bicyclists-vent

[monkey68]

I understand people like to ride bikes. I get that it's healthy, great way to get out and exercise. No problem with that. I also understand that cyclists pretty much have to share the road with cars since there aren't that many parks where you can ride. Around here, the cyclists ride on the shoulder, since the road speed limit is 55 mph. But why oh why do they insist on riding as close as possible to the traffic??? Seriously, I was driving today, and passed 3 cyclists, all riding on or very close to the line seperating the shoulder and the lanes of traffic. I get really nervous passing them, especially if there is a car on the left and I can't get into that lane. It just doesn't seem very safe to me at all. And the shoulders are huge, more than enough room for a truck to park on them, get out, and change a tire without being anywhere near the moving traffic.

Can anyone explain it to me? Is it the law that they're supposed to be riding that close to the traffic when there is plenty more room in the shoulder? I always get so nervous. Am I the only one? Again, I'm not saying anything is wrong with bike riding. I think it's great that people get exercise. I just don't like how close they get to my car that is going 55-60 mph and that I very well may not be able to stop in time if they all of a sudden decide to venture off the white line and into traffic.

 

[lil mermaid]

Those cyclists were not doing anything wrong.

What state do you live in? If you really want to know what the law is, you should check the laws in your state.

So on to the reasons why cyclists might not be riding far over on the shoulder of the road...there is often debris there that could be dangerous to a cyclist. If they run into something, where would they go - into the ditch, or drive into traffic? Also, those shoulders are often sloped. In addition, at intersections with other streets, there are often curbs that jut out. If a cyclist is riding on the shoulder, all the way to the right, then they have no choice but to suddenly pull out into traffic to get around these curbs. A driver won't be expecting the sudden movement. If they are on the white line, or even in the roadway some, then they don't have to do that.


When I ride, I follow the laws of the state of Texas and ride "as far to the right as practicable." That is not always to the far right of the shoulder.

 

[becjlek]

I also don't understand why they aren't expected to obey traffic laws like stop signs and right of way, etc.

 

[kwelch10377]

I also don't understand why they aren't expected to obey traffic laws like stop signs and right of way, etc.

They actually are, at least in MA. A few month back there was an article in one of the Boston newspapers about police in Cambridge giving out tickets to bikers who did not obey traffic laws

 

[ckay87]

My guess....cyclists ride at a pretty good speed. I think they push 40/45 if I'm not mistaken. I think the surface of the road on the shoulder, as well as the presence of stones, debris, or garbage, can make cruising at those speeds on a bicycle kind of dangerous. It's much safer to be more on the road.

I know what your saying though. We have boatloads of Amish folks around here and we are forever having to pass them. They have little babies on the back and everything and sometimes it's just scary.

 

[BillSears]

They're probably staying close to the line to avoid the debris on the sides of the road. Officially in Maryland they're allowed to ride on the road itself as long as it's not a controlled access highway.

They actually are, at least in MA. A few month back there was an article in one of the Boston newspapers about police in Cambridge giving out tickets to bikers who did not obey traffic laws

It's Boston!!!!! I'm surprised they bother with cyclyst when they don't worry about ticketing the motorist who don't obey traffic laws.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes, it is safer to be on the road because of debris. Plenty of cyclists here as well.

In TX it was very very crowded with cyclists on the roadways where we lived.

 

[Kimberly]

I also don't understand why they aren't expected to obey traffic laws like stop signs and right of way, etc.

This is probably the most annoying feature. I live in an area where there are quite a few cyclists riding around on the weekends from nearby NYC due to the hilly and somewhat rural/exurban nature of the area. Some of them are very polite, however they get annoyed when they blast through a stop sign and flip you off even if you have the right of way.

And don't get me started how they treat the joggers either. I almost got run down last weekend.

 

[lil mermaid]

I also don't understand why they aren't expected to obey traffic laws like stop signs and right of way, etc.

We are , not sure why you think we aren't.

Of course, not all cyclists do, the same way that not all motorists do.

 

[RachelEllen]

My husband and I ride frequently. A road bike should be following all the traffic rules that a car does and should be treated just as you would another car. The cyclists are actually being considerate by riding close to the shoulder so you can pass. They have the right to take up an entire lane. (Which my husband I often do on the rare occasions we ride in high traffic. Its safer to make people pass you as they would another car, rather than squeezing by you.)

A road bike is also travelling around 20-25 mph. On the downhill, we reach speeds of 40-45 MPH. The shoulder is usually not well maintained and has gravel. At these speeds, it can be risky to not be on the well paved road.

Many cyclists do roll through stop signs (slowly). I try to cut them some slack for that. It can be a slow process to restart the bike (especially on an uphill), and if the bike can safely and slowly roll through the sign, all the traffic will keep move that much more efficiently

 

[Kimberly]

Many cyclists do roll through stop signs (slowly). I try to cut them some slack for that. It can be a slow process to restart the bike (especially on an uphill), and if the bike can safely and slowly roll through the sign, all the traffic will keep move that much more efficiently

Wouldn't overcoming the static friction of a complete stop though aid to your workout? Even if it is a bit more work, it's better than getting obliterated by some car going 40-45 mph over a blind brow.

