I was walking on the sidewalk and this cyclist is riding on the sidewalk as well instead of the bike path. FFS I pay property taxes, those taxes paid for the bike lane for him to ride on and yet he rides on the sidewalk.
Irresponsible Cyclists
- Thread starter oral.com
- Start date
What I hate about many inexperienced cyclists is they put themselves at far more risk than pedestrians through ignorance. At least pedestrians pedestrians spend most their time on the side walk. I used to bike a lot and was somewhat reckless but at least I knew what risks I was taking and didn't assume cars would get out of my way.
The unpredictability and obvious ignorance of many downtown cyclists is the thing I worry about. I almost killed a guy last summer as he decided it was best to try and travel between the two lanes of cars and I had no idea he was coming up on my left side in a narrow gap between me and the car beside (and of course he yelled at me about the law). Cars at least are expected to obey simple things like stopping at red lights.
We need more real bike lanes downtown so cars and bikes both have a safe place to travel.
(and call me a dick but I make a point not to get out of the way of cyclists on the side walk)
Once had a copy swing his door wide open fast. He was a fat cop so I can see why he would need the door fully open. Missed me by an inch. When I stopped I was already passed the door. All he did was laugh. No apology. That is an idiot.
There you go. Idiot pedestrians and dog owners. Once seen a cyclist ride on the sidewalk ring their bell for pedestrians to get out of their way. That cyclist needed a slap on his idiot head.
It seems quite an assumption that was the reason for the bell. Would you prefer the silent cyclist suddenly breezed by you and took you by surprise? Or tried to, just when you realized you left your phone back at Starbucks and turned to run back?
They shouldn't have been on the sidewalk, but be grateful they at least warned you they were zooming up on your ass. Sorta like the over-loud exhausts on Harleys and Ferraris coming outta nowhere to pass on your blindside.
I agree there is enough blame. Just look at any school area on any given day at morning or afternoon pick up/drop offs.
You have kids on bikes, skateboards etc, moms walking groups with kids and dogs and strollers etc. Parents driving their kids to school.
So when I am trying to walk my dogs, I have to watch for kids zooming past me from behind, moms and their hoard not moving out of the way at all to share the sidewalk even a little bit and when you get to the street crossing, no cars stop at the stop sign and those turning on to the street hanging in their half turn, inching their car ever so slowly but glaring at you to move faster out of their way.
I started waking them at 6am now instead. All I have to worry about is the those damn bunnies that never stay put when my dogs try to say hi. LOL
I run at the start of the morning, and the car-chaos around my neighbourhood school is even worse than your mild description. Those scores of dangerous scofflaw parents make a sidewalk cyclist who warns you with a bell look like an angel of law-abiding virtue by comparison.
The kids I can excuse, but not the parents buried in their phones who can't see even the precious darlings thy imagine they're protecting on the walk, never mind cars until they honk, or other sidewalk traffic. When they suddenly lurch right or left without looking up and I crash into them, it would be nice to imagine they learned from the experience.
I have, now I holler. It's my bell.
Going back to the OP's post. The cyclists is guilty of more then running a red light. But has committed the more serious crime, of hit and run. The cyclist has no idea, of what damage happened, for the person he hit. A licence could have identified the cyclist, so the same rules applied to him. Or should cars just keep on driving, if a cyclist is hit. Since it would seem, some here do not think, that the cyclist should be held accountable. Where a car is more likely to do more damage. It could also be that, only a few scrapes occurred. Just call the driver an a@@hole, and forget it ever happened. The same rules of the road, should apply to both.
Same rules of the road do apply to both. A licence is not needed for a cop to ticket or charge someone with an offence (do you need a licence to be ticketed for open alcohol in public?)
Dangerous behaviour is rarely enforced on both drivers and cyclists unless it happens directly in front of the police. I both drive and also cycle 1000’s of km a year both rural and urban. Passing cyclists too close is the rule rather than the exception for drivers. I also see daily, drivers run red lights. On my bike I have literally and obviously intentionally had a driver attempt to run me off the road (I was able to skid to a stop inches before him hitting me, me slamming into passenger door or being forced up on the curb) after I said something about him passing me dangerously close minutes prior (no aggression, no swearing just “do you know how close you came to hitting me there?). I reported this to the police (with a licence number and street and time where it happened) and no response. Drivers pass a cyclist and immediately attempt to turn right in front happens all the time.
There are also a lot of idiot cyclists who give the rest of us a bad name, running lights, weaving in and out between vehicles. Those should be ticketed as well. I have no time for riders who do that stuff (other than an Idaho stop, which is totally safe and should be legal). A cyclist however is no match for a vehicle. Cyclist messes up, doesn’t play by the rules, car might get dented, and cyclist is putting himself more at risk than anyone else. Drivers mess up, or take road rage out on a cyclist using a vehicle as a weapon, someone is seriously injured, permanently disabled or dead.
Dooring is fun
Just make sure no witnesses to your door prize
Seriously cyclists are the biggest asshats ever
They run into everything (eg doors) because none of them pay any attention whatsoever
Speaking of paying attention, a tip for cyclists so that they don't get doored by some careless asshole (TeeJay - this would be you). Always keep a bit of distance between you and the parked cars and look through the back windows for rear passengers, and ALWAYS check the driver's side mirror. If a driver is in the car, you will see him/her in the mirror and you can take the necessary precautions.Dooring is fun
Just make sure no witnesses to your door prize
Seriously cyclists are the biggest asshats ever
They run into everything (eg doors) because none of them pay any attention whatsoever
I was right behind the that idiot cyclist. You weren't there. She wasn't zooming. She could hardly keep her balance. Hence probably why she was riding on the sidewalk. In front was a group of 4 or 5 friends all walking together hence why cyclist could not pass. I can't believe I had to explain this for you. Use your brain man!!!
Wrong. It's for drivers to pay attention. They don't check mirrors before opening doors. Bunch of idiots.Dooring is fun
Just make sure no witnesses to your door prize
Seriously cyclists are the biggest asshats ever
They run into everything (eg doors) because none of them pay any attention whatsoever
You might have used yours to include that information in your first post since if it was so necessary to your point.
Now that it's clear to all that you once watched one clumsy cyclist warn the folks in front of her, I hope your brain is up to imagining the more dangerous, and even more frequent situation your description made me think of, and stay safe. Most bikes have no bells.
Bells are good; the more they're used, the better.
Don't text while you're driving!Dooring is fun
Just make sure no witnesses to your door prize
Seriously cyclists are the biggest asshats ever
They run into everything (eg doors) because none of them pay any attention whatsoever
(seriously, if you're going to post these comments at least pull over first)
