Why car drivers get mad

[Tuckervill]

Speaking of cycling infrastructures:

I just got back from 3 days in Phoenix/Scottsdale. No, I didn't get to ride. Yes, it became monsoon season while I was there, and there was actual humidity (still not like here, though!) and it was over 110 all day. I didn't expect to see many cyclists at all, and none in the afternoon. I was up early every morning because of the time difference and I drove all around the city and the outlying areas.

I took note of the wonderful bike lanes everywhere I went. Although it was hot, I did see *some* cyclists, mostly commuters. I saw no roadies at all. But the thing that struck me the *most* was that without exception all the cyclists were riding on the sidewalk. After the first 3 or 4 I saw, I started taking note. NONE were using the beautiful bike lanes. None.

Of course, it was so hot (and "humid" which makes me laugh) no one was walking on the sidewalks either. But is this a regular thing out there? Ignored, unused bike lanes?

Karen

[Grog]

I was up early every morning because of the time difference and I drove all around the city and the outlying areas.

I don't know how early was early for you, but there was this great article in Runner's World about running in the heat. The guy went running with some Phoenix club and they started their run at 4 am to beat the heat! Dunno about the local cycling clubs though, but I'd hope that hard training rides would also be very, very early!

This being said, I have no idea about the low use of the cycling lanes. I have a couple friends from Phoenix and they both testified of the vitality of the cycling community in Arizona. However they mostly rode way out of town, or so did they tell me...

[Tuckervill]

Five a.m. was when I awoke. I am usually up with the sun anyway.

It was still over 90 degrees overnight, though. 90 degrees is still hot! That's a normal high for where I live in most of the summer, with some 100 degree days in July/August. Oh, and that's with 55% humidity all the time. But it gets at least in the 70s at night.

I'm sure at different times of the year Phoenix is crawling with bikes.

Karen

[Eden]

hmmmm, how's the overall design of the bike lanes in Phoenix? We have a lot of bike lanes here in Seattle, but many of them are so poorly placed that they are more dangerous to use than the car lanes....

They put them right next to parked cars - in the door zone! (and then drivers get all bent out of shape if you don't ride there - its really awful - we'd be much better without those lanes!!) or they end suddenly without any warning. Sometimes its better to avoid them all together.

These days I've heard they are going to painting "sharrows" on the roads instead of striping discrete bike lanes, more of less to remind drivers that they need to share the lane with bikes.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

hmmmm, how's the overall design of the bike lanes in Phoenix? We have a lot of bike lanes here in Seattle, but many of them are so poorly placed that they are more dangerous to use than the car lanes....

They put them right next to parked cars - in the door zone! (and then drivers get all bent out of shape if you don't ride there - its really awful - we'd be much better without those lanes!!) or they end suddenly without any warning. Sometimes its better to avoid them all together.

These days I've heard they are going to painting "sharrows" on the roads instead of striping discrete bike lanes, more of less to remind drivers that they need to share the lane with bikes.

I've read about this a bit. In the US, they put in bike lanes with absolutely no attention paid to actual practical safety of them. No cyclist in their right mind would ride in a bike lane alongside parked cars right in the door zone!!! And yet that's what they spend tons of money installing here. Stupid waste of taxpayers money. Plus, cars doublepark in the bike lanes everywhere.
If only they would get a clue from observing well designed European bike lanes! In many places in Europe, the bike lane runs alongside the sidewalk, separated by a curb and/or painted lines. Then there is a row of cement posts to keep cars from using the bike lane. Then next out is the parking lane, then the car traffic lanes. Cars are kept out of the bike and pedestrian paths altogether by cement or iron posts.

[smilingcat]

Car drivers get mad:

cause the bike lane is "supposed" to be for the cars.
cause there are slow bicycles in the way for them to use it as a passing lane.
cause there are slow bicycles in the way for them to make a right hand turn.
cause cars are supposed to go faster than a bike even when the bike is speeding. Never follow a bike.

bicycles? Well its for children riding in the neighborhood not overgrown kids out on a street. DRIVE A CAR MO--RON!!

And yes, I've been guilty of impeding cars who want to pass,who wants to create a second righthand turn lane, who wants to going faster than a car (motorpacing during practice). And most definitly, I'm an overgorwn old kid.

Oh yeah! The suddenly-opening-door-phobia. Cause I was almost taken out by one. Another gal did get taken out by one. Its amazing about those doors. You would think the car door would get tweaked. Fat chance. I wish it did but not. The gal did an end-over and landed on her head. Split the bell helmet into two but otherwise okay. Not for the helmet nor the bike.

