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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Dayton, OH
    Posts
    68

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

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    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.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    3,176
    Amen.

    (But really, no one makes complete stops at stop signs.)
    Each day is a gift, that's why it is called the present.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    WA State
    Posts
    4,364
    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    Riding against traffic is usually the result of poor/outdated teaching.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).
    "Sharing the road means getting along, not getting ahead" - 1994 Washington State Driver's Guide

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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    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.
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    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.
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Twin Cities, Minnesota
    Posts
    486
    Quote Originally Posted by malkin View Post
    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.
    kajero
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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    4,632
    Quote Originally Posted by MichelleOH View Post
    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.
    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.
    Last edited by Owlie; 09-05-2013 at 06:43 PM.
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