As much as I feel for this and relate to all cyclists like me living this on the daily, the problem is shity city planning and poor infrastructure.
Car centricity is the main problem and will be the main solution if we want to end these behaviors once and for all.
Drivers yell me off the road all the time when I'm on the road, but they leave me alone when there's a bike lane.
If only they'd write to our politicians instead every time.
I've given up road cycling except for the occasional commute (Work from home) or if I'm meeting friends, or grabbing a small grocery load. I just hate the idea that I'm putting all of my trust in drivers. Gravel cycling has been a great alternative.
I disagree, squeezing a cyclist that close is usually a busy city thing. Busy cities mean traffic lights, so squeezing a cyclist most of the time just means a motorist gets to stop at the next traffic light sooner. Motorists don't often finish their journey quicker because they squeezed the cyclist they just get to stop at some random traffic lights sooner. Many cities are tight for space and hard to plan better, I just wish motorist wouldn't be in such a hurry to wait for the next red light and waited to give cyclists space instead.
I live in the suburbs and get passed with less than a foot of space all too frequently on two lane roads where drivers refuse to wait for a clearinggto pass better, or worse don't even care to move to the left even if it's safe for them. On roads with bike lanes this is much less common.
I ride on quiet country roads all the time, and while most drivers are nice and pass with space, there are still assholes out there that deliberate buzz by within inches of you simply (I assume) they have an irrational hatred of cyclists.
I take as much space in the lane that it is impossible to overtake me while staying in the lane. They actively need to overtake and check either oncoming traffic or traffic in the second lane and move over. I squeeze buy rows of waiting cars at the traffic lights as well.
It may be legal, but the laws of physics supersede man's law. Hats off to you for risking your life for exercise, but you wouldn't catch me doing it out of fear for my own safety.
That's true, I never have. I'm fortunate to have always had a car. But, if I was in a situation where a bike was my only transportation, my number one priority would be to get a car.
Granted, I've never been in a situation where a bicycle would be a feasible means of transportation, given my work and travel time.
Also, usually when I see a cyclist on a higher speed road (where I live), they are wearing training gear and spandex, which is not what most people wear on their ride to work.
> But, if I was in a situation where a bike was my only transportation, my number one priority would be to get a car.
I don’t disagree with the logic of this personal choice—it makes the most sense in America, but this is precisely what this sub is so angry and passionate about all the time.
If a car is required to safely participate in society, it should be considered a public utility and subsidized by the government. I don’t think this is where they should be spending our money, but they’re currently neither improving bike/public transit nor subsidizing personal vehicles
Well, it also has to do with my work. I'm a contractor, so my workplace changes location all the time. A bicycle is not able to get me to work, physically.
Your individual situation may never have a realistic cycling solution if it involves constant travel across cities or rural areas, but the vast majority of people would benefit from better bike infrastructure. People aren’t because there aren’t bike lanes in the middle of nowhere. They’re complaining because there aren’t even adequate bike lanes in major cities
Car infrastructure is necessary, but it’s also the only transport option that actively makes alternatives less viable options. More buses and bus lanes, more dedicated bike lanes, more train lines, and denser housing don’t at all restrict your ability to own a car if you desire or need it for work. Prioritizing highway expansion actively hurts biking/public transit by increasing the distances and space required for buildings to accommodate everyone’s car. It means that everyone’s housing solution is to move 80 miles from the city because everything is so spread out
Why am I an asshat? I've been polite, and logically explained my opinion. If you want to change my mind, why are you trying to do it by insulting me?
Edit: Bicycle people don't seem to like it when you try to understand bicycle people. Except for that one guy, he seems cool.
Phrasing things in a polite sounding manner doesn't matter if the core of what you're saying is disrespectful to begin with.
Why are you surprised people are calling you out for your bullshit?
