about the stupidest thing I have ever read. This is what their study indicated? What a farce. Someone needs a new job.

The issue is always about sharing the road, and the complete opposite opinions of both the rider and the driver.


Clyde

There are bicyclist and there are drunks and crack heads riding bikes in the road. I have a lot more troubles with the latter.

Alot of bikers around here drive in the middle of the lane. Its absolutely ridiculous. Not much common courtesy with these f u c k s

This place is full of people that understand the law cannot always protect them so they new things like CCW license and such to protect themselves..
But then these bicyclists are you they have the legal right , claim they have as much right to be there or it's the law they can be here there. With the law and no way we'll keep them from getting run over by a car truck oversized load or anything else when they pull some ignore moving traffic.

Though it's not possible to parse that out of the national data, when I dig into individual accidents and fatalities, that group is heavily represented. There was a bicycle fatality at 2 this morning in NOLA. I suspect if I were able to learn, it would be an impaired rider with no lights.

For the most part, there is no real issue. The mental issue is that motorist's indignation is inconsistent with the inconvenience that bicyclists really pose.

Can you google map link me with one such road? If you will, I may be able to tell you why they ride in the middle of the lane.

Along that same class order phylum…

I would rank walmart electric scooter cart shoppers as mollusks

ABOUT LANE POSITION

The law in every state, whose bicycle law I have read, is functionally similar. Bicyclists should stay as far right as practicable. Most laws go on to qualify "practicable" In doing so cyclists are given broad discretionary latitude. One of the reasons a cyclist can deviate from far right is for reasons of safety. Another is sub-standard (not wide enough for a cyclist and motorist to safely share) lane width. That describes a LOT of our roads.

Bicyclists who relegate themselves to hugging the right make themselves less visible. What's the number one excuse offered when a motorist hits a cyclist? "I didn't see them." Hugging the right invites squeeze passes and increases the likelihood of a sideswipe crash.

This is a very good quick and easy safety guide for cyclists. https://bicyclesafe.com/ A mitigating measure in nearly every scenario is to move further out into the lane.

Kind of the same with road rage between two drivers. Some aśśhole cuts in front of you, so you exit your vehicle to kick his ass.

Over a one car length delay.

Cyclists ain't as bad as the Amish with their fuggin horse buggies. At least it's usually easy to get around a cycle.

I live on the oregon coast and alot of our main highway is hilly curvy 2 lane with no shoulder. We have vacationers pulling campers mixed with log and chip trucks and guess what else? Share the road my ass. Can I drive my car on that hiway at 18 mph? furk no I will get pulled over and ticketed. They are a huge hazard that cause more near wrecks than anything else. Plus I have NO IDEA what pleasure these cross country bicyclists get pedaling on a road all day with trucks and cars passing them at 60mph 4 feet awa. I used to have a hot cummins powered 4x4 that could roll coal on demand. Used to give me some satisfaction.

I don't actually have an opinion about individuals as long as they respect other people using the roads. It's the organized bike rides that I hated when I lived in a small town out in the country. They would take over the county roads and ride four abreast by the hundreds. Watering stations were set up at intervals and the DPS would protect them. They actually owned the road for that weekend. It was impossible for anyone to get to town because you had to get in line and drive at 10mph all the way with them laughing, joking and generally making asses out of themselves. Doctors, Lawyers and jackasses from all walks of life gathered together to overtake the countryside for a weekend with state law enforcement protection. Why would anyone be surprised that they can be hated by many people that are made to put up with their shenanigans. I'm sure they covet their spandex, goggles and styrofoam acorn shaped helmets but I found that at least a little comic relief.

A few things here. Do you have any data to support that they are a hazard? If you rolled coal on me, I'd invite you to come back and chat about it. Would you have the balls to come back?

same here ..spot on post

LMAO! Why is this even a question?

Shotgun whisky and a 4 wheel drive

Bullschidt. You whine about cyclists every opportunity you get.

Pay for a license plate and accept a citation for impeding traffic then !

I can’t drive my fugging golf cart on the road

yes and yes

Since you like to make everything personal the most people I'll tell you straight up front you f****** pussy TheMS 150 ride used to cut this area off for the entire weekend. You cannot hardly drive down the road to move equipment or anything. You think you're such a tough guy I'll meet you in the middle of the road , I'll promise you there won't be but one walking away

but could you lay a whoopin on a guy wearing spandex and not feel guilty about it afterwards?

Another bicyclist thread. Where's my popcorn?

Anyone who wants to ride bicycles on 2 lane roads with trucks and traffic needs to move to europe.

absolutely ...when they are named Paul ..
The think about Paulette is, it's
Like a 3rd grader they still pisses their pants for attention .. they still don't understand good attention from bad attention...

Show me that data and no you wouldn't. Anyone who rolls coal is a pussy and a coward.

If you come around a curve and have to run over a cyclist, at least it ain't gonna fugg up your truck as bad as a horse buggy.

Why would I pay for a license plate? They aren't required or available. Are you advocating for more government and more tax?

You better be a hell of a lot physically stronger than you are emotionally strong. You are an emotional cundt of the highest order. Finding an alternate route for one weekend a year must have been a horrible experience.

If you come around the curve and hit anything, you weren't driving responsibly.

listen you mental midget, it's called a farm that scattered out over several miles and these people row rakes basically right through the center of it on the county roads and highways. There was an altercation and they no longer ride through here you get the picture. There's some people I just grow to really hate and you are on the top of the list you stupid m*********** you better pray to God you never meet me in person..

If I come around a curve and hit a bicyclist then i'll go bump bump and keep on truckin. Aint exactly gonna pull over and cut out the backstrap. But might to cut off the man bun.

It’s the arrogance that bicyclist show, they expect everyone give them the road, will lecture you on the laws of the road, then blow through every stop sign along their way.

Don’t do that, call it in and you’ll be fine

I’m for bicyclists being subject to the same rules and taxes on the road as automobiles and motorcycles

Looks like I struck a nerd. LOLOLOL

Why? They aren't the same.

Because bikes impede traffic flow which is against the law

Same as some azzhole walking down the middle of the road

As they should be. Riding against the shoulder is a damned good way to get plowed over.

A byciclist on the road, has the same rights and obligations as a motorist.

The car is obligated to make way for the bicycle.

There are asswholes where ever you go. Bullies in every walk of life and on every road. Many of those idiots think it is cool to terrorize cyclists. After all, it is not like the cyclist has a chance of catching the motorist on the road.

