Why the hate for Cyclists?

[jamil]

To all the guys with issues with bike riders, just how many bikes are you encountering and how many of those are you having issues with in a typical week?

In the summer? It seems to have decreased this summer. But most summer weekends I either see a gaggle of Tour de France wannabes riding by my house, usually with a few cars stuck behind them, or I end up stuck behind them.

Not that I don’t want them to cycle anywhere. But this road is too dangerous for them. As they add new subdivisions traffic increases. Especially the construction traffic and those guys seem to be in too big a hurry to consider what lane they’re in, or even to keep their eyes on the road.

Maybe that’s why I didn’t see as many this year. They’ve figured out this road is not ideal for cycling.

 

[STAGE 2]

My favorite bike story. Back in California in an area of town where the entitlement was terribly strong, there were several packs of cyclists that were notorious for riding up and down pacific coast highway with abandon. They would be at least 5 wide taking up at least one or sometimes both lanes of traffic, not stopping for stop signs and doing all the other things that have been mentioned in this thread that **** off pedestrians and drivers.

One Friday afternoon I found myself driving down pch behind a line of cars and sure enough, up ahead there were 60-70 Lance wannabes taking up both lanes of traffic. Most people were livid, laying on their horns, and hurling obscenities at the two wheeled terror that stood in their way but I sat there and smiled. You see, PCH is typically a long flat beautiful ride down the coast. That is except for one long steep 2-3 mile grade that just so happened to be up ahead. And that day I just happened to be driving my parents 1979 Mercedes 300d. Believe me when I tell you that this lovely piece of German machinery could roll coal with the best of them.

We finally arrived at the base of the hill and the pack of carbon fiber and aluminum slowed to a crawl. One by one, traffic squeaked through whenever possible to pass until I was the only one left. There were few things on the road slower than my parents car but this plastic domed blob was one of them. An opening appeared and like the other drivers before me I took my chance.

Except I didn’t race off into the distance flinging expletives as all the other drivers had done. The look of confusion on the faces of the cyclists was palpable as I ever so gracefully nudged my vehicle back over to the right lane mere carlengths in front of the pack. One by one each member of the shimano hoard went from confused to horrified as they realized what had just transpired. “Clip in boys!” I shouted. The Tour de Diesel had begun.

The thick billowy black smoke was like a velvet blanket that swaddled each rider as they travelled. The combination of sheer fury and defeat was as rich and thick as the ebony plume that they were choking on. This continued for a bit until even the elite riders knew they had been out matched by the combination of German engineering and American ingenuity. The spandex covered blob was finally brought to its knees. They stopped midway through the hill assuming this would end their plight, but to no avail.

The Benz came to a stop as well. With the lumpy idle piercing the silence, I did my best impression of the mysterious truck driver from Duel, reached out my arm and waived the heaving pack around. Apparently none of these cats had ever seen the movie because with a whine that would put Dennis Weaver to shame, they cursed my existence, jumped back on their pedal powered hogs and tried to make it up the last part of the hill.

I can tell you folks with all humility that the only jerseys awarded that day were black, not gold. But sometimes we need to be the change that we want to see in the world. And if just one cyclist realized the error of his ways then gosh darn it that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

 

[Ingomike]

Public streets with motorists and cyclists both is dangerous for the cyclists. Separating them makes the mist sense to me except it’s expensive. So if they want to commute on public roads they can pay for the bike lanes through a registration process.

How about if cars need separate driving lanes from the rest of the public they can pay for their own segregated vehicle lanes?

 

[KLB]

How about if cars need separate driving lanes from the rest of the public they can pay for their own segregated vehicle lanes?

They already do through gas taxes

 

[Ingomike]

They already do through gas taxes

So funding is in place, just build them…

 

[Creedmoor]

How about if cars need separate driving lanes from the rest of the public they can pay for their own segregated vehicle lanes?

Its called toll lanes, cross county expressways, roads or HOV Lanes.
Some of DC's 495 has toll lanes, Montgomery Co MD has a toll cross county expressway. The other option is to sit in traffic with the other poors.

 

[chipbennett]

How about if cars need separate driving lanes from the rest of the public they can pay for their own segregated vehicle lanes?

They already do.

 

[KittySlayer]

When you pass a bike you have to allow at least 3' of space. So it wouldn't matter if their are 2 riders side by side. If you can't pass 2 side by side bikes how you going to pass one unless your squeezing him off the road to get by? I think many of the bikers do this so they can be seen better from behind. There's bad bike riders and bad car and truck drivers. Learn the laws and if you don't like bikes run for office and change the law.

This photo illustrates the concept well. While bikes riding two abreast creates a negative perception in reality it makes the group easier to (safely) pass because it does not require the passing vehicle to be in the other lane as long.

 

[jamil]

How about if cars need separate driving lanes from the rest of the public they can pay for their own segregated vehicle lanes?

They don’t. The disparity between cars and semi’s is notable, but we’ve managed to coexist with fewer issues than with bikes and every type of motor-vehicle sharing the road. It seems a major problem with compatibility seems to be the arrogance and sense of entitlement with cyclists. jamil’s law of dickhead quotient states that hatred and anger towards a group, after factoring out immutable characteristics, is directly proportional to the dickhead ratio of the group.

 

[chipbennett]

They don’t. The disparity between cars and semi’s is notable, but we’ve managed to coexist with fewer issues than with bikes and every type of motor-vehicle sharing the road. It seems a major problem with compatibility seems to be the arrogance and sense of entitlement with cyclists. jamil’s law of dickhead quotient states that hatred and anger towards a group, after factoring out immutable characteristics, is directly proportional to the dickhead ratio of the group.