 

[RachelEllen]

Wouldn't overcoming the static friction of a complete stop though aid to your workout? Even if it is a bit more work, it's better than getting obliterated by some car going 40-45 mph over a blind brow.

I mean rolling through at about 3-4 mph. As close to a stop as we can get without putting a foot down. It's actually safer in that case, as, if the intersection is clear, spending the extra 3-4 seconds to push off gives you that much more time to get creamed.

We only ride in traffic to get to and from safer and more interesting rides. I don't know any bicyclists who are more interested in their workout than being as small a traffic hazzard as possible!

 

[goofy!]

Come to Colorado.

Biking is huge here. Our state is a main training ground for many of the elite bikers. You can't travel a road without encountering at least a single rider, usually a group out training or just doing a ride. And it is not only the elite riders. It is a way of life here for many. Heck, our county pays people to ride their bikes to work and leave their cars at home.

Bikers have equal rights to the roads as do automobiles.

In fact, to make the roads safer for bikers, there is a bill right now, likely to pass, to require a car to give a biker a minimum of 3 feet of clearance if you need to pass. Too many bikers have been clipped by side view mirrors or forced to run off the road by motorists which brought about this bill.

It is frustrating to see the bikers ignore the rules of the road, but I have found it is not the majority of them. You only happen to notice the blatant ones. You never really notice the ones following the rules.

 

[monkey68]

Alright, I'll admit, I didn't think of the gravel and debris on the shoulder. I just really don't like passing bicyclists when the speed limit is 55, and there is no way they are going anywhere close to that. Maybe downhill, but this is a flat road. Sometimes, you can't even see them until it's late, and you don't have time to get into the left lane to give them a wide margin. I guess I can understand the reason for it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I haven't noticed people not obeying traffic rules, mostly because I live right off the main road, where if they didn't stop for the red light, there is just too much traffic at the intersections for them to safely cross, so they have to stop.

I just feel like there should be a better way to do things. I'm sure I'm not the only driver that gets nervous passing a cyclist at high speeds.

 

[RachelEllen]

Bike Lanes

 

[Corwin12]

I don't mind giving bikes a break ... slowing down, giving them plenty of room when I pass, and waiting for a safe place to pass them. However, I do not like the bikers who ride abreast with one another. That drives me nuts because it makes passing them a lot more difficult ... and where I am from, there are very few bike lanes.

 

[JR6ooo4]

My husband and I ride frequently. A road bike should be following all the traffic rules that a car does and should be treated just as you would another car. The cyclists are actually being considerate by riding close to the shoulder so you can pass. They have the right to take up an entire lane. (Which my husband I often do on the rare occasions we ride in high traffic. Its safer to make people pass you as they would another car, rather than squeezing by you.)

A road bike is also travelling around 20-25 mph. On the downhill, we reach speeds of 40-45 MPH. The shoulder is usually not well maintained and has gravel. At these speeds, it can be risky to not be on the well paved road.

Many cyclists do roll through stop signs (slowly). I try to cut them some slack for that. It can be a slow process to restart the bike (especially on an uphill), and if the bike can safely and slowly roll through the sign, all the traffic will keep move that much more efficiently

So you like the part of the law that entitles you to use the whole lane. But you believe it is ok to break the law by coasting through a stop sign?

I would like to coast through stop signs when driving my truck. It would save me a lot of gas. But I don't.

Mikeeee

 

[wowsmom]

They actually are, at least in MA. A few month back there was an article in one of the Boston newspapers about police in Cambridge giving out tickets to bikers who did not obey traffic laws

Many years ago, my DH was riding his bike home and ran a stop sign and actually got a ticket.

 

[RachelEllen]

So you like the part of the law that entitles you to use the whole lane. But you believe it is ok to break the law by coasting through a stop sign?

I would like to coast through stop signs when driving my truck. It would save me a lot of gas. But I don't.

Mikeeee

It has nothing to do with liking or disliking the law. If we got a ticket for coasting through a sign, I'd have no complaints. We're not those bikers blowing through red lights.

I'm just explaining why you may see bikers rolling through stop signs (not at 25mph!) It's actually safer because it disrupts the flow of traffic less. (Imagine if a car took 3-4 seconds to start up a red light. I'd imagine the law would reflect that)

Common sense shouldn't be less important than a law. It would also be against the law for a car to drive outside the lane (on the pavement strip), but bikes do it all the time to allow cars to pass.

 

[ajk912]

It disrupts the flow of traffic less if a car rolls a stop sign, too. Especially when you can tell that there is no other traffic besides the people behind you waiting for you to stop. I once got a ticket for not doing a full stop, so I am really careful about that nowadays.

I didn't look it up, but on a two lane road (one lane in either direction), it's really legal for a biker to take the whole lane in some states? And expect traffic to pass them in the opposite lane? I would think that's an accident waiting to happen. Not necessarily because it's a biker, but because it's a slower moving vehicle.