I guess it is a real sign of masculinity to force a cyclist out into the ditch, "pour coal" into his face, or even actually strike the cyclist with a vehicle, and then roar off into the distance with no worry of retribution.

Not using good sense, just being an azzhole

You might want to do a little case law study on how it has worked out to ticket cyclists who are operating legally for impeding traffic. Most often, it doesn't work out the way you wish it would.

Be an entitled azzhole if you want Paul, I’ll be down to Old Metairie soon enough

Well where I’m from, they close down traffics lanes to widen the biking lanes, then everyone sits in traffic while the new bike lanes are sparsely used, all because they squawked about safety and green.

https://www.tn.gov/tdot/multimodal-...m/resources11/tennesse-bicycle-laws.html


TCA 55-8-175 - Riding on Roadways and Bike Paths – Penalty

 (a)  (1) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following situations:
      (A) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;
      (B) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; or
      (C) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. For purposes of this section, "substandard width lane" means a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.

This. Makes as much sense as people not liking cowboys since they hadn't ridden a horse in a year

https://www.bikelaw.com/2016/02/biker-obstructing-traffic-nope-roll-the-videotape/

Gimme a shout when you are in town. I'll buy you an oyster poboy!

We can slug it out first then do the PoBoy

Bicycles should be legally treated like pedestrians. They should always yield right of way to motor vehicles. If they need to cross a road they should stop and look both ways before proceeding. They should stay off pavement as much as possible.

It's not like we need teeth to eat an oyster poboy.

So if riding in the middle of the lane is safer than riding the shoulder, they should be safer riding the white stripes in the middle of the road. Got it.

Just my 2 cents.

I understand what Paul is saying that they think that it's safer for them to be in the middle of the lane so that they're more visible and it helps prevent the squeeze play.

In a lot of cases, but not the majority of cases, people will move over to let the traffic pass. However, in most cases that I've seen around here, is that they don't move over and continue to hog the road. The other issue with this behavior is that on a road that has a 40 or 50 mph speed limit, they're riding in the middle of the road around a blind curve. Then you have a vehicle that could weigh up to 80K lbs. going 45 mph and can't simply stop to avoid hitting them. But the part that pisses people off is that when a vehicle does get behind them and it's clear to pass, the bicyclists continue to ride in the middle of the road.

The thing that I don't understand is that they ride in the middle of the road with no fear of getting killed or causing a wreck between two on coming vehicles with them in the mix. 99% of them also drive cars and they know full well that they're risking their lives every time they ride.

Like cigarette smokers taking vitamins for their health.

I need to re-state my bit about rolling coal on bicyclists. I really didn't do that..unless they were going up a steep hill huffin' and puffin'.

I think the point is that you SHOULD be required, same as others using the road. Cyclist demand road improvements, DMV fees pay for those improvements, why should motorcyclists have to pay DMV fees and bicyclists don’t? There is much more money spent on accommodating bicyclists than motorcyclists, no?
But could be this is just a west coast thing.

Nice one!

Funny story. I have a few implants on my left side from a hit in the military, they take care of them “for life” on base. Supposedly they are tough as nails but I shattered two of the crowns biting pearls in the oysters and rolled into the base with the teeth in a zip-loc bag and my titanium studs still good to go. They couldn’t believe what an oyster pearl did to them.

I take it real easy with oysters now.

I do my level best not to ride on fast or busy roads. My strategy is to ride mid lane to be more visible, then as traffic comes up from behind I move over to give the appearance of being helpful and cooperative. Hang onto that word appearance as I share an anecdote.

I rode a charity ride this weekend. Toward the end of the ride, riders were spaced out pretty far on a very low traffic rural road. In one 5 mile stretch I encountered about 6 autos. As they came up from behind me, I moved over and waved politely. I watched a few other cyclists remain side by side in the middle of the lane as cars came up behind them. Who was being more helpful? To the motorists, it would appear that I was. In reality, it made no difference since there were no cars coming and it was a complete non-issue for the motorists to go around either of us.

Ya BUT, it’s incumbent on any commercial driver to be driving his rig at the speed it can be stopped, no different than if your daughter’s car stalls out on a blind curve, rigs need to be going a speed that anticipates those types of scenarios.

Pedestrians don't pay any special road use tax and don't have to put license plates on their back. I get held up more by pedestrians than I do bicyclists.

Road and bike lane building and maintenance funding comes from a variety of sources. DMV fees and gas tax comes nowhere close to covering the cost of roads and bicycle infrastructure. Much of the money comes from the general fund (property taxes, sales taxes etc.)

Why should MOTORcyclists have to pay DMV fees, but not bicyclists? What does the M in DMV stand for?

It's incumbent on ALL road users to operate at a safe speed.

When I was younger I logged on the north calif coast. Hiway 1 along coast was narrow and had zero shoulder in most places. Summer san francisco cyclists thought it was a great scenic place to pedal. Our log truck drivers thought otherwise. One of the truckers bought a 10speed at a garage sale and then ran it over till it was crumpled up and then wired it to his front right bumper. Had alot of fun with this. He said when the cyclists would see it they would make a face like the first time they took one up the arse

I'm all about being athletic and good health, doing it on a roadway, designed for automobiles is not the place. The road our house is on is a major bike challenge. It starts at 5500' and goes to 8500' in a matter of 15 miles or so. It's curvy, no shoulders, and full of blind curves. In the summer, it's a stream of bikers wanting a challenge. So many bikers that we have to wait to exit our driveway. Every year 1-4 of them die or get seriously hurt by cars. (Same with motorcycles hitting 100mph on the same road). It's never the bikers fault though, that's the sucky part. Always the driver. Right... Who has the insurance? The driver. I've done enough expert witness (on other types of cases) to know deep pockets get blamed for a lot of things that wasn't their fault.

When roads are designed for bikers, and bikers pay license plate fees, and are required to have insurance, have headlights/taillights like motorcycles, I'll be open to it. I have no issues with mountain bikers on designated trails, none.

No chit, right?

When is a bully mentality ever not funny?

The law provides the framework for determining who is at fault. If a motorist is required to yield right of way, and doesn't, why would it not be their fault?

The only cyclists that I have an issue with are those who ride like azzholes, blowing through stop signs and traffic lights, riding in groups taking up the entire lane, and generally displaying no courtesy. That is to say, most of them.

I pass one guy every morning on my way into work who cycles my route, rain or shine. He’s one of the good ones, and I go out my way to give him a lot more space than is needed.

