cyclist leans against my car at a red light...

[olzed]

I would thank him as well, for telling me my light was out, but he could still do that withought leaning on my car. My car is my pride. Would he pay the damage if his bike scratched my paint,?. No, he would disapear in the traffic leaving me to pay the damage.

Edit. He is a danger to himself on the road. Are we supposed to look out for cyclists who may or may not lean on our cars. What if I don't see him, and decide to make a turn, and hit him. Am I in the wrong ?

Edited January 7, 2012 by olzed

[tlorber]

I cycle occasionally as well, and I have a lot of respect for guys that are able to bike up hills that take time to climb in a car. However, many of them have a habit of I insisting on their rights.

On new years day I was on a 100 car rally and there were many points in the canyons where cyclists were in the middle of the road during some sharp, blind apexes. At times 30-40 cars would be stacked up behind a cyclist. The law here says if 5 or more cars are behind you, you need to pull over to let them pass.

As stated above, their adherence to laws is quite selective.

[LeonV]

I would thank him as well, for telling me my light was out, but he could still do that withought leaning on my car. My car is my pride. Would he pay the damage if his bike scratched my paint,?. No, he would disapear in the traffic leaving me to pay the damage.

Edit. He is a danger to himself on the road. Are we supposed to look out for cyclists who may or may not lean on our cars. What if I don't see him, and decide to make a turn, and hit him. Am I in the wrong ?

A danger? By touching the car when stopped? Gimme a break. If, of all things, you're scared that someone will touch your car while you're driving then by all means just keep it in the garage.

I cycle occasionally as well, and I have a lot of respect for guys that are able to bike up hills that take time to climb in a car. However, many of them have a habit of I insisting on their rights.

On new years day I was on a 100 car rally and there were many points in the canyons where cyclists were in the middle of the road during some sharp, blind apexes. At times 30-40 cars would be stacked up behind a cyclist. The law here says if 5 or more cars are behind you, you need to pull over to let them pass.

As stated above, their adherence to laws is quite selective.

Were you at the anti-football run? I was there in my Z along with a couple other Zs and a Skyline!

I agree that some cyclists can be complete morons (as can any other person), but that doesn't mean that we should morons back to them. I too get annoyed when they hog the road and feel all self-righteous, but I'm not going to shoot them or run them off the road. I've seen a guy almost run a cyclist off the road, it's stupidity at its finest. Sounds like some people just need to take a deep breath and relax...

[Mike]

I'm still waiting for you to comment about the brake light. Was it really out?

[olzed]

Yes Leon. A danger to himself by being close enought to lean on my car.If I were NOT to see you leaning on my car, and turned into you, I would wager I would be held responsible for your foolishness. There are many blind spots on cars, where a cyclist can be hard to see, and the last thing I would expect is someone that close to my car. Very foolhardy.

[esmit208]

would like to chime in here because I too am an avid road cyclist. I see it this way, if the person were walking through the parking lot and all of a sudden needed to stop to rest for a moment, would I lean on someones car or would I find a bench or someting else to sit on? I think the latter. No..........It wasn't right to lean on someones car even though he told you of a safety issue. If you decided to turn right on red and he goes down it's his fault. Just because you are clipped in is no reason to lean on someones car. If you can't unclip in an instant then wear shoes that don't require clipping in. Here in Florida cyclists tend to be even more aware mostly due to the age of the population as well as people moving here from many different places where the laws concerning sharing the road are different. Here where I live there are very few designated cycling lanes so it is even more imperative to be on the watch for motorists. As far as the gun thing goes, guns solve nothing they just seem to add to over crowded cemetaries.

[doradox]

I used to be an avid cyclist myself and yes there are a bunch of jerks riding bikes. There are just as many driving 4000lbs of steel, that unlike a bike, can kill. The guy on the bike was in the wrong just from the fact that he was passing on the right and in a lane already occupied by another vehicle. If the car had turned right the cyclist would be at fault. virtually all cyclists do this but how many realize it's wrong, and dangerous, is anyone's guess. I did it all the time, knew the risk, and never put myself to the right of a car as we passed through an intersection. For all intents and purposes you are invisible to drivers and you need to ride as if you actually are.

Steve

[cozye]

Cozye, would you say that the degree of responsibility for you're own safety be the same on a bicycle in downtown streets as a motorcycle? I ask this because this is where more often conflicts occur. It is simply harder to see a cyclist or motorcycle at times. A motorcyclist learns to be visible and to be cautious, where as (at least here in seattle) there is the additude that cyclists have no resosibility for protecting themselves from harm, that it is up to other vehicles to avoid them, or as here in seattle paint the roadways with bike icons everywere (I don't understand that at all).

