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Basically, we’re vulnerable - which should give us the upper hand. When you’re riding a frame with wheels and “sharing the road” with cars, we feel like these heavy metal things rolling around have a good chance of being bullies. Some (and I mean only some) of them are, and dangerously so. More on that later.
The most un-lazy. I think I can count on all my digits how many times I’ve taken the bus to work this year rather than bike - and I live in a super rainy part of Canada. So there. See, I love myself more than you already. With this, the fact that we’re “un-lazy”, we have more reason to act snobbish around potential bullies (see above).
We’re “greener”, and yes, many of us believe that. While not all road-bikers (exercise and pastime) may be workday bikers - most will have two bikes for that reason.
Stubborn - when we think that we should use the road “as if we were a car”, it is for our own safety. Drivers should understand that we wouldn’t risk losing limbs just because we’re stubborn. But if we’re in a 40k zone downtown, and safer away from the danger from parked car doors opening, we’ll use the middle of the road.
Which leads me to dangerous time stories. My girlfriend really hates it when I come home with stories like this, because she thinks I’m a douche who probably puts his life in danger. I’m not - I’m stubborn and un-lazy.
Stubborn story. Biking along a slow, downtown harbourside road. In a 40 zone and I’m doing 45, at least. I take the middle of the road because of its narrowness. Car behind honks once, I glance back and wave. Car honks again and revs engine. I shake my head, keep biking. Traffic light 100m ahead, so I keep going. Driver (two lane road) overtakes me on my left, gives me the finger - “pretends” to swerve into me (and that’s a fucknut move) accelerates last 20 metres and stops right ahead of me at the light. Lucky him.
Other story. The road en route to work each morning, never a problem in the past. At one point bike lane ceases to exist and road narrows as we come up to a stoplight where I would turn right. Huge truck overtakes me, leaving about three feet between me - himself - and the curb. Tight squeeze but I hold my ground. He’s raging a little and I can see him in the passenger side mirror (which is a method all bikers should use, on both sides of the car - IT MEANS THEY CAN SEE YOU). He’s stopped at the light and I pass the cabin to make my right turn as he yells out the window, “…get off the fucking road“. I call him a “ridiculous shithead” and roll away smirking. At this point I’m all worked up, and it’s probably a testosterone issue on both our parts. That, and it’s before 8 in the morning.
Truck vs. bike ?? C’mon! - THAT is why I hold my ground. While I will openly admit to being occasionally snobbish, bullying a biker by using one’s vehicle as a tool is not cool. It’s like punching the kid with glasses; it’s common courtesy not to.
*disclaimer: I wear glasses too.
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39 RESPONSES TO "HERE’S WHY BIKERS GET ON COMMUTERS’ NERVES"
I was listening to a podcast where people describe horrible things some drivers do to cyclist, like hitting with the side mirrors, bumping into them at red light & ...Please don't assume all driver have a problem with cyclist, there just some bad seed.
Actually it's not always about the biker, some people are just afraid that they will hit bikers when passing them on the road; it doesn't how much room you give them. Because bike slows down some of those driver, the car behind them gets pissed off & blames the bikers.
Also there also some bad biker that breaks the rule, which make some driver think all bikes are bad on roads.
So I doubt that people are jealous of un-lazy or being ungreen. It's probably just about drivers having more obstacle & uncertainty on the road.
As Dave and Ian have pointed out above, it is about defensive bike riding (regardless of whether we as bike riders are in the right or wrong) if we want to continue biking healthy or at all. It is difficult at times to stay composed under certain circumstances. It was about a month ago I thought I was going to get hit by a car at a stop light intersection (major state highway). I stopped at the light, waited for it to turn green, and then crossed the intersection. As I was crossing in front of the other cars on the multi-lane highway, one of the cars started to take off. Luckily they saw me or whatever and stopped because my evasive maneuver wouldn't have been enough to avoid being hit. I still don't know if it was a quick light or a first class ass behind the wheel (the car in the other lane didn't move) - either way I would have been the loser in this confrontation. I could have been another statistic and write up in the local rag - and then forgotten. It happens all over and it happens to runners and walkers as well. It's a mismatch/clash that should be addressed but I don't see it happening anytime soon unfortunately. I really don't believe many drivers of motorized vehicles that don't bike can truly appreciate the heightened state of awareness we need to be in to have a safe ride. The 'joy' ride involves being aware of traffic, road conditions and debris, weather, and dogs. We really do need our 'space'.
