Why the hate for Cyclists?

[foszoe]

See, jamil! They DO exist

Fake news

 

[indyblue]

I know some serious cyclists that train on public roads. They are running for time so cant be bothered to slow down or stop for cars and intersections or their times are messed up.

The problem with that is just like for fast cars, the public roads are not your personal racetrack and should not be used as practice courses. If you want record/improve your times, do it at sanctioned events on closed courses during practice.

This is my biggest beef with some of them, especially since us cage drivers have to do the same thing by going to the drag strip or solo courses. If I were to do "time trials" in my car on the public roads and caused problems with traffic, I'd get ticketed or have my license revoked for "demonstration of speed" or "speed contest". Since there's no license needed for bikes and no enforcement, there's little incentive for them to follow the rules of the road.

 

[actaeon277]

I call that a hit n run

The pedestrian?
Or the person passing in the breakdown lane?

 

[actaeon277]

From the NWI thread

Jun 20, 2021


I-65 southbound started backing up just south of Ridge Road. Of course. After I was too late to exit.
Bad semi accident at 61st.
Took forever to get there.
Then, one of the (redacted) that was using the breakdown lane to pass everyone, wanted to get back into traffic, because OF COURSE emergency workers/vehicles had it all blocked off.
Who could have figured that out.
Well, not the (redacted) guy trying to get back in.
He yelled, "Are you going to be an ******* and not let me in?"
I said, "Yes! You passed everyone in that lane. You can stay there!"

 

[DoggyDaddy]

From the NWI thread

Jun 20, 2021


I-65 southbound started backing up just south of Ridge Road. Of course. After I was too late to exit.
Bad semi accident at 61st.
Took forever to get there.
Then, one of the (redacted) that was using the breakdown lane to pass everyone, wanted to get back into traffic, because OF COURSE emergency workers/vehicles had it all blocked off.
Who could have figured that out.
Well, not the (redacted) guy trying to get back in.
He yelled, "Are you going to be an ******* and not let me in?"
I said, "Yes! You passed everyone in that lane. You can stay there!"

It used to be pretty common for a semi to get halfway into the breakdown lane in those situations just to prevent stuff like that. I haven't seen them do that lately though.

 

[jamil]

You are still missing the other point that is maintaining the friction. It is the attitude that no one behind the wheel ever behaves badly in the interaction with cyclists

If there is such an attitude on display, it's only a very few people. Most people in this thread have limited serious talk against cyclists to just the ones with annoying behavior. And when someone starts the "dickhead motorists" thread, I'll bet you'll see the same people you're complaining about, complain about dickhead motorists.

We know better. Our lived experience is at odds with what you think you know. It would be fun if truck drivers treated you on the road in the same cavalier the way cage people treat cyclists, the momentum differential would be about the same. I suspect you would not like it

Lived experience?

When I rode on the road, I have to admit I never got **** thrown at me. But then, I got out of people's way when safe to do so because that is safer for everyone. I don't act like an ******* while driving so as to **** off truckers, so I've really had no experience with them treating me badly.

And this "cage people" thing. Segregating people on the road into adversarial groups like that demonstrates the very attitude that tends to cause conflicts. Try thinking of "cage people" as normal schmucks who have the same concerns about life and their own struggles as you, and they're just trying to commute to wherever.

There are obviously jerks behind the wheel. Those aren't just jerks behind the wheel, they're jerks in life. Put one of those on a bike and I bet they'd ride like a jerk and **** off motorists. Some people suck. Life's tough. Get a helmet. And maybe think beyond the whole us/them paradigm.

 

[jamil]

Even though some of us are really in the weeds in terms of behavior, these are my peeps. The struggle is real

Which is probably why you're having difficulty with the premise of this thread. My group right or wrong. I can't wrap my head around that. I dunno. Maybe I have a sigma personality or whatever. I just can't do group loyalty unless it's friends or family.

The disconcerting thing is the HEAVILY entitled attitude among the cage people that cyclists need to make all the effort to ameliorate the problem. I have given the cage people numerous examples of how to minimize friction in the interaction and have listed what I feel good behavior by the cyclists should be, but the answer is always 'cyclists need to get out of my way'

If you're driving a "cage" and you're holding up traffic, you need to GTFO the way. If you're in the way and holding up traffic, it does not matter what kind of vehicle you're driving. GTFO the way.

The situation which causes greatest danger on the road, happens when two or more vehicles, of any type, are in close proximity while moving. This greatly enhances the ways that two vehicles might try to occupy the same space simultaneously, otherwise known as a collision. So if you're holding up traffic, operating any kind of vehicle, you're creating that situation. As soon as you see it, resolve it as soon as possible.

Why should I support any attempt to compromise with people like that? Sounds like 'responsible cyclist control' to me

This kinda confirms my thinking. It's as if you feel like it's submitting to the evil cage people. It's not that. You're the slow one. It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you're operating. Bike, tractor, whatever. You're creating the dangerous situation by being slower than the rest of the traffic.

The sooner you let them past you, the sooner they'll be far away from you. It's on you to get out of the way, not because you're subservient to the cage people. The sooner they get away form you, the safer YOU are.