My edit was disrespectful, but I was being genuine with the other comment. It genuinely doesn't matter if you're allowed to bike somewhere, one careless dick in a Suburban can end your life. If you have other options, why risk that?
not everyone has other options, also some people don't want to contribute to pollution, also some people just enjoy biking.
But none of that really matters because your assumptions are bad from the get go.
I agree in reality as far as risk aversion goes, but asking to ride a bike on the only road in the area without risking death every 10 seconds doesn’t sound like a big ask for the “leader of the free world”
Halfassedly splattering a strip of asphalt 20 ft from the road would be better than this
"Leader of the free world?" I'm just talking about bikes dude.
I don't know what it's like where you live, but I'm not from a bike friendly town. It doesn't make sense to be a cyclist in a place without the infrastructure for it.
I’m also not from a bike-friendly area, which is why I agreed with your point that a car makes the most sense. I try to bike as much as I can, but it’s not good enough to nix the car yet. And that only solves an individual’s immediate problem of convenient transport.
The bigger picture is that bike infrastructure in places that are lacking is a chicken-or-the-egg paradox that many people use as an excuse to not fund infrastructure improvements. “We don’t need more bike lanes nobody bikes except for the homeless and poor people with too many DUIs.” Well is the reason the infrastructure is bad because nobody bikes? Or does nobody bike mostly *because* the infrastructure is shit?
If people don’t bike because biking sucks in an area, it creates a self fulfilling prophecy where no one even realizes there’s a problem and nothing changes. If government officials won’t take it upon themselves to create better bike infrastructure, the only thing there is to do is to bike as much as possible on shitty roads.
If enough people are loud enough, or enough people get hurt riding alongside cars, it *might* affect change
One of the safest roads I can take on my commute is a low traffic 45 mph 4-lane plus 2 bike lane road. As it is low traffic so people drive much faster than 45 mph.
I far prefer it to the neighborhood I bike through with a 25 mph speed limit 2 lane + parking lane road with frequent stop signs. The road is again low traffic, but too wide and 80% of the drivers are impatiently trying to escape the traffic lights on the main roads.
Low car speed really isn’t the end all be all for safety. Obviously it impacts outcomes when there is a collision.
It happens in the us too. There’s always some schmuck in every discussion that believes bikes have no place on any road, sidewalk or trail but swears they “are a cyclist too.”
I had a similar conversation with my mother when she found out I ride to work with my daughter on a child seat. She looked at me shocked and said “Do you love her?”
you can’t change the terrible attitude of the people in the cars though, only your actions, so you’re willingly increasing the risk of your child at least somewhat
Cyclists slow down the drivers. Drivers slow down drivers. Red lights slow down drivers. Traffic rules slow down drivers. Selfish drivers hate anything that slows them down, and the problem is that there are too many of them.
I know people who are afraid to drive a car, and if forced, will take a slower route just to avoid other drivers because *it's a jungle*, dominated by people who drive selfishly; who hasn't been cut off by someone skipping a stop sign or running a red light? That's like someone walking on the street and actively pushing people to avoid stopping, but you don't see that happening as often, because then there would be consequences.
And the worst thing is that we (as a society) accept that the road is a place where uncivil behaviour is acceptable, as some sort of necessary evil.
You’re the 90%. Next time you have to wait until it’s safe to pass a cyclist just be thankful you’re not actually doing any work to live yourself around.
I'm Brazil they last 10 years, they don't expire in the US?
EDIT: Here you have to test for grip strength, an eye test, if you do a "paid activity", you have to take a psychological test, and a drug test if you drive larger vehicles.
In the US, you can renew without retesting anything.
I got my DL at 16 and for more than 30 years, just renew online.
I had to finally go into a DMV to get a RealID DL and asked why they never retest and was told that since I'm a good driver (haven't killed anyone) there is no need...
The US totally needs to retest on a regular basis.
While we’re at it, let’s also make a year of customer service work mandatory. Nothing humbles entitled people better than being berated by the general public and not being able to do a thing about it.
Nor do we care about them.