@Mark W.
Arggg... I hate to admit it, but you are right. I read the Texas Motor Vehicle code (ain't the web a wonderful thing?) and it states: "a person operating a bicycle on a roadway who is moving slower than the other traffic on the roadway shall ride as near as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway"
I REALLY would love to have the law changed so that it is illegal for a bicycle to travel at a certain minimum speed roads.
Legally, I have no leg to stand on. I'll be a good driver, but I will still be incredibly annoyed and will NEVER ride my bike on major thoroughfares.
I admit it. I yell. On weekend rides, I occasionally embarrass my car-commuting husband when I tell a cab to "stay in your own lane" or holler BIKER! when a car is veering too close to me on the road. I live in Chicago, where the car horn is a form of expression, and a little wimpy bike bell just doesn't cut it. I have my voice.
I am not a jackass biker, though. I stop at lights, and follow traffic laws the same as if I was in a car. I signal. I will roll up the line at a traffic light, mostly because I find starting from a stop to the the most dangerous times in my ride, as too few cars actually use their turn signals these days, and I want to make sure that whomever is in front SEES me, and that I can proceed through the intersection before they proceed or turn.
I have been hit by cars twice in my 7 years of bike commuting, and I still generally think that most drivers do want to be courteous around bikers. And the others...they're on their cell phones - and those are the ones that are dangerous, that require the occasional holler to wake them up, even if they get angry at me.
So if you're in a car. Get off your cell phone and drive, and we'll all be safer. And I'll have fewer chiropractic bills.
@ Scott - to that I ask, are you THAT pro-vehicle that roads should absolutely be "owned" by motor-operated things.
Honestly, I think it is time that humans took the road back, and personal vehicle addicts accept change. Cities are increasingly impractical for anyone else but drivers, and that's bound to change soon. And if not, it should.
As a former bike rider, I can totally appreciate what you're saying here. Personally, I would never use my vehicle as an intimidation tool.
I do admit that I get frustrated as a driver when bikers cause huge traffic back-ups, though. It just feels discourteous to me when a biker is choosing to ride on a narrow road with no turn-outs and is incapable of meeting the speed limit. Isn't it inconsiderate whenever someone intentionally inconveniences a whole bunch of people?
Neither will getting killed while riding.
Also, other physical problems prevent me from riding.
I bike commute about 14 miles into Boston from a suburb. Over the years, I have learned that you really need to get over any sense of entitlement or fairness paranoia or someday you will be seriously injured. I used to play all sorts of thoughts though my head based on how I felt drivers were disrespecting me--but it is pointless. You will never get to tell that story if you have been run over. Most of the time, what you perceive as arrogance or whatever is just obliviousness--they don't see you, they are not thinking about bikes, they don't understand how fast bikes go or anything. All the time you are getting worked up about something, your mind is getting away from the task at hand which is to ride predictably and avoid being hit.
Of course, there are plenty of drivers who hate cyclists. They do the things you describe, they yell at you for no apparent reason, etc. But most people are good and do not want to hit a cyclist--I would say an even larger proportion of difficulty comes from the "over-cautious" who are afraid to pass you or who stop and helpfully wave you in front of them (while the cars get annoyed and pass). But my point is where your safety is concerned, you cannot use any kind of idealized sense of the way things should be to guide your riding. You need to accept the situation as you find it and always ride defensively. If you get angry, get off the bike and cool down. Blog about it later. But don't let your emotions cause you to make a stupid mistake on the road.
You are absolutely right, Dave. In both those situations you probably believe how badly I wanted to kick in a tail light. But of course, wanted to is different that feeling that it's a good idea.
