TAKE THAT, JERK DRIVERS

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/cyclist-sentenced.html

Maybe I am biased because I live in a fairly rural area and we don't have many driver/cyclist confrontations... but as a road cyclist, I am actually more concerned with jerk road bikers than jerk drivers. Bad drivers not respecting cyclists IS an big issue. But a lot of cyclists seem to invite confrontation and don't respect drivers. I am a road cyclist... I get it. But even I get pissed off when I am driving and see road cyclists riding two abreast and not singling up when there is car traffic. Or doing other obnoxious stuff. No excuse for drivers doing dangerous things that endanger the lives of cyclists. But I think a lot of road bikers out there need to chill and be respectful in an effort to get respect.

riverc0il wrote

Maybe I am biased because I live in a fairly rural area and we don't have many driver/cyclist confrontations... but as a road cyclist, I am actually more concerned with jerk road bikers than jerk drivers. Bad drivers not respecting cyclists IS an big issue. But a lot of cyclists seem to invite confrontation and don't respect drivers. I am a road cyclist... I get it. But even I get pissed off when I am driving and see road cyclists riding two abreast and not singling up when there is car traffic. Or doing other obnoxious stuff. No excuse for drivers doing dangerous things that endanger the lives of cyclists. But I think a lot of road bikers out there need to chill and be respectful in an effort to get respect.

CONCUR completely.  

ScottyJack wrote

riverc0il wrote

Maybe I am biased because I live in a fairly rural area and we don't have many driver/cyclist confrontations... but as a road cyclist, I am actually more concerned with jerk road bikers than jerk drivers. Bad drivers not respecting cyclists IS an big issue. But a lot of cyclists seem to invite confrontation and don't respect drivers. I am a road cyclist... I get it. But even I get pissed off when I am driving and see road cyclists riding two abreast and not singling up when there is car traffic. Or doing other obnoxious stuff. No excuse for drivers doing dangerous things that endanger the lives of cyclists. But I think a lot of road bikers out there need to chill and be respectful in an effort to get respect.

CONCUR completely.

Long time biker, I disagree.

Put people behind the wheel of a car, and everyone else's opinion and rights melt away as you sit in your glass and steel box. The worst part is -- ALL CYCLISTS DRIVE.  

The facts tell the story, cyclists behind the wheel get in fewer accidents and are safer drivers.

So even if you think "RAH RAH, GIVE RESPECT GET RESPECT" the answer is that people, especially people who don't bike, who think it's funny to blaze by someone with 4" of clearance, are huge turds, they are everywhere on every commute and every road ride, and they are almost NEVER prosecuted. Notice, this was not the first time this STUPID MOTHERFUCKER had been accused of doing very similar things.

Anyone who wants to "blame cyclists" can seriously take a walk, it's the same as saying a woman deserved getting raped because she had a few or worse a mini-skirt.

And I dare you to ask me how I really feel.

Ml I don't road bike , just mtb ..But I do run on the road. I can't tell you how many times people come at me as a joke.. or they are txting and weaving all over the place..
a person on a 20lb bike isn't much of a threat to a car...I'm with ml on this one..

peace and love

I am a road biker and this article is deja vu for me. I was riding with a pack of 6 on a rural country road one evening about 20 years ago. We were passed by a big dump truck, a nice clean pass - no issues. We tucked in behind to catch the draft and got up to over 35, two abreast - the most fun I had on a bike prior. Up behind us pulled a sedan, he could not pass us or the truck as it was a narrow road with no visibility beyond the truck. We approached a hill, we could not stay with the truck so we let it go and pulled over  to the side single file. The car brushed us, two young bucks pulled out on his bumper as we crested the hill to take his draft. The driver slammed on the brakes (for no reason other than shits and grins) and the two cyclist went through his back window, one paralyzed and the other took 3 months to heal. The driver was a young red neck and not found at all at fault.  Now I thought at the time that was a stupid move on the cyclist part, but that was corn snake mean on the part of the driver.

