This is a curious question I have based on my observations of bicyclists this summer. Why is it that cyclists never look behind them while riding? I understand that if bikes have mirrors, they may as well add an engine too. But why have I yet to see a cyclist look behind them? As a motorcyclist, I keep an eye on my mirrors and look over my shoulder when I’m moving over. I would think this would be appropriate for cyclists as the physics are essentially the same on these 2 vehicles, but alas, not so.
Is there something I’m missing? Cyclists, please shed some light on this before one of you ends up on the pavement.
—PDG
This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2009.
Most cyclists have no clear understanding of both their responsibilities on the road or the ways to commute safely through the streets. Those that know cringe when they see how other cyclists give our two wheel group a bad name. Constant shoulder peaks should be the norm, as on a motorcycle you must always assume no one sees you.
I have seen cyclists go from following traffic to becoming pedestrian without getting off their bike like hey I can across and beat traffic by cutting through crosswalk…NO YOU CAN’T!
No licensing procedure to ride a bike so this issue will never get resolved…thin the herd I say and hit them.
Apparently you used to have to license bycicles in HRM – I know because I lived in a junk pile once of a house and in the yard there was an old bike with an HRM bike license plate on it.
Yes, the bike’s had to be licensed but it was just a registration process no riding test.
So help me fuck, I’m gonna buy myself a megaphone and start shrieking at some of those cycling turds. One flew right through a stop sign this morning and almost became my hood ornament as I was making a left turn – why do some cyclists think they don’t have to follow the rules of the road?? It’s amazing more aren’t lying on top of a dead porcupine.
When I ride, I’m constantly checking behind me because I’m terrified of getting mowed over… it’s called self-preservation, people.
If I understand it correctly, when “driving” a bicycle, the rider is supposed to follow the rules of the road for motor vehicles.
I fucking hate it when I see cyclists blowing through red lights / stop signs. I hate when they decide they are a pedestrian and use the crosswalk / sidewalk to get ahead.
Fucking idiots.
I can only speak for myself, not all cyclists, but I shoulder-check all the time. As Jennier said, it’s self-preservation. Being on a little bicycle surrounded by big steel machines makes you rather vulnerable. When I ride, I’m extra attentive and constantly aware of my surroundings, so I don’t get splattered across the pavement by some crazy motorist.
i am sick and tired of you lazy, road-hogging, self-righteous, whining cunts CONSTANTLY BITCHING about cyclists.
you know what the real problem in this shithole city is? it is YOU motorists – NOT us cyclists.
you stupid bastards are just pissed-off b/c YOU CHOSE to sit/wait/idle in bumper-bumper traffic, making your generous contribution to smog/GHG emissions, while we cyclists simply get where we need to go – cleanly, quietly and efficiently.
it was YOUR choice to drive a car, instead of riding a bike, so suck it up bitches!
just this week, some hillbilly moron in a pickup truck tried to run me off the road – intentionally – even though I had the right of way (he was merging, i was on a straight-away with a green light). AND then, the sadistic piece of shit had the gall to LAUGH out loud about it – likely trying to impress the ditzy sow sitting next to him (who was barefoot & pregnant no doubt).
so, even though i was riding my bike with the traffic, dutifully following the ‘rules’ of the road, i still nearly get clipped and run down by some self-entitled hick with the apparent IQ of an amoeba.
you know what, to hell with you self-righteous jag offs and your ‘rules’ – you SOBs have zero respect for cylists anyway, and behave/drive as though you own the goddamn roads. the anti-cyclist rhetoric by some of you is truly pathetic – cyclists deserve way more respect and a lot less contempt. each of us represents one less car on the road, and more asphalt for you lazy slobs to hog.
i’m gonna ride my bike wherever i damn well please, even in the crosswalks, rather than attempt to make left-hand turns into oncoming traffic, whilst sucking on exhaust fumes and being goaded by contemptuous drivers who are clearly resentful of cyclists being on ‘their’ roads in the first place.
and a BIKE is NOT a fucking CAR alright, the two are entirely different things, so STFU about it already! assholes.
oh, TTFN – sweetie, i’ll give you a goddamn ‘hood ornament’, when i throw my U-Lock into your FACE. you hit me, i better not get up – else you are going down, bitch.
Tech, do yourself a favour. Since you hate civilization and everything that come with it, get yourseld a cave or cabin in the backwoods somewhere. You’ll be much happier and won’t have to deal with the rest of us.
I’ll agree with the OP – most don’t look because they don’t follow any of the other rules of the road. However, often if there’s not much traffic, and the wind is going in the right direction you hear vehicles in close proximity or even far away (assuming of course that cyclist is biking without an iPod – shame shame) because a bike is a pretty noiseless vehicle. No excuse, a bad habit for sure (one I try to avoid as a cyclist), but sometimes I get lazy too. Maybe one day a hybrid/electric car will smoke my smug ass – and I would deserve it.
FYI, I bike too. So I follow the rules as if I were driving my car. I don’t weave in and out of traffic. I stop at red lights and stop signs. I don’t ride my bike across the crosswalk b/c it may be easier. I don’t ride the opposite the flow of traffic. And, I use my hand signals. I find in doing these simple things, it makes my trip easier.
There are very few bikers that I have come across that actually follow the rules. I feel that the majority of the cyclists are the ons with the attiude problem. Just look at techcafe’s comments above. He talks about “road-hogging, self-righteous, whining cunts “. Maybe he should step back and look at his own comments.