I've been a bike commuter for seven years, and honestly, drivers are perfectly respectable until they're too ignorant for their own good. Also, most are super-sensible and NOT out to get us!
Soon enough it should be integrated into driving school - it would help us all.
thanks for the comment!
I drive to work (I would walk, but I use my car during the day to see clients), and I do my best to respect the cyclists. However, it really irks me that the majority of cyclists (note, not all)feel that once the cars are at a red light they can simply pass us along the passenger side to get up to the front. I just finished changing lanes to pass you safely, now I have to negotiate traffic to do it again! That is frustrating!
Or, how about those cyclists that hit the pedestrian crossing signals then RIDE THEIR BIKE ACROSS THE INTERSECTION? Can you say illegal?
It is those cyclists that really give all cyclists a bad reputations. I hope that the city planners include more bike lanes when they make improvements in the future.
I wish you the best for a safe journey.
It sounds like you are doing all the right things. My problem is with bikers that DON'T do all the right things.
The biggest issue I have is with speed. If the speed limit is 40 and you are meanering along at leasurly 20, the GET OFF THE ROAD. If the speed limit is 40 but you are puffing up a hill at 20, then GET OFF THE ROAD. In short, If you can't keep up with the other motorized vehicles on the road, you don't belong there.
There's "bad" seeds on both end of that stick. There's stubborn people on each team...etc.
It's strange though, there's something really frustrating about being overtaken by a close car, perhaps it's half-danger half-jealousy on the biker's part. Once, in passing a fellow biker, the guy called me a "fucker" for overtaking him.
This all leaves me baffled. But what's I'd like to put forth is that we all stay calm, understand each other's frustrations and just BE SAFE. No broken teeth and limbs are fine with me.
....loving the comments.
@Scott M - I think I do all the 'right' things because I do share the road and obey the traffic laws. However you will NEVER SEE ME GET OFF THE ROAD because of the speed I'm going. I have read and know the motor vehicle code for my state. My bike can lawfully be used on the same roads as cars and trucks with the exception of certain highways posted prohibiting them. I do stay to the right side of the road as far as I can do so safely to allow faster moving vehicles to pass me. I wonder if you know or have read the motor vehicle code for your state.
Kimberly, if lane-splitting is legal in your state, then the cyclists aren't doing anything wrong. Also, as Jenn points out, pulling up to the line makes a cyclist more visible, and is safer.
I always freak out when I encounter a cyclist on the road... especially on a road with one lane going each way. I slow down terribly and wait until I can pass as far as possible from the cyclist. I know that most cyclists will be just fine if I don't give them the extra space, but it's like a nightmare for me to be in a situation where bad luck makes the cyclist trip and I'm just passing by and hit him/her by accident... when I think of that, being extra paranoid is okay with me.
@ Ulyana - I'm glad that your reaction is safety though paranoia, rather than aggression.
@ Mark - true, people who yell at me to "get off the road" just have nothing better to say. Being on the sidewalk is no place to be, and well, then we're the "enemy" of pedestrians.
@ Jenn S. - that does sound mildly embarrassing for your hubby, haha, the vocal cyclist - but hey, we all have our ways to stay safe. Yours might be the best.
**I have an avid cyclist/bike messenger friend who literally gets out of control. He kicks cars. Thumps on their hoods as he passes them if they cut him off (which is plain reaction). He's also known to argue until the driver gets out of their car, at which point he tries to get them away from their vehicle so he can swoop in, steal their keys, and chuck them down a drain or into a body of water. True story, it's been done.
@torbjorn says "are you THAT pro-vehicle that roads should absolutely be “owned” by motor-operated things. "
For certain roads, yes. You cannot ride a bicycle on a freeway. I would like to see that you cannot ride a bicycle on certain roads that are major thoroughfares; perhaps with a certain number of lanes or speed limits. Residential streets would be OK.
And I am NOT willing to give up my motor vehicle. It gives me much too much freedom to work where I want and live where I want. I refuse to be locked into living in high-density housing, next-door to my workplace. I want a house with a yard, even if my workplace is 30 miles from my home.
