Why the hate for Cyclists?

[BugI02]

Ah, so you agree that bicycles should have special dispensation then? That's kind of what everyone has been saying about cyclists. That they think they're "special".

No, actually I'm mystified at the people on this board who argue that I should happily share the road with dopers because; freedom and 'it's just a plant that's been used for thousands of years'

Well, bicycles have been in use far longer than motorized vehicles - although not 'thousands of years' if that really matters - and, although they're not made of 'just a plant' cage people should be just as willing to share the road with them if not more so. A bicyclist hitting you at 15 to 20 mph isn't going to do much damage or put your life at risk. a stoner piloting 3000 lbs at 60 or 70 mph will, but one gets a pass and one does not

I think it's just that more people are interested/capable of becoming stoners than becoming cyclists

 

[BugI02]

Oh, and Not Always do puffers have the right of way.

Not when overtaking. Overtaking ship always has to give way

 

[BugI02]

I have never had a sail powered boat block the road or run a stop sign with the operator wearing spandex.

Spandex ia a canard. Tight fitting, flexible clothing doesn't chafe, the chamois protects against a condition known colloquially as 'woodpecker', and the jersey material is technical, designed to wick away perspiration and allow it to evaporate on the outside

Am I to believe no uses technical clothing like GoreTex when hunting or fishing or hiking?

 

[jamil]

Giggle


Maybe if they were following the rules, I'd be angry instead of giggling

Many of those were inattentive drivers. Some were just plain dumbassery of the rider.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

No, actually I'm mystified at the people on this board who argue that I should happily share the road with dopers because; freedom and 'it's just a plant that's been used for thousands of years'

Well, bicycles have been in use far longer than motorized vehicles - although not 'thousands of years' if that really matters - and, although they're not made of 'just a plant' cage people should be just as willing to share the road with them if not more so. A bicyclist hitting you at 15 to 20 mph isn't going to do much damage or put your life at risk. a stoner piloting 3000 lbs at 60 or 70 mph will, but one gets a pass and one does not

I think it's just that more people are interested/capable of becoming stoners than becoming cyclists

Wow. That may have been the widest "veering off path" that I've ever seen. You haven't been hitting the devil's lettuce have you Bug?

I rode my bike all over the place when I was a kid. On busy streets (for back then), on neighborhood streets, etc.. Never had an issue, because I respected the motorized traffic and the damage it could do to me if I interacted with it (and helmets, knee and elbow pads, and spandex were never even heard of back then!). I did my darndest to stay out of their way. It worked great! Why the need for all the bicycle "aggression" today?

 

[BugI02]

So which vehicle is someone actually paying to use the road?

All of them. If there is some minimum number of miles each vehicle must be driven or minimum payment into the system, please post it up

Just exactly what is my 'fair share' there Elizabeth?

 

[JCSR]

I knew where this thread was headed.......

 

[63PGP]

My favorite bike story. Back in California in an area of town where the entitlement was terribly strong, there were several packs of cyclists that were notorious for riding up and down pacific coast highway with abandon. They would be at least 5 wide taking up at least one or sometimes both lanes of traffic, not stopping for stop signs and doing all the other things that have been mentioned in this thread that **** off pedestrians and drivers.

One Friday afternoon I found myself driving down pch behind a line of cars and sure enough, up ahead there were 60-70 Lance wannabes taking up both lanes of traffic. Most people were livid, laying on their horns, and hurling obscenities at the two wheeled terror that stood in their way but I sat there and smiled. You see, PCH is typically a long flat beautiful ride down the coast. That is except for one long steep 2-3 mile grade that just so happened to be up ahead. And that day I just happened to be driving my parents 1979 Mercedes 300d. Believe me when I tell you that this lovely piece of German machinery could roll coal with the best of them.

We finally arrived at the base of the hill and the pack of carbon fiber and aluminum slowed to a crawl. One by one, traffic squeaked through whenever possible to pass until I was the only one left. There were few things on the road slower than my parents car but this plastic domed blob was one of them. An opening appeared and like the other drivers before me I took my chance.

Except I didn’t race off into the distance flinging expletives as all the other drivers had done. The look of confusion on the faces of the cyclists was palpable as I ever so gracefully nudged my vehicle back over to the right lane mere carlengths in front of the pack. One by one each member of the shimano hoard went from confused to horrified as they realized what had just transpired. “Clip in boys!” I shouted. The Tour de Diesel had begun.

The thick billowy black smoke was like a velvet blanket that swaddled each rider as they travelled. The combination of sheer fury and defeat was as rich and thick as the ebony plume that they were choking on. This continued for a bit until even the elite riders knew they had been out matched by the combination of German engineering and American ingenuity. The spandex covered blob was finally brought to its knees. They stopped midway through the hill assuming this would end their plight, but to no avail.