I do admit, there are some real assholes that drive cars out there and think they own the road and will go out of their way to harass cyclists. I know, I have been on the recieving end of that.
Now, lets hug and ride our bikes and drive our cars together!
You try it, techcafe, and you’ll get that shoved up your ass so far, you’ll have to gargle to unlock it. I live 20 minutes from town, you neandrathal cuntflap, so I need a vehicle. I can’t believe the depth of your vacous stupidity.
tech has to chill or something.
I ride a bike, please don’t kill me folks.
@Magpie – like we don’t see inattentive motorists blabbing on their mobile phones ALL THE TIME, some even with the tell-tale white earbuds, listening to their iPods – while driving, no less. i’ve seen people driving, plugged into their earphones, practically oblivious to what’s going on around them. that’s certainly not something i would do on city streets, especially while driving a car.
and just because the motorist doesn’t happen to *notice* the cyclist take a look in his/her periphery, doesn’t mean we don’t know what is behind us. chances are, we actually DID look behind (peripheral vision, i’m sure you’ve all heard of it) and we do know if there are cars behind us. because we are riding a bike, we have a mostly unobstructed view, plus we HEAR the traffic, so in actuality, we are more AWARE of what is happening around us than many of you (non-cycling) motorists are.
@Bro Tim – yawn… please GFY
@ Bitch, Please – hah! gimme a break, as if motorists know their ‘hand signals’. i DO btw, and i use hand signals while riding in traffic – for all the good it does me. it must be said though, many cyclists don’t seem to know their proper hand signals, especially the hand signal to turn RIGHT. i rarely see any cyclist do that properly, nevermind motorists.
@ TTFN – haha! ‘neandrathal’ [sic] cuntflap… that’s cute. seems when you’re not talking about your SUV-sized tits, TTFN, then you’re going on about cuntflaps. still, you’re hilarious, and i enjoy your bitches.
and speaking of ‘vacous’ stupidity, miss cuntflap… maybe next time you might consider grabbing a dictionary, before you bitch someone out for being a VACUOUS NEANDERTHAL
The OP drives for a living folks. If he’s noticing a pattern like this, I am apt to believe it’s true.
Awwww…did my misspelling cause a seizure or something??? Yes, I am fascinated with cuntflaps. On a cold day they can keep your ears nice and toasty (or fishy) provided you’re standing on your head.
God I love you TTFN!
My daughter rides a bicycle to and from work every day in Ottawa (which has great bike lanes). Last month she was hospitalized with a double fracture (one external) to her arm and a nasty face burn and bruises. Her crime?
Riding in the bike path doing a healthy 20kmh clip (her usual) when a motorist decided he could fit in between the right lane of traffic and the curb. He said he checked his right hand rear mirror and saw the bike coming but thought he had enough time to pull out – from a dead stop. Obviously he couldn’t judge speed.
She could have been killed and will require an awful lot of physical therapy in the future.
I have to agree with those who say a lot of motorists don’t respect cyclists and resent having to share the road with them. They have a right to be on the roads as well, to make right and left hand turns and to cross traffic lanes to do so. They use hand signals mostly. Maybe some drivers don’t know wtf hand signals are.
The difference between the vulnerabilities of the two should be obvious to all. A bike is no match for a car and I’ve seen many drivers blow off cyclist in this city. Hitting a cyclist is like hitting a ped and drivers better be well aware of that fact.
I agree with techcafe on two points… most commuter cyclists are rarely the problem, it is people who are cruising or just popping to the store etc. Although on occasion they can be bad too. His point about motorists is valid in some way because you can literally count on one hand the amount of cars you see in rush hour with more than one person. Try car pooling? It would be amazing to see how this could impact traffic.
For the rest of his shite it is ramblings of a madman…piss and moan and admitting to being part of the problem is just stupid. I commuted for years by bike and if you choose to switch from car to pedestrian using cross walks (NOT FOR BIKES) I can honk and tell you to fuck off because you are the reason why we cyclist have a bad name. Having been involved for years in cycling world most of us feel bad for the self righteous fanatical biker types who feel everyone is out to get them.
For crying out loud isn’t this bitch played out already? Can’t we just agree that drivers and cyclists who don’t follow the rules are endangering each other’s lives? Why does one group have to be completely innocent?
I biked for years when I lived in the city and never had a problem – there seemed to be some level of politeness between cars and bikes back then. These days, it’s like some cyclists and motorists have NO patience or time for the rules of the road. My brother, an avid cyclist of 40 years, now takes his bike to low traffic rural areas after creamed by some dumb, cell-yapping bitch a couple of years ago on the Bedford highway. The cunt got out of the car, saw that he was breathing, got back into her car and fled. I have no problem with bikes, only riders who have that sense of entitlement where the rules don’t apply to them – actually, I could say much the same about drivers.
we should get those wheel swords fitted to our cars like they used to have on chariots and scythe down all the cyclists as the radio blasts out Queen’s “another one bites the dust”
HAWHAWHAWHAWHAW, Basil – (whispers) Don’t mention the war.
@truthx2 – i don’t give a flying fuck about giving you a ‘bad name’.
i sometimes choose to use the crosswalk because it is much SAFER than attempting to make left-hand turns (particularly at large intersections), when there are AGGRESSIVE motorists, some clearly insane with road rage, barreling down on you from all sides, and speeding toward you, in a reckless attempt to get through the YELLOW light.
