You are vegetarian tho so ldo

You seriously made this thread in the hopes that everyone would band together in favor of the poor downtrodden cyclist.

I love you, and will continue to love you until the end of my days.

I don't get the vitriol spewed towards people on both sides here, and I also don't like that some people try to make this black and white, and categorize all thread participants into reckless hardcore cyclists or the corresponding car driver equivalent.

I certainly am more than willing to admit that there are a lot of idiot cyclists around, in the messenger category probably significantly above average. I strongly support turn signaling, and always making your intentions known in general as a cyclist. The most common annoyance to drivers is understandably when cyclists weave in and out of traffic, or overtake other vehicles/bikes without signaling.

However, being from Europe, I was merely unaware of the "braking signal" (and I stand by my "lol" comment for that). For example, it states that it is just used in a couple of countries, one of the reasons might be:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_s...rake_operation

That's what I was refering to when I expressed my incredulity:
1) How do you signal, when I have two brakes (1 on each of my front handles). You can not brake efficiently with just one. Signaling before and then putting the hands back is way to slow.
2) Motorized vehicles should not drive so close that they can't make a stop in time if the cyclist slows down. The bike is not that fast, so the stopping distance should be relatively short anyway, not making this an excessive burden on the driver.

Refering to the fact that I have never seen a brake signal in my life from a bike, I tried to learn the American way, and I stand by my initial assessment that what is shown at 1:15 in the video below is ridiculous and does more harm then good by relinquishing full control of your brakes (speaking from my limited experience in metropolitan area commuter traffic, mind you, but please make a case if you think there is an environment where it makes sense)

That's good. Because most people's experience is this -

Cambridge has to have the nut worst cyclists of anywhere in the states. I used to wonder why people hated cyclists until I started driving through Cambridge every day.

I don't understand all the hating on cyclists. Naturally you are going to get some who are douches as with the rest of the population. In regards to bike signals I just use the left/right indicators. I doubt most motorists would even recognise the stop one and it's pretty much common sense to be able to see when a cyclist has to slow down. I couldn't imagine cycling and constantly using that signal. Fwiw I have never thrown my bike at anyone or my lock.

Don't hate the cyclist, hate the sanctimony.

How are there no biker ******* videos yet?

ftfy

Might be putting in my two weeks notice soon at the JJ's on Gaines St here in Tallahassee there are some people who legitimately try and terrorize you with their cars and occasionally I'll spaz out or have words with people it's unhealthy but I've been hit by someone on their phone or distracted it was at high speed luckily she hit my arm with her passenger side mirror and didn't kill or maim me.

I've also had people buzz me for kicks going 75+ when I'm riding on the shoulder or bike lane, it makes me have a visceral angry reaction to being menaced or abused while riding.

Been doing it long enough anyway, never gonna stop riding my bike tho. Another thing to consider is there are situations where it just makes very little sense to stop at a traffic signal and rolling or barreling through seems fine to me.

Say your out in the middle of rural farm county and there's a 4 way stop sign , you clearly have no other vehicles do you expect me to stop? Maybe slow down but riding a bike efficiently and following all traffic laws fully just don't mix.

Also hand brakes and geared bikes are best for ME because I ride really fast and need to stop on a dime. Not once have I been ticketed for a traffic offense on my bike been grinding the JJ game for two years and the cops know what's going on but seem not to mind if your not endangering pedestrians or other vehicles.

The main roadway I use at JJ's is a two lane road with sharrows and big signs that read bicyclists may use full lane but 3/4 of the time I'll just ride the white line to the far right cars can safely pass especially if I'm climbing a hill and unable to go max speed.

Without seeing the video of this incident going solely based on what I read this kid got a raw deal still doesn't excuse chucking Bike but hey live and learn. Safety first, one love.

Definitely feel free to breeze through a four-way stop when you're on your bicycle in the middle of rural farm country and no one else is around. I don't always come to a complete stop in a car in those situations either. However, when there are other people around (like in an urban setting), you should be following the traffic laws.

Don't worry about people "buzzing"/"menacing" you. Chances are they don't even notice you or care about you (other than to the extent that they don't want to hit you because that would end up wasting their time), just as you shouldn't notice them or care about them (other than to the extent that you don't want to hit them because that would end up wasting your time).

Yeh next time someone passes me at 75+ with less than a foot I'll try and just be super zen. It's also technically illegal to ride your bicycle on the sidewalk in many places but if you do it reasonably and respectfully that's fair play in my book too. There are a handful of bike legal roadways I won't ride on when there is a good sidewalk alternative because it's just not quite as safe and you don't have to have maniacs speeding up laying on their horns and trying to intimidate you. I've been told multiple times in a not joking way to get off the road into the sidewalk on unrestricted roadways, those are type of people who really grind my gears! But again they are not many of them and it happens infrequently so I'll try to just keep on enjoying my ride with the knowledge that if I mess up there can be serious consequences.