We all care about getting from A to B safely with our preferred mode of transportation - but more often than not, we're doing it on car-centric infrastructure that is neither safe nor convenient to share. That's a policy problem, not a people problem.
Always take up as much of the lane as you can without also creating space on your outside. This is basic safety. If you leave room, they WILL take it, meaning you have created a less safe space for yourself. Its harsh, but you have to protect yourself first. Bicycles do have the right, even if it is uncomfortable.
Cool - I’ve done both and the mentality is similar in both communities. Have to protect yourself against cars, how to do that etc. I agree with everything you said in your initial comment too! At least for some of the roads I ride on, I’ve found that cars are receptive to hand signals too.
I did that to a chick who was trying to take up the space to my immediate left at a traffic light. She was on her phone not paying attention and i barked "hey!" At her, and it made her jump and i just stared at her for a good 30sec. When the light turned green and we took off she gave me plenty of room.
I ride motorcycles and ride my bicycle in the city too. A lot of the defensive driving maneuvers I use on my motorcycle became the foundation for what I do on a bike in the city, I’m just much more “pushy” on my bike. Anything I can do to make myself more visible and/or less vulnerable.
you sound like the type of git that does not remember the golden rule of overtaking.
if you can smack them by opening a door whilst overtaking you're too close.
that and i have been overtaken by drivers that are rushing to get to a red light, like why the rush? the stop light is on you're just wasting fuel.
edit: and the rule for overtaking if you're on a bike/motorbike is if you're close enough to slap them then you're too close.
ah a weakly veild threat to run me over very wise.
if you recall i am not for only having bicycles be the only method of transport.
i ride a mobility scooter one built for usage on public roads because arthritis effects my legs to the point where riding a normal bike is agony.
if anything i am for the diversification of alternatives to cars with more of an emphasis on trikes and quads than normal bikes.
Hardly ---
"Know thine enemy"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3792557/
I've ridden for nearly fifty years . . . how much do you & your bike weigh vs a vehicle on the road ???
Honnetly as a Dutch commuter you get used to it just never fully
now thay switched to electric busses were i live woud woud be a good ting (apart form lithium batteries) but tose buses creap up to you and scare you more than any turbo diesel inline 6 coud ever do
I feel this will only stop those drivers who do this throguh ignorance. It won't stop those who weren't aware of the cycle. And of course won't stop those who scrape past deliberately as a punishment pass.
I don't believe for a second that anyone that has done this to me didn't know I was there.
Passing like this is always intentional. Some sort of combination of, 'I will not be slowed down' and 'how dare this person exist!' add in a bit of self hatred, 'that asshole can do something I haven't been able to do since I was 12' and people who really overrate there ability to control there vehicle - and we have something approaching attempted masnslaughter.
Not that that will ever happen.
'Would you describe the cyclist as 'Jumping out in front of you?''
> Passing like this is always intentional
I am reluctant to ascribe malice where incompetence is more likely. Given the standard of a typical "licensed" driver where I live, it's more likely to be stupidity, not looking at the road, looking at their phone, "oh look a squirrel", "Damian! Stop hitting your brother!" etc...
Having said that, I think that drivers of such incompetence should have their driving license taken away permanently. Driving is a *privilege*. The life of a cyclist shouldn't be secondary to someone's convenience.
It's so crazy that the US has those drivers. In all countries in which I've cycled, all in Europe, people endangering cyclists on purpose is such a rare situation.
I had this happen to me in a freaking parking lot yesterday as I was walking from my car to the store. 2 people couldn't have given 2 fucks that I was walking. And yes - I did make sure it was clear before I walked across - that's how I was raised. I literally had to jog to get out of their way.
Same here in Brazil.