WTF is it a problem for the motorist, if i ride my bike across?? it’s not like i’m in your way, you had to stop anyway, and i get OUT OF YOUR WAY quicker too.
honestly, why bitch about something that helps keep cyclists AND motorists safer. we don’t use the crosswalk because it is *dangerous*, we use it because it helps prevent serious accidents and death.
look, if we followed the rules of the road to the letter, always staying in traffic, then you whiney asshat drivers would complain *even more* about us cyclists being an impediment on the roads.
People driving cars in Halifax are fucking morons.
I walk, bike AND drive a car – but for the most part, I chose to bike. All of you who drive a car in the city and LIVE in the city should be embarrassed. Get off your lazy asses and stop bitching about cyclists.
It’s time to close the downtown streets and give them back to the pedestrians and cyclists, a la Amsterdam.
This whole “cyclists need to start following the rules” BS coming from lazy psychotic drivers with small penises has to stop. Get over it. The world won’t bend for you.
I’m not going to keep biking 2k to the next light to cross when there’s a crosswalk in front of my destination. Street lights were designed for car distances, and as a cyclist (I also drive and walk), I’m going to cross at the cross walk.
Halifax CATERS to drivers, and yet you’re still complaining? It’s time for a reality check. Cyclists and pedestrians have a lot more to worry about than you do, sitting comfortably in your car.
I suggest that some of you travel to international cities to see how people treat cars vs cyclists. I think you’ll be surprised. You can barely move in a car in Amsterdam or Munich.
and I’m pretty sure I can walk my bike through a crosswalk legally. If I can’t, then the law is not based on logic.
@jhey – HEAR! HEAR! i’m totally on-side with your Amsterdam idea. at least turn some of the downtown streets into ONE-WAY (like they did in Montreal), so that *proper* (and safer) bike lanes (buffered from motorized traffic) can be implemented.
Why do you have a bike if you walk it everywhere? Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose?
Nevermind,
Is your question a joke? I “cross” streets maybe 5% of the trip, it’s insignificant.
And for the real answer? I got clipped twice in Halifax turning at an intersection, using the proper hand signals.
The real question is why does it even bother motorists when a cyclist decides to walk his or her bike across a cross walk? The fact that this angers you is more indicative of a problem than cyclists walking their bikes across a crosswalk.
Tech, talk about yawns? Your rants make the Unabomber sound sane.
@BT – and your inane drivel puts me to sleep, ‘Bro’… YAWN
nevermind asks, “Why do you have a bike if you walk it everywhere? Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose?”
exactly, and it makes no sense to force cyclists to walk our bikes in a crosswalk either. it’s not like we are menacing to pedestrians or endangering motorists. the vast majority of us are courteous and ride safely across, and we get out of your way sooner. we are able to SHARE the crosswalks with pedestrians, who don’t seem to have a problem with us, yet here we have you bitches complaining about something you can’t even be bothered to partake in yourselves.
i think motorists just LOVE to bitch about ANYTHING that gets in their way, because many of you have a grossly exaggerated sense of entitlement to OUR roads. it’s not like we cyclists aren’t willing to share the roads either, rather, it is YOU drivers that are outright hostile toward anything/everything on the road, bikes, pedestrians, other cars, you name it… nobody else matters to some of you self-righteous jerks.
It’s become apparent that the motorists bitching here should not be driving on public streets – for safety reasons.
Anyone who gets angry because a cyclist decides to walk his or her bike at a crosswalk has some serious issues that should be resolved before sitting behind the wheel.
Oh ok I see the rules should only apply to those that break them with purpose…what about the 90% of idiots who use crosswalks because they are already on sidewalks or lawns?
Because I am a better driver should I speed through school zones?
You argument holds no merit when you admit to ignoring some very basic and realistic laws for bikes. The reason some motorists are hostile is because you choose to do what you want and it pisses them off.
As for not caring how it makes people paint all cyclists with the same brush …well this is why the serious cyclists who care about how we are perceived shake our heads and feel bad for you. You are what holds us back from improving things…you are simply put the biggest problem.
Wait a minute here!
Are you telling me that I can’t get off my bike at a cross walk and walk it across? I have every right to do so. Furthermore, the mere fact that this angers someone is only indicative of his temperament and this said person should NOT be driving.
Stop whining. Like I said, out of all the transportation options in Halifax, motorists have it easy. You’re just a bunch of entitled hicks.
The only real problem would be if a cyclist zips through a crosswalk riding his bike. In that case, I would side with the motorist as it would be very difficult to see the cyclist on time.
And for all you “rule” pushers, grow up. If you haven’t realized yet, not all rules make sense, and some rules can result in harm (me getting clipped by cars twice in Halifax while I was carefully following the “rules”).
Again, if a person walking his or her bike through a crosswalk angers you, I would suggest you seek some help and stop driving as you are a danger to society with your temper!
@truthx2 – maybe i’ll start obeying the stupid ‘crosswalk law’ when you motorists show some respect for cyclists at intersections. until then, i WILL continue to use the crosswalk, so that i may get to my destination SAFELY.
and that some of you are bitching about such a LAME thing, a cyclist in a crosswalk, goes to show just how petty (some) douchebag drivers can be.
fuck all of ya!
I agree with you…walking is the key.
The example given here is called “sliding” when someone gets to red light and then goes across crosswalk as if they are now pedestrian with out getting off the bike and then continuing on like they were before on the road. Using the “safety” argument instead of being honest saying they are just too impatient to wait for signal to change and wait your turn.
