Cyclists Can Suck my Dong-a-longle

[rass]

Ok, just make sure you switch claim numbers when the other company accepts liability. That way you don't have to spend any money and your insurance company won't have to pay out anything.

Huh? Switch meaning what/how?

[bfj]

Ok, just make sure you switch claim numbers when the other company accepts liability. That way you don't have to spend any money and your insurance company won't have to pay out anything.

Huh? Switch meaning what/how?

The other drivers insurance should accept liability. When they do, get that claim # and give it to your shop and the rental car place. Then your insurance is off the hook as is your responsibility to pay for the rental or pay your deductible.

[rass]

Ok. If the other side processes that fast, we definitely will. Though we already paid for the rental.

[BSF21]

Followed a biker all the way up 30th street Monday night, must have been 3-4 miles, who didn't stop at a single red light. Not in a bike lane, on a city street.

I don't care either way, but either use the bike trails in this city or act like any other vehicle on the roadway. It pisses me off that all I hear about is how we have to share the road and respect cyclists while they act like asshats that are above the laws we all have to follow. Stop at red lights. Leave space for people. Signal before whipping out into traffic.

Same thing goes for you motorcycle riders that think just because your vehicle fits between 2 lanes of cars at a stop light that you have the right to blow between them and go to the front of the line.

[Pruitt]

Followed a biker all the way up 30th street Monday night, must have been 3-4 miles, who didn't stop at a single red light. Not in a bike lane, on a city street.

I don't care either way, but either use the bike trails in this city or act like any other vehicle on the roadway. It pisses me off that all I hear about is how we have to share the road and respect cyclists while they act like asshats that are above the laws we all have to follow. Stop at red lights. Leave space for people. Signal before whipping out into traffic.

Same thing goes for you motorcycle riders that think just because your vehicle fits between 2 lanes of cars at a stop light that you have the right to blow between them and go to the front of the line.

Couple of days ago I was talking to a guy at the dog park - been on disability for three years because of an accident he had while riding a motorcycle. Car driver did a u-turn without checking and bam, this guy's life is horribly disrupted.

He may have been following all the laws, but the scary fact is, on a bike or a motorcycle, a person is horribly vulnerable. So why these bike riders drive like this s beyond me.

[wlu_lax6]

Followed a biker all the way up 30th street Monday night, must have been 3-4 miles, who didn't stop at a single red light. Not in a bike lane, on a city street.

I don't care either way, but either use the bike trails in this city or act like any other vehicle on the roadway. It pisses me off that all I hear about is how we have to share the road and respect cyclists while they act like asshats that are above the laws we all have to follow. Stop at red lights. Leave space for people. Signal before whipping out into traffic.

Same thing goes for you motorcycle riders that think just because your vehicle fits between 2 lanes of cars at a stop light that you have the right to blow between them and go to the front of the line.

As a cyclist, I agree with you on this one....but I am a supporter of the Idaho Stop (which is not law in most places)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop

[sancarlos]

Same thing goes for you motorcycle riders that think just because your vehicle fits between 2 lanes of cars at a stop light that you have the right to blow between them and go to the front of the line.

Lane splitting by motorcycles is legal in California. Scares the shit out of me. I'm always asking myself if I looked closely for a motorcycle the last time I changed lanes.

[Steve of phpBB]

Followed a biker all the way up 30th street Monday night, must have been 3-4 miles, who didn't stop at a single red light. Not in a bike lane, on a city street.

I don't care either way, but either use the bike trails in this city or act like any other vehicle on the roadway. It pisses me off that all I hear about is how we have to share the road and respect cyclists while they act like asshats that are above the laws we all have to follow. Stop at red lights. Leave space for people. Signal before whipping out into traffic.

Same thing goes for you motorcycle riders that think just because your vehicle fits between 2 lanes of cars at a stop light that you have the right to blow between them and go to the front of the line.