Sometimes I need to drive my tractor on the road. I'm slower than "cage people" (it's an open station tractor). Should I, in solidarity with my tractor driving brethren, stay the course and say I have as much right to be on the road as them? Nah. It ain't about a hierarchy of rights that need to be flattened. When cars are behind me, it's less safe for me. I pull off at my first opportunity, or help guide them around me when it's safe. I want them as far from me as possible. It has nothing to do with submitting to the cage people.

 

[jamil]

See, jamil! They DO exist

Of course they do. I feel l am a courteous rider. It's a goal at least. I exist.

 

[jamil]

The pedestrian?
Or the person passing in the breakdown lane?

I'd say that completely depends on how one wants to play it and how prissy one is about getting dents.

 

[KLB]

I exist.

Are you sure?

 

[jamil]

From the NWI thread

Well that explains some things.

Jun 20, 2021


I-65 southbound started backing up just south of Ridge Road. Of course. After I was too late to exit.
Bad semi accident at 61st.
Took forever to get there.
Then, one of the (redacted) that was using the breakdown lane to pass everyone, wanted to get back into traffic, because OF COURSE emergency workers/vehicles had it all blocked off.
Who could have figured that out.
Well, not the (redacted) guy trying to get back in.
He yelled, "Are you going to be an ******* and not let me in?"
I said, "Yes! You passed everyone in that lane. You can stay there!"

Probably the guy needed to be told that he's the ******* for trying to use that lane.

 

[jamil]

Are you sure?

That statement didn't just post itself.

 

[AndreusMaximus]

Are you sure?

O great, now we got Mr. Descartes showing up in this thread...

 

[KLB]

O great, now we got Mr. Descartes showing up in this thread...

 

[jamil]

O great, now we got Mr. Descartes showing up in this thread...

scribo, ergo sum

 

[actaeon277]

Probably the guy needed to be told that he's the ******* for trying to use that lane.

Well, the guy was so loud and 'verbal', that my hand was at the holster.. just in case.

But I didn't let him in.
And neither did the people behind me for at least as far as I could see.

 

[littletommy]

I've encountered pedestrians in the middle of the street, in dark clothes, at night.
I complain about them.
And would in a pedestrian complaint thread.

Just like I'd complain about a car passing me in the breakdown lane, so he can get 2 cars further.

Last winter, on my way to work at around 6 AM, dark stretch of road, no street lights at all. Fortunately, there was a car about 100 yards in front of me, and I saw him dart to the left quickly. Some brain dead drooler is walking IN THE ROAD, black coat with hood up, black pants, completely invisible except for the little reflectors on his shoes, at least that’s the only thing I saw.

The guy (or girl) was about a foot inside the white line on the right shoulder. When I got to work a mile or so up the road, I was literally shaking. I just thank god the car in front of me tipped me off to it, who knows if I would have seen them in time?

 

[BugI02]

Which is probably why you're having difficulty with the premise of this thread. My group right or wrong. I can't wrap my head around that. I dunno. Maybe I have a sigma personality or whatever. I just can't do group loyalty unless it's friends or family.


If you're driving a "cage" and you're holding up traffic, you need to GTFO the way. If you're in the way and holding up traffic, it does not matter what kind of vehicle you're driving. GTFO the way.

The situation which causes greatest danger on the road, happens when two or more vehicles, of any type, are in close proximity while moving. This greatly enhances the ways that two vehicles might try to occupy the same space simultaneously, otherwise known as a collision. So if you're holding up traffic, operating any kind of vehicle, you're creating that situation. As soon as you see it, resolve it as soon as possible.



This kinda confirms my thinking. It's as if you feel like it's submitting to the evil cage people. It's not that. You're the slow one. It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you're operating. Bike, tractor, whatever. You're creating the dangerous situation by being slower than the rest of the traffic.

The sooner you let them past you, the sooner they'll be far away from you. It's on you to get out of the way, not because you're subservient to the cage people. The sooner they get away form you, the safer YOU are.

Sometimes I need to drive my tractor on the road. I'm slower than "cage people" (it's an open station tractor). Should I, in solidarity with my tractor driving brethren, stay the course and say I have as much right to be on the road as them? Nah. It ain't about a hierarchy of rights that need to be flattened. When cars are behind me, it's less safe for me. I pull off at my first opportunity, or help guide them around me when it's safe. I want them as far from me as possible. It has nothing to do with submitting to the cage people.

Oh, good . Now you think you've found something else you can lecture me about to increase your self esteem

 

[jamil]

Eh, the way you're reacting I thought you could use a good lecture.

Wait. You think of all I could have problems with, it must be self esteem?

 

[BugI02]

So this is kind of what the real thing looks like, except we never ride more than four

How can these people 'pull over and let you by'

Why don't you have enough room to get around them with minimal fuss by just taking two wheels over the yellow - as you're allowed to do by the IC - and using your faster speed to get on down the road?

Probably 60 feet of cyclists. they'll be doing no more than 20 mph/29.3 fps. If you come upon them at 55 mph/ 80.7 fps it will take you at most 1.16 second s to pass them during which you will travel 93.6 feet to do so. You have sufficient sightline in this photo to do that easily and safely, but I'm sure you'll eventually be back to tell me how no, the cyclists must give way in some weird form of obeisance to your twisted idea of what sharing the road actually means