lawful bikes vrs. unlawful bikes

[Mottom24]

there are two type of cyclists. the ones that follow the law just as the cars should and the ones who don't follow the road laws at all. I fall under the "follow the law" type for 90% of the time. the only time I break that is when I am at a red light and there are no cars coming for atleast a whole city block. but there are times when these two types of cyclists clash on the road, and most of the time, the unlawful ones are the moutiest.

TURNING RIGHT!

I was minding my own business, keeping in the right lane and about to go even further to the right since it was the block the bikes start getting their own lane. as I am crossing over the intersection I hear a yell behind me, but only make out one word "RIGHT!". just then this girl on a fixie flys by MY LEFT and turns right infront of me, forcing me to break and burn some rubber on the road. I yelled out "WOAH!" and she turned back at me with a nasty face, as if I was in the wrong. and I know what probably happened; she probably was zipping between the cars in the two lane street, when the intersection came up, she was forced to make a wide turn because fixies don't stop very well. if she was in the lane she was suppose to, she wouldn't have almost hit me.

one way means ONE WAY

with bike lanes comes ease with traversing the city... but some cyclists decide that these bike lanes are two way... instead of one way just as it is with cars. in many cases a cyclist will come barreling down on me, forcing either me or him into the road. either I go into the road and take a bad hit from a car, or he goes in the road and takes an even worse hit with his added speed going headfirst into a windshield. luckily, none of those times have led to that.

you ride like shit!

I was cycling to work, when a part of the road comes up I always hate. the bike lane goes away and merges with the normal car lane. normally this is ok, but this car lane, being the right lane, is also the right turn only lane. this makes it tough in some instances when a line of cars are turning right and I need to get by safely. so I look back, see it's clear (notice a bike far back but he is a block away atleast) and I begin to signal with my left hand to let any car coming up know "I am going a bit to the left, keep your distance".

Suddenly the cyclist I thought was far away (and was but was going like... 40 mph lol) Zipped by my left, nearly hitting me (even though I was signaling I was moving left) he yells back "YOU RIDE LIKE SHIT!" as he barrels through the red light, zips between two trucks and nearly hits a pedestrian crossing the other red light he zipped through. I know I don't ride like shit, but he certainly rides like a shit head.

[otakuneko]

but some cyclists decide that these bike lanes are two way... instead of one way just as it is with cars. in many cases a cyclist will come barreling down on me, forcing either me or him into the road. either

No sidewalk?

[JambaBamba]

From someone who doesn't ride a bike but does ride a motorcycle and drives may I just say "Thank You!" for following the rules? I seriously wish that cops would ticket bicycle riders who ride against traffic. Do you ever have to deal with scooters in the bike lane? Most scooter riders out here don't take the class and know they are to act like a car, not a bike.

Also, as a motorist may I apologize for any stupid cars you have to deal with?

[Mottom24]

No sidewalk?

there is a sidewalk, but the problem is when the bike lanes start (meaning we no longer share the right lane with cars) there is a lane for parking cars inbetween the bike lane and the sidewalk. so you can't just jump the curb. it's either smash into a parked cars sideview mirror or risk going into the road.

to the question about scooters. do you mean razor scooters or motor scooters? I rarly see either of them really. they aren't that popular in philly. philly is mostly dominated by cyclists and cars. when I do see razors, they are almost always on the sidewalk, while skateboarders hang in the bike lane. not normally a big deal aslong as they are going with traffic.

[JambaBamba]

do you mean razor scooters or motor scooters?

I mean motor scooters. The kind you have to get a motorcycle to ride but many people don't because they think "bicycle", not "motorcycle". Where my dad lives in Sonoma it can be really bad...

[blas]

Do you mean scooters like those little moped looking things?

I think during the spring and summer around here, it's a fab idea to save on gas and enjoy the weather, but damn some of those people who ride them are just drooling idiots.

Yesterday morning, one was behind me and tailgating me down the residential areas......such a drooling moron that he obviously didn't care that if a kid or a dog or something ran into the middle of the road and I had to ram the brakes, he'd be pretty much a human pancake that would have to be scraped off of my bumper.