Road riding as much as I do I run into a lot of stupid drivers, last summer I was passed by a car who then immediately made a right turn on me as if I was never there. Luckily you don't get to be as old as I am and not have learned to anticipate these things but it still pisses me off. As a biker you can't pass a parked car in town without being concerned that the someone inside the car will open the door and take you out. Road bikes don't have a lot of breaking power and the rider has to have enough time to get out of the toe clips. Road bikes get a lot of road rage from stupid drivers and road bikes have just as much right on the road as a car or any other vehicle.

PeeTex wrote

I am a road biker and this article is deja vu for me. I was riding with a pack of 6 on a rural country road one evening about 20 years ago. We were passed by a big dump truck, a nice clean pass - no issues. We tucked in behind to catch the draft and got up to over 35, two abreast - the most fun I had on a bike prior. Up behind us pulled a sedan, he could not pass us or the truck as it was a narrow road with no visibility beyond the truck. We approached a hill, we could not stay with the truck so we let it go and pulled over  to the side single file. The car brushed us, two young bucks pulled out on his bumper as we crested the hill to take his draft. The driver slammed on the brakes (for no reason other than shits and grins) and the two cyclist went through his back window, one paralyzed and the other took 3 months to heal. The driver was a young red neck and not found at all at fault.  Now I thought at the time that was a stupid move on the cyclist part, but that was corn snake mean on the part of the driver.

Road riding as much as I do I run into a lot of stupid drivers, last summer I was passed by a car who then immediately made a right turn on me as if I was never there. Luckily you don't get to be as old as I am and not have learned to anticipate these things but it still pisses me off. As a biker you can't pass a parked car in town without being concerned that the someone inside the car will open the door and take you out. Road bikes don't have a lot of breaking power and the rider has to have enough time to get out of the toe clips. Road bikes get a lot of road rage from stupid drivers and road bikes have just as much right on the road as a car or any other vehicle.

Seriously, all of this x2.

Sounds like this guy had it coming. Sad it had to come at the expense of more victims. Share the road. Pretty simple.

ml242 wrote

Anyone who wants to "blame cyclists" can seriously take a walk, it's the same as saying a woman deserved getting raped because she had a few or worse a mini-skirt.

Damn, dude. I ain't blaming cyclists. But many cyclists do not practice what they preach when they discussing sharing the road and being friendly. If there is a testy situation, flipping off drivers, riding two abreast, and aggressive road biking only make the situation worse. You are presenting a false dichotomy with that rape argument. I am a road cyclist. I GET IT. If you get buzzed... unacceptable. But two wrongs don't make a right... that is all I am saying.

All of these issues, as well as the dreaded oblivious texting drivers, convinced me to buy a fat bike and wave goodbye to road riding.

riverc0il wrote

Maybe I am biased because I live in a fairly rural area and we don't have many driver/cyclist confrontations... but as a road cyclist, I am actually more concerned with jerk road bikers than jerk drivers. Bad drivers not respecting cyclists IS an big issue. But a lot of cyclists seem to invite confrontation and don't respect drivers. I am a road cyclist... I get it. But even I get pissed off when I am driving and see road cyclists riding two abreast and not singling up when there is car traffic. Or doing other obnoxious stuff. No excuse for drivers doing dangerous things that endanger the lives of cyclists. But I think a lot of road bikers out there need to chill and be respectful in an effort to get respect.

Usually I ride alone or with 2-3 others max. Last weekend I went on a group ride out of Brown's brewery in North Hoosick. Maybe 35 people.  Everyone seemed to have a lot of common sense about singling up, coming to a stop at stop signs etc. (BTW Brown's offers some fine adult beverages.)

The only other time I did a group ride it was out of one of the local bike shops.  No disregard for stop signs, owning the whole lane, pretending you're riding a Tour stage.  I'm not going back there.

On the other hand I've seen my share of jerk drivers and been hit by a car in a spot where I clearly had the right of way.  It cuts both ways.

This is about criminal drivers, but just unbelievable:

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/kalamazoo/police-at-least-8-victims-multiple-dead-after-car-hits-bicyclists/235907309

I saw that on this mornings news --- unbelievable for sure. Can't even imagine.

I'm a cyclist myself but these ironman lug nuts are really a danger to themselves.  Last weekend this moron on a time trial bike passes my car on the left when I slowed down to let pedestrians walk across the road and he barely misses a little kid walking across the street.  Dude you are not in the Le Tour.