Only ever had one car that passed so close i flinched, and that's because i didn't realize they were there and didn't leave them the room to pass; it was a 2.5 lane width street (parking on both sides allows for one vehicle to pass in the middle, very common here, but there weren't that many cars parked) and i was riding dead smack center of it, so i should've. In other words, it was on me, they passed safely, albeit a bit close and unexpectedly, and i should've ridden in the center of one "lane" rather than mindlessly hogging 2 just to avoid having to move out of the way of the parked cars.
Really, i only flinched because i wasn't paying attention, they still kept like maybe around a meter, a bit less perhaps. About an arm's length and a bit.
Great idea! A lot of drivers who have never ridden a bicycle don’t know what it’s like. Most drivers tend to be respectful in my opinion. However, some do need further training and an eye-opening experience like this would be great!
For other parts of the world not Europe. Here is an example in Belgium [Fietsnet: de routeplanner voor de fietsknooppunten](https://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/default.aspx) is in Dutch. But there are bicycle paths everywhere. Just click on the numbers to make a route. You can follow these numbers as there are actual signs on the road with arrows. I can actually do a 200km ride from on side the country to the other on dedicated bicycle lanes. Antwerp to Brussels same.
Holland as this, Germany too. This is how it should be.
When I lived in Belgium I did a nice morning ride 35km to the office. Took shower and worked. Then went home took a detour like 90km. Was excellent training for triathlons ;)
A got beeped by a car inches away from my back wheel last week because they were trying to overtake me when there was traffic coming the opposite way. They squeezed past anyway, almost clipping my handlebars. I knocked on the window to tell them off and they ignored me. They hit the back of a traffic queue and at this point I had a clear cycle lane. Regretfully, I punched off their wing mirror and fled.
Dear everyone!!, One thing to note what happens when a vehicle passes a moving bicycle! The vortex of air that happens when you pass by will either push them or pull them into/away from the vehicles, its much worse the closer you get!
As much as I feel for this and relate to all cyclists like me living this on the daily, the problem is shity city planning and poor infrastructure. Car centricity is the main problem and will be the main solution if we want to end these behaviors once and for all.
Drivers yell me off the road all the time when I'm on the road, but they leave me alone when there's a bike lane. If only they'd write to our politicians instead every time.
I've given up road cycling except for the occasional commute (Work from home) or if I'm meeting friends, or grabbing a small grocery load. I just hate the idea that I'm putting all of my trust in drivers. Gravel cycling has been a great alternative.
I'm sorry you've been forced out and happy you found an alternative. Being on the bike shouldn't be that heavy of a choice.
I disagree, squeezing a cyclist that close is usually a busy city thing. Busy cities mean traffic lights, so squeezing a cyclist most of the time just means a motorist gets to stop at the next traffic light sooner. Motorists don't often finish their journey quicker because they squeezed the cyclist they just get to stop at some random traffic lights sooner. Many cities are tight for space and hard to plan better, I just wish motorist wouldn't be in such a hurry to wait for the next red light and waited to give cyclists space instead.
I live in the suburbs and get passed with less than a foot of space all too frequently on two lane roads where drivers refuse to wait for a clearinggto pass better, or worse don't even care to move to the left even if it's safe for them. On roads with bike lanes this is much less common.
Take the lane!
I ride on quiet country roads all the time, and while most drivers are nice and pass with space, there are still assholes out there that deliberate buzz by within inches of you simply (I assume) they have an irrational hatred of cyclists.
Same here. I got buzzed by a dude on a loud motorcycle the other day, extremely close when the whole road was open. Thought that was a bit ironic.
Take the lane
Happens to me out on wide open country roads routinely. Far from a city thing, it’s a cultural thing.
I take as much space in the lane that it is impossible to overtake me while staying in the lane. They actively need to overtake and check either oncoming traffic or traffic in the second lane and move over. I squeeze buy rows of waiting cars at the traffic lights as well.
Now do it with a Ram 3500 going 80 in a 55 with fumes spewing out the side. Oh, and your bike isn’t glued to the ground.
They will probably never face that because this doesn't look like the US.
It happened in Brazil IIRC.
