Please stop sharing my road.

[Gerrinson]

It's still most definitely winter in New England. Where I am, we're getting snow, sleet, and freezing rain in today's forecast. Which is obviously why I was contending with a bicyclist today on my way to work.

Okay, you want to ride your bike. In the winter. When the forecast last night and today calls for a wintery mix of icy crap. Ok, good for you. Except the part where you can't seem to get your bike over 10 mph and you're riding in the middle of the travel lane so none of the motor vehicles can pass you.

A solid idea, except for the fact that there is a clearly marked bike lane to the right of the travel lane you're hogging. Said bike lane has also been plowed & sanded so it is exactly as clear as the travel lane. There's literally no difference in the surface except for the painted lines. So why, why WHY? Why are you blocking all of the cars on the road from traveling faster than you can be bothered to pedal?

You and your little whiny cyclist friends raised a ruckus a few years about not having a bike lane. Okay, you got it. It makes sense, there was room, and it keeps you (theoretically) out of my way, so I'm all for it. You wanted the bike lane, you got the bike lane, now USE THE BLOODY THING!

The bestest part was when he came to a stop at the 4 way intersection with a 3 way stop. Our lane was the only one without a stop sign and all other traffic was actually yielding right of way until Captain Bumblefuck waved them through after refusing to go.

I figured I didn't have to worry about cyclist d-bags until May. I was mistaken. And please understand, my opinion of this guy and his ilk doesn't pass on to the few cyclists in my area who actually obey the rules. Just the vast majority who could care less about rules, laws, or even basic Newtonian physics as it applies to me not splattering them into oblivion by accident.

[notalwaysright]

Road sharing? Not so much. Bicyclists scare the crap out of me, because although I do try my absolute best to get along with them while driving, some seem hell bent on killing themselves. And I hateeeeeeee when people wave other people on when they have the right of way! It messes everything up.

I just watched a group of three women, with one double stroller, one large jogging stroller, and one yellow lab walk down the center of a one way street, in the direction of traffic (so their backs were toward the cars) when BOTH sides of the street have paved sidewalks. We have no snow, ice, slush or mud. You know why they didn't use the sidewalks, and why the bicyclist you encountered didn't use the bike lane? They didn't feel like it.

[mathnerd]

There's a road in my hometown that's heavily traveled by cars even though it's a two lane, mostly residential street. People use it as an alternative to the major artery that's always badly congested. It's also a beautiful road, and very popular with walkers, joggers and cyclists. Because of the amount of auto traffic, and the number of car vs bicycle accidents that were happening, the county decided to replace the old sidewalk with a very nice and extremely wide bicycle path on the northbound side of the road. It's intended for all pedestrian and bicycle traffic. It's paved with asphalt, smooth, and wide enough for two bikes to pass each other or a bike to pass a pedestrian with more than enough room to spare. Yet some idiots still ride on the road itself.

I don't mind sharing the road with bicycles, but when a particular road has been deemed dangerous enough for a notoriously corrupt county to spend that kind of money on a bike path, it's just pure stupidity not to use it.

[siskaren]

It drives me nuts when pedestrians won't use a sidewalk but instead walk in the street, unless of course the sidewalk is covered with snow or something like that. Also, there's some roads that I drive on that have a sidewalk next to them, but because they're not in downtown or residential areas, get very few pedestrians on them, which to me makes them the perfect spot for bicyclists, yet I'll still see them in the road.

[mathnerd]

Well, since my hometown is Miami, Florida, snow won't ever be an issue. I get cyclists not wanting to ride on regular sidewalks. They are bumpy and often too narrow to safely ride. Also, it's illegal in many places to ride on the sidewalks. But if there's a bike path designed for the purpose, then I get really annoyed if they ride on the road.

[Monterey Jack]

It drives me nuts when pedestrians won't use a sidewalk but instead walk in the street, unless of course the sidewalk is covered with snow or something like that.

That's my unfortunate reality at the moment. And it pisses me off when drivers have the nerve to honk at me as they pass by three inches from my elbow. Where the hell am I supposed to walk?!

[pudddykat]

Winter isn't one of the two seasons where I live so that is not an issue. However the stupidity is still high. The other day I saw a idiot attached to a cell phone toddle across the street (not using a crosswalk) and thought damn I wish I could run him over on principle. Even if it is not a hugely busy street you still have to look! I see people all the time work/home that will just cross the road wherever they please when there is a crosswalk (sometimes two) less than ten feet away. Really? Can you be that lazy? I lived in a particular apartment complex awhile back on a four lane road. Two one way two the other and a median in the middle. People would cross all four lanes to get to their parked cars. I made a right turn immediately after exiting the freeway back then had to keep an sharp eye out for idiots. As the evening hours approach it is harder to see idiots and people would often come out of the bushes in the median in dark clothing and dart across the road. Death wish much? Again the crosswalk is not THAT far away.

[Kanalah]

Our neighborhood has sidewalks to encourage people to walk and ride bikes. Only problem is that it's also full of assholes. I don't let my kids ride their bikes on the street because of people driving 45mph on the road. But when they're riding their bikes on the much safer sidewalk - they get yelled at by walkers and joggers. If we lived on a cul-de-sac, sure they can ride in the street, but we don't and my first job is to keep my kids safe.

Edit: I should mention that my kids are 7 and 8. Also I got out with them and supervise when they are outside on bikes.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Sounds like a road near where I live. It goes up a steep hill, is heavy with traffic and has at least two hairpin bends where you can't see approaching traffic at all. Rather appropriately for such a death trap of a road, there are two funeral parlours operating, one on either side. Oh, and there's a cycle path, which the council put in yonks ago. That the lycra louts won't use for some unknown reason.

[wolfie]

Rather appropriately for such a death trap of a road, there are two funeral parlours operating, one on either side.

Reminds me of a company that has this message on the back of all their trucks "Drive safely - we can wait". What company? The Batesville Casket Company.

[Zellie Crescent]

Speaking of people nobody should have to share the road with, people who live in places where a lot of snow and ice are a yearly occurrence for months and can't/refuse to learn how to fucking drive in it. I almost got into an accident yesterday morning because some dipshit in a red somethingorother gunned it out of his driveway and almost hit me, then he tried to speed off when he got control of his car. I didn't stay behind him, but yeah when there's like 2 inches of ice on the road common sense says you slow the fuck down.

[siskaren]

Reminds me of a company that has this message on the back of all their trucks "Drive safely - we can wait". What company? The Batesville Casket Company.

I've seen the same sign on the fencing surrounding a cemetery.

[otter]

I ride on the sidewalks, I don't care about the laws, I'd rather get a ticket (though I've never been stopped) than take my chances with some of the insaniacs in my area...

Even bike lanes are suspect if they're on the shoulder. I've seen people swerve into them for no real reason.

[sstabeler]

I DO know one reason why a cyclist might not bother using a cycle lane- some cycle lanes aren't large enough. (from what I've read, they tend to be a metre wide, when it really needs to be two. ( the reason why it needs to be two is to allow clearance on each side. it also has the side benefit of allowing the cyclist to dodge if an asshole tries to use their door to injure the cyclist, since most doors are no more than a metre wide))

[Jay 2K Winger]

when there's like 2 inches of ice on the road common sense says you slow the fuck down.

Well there's yer problem...

As has been related on the site many a time, common sense is now so rare it can be officially classified as a super power.

Real talk, though, there was some of this going on when I went to a Ring of Honor wrestling show last night. The show was being done at a sports complex across the street from a school, and there was a dearth of parking, so a lot of cars were parked (legally, mind you) along the two-lane road going between the complex and the school. Fortunately, traffic was light, and people were smart enough to keep to the side and as out of the way as possible for any cars that needed to get by.