Some small number of motorists simply feel inconvenienced because your presence slows them down marginally, giant eff you to that population but this is good food for thought sometimes I get carried away riding like a maniac it's definitely something that has brought me a few too many close calls and stress from conflict. 90% of motorists drive respectfully, can't we all just get along?

Rexx,

Because most of the US is designed 100% for cars and very hard for cyclists to co-exist in a way that's pleasant for both drivers and cyclists.

Hank,

You sound like the most standard cyclist dip**** ever.

Listen to yourself. Can't we all just get along and I don't follow any rules and often get carried away riding like a maniac, causing many close calls?

**** you dude.

I didn't realize that your Tallahassee JJ's has delivery to the Kansas heartland.

P.S. LOL at typing "JJ's" like everyone would know what that means.

This should be obvious to everybody, and yet it is completely lost on most cyclists. You are riding a bicycle down the middle of a road at 8mph that has a speed limit of 40mph; do you really think people are going to be fine with this?

Somewhat off-topic, but I have noticed this kind of thing happening with old people in motorized wheelchairs recently. There is a perfectly good sidewalk literally eight feet to their right, but they choose to ride a motor-wheelchair down the center of the road at 4mph. I couldn't help but lay on the horn as I passed the 80 year old lady last time I experienced it.

In summary: **** everybody that is on a road riding anything at less than 15mph. ALL OF YOU. Get on the damn sidewalk!

So what about in areas where riding on footpaths isn't allowed?

People should be encouraging cycling not getting their knickers in a knot over it. I was in the best health I have ever been in when I was cycling to and from work. Not to mention the savings made and positive impact on the environment. If you want to be mad at someone be angry at politicians who aren't forward thinking enough to plan transport systems that aren't just focused on motorists.

Rexx,

Americans really love their cars.

Your use of the word "knickers" further infuriates me! I am going to buzz so many bicyclists tomorrow.

P.S. The people in the eleven cars behind you don't give a **** about your health, your positive impact on the environment, or your suspended driver's license. They just want to get to work at a reasonable hour.

I was working nights and also had a fair whack of my journey using bike paths so I hardly think I was inconveniencing anyone. All your points just back up my argument that better transport systems would be a win for everyone. You seem quite angry maybe go for a bike ride get some fresh air and exercise so you feel a little better.

Rexx a fair whack of my barbie is for shrimp you straya ****.

I'm referring to the straya version of **** too, not the american.

To be serious for a second, the reason that bicyclists are so annoying in general is because they universally have the same narcissistic attitude that you have, Rexx. In your mind, bicycling is good because it was good for your health, it saved you money, it made you feel good about yourself by getting the fresh air and helping the environment. It is all about you. And while bicyclists enjoy all these great benefits, they also rarely follow any rules of the road, act aggressively towards other drivers, and slow traffic down to a crawl because they feel entitled to complete use of a road designed for motor vehicles.

It's nice that you were using bike trails in the middle of the night to get to work. When somebody says they are annoyed at cyclists, they are not talking about that behavior. They are talking about the people that are out there being jerks, which is unfortunately a huge percentage.

I've seen this same conversation play on digital newspaper message boards, local road cyclists was hit from behind and killed by some lady believe he was on a fairly substantial shoulder which is were I'd normally like to ride if it's not completely fragged with debris and rumble strips. People on the message board saying he shouldn't have been on that road, etc. but he was riding legally on a shoulder where should he be on the grass alongside the shoulder?

DonkJr here in FL you can't carry a pistol openly concealed only so think about that before you try to terrorize a stranger. I'm not trying to slow anyone's day up and if 13 cars were behind me unable/willing to pass I'd find a way to let them do so safely.

Maybe it's time to check out some other countries where cycling is not looked down on and made out to be for peasants and "hipsters".

Maybe DonkJR is Keith Maddox who made the news a few years ago for filming his bicyclist harassment exploits.
https://m.liveleak.com/view?i=580_1400958962

Hank, every single day in this state, there are people that are driving 100% legally and are killed in traffic accidents. Riding legally on a bicycle is not going to prevent the negligence of another driver. To be honest, I am not 100% sure what is the point you are trying to make, though I am interested in seeing where it goes.

Unfortunately for you, cycling in America, and especially in FL, is something that is relegated to peasants and hipsters.

Fwiw I have never had 11 cars piled up behind me when using a road. I think it's interesting that you consider I am the one with a narcissistic attitude when you make comments about how you are going to enjoy going out and buzzing cyclists in the future. Also when I was speaking about the positives of cycling, I do so more to encourage others to take it up. Society as a whole would be better off if more people cycled to work etc. I don't have an issue with people using cars but I do think having better transport systems that encouraged walking, cycling and using public transport can only be a good thing. Roads would be less congested, people would be healthier and there would be less pollution. It's a win for everyone, motorists included.