Oh I get it... invisible to everyone

[Usualdosage]

Now before any of you cyclist get on the typical "Critical Mass is not an organization, it’s an idea!" soapbox. I know and I also know that many cyclists use this idea to justify being &^#$&^%.

That's kind of like using the 1%-ers to form an opinion about all bikers in general, though.

[Susan07]

Cyclist? Bunch of arrogant self righteous spandex wearing Nancys. They should be banned from the highways and county blacktops. And I'm not talking the "Urban I ride my cycle(mountain bike type)to work everyday cyclist. I'm talking about those a$$holes you see on the highways. Arrogant ********! And making special laws to protect them. It's a toy! Get over it.

[Pretender]

Originally Posted by Susan07

... It's a toy! Get over it.

I nearly shot hot coffee through my nose... thanks!

[RichardL]

Originally Posted by Usualdosage

That's kind of like using the 1%-ers to form an opinion about all bikers in general, though.

That is why I qualified my statement by pointing out a specific geographical area. I would put the percentage of cyclist doing stupid crap at around 25% or better for my area, especialy when the weather is decent. Single riders are not too bad but get two or more together and all bets are off.

This weekend I guaranty that coming down US 26 from Mt Hood into Welches when traffic is backed up for miles you will find a group of cyclists as the cause. Two lane mountain roads with little to no shoulders and plenty of blind corners is not the smartest place to be riding three and four abreast on a holiday weekend.

If the problem was with only 1% or even 10% I would have a better opinion of cyclists.

I have similar opinions about people on cell phones, not only in cars but as they walk down the sidewalk or in the isles at stores. More than once I have had someone, usually a woman, run her shopping cart into mine or me because she had an "F"ing phone pressed to her ear. Men and teenagers are just as bad.

Even though I have a great dislike for many of those that I have to share the road with I do quite often yield my legal right of way. I have nothing to gain by running over the top of a cyclist that is running a stop sign. Granted if I did the cyclist may never do it again but then I also have to deal with damage to my vehicle and all the other BS associated to being in an accident. Same goes for the cagers on cell phones, reading the newspaper (or like my stepmother who use to read books as she drove to work) or doing any number of things other than paying attention to their driving.

[DuoDS]

Originally Posted by RichardL

Do the coastal spandex people respond any better than the Portland spandex people? The buttheads this side of the hill think they are invincible and have permenant right of way.

Here they seem to be the only ones allowed to lane split. So you have to keep passing them time and agin increasing the likelihood of an ugly encounter

[DuoDS]

Originally Posted by tubes_rock

If bicycles had to be registered and carry plates to have road access, I think we'd see a lot less stupidity from those on pedal-power.

--Justin

I agree 10,000% here. My daughter was just about killed by a bicyclist while she was out jogging with her dog. The bicyclist actually HIT the dog, then my daughter got tangled up with the dog and went down while crossing the street. She got some MAJOR road rash and the dog ran off yelping and limping.

Bicyclist just rode away, didn't even look back. One of the motorists waiting at the light (my daughter was face-down in the crosswalk) jumped out and assisted. Good thing he did because the other motorists couldn't see my daughter and just about ran her over.

Then a cop showed up, and the incident was documented BUT there was nothing that could be done because bicycles are not registered and do not have identifying plates.

Took 4 hours to find the dog, and 4 weeks to heal the bumps, bruises, and road rash.

[RichardL]

Originally Posted by DuoDS

Here they seem to be the only ones allowed to lane split. So you have to keep passing them time and agin increasing the likelihood of an ugly encounter

Which is why in the past 10 years I have driven into downtown Portland only six times, three of which were for the afore mentioned jury duty. One was work related and the other two times were when I first moved to the area and didn't know better. Well the cyclist are one reason, cagers are another and the pedestrians realy make it a mess.

[blinnen]

I wasn't very clear. The Georgia law requires cars to move over at least 3' when passing a bicyclist. However, they still don't....They are too busy texting.....

Bikeleague.org Blog Blog Archive Georgia State Legislature Approves 3 Foot Passing Law

I could not tell you the number of times that I have been passed by a vehicle moving 50-60 mph and could have touched the side of the car with my left hand.

And before Susan07 calls me a spandex-nancy, I'm just trying to keep my cholesterol level down. Doctors orders. I am not trying to prove some divine point about bicycles having a "right" to be on the road.

[Susan07]

Originally Posted by blinnen

I wasn't very clear. The Georgia law requires cars to move over at least 3' when passing a bicyclist. However, they still don't....They are too busy texting.....

Bikeleague.org Blog Blog Archive Georgia State Legislature Approves 3 Foot Passing Law

I could not tell you the number of times that I have been passed by a vehicle moving 50-60 mph and could have touched the side of the car with my left hand.

And before Susan07 calls me a spandex-nancy, I'm just trying to keep my cholesterol level down. Doctors orders. I am not trying to prove some divine point about bicycles having a "right" to be on the road.

Sex!

[Nehalem Dave]

Yes, Susan07 gets a Coffee Nostril award. You go girl!

As my personal contribution toward adding fuel to this fire.....

1. We have mostly rural two lane blind curve roads here with lots of loaded/unloaded log trucks going here and there. If the choice is me doing a header into an 18 wheeler or ramming the spandex head, who do you think is going to get the raw deal? Not me brother. A responsible rider should know where he/she should NOT be riding....we call it self-preservation - similar to not doing the butterfly stroke on a shark infested reef.

2. Driving on public right-of-ways is not a right, it is a state permitted activity. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution does it say anything about it. If state legislators fold to the bike lobby, that is a problem you can fix at the ballot box.

3. If you drove a car or motorcycle at pedaling speed, you'd get a ticket for obstruction.

4. Yes, all states should issue bicycle licenses and require tags (you must now hold a special marine license to drive a boat in OR, why should bikers get off scott free?) That said, 100% of their fees should go into building bike lanes so they can get the phuck off our roadways.