I know as well as you that it is unfortunate that we take a risk when we get on our bike but being willfully defiant and wreckless is no excuse. I am siding on the biker who chooses to follow the basic laws not the one who blatantly defies them in the name of “they know best, different rules for everyone”.
Dude…in spite of saying multiple times I ride and I would bet more than you ride. I am simply stating that because you think it is ok does not make a defensible act and this is why people get pissed off at cyclists… because they seem to do what they want. People who choose this method of making their point do nothing to further the odds it would ever change rather strengthen the argument of the opposition. This is why I said you are the biggest problem.
I drive only because I have to as a way to meet with clients. I ride road, MTN and yes one of those cursed fixies as well. To lump me in with the other drivers is fine but I can guarantee you ever threw something at me after you did something illegal to piss me off I would get out of my car and beat you with one of the 4 bike carriers on my roof.
Agreed truthx2.
Also, I mentioned it before, but will say it again here, unless we all (drivers and cyclists and pedestrians) follow the same rules, we are behaving unpredictably and the ability to predict the behavior of those you share the road with is key to safety.
@truthx2 – look ‘dude’, while you busy yourself with road rules & regs and other technicalities, i am keeping myself safe by not inviting a potential accident whilst attempting a left-hand turn at busy/dangerous intersections. it is LESS SAFE for for a cyclist to try such a hair brained manoeuver, especially in this city; it is much safer for the cyclist to stay on the right (where most drivers apparently *expect* us to be anyway), and then traverse the crosswalk to make it safely to the other side. yes, i have on many occasions just stood my ground in the middle of the lane, and made the left turn, even at the busy intersections, but you should see the look on the faces of other drivers. they’re either stunned/perplexed, worried or just pissed-off that i am holding them up. i’d have no problems at all riding my bike in traffic at all times (aside from the stench of exhaust fumes from the cars ahead of me), IF motorists were respectful of cyclists and didn’t lose their collective shit whenever a cyclist happens to be in their way.
there is NO rational reason for a motorist to get pissed-off at a cyclist for merely using a crosswalk, whether s/he is walking or riding, so long as it is being done safely. but as i say, motorists will use every excuse in the book to bitch about *everything* that happens to be in their way on the road.
and i’ll tell you something else, there are a LOT MORE reckless & dangerous drivers on the roads/highways than there are careless cyclists. cyclists account for a miniscule amount of reckless/dangerous road behaviour, whereas motorists are, by far, the most menacing and dangerous assholes on the road.
and what’s this about you being better than me just because you’ve got some bike carriers on the roof of your car? are you serious?? pfft, what a poser/goof you are.
Getting back to the OP…
Why, indeed? Because as a society we have “sympathy” for the poor bi-cyclist over the evil petroleum distillate-powered perambulator driver…but this has got to change. In fact, 2 wheelers KNOW you’re there, and they KNOW (or assume they do) you can see them, but they prefer to soldier on seemingly oblivious.
Thing is, even the most “supportive-of-bike” car drivers will be, or have been, startled by a manic cyclists….driving more and more aggressively as they are emboldened by support from rags like the Coast…
And THAT, my friends, explains in a nut shell why support for our two-wheeled friends is dwindling year by year…a few, spoil the bunch et al…
actually truthx2, if you’ve got FOUR bike carriers on the roof of your vehicle – then what do you drive, a fucking TANK??
‘drive to ride’ ugh yeah, that makes a lot of sense. like i said… you’re a poser. you probably don’t even ride in the city, if at all. and the bike racks are just for show.
“look ‘dude’, while you busy yourself with road rules & regs and other technicalities, i am keeping myself safe by not inviting a potential accident whilst attempting a left-hand turn at busy/dangerous intersections.”
I do not disagree it can be very unsafe at times…doesn’t make your argument any more valid. I have been tossed twice in my life by cars where it was not even remotely close to being my fault. I don’t somehow change my thought processes to start following and not following certain accepted laws of traffic to make myself feel more righteous due to the safety argument. This again begs the question, can I speed through a school zone if I am a better driver? You can do whatever the fuck you want just don’t try and defend the position…admit you don’t give a shit and seriously could give two sweet fucks if it gives all other bikers a worse reputation.
“there is NO rational reason for a motorist to get pissed-off at a cyclist for merely using a crosswalk, whether s/he is walking or riding, so long as it is being done safely. but as i say, motorists will use every excuse in the book to bitch about *everything* that happens to be in their way on the road.
Is it possible that there are situations where someone not as bike savvy as yourself might try same thing but with someone turning right from left side and having to jam on breaks to avoid hitting cyclist in crosswalk (witnessed this and biker got pissed) or the car wanting to go right and having them cut the car off.
“and i’ll tell you something else, there are a LOT MORE reckless & dangerous drivers on the roads/highways than there are careless cyclists. cyclists account for a miniscule amount of reckless/dangerous road behaviour, whereas motorists are, by far, the most menacing and dangerous assholes on the road.”
Probably right but I would argue the %’s are probably similar. I don’t dispute most drivers can be dicks…I spend ½ the time on my road bike as I did 5 yrs ago for couple reasons, prefer MTN and hate being on road with cars. Still does not make your points any more valid. If this was argument ripping cyclists and someone was militantly defending the righteousness of the car being the only way I would defend the cyclist as vehemently.
“and what’s this about you being better than me just because you’ve got some bike carriers on the roof of your car? are you serious?? pfft, what a poser/goof you are.”
I made this statement as a counter to you saying you would throw a u-lock at someone in earlier post and the irony of being beaten with a carrier. Don’t be bitter because I have a car AND bikes… true to form as a fanatical biker boy you feel anyone who might have a car is a poser… carriers, how the fuck should I transport bikes to the hill or PEI for a riding weekend?