IMHO, most issues on roadways are caused first and foremost by disparity of speed. Those traveling significantly faster - or slower - than prevailing traffic are largely responsible for crashes and other road incidents.

Semis and cars travel at approximately the same speed. Bicycles don't.

Tractors, combines, and Amish buggies use SMV markings and yield to faster traffic when it backs up (generally speaking - though I was late to school more than once due to getting stuck behind a combine during harvest season). Bicycles don't.

 

[KittySlayer]

...directly proportional to the dickhead ratio of the group.

 

[Ingomike]

View attachment 308244

So funny, a bunch of “operators” many of which wear funny tacticool gear to shoot making fun of others…

 

[Remington 90T]

Had a city council meeting to increase the wheel tax. I showed up and said I was 100% for it, as long as it applies to bicycles to. When the city crews plow bike trails and lanes fist, I feel it's only fair ----I got shot down.

 

[KLB]

So funding is in place, just build them…

That is what paid for the lanes there. How did a cyclist pay for the lane? Is there an annual licensing fee and tax that they pay to help pay for them?

 

[Ingomike]

Is there an annual licensing fee and tax that they pay to help pay for them?

It is a quaint idea that that vehicle taxes pay for roads, they are just a taxes to fund public services, services everyone can use…

 

[foszoe]

Bike registration for road use!

 

[STAGE 2]

So funny, a bunch of “operators” many of which wear funny tacticool gear to shoot making fun of others…

I’d be just as pissed at the guy in multicam if he was blocking me in traffic. Probably make an errant comment about the CZ he was carrying as well.

 

[Creedmoor]

My favorite bike story. Back in California in an area of town where the entitlement was terribly strong, there were several packs of cyclists that were notorious for riding up and down pacific coast highway with abandon. They would be at least 5 wide taking up at least one or sometimes both lanes of traffic, not stopping for stop signs and doing all the other things that have been mentioned in this thread that **** off pedestrians and drivers.

One Friday afternoon I found myself driving down pch behind a line of cars and sure enough, up ahead there were 60-70 Lance wannabes taking up both lanes of traffic. Most people were livid, laying on their horns, and hurling obscenities at the two wheeled terror that stood in their way but I sat there and smiled. You see, PCH is typically a long flat beautiful ride down the coast. That is except for one long steep 2-3 mile grade that just so happened to be up ahead. And that day I just happened to be driving my parents 1979 Mercedes 300d. Believe me when I tell you that this lovely piece of German machinery could roll coal with the best of them.

We finally arrived at the base of the hill and the pack of carbon fiber and aluminum slowed to a crawl. One by one, traffic squeaked through whenever possible to pass until I was the only one left. There were few things on the road slower than my parents car but this plastic domed blob was one of them. An opening appeared and like the other drivers before me I took my chance.

Except I didn’t race off into the distance flinging expletives as all the other drivers had done. The look of confusion on the faces of the cyclists was palpable as I ever so gracefully nudged my vehicle back over to the right lane mere carlengths in front of the pack. One by one each member of the shimano hoard went from confused to horrified as they realized what had just transpired. “Clip in boys!” I shouted. The Tour de Diesel had begun.

The thick billowy black smoke was like a velvet blanket that swaddled each rider as they travelled. The combination of sheer fury and defeat was as rich and thick as the ebony plume that they were choking on. This continued for a bit until even the elite riders knew they had been out matched by the combination of German engineering and American ingenuity. The spandex covered blob was finally brought to its knees. They stopped midway through the hill assuming this would end their plight, but to no avail.

The Benz came to a stop as well. With the lumpy idle piercing the silence, I did my best impression of the mysterious truck driver from Duel, reached out my arm and waived the heaving pack around. Apparently none of these cats had ever seen the movie because with a whine that would put Dennis Weaver to shame, they cursed my existence, jumped back on their pedal powered hogs and tried to make it up the last part of the hill.

I can tell you folks with all humility that the only jerseys awarded that day were black, not gold. But sometimes we need to be the change that we want to see in the world. And if just one cyclist realized the error of his ways then gosh darn it that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

My familys farm driveway is on a State road 6 in S MD, that section of the road is about 8-9 miles long, its up and down with loads of curves. Its a very popular road with cyclist of all kinds. Its nothing but a few mall housing neighborhoods and farms.
I have zero problems with waiting for those peddling to either get past my driveway of pull over and let the line of trucks and cars to pass.
Its all good until, one A hole on a peddle turns around and laughs and starts telling hi buddy's we are holding up X amount of people. My X used to drive an old 300 SD Turbo, it certainly could smoke off road diesel when needed, But it was no match for Big Poppys 2000 7.3 turbo with red fuel.
I speckled a whole lot of spandex in the last 30 years.

 

[KLB]

It is a quaint idea that that vehicle taxes pay for roads, they are just a taxes to fund public services, services everyone can use…

Nice dodge. I'll take that as a no. Cyclists are just another entitled group that thinks that they should have say control over others then.

Funny that wasn't your opinion when it was EVs that were using the roads. I guess bikes should be licensed and taxed just like them if they want to use the roads.

 

[Creedmoor]

Nice dodge. I'll take that as a no. Cyclists are just another entitled group that thinks that they should have say control over others then.

Funny that wasn't your opinion when it was EVs that were using the roads. I guess bikes should be licensed and taxed just like them if they want to use the roads.

Didn't we get a 5 cent add on to the fuel tax a few years ago to pave a shitload of roads in the State.