Was the problem that he was interfering with cross-traffic by blowing through the red lights, or are you just ticked off because of the unfairness angle?

Because I get the unfairness angle, but really, if he isn't interfering with traffic or putting drivers in fear of causing an accident, who cares if he is running lights?

I personally obey the red lights to be a good ambassador for the cycling community, but there have been plenty of times that I have felt like a total schmuck just sitting there when I could easily go through and not be in anyone's way. (And it's better if I go through ahead, so that cars have more room to pass me when they go through.)

[Shirley]

Do you get mad when you see a car blow through a red light? I don't see a huge difference. The traffic laws are there to protect everyone and keep the roads flowing as safely as possible. When bikes (or cars) ignore those laws when they feel they are inconvenient, it puts the whole system at risk. I don't get why cyclists feel they can ignore lights when they want to, but expect cars to always seem them and respect their space in the road. As a car driver, I do my best to watch out for bikes. I give them space and try not to crowd them when I go around. It requires extra vigilance on the driver, because bikes are inherently harder to see and it can be quite unexpected to come across a dude going 8 mph up a hill on a curvy road with a 45 speed limit. So, I guess I expect bikers to at least do their part to cooperate as best they can as well. Don't expect me to also have to look out for you when I'm turning right or crossing a green light.

[BSF21]

Followed a biker all the way up 30th street Monday night, must have been 3-4 miles, who didn't stop at a single red light. Not in a bike lane, on a city street.

I don't care either way, but either use the bike trails in this city or act like any other vehicle on the roadway. It pisses me off that all I hear about is how we have to share the road and respect cyclists while they act like asshats that are above the laws we all have to follow. Stop at red lights. Leave space for people. Signal before whipping out into traffic.

Same thing goes for you motorcycle riders that think just because your vehicle fits between 2 lanes of cars at a stop light that you have the right to blow between them and go to the front of the line.

Was the problem that he was interfering with cross-traffic by blowing through the red lights, or are you just ticked off because of the unfairness angle?

Because I get the unfairness angle, but really, if he isn't interfering with traffic or putting drivers in fear of causing an accident, who cares if he is running lights?

I personally obey the red lights to be a good ambassador for the cycling community, but there have been plenty of times that I have felt like a total schmuck just sitting there when I could easily go through and not be in anyone's way. (And it's better if I go through ahead, so that cars have more room to pass me when they go through.)

Honestly, it's both that irk me. I certainly have a distaste for the "unfairness" angle because of the double standard. You want to use the roadways that are designed for motor vehicles, and you want me to alter my behavior on those roads to keep you safe, yet you don't want to have to obey those same laws because it's inconvenient.

That said in this instance, he wasn't interfering with cross traffic, however he never came to a complete stop at any of these, and misreading one cross traffic vehicle, or failing to see a car pull out, or ending up in the passenger side of a car making a legal right turn on red, causes a huge issue not only for the cyclist but the driver that hits them.

And to be clear, I'm all for the idea of letting people use 4-ways as yields. That's fine. I love that people are taking a proactive approach and using bikes in favor of cars. It's the double standard I don't care for. Shirley said it best up there when it comes to that. "Share the road" means just that. However, more often than not what they're really saying is "I'm not in 3000 pounds of steel, so fuck you I'm riding here".

[P.D.X.]

One of the most nervous times for me when riding is being parallel to a car. Thus, I'll do the Idaho stop to get a head start and make sure they know I'm there.

[P.D.X.]

And balls to "unfairness". Only drivers who come to complete stops at signs and never go 1 MPH over the speed limit can play that card.

[BSF21]

And balls to "unfairness". Only drivers who come to complete stops at signs and never go 1 MPH over the speed limit can play that card.

I come to a complete stop at every red light I encounter. Even at night. Even when no one else is coming.

There's degrees here. Let's not pretend that blowing traffic signals because "you looked any no one was coming and it's hard to stop and start again" is the same as going 1 mph over the limit.