Well… fuck you because I know I have done far more for the cycling community both in HRM and provincially than you have or ever will. Spend some time volunteering at a race weekend or in the woods maintaining trails like this poser does instead of being a dick head on the road blaming the world for your shitty little life.
Ah techcafe, you should work for CSI or whatever, you can tell that someone is a ‘poser’ because they say they ride and have racks on their roof which are ‘just for show’. Quite a detective you are.
Heh, I can fit three bikes, maybe four if I got a fourth rack, on my roof. I find it better to drive 20-30 minutes out of town to do 3-4 hour rides as opposed to riding around Sambro or Peggy’s Cove for the 100th time (and dealing with tour busses and an endless stream of tourists and locals in their cars).
Anybody who has spent the 100s of bucks to be able to cram 4 bikes on their roof probably isn’t a poser, any more than I could call you an enviro-nazi zealot based on your diatribes. Get over yourself. And, even if some did spend over a grand on their bike and rack and only use it once every two weeks, so fucking what? Oh, they’re not saving the world, I guess.
I haven’t been biking to work to save the enviroment, its because I a) hate sitting in traffic, and b) am too cheap to pay for parking.
Am I a ‘poser’ too?
You’re making us look as bad as those Critical Ass assholes make us look, most of whom I would call ‘posers’ because I guarantee you when their trust funds kick in they’ll be driving VW’s
Two MTN carriers …highrollers because I guess I am pimp wannabe or maybe just better to carry the all mtn bikes 35 lbers. Two road fork carriers for when I travel so I can take road and mtn bikes. Not that hard to fit 4 bikes on a roof especially when two are without front wheels and road bikes.
Rack for show???yea not too sure, two hour ride on Sunday then lake loop rip before sunset on Monday and did lake loop + suzy q on Tuesday in retarded heat with two buddies. Played hockey today so no ride but rides planned tomorrow and Saturday weather permitting. If I don’t get a ride in I usually will take rip through PPP on the fixie. Other than wherever the fuck you are going on your bike when do you ride and is it ever for fun????I am sure I spend much more time smiling on mine and most likely more time on my bikes period.
You are right I spend less time on my bike in city than I used to. Commuted via bike for 3 yrs here and for 4 yrs in Ottawa when I had only a bike. How that makes me a poser I don’t know. You are simply arguing now because you don’t want to be wrong…keep throwing out the name calling card to further show you’re losing an argument…rebel without a clue.
@truthx2 – wow, aren’t you a righteous prick… enough said. we’re done.
No… just right.
Glad to see you proved my last point again though.
Will this finally be the last we hear from techcafe? Probably not but we can only hope.
Here’s a hint: don’t make assumptions about people based on sentences/paragraphs on internet forums. Avoid sweeping generalizations too, ie: most cyclists are cocksuckers.
Maybe we’re ‘posers’ because we bike because we like it and not neccesarily to save the planet?
I only posted this as a curious question, not an actual bitch as I haven’t cycled (without a motor) in years. That said, techcafe suggests bikers, without engine noise, are aware of what is behind them, which does sound plausible. Techcafe is also right in that motorists do some crazy ass shit around cyclists. The war will never end, and as long as there are assholes on both ends, just share the road and try not to kill each other.
I will put this one out here on behalf of my large vehicle brethren. Cyclists, buses have gigantic blind spots. Much larger than on cars, and even if the bus has a back window, we still can’t see a cyclist directly behind the bus. With this in mind, if you see a large vehicle, bus or otherwise, ahead of you with a turn signal on, please, PLEASE do not ride your bike on that side of the vehicle when pulling ahead of it. Yes, it needs to be said, trust me on this one.
this discussion WAS about cyclists in the city, truthx2, until you took it ‘off-road’ with your bragging about how many roof racks you had. i don’t give a shit about how many bikes you have or where you drive them to ride. what does any of that have to do with cyclists – in the city – using a crosswalk to traverse the streets *more safely*? that WAS what we were all talking about, right?
in any case, expecting cyclists to strictly follow the ‘same rules’ as motorized vehicles, when motorists barely tolerate the cyclist as it is, does not make our streets safer, quite the contrary. and it makes no sense to restrict a cyclist from using a crosswalk to *safely* get across, whether walking or riding. in many circumstances, it actually is *safer* for the cyclist to use the crosswalk instead of attempting left-hand turns INTO the oncoming traffic of a large intersection, that just so happens to be *speeding* toward you, and all of them maniacally trying to outrun the red light. ummm yeah, i think i’ll take my chances in the crosswalk, thank you very much. you see, i chose the SAFER route, for me, thereby reducing the risk of accident/injury/fatality. WHY is that a problem? why should my desire to use a crosswalk(s) to make my journey across town safer, pose a problem for you sanctimonious ‘rules of the road’ fanatics? i don’t get it?? would you rather i chose the LESS SAFE route – just because some rules of the road nazi insists that cyclists always go head-to-head with motorists? i don’t think so. that’s just fucking retarded nonsense, and stupidly dangerous too.
anyway, i’ve had my say on the issue. seems (the motorist) mob rules however.
It’s great to know that as a cyclist, there will be people staring at me from their cars saying why the hell is she walking her bike across and others in other cars saying she shouldn’t ride her bike across!