Roads are there for people to GET SOMEWHERE. Usually, that’s work or the store, etc. People are driving somewhere for a PURPOSE.

OTOH, most bicyclists are riding around for RECREATION. Not only that, they are IMPEDING the flow of traffic (unlike someone in a car, out for “fun”). Add those two together, and most people get annoyed. Would you get annoyed if people were holding up traffic DANCING in the street? Playing football or basketball in the street??

I don’t fault folks in urban environments using bicycles for TRANSPORTATION. However, riding around, blocking traffic, using a bicycle as a RECREATIONAL device, or a piece of FITNESS equipment, while folks are trying to get to work and pay taxes that PAY FOR THE DANGED ROAD, is frustrating...

bulk black upholstery tacks are very affordable when u buy them by the case.

I just wish some of em would have some fuuuking common sense and stay the fuuuk out of traffic.

Not all of em ride in stooopid azz places with traffic thinking they are entitled to do it and everyone has awareness of them on the fuuuuking road.
Espeically in ever changing traffic conditions.

But for many of em Darwin happens hard to em.
And it is usually their fault for riding a bike in places it obviously fuuuked the fuuuked up to be doing so....

I've never understood why they aren't required to have insurance if driving on the road. They cause accidents too.

IF ANYBODY was operating a car or a lawn tractor on the same road, at 7mph, it’d be an automatic ticket for “impeding the flow of traffic”.

Bicyclists do pay for roads.

As I read your post I was trying to think of a way we could establish a hierarchy for road users. Everyone should have to get the hell out of the way of an 18 wheeler carrying food to a grocery store. People going to work should have priority over those driving to the gym. Those driving to the grocery store should have priority over those going out to eat. When there are traffic jams outside of the Super Dome on account of a sporting event and I need to get to a VA appointment, those people should have to get off of the road. Establishing a hierarchy base on necessity is a brilliant idea.

Bicyclists tend to believe they have and deserve more rights on the roadways than others

Would it be a ticket for a hunter pulling a horse trailer at 5 MPH below the speed limit?

I see things a little differently Paul.

One of the main problems is the "the law says I have the right away and by God I'm gonna take it no matter what" types create a dim view of bicyclists. While these are few they tend to set the tone for the majority.

The other main problem is the dim view that motorists allow themselves to get.

The bikers that ride two abreast, middle of the lane, run stop signs and a multitude of other rudeness make all of the bikers look bad.

A few days ago a biker ran a stop sign and I had to hammer the brakes very hard to keep him from being a spot on the pavement, lol, I had a good mind to run the retard off the road and cave his face in, it really pissed me off because I'm the one who would have had to go through the investigation and live with the fact that I killed the guy.

On thing the dumbasses need to learn is that the right away doesn't do you any good if your dead.

I’ve got a tie dyed version of that jersey. When I wear it riding on the road, I sometimes have Ahole drivers forcing me off the road. I still wear the jersey frequently. Lots of Woke subjects in S CA!

I wonder if these bicyclists would let their 16 year old kids ride their bikes on roadways without bike lanes?

That’s how I grew up in MI. I used to ride my clunker all over the place, no bike lanes, at times it got interesting.

If I was on my bicycle in front of you on a narrow busy 30 MPH road and we came up to a red light and ran it, how would that negatively affect you?

It is entirely possible that by running the red light I not only enhance my safety by not having potentially impatient and aggravated motorists trying to pass me after the light turns green, but it would also make it better for you in that you wouldn't be stuck behind me.

Would that make any difference?

nope , you just keep proving what a ignorant example of a person you really are. You've proven yourself a total hypocrite on traffic laws several times in these threads. Make people mad and keep poking at them and think it's funny but yet you get mad about bullying kind of the same deal then when you get confronted you act like a complete dork and think you're a tough guy. I can guarantee you you do not act like this standing toe to toe to a person...

These bicycle threads are never not funny.

I'm not sure if you've ever driven a truck or not. But if you have, you should understand that physics and the laws of motion will prevent you from stopping on a dime. If the speed limit is 40 mph, I want my drivers to follow the speed limit and get to their destination and return safely. The posted speed limit is the safe speed that is dictated by .gov. At the same time, I don't want my drivers to drive 20 mph just in case there might be a bicyclists around the next turn. Accidents happen all of the time and it can be an unfortunate situation if my daughter is broken down on the shoulder around a blind curve. However, in the case of a lot of bicyclists, they are willingly riding in the middle of the lane around the blind curve which is putting their own lives, as well as the lives of innocent travelers in peril.

I have no use for a dangerous or discourteous bicyclist. My disdain for them pales in comparison to my disdain for discourteous and dangerous motorists though.

Studies have shown that bicyclists and motorists violate the law at about the same rate. The reason motorists most often give is based on convenience. The reason cyclists give is most often based on safety.

That sucks about the cyclist that ran the red light. It may have been a purposeful move by an entitled douchebag or it may have been a mistake. What I find interesting is your thought that you should run him down and sort stuff out. Do you have the same thoughts when you see motorists break the law?

A few weeks ago I took time out to go kayak fishing a few mornings in a row. Right outside of my subdivision is a fairly major intersection. The intersection is a damn zoo. There are crashes there frequently. It was early in the morning, so not much traffic. My light turned green. I did NOT go. The norm is for motorists to run the red light. Sure enough, 2 different vehicles ran it. Had I gone, I would have been INJURED. Should I have had a good mind to go sort stuff out? You are a good and reasonable man. Think about how people's reactions differ when cyclists and motorists behave the same way. Why do you think that is, when law breaking motorists are a much greater threat.

The very next morning, at about the same time I was caught by the same light. I saw the light turn yellow and watched in amazement as two vehicles that had time to stop. continued on. One of them, for whatever reason, moved into the oncoming lane. Both of them got hauled off in an ambulance.

It would depend.

Am I the car at the front or the one coming up behind?

I ride a bike nearly daily but I ride around a ''track'' and do laps. I rode around and found where very little traffic is which is through a neighborhood then the outer perimeter of a shopping center. Never a single problem, many people wave and go out of their way to let me turn in and such.
I've mentioned before, driving up Hwy. 79, Panama City Beach and cyclists riding on the road when there's a bike-road that goes for miles 30' off of the shoulder of the Hwy. The taxpayers paid for it, paved concrete, rest area pavillions, seating, bridges = tens of thousands of $ spent and here they go riding on Hwy. 79. So I can see why drivers get pist at those types.