[Rex]

Looks like I've finally found a place to drop my occasional anti-car musings.

For now, I'll just say that a lot of problems at 4-way intersections with traffic lights would be eliminated by getting on board with leading pedestrian intervals (i.e., walk signs that get a head start on the adjacent green light) and counting bikes as pedestrians for purposes of LPIs.

Even more problems would be eliminated by reducing speed limits. I can't think of any justification to allowing cars to drive over 25MPH in an urban setting with unprotected pedestrians. And really, even that's too fast.

[wlu_lax6]

Do you get mad when you see a car blow through a red light? I don't see a huge difference. The traffic laws are there to protect everyone and keep the roads flowing as safely as possible. When bikes (or cars) ignore those laws when they feel they are inconvenient, it puts the whole system at risk. I don't get why cyclists feel they can ignore lights when they want to, but expect cars to always seem them and respect their space in the road. As a car driver, I do my best to watch out for bikes. I give them space and try not to crowd them when I go around. It requires extra vigilance on the driver, because bikes are inherently harder to see and it can be quite unexpected to come across a dude going 8 mph up a hill on a curvy road with a 45 speed limit. So, I guess I expect bikers to at least do their part to cooperate as best they can as well. Don't expect me to also have to look out for you when I'm turning right or crossing a green light.

Two studies of the Idaho stop show that it is measurably safer. One study showed that it resulted in 14% fewer crashes and another indicated that Idaho has less severe crashes.[11][12] Similarly, tests of a modified form of the Idaho Stop in Paris "found that allowing the cyclists to move more freely cut down the chances of collisions with cars, including accidents involving the car's blind spot."[13] And, less definitively, a study of rolling stops in Seattle determined that "these results support the theoretical assertion that bicyclists are capable of making safe decisions regarding rolling stop,"[14] while a 2013 survey of stop as yield in Colorado localities where it is legal reported no increase in crashes.[15] Another study done in Chicago showed that compliance with stop signs and stop lights by cyclists was low when cross-traffic was not present, but that most were still performing an Idaho Stop; and therefore "enforcing existing rules at these intersections would seem arbitrary and capacious(sic)."[16] Some supporters maintain that changing the legal duties of cyclists provides direction to law enforcement to focus attention where it belongs—on unsafe cyclists (and motorists).[17] Additionally, some claim that, because bicycle laws should be designed to allow cyclists to travel swiftly and easily, the Idaho stop provision allows for the conservation of energy.[18]
Opponents of the law maintain that a uniform, unambiguous set of laws that apply to all road users is easier for children to understand[19] and allowing cyclists to behave by a separate set of rules than drivers makes them less predictable and thus, less safe.[19] Jack Gillette, former president of the Boise Bicycle Commuters Association, argued that bicyclists should not have greater freedoms than drivers. “Bicyclists want the same rights as drivers, and maybe they should have the same duties,” he said.[20] San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee argued that the law "directly endangers pedestrians and cyclists" in his veto of a similar law in his city.[21]

[Steve of phpBB]

Do you get mad when you see a car blow through a red light? I don't see a huge difference. The traffic laws are there to protect everyone and keep the roads flowing as safely as possible. When bikes (or cars) ignore those laws when they feel they are inconvenient, it puts the whole system at risk. I don't get why cyclists feel they can ignore lights when they want to, but expect cars to always seem them and respect their space in the road. As a car driver, I do my best to watch out for bikes. I give them space and try not to crowd them when I go around. It requires extra vigilance on the driver, because bikes are inherently harder to see and it can be quite unexpected to come across a dude going 8 mph up a hill on a curvy road with a 45 speed limit. So, I guess I expect bikers to at least do their part to cooperate as best they can as well. Don't expect me to also have to look out for you when I'm turning right or crossing a green light.