Guess what! I am a person with legs. Able-bodied persons can walk OR bike. They are able to dismount their bike at any time and for any reason, at which point they become a pedestrian. Same as you do when you get out of your car. Fucking get used to it.
As for the OP’s question, I look behind me when I can hear cars coming and am unsure of whether we all can fit on the same roadway. Not sure why you’re not seeing other bicyclists checking.
ok so i’m not quite done yet (ahem)…
i also find it quite hypocritical of drivers to impose ‘their’ rules of the road onto the cyclist, when they themselves rarely/barely follow the rules. and so what, a cyclist violates your crosswalk rule – if the crosswalk happens to be the safest route for the cyclist to take, so be it.
and let’s face it, motorists break the rules all the time; like always trying to outrun the red light, when they’ve already got a yellow signalling them to SLOW down before a STOP. thing is though, when a motorist breaks the rules, as they often do, the consequences can be so much more severe for the ‘intruding’ cyclist (severe injuries usually), whereas ‘damage’ to the driver is usually quite minimal… a cracked whindshield maybe, some dents in the hood, probably gonna need a new paint job… maybe some of the cyclist’s blood spatter on the driver’s face.
the brave cyclist, on the other hand, is sprawled out on the street, cracked skull, likely bleeding, maybe breathing… hopefully still alive. but hey, she avoided the ‘easy crosswalk’ route (cuz it’s against the law, m’kay) – the brave young soul stuck to the rules of the road. good for her. but d’oh, now she’s dead. ooops, maybe forcing her to *cycle* into oncoming traffic, that is speeding, wasn’t such a smart idea after all. suddenly that crosswalk is looking better, for everyone involved.
as a cyclist, i can decide for myself which is the best, and safest, route for ME to take. forcing cyclists into oncoming traffic is supremely stupid and outright negligent, especially when there might be a safer alternative nearby… like a crosswalk.
if i had to sum it up… i’d simply say that motorists don’t get to decide which is the safest route for ME to take when i’m riding my bike. I am quite capable of making those decisions myself.
Don’t worry folks, with his attitude, tech will become another statistic soon. It will be through his foolhardy beliefs and learn the hard way that there is no shielding or force fields around his bike.
did you even READ anything i wrote, Bro Tim, or are you just talking shit and being an idiot again?
i use the crosswalk because it is SAFER! many other cyclists also do for the same reason. wtf don’t you understand about that, fool?
i’m not going to put my life in danger just because some of you fucking nazis say so. go fuck yourselves, the lot of you.
techcafe – I have to admit I find it fun debating people like you who really don’t know how to use reason or critical thinking. My biking experience was called to question by you calling me a poser which implies I have the gear and don’t use it. The explanation on the racks was for your disbelief as to how or why I would have the amount I do. It was as a response to your posts pitifully trying to defend your position.
As for the OP it was never about crosswalks it only became about crosswalks after I cited that manoeuvre as an example of how some things cyclists show complete lack of responsibility when on their bikes. I posted first to the OP with a clear response which has not wavered since I posted it.”Most cyclists have no clear understanding of both their responsibilities on the road or the ways to commute safely through the streets” The only thing I guess I would add now is that some know very well what they are doing and simply choose to be defiant thereby putting the less experience cyclist at risk by further perpetuating the motorists belief that cyclists are unpredictable. You have argued the same point non-stop. Once again you can’t actually argue it is valid, I know you know it’s not right and simply want to justify your position by stating it is more safe. The point you are missing is that riding in the city people have to follow some very basic traffic laws. You choose to not follow them and then choose the illegal way…you could very simply use a more legal way to avoid the drivers “maniacally trying to outrun the red light”. In situations where I came across what you explain I have often braved the crazed motorists and been safe or if I am so worried I get the fuck off my bike and walk it across with the other people crossing. WOW… everyone wins!
do you stupid fucks honestly think that we ride our bikes in the crosswalk just to piss off all the self-righteous motorists?? i (we) only do so if/when it is safer than riding in traffic. for my part, i am being conscientious and proactive about safety, by not cycling (uneccessarily) into oncoming traffic. after all, a bike is no match against large motorized vehicles, each weighing hundreds, maybe thousands of kilograms, all of them speeding toward the cyclist. sometimes the crosswalk is the safer option, for everyone, the cyclist and motorists. it really is that simple… safety first, right?!
or would you rather we throw caution out the window (or ‘threw’ your front windshield), just to appease some nazi pricks with a hardon for senseless rules, which were primarily intended for motorized vehicles in the first place – rules which you hypocritical fucks don’t even bother to follow yourselves at the best of times. yet you want the same rules, that many motorists do not abide by themselves, to be dogmatically enforced upon cyclists. that makes no sense and it’s dangerous.
the crosswalk is often safer, that is why we sometimes use it. bitching about ‘rules of the road’ is irrelevant; the safest route for the cyclist to take supersedes any senseless rule about prohibiting them from using a crosswalk (to travel safely).
i can’t make it any clearer than that, and even if i could, it probably wouldn’t matter to jerks like truthx2 anyway. you are just here to BITCH, ad nauseam.
They’re not the MOTORISTS’ rules of the road tech, they’re THE rules of the road. They apply to you too.
No one is confused about your point…you have been crystal clear from the beginning. YOU make a choice YOU believe to be the best way. Saying (we) after your “I” does not allow you to lump the rest of the cycling world in with you though.
I will say this, you could instead of sliding at an intersection get off your bike and walk to stay safe.