On another topic, here is a cool like to a bicycle vest that shows the speed of the rider in electro-luminescent wire
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/08/my_speed_bike_vest.html
In Colorado where my brother lives, they have bike paths running next to the freeway - I loved that! I have no real interest in being on freeways on bike, or in cars for that matter (as much as possible).
I do have to ride down several 40mph busy 5-lane streets everyday, and have learned to become comfortable there. And I am thankful for all the cautious drivers like Ulyana...if she could offer some courtesy courses for all those agro BMW drivers, that would be great. :)
@Scott...we all live where we feel most comfortable. I'm glad folks want yards and suburbs, 'cause its not the right place for me. Give me density with lots of green spaces, and easy biking and transit, and I'm a happy woman.
@Scott - oh, highways are for cars. I'm talking strictly CBD biking. Residential biking is no big issue, or at least shouldn't be. I mean downtown district, "I'm trying to get in or out as badly as you are". OR, I'm trying to enjoy myself as much as you are.
UP WITH BIKE LANES!
Also, if I had my way, as many cars as possible would be parked out of the CBD, allowing for pedestrian and bike dominance. If only.
Thanks for that link, very cool vest!
@Scott M. - Thanks for looking at your motor vehicle code - I do appreciate it.
I don't bike in a city but I do pass through small towns. Also I really don't like riding roads posted at high speeds and try to stay away from high traffic roads at busy times of the day. I don't bike at night, dawn, or dusk and try to be mindful of where the sun is shining in the sky so I'm aware of any glare problems. I wear a bright colored jersey so that I'm visible to vehicles. Also my road bike is for exercise and enjoyment as I have my own vehicle for getting into the city. The motor vehicle code does allow bikes on most roads but yet many times you're riding on the white (fog) line since the shoulders are in bad shape or there's glass, loose stone, sand or whatever. Personally I would like to see wider and improved shoulders on more roads as time goes on. It's more money so it probably won't happen anytime soon unless there's substantially more bikers on the road.
@torbjorn - "Being on the sidewalk is no place to be, and well, then we’re the “enemy” of pedestrians." Very true and in the state of NY it can be prohibited by local law. I don't ride where sidewalks exist for the most part here in upstate NY and when I do look at them from the road they're not in very good condition due to the winters here.
@ Parsing N - Yes, it is inconsiderate to inconvenience a bunch of people, and I have no intention to. I can't help it if grandma decided to bike mid-road.
Luckily, many bikers are strapping young lads (ahem ahem), and power up with the cars.
But yea, that's why bikers should be sticking to designated bike routes where possible, and cities should do more to accommodate. I've seen slow bikers waaaaay more stubborn than I.
I was in traffic, trying to get home from downtown San Francisco to Hayward on July 25, 1997. Critical Mass not only stopped me for 4 hours, I got my windows smashed by rioting bikers, and I did have to restrain temper from squashing a number under my tires.
I now avoid bicyclists at all costs. I will never join them.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1997/07/26/NEWS3243.dtl...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1997/07/29/ED11795.DTL&...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1997/07/31/NEWS1253.dtl...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1997/07/30/EDITORIAL104...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1997/08/01/EDITORIAL355...
"that’s why bikers should be sticking to designated bike routes where possible, and cities should do more to accommodate."
But which comes first?
The problem with the unfortunate, and budding "rivalry" between drivers and others is that it's going to keep getting worse as more and more people take to biking rather than driving. That much is true.
@ Kate - well, the more expensive one, cities accommodate, will come last because it will be the expensive undertaking.
@Jrandom - as much as I like the idea of critical mass, it does inconvenience many people. It's a bit of a "serves you right" move by bikers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I653Q7I0x8
Also providing information that there will continue to be more bikes on the road:
http://www.bikesbelong.org/node/1033254
The people will come first, the cities will follow by accommodating. Drivers who are in a hurry, or late for something, will continue to "suffer". Sorry.