As I said, I personally stop my bike at all red lights. And more often than not, if I see a bicyclist running a red light, it pisses me off. But that's usually out of envy or the feeling of unfairness, not because of any actual danger.

But I do see a big difference between cars running red lights and bikes running red lights. Cars are much more likely to kill people.

I do agree that drivers should not be expected to have to be extra cautious when they have the right of way at an intersection. If a bicyclist runs a red light, he's assuming the risk.

[BSF21]

Do you get mad when you see a car blow through a red light? I don't see a huge difference. The traffic laws are there to protect everyone and keep the roads flowing as safely as possible. When bikes (or cars) ignore those laws when they feel they are inconvenient, it puts the whole system at risk. I don't get why cyclists feel they can ignore lights when they want to, but expect cars to always seem them and respect their space in the road. As a car driver, I do my best to watch out for bikes. I give them space and try not to crowd them when I go around. It requires extra vigilance on the driver, because bikes are inherently harder to see and it can be quite unexpected to come across a dude going 8 mph up a hill on a curvy road with a 45 speed limit. So, I guess I expect bikers to at least do their part to cooperate as best they can as well. Don't expect me to also have to look out for you when I'm turning right or crossing a green light.

As I said, I personally stop my bike at all red lights. And more often than not, if I see a bicyclist running a red light, it pisses me off. But that's usually out of envy or the feeling of unfairness, not because of any actual danger.

But I do see a big difference between cars running red lights and bikes running red lights. Cars are much more likely to kill people.

I do agree that drivers should not be expected to have to be extra cautious when they have the right of way at an intersection. If a bicyclist runs a red light, he's assuming the risk.

This is part of it that I don't think people get. Not a whole lot of people just go home feeling great after splattering a cyclist that blew a light. Regardless of who assumes the risk there are more people than just the cyclist at risk. What happens if he blows a light, the car sees him, swerves, and mows down a pedestrian or 3? Anyone care who assumed the risk? Is that cyclist on the hook for vehicular manslaughter?

Again, nothing against you Steve, you seem like a responsible cyclist. I just hate that mentality like if he gets splatted oh well it was his fault, I guess I'll just go on about my day.

[Steve of phpBB]

This is part of it that I don't think people get. Not a whole lot of people just go home feeling great after splattering a cyclist that blew a light. Regardless of who assumes the risk there are more people than just the cyclist at risk. What happens if he blows a light, the car sees him, swerves, and mows down a pedestrian or 3? Anyone care who assumed the risk? Is that cyclist on the hook for vehicular manslaughter?

Again, nothing against you Steve, you seem like a responsible cyclist. I just hate that mentality like if he gets splatted oh well it was his fault, I guess I'll just go on about my day.

I agree with you 100 percent on that part. I think I even mentioned "putting drivers in fear of an accident" as a reason to bitch about a cyclist fucking around. And yes, if a cyclist riding negligently causes a car to hit someone, I'm fine with vehicular manslaughter.

[wlu_lax6]

What happens if he blows a light, the car sees him, swerves, and mows down a pedestrian or 3? .

Side bar--This reminds me of the current debate on autonomous driving. When programming the auto driving, in the event of an emergency do you build the software to prioritize saving the person in the car or the other folks (pedestrians, bikers, other drivers).

And my understanding is the current self-driving cars are pummeling cyclists at a higher rate than they should right now.

[wlu_lax6]

Also I highly recommend reading
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/

Snarky bike commuter who hates "Freds and Class VI racers" (fat dudes in spandex) but also points out the terrible job police do on these issues (mostly because they do not know the law and like to block bike lanes), drivers, and cyclists.

[BSF21]

What happens if he blows a light, the car sees him, swerves, and mows down a pedestrian or 3? .

Side bar--This reminds me of the current debate on autonomous driving. When programming the auto driving, in the event of an emergency do you build the software to prioritize saving the person in the car or the other folks (pedestrians, bikers, other drivers).