There was a local guy back in Florida who built a PVC contraption 6' wide and mounted it on his bike letting everyone know he had the right to his 6' of roadway. A young guy Brandon told me someone hit his 6' contraption and wrecked him out. It's people like him who flaunt their 'rights' that piss people off. car/truck drivers view them as arrogant and cyclist have the same view about car/truck drivers.

I've read that people who ride small motorcycles/mopeds get bullied >riders call them battle scooters. To a lesser degree car/truck drivers will bully a full size motorcycle, < I've had a run-in or two myself.
Can't we all just get along ,,,, hale NO

You stipulated that you were in front… come on, get with it.
Why even have traffic laws?

Pedestrians use the sidewalks, not roadways, just like bicyclists used to.

Oh for Christ sakes, what a bunch of BS. Who cares about them. Do not care one way or another. Don’t have time to give a little crap. MTG

I have towed boats and RVs in areas with limited sight lines. As a responsible driver, I adjusted my speed accordingly. If your drivers choose to put convenience ahead of safety, you get to live with the consequences.

Pedestrians don't cross or walk down roadways?

Answer honestly, in your opinion, what percentage of bicyclists come up a complete stop at a stop sign? Maybe 5%?
Do YOU come to complete stops at stop signs?

Sure, they cross the streets, but they are not traveling in the streets.

In other words, do pedestrians complain about potholes in the streets?

I am less likely to run the red light in the car than I am on the bike. If I run the red light while operating either it is illegal, BUT. I am more likely to run the light on a bicycle for two reasons. I prefer not to have potentially impatient or unsafe motorists behind me when the light turns green. It is possible that by running the light I make life easier on them in that they don't have to be caught up behind me. There are more reasons. If I run it in my auto and make a mistake I am much more likely to hurt someone else than I would if I made a mistake on the bicycle. I am also much more likely to get a ticket if a cop sees me do it in the auto.

Think about the times you break the law while driving. You do it because you think you can safely do it, and you don't think you'll get a ticket, right?

I am the same irrespective of my mode of transportation. I rarely come to a complete stop when there is no cross traffic coming.

This is very normal behavior for motorists based on my observations.

Agree. I usually wore my USMC cycling jersey. Folks seemed to like that and I didn't get harassed. Oh, also learned that my tiny 9mm Kahr in a pocket holster, would fit nicely in my jersey pocket. Just in case.



A neck injury is keeping me from my road bike these days, but I'm still enjoying the mountain bike and hiking.

Regards, Guy

Thanks for your service Guy. You look like a pretty good sized man, that may have something to do with it as well.

… in before Paul invites Cascade to a Viking bar!

When I was in the second or third grade, we were taught that bicycles were vehicles and subject to the same rules as any other vehicle on the road. We were taught to use hand signals and taught to watch out for other vehicles. Seemed pretty civilized, to me. This was 65 years ago, mind you, and we wore denim instead of Lycra.
I did once have a cyclist deliberately block me on a rural highway. I went around him, stopped, got out of my truck, yanked his bicycle out from under him, spun around once and threw it over the fence and into the field. The guy sputtered indignantly but that was about it.
This guy was not a dedicated cyclist, mind you; he was just an a--hole on a bicycle. His personality would have been the same regardless of his mode of transportation.
This was close to thirty years ago, when I was a young man in my forties. I was a different person then. Today, my behaviour has modified with age. Today I would simply clip him behind the ear with my cane and not risk injury by throwing the bike. GD

Saw some lads from russia I think, video, a Karen came along and started harrassing them. She was going to hit one of the lads, he rode out of camera view and his bike came flying thru the air like a frisbee and smashed her backwards to the ground. Poor karen ,, that was mean

restaurant

The article is correct regarding the number of people (not motorists, people) that despise bicyclists but their reasoning is well off the mark.

People hate bicyclists because people (in general) have little to no patience for rude behavior. Recreational bicycling is an inherently rude activity. So everyone naturally hates the people doing it.

It’s only slightly less rude than roller blading the wrong way through traffic. To despise the person doing something like that is natural.

It’s no more complicated than that.

LOL.

The back of your eyes just checked in and advised there’s nothing to report.

LOL

Hey, that was rude.

I agree, I put them right down there with pro bass fishermen.

“An operator may not drive so slowly as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.”

5 mph UNDER the speed limit?? No. 5mph??? Yes.

But then again, you already knew that...

What were you expecting, "The News from Lake Wabigoon?"

What is the magic speed under the limit at which it becomes impeding?

Operative words "in compliance with the law."

We don't have any sidewalks for the 12 miles or so to town. Folks out here walk in the roadway all the time. I don't know if they complain about potholes.

I hate bicyclists on the sideWALK in town. It's not called a sideRIDE, is it? Rather have a skateboarded on the sidewalk, I can usually hear them coming............but I hate them too. Want to stick out an arm and clothesline them.

One of the best things about winter, bikers off the road!!

My magic number is “under the speed limit”. Most of the problem I have is rounding a blind corner in steep hills trying to find truck gears whilst towing and there is a 50 plus year old cyclist in the middle of of the road peddling 90 rpm at almost a stand still. Its fuggin dangerous for everyone because if you have to go other lane to avoid impact another vehicle could be coming around the other curve.

I stay in my lane now because a bicycle causes less damage than a head on with another vehicle.

For my safety and the safety of my family and other drivers I have completely changed my flinch response to bicycles and Subarus

Sorry I missed this, because I have your ass on ignore. I only saw it when someone else quoted it.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I had exactly that happen when some entitled spandex bedecked dumbazz ran a traffic light, almost became someone's hood ornament, who swerved to avoid said dumbazz and missed me by just a few feet. So excuse me for looking upon the idiots with a jaded eye............

What they perceive as "Safety" anyways.



I said I had a mind to I didn't say I would really do it, everyone needs to have dreams........And yes I think the same way of dumbass drivers.

I don't mind sharing the road with Bikes as building roads for them with tax money would not be very feasible but the dumbfuqk bikers make a really bad name for all bikers.

Well, the average highway at 60, is 45. The highways at 75, are 60. That is a 20-25%. Are you aware of any roads, with a posted MINIMUM, that are 50-75% LESS than the maximum??

So, on a road with a 40-45 mph posted speed limit, is going 10-15 or even 20 mph even CLOSE to going 75-80% of the posted limit?? Why don’t you just make it easy, and agree that it is not...

What is the magic speed under the limit at which it becomes impeding?

Operative words "in compliance with the law."

Geno!! Breaking Bad!!