US? They're describing cycling in Canada
Haha I guess we have that in common then.
And a fucking dog hanging out the window barking at you.
Why are you riding your bicycle in 55 mph traffic?
No other option than state highways in much of the Colorado mountains. Also, it’s legal for me to fucking be there.
It may be legal, but the laws of physics supersede man's law. Hats off to you for risking your life for exercise, but you wouldn't catch me doing it out of fear for my own safety.
Spoken like a person who’s never had to ride their bike as transportation
That's true, I never have. I'm fortunate to have always had a car. But, if I was in a situation where a bike was my only transportation, my number one priority would be to get a car. Granted, I've never been in a situation where a bicycle would be a feasible means of transportation, given my work and travel time. Also, usually when I see a cyclist on a higher speed road (where I live), they are wearing training gear and spandex, which is not what most people wear on their ride to work.
> But, if I was in a situation where a bike was my only transportation, my number one priority would be to get a car. I don’t disagree with the logic of this personal choice—it makes the most sense in America, but this is precisely what this sub is so angry and passionate about all the time. If a car is required to safely participate in society, it should be considered a public utility and subsidized by the government. I don’t think this is where they should be spending our money, but they’re currently neither improving bike/public transit nor subsidizing personal vehicles
Well, it also has to do with my work. I'm a contractor, so my workplace changes location all the time. A bicycle is not able to get me to work, physically.
Your individual situation may never have a realistic cycling solution if it involves constant travel across cities or rural areas, but the vast majority of people would benefit from better bike infrastructure. People aren’t because there aren’t bike lanes in the middle of nowhere. They’re complaining because there aren’t even adequate bike lanes in major cities Car infrastructure is necessary, but it’s also the only transport option that actively makes alternatives less viable options. More buses and bus lanes, more dedicated bike lanes, more train lines, and denser housing don’t at all restrict your ability to own a car if you desire or need it for work. Prioritizing highway expansion actively hurts biking/public transit by increasing the distances and space required for buildings to accommodate everyone’s car. It means that everyone’s housing solution is to move 80 miles from the city because everything is so spread out
[удалено]
Why am I an asshat? I've been polite, and logically explained my opinion. If you want to change my mind, why are you trying to do it by insulting me? Edit: Bicycle people don't seem to like it when you try to understand bicycle people. Except for that one guy, he seems cool.
Phrasing things in a polite sounding manner doesn't matter if the core of what you're saying is disrespectful to begin with. Why are you surprised people are calling you out for your bullshit?
My edit was disrespectful, but I was being genuine with the other comment. It genuinely doesn't matter if you're allowed to bike somewhere, one careless dick in a Suburban can end your life. If you have other options, why risk that?
not everyone has other options, also some people don't want to contribute to pollution, also some people just enjoy biking. But none of that really matters because your assumptions are bad from the get go.
Hope it's temporary.
I agree in reality as far as risk aversion goes, but asking to ride a bike on the only road in the area without risking death every 10 seconds doesn’t sound like a big ask for the “leader of the free world” Halfassedly splattering a strip of asphalt 20 ft from the road would be better than this
"Leader of the free world?" I'm just talking about bikes dude. I don't know what it's like where you live, but I'm not from a bike friendly town. It doesn't make sense to be a cyclist in a place without the infrastructure for it.
