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Biking with cars
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 2004-09-09 1:19 PM |
Member  22 Chesterfield, MI |  Subject: Biking with carsI live in Alameda, California and I have just made peace with dealing with traffic while riding on roads. In Alameda, speed limits only get up to 35mph thru a one mile strech or so and the rest of the island is 25. Even with the speed limits so low, I still have issues with cars getting upset with me. Through the summer I have increased my endurance enough to maintain 18-20mph for 12 to 13 miles (on a Mtn Bike). I am on bike lanes 90% of the time and still end up dodging cars at least once per ride. This morning I was driving to work and passed two riders and felt good to see others out riding. The next thing I knew, the car behind me was honking at them! Doesn't anyone know we have as much right to the road as they do? I obey all the laws of the road. Well, I run stop signs some times. After seeing others having a hard time with jerks in cars, I feel better because I know it's not just me! Keep riding! It's your right! For all you roadies out there, just keep your head up! |
| 2004-09-09 1:36 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Pro 5153   Helena, MT | Subject: RE: Biking with cars Wow, yeah, I totally agree. I think drivers get this, I'm bigger than you and I can beat you up mentality and decide that the bike need's to get out of their way. Yesterday, I was riding to work when a mid-size commercial vehicle (you know, not a semi, but not quite a truck) comes screaming past me. It missed my shoulder by a mere six inches or so. I passed him at the next stop light, then he passed me back and it was even less distance. It was really scary. The pisser is that we were on a 4 lane road with a continuos turn lane and BOTH times it was just me and him on the road, no cars in the left lane. He could have given me the room, he just didn't care to. This seems to be a pattern with the commercial drivers around here. I'm about to write my state congress lady about making a test on sharing the road with bikes mandatory to get or renew a CDL. |
| 2004-09-09 1:49 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Regular 99 Pensacola, Florida | Subject: RE: Biking with cars yep, you're not alone. there seems to be an attitude by some that bikes and pedestrians don't belong on "their" road. i've dealt with some idiots: blowing horns, passing too close etc. or passing with oncoming traffic! now i must say most drivers here are courteous, just the few jerks on occasion: i have heard of beer bottles being thrown at cyclists here. hang in there, hold your head high, and be careful, always stay vigilant. |
| 2004-09-09 2:50 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Expert 1836  Lafayette, CO | Subject: RE: Biking with cars When we purchase bikes to ride on the road, we should be given paintball guns, too. Then, when some idiot passes too close, honks, etc., we could just shoot their car with a paintball. The cops could learn to pull over anybody with a rainbow-colored trunk, and give them a ticket for being a moron. IMHO :-) |
| 2004-09-09 3:03 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Expert 736 Longview, TX | Subject: RE: Biking with cars The problem that I have had with cars (well, one of them, the list is endless) is that the drivers don't even slow down and look before turning in intersections. Unfortunatley, while I was at Texas Tech, on campus where the speed limit is 20-30 mph, I was hit by a car (a professor no less) turning at an intersection. It didn't even look like he put on the breaks. I found this so amazing because so many students ride bikes on campus because it is so big, plus all of the students walking around. You can't just go barrelling around. I know that riding a bike has made me much more attentive when driving my car. Gina P.S. While I caught some good air time, I walked away with only major bruising and scrapes. No broken bones and God bless helmets! The downer...my carbon fiber bike was toast. Downer for the driver...he probably wished he would have hit a car because his insurance had to pay quite a bit to cover my bike, helmet, sunglasses, school team uniform, etc. |
| 2004-09-09 3:19 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Veteran 172 Memphis, TN | Subject: RE: Biking with cars i got the sh#t scared out of me a few days ago when a Ford explorer passed by me with a young girl hanging half way out of the car yelling at me literally trying to make me wreck. I was so mad but all I could do was yell right back(kind of like a young girl myself-HA). A few weeks ago a similar post on this forum had some interesting remedies for this problem we have with vehicles passing to close, etc. Someone suggested that you attach a 3 foot antenna to the left side of your bike in a horizontal position and then attach a screw to the far end of the antenna so that vehicles that want to pass that close to you get a little surprise! |
| 2004-09-09 3:22 PM in reply to: #59634 |
Got Wahoo? 5423 San Antonio | Subject: RE: Biking with cars I have a buddy who carries little ballbarings with him! I have followed these wussys (particularly throwers and yellers), who then refuse to get out of their cars or even roll down the window and face me. I hate the false sense of security and superiorty some of these drivers have. People who if they saw me on equal footing would be very respectfull indeed.... They seem to feel like they have no responsibility or consequences for being jerks. Whenever possible I try to teach them the error of their ways and have derailed several rides chasing cars... (pretty funny and mostly futile, I know...LOL) |
| 2004-09-09 3:28 PM in reply to: #59634 |
Got Wahoo? 5423 San Antonio | Subject: RE: Biking with cars GET YOUR GUNS UP!!!!!! |
| 2004-09-09 3:42 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Expert 736 Longview, TX | Subject: RE: Biking with cars Woohoo! RAIDER POWER!!! |
| 2004-09-09 3:45 PM in reply to: #59658 |
Got Wahoo? 5423 San Antonio | Subject: RE: Biking with cars RAIDER.... |
| 2004-09-09 4:00 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Expert 736 Longview, TX | Subject: RE: Biking with cars |
| 2004-09-09 4:46 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Regular 134 Grand Rapids, Minnesota | Subject: RE: Biking with cars So much time to think while riding I came up with the idea of a camera attatched to your helmet. When the driver is making a dangerous pass, you can click a handheld button to photograph the car & possibly license plate. |
| 2004-09-09 4:57 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Expert 717 Utah | Subject: RE: Biking with cars I am just picturing a cyclist being cited for road rage. . . That person would probably acheive some type of cult status. |
| 2004-09-09 5:15 PM in reply to: #59590 |
| Veteran 289 Colorado Springs | Subject: RE: Biking with cars Hmmm... kinda reminds me of this post.... http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp... |
| 2004-09-09 8:23 PM in reply to: #59590 |
Champion 4902 Ottawa, Ontario | Subject: RE: Biking with cars Touché! |
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