If you ride a bicycle on the road I live on your life expectancy little to none. I live in a rural area, and these people drive like nuts.

Byciclists are the reason why bike spray was invented, some people started calling it "bear spray" & use it for bear protection when in the woods, I prefer the lead sprayer against bears though,

Bike spray is very effective on arrogant ahole bike riders, they get completey off the road... usually crawling on all fours with a bunch of flailing & wailing

works good on tailgaiting motorists too, couple squirts out the window is all that is needed, heater blows it right in their face for precision deployment

What's the definition of impeding traffic?
Impeding traffic is typically defined when not operating a vehicle reasonably, so as to block the normal flow of traffic. It typically is used in cases where a person is blocking an intersection or driving too slow and causing a log jam.

Can you go slower than the speed limit?
Most state laws do not specify how far below the speed limit is legal. They leave that decision to the highway patrol officer, but a good rule of thumb is that it is illegal to drive at a speed so slow that you hold up the normal traffic flow. Going slow on a higher-speed freeway can increase the risk of a collision.Jun 30, 2020

How slow is too slow when driving?
On a road with one lane in each direction, going 10-mph is legal, but can impede the flow of traffic. If it's safe to do so, drive closer to the max speed limit. If you're driving so slow that a line of more than five cars has queued behind you, it's best to pull over to the shoulder and allow the drivers to pass you.Jun 30, 2020

Just FYI, google is your friend

It is not a good thing to startle already grumpy old men.

They just strike out at scheidt.

lololololol

That's what makes these threads worthwhile.

5 mph below the speed limit is not illegal. “Speed Limit refers to the Maximum speed you can drive. You have to be going a lot slower than 50 mph in a 55 zone to be considered going to slow.
You are an intelligent person but when it comes to this whole bike thing why are you purposely obtuse about it?

“Well, the average highway at 60, is 45. The highways at 75, are 60. That is a 20-25%. Are you aware of any roads, with a posted MINIMUM, that are 50-75% LESS than the maximum??”

Reading is fundamental.

(“when. a person drives a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic”...)

Texas law—“Persons riding two abreast on a laned roadway shall ride in a single lane. Persons riding two abreast may not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic on the roadway. Also note, bicyclists can't make passage of traffic "unreasonably inconvenient"”

Making passage of traffic “Unreasonably inconvenient”, WHILE RIDING A BICYCLE (not just in other vehicles)is not “in compliance with the law”...

Is having to pass bicyclists, going less than half the posted speed limit, to avoid getting rear-ended, on a winding road thst is marked solid yellow lines, “unreasonably inconvenient”??

Action pic of Paul teaching his kid the ways of their family.

He is simply trying to prove why people think bicyclists are “subhuman”, and doing a fantastic job at it. Their avocation (recreation)is more important than you getting to your vocation (job)...

As was posted earlier, this is TX impeding traffic law. What does google say would be an example of when reduced speed is in compliance with the law?

(a) An operator may not drive so slowly as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

Perhaps a review of Selz V Trotwood would be useful to the discussion.

If you aren't afraid to learn something that is counter to your beliefs read https://www.ohiobikelawyer.com/uncategorized/2010/02/trotwood-v-selz-a-great-victory-for-cyclist/ FWIW this is the norm when bicyclist obstructing traffic charges are litigated.

It’s so strange that everyone hates bicyclists.


LOL

I wonder how many of the bicyclists who, when are driving a motor vehicle behind a tractor or combine raise hell about having to go slow??

Exhibit A....Geezer on a tricycle going 3 MPH




Exhibit B....Group of chic’s that couldn’t pull the hill without almost putting a foot down.




But I’m a patient driver. I just have a birthday while I wait to safely pass them.

🦫

It didn't bother me at all.

How long were you hung up behind them?

If you want to get a bicyclist going, ask them how they feel about pedestrians on park trails (with no bike lanes).

And then, when motorists complain about bicyclists clogging up the roads, those same bicyclists are all like”Hey!! I got rights!! I’m exercising here!!”...

WTF Beav???

LOL, somebody should start a thread on that........

Good thing they were strung out in a long line and hugging the right hand side. That made them much easier to go around than if they had been in a tight side by side group.

Fixed

LOL

🦫

But, but, Paul, it took them an hour to make that ‘steep’ grade.

JFC, watching them made me sweat!

🦫

Paul be all like “I just ride patiently behind them, and stare at their azz. Especially if they’re a Marine..”

I should have posted, when driving a motor vehicle.

Or about the Prarie apples horses leave on the bike trail.

The Katy Trail runs through my AO and a lot of people ride horses/mules on the trail.

Every time I cross it and see the gifts the horses leave behind I chuckle.

Kind of a pizzer, that trail is. The last time a train ran the tracks was the late 70s/early 80s. They sat abandoned and all grown up. Buds had stands along the old line and close to it. Once the govt decided to make a bike trail out of UT the hunting along the tracks started to suck.

Same goes for a pard that has a house with the trail in his back yard. House was built 10 years or so before the trail was a thing. Now he has minimal privacy in daylight most of the year. Cannot shoot there anymore either.

I was trying to check out the guy on the bike in front of me, but he was too fast.

No big deal to me. It's part and parcel of living on this crowded planet.

If I had hotties like her on a bike in front of me, I’d never complain.

Alas, the riders I get stuck behind are either granny’s, or Butch chic’s who are riding with their squad of LGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈 activist.

🦫

I am the OP. I used to ride bicycles a lot. One time, I rode a Peugot bicycle from Milledgeville Georgia to Steamboat Springs Colorado. That road through Rocky Mountain Park, at elevation 12,100 feet, the air is pretty thin. But by the time I got there I was in pretty good shape.

I now have an expensive Trek mountain bike and I love to ride it. But, to the hillbillies around here, riding a bicycle is not something an adult should do. This article struck me, these hillbillies view me as a cockroach. They zoom by, even with an open road, without crossing the yellow line, their mirror missing the bicyclist by inches. And I don't wear the spandex and the official helmet, I wear regular shorts and a baseball hat and a white Tshirt, and tennis shoes. I have a rear view mirror on the hat so I can see traffic coming up from behind, and I just pull over onto the shoulder. This is back roads only I wouldn't get near the US Highway.

No, I got tired of a 55 mph pickup rear view mirror missing me by inches and I gave up riding a few years ago. I settle for walking the roads with the Beagle.

There are several stables right smack dam in the middle of the NOLA metro area where a multi-use path runs along the river. I frequently encounter riders and road apples there. I'll take that over the bum schidt that I have to occasionally dodge.

