Guys like this are what gives diesel a bad name

[Jstpssng]

I find bicyclists downright scary, especially kids; because you never know what they are going to do. I've had several near misses when they suddenly changed lanes w/o looking, or were blocking both lanes with traffic coming from both directions.

Yet there is no excuse for what that kid in Texas was doing.

 

[Torvy]

Guys, I get that if you don't ride a bicycle for exercise, you might think of them as a nuisance when they are in the road. But let's please not blame the victims here. Riding in a pack is safer for the bicyclists and the drivers. Just have to wait to pass safely, not that big a deal.

Piloon, 250 lbs or less of bicycle/rider does not damage the road in any way, and you know that.

Riding in a pack is both illegal and far more dangerous. We are not blaming these victims, the kid driving was out of line. Just pointing out that bike riders, apparently like you, do not know or follow the law but get indignant when cars use the road they pay for...it is not only about the damage. I say this as someone who has been driving a car for 42 years and road biking for 39.

 

[deezler]

Riding in a pack is both illegal and far more dangerous. We are not blaming these victims, the kid driving was out of line. Just pointing out that bike riders, apparently like you, do not know or follow the law but get indignant when cars use the road they pay for...it is not only about the damage. I say this as someone who has been driving a car for 42 years and road biking for 39.

Ok sure, i do not claim expertise in bicycle/road law, although it does probably vary by state. All the serious road bikers i know say it is safer to block the lane when there is no shoulder, because otherwise most cars try to squeeze by you, and often clip you or your handle bars with their mirrors.

By the way just about every single bicyclist you drive by also has a car, and thus also pays taxes for the roads. Since riding a bike is way less damaging to the roads, air quality and environment overall, perhaps the laws should even be amended to further encourage this activity.

 

[Spindifferent]

Riding in a pack is both illegal and far more dangerous. We are not blaming these victims, the kid driving was out of line. Just pointing out that bike riders, apparently like you, do not know or follow the law but get indignant when cars use the road they pay for...it is not only about the damage. I say this as someone who has been driving a car for 42 years and road biking for 39.

Texas Bicycle Laws - 8 Things to Know - BikeTexas Advancing Bicycle Access, Safety, and Education

Texas Bicycle Laws. These "rules of the road" are based on Texas Transportation Code statutes. Find the complete bicycle code at the bottom of this page. Laws are designed to improve the safety of everyone who uses the roadways. Don't become a statistic!

www.biketexas.org

 

[Torvy]

Ok sure, i do not claim expertise in bicycle/road law, although it does probably vary by state. All the serious road bikers i know say it is safer to block the lane when there is no shoulder, because otherwise most cars try to squeeze by you, and often clip you or your handle bars with their mirrors.

By the way just about every single bicyclist you drive by also has a car, and thus also pays taxes for the roads. Since riding a bike is way less damaging to the roads, air quality and environment overall, perhaps the laws should even be amended to further encourage this activity.

Dude, they don't know anything. They should be riding single file. Just because a pack of people say something does not make it true. Blocking with a pack of people almost guarantees that more than one person will get hit. The problem is that most of these wannabe athletes are going way too far under the speed limit to safely ride on the road. All it takes is someone going the speed limit around a blind curve and there is no way for the driver to avoid hitting the pack. If they are single file, or legal, it is easy to avoid hitting any of them.

 

[Torvy]

Texas Bicycle Laws - 8 Things to Know - BikeTexas Advancing Bicycle Access, Safety, and Education

Texas Bicycle Laws. These "rules of the road" are based on Texas Transportation Code statutes. Find the complete bicycle code at the bottom of this page. Laws are designed to improve the safety of everyone who uses the roadways. Don't become a statistic!

www.biketexas.org

Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[Root Cause]

In the small towns where I have lived, the roads were simply not developed for cars and bicycles. Sharing the road is like having elementary kids play industrial league softball. #somebodysgonnagithurt even when no one is trying.

I would love to just claim some of it and start driving my SXS on the road. It goes faster, is safer than a bike, has brake and taillights too.

BTW, I own a car and pay taxes for the road as well.

 

[deezler]

Dude, they don't know anything. They should be riding single file. Just because a pack of people say something does not make it true. Blocking with a pack of people almost guarantees that more than one person will get hit. The problem is that most of these wannabe athletes are going way too far under the speed limit to safely ride on the road. All it takes is someone going the speed limit around a blind curve and there is no way for the driver to avoid hitting the pack. If they are single file, or legal, it is easy to avoid hitting any of them.

Well frankly as a motorist who lost my fitness to pound away miles on a road bike years ago, i do mostly agree with you. Here in Michigan, we have few blind curves or big hills. Just rolling or flat land, but, a lot of rural roads with no real shoulders.

 

[Jstpssng]

Dude, they don't know anything. They should be riding single file. Just because a pack of people say something does not make it true. Blocking with a pack of people almost guarantees that more than one person will get hit. The problem is that most of these wannabe athletes are going way too far under the speed limit to safely ride on the road. All it takes is someone going the speed limit around a blind curve and there is no way for the driver to avoid hitting the pack. If they are single file, or legal, it is easy to avoid hitting any of them.

You are required to maintain control of your vehicle at all times. If you come around a blind corner and hit somebody, whether they are legally riding, walking, driving a car or using a tractor then you were going too fast.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Riding in a pack is both illegal and far more dangerous.

You got a cite for where riding in a pack is illegal?