Hence the attitude when I ride my bike. I stick it right back up those bastards
Asshole motorcyclist stories
- Thread starter Kelso
- Start date
Ha. Yeah, I needed to vent. Summary: Some guy was mean to me so I dealt with him in the same way I deal with everyone who crosses me: I skulked home to make an angry internet posting!
Nah, all of the cars on the road seemed to be driving normally.
True... but the ones who bugged me today were on motorcycles. Hence the thread.
Oh, I agree. I have no problem with responsible bikers, but these weren't.
They are not, except in the broadest possible sense of the term. A device whose maximum speed for the average user without assistance by gravity is on the order of 20mph is an annoyance and a hazard on roadways, which operate at a level twice as fast or faster. It's not a great deal different than running in the middle of a lane, which I think we can all agree would be bothersome and unwanted.
I don't mind the sentiment. Bikes are probably the least carbon intensive mode of transportation short of astral projection, and it's well that they're good for your health. But they are not ideal road vehicles; what we need are dedicated bike lanes.
I'm absolutely certain I preach to the choir, though, inasmuch as bicyclists are the most self-satisfied lot in the world. You know, besides vegetarians.
I am a biker, some of the crazy shit I see other bikers pulling on the road just makes me 
I mean why would you tangle with a vehicle that is 5 times the size and weight of yours? Especially what the OP said about them getting in front of you and deliberately braking too early, what exactly the fuck do they think is going to happen if you run into the back of them? All you are going to get is a dented fender, they are almost certainly going to get seriously injured or killed.
On the other hand, I do find some drivers are needlessly petty. Filtering and overtaking queued traffic are both perfectly legal in the UK, and they can both be done safely by experienced bikers, as long as you know what gaps you can safely traverse. Some crazy asshole tried to run me off the road one time when I was performing a completely legal and safe overtake.
Also it amuses me when people get all worked up about you passing them in a queue, which is completely legal as long as I don't cross a solid white line. That's just plain jealousy at the fact they have to sit there and I don't. Read the highway code mate
I mean why would you tangle with a vehicle that is 5 times the size and weight of yours? Especially what the OP said about them getting in front of you and deliberately braking too early, what exactly the fuck do they think is going to happen if you run into the back of them? All you are going to get is a dented fender, they are almost certainly going to get seriously injured or killed.
On the other hand, I do find some drivers are needlessly petty. Filtering and overtaking queued traffic are both perfectly legal in the UK, and they can both be done safely by experienced bikers, as long as you know what gaps you can safely traverse. Some crazy asshole tried to run me off the road one time when I was performing a completely legal and safe overtake.
Also it amuses me when people get all worked up about you passing them in a queue, which is completely legal as long as I don't cross a solid white line. That's just plain jealousy at the fact they have to sit there and I don't. Read the highway code mate
So you don't like them when they use either sidewalks or streets? Short of ET flying them over everyone I think that eliminates all the available options.
They're supposed to travel on the street precisely to avoid those kinds of entanglements with pedestrians.
A
Amaris
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I tried to fly over cars on my bicycle once, but the only ET I ended up having was Emergency Traction.
Right, vehicular homicide is hilarious.
Clearly you've never seen Meet Joe Black.
Right, vehicular homicide is hilarious.
They are not, except in the broadest possible sense of the term. A device whose maximum speed for the average user without assistance by gravity is on the order of 20mph is an annoyance and a hazard on roadways, which operate at a level twice as fast or faster. It's not a great deal different than running in the middle of a lane, which I think we can all agree would be bothersome and unwanted.
I don't mind the sentiment. Bikes are probably the least carbon intensive mode of transportation short of astral projection, and it's well that they're good for your health. But they are not ideal road vehicles; what we need are dedicated bike lanes.
I'm absolutely certain I preach to the choir, though, inasmuch as bicyclists are the most self-satisfied lot in the world. You know, besides vegetarians.
Funny then how more often than not, bikes move much faster in the city than cars. And before you say it: yes, even with obeying the traffic laws.