Recreating at 50mph slower than prevailing traffic is ridiculous. Maybe not subhuman, but definitely narcissistic.

Peloton for the win!





🦫

In the early 2000s it was somewhat unusual to see cyclists riding the rural back roads of Harrison County MS. Over the years, bicycling became more popular and riders became a regular part of the landscape. Over time the rednecks simply got used to it, and interactions became much more favorable overall. I was a member of the Gulf Coast Bicycle Club and did group rides. We took a very cooperative approach with motorists. Seem to have set the stage for a good road sharing environment.

That ride from GA to CO sounds super cool!

Unless that hot chick is standing in front of the Peloton,




than all you have to look it is pitchers on da skereen.

I always get stuck behind grandpa with chicken legs and a boiler hanging over the seat.
Of course he is plastered with fake sponsors from head to toe on his way too tight spandex.
Bicycle spandex has to be the best marketing ever. "We'll charge you to wear our companies name all over you. Trust us you'll look cool to all the other bike [bleep]."

And hunters can simply play a hunting video game and go to the grocery store to buy meat.

Hot chick? Where?

Actually, I did start a thread on pedestrians on bike trails a while back but I had a little different slant on it. I ride on a 45-mile trail right near the house here and it gets a fair amount of foot traffic. Most of the walkers understand it's a multi-use trail with lots of bike traffic and stay over on the right side so it's easy to pass, no muss no fuss.

But there are a few that just can't wrap their head around such a complex concept and they really clog the trail and slow things down. And every one of them drove a vehicle to get to the trail.

2 things a guy can learn from bike threads.

Old fuggs should give up their driver's license if they can't figure out how to drive around a bike.

Paul is the dumbest fugger on the fire for continuously biting on the bike thread bait.

Here I am on my cross country trip in Rocky Mountain Park. The Trek I have today is a much better bike than that Peugot was, but I am scared to ride around here.

You have to have an imagination.

🦫

On a curve with a DOUBLE Yellow................

Dayum,
This thread has legs....errr wheels!

Now, you’re just being mean.

🦫

Oh, stop it Muffin.

Share the road, you bike hating ass-hole.

Lol

🦫

Hold for a close up pic of Paul’s legs.

🦫

.....and you will block traffic chasing a dil-do thrown into the street.

🦫

Remind us why it was that you changed usernames?

I’m not sure what all the heavy weather is all about. I just complained about massive bike rides on two lane county roads that block traffic both ways for many miles. I never had any problems with solo or more riders if they do not impede traffic. The rides I was talking about actually commandeered the road claiming it for their single purpose and denying traffic.
Peace…

🤣🤣

And if it were a MAGA march would you be OK with that?

a 10K run/walk supporting injured veterans?

Paul:

Numerous studies done on speed differences in vehicles using the same roadway have shown that such speed differences do cause more accidents. Much more so than absolute speed. For example, a stretch of road where the speed limit is 80mph and most the drivers stay near 80mph would see fewer accidents than if a goodly number of the vehicles traveled at 50mph and others at 80mph.

So, yeah, the presence of bicycles on a road (with speed limits that allows automobiles to move at significantly greater speed than bicycles can manage--most of htem) would likely cause more accidents. And cyclists would obviously take it harder than automobiles. But in some cases autos and their drivers would also be destroyed and/or injured.

One would hope that cyclists would use some common sense in route choice.

For my own part:
1. I used to bicycle commute to work and liked it, even in one of the least bike-friendly metro areas in the USA. Route choice is key.
2. No longer do as work moved out of cycling range.
3. I would commute to work again were it again feasible.
4. I have no problem taking the lane when circumstances require it for safety.
5. I have no problem with the majority of bicyclists I encounter on the road. Some are jerks, but I figure they'll end up road pizza for their lack of wisdom soon enough.

Oh, and rolling coal deliberately is asinine.

Dude, that is some hardcore riding, those hills are nothing to sneeze at!

The only ones I have an issue with are the azzholes that ride in huge packs. Well, those and the ones that text while cycling through an intersection and get hit. Then the bike community squeals for more restrictions on cars.

LOL, you've got that exactly backwards. Captain Paul chums with the best of 'em, and then trolls right through the middle of the slick.

10 pages. It's not hard to acknowledge that most people don't like bicyclists. Nobody likes being inconvenienced in an way, regardless of the time frame that occurs. Prome example is that I fuggin hate semis. I understand their need but that doesn't stop my unreasonable side from pissing and moaning about how slow they are, can't see around, accelerate like a snail and congest the highways. It is what it is.

Pretty astute for an old bearded gunsmith....

I'm actually pretty young, but thank you.

Yeah, them fuggers too.

Going up a 4 lane highway, two lanes in either direction. One semi just has to pull out and take up the passing lane just to take the whole hill to pass his brother trucker, backing up all other vehicles from passing. And then realize he's managed to gain one truck length's time on his trip.

I wonder if they could pull a train.....

I used to see that all the time when I drove the big rig. In my case, I was governed at 65, and a guy is passing me, he is governed at 65.2

It will take him 2 minutes to pass me and there will be 15 cars backed up behind him, cussing us out. This is on the flat interstate, I-10 in Texas speed limit 75.

My solution: When the passing truck got even with my rear bumper, I knocked off the cruise and slowed to 60 mph. Left lane guy passed me in ten seconds and got ahead of me in the right lane. Left lane clear for cars. And I lost 15 seconds of driving time. Gee, do that 8 times a day, and I have lost 2 minutes. Heartbreaking.

About half the truck drivers would be polite in the right lane, like I was, and the other half were a**holes. Or else just stupid hard to tell.

I like bicyclists. Why else were BUMPers invented?

Best threads on the fire.

Bicycle threads
Tire threads
Tulsi threads

I do not mind bike riders.

I put a lot of thought into route choice and I am right there with you on 1-5, and the extra.

Or fake Christian Sock Puppets.

🦫

Dude. Connect the dots.

I wondered why those drivers that are in the right lane wouldn't lift off for a few seconds. Hell, if someone is slow passing me when I am driving an auto, I'll lift off.

So it appears the libatard, democrap, bicycle riding asshats at Google try to hide the stupid bike riders getting creamed in traffic videos.

Gotta watch them on YouTube and prove your old enough.





The really funny stuff is bicyclist vs bicyclist, who'd ever thought that'd be a dangerous combination?

