One Reason Cyclists Are Disliked

[Aint Doody]

I was so appalled yesterday as I was on a loosely organized group ride in our small town. There were about 10 of us taking advantage of the marginally good weather. The group was in about 3 bunches. As I came up to a stop sign where we going to turn right, I was in the front of a group of about 4 of us. I signaled a stop and said, "Stopping." My friend who was behind me said, "Going," and just kept on ahead to turn right on the street--passing me on the right to do so.

There was a pickup truck approaching from the left who had the right of way. Everybody else stopped. This really upset me. I caught up with her and told her she should have stopped. She replied that she didn't always stop at stop signs. I then said that was one reason motorists don't like us. I also reminded her that it was the law. She finally said, "OK, I'll do it for you." I said, "Do it for yourself to keep from getting splatted and because it's the law. What if there had been loose gravel and you'd gone down right in front of that truck?"

She's a very responsible person--or at least I thought so. I was genuinely shocked by her reaction. She knows all the rules of the road, etiquette, whatever. OK--rant is over.

[Tri Girl]

I totally agree. I hate to do organized rides, because there are always those cyclists who refuse to obey the laws and ride unsafe
I have even stopped riding with a group of fellow triathletes because they do the same thing (and wear headphones, to boot). I'm no goody two shoes, but I do stop at all city intersections, and even in the country with nobody around for miles I'll do a very good rolling stop (sometimes I don't put a foot down, and I'm bad for that).
Doesn't that just infuriate you? No wonder we get a bad rap. Just like some drivers, some cyclists refuse to follow the rules, but when cyclists do it the reputation of all cyclists is harmed...
I'm glad your friend wasn't hurt...

[jobob]

I agree too.

I'm simply not comfortable in large groups of riders on account of that - my neck and shoulders get sore from cringing so much.

And, there are people I avoid riding with on account of that.

[snapdragen]

I agree too. I'm simply not comfortable in large groups of riders on account of that. My neck and shoulders get sore from cringing so much.

And there are people I avoid riding with on account of that.

There's also that whole having to ride really fast to catch up with boneheaded riders so you can rip them a new one. Or politely tell them the rules of the road.....

[Trek420]

It's intervals, that's a good thing Here's the latest Spinerval DVD:

Ride safely, legally and well
Sprint to catch up and rip them a new one
Ride safely, legally and sanely
Sprint to catch up, yelling all the way
Ride safely, stop at stop signs and lights
Sprint to catch up with ditwads who blew the light ...

Ultimately you're a stronger rider than them.

Seriously, these riders don't respect what I say if I can't catch them. Breezing in at the next rest stop or coffee to say "hey,back there you ..." does not count. I'm not fast or strong on hills. Once or twice I've been able to catch up, that gets their attention.

Otherwise it's just "yeah, whatever, I'm ahead of you"

[ilima]

There's also that whole having to ride really fast to catch up with boneheaded riders so you can rip them a new one. Or politely tell them the rules of the road.....

Naw, just pull the old 'drop them from behind' move.

I've learned which groups play fast and loose with safety, laws and plain old common sense. And I don't ride with them.

[Mr. Bloom]

You did well to model good behavior to her. Some folks know the rules,nut don't follow them until someone they respect calls attention to it

[tctrek]

We did a ride yesterday where several in front of us refused to give up the road to any cars trying to get by. They would not form a paceline and had a line of cars backed up for a quarter of a mile.

I think Share the Road goes for both the cars and the bicycles. No wonder the drivers of the car get angry .

[Crankin]

I so agree. I pretty much have stopped going on group rides, except for the ones I lead, or with leaders I know. Otherwise, I ride alone, with my dh, or just a few friends. I always say something when I observe bad cyclist behavior! It probably just makes me feel better, but, hey.

[ny biker]

It's not just group rides. I have a favorite training route that is good for long rides by myself, and is popular with many cyclists. I used to think that popularity was a good thing, because if I had a mechical problem there were lots of other folks around who might be able to help. But last year I was so angry at all the idiots around me who were blowing through stop signs and stoplights, that I've decided to find a different training route with fewer cyclists.

I try to tell myself that I shouldn't waste anger on other people, but the fact is that they do affect me because they're the reason so many drivers hate cyclists.

I'm especially appalled at the number of cyclists who don't even look for oncoming traffic at intersections.

I've also quit a local cycling forum because there were too many members who thought that they were too good to stop at stop signs and who felt that it was perfectly okay to be rude to the other users of the road just because those other people were driving cars and trucks.

If I'm on a group ride with people running stop signs and red lights, I just say, it's not worth dying over, and I stop. I don't care if I fall behind.

[Thorn]

If I'm on a group ride with people running stop signs and red lights, I just say, it's not worth dying over, and I stop. I don't care if I fall behind.

Yep.

We have a popular starting point that is in the suburbs. It is conveniently located with a nice park and an easy route out into the country side. Right outside of the park you need to cross a highway. There is a stoplight. The stoplight has a pedestrian "press here to trigger the light" *facing* the road, just for cyclists. I've been on group rides where no one paused to press the button--they just ran the light. DH and I stopped and nearly caused a pile up--the light was red, guys. We signaled we were stopping. What more information do you need?

[Pink Diva]

Man, that's just pain scary! I've only ridden on group rides where there was a 'no-drop' policy, but even then every single stop sign and red light was obeyed and every single car coming from in front of the group or behind was announced so we could fall into single file...man, I thought that was just the way you were supposed to ride in a group!

I say if you can't obey the rules and be nice to your fellow cyclists, then you should just stay away from the 'group'! Here's to living in a city where there are more stop signs then cars !

[maillotpois]

One of my best on bike moments this year came a month or two ago. I was meeting a friend and noticed a local race team in front of me. I figured I'd never see them again. Met up with my friend 5 - 8 miles into my ride, and we stopped briefly for a chat and kept going. We came up a series of 2 T-intersection stop signs that cyclists notoriously run - I noticed flashing lights ahead. It was a police car. My first reaction was gut wrenching concern that someone got hit or crashed or something. No. The entire race team, including a couple of friends of mine, were all pulled over for blowing the stop sign. They all got tickets.

So lovely. Especially the teasing afterward.

[Aggie_Ama]

I feel if I am going to drive a car with a bumper sticker that says "Please be kind to cyclists" I better earn that treatment. Drivers think lawlessness is par for the course with cyclists and I view myself as a constant advocate for the right to be on the road. Do I stop completely at signs in the middle of nowhere country when I am turning right and you can't hear a thing but a cow? No. But I do slow to a rolling stop- no blowing through at 15-20mph. I stop and put a foot donw at any stop sign with traffic.

Sure unclipping gets tiring but it was all worth it the day I was at a 3-way intersection most cyclists run. Most chose not to stop because when headed north you have a shoulder and no cross street on your side. On this day, I unclipped for the red light and looked at the woman stopped next to me who smiled and mouthed "thanks". I remember that day from last summer everytime I ride.

Austin and the county have started ticketing. I live in a neighboring county and I wish my county would because I get irked watching my fellow cyclist anger drivers.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

We did a ride yesterday where several in front of us refused to give up the road to any cars trying to get by. They would not form a paceline and had a line of cars backed up for a quarter of a mile.

I think Share the Road goes for both the cars and the bicycles. No wonder the drivers of the car get angry .

Oh man, that is awful! No reason for that besides ego and selfishness. Consideration should go both ways.