Depends on the city, I suppose. Not in the Major Important Capital City* where I live.
*Not actually true, except for the "capital" part.
*Not actually true, except for the "capital" part.
Almost any city actually, especially for people who don't have a secure parking spot at home and where they're going. Car drivers vastly overestimate the average speed they are travelling at.
Because that's the law. In fact in the UK a bicyclist is within his rights to take the lane and cars are technically supposed to overtake the bicyclist as if they were a car.
They are not supposed to ride on the sidewalk, though given how narrow roads are in Glasgow and the limited availability of bicycle lanes I don't begrudge those who do.
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I don't understand this ridiculous sense of entitlement people have that cars should be the only thing on the road. Cyclists are not inherently a threat, stupid people are a threat.
I find that the sort of people who get all worked up and angry about cyclists doing what they are entitled to do, are usually exactly the sort of people who should not be behind the wheel of a car.
I find that the sort of people who get all worked up and angry about cyclists doing what they are entitled to do, are usually exactly the sort of people who should not be behind the wheel of a car.
Personaly I generally don't have a problem with bikers so long as they obey the rules of the road. But I have come across a fair few idiots. Who overtake cars that are clearly indicating their intention to turn off the road. Weaving in and out of cars, having no regard for the 2 second rule(same applies for cars) that's my safety space not an invitation.
Clearly you've never seen Meet Joe Black.Get out of my way or my machine will hurt you. Simple enough
Right, vehicular homicide is hilarious.
I must have replayed that scene a dozen times the first time I saw it, laughing maniacally each time.
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BzIsQW32_E&feature=related[/yt]
Agreed. The city where I live has many narrow roads, including some main thoroughfares, which can't accommodate a cycle lane, and I have no problem with sharing the road with cyclists as they shouldn't be on the pavements. That being said, the number of cyclists I see running red lights and otherwise disobeying basic traffic laws is astounding. If cyclists want respect on the roads they must ride in a respectable manner and obey the rules just as cars do (well, most cars anyway).
My big gripe with bicycles is their squeezing past the right side of cars waiting at a light, forcing the cars to drive much slower than the posted speed limit after the light turns green and they have wait for an opportunity to pass the same bicycle over and over. That isn't bothersome on a nice four lane artery built in the last few decades, but gets very annoying on a two lane road or an older four lane road with narrower lanes. After passing a bicycle the first time I will make it a point to wait for a light with my car stopped inches from the curb to avoid that repeat passing BS.
Well, legally, bicycles are vehicles in most places, which is why I say that. An ideal world would have bike lanes everywhere, sure, but it doesn't, so yes, cyclists deserve to be treated with the same respect as cars. It's not like there's a size or speed requirement for vehicles, after all. I mean, when Amish people take a horse-drawn carriage out on the road, that's legally a vehicle, despite going all of 5 mph.
Hm. You know, I did say average speed, but should be a bit more specific: average moving speed. The parts where cars are going zero aren't necessarily that relevant--they drag down the average and obscure the fact that while traffic is in motion, the average speed is significantly higher (I'd suspect 30-40mph in these parts).
Regarding motorists' "sense of entitlement," I think there's a good chance that it comes from actually paying for our transportation infrastructure when we pay for gasoline.* It's actually a regrettable thing, since gasoline taxes are a terribly regressive tax, but if we assume that it is fair to charge a user free for the road, bicyclists are the very definition of free riders (ha ha).
*For Europosters, it's not like gasoline taxes there, which I understand are often part of the general fund and seem to be exacted based to some extent on same motivations that we levy cigarette taxes here, i.e., as a discouragement. This isn't a criticism, insofar as gasoline users should probably pay a fairer share for the externalities of their gasoline consumption and, anyway, driving should be discouraged. (Although one could also argue that a tax of $6/gallon plus whatever the fuel actually costs might be slightly excessive.)
Given that bicycles obviate all that unpleasantness, does that make it a wash? I dunno.
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