You call my experience into question, you fail to make any solid arguments and you resort to name calling in almost every post and I am the jerk? I have known many guys like you and if you are still even on a bike in 10 yrs you will be so fucking sour and pissed at the world most people will avoid you and your holier than thou…”taking down the man” perspective on life and how hard everything is for you.
Saying I bitch is insanely hypocritical…read the post history and see where you jumped in and what I had posted previously. I think the one comment I made about “thinning the herd” can obviously be taken as a joke considering in the same post I also state I am a biker. Your initial rant was a sophomoric diatribe of pent up anger. Even with your ridiculous post I still followed it up agreeing with you on two key points. Seriously dude you are making yourself look more and more ignorant and …well…uneducated and angry with every post.
Great, now we’re “nazis”. I hope Brad Pitt doesn’t come looking for me.
I guess you totally missed the point of “some know very well what they are doing and simply choose to be defiant thereby putting the less experience cyclist at risk by further perpetuating the motorists belief that cyclists are unpredictable”
So as long as you’re safe, right? Fuck everyone else, eh?
truthx2 said, “I do not disagree it can be very unsafe at times…doesn’t make your argument any more valid. I have been tossed twice in my life by cars where it was not even remotely close to being my fault.”
so, just because you like to ‘take your chances’ in oncoming traffic, and survive to brag/bitch about it, doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for every other cyclist. you might have just as easily been killed… so what, you got lucky, twice. i don’t feel the need to put my life at risk, especially facing oncoming traffic at busy intersections, therefore i will occasionally use the crosswalk to make my journey safer (for everyone). and i don’t give a fuck about what some sanctimonious prick, like yourself, thinks about it either.
@Cranky – if I am crossing SAFELY, that also means that YOU (the motorist) is also safe. it’s not rocket science, just common sense.
and btw, truthx2, who the fuck do you think you are anyway?? you don’t KNOW me, so you can stop your pontificating about my ‘perspective on life’ and other such inane bullshit. go fuck yourself, asshole.
Motorists
Think
We
Are
Unpredictable.
YOUR
actions
perpetuate
this
belief.
Techcafe, you don’t know any of us either, it works both ways.
Good job though, not only have you convinced non-cyclists that you’re an asshole, you have the cyclists on here thinking that too.
i don’t care what YOU think, Cranky… when i cycle, i do what keeps me safe. and in doing so, i also make it safer for motorists. so go ahead and get pissed off if you want, oh the injustice of it all, that a cyclist would dare ride in a crosswalk. at least i’ll still be alive, and not a ‘hood ornament’, as TTFN so graciously put it.
i am astounded that some of you think that cyclists should put their lives at risk, just to satisfy some sadistic motorists who get irate (over almost everything on the road) simply because a cyclist happens to use a crosswalk.
i think other people can speak for themselves, Cranky. but for the record, i also happen to think you’re a supreme asshole too (at least on LTWWB), but so what?
I’m just living up to my name, whats your excuse?
Tech – I TOO AM A CYCLIST!!! Wow!!
However, I’m assuming that you’re one of the annoying cyclists that choose to ride in the middle of the road often and carry a cloud of entitlement that says “fuck off, I can be as unpredictible as I want”. In whichever case I must assume that you are an enormous wanker.
Yes, I ride a bike.
Yes, I share motorists’ rage at apparent douche-y bikers with their crazy habits.
No, I will not accomodate you as a motorist if you decide to get selfish on the road.
With that said, I’m going for a bike ride.
yes, i know you are only living up to your alias, Cranky… i mentioned that once before if i’m not mistaken.
but why do any of us behave like assholes toward each other in a public forum. probably because of the anonymity and lack of understanding/empathy for our fellow bitchers.
maybe you should start a new bitch about it… and we’ll discuss.
meanwhile, i’ve got other stuff to do… bbl bitches
assume whatever you like, Dino… doesn’t mean you got it right, however.
enjoy your ride
TBH I am sick of your infantile rhetoric as well…you ask”why do any of us behave like assholes toward each other in a public forum. probably because of the anonymity and lack of understanding/empathy for our fellow bitchers.”
Let me take some of the finer, adult points you made in your first post to explain why people behaving like assholes toward you.
“you lazy, road-hogging, self-righteous, whining cunts.
real problem in this shithole city is? it is YOU motorists – NOT us cyclists.
you stupid bastards are just pissed-off …we cyclists simply get where we need to go – cleanly, quietly and efficiently.
suck it up bitches!
ditzy sow sitting next to him (who was barefoot & pregnant no doubt).
self-entitled hick with the apparent IQ of an amoeba.
to hell with you self-righteous jag offs and your ‘rules’ – you SOBs have zero respect for cyclists anyway, and behave/drive as though you own the goddamn roads.
lazy slobs.
i’m gonna ride my bike wherever i damn well please, even in the crosswalks
STFU about it already! assholes.
i’ll give you a goddamn ‘hood ornament’, when i throw my U-Lock into your FACE. you hit me, i better not get up – else you are going down, bitch.”
____________________________________
My mentioning the fact I have been hit before is not to brag rather to show I speak from a position of experience and not freely offering opinion based on theory.
and I can make assumptions on how you think quite easily when you are very clear in most of your posts as to how you think about various issues. The fact that you state there are less people skating and cycling because of our helmet law (another bitch) shows you create conclusions based on your opinion and spew them out as gospel. If any REAL cyclist chose to stop riding because they are against the helmet law they my friend are the poser because they never liked the sport to being with.