Smilingcat

[Crankin]

About the cycling in Phoenix: well I'm a former Zonie and there were those nice wide bike lanes even when i lived there, up until 1990. But, one of the issues (besides the heat) is that the valley is built on a grid and there is a traffic light every mile. I am sure it doesn't make for great cycling, hence the reason why someone said their friends go "far out" to do their rides. Today, that might be very far out from where I lived in south Tempe, which was considered the sticks when I moved there. Heck, Warner road wasn't even paved when I lived in Chandler in 1980. Back then, you would would rarely see people even walking outside and the car culture is really strong.
Also, I have read that the "season" for cycling in southern AZ is from October to April. That makes sense. I used to walk at 5 AM and even that was brutal. No wonder I became a gym rat.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh yeah! The suddenly-opening-door-phobia. Cause I was almost taken out by one. Another gal did get taken out by one. Its amazing about those doors. You would think the car door would get tweaked. Fat chance. I wish it did but not. The gal did an end-over and landed on her head. Split the bell helmet into two but otherwise okay. Not for the helmet nor the bike.

She was very lucky. Many "doored" cyclists wind up dead, either landing on their head and breaking their necks or being thrown in front of a moving vehicle in the lane to their left and being run over.
Never ride within 3 feet of a parked car on your right. If necessary get right into the vehicle lane while navigating the congested stretch of road...you can move right again once the road opens up.

[Starfish]

cause cars are supposed to go faster than a bike even when the bike is speeding. Never follow a bike.

Yesterday I was riding up a mountain road and was within 100 yards of the park entry gate, where all traffic must stop. The speed limit up to the gate was 25mph, and a slight downhill. I was going 23mph (in anticipation of coming to a stop at the gatehouse).

The car behind me tailgated me, and pulled around me at the last second without enough time to actually pass me, and forced me to veer to the right and brake HARD. We got to the gatehouse at exactly the same time.

It was an older woman, and rather than it being a competitive or angry situation for her, I think she really just could not believe that a bike was basically doing the speed limit and not holding her up. I suspect she simply assumed she would be faster than a bike and should pass it.

I showed a lot of restraint when we got to the gate. Maybe I should have pounded on her trunk and had a talk with her. I don't know. I probably would have lost my temper.

[quint41]

Lisa, I didn't have time to read all the replies to your post, but I wanted to let you know that I'm in your camp. I lead rides frequently for a singles group, and not everyone is an experience rider. (This is coming from someone who only "really" started riding last year, but I've ridden enough that I can now lead rides fairly well.) Just the other day, I had two people out on my ride -- one of them has ridden with this group MANY times, and he has been told MANY times by other leaders and other riders, but he apparently hasn't learned a thing. The second guy was a newbie who was just following the first guy's lead. Toward the end of our ride, we were on a rather busy street, and guy #1 was way off the shoulder. He was almost half-way out into the travel lane. Guy #2 was with him almost as far off the shoulder. I was behind screaming, "CAR BACK!" louder and louder until finally I REALLY SCREAMED, "SINGLE FILE!! RIDE SINGLE FILE!" They very quickly moved to the shoulder. When we got back to the lot, I told them both that I was sorry to have to scream at them, but that kind of behavior is what gives bike riders a bad name! That kind of riding, out in the road for no reason, is what pisses drivers off, causes road rage, and then makes crazy drivers take out their anger on all the other rule-abiding riders on the road!

By the way, as I was out riding tonight, a car of teenagers passed me (as I was climbing a hill ON THE SHOULDER) and threw a can of soda at me. Isn't that lovely? It didn't hit me. I think it was empty anyway, but just the fact that they did that ....

That is ALL I wanted to say. I agree with you, Lisa.

[Aggie_Ama]

We had an experience yesterday that still upsets me. DH and I were out on a road that is semi-busy and somewhat narrow and winding. It is not a favorite road of ours and we weren't sure anyone else ever really rode it. As we were headed our way we were surprised to see other cyclists. It was two female cyclists on the other side of the road riding side by side chatting, in the middle of the lane.

This is the road where we met the friendly guy who slowed down to flip us off. Now I wonder if their behavior is common and he was just fed up (doubt it). It isn't safe on that road at all and it is just rude.

[Tuckervill]

Were there cars waiting behind them? I don't have any problem with riding in the lane, but if cars come, I try to move over.

Karen

[Aggie_Ama]

Were there cars waiting behind them? I don't have any problem with riding in the lane, but if cars come, I try to move over.

Karen

There were no cars at the time, but the road is winding and that makes their actions unsafe. The speed limit is 50 but most of the motorists are driving a tad faster and it is just hard to know for anyone (cyclist, motorist) what is around the next bend. I would consider this road to be a medium traffic level for the area, so it probably wasn't long before a car came up. It wasn't a "taking the lane" situation, it was more of a not paying attention situation.

[Tuckervill]

If the road is winding, that's more of a reason to be in the lane in my opinion. I don't want two cars passing me in opposite directions with no shoulder, so as long as visibility is impaired for passing, I stay in the lane.

Karen

[Mr. Bloom]

By the way, as I was out riding tonight, a car of teenagers passed me (as I was climbing a hill ON THE SHOULDER) and threw a can of soda at me. Isn't that lovely? It didn't hit me. I think it was empty anyway, but just the fact that they did that ....

Next time, get the plate #...in my book, empty or not, that's called assault!