And my understanding is the current self-driving cars are pummeling cyclists at a higher rate than they should right now.

I listened to a podcast not too long ago about this very thing and the ethics and morals that lie within. Like how these lives are ranked. Like what happens the first time an autocar misses an accident and hits a woman carrying a baby? Or a group of Hispanics/blacks/etc? All of these things MUST be programmed in some way, which is an interesting study in ethics in itself.

[Shirley]

I'll admit to getting pissed when I patiently wait for the right time to go around a bike, do so ... and then come to a light. I sit there, while the back passes five cars on the right and rolls through the intersection. Then, all five cars have to pass him again.

In that case, I'm not as pissed at the inherent danger of running the red light - I'm pissed because the same dude is going to slow me down again.

[Steve of phpBB]

I'll admit to getting pissed when I patiently wait for the right time to go around a bike, do so ... and then come to a light. I sit there, while the back passes five cars on the right and rolls through the intersection. Then, all five cars have to pass him again.

In that case, I'm not as pissed at the inherent danger of running the red light - I'm pissed because the same dude is going to slow me down again.

Heh - I've been in exactly that situation many times, and gotten pissed every single time.

On a bike, if I'm on a street with several cars stopped at a light, and there's no bike lane, I don't even go up along the right to the front. I just move into the middle of the lane and get in line with the cars. And then move over after the light turns green and I've gotten across the intersection.

[Rex]

The best bicycle safety piece I have ever come across is this one: How To Not Get Hit By Cars. It should be required reading for people who bike commute, and for non-cyclists it's also a good peek into what a safe cyclist is thinking about on the road. Note that a lot of actions that will appear unsafe, such as riding in the middle of the lane, funneling to the front at stop lights, and (yes) running a red light are objectively the safer move for somebody who is trying to avoid the crash scenarios that are listed here. The tl/dr is this: be visible, be predictable, don't go out of your way to break the law although frankly the law is beside the point.

[degenerasian]

Earlier Today

Sorry there were cyclists in your line of vision?

Ah the infamous bike lane Salmon. I am a cyclist and don't like those guys

Hate those guys. And I will yell at them, along with people engrossed in their phones standing in the middle of the bike lanes.

I ride my bike every day to work, and you'd be amazed at the number of people on their phones.

not cycling but a guy last week got run over by the LRT.

A 30-year-old man hit and killed by a CTrain in northeast Calgary on Monday evening was “distracted by his cellphone,” according to Calgary police.

[Ryan]

Is this the last surviving thread with a Textizalol?

Thanks, Devils

[rass]

Heading to Denver from the opposite direction I think or I would have dropped it in the travel advice thread for turd’s family.

[GoodKarma]

I saw this story last week...I'm wondering what he or whomever counted as "Colorado Springs" and "Denver". If it was from city center to city center then yeah but if it's from city limits sign to city limits sign then it's not that impressive. On that stretch of interstate 25 it's not unusual for cars to cruise along at 85-90mph

[Shirley]

Yeah, the speed limit for much of that is 80, IIRC. Still, he's flying. Those cars all look like they're parked.

[A_B]

and one of my favorites, from the past.......thans to AB.

How is this still hosted somewhere?

[DaveInSeattle]

Heading to Denver from the opposite direction I think or I would have dropped it in the travel advice thread for turd’s family.

update: YouTuber who drove from Colorado Springs to Denver in 20 minutes arrested in Texas

The YouTuber Colorado state troopers accuse of driving over 150 mph on Interstate 25 from Colorado Springs to Denver was arrested Wednesday in north Texas.

Denton County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Rendon Dietzmann, 32, who also goes by Gixxer Brah on YouTube, at a residence in Justin, Texas, north of Dallas on a warrant out of El Paso County, Colorado, Denton County Sheriff’s spokesperson Captain Orlando Hinojosa confirmed to the Denver Post.

[A_B]

in 11 days he should have been much further away than texas.