[EricKei]

Vespa Scooters, perhaps? For some inexplicable reason, they have a dealership for them right smack in the middle of downtown here. Keep in mind that our idea of "gridlock" is when it takes you five minutes longer than usual to get to work, so there's not often a NEED to use something that can quite literally get around the problem. I can definitely see the appeal in savings on gas, tho.

[Andara Bledin]

I've considered getting myself a scooter for getting to work and back.

But the drivers around here are just so phenominally bad on the available routes that I've just given up on the idea.

Plus, there are now two of us coming and going, so it's no longer a very economical solution.

^-.-^

[mattm04]

Their was one hippie couple who rode those long and low bike with you feet in front and the little flog in back, sometimes. They always rode two across, wrong way early in the AM or at dusk with not lights or reflectors.

The story goes that they called the police daily about the drivers, finally a officer was in the area and caught them doing the above mentioned things and ticked them.

[protege]

I think during the spring and summer around here, it's a fab idea to save on gas and enjoy the weather, but damn some of those people who ride them are just drooling idiots.

*Some* of them? Around here, it seems that *all* scooter/moped riders are idiots. They all seem to think that they don't have to obey traffic laws.

For example, there's one I see every morning on Route 28. This assclown is usually in the right lane, and usually has a line of traffic behind him. He takes that stupid vehicle on the highway, and can't understand why most people pass him, usually throwing random insults at him like "get the fuck off the road," "nice bike, where do you put in the batteries, etc." Some even give him the "Pittsburgh Salute"

Can't really say I blame them. Sorry, but if your vehicle can't even meet the *minimum* speed limit (which in PA, is 45mph), it shouldn't be on the road. I'd be surprised if that heap even makes it to 40!

[Green_Fairy]

No sidewalk?

omg it pisses me off soooo much when i see cyclists on the sidewalks. sidewalks are for pedestrians. bikers are not pedestrians. what they usually end up doing is pushing the the pedestrians out of the way, either into the street or into a fence. bikes are vehicles. vehicles go on the road. yeah, it sucks when there aren't bike lanes or bicyclists and motorists don't know the laws or don't give a shit. but bikers...not on sidewalks. leave those for the little old ladies walking their dogs.

[blas]

Protege, I totally agree with you. But we already know my stance on vehicles that can't even go the speed limit being on highways and freeways.

Yes, I'm talking about you, tractors and caterpillars......

[Mottom24]

omg it pisses me off soooo much when i see cyclists on the sidewalks. sidewalks are for pedestrians. bikers are not pedestrians. what they usually end up doing is pushing the the pedestrians out of the way, either into the street or into a fence. bikes are vehicles. vehicles go on the road. yeah, it sucks when there aren't bike lanes or bicyclists and motorists don't know the laws or don't give a shit. but bikers...not on sidewalks. leave those for the little old ladies walking their dogs.

bike laws are different for different areas. in philly, it is illegal for bikes to be on the sidewalk in business districts. which is Center City. this would make sense since the sidewalks are much smaller. once in other parts it is perfectly legal for a bike to ride on the sidewalk because its much wider, BUT it must obey pedestrian laws. so it can't go full speed, has to stop at crosswalks and can't swerve through people. if there is someone infront of you, you go their speed. which is the price for feeling safer on the sidewalk. philly has alot of bike lanes and plenty of space for bikes in 90% of the city, so I don't know why people insist on using sidewalks.

[Green_Fairy]

once in other parts it is perfectly legal for a bike to ride on the sidewalk because its much wider, BUT it must obey pedestrian laws. so it can't go full speed, has to stop at crosswalks and can't swerve through people. if there is someone infront of you, you go their speed. which is the price for feeling safer on the sidewalk.

kay that's just awesome. i have noooo problem with laws like that. but is it enforced? do people give a crap or do they still zip alone like they rule the world?

[gremcint]

I've observed bikers stopping for a chat in the middle of the road as well as going the wrong way into oncoming traffic.