Yes the oxygen is thin there at 12,000 feet. Fortunately, I had 1,000 miles of "training" before I got to the Rockies.
Here I am crossing the Mississippi into Missouri. As you can see I stayed on the back, back roads. God knows I wasn't gonna try that I-40 bridge at Memphis.

You're right

this thread needs some wimmins:

The "other" Tulsi.

I wouldn't say I troll, because I am always willing to have a conversation with a willing member. I certainly don't capitulate, and I will sometimes do unto others as they do unto me. As you can see some are much better at dishing it out than taking it. They can't seem to figure out how I can have a completely civil, exchange of ideas with some members, but not them. It must be me, lol.

Used to have a ford pinto, bicyclists were blowing right past me

That is friggin cool. When I go out to CO in the summer, it takes a while to find my lungs. Even then I can't do hard sprints. When I come back, I feel like I am supercharged for a few days.

Their goal is the gold.

LOL, that's right, your "Family Rituals" thread a while back was really serious stuff.

Jeffa, you do have to admit they are 'fair'............. they're even azzhats to each other..............

Bycyclists are like dolphins. They're very smart,...when they're in the water.

Another Paul troll thread!

Traffic brings no joy, could well ultimately prove fatal or crippling.

But crossing the continent on a bicycle? I’ve driven across on four wheels multiple times, which doesn’t compare with doing it on a motorcycle (I’ve been over most of the Lower 48 on motorcycles). Both of these pale in comparison to getting it done on a bicycle 😎

Strangely enough traversing parts of North America on a bicycle makes this place seem smaller, and you becoming intimately familiar with the landforms and the parts you rode.

Only had coal dumped on me once, along the Upper Missouri in Montana. I shot the guy the bird of course, now I’d just ignore it. Anyone who does that and just drives off is a pu$$y.

I drive about 30,000 miles a year, here to the Canadian border, here to Missouri, wherever. A lot of my driving is on two lane, rural roads but also in town here… I can only recall once in the last several years that I was held up a bit by cyclists. There was a large organized group on the two lane going to the gun club. Probably cost me five minutes.

I think there are some people on here who must lead miserable, unhappy lives. If they get so cranked up over something as innocuous as bicyclists how do they handle the kind of real problems many of us face daily? What can it be like for their wives (if they’re still married) having some having some whining complainer around all the time?

Of course, these threads also always bring out the Walter Mitty, Rambo in their own minds, badasses…always amusing…

Would it be different for you if it was every MONTH????

11 months, 17 days, and a few hours.

🦫

They could barely pull their own weight up that small hill.

Train?…..No F’N Way!

Lol

🦫

Then, in Iowa, there is RABRAI, once is enough.

You are in deep schidt now.

I rode RAGBRAI in 2016. I had a blast, and the people from Iowa were wonderful. The event pumped a lot of money into many of those small towns. This may be my favorite RAGBRAI pic. These girls were so stinking cute and happy to be making money. I think I got one of the guys nipple hairs in my scrambled eggs.

Paul, I'm talking about driving the same way, on the same road.

Don't do that Wagi. Take one of the roads 5 miles away.

The semi isn't the problem, the government regulations are.

Paul, we went to a farm sale, if we'd bought the tractor----.

Have passed a few on the shoulders. 2 semis play who has the bigger dick for 5 miles and the first clear straight shoulder becomes my lane.

when it's every week , day or multiple X's a day ..

I wouldn't be to bothersome if I was caught behind the Doc for say 3-4 hours........

Gentlemen, we all need the trucks to deliver all the goods.

Little do you know. We rode RAGBRAI together.

I’d much rather encounter a cyclist on the road than one of those flat billed retards driving a truck with a Carolina squat. That is some dumb scheit. Around here your constantly held up by tractors, combines, Mennonite buggies, school busses, Mennonites on bikes, old ladies driving 10mph under etc…

Carolina squat with such offset the inside sidewalls are even with the outside of the fenders.

About a 50 series with 2" of sidewall. Wonder how their paint looks after a year!?!?

Can you imagine the PSSD that this would cause our members?

We have little pieces of farm land scattered about and I hate holding up traffic when we have to move large equipment around.


Try to plan our moves early in the morning.



The fact that some people are so self important as to create delays and safety hazards in the name of recreation is all I need to know about that individual.



Paul is a self righteous bi-sexual idiot.

The only time that bicyclists bother me on the road is when they are involved in an organized century ride and feel empowered to ride 8 or 10 abreast across both lanes of a 2 lane road. Some of them will even swerve across the center line when you're passing, as if they were daring you to hit them.

Paul likes women?

Who knew.

He's married and obviously has his wife fooled but that sonuvabitch is gay as fuuck.

lolololol

LMAO ! Nailed it !!!

lolololol. Things is heating up in here. I already have my daily bag limit, so I am dialing it back.

I just don’t see you having the patience of Job for some reason.


🦫

I have nothing against gay people so long as they aren't parading it down the middle of a highway.

Paul’s, wife is just another hot looking women who entered into a marital agreement to act as a ‘beard’ to help his career.

Works for DiCaprio and Hugh Jackman


Lol

🦫

On those rare occasions when I am not feeling like a self-righteous dick, and enjoying pissing off motorists, I like to ride in the woods.

So where, is it carved in stone, we all have to be just alike?

I thought I despised realtors the most. I'm buying a can of bear spray after reading this tread. Learn something new every day.

Now for the social studies and experimentation, wear an outfit that says; I’m with Joe. 😂

Paulette plays the victim like a liberal phag .. starts [bleep] then cry's like a bitch ..

I might get so butthurt that I threaten to kick someone's ass. LOLOLOL

How pretty, your handlebars match the wildflowers. Are those anal beads I see hanging off your grips?

Why do you always lose the plot?

PB, never plays a victim. He plays games to fück with people, but it’s hilarious ~ unless it’s you reading his posts.

🤷🏽‍♀️🦫

No butt hurt just hate [bleep] like you that bad ...

More likely threaten to suck some dick.

If you were walking along a road and someone rolled coal on you, wouldn’t you want to punch the drivers face through the back of his head?

🦫

Damn, Sam!

Lol

🦫

I can see how a stunningly good looking, fit, smartass could stir hate in a simpleton.

Funny you think you know me ...

Beav, what makes it so funny is the fact that it's true!

Wait, I thought Paul was a Bi?

🦫😂

You meanies need to sthop questioning my sexuality.

If you didn't bring up the rear all the way across Iowa then Sam is right.......You should have called, we could have had some viking food and I could have driven chase vehicle...