I agree. I don't ride much in the city, but I use bright lights, strobing, even during the day. I ride as if I were a motorcycle, I don't creep up on cars at a stop light, I keep my place in line. I don't hug the edge of the road because I can't be seen, I ride In the middle of the lane unless a car is trying to pass me, then I will move over some if there is no oncoming cars (motorist will try and wedge there car between you and oncoming traffic and run you off the road). Basically I ride as courteous as possible, obeying all laws, while protecting myself as much as possible.

First, let me say I enjoy cycling, and do it responsibly.

However, my experience in multiple locations around the urban Bay Area is that most cyclists only follow the rules of the road when it suits them and ignore the rules rest of the time. They consistently run stops signs & red lights, cut in front of cars, switch lanes and make left turns in traffic with no signal or warning. Then when one of them is contacted by a car or truck, (usually the cyclists fault), they "literally" start screaming about thier rights. (and no, I've never hit a cyclist).

Also, if youv'e ever seen "critical mass" cyclists in San Francisco snarl traffic downtown at rush hour, week after week to make a point about sharing the road, (or in thier case, NOT sharing the road), you might be more inclined to consider many cyclists a hazard.

I don't hate cyclists, enjoy cycling and respect "responsible" cyclists. But think "aggresive" urban cyclists hurt their cause far more than they help it. Not only that, even when they are "in the right", when accidents occur, the cyclist always loses to the motor vehicle.

One more thing, if you are packing while you ride and don't have a CC permit, that's a Federal offense. Not responsible at all...

There are just as many people in cars doing that and acting out on road rage, no one hates motorists and starts a campaign against them, well because everyone has a car so they would be included. It's the same people doing it in a car that go homeland get their bike out and act like an arse.

And yes, I have a conceal carry license, and no, it's not a federal offense.

I cycle occasionally as well, and I have a lot of respect for guys that are able to bike up hills that take time to climb in a car. However, many of them have a habit of I insisting on their rights.

On new years day I was on a 100 car rally and there were many points in the canyons where cyclists were in the middle of the road during some sharp, blind apexes. At times 30-40 cars would be stacked up behind a cyclist. The law here says if 5 or more cars are behind you, you need to pull over to let them pass.

As stated above, their adherence to laws is quite selective.

As you know from riding a bike, it's very very stressful having a bunch of cars stacked up behind you. No one likes this, not even most cyclist. I'd be willing to bet those guys didn't know there was going to be a rally that day. Sometimes it might b best to pull over, but in a high traffic situation remember that the stream of cars never ends. The cyclist would be pulled over most of the time. Many times the cyclist is just trying to get off the road as quick as possible and the way to do that is keep riding.

I used to be an avid cyclist myself and yes there are a bunch of jerks riding bikes. There are just as many driving 4000lbs of steel, that unlike a bike, can kill. The guy on the bike was in the wrong just from the fact that he was passing on the right and in a lane already occupied by another vehicle. If the car had turned right the cyclist would be at fault. virtually all cyclists do this but how many realize it's wrong, and dangerous, is anyone's guess. I did it all the time, knew the risk, and never put myself to the right of a car as we passed through an intersection. For all intents and purposes you are invisible to drivers and you need to ride as if you actually are.

Steve

I agree with you except the passing on the right part. I don't do it. I hold my place in line as most of the people who I ride with

[d240zx2]

Wow. My 9mm comment was meant more as a bit of subtle humor rather than as what some of you have portrayed. Sorry if I upset your applecarts.

[Brubaker]

I understand the frustration in the bay area. I was in SF and was driving through the business district. There were lots of traffic lights and lots of bicyclists. The cyclists would manuever and spread across the road at the red lights in front of all the cars. Once the light turned they would head off and slowly migrate to the right by the time you could get around them they delayed you so much that you would get stopped at the next light and they would catch up and pull in front of you again and the whole process would begin again, light after light. It was not pleasant.

The problem is that cities have not built enough bike lanes. It should be a mandate in areas where bikes are prevalent that roads install bike lanes or at least any improvements or new roads include them. When roads are barely wide enough for a car that is when most of the problems arise with cyclists, same problem with joggers. More cycling would reduce the demand for gas and that is a good thing.

I don't understand the aggressive cyclists. Going up against a car, an unknown driver, maybe aggressive as well? Right - you lose.

[Jeremy Mizerak]

A 9mm would discourage such activity.

ea i like my 1911 45 ACP

[5thhorsemann]

The 1911 is for decoration, possibly the prettiest automatic ever made. Now, the H&K USP .45ACP, that’s what you need by your side when the uppity bikers go fingering your paint. Or better yet……….Copy of minigun.bmp I don't know why it won't display the attachment, but click on it and see why they don't walk on my grass or lean on my car!

Edited January 7, 2012 by 5thhorsemann