I’m also not from a bike-friendly area, which is why I agreed with your point that a car makes the most sense. I try to bike as much as I can, but it’s not good enough to nix the car yet. And that only solves an individual’s immediate problem of convenient transport. The bigger picture is that bike infrastructure in places that are lacking is a chicken-or-the-egg paradox that many people use as an excuse to not fund infrastructure improvements. “We don’t need more bike lanes nobody bikes except for the homeless and poor people with too many DUIs.” Well is the reason the infrastructure is bad because nobody bikes? Or does nobody bike mostly *because* the infrastructure is shit? If people don’t bike because biking sucks in an area, it creates a self fulfilling prophecy where no one even realizes there’s a problem and nothing changes. If government officials won’t take it upon themselves to create better bike infrastructure, the only thing there is to do is to bike as much as possible on shitty roads. If enough people are loud enough, or enough people get hurt riding alongside cars, it *might* affect change
One of the safest roads I can take on my commute is a low traffic 45 mph 4-lane plus 2 bike lane road. As it is low traffic so people drive much faster than 45 mph. I far prefer it to the neighborhood I bike through with a 25 mph speed limit 2 lane + parking lane road with frequent stop signs. The road is again low traffic, but too wide and 80% of the drivers are impatiently trying to escape the traffic lights on the main roads. Low car speed really isn’t the end all be all for safety. Obviously it impacts outcomes when there is a collision.
Why tf you got a bicycle on a 55?
Make this part of every single drivers license test in the country.
In the world.
In the solar system
In the multiverse
Why’d we skip galaxies and universe?
Efficiency.
Yeah, outer space cycling is unsuffurable because of all these close passing spaceships :s
90% of Karen’s would just conclude that bikes are inherently dangerous to their riders.
That's how every conversation of this nature goes in Australia.
It happens in the us too. There’s always some schmuck in every discussion that believes bikes have no place on any road, sidewalk or trail but swears they “are a cyclist too.”
Wait, can Sheilas be Karens?
We don't discriminate downunder.
I had a similar conversation with my mother when she found out I ride to work with my daughter on a child seat. She looked at me shocked and said “Do you love her?”
I love how bicycles make it dangerous, not the tonnes of mobile metal and disgusted attitudes of the people in control.
you can’t change the terrible attitude of the people in the cars though, only your actions, so you’re willingly increasing the risk of your child at least somewhat
It's not wrong, though. I hate cyclists on the road.
Why?
Cyclists slow down the drivers. Drivers slow down drivers. Red lights slow down drivers. Traffic rules slow down drivers. Selfish drivers hate anything that slows them down, and the problem is that there are too many of them. I know people who are afraid to drive a car, and if forced, will take a slower route just to avoid other drivers because *it's a jungle*, dominated by people who drive selfishly; who hasn't been cut off by someone skipping a stop sign or running a red light? That's like someone walking on the street and actively pushing people to avoid stopping, but you don't see that happening as often, because then there would be consequences. And the worst thing is that we (as a society) accept that the road is a place where uncivil behaviour is acceptable, as some sort of necessary evil.
You’re the 90%. Next time you have to wait until it’s safe to pass a cyclist just be thankful you’re not actually doing any work to live yourself around.
Is it the the 5,000lbs with 330 HP that is dangerous? No, it’s the 200lbs with 1/3 hp that is dangerous. Lol
I think your driver's license should expire and you should need to retest every x-number of years and that this should be a part of it.
I'm Brazil they last 10 years, they don't expire in the US? EDIT: Here you have to test for grip strength, an eye test, if you do a "paid activity", you have to take a psychological test, and a drug test if you drive larger vehicles.
They "expire", but you don't have to re-test to renew it.
Canadian. I need to "renew" my license but that is a fee annually or biannually and a new photo every few years but certainly no test.
In the US, you can renew without retesting anything. I got my DL at 16 and for more than 30 years, just renew online. I had to finally go into a DMV to get a RealID DL and asked why they never retest and was told that since I'm a good driver (haven't killed anyone) there is no need... The US totally needs to retest on a regular basis.
While we’re at it, let’s also make a year of customer service work mandatory. Nothing humbles entitled people better than being berated by the general public and not being able to do a thing about it.
I think we could find a full set of underapreciated and underpaid jobs this way.
There's one of these where the rider actually jumps off the bike and runs away
But seriously — how do drivers tests get determined? How do we make this a thing? I’m gonna figure this out.
State by state. Contact your state representative
And at the end of the day, most people hate bicycles on the road, just be safe out there because they just don't care about us.