Sometimes they find bicycle bells and spandex in bear crap

Lol. I'm pretty cheap but I'd buy the PPV if that was a sport.

Release the hounds!

Proof that even nature hates cyclists.

PB's a moron, but I gotta defend him here.

I'm certain PB's not Bi.

Cause there's no way he could ever get any pussy.

Good job PB. You've got the reel screaming.

Relax Paul, its likely wishful thinking on the part of most of your detractors.

Let's see, I am riding a bicycle and I ride like I am riding in "vehicle". Idiot of the highest order and should treated as one.

Did anyone see the OZ/Fetterman train wreck last night?

goodam bicyclists are fuquing it up for everyone.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/wisconsin-police-driver-blood-alcohol-230824081.html

I'm trying to make the connection. Clusterf*ck??? Schidtshow???


Ah, now I get it. Train wreck.

Gayer'n aids??

Jeebus!!

The gal should have hit the brakes. Car goes on by.

No worries, I always pull way the fugg over when I hear that music 👍🏻

The music might sound a little different in the hills of Tennessee when they smell fresh Cajun meat in town.

Simonkenton7: I would not go so far as to describe bicyclists as "sub-human" but indeed they ARE a royal pain in the ass!
I investigated "traffic accidents" for 29 years professionally and I learned to hate the screams of the bicyclists as they lay on the pavement/asphalt/cement/ground with compound fractures of their legs (often both legs!) road rash and other injuries.
And more often than not the investigation led to citations for the bicyclists! But a hundred dollar traffic citation does NOT hold a candle to mutilated legs and head trauma etc etc etc.
ANYONE who rides a bicycle on narrow roads or a higher speed road or after dark is ASKING for trouble/pain.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Well Blubba, in much if not most of the US, bikes have the right to use public roadways as do cars and trucks.

Go ride your bicycle on the interstate.

And they have the same right to get in an automobile accident as anybody else.

Kent

There's a reason they are not allowed on portions interstates... even if they could go 65 mph...

Kent

Hi Kent. Fancy seeing you here. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Been fishing, missed the fun, just read the last part, it's enough.

Kent

Fixed it.

I'd like to say there has been some fresh content. There hasn't. There was a pretty good meltdown earlier in the thread.

Figured, same o same o.

Kent

It's a wide road, we can share.

wide is the road that leads to destruction...

Kent

Interstates can be about the safest place to ride. Long lines of sight and wide flat shoulders to ride separate from the traffic lanes. Legal in some states and places.

Passing off ramps and on ramps is where ya gotta watch out. Generally I’ll stop if needed, check for traffic and cross perpendicular to the far side to cross the ramp lane ASAP.

Legal in quite a few states.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-motorized_access_on_freeways

Anybody even thinking about riding a bicycle on an interstate just demonstrates the stupidity of the breed................just drove back from FL last 2 days, would love to see a biker ride around Atlanta, Indianapolis, Nashville, etc on a fu^ckin bicycle & survive.

MM

I’m not one that automatically hates bicyclists or joggers or any group of people that unnecessarily waste their time by showing off their physical prowess and making me feel like a sloth. In the summer this area gets a lot of bicycle clubs and group rides that take the scenic roads on the eastern and western side of the island. The roads around here are typically narrow but not busy while the 1 or 2 main roads are fairly wide with center turn lanes. I’ve had to slow down and wait for an opportunity to pass but I can’t recall ever feeling annoyed by them…around here. People are pretty relaxed and not stressed..island time….the biggest slow down or impediment to traffic are the tractors and combines. They can acquire a pretty decent line of vehicles behind them but nobody gets mad. I like living in a place where tractors and deer and wild turkeys are the biggest issue for traffic. The bicyclists that come here to ride aren’t a problem and I realize that they are coming HERE to recreate and enjoy the water and woods that I am fortunate to call home. I get the privilege to live in a place that others come to vacation so if I have to share the road a little or slow down it’s not gonna ruin my day. There’s a lot of crap going on in this country nowadays so I gotta pick and choose my battles or I’d be fighting my way through life. 😁. Bicyclists are currently very low on my radar….

UPDATE:

Everyone still hates bicyclists.

LOL

Interstate highway with truck.

Still not at 18 pages yet, therefor let the madness continue:

Same state. Same bicycle trip.

Not an Interstate Highway, with truck
(see my previous reply).

Legal, and stupid!!!!!

Paul B doesn’t know the difference???

I was riding my Trek on a remote country road near here, there was a big house there, and 4 adults were standing in the driveway, their dog was with them. Big dog about 60 pounds. The road was going uphill and I could go only about 7 mph. Dogs can run lots faster than that.

The dog ran after me and was zooming in on my left ankle. He was going to chomp on my Achilles tendon. That is how a wolf kills an elk at Yellowstone, cut the left Achilles tendon, his buddy cuts the right Achilles tendon and they take down the elk. It is genetic. A cut Achilles tendon in a human would mean some serious surgery and months on crutches.

As the dog neared my ankle, I wanted to kick him right in the face and teach him a lesson, but I knew those hillbillies had a gun close at hand, and probably would shoot me if they saw me kick the dog. I just stuck my foot out towards doggie, and when he bit, he bit the sole of my tennis shoe and not my ankle. I guess he didn't like the taste of rubber, he peeled off and went back to the group of adults, and I rode on. When I got home I saw 4 deep tooth marks on the bottom, and left side of my left tennis shoe.

A week later, I saw two of those men standing at the edge of a corn field, 2 miles away, they were getting ready to harvest corn. I stopped my bicycle to talk to them. I thought my hillbilly neighbors would apologize, for their dog nearly putting me in the hospital. No. I didn't realize, they viewed me as a sub human and a cockroach.
Hillbilly Dad said "You'uns ain't from around here. You go around kicking a man's dog in the mouth, is a good way to get shot." I said "I didn't kick him! I stuck my foot out and he bit my shoe. He almost bit my ankle." The two hillbillies gave me a dirty look.

About 2 weeks later I quit riding my bike in the NC mountains.

I look at that beautiful Trek sitting in my carport, and I am tempted to get those tires fixed and put it back on the road. Instead, I'm going to the gym this morning to ride the stationary bike for 30 minutes. It is not as much fun, but it is less dangerous.

The campfire is long on hate or sure.

Ain't that the truth.

My experience was that Montana doesn’t believe in putting shoulders on their regular highways, prob’ly to keep the Hutterite population in check.



Man, they must have been pi$$ed at Eisenhower.

https://imgur.com/gallery/pDauy34