Guys like this are what gives diesel a bad name

[dodge man]

I would say the people who are taking a negative view of bicycle riders don’t ride. I recently added a rear view mirror on our bikes. Me and the wife will ride side by side but go single file when cars are coming from either direction. People need to pass bikes just like they would a car, clear view of the road and no oncoming traffic. If I see a hill or blind corner coming I will slow down and let a car coming up behind me have a clear line to pass.

Since we started riding more a few weeks ago, mostly rural but paved roads, most drivers have been very courteous and careful around us.

 

[CobyRupert]

I ride a bike.
Bikes and horses were on roads way before cars were and have every right to the lane that a car does.
We can all get along and “share the road”.
BY CHOICE and at my discretion, I choose to ride on the edge of the lane and share MY LANE with a car that wants to pass without that car having to fully go into oncoming lane like when passing any other slower vehicle on the road. See, aren’t I nice when I share?
However I will occupy MY full lane when there’s an oncoming car and a car behind me and I choose not to go 3 wide (me and 2 cars) and get forced into the ditch or clipped.
Instead of getting angry and territorial, motor vehicle drivers need to realize the biker has the same rights to the lane as they do, calm down, go back to the lessons of kindergarten and learn to share.

 

[dodge man]

At some point in my life, probably in my late 30’s, I realized I was in a hurry to get some place when I didn‘t need to be. I’m driving to Walmart on a Saturday and I’m in a hurry? What for? Most people drive like they are crushed for time. Are they really?

 

[PILOON]

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

Was not referring to them damaging the road rather than road cracks 'catching' their narrow tires and causing a spill.
Like how streetcar tracks were near deadly to bike riding.

Where I live there is a major cycle trail built on an old RR right of way.
Most days the bikes cross the highway in a steady stream with no intention of stopping for vehicles even though they have large stop signs in both directions.
Making it worst the LEO's simply ignore that breach of the highway code that they are paid to enforce.
On nice days a vehicle often has to wait much longer than it takes for a red light to change to green.

Then our main street is quite hilly and I often see bikes going downhill at a very rapid speed* weaving in and out and up and over sidewalks all while blasting thru all the traffic lights.
Must be quite a thrill!

*I estimate their speed to be often 60+ in a 30 zone.(even merits a speed ticket and demerit points)

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I don't have much to add, except that it seems to me that bike riders are pretty much a cross section of society; perhaps tending toward the academic elite (I live in a college town). While some riders appear to be a bit arrogant, that doesn't bother me. It's the stupidity some exhibit that I tend to watch out for. I don't want their mistakes...or mine either... to cost them their life, so I am simply extra careful when I see one.
I have nearly hit two different bikers at two different times; one was when I approached a "T" intersection; the light was green, and I was turning right. Some kid came from the right... riding a bicycle...and ran the light WHILE RIDING ON THE SIDEWALK THROUGH THE CROSSWALK.

The second, I was going to work, early morning, sun behind me, driving West on a country road, stopped at a stop sign. Looked both ways, and when I got about half way across, this motor cycle (who had the ROW) blasted past right in front of me. For some reason, I didn't see the guy. I don't know if I was simply looking for cars, or whether his headlight actually made him more difficult to see. In any case, I try to be an adult about it and watch out for them.

 

[cjoffutt]

My kid is a ”farm kid” and hasn’t done any exhaust mods to any of our trucks. Please don’t stereotype people. It’s really not farmers so much as the latter, the wannabe farmers.
Our roads wind in all different directions. Lots of blind curves. If you get caught behind bikes on a few of the worst ones, you better call ahead and tell them you’ll be late. You could be stuck behind them for 5-10 minutes.

Not to be rude, but unless you live around my area, I wasn't stereotyping, or lumping your kid into the group. As around here (as I originally stated), it is EVERY 16-18 year old high schooler that has a diesel.

Go to pick up the daughter or take her to school, every student truck in the parking lot has the 5 gallon bucket exhaust, tires twice as wide as stock with improper backspacing so 75% of the tire sticks out past the fender wells.

I'm all for customizing your truck, car, boat, w/e, but these things are just pointless and stupid. I don't think there was ever a time driving or towing that I needed to dump enough fuel to the motor to make massive plumes of black smoke in the roadway. If you want to adjust the tune to increase the MPG, go right ahead, I totally understand that and have contemplated it numerous times with out diesel. But for what little it actually gets driven the cost of a programmer just wasn't worth it.

 

[blee03]

Obviously the kid is responsible for this entire situation since he was intentionally trying to smoke them out.

On a totally different note, you mix 5-10mph traffic with 55-60mph traffic you’re begging for problems

I would never consider riding a pedal bike on the side of a paved road. To me, that is nothing more than a suicide wish. The risk is not worth the reward

 

[repete]

In Kindergarten I learned personal responsibility. That means if you use something you contribute something.
Here in Washington State bicycle riders receive everything for free. We build trails and pave them for bicycles out of the state budget. We paint bicycle lane designators out of fees from vehicle registrations and gasoline taxes. We pave the road surfaces from fees derived from motor vehicles registrations and gasoline taxes. We provide safe places on sidewalks to secure bicycles out of tax money.
In Washington State I will give you your lane plus a large dose of safety and I ask nothing of a bicyclist in return but to obey the laws and stop at stop signs, etc. Do not pass on the right when traffic is stopped. You know, the laws, all of them not just the ones you want.
Now, get on your bikes here in Washington and enjoy what we vehicle owners and users have provided for you for free.

