Cyclists on the roads irritated me this weekend....

[MichelleOH]

I saw at least four riding against traffic. Several others didn't make complete stops at stop signs. No wonder drivers get so fed up with us. :mad:

[malkin]

Amen.

(But really, no one makes complete stops at stop signs.)

[Eden]

What I find sad is that we don't even notice these behaviors in drivers.... not that I think cyclists should disobey traffic laws, but I find the response to be highly disproportionate when a cyclist is totally demonized for doing something that drivers do *all of the time* (i.e. not coming to a full stop at stop signs). At least the cyclist is mainly risking his own neck and not piloting 2 tons of dangerous metal....

Riding against traffic is usually the result of poor/outdated teaching. A lot of people still think this is correct (and at least in WA for *pedestrians* it is the law when there are no sidewalks present).

[OakLeaf]

My ex swears he was taught as a child, by cops in school programs, to ride against traffic. This would've been in the 1950s. It gets passed down from parent to child.

[Crankin]

I agee, Oak. One of the cities I drive through and see a couple of clients spent a fortune on painting bike lanes, sharrows, and installing signs indicating cyclists can take the lane around this time last year. Now, I don't even like driving in this place; people routinely go through red lights, drive either too fast or realy slow, change lanes without looking, and pedestrians step out into the road, head down, often with a hat or hood covering their eyes, and just cross without looking. This is where I had an accident last summer, when a woman went through a 4 way stop and hit me. She is still trying to sue my insurance company for "pain and suffering,"and I am pretty sure I was targeted as insurance fraud is rampant here. So, I have observed that there are very few commuter cyclists (although more now than 2-3 years ago) riding correctly, with traffic. Most of the riders are immigrants, where it does seem like someone taught them to do this. I see people do the most dangerous things at intersections because of this! It seems like the money would have been better spent on an a huge education campaign about bike safety/rules of the road.

[kajero]

Amen.

(But really, no one makes complete stops at stop signs.)

I always stop at 4 way stop signs now and walk my bike across. I just don't trust the cars anymore. I stop on the trails at road intersections. I kind of fail to stop when the signs are for driveways though.

The police ticket riders who go though the signs. I think it is $174.

[Owlie]

I saw at least four riding against traffic. Several others didn't make complete stops at stop signs. No wonder drivers get so fed up with us. :mad:

Well, at least the ones riding against traffic aren't going to be anyone I know. The stop signs, on the other hand... Most of the people I rode with would stop if there were cars. Empty intersection, not so much.

Out here, I haven't seen as much stupid riding until you get to campus. Then all hell breaks loose.