The fact that you continue to argue this point is laughable and it makes me smile when you call me a different name in very post as it takes away from your credibility more and more every time.
look truthx2, just because you’ve got multiple racks on roof of your vehicle, plus a condescending superego, and a palpable disdain for anyone who doesn’t strictly follow ‘the rules’ (even when doing so might pose greater risk to the cyclist) – does not also make you an expert on road safety, nor does it give you any authority over an individual’s ability to cycle safely, for themselves, using the roadway or a crosswalk. so get over yourself, jerk.
i’ll be sure to blow kisses at you as i ride on by… in the crosswalk, where it is safer.
Ah crap, its back. The only ‘super-ego’ I’m sensing is yours, techcafe. Truthx2 is making some valid points, and without the ‘jerks’ etc.
FWIW, I came within inches of running over a guy riding on the sidewalk (where its safer) when pulling out of my driveway once day.
and btw, truthx2, are we here to talk about ME or cyclist safety?
i’d be happy to talk about me, at some length even, but HERE? start a new bitch if you must (and you probably will), but don’t hijack this discussion with some cheap armchair psychology crap about my “shitty little life.”
you know nothing about my life, ya pompous ass
This thread(s) has been cooked and done. There’s not much more to argue other than the amusing fact that Tech said that Truth had an inflated superego, and then blabbed on about how he’d be so happy to talk about himself. Good one Techie! But secretly, we never asked to know anything about your life. Sorry 🙁
I only started referring to you directly once you started taking shots at others and more specifically me. Discrediting you actually strengthens the argument I make which is a counterpoint to your foolish blabbering on about the exact same thing in different ways.
Sadly I do think the assessment of your life is accurate…just quickly skimming through your posts or comments I see you have an opinion on everything and most are from the pulpit as the only way it should be, rarely making concessions when someone actually argues successfully that your point is wrong. The fact that you are here daily says to me you have a sad life and it is unfortunate this forum is plagued with people like you ruining a potentially good forum for civil debate.
So go back to you blunt and complain some more about how the man is keeping you down and go Green or go NDP w/e you most likely are for and continue to stand for everything and fight for nothing. Next time you open your mouth about things needing to change ask yourself what have you done to affect any of that change. Do you volunteer or join action committees designed to push the envelope further in your desired direction…probably not as you apparently spend all your time ranting about shit here.
This poser is going for a ride.
i didn’t say accidents on sidewalks don’t happen, Cranky… it is that they are less likely to occur, and the consequences less severe, than perhaps going head-on into oncoming traffic. sure, there will be the occasional arsehole cyclist who rides like a maniac, but those types aren’t ‘cyclists’ in my view, they are just stupid and reckless (not unlike some drivers, i’m sure). thankfully, most cyclists (that i know) do not ride their bikes like that, whether they be on road, sidewalk, crosswalk, the park… anywhere.
a cyclist who uses a sidewalk or crosswalk – particularly when road conditions might be less safe – poses very little risk to pedestrians, and practically no risk to drivers (as you noted, there are exceptions, like a reckless cyclist not checking for cars exiting driveways). but even then, the potential damage caused by a rogue cyclist, travelling at a low speed on a bike, weighing magnitudes of order less than a car/truck, doesn’t even compare to that of a maniacal driver, speeding to get through all the red lights. do drivers SLOW to a STOP, like they are supposed to (according to your precious rules)? no fucking way they don’t… most of them step on the gas instead, and blow the red lights. from what i’ve observed, you ALL drive like that, even though the yellow light means slow down, not speed up. drivers routinely ignore yellow lights, they just speed right through them, even when there was plenty of time to stop before entering the intersection… where a cyclist might be attempting to make a left-hand turn, as manical motorists desperately run the red lights.
and maybe the inattentive cyclist could have just as easily been struck, as you exited your driveway, Cranky, if he had been riding on the road instead. i guess that depends on how fast you exit your driveway… assuming at a cautious (slow) speed, then there’s a better chance of avoiding a collision with the foolhardy cyclist, or with anything else that might be travelling down the sidewalk, like inattentive pedestrians or even someone’s cat. speeding out of ones driveway, in reverse no less, is never a good idea. not that i’m saying you do that, Cranky, but those who do probably shouldn’t berate the cyclist, just for being on the sidewalk, especially when the driver himself isn’t operating his vehicle in a safe manner.
so imv, an individual’s safety (my safety) should not be subject to some arcane/oppressive rule that prohibits the cyclist from using a sidewalk/crosswalk when his/her personal safety occasionally deems it necessary. when I take responsibility for my personal safety while riding, then YOU (motorists) are also safer – from me. so be grateful for that, i saved you the nightmare of colliding with a cyclist.
and since i’m always courteous to pedestrians and respectful of their safety also (after all, if they get injured by me, then i’m gonna be injured as well), so they never seem to have a problem sharing the sidewalks & crosswalks with me. a simple ‘thank you’ for allowing me to pass on my bike, seems to work out just great for me, and is appreciated by most pedestrians, at least those that i’ve encountered. it’s rare to see some irate pedestrian bitching out a cyclist just for being on the sidewalk, although the same cannot be said for motorists vs pedestrians/cyclists and especially other motorists, who seem to be at each other’s throats constantly, in their battle for the road. the lowly cyclist doesn’t stand a chance in that kind of hostile environment. in which case, if a nearby crosswalk or sidewalk happens to be the safer alternative – then that’s where i’m headed.
“blahblahblah… you apparently spend all your time ranting about shit here”
and what is it that you are doing here exactly?
@truthx2 – like i say, you don’t know me, my life, