This is 5 minutes of my commute yesterday. At the very beginning, I was signalling with my left arm a lane change to get out of the lane that enters the highway. Four vehicles go right by me and don't let me change lanes. Finally the 5th let me change lanes.

At the 2:06 mark, I was sure I was going to be hit by or slam into a pickup truck as one was making a left and the other just started pulling out. Luckily they both saw me and stopped. I ride with my lights on and other visibility enhancers, even during bright daylight for this reason. Later there is a guy that moves car into the bike lane blocking it so I have to go around him by going into the car lane.

The streets in my city, even with dedicated bicycle lanes, are not very safe because of such bad drivers.




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The bread crumbs eventually end somewhere.

That's why most bike riders ride on the sidewalk and not on the road.

[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 06-16-2011).]

Sorry man, I hear ya, and I'm sure many other here do as well.

Every single one of us has, AT LEAST ONCE, been "that guy", who by accident, may have done something which ticked off another driver. (don't even try to say you have NEVER done something like this ever in your entire life ) But most of us don't ACTIVELY drive like an idiot (exactly what defines "idiot" driving style may be subjective, but we ALL know what I mean...).
I hate it when people go out of their way to mess with other people.

Boss yells at employee
employee goes home and yells at wife
wife yells at eldest son
eldest son yells at younger brother
younger brother kicks dog


Boss should just kick dog

Car drivers around me have no respect for bike lanes. When I'm driving and am going to make a right turn,and I'm waitin' at a red light, I'll have my signal on, but won't go into the bike lane. almost every time, another driver will come to the right of me and block that lane, or almost end up on the sidewalk because they miscalculated the space between my car and the curb. Ticks me off. See lots of cars driving IN the bike lane (and BEEP bikes in the lane! ) - they just don't have any idea about bike lanes...
Drivers feel life's unfair, the only power or control they have to to use the gas pedal to not let that guy in... or change lanes.

But then, there's the guy who keeps chaning lanes and slowing everyone down, and ends up 4 whole cars ahead of those he ticked off.


Don't worry, something's coming soon. some way to Tweat people who are sucky drivers, or to tweat to THEIR accounts (and have all their followers see ) Or facebook, or whatever.

Then again, shame-ing doesn't really work anymore. Divorced? No problem! On Food Stamps? -oops, I mean "SNAP!" ? (sounds cool!)

But It drives me nuts to watch and be on the road and see how terrible some drivers are.
If there was a button you could press everytime you saw an a**hole on the road, you'd need to make it a removable button because the mechanism would wear out too often...

Admittedly, the one thing I WILL do is just keep driving- If someone comes zoomin' up being me in the right lane (of a multi-lane highway), and I'm doing the speed limit, EFF YOU! I'm NOT going to speed up. I won't slow down, but I'm NOT going to speed up. I'm either carrying something in the back, or something like that. GO TO HELL. A**HOLE!!!!!!!

and while being in this lane, I WILL leave one car length in front of me, EFF YOU!!!!
anger issues... I got 'em. I know.

[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 06-16-2011).]

I was a bit worried for you at teh end there when you ran out of bike lane!

We have lots of dedicated bike lanes here (we're near or at the top of the list for bike lanes in all of Canada), and for a year or two after they put them in, it was as bad/dangerous as your trek, but thankfully it's become normal and everyone knows to keep an eye out for cyclists. I can actually cycle to work (~8 miles) with only the last mile being off of bicycle lanes(on a very wide paved shoulder on the side of the highway, only have to make it past one exit). I could get all the way there using bike lanes, but it'd add about 4 miles to the trek!

At any rate, keep safe.

~ Derek

quote Originally posted by avengador1: That's why most bike riders ride on the sidewalk and not on the road.

But most of the drivers do too [drive on the sidewalk].

quote Originally posted by avengador1: That's why most bike riders ride on the sidewalk and not on the road.

In some places that, riding on the sidewalk is against the law.

Steve

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Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't.

Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

Derek, people are supposed to avoid accidents by not driving into obstacles and obstructions like that cyclist was doing in the video you posted.
Ridding ones bike on the sidewalk is illegal in most places, that I know of, because it puts pedestrians at risk. It still is the safest place to ride a bike, regardless.

[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 06-16-2011).]

Unsafe? Come to NYC and ride, you are spoiled on that commute.

quote Originally posted by avengador1: That's why most bike riders ride on the sidewalk and not on the road.

yup. I stick to the sidewalk. but, I also am just leisurely riding, not riding 5+ miles to get to work. up here, a bike lane is a rareity.
and, as mentioned - in many areas - riding on the sidewalk is not allowed.

even riding on the sidewalk - I have been hosptilized twice by drivers.

quote Originally posted by avengador1: Derek, people are supposed to avoid accidents by not driving into obstacles and obstructions like that cyclist was doing in the video you posted. Ridding ones bike on the sidewalk is illegal in most places, that I know of, because it puts pedestrians at risk. It still is the safest place to ride a bike, regardless.

Wow. You do realize that the guy in the video was ticketed for not riding in a bicycle lane while trying to avoid obstacles in the first place, right? There is a much longer interview with him online (maybe NPR?).

quote Originally posted by Doug85GT:

Does anyone else think that the music in Doug's head is strange?

And, get one of these, strap it to the handlebars, and use liberally.


Brad

[This message has been edited by twofatguys (edited 06-16-2011).]

quote Originally posted by twofatguys: Does anyone else think that the music in Doug's head is strange? And, get one of these, strap it to the handlebars, and use liberally. Brad

they actually make air horns for bikes. they use refillable 20oz/1 liter/2 liter plastic bottles for the pressurized air can, and a basic shrader valve to re-pressurize

how much does it cost to register bicycles for road use out there?

How weird. I already watched that one today at lunch from the link you posted on bikeforums. I never expected to see it here. Nice video. Typical drivers.

quote Originally posted by 84fiero123: In some places that, riding on the sidewalk is against the law. Steve

most places.. but rather get a ticket or die?

This is 5 minutes and 11 seconds of my commute today. At the very beginning,nothing happened.
At the 2:06 mark, nothing happened again.
I drove with my lights on and usually do, even during bright daylight because I like to be seen. Later there is a tractor leaving the fields, as the hay is wet, and you can't bail when it is wet or it catches on fire, or grows mold.

The streets where I live are called roads, and there is more than enough room for a few more cars and bikes on our roads, come and enjoy them with us, well look out for ya.


Ignore the suction cup, this is my first video in the car, and I've already figured out how to get around having it in the shot for the next time.



Brad

[This message has been edited by twofatguys (edited 06-16-2011).]

In other news...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/..._nm/us_bicycle_dui_1

quote LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A motorist accused of driving drunk plowed her car into a group of bicyclists early on Thursday, injuring 11 of them, at least one critically, Los Angeles police said. The driver, identified as Christina Dahab, 27, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to Los Angeles Police Department officer Lyle Knight. Knight said a group of 15 to 20 cyclists were riding together shortly before 2 a.m. local time through Culver City, near Los Angeles, when Dahab's car ran into them. He said one victim, an adult male, was critically hurt, and 10 others suffered less serious injuries. All 11 were taken to various area hospitals. Local television station KCBS-TV reported that about 100 cyclists in all were riding together at the time of the accident. Eyewitnesses told KCBS that some of the cyclists began moving from the street's bike lane onto the sidewalk as they saw Dahab's car approaching from behind them, but the vehicle appeared to accelerate and jumped the curb as she neared the group. Television news footage of the aftermath showed a scene littered with bent bicycle frames scattered along the sidewalk as emergency responders loaded the injured cyclists into ambulances. The front of Dahab's car was crumpled and the windshield shattered. (Reporting and writing by Mary Slosson; Editing by Steve Gorman and Peter Bohan)

My post has been mocked. I truly feel loved.


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The bread crumbs eventually end somewhere.

quote Originally posted by Doug85GT: My post has been mocked. I truly feel loved. .

It was a "kind" sort of mocking, not aimed at being mean in any way.

Brad