The Benz came to a stop as well. With the lumpy idle piercing the silence, I did my best impression of the mysterious truck driver from Duel, reached out my arm and waived the heaving pack around. Apparently none of these cats had ever seen the movie because with a whine that would put Dennis Weaver to shame, they cursed my existence, jumped back on their pedal powered hogs and tried to make it up the last part of the hill.

I can tell you folks with all humility that the only jerseys awarded that day were black, not gold. But sometimes we need to be the change that we want to see in the world. And if just one cyclist realized the error of his ways then gosh darn it that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

Sounds like the stretch between Corona Del Mar and Laguna...

My dad had an old 240 and nobody liked being behind that thing. I can picture this scenario like I was in the drivers seat.

 

[jamil]

You've arrived !

Getting annoyed at having to lift and wait five seconds to get around a cyclist IS being annoyed at 'almost nothing'

It’s no big deal to wait until I can get around if it’s only 5 seconds. That’s not a problem. Idunno. Maybe you’re not a dickhead on the bike.

Maybe when you’re riding on a curvy road with lots of steep hills where it’s hard to get around because you can’t see on-coming traffic, you look behind you every so often to see if you have several cars stacked up. And maybe you’re courteous and either help them get around you or pull off and let them pass. Some have done that for me. They’re not dickheads. I try to do that
When I ride. I don’t want to hold people up. But there are some dickheads who act like they like holding people up.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I knew where this thread was headed.......

View attachment 308367

I bet that engineer was on dope!

 

[jamil]

I’m guessing a lot of people who cycle are laughing at the tax arguments in this thread.

Laughing should be taxed.

Actually. Tax the hell out of spandex. Guaranteed , when spandex gets too expensive, they’ll lose 37 dickhead points just for losing the spandex.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Laughing should be taxed.

Actually. Tax the hell out of spandex. Guaranteed , when spandex gets too expensive, they’ll lose 37 dickhead points just for losing the spandex.

But the spandex-wearing make more money than the non-spandex-wearing, so they can afford the higher taxes. And the illegal immigrant and lower income spandex-wearers will be spared the onerous spandex tax. Once again, the spandex-wearing middle class gets screwed.

 

[littletommy]

Nice diversion. The point you were supposedly making is that somehow cyclists don't pay enough/their share of gas taxes/registration fees/licensing fees

All I did was point out the glaring flaw in your 'argument' and mention some people have multiple cars to forestall an even more specious claim that somehow because we are cyclists we don't drive our cars enough or something to pay our fair share of road use tax

So, if your daily driver is some 18 mpg truck, you probably buy more gas annually than I do for my WRX (which only means you have chosen unwisely) but given total family gas consumption it likely evens out

Pretty much every single post you’ve made in this thread has been a diversion!

But but but but…. People driving cars!

But but but but….

And exactly what do you base your belief in about “we most likely pay more in taxes than you”?

Like I said earlier, you do you. But if the arrogance you display in this thread is any indication, you are the type of cyclist that everyone is pissed about!

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Think of it this way bicyclists are like union workers not doing their fair share. Holding up assembly lines. Causing other more productive members of society to be unproductive.

They are like people who vote for 3rd party candidates possibly Causing a republican to lose. Sacrificing good enough trying to get perfect.

Why daylight savings time is a good idea to force on us all.

Etc.

Then read your posts about such things.

Having convinced yourself of the error of your ways, you can post a retraction here.

No one reads them anyway.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

This will cheer you up............

Today I learned that the cyclist's natural enemy if large floating red arrows and Russian music.

 

[jamil]

So cars can treat stop signs as "stop as yield" too, right? I mean, since we're all following the same rules and all...

That’s how I do it.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

That’s how I do it.

Buncha danged scofflaws up in here.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Once again, and. I'll. say. it. slow-w-w-ly

I know of no cyclists who aren't children who don't also have cars, probably more than you do

We've. already. paid. our. share

So far you've said that people who don't like people playing with their pedal toys on the road are fat and poor.

At this point I have to assume you're not a cyclist and are deep undercover doing a false flag to make the hate stronger.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Ever try that with a tug in the Inter-coastal?

Isn't that $15 extra?

Oh, and Not Always do puffers have the right of way.

Oh, come on, now you're just teeing them up.

 

[Creedmoor]

Not when overtaking. Overtaking ship always has to give way

Not when the sailboat is overtaking a ship in a shipping lane or a barge under tow it doesnt.