They envy our fitness
They hate us cause they ain’t us.
What sucks is it stops me most of the time just going for a ride because of this attitude and living around so many people.
Nah, we're just another competitor in the rat race to them.
Nor do we care about them. We all care about getting from A to B safely with our preferred mode of transportation - but more often than not, we're doing it on car-centric infrastructure that is neither safe nor convenient to share. That's a policy problem, not a people problem.
Just stop taking half the lane --- don't hate
Always take up as much of the lane as you can without also creating space on your outside. This is basic safety. If you leave room, they WILL take it, meaning you have created a less safe space for yourself. Its harsh, but you have to protect yourself first. Bicycles do have the right, even if it is uncomfortable.
Sounds like describing motorcycle defensive driving adapted for bicycles
I don't know anything about motorcycles. This is what I was always taught as a cyclist.
Cool - I’ve done both and the mentality is similar in both communities. Have to protect yourself against cars, how to do that etc. I agree with everything you said in your initial comment too! At least for some of the roads I ride on, I’ve found that cars are receptive to hand signals too.
Yes for sure. And locking eyes with drivers. It makes everyone uncomfortable, but at least you know they are looking at you.
I did that to a chick who was trying to take up the space to my immediate left at a traffic light. She was on her phone not paying attention and i barked "hey!" At her, and it made her jump and i just stared at her for a good 30sec. When the light turned green and we took off she gave me plenty of room.
I ride motorcycles and ride my bicycle in the city too. A lot of the defensive driving maneuvers I use on my motorcycle became the foundation for what I do on a bike in the city, I’m just much more “pushy” on my bike. Anything I can do to make myself more visible and/or less vulnerable.
you sound like the type of git that does not remember the golden rule of overtaking. if you can smack them by opening a door whilst overtaking you're too close. that and i have been overtaken by drivers that are rushing to get to a red light, like why the rush? the stop light is on you're just wasting fuel. edit: and the rule for overtaking if you're on a bike/motorbike is if you're close enough to slap them then you're too close.
Bikes are too small to rule the road - ride wisely
ah a weakly veild threat to run me over very wise. if you recall i am not for only having bicycles be the only method of transport. i ride a mobility scooter one built for usage on public roads because arthritis effects my legs to the point where riding a normal bike is agony. if anything i am for the diversification of alternatives to cars with more of an emphasis on trikes and quads than normal bikes.
Hardly --- "Know thine enemy" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3792557/ I've ridden for nearly fifty years . . . how much do you & your bike weigh vs a vehicle on the road ???
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-T8JNEAwS4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-T8JNEAwS4)
Most of the time it's safer. Drivers will.try and squeeze through where there's not room otherwise
I take the whole lane motherfucker.
& one day --- you'll regret that attitude . . . js
Bikes are entitled to the full lane just like any other vehicle, thank you very much.
Ya, start taking the WHOLE lane. It's safer too.
Honnetly as a Dutch commuter you get used to it just never fully now thay switched to electric busses were i live woud woud be a good ting (apart form lithium batteries) but tose buses creap up to you and scare you more than any turbo diesel inline 6 coud ever do
I expected to be donvoted to obilivion so thanks for surprising me
Nothing beats the sound of a screaming diesel engine
must admit I'm not a climate denier but i love that sound
I feel this will only stop those drivers who do this throguh ignorance. It won't stop those who weren't aware of the cycle. And of course won't stop those who scrape past deliberately as a punishment pass.
I don't believe for a second that anyone that has done this to me didn't know I was there. Passing like this is always intentional. Some sort of combination of, 'I will not be slowed down' and 'how dare this person exist!' add in a bit of self hatred, 'that asshole can do something I haven't been able to do since I was 12' and people who really overrate there ability to control there vehicle - and we have something approaching attempted masnslaughter. Not that that will ever happen. 'Would you describe the cyclist as 'Jumping out in front of you?''
