Trailers are dangerous

[czechsonofagun]

I ride bicycle on roads of Northern Virginia every Sunday and the worst vehicle to meet is without exception truck pulling a trailer. It does not happen every time but it happens often enough to create a pattern. See trailer pulling vehicle passes me in ok distance, but than he/she forgets about the trailer and starts coming back to the lane and 2 times out of ten gets too close to me.
When you are on a bicycle, you don't want to be only a foot from a trailer going 50 miles an hour. Horse trailers pulled be weekend warriors are probably the worst.

Pardon my rant, I am sure everybody here is an excellent driver

 

[Thomas]

I hear you,seen couple close ones over the year mostly on curves...setting at stop vehicle hauling boat makes left turn almost,boat just barely misses motorcycle.

 

[Egon]

Trailers can extend just that little bit extra that could put a cyclist in more danger. Having mirrors is one can help the cyclist. Being young and flexible so you can turn your head and look back is another. Good hearing also helps.

Vehicles and cyclists have a hard time existing in peace. The best is a separate bike path. Next come extra wide shoulders. In some places in Europe there are real efforts made to facilitate cyclists. North America seems to have a different view point on this. Perhaps because of weather and distances??

Where we now live the roads are narrow, most with no shoulders, hilly and twisty. End result was that I basically quit cycling due to the roads.

everybody here is an excellent driver

Count me out. I don't consider myself an excellent driver. It's more like barely proficient if that!

Over the past week four cyclists have been killed in Quebec. Three in one accident.

 

[tlbuser]

Well, while we're ranting, maybe bicycles should be on the bike paths and not the roadways. Md, Va and D.C. have spent tons of money creating "safe harbors" for bicyclists to enjoy their sport/hobby........the Va. crowd that drives over to scenic So. Md. to ride bicycles on our roadways irks me quite a bit. They believe riding in packs gives them "special privileges" to control one lane of a two lane road. Ooh, I know, let's impose a bicycle tax/tag for use on roadways
http://www.commuterpage.com/biketrails.htm
http://www.commuterpage.com/biketrails.htm
http://www.commuterpage.com/biketrails.htm

 

[20 20]

Czechsonofagun; I understand your rant and agree about some of these folks that pull trailers.

Well, while we're ranting, maybe bicycles should be on the bike paths and not the roadways. Md, Va and D.C. have spent tons of money creating "safe harbors" for bicyclists to enjoy their sport/hobby........the Va. crowd that drives over to scenic So. Md. to ride bicycles on our roadways irks me quite a bit. They believe riding in packs gives them "special privileges" to control one lane of a two lane road. Ooh, I know, let's impose a bicycle tax/tag for use on roadways

What I find anoying is when the bicyclist are given a lane to ride in but they decide they need to ride side by side and slow or hold up traffic. Then when you beeb or try to pass they give their mentalitly gestures.

 

[KeithInSpace]

I grew up biking and have probably 20,000 miles in the saddle over my life. But self-preservation has to kick in at some point. I'd ride my mountain bike to work when I lived some 5 miles from the office.

After the 3rd time of getting run off the road by some soccer-mom who thought making a right turn in front of me was somehow OK, I hung up the shoes. I don't think I've ridden 100 miles in the past 8 years.

I have no faith that those driving cars around me have any interest in preserving my life. Thusly, I don't put my life in their hands anymore.

I may start riding again, but on dedicated paths. I need to drive to get to them, but it's better than croaking.

 

[wvpolekat]

Well, while we're ranting, maybe bicycles should be on the bike paths and not the roadways. Md, Va and D.C. have spent tons of money creating "safe harbors" for bicyclists to enjoy their sport/hobby........the Va. crowd that drives over to scenic So. Md. to ride bicycles on our roadways irks me quite a bit. They believe riding in packs gives them "special privileges" to control one lane of a two lane road. Ooh, I know, let's impose a bicycle tax/tag for use on roadways
Bicycle Trails and Routes
Bicycle Trails and Routes
Bicycle Trails and Routes

I agree 100%. Cyclists think that because they are on bikes, they can ride however they want. When they have to pay to use the road, just like vehicles do, including license, insurance and registration, they can have a say in how drivers treat them. Until then, as far as I am concerned, they can get out of the way.

 

[Jaylegger]

I can't count the number of times I've been forced to swerve over the line into oncoming traffic to avoid injuring a bicyclist who often appear to have an over inflated sense of entitlement and an under inflated respect for "might is right"

 

[LBrown59]

Vehicles and cyclists have a hard time existing in peace. The best is a separate bike path. Next come extra wide shoulders. In some places in Europe there are real efforts made to facilitate cyclists. North America seems to have a different view point on this. Perhaps because of weather and distances??

Where we now live the roads are narrow, most with no shoulders, hilly and twisty. End result was that I basically quit cycling due to the roads.

I live on just such a road here in Ohio.
The dumest thing I've seen the state do is put up the road signs saying share the road with Bicycles.

 

[Iowachild]

IN PA bicycles on the road must obey the same rules as registered vehicles. I don't see a lot of the stopping at stop signs! We do have a lot of old RR right-a-ways turned into bike and hike paths. I prefer riding of those trails or back woods roads away from traffic.