Cycling and Hit and Run Drivers

[MojoGrrl]

I totally agree with that. When I lived in Cleveland, it was in a very "studenty" area, so lots of bikes, and lots of people doing STUPID things on bikes. No lights, riding against traffic, on the sidewalk...

This is why I hate riding anywhere in/near town. I live in a college town (also a huge cycling town) and every day I see students who have no business being on a bike because they have NO CLUE what they are doing and putting themselves and other people's lives at risk. Almost got hit by a young woman who appeared not to know how to control her bike and was giggling about how she almost ran into my (parked) car. One of my favorite sightings was a young man riding with a) no helmet, b) in flip flops, c) hands off the bars, because he was busily texting while he rode down a street on which cars are usually going way too fast. The complete lack of lights/reflective clothing or gear in the dark is horrifying. When we see those, my boyfriend and I always say, "That one's just asking to be killed."

[Owlie]

This is why I hate riding anywhere in/near town. I live in a college town (also a huge cycling town) and every day I see students who have no business being on a bike because they have NO CLUE what they are doing and putting themselves and other people's lives at risk. Almost got hit by a young woman who appeared not to know how to control her bike and was giggling about how she almost ran into my (parked) car. One of my favorite sightings was a young man riding with a) no helmet, b) in flip flops, c) hands off the bars, because he was busily texting while he rode down a street on which cars are usually going way too fast. The complete lack of lights/reflective clothing or gear in the dark is horrifying. When we see those, my boyfriend and I always say, "That one's just asking to be killed."

It's odd, because I've had more issues riding on the road here (in a suburban, nearly rural sort of setting) than I did in Cleveland (I was living somewhere fairly urban.) I think it's just a matter of people being used to seeing cyclists and pedestrians. Drivers there are used to a lot of people on bikes, many of them stupid people on bikes.