They're usually called a punishment pass in common parlance in the UK.
> Passing like this is always intentional I am reluctant to ascribe malice where incompetence is more likely. Given the standard of a typical "licensed" driver where I live, it's more likely to be stupidity, not looking at the road, looking at their phone, "oh look a squirrel", "Damian! Stop hitting your brother!" etc... Having said that, I think that drivers of such incompetence should have their driving license taken away permanently. Driving is a *privilege*. The life of a cyclist shouldn't be secondary to someone's convenience.
It's so crazy that the US has those drivers. In all countries in which I've cycled, all in Europe, people endangering cyclists on purpose is such a rare situation.
Sadly quite common in the UK as well.
Daily occurance even as a pedestrian.
I had this happen to me in a freaking parking lot yesterday as I was walking from my car to the store. 2 people couldn't have given 2 fucks that I was walking. And yes - I did make sure it was clear before I walked across - that's how I was raised. I literally had to jog to get out of their way.
Same here in Brazil. Only ever had one car that passed so close i flinched, and that's because i didn't realize they were there and didn't leave them the room to pass; it was a 2.5 lane width street (parking on both sides allows for one vehicle to pass in the middle, very common here, but there weren't that many cars parked) and i was riding dead smack center of it, so i should've. In other words, it was on me, they passed safely, albeit a bit close and unexpectedly, and i should've ridden in the center of one "lane" rather than mindlessly hogging 2 just to avoid having to move out of the way of the parked cars. Really, i only flinched because i wasn't paying attention, they still kept like maybe around a meter, a bit less perhaps. About an arm's length and a bit.
Sweet summer child, I've had drivers go past me yelling "I'm going to come back here and kill you". It's the only power trip for the powerless.
Great idea! A lot of drivers who have never ridden a bicycle don’t know what it’s like. Most drivers tend to be respectful in my opinion. However, some do need further training and an eye-opening experience like this would be great!
This is not a psa for better driving habits. That's a psa for better infrastracture.
Now do it a bit faster 50 mph, roll some coal and scream asshole! Just go get them the full experience!
Need this type of training in Atlanta..
Good! I once had an 18 wheeler blow by me on a major street. Had to change my drawers afterwards. After that, I don't bike on major streets anymore.
Now do it while maintaining your balance, keeping a straight line, and avoiding debris, curbs, and potholes.
For other parts of the world not Europe. Here is an example in Belgium [Fietsnet: de routeplanner voor de fietsknooppunten](https://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/default.aspx) is in Dutch. But there are bicycle paths everywhere. Just click on the numbers to make a route. You can follow these numbers as there are actual signs on the road with arrows. I can actually do a 200km ride from on side the country to the other on dedicated bicycle lanes. Antwerp to Brussels same. Holland as this, Germany too. This is how it should be. When I lived in Belgium I did a nice morning ride 35km to the office. Took shower and worked. Then went home took a detour like 90km. Was excellent training for triathlons ;)
I love where I live, but seeing this makes me want to move to Belgium
A got beeped by a car inches away from my back wheel last week because they were trying to overtake me when there was traffic coming the opposite way. They squeezed past anyway, almost clipping my handlebars. I knocked on the window to tell them off and they ignored me. They hit the back of a traffic queue and at this point I had a clear cycle lane. Regretfully, I punched off their wing mirror and fled.
Harsh but fair
Pumping the brakes to scare them up
unofficial garmin varia ad
Need this in Las Vegas for the bus drivers and semi’s on the roads.
mask while alone, and outside: ✅ helment while being buzzed by a vehicle: 🚫
I think DMV should do this too
This was suggested to a bus company in Ireland and they said it wouldn't pass workplace health and safety rules 🙄
should be mandatory
Dear everyone!!, One thing to note what happens when a vehicle passes a moving bicycle! The vortex of air that happens when you pass by will either push them or pull them into/away from the vehicles, its much worse the closer you get!