So if bikers stick to the designated routes, what motivates the city to expand that network? How does the city know where to expand?
I agree that the infrastructure will follow, but I don't see how self-limitation by cyclists will help the end result.
Kate,
How about the idea that sticking to designated routes reduces bicycle-auto fatalities? Keeping alive may tend to help the end result.
What if they don't get you where you need to go? "Designated routes" are often a political device, not an actual improvement.
Where I live, any bicyclist not sticking to designated routes takes their lives in their hands. There have already been 35 fatalities this year. Political device or not, staying alive long enough to change them might be a worthy goal.
You know those signs that say "bike route"? They're meaningless. Those streets aren't necessarily any better for biking; they just let politicians say they've done something. That's what I mean by "political device."
Near me, there's a bike lane that runs for something like 85 feet. What good does sticking to that designated route do?
Self-limitation won't extend a network.
jrandom, you're clearly not a cyclist...put yourself in our pedals, and consider whether you would still go to the grocery store if there wasn't a special lane for you. Of course you would. I need to get to the grocery store just as much as folks in cars.
Where possible, I do use bike lanes, but they are few and far between. But, at least in my city, they have free bike maps available the outline all bike lanes, as well as "bike friendly" routes, and I use those as much as I can. But if there is no "bike friendly" route, I'll still ride wherever I need to. I don't have a car, and two wheels are what I have, and prefer.
No, I'm not a cyclist, and if you read my earlier post on my encounter with Critcal Mass, you'll see why. Too many cyclists in my home town are very righteous on their right to cycle anywhere they choose, to the point that they don't feel traffic laws apply to them. As I said, there have been 35 fatality accidents involving bicycles this year, and that's DOWN from last year. One bicyclist last week was killed when he cut in front of an 18 wheeler, apparently thinking he had the right of way and that the truck would stop for him. Unfortunately, Newton's Second Law of Motion will be obeyed, no matter what, and he was crushed under the wheels of the truck.
Even if the network is spotty at best, getting killed won't extend it.
@jrandom, you won't be a cyclist because some cyclists are jerks. So why do you drive a car?
Critical Mass is an isolated group, and they no more represent the body of cyclists out there, than drag racers represent the typical cyclist. And as @Kate points out, there's plenty of drivers who are jerks, too.
Most drivers and most cyclists do what they can to ensure that they get to their destination safely. That you let one afternoon 11 years ago so color your views of cyclists makes me sad. Let it go, and embrace your inner cyclist - don't be afraid to ride out on two wheels from time to time!
BTW, I've been hit by cars - twice. I was doing nothing wrong either time, riding on the shoulder. It was the drivers, talking on their cell phones, who weren't paying attention. But still, I don't share the bitterness you feel for cyclists with drivers of cars. I just do what I can to keep myself safe.
Kate, because it's impractical for me to bike or ride mass transit to work. And weather is a major problem as well.
It appears that there are 2 different sides here.
KateNonymous's point seems to be that bikes are legally allowed on the roads, so drivers should not get annoyed with them and share the road with them. Additionally, Kate believes more and more people will be riding bikes in the future, so car drivers should just get used to it now because they aren't going to go away. Also, since bikes are legally allowed on roads, and it's extremely unlikely that there will ever be an equal network of bike paths, suggesting that bikes stay seperate from cars is impractical.
Jrandom seems to be saying that, legal or not, bikes on roads have inherent disadvantages that endanger the cyclist, so it's better for cyclists to avoid the roads. They are slower, harder to see, and offer no crash protection. No law or constant reminders will change this fact. Additionally, there seems to be a rising arrogance of cyclists that leads them to break traffic laws and appear to deliberately inconveinience drivers.
I'm not saying either is right, but that's what it seems to boil down to.
The thing is, these two sides shouldn't be mutually exclusive. All cyclists should obey the rules of the road, and pay attention to what's going on around them. So should all drivers. There are plenty of education opportunities to go around.
But even the title of this post sets up a false dichotomy, because many cyclists are commuting. And they should be able to do so.
GOT SOMETHING TO SAY?