 

[deezler]

it is EVERY 16-18 year old high schooler that has a diesel.
every student truck in the parking lot has the 5 gallon bucket exhaust, tires twice as wide as stock with improper backspacing so 75% of the tire sticks out past the fender wells.

Man, that sucks. You ever watch the whistlin diesel youtube channel? Thats what I think of when I think of central Indiana. Not that our rural Michigan towns aren't mostly the same way, but.

 

[deezler]

On a totally different note, you mix 5-10mph traffic with 55-60mph traffic you’re begging for problems

Just to play devil's advocate a bit, these bikers were training for a triathlon, and probably ride more like 25-35 mph, unless they hit a steep hill.

 

[CobyRupert]

I don't have much to add, except that it seems to me that bike riders are pretty much a cross section of society; perhaps tending toward the academic elite (I live in a college town). While some riders appear to be a bit arrogant, that doesn't bother me. It's the stupidity some exhibit that I tend to watch out for. I don't want their mistakes...or mine either... to cost them their life, so I am simply extra careful when I see one…..

True. Bikers are a wide cross section of society, just like vehicle drivers are. There’s the good and bad, timid and aggressive, etc..

Just last week I was riding on a wide road, riding to the right of the white line on a shoulder that was almost as wide as a car lane. Pretty nice right? I was approaching a side road, intending to ride straight past the side road, when a truck passed me and took an immediate right turn onto the side road, cutting me off and nearly sideswiping me.
I realized my mistake:
1) I should of been occupying (blocking) the main traffic lane, forcing the truck to wait behind me as I went past the intersection. This may upset a lot of motorists, but I won’t risk my life again to jerks like the truck driver who think they have the right of way to cut me off.
2) I should of kicked the rear quarter panel of his truck in. We were that close.
3) After hitting the truck I should of fallen off and called a TV lawyer for the neck & back pain I just discovered.

(Note: I’m only serious about 2 out of 3 of these)

 

[blee03]

If you’re on a pedal bike, for the love of god don’t try to block a lane... what if the driver is looking down at his phone? You’re dead, that’s it.

You can’t physically block a 4,000 lb car with your bicycle

 

[CobyRupert]

That’s why I’m saying I should of been out riding in and blocking the main lane for an extended distance before the intersection and before any traffic approached from the rear.
I’m just as dead when I’m in my own lane on the shoulder and they decide to sideswipe me.

 

[blee03]

That’s why I’m saying I should of been out riding in and blocking the main lane for an extended distance before the intersection and before any traffic approached from the rear.
I’m just as dead when I’m in my own lane on the shoulder and they decide to sideswipe me.

Being directly run over and side swiped can be the different between life and death.

Riding on the side of the road is dangerous enough, riding in the middle of a main lane is even worse

 

[cjoffutt]

Man, that sucks. You ever watch the whistlin diesel youtube channel? Thats what I think of when I think of central Indiana. Not that our rural Michigan towns aren't mostly the same way, but.

Lol, I've seen a handful of his videos. Some are pretty good (the Hilux series), some are just....ya.

 

[deezler]

Lol, I've seen a handful of his videos. Some are pretty good (the Hilux series), some are just....ya.

Indeed. Pretty wild to think that you can just make some dumb videos of doing burnouts on banana peels in your daily driver duramax, and build that into a multi million dollar video channel within a couple years. I'm eager to see what MonsterMax 2 gets into eventually.

 

[Torvy]

I would say the people who are taking a negative view of bicycle riders don’t ride. I recently added a rear view mirror on our bikes. Me and the wife will ride side by side but go single file when cars are coming from either direction. People need to pass bikes just like they would a car, clear view of the road and no oncoming traffic. If I see a hill or blind corner coming I will slow down and let a car coming up behind me have a clear line to pass.

Since we started riding more a few weeks ago, mostly rural but paved roads, most drivers have been very courteous and careful around us.

You are not the type of riders involved in the accident nor of whom we are discussing. We are talking about the clustered, large groups (20+ riders) who obstruct traffic and violate traffic laws while screaming about their rights to the road. If they were all doing what you do, this thread would never have been started.

 

[Torvy]

Just to play devil's advocate a bit, these bikers were training for a triathlon, and probably ride more like 25-35 mph, unless they hit a steep hill.

Not sure if you have ridden much, but your estimate is very high. Professional riders only average about 20 mph on training workouts. This was a bunch of amateur riders. In my experience, amateur riders are going about 15-20 on straight flat roads, less uphill, more downhill. Speeds above 25 mph can only be sustained on flat roads for relatively short distances by all but the professional level riders. Ironman Texas bike leg is 112 miles. These guys are not riding anywhere near 25 mph during training for that.

 

[Jstpssng]

That’s why I’m saying I should of been out riding in and blocking the main lane for an extended distance before the intersection and before any traffic approached from the rear.
I’m just as dead when I’m in my own lane on the shoulder and they decide to sideswipe me.

Do you really believe that it would have made a difference? You cite one a-hole driver, then seem to use it as an excuse to be a jerk yourself.

 

[Diggin It]

Progress?

Lawyer says teen who crashed into six Houston-area bicyclists was 'inexperienced' driver

Regardless of more severe charges potentially facing a 16-year-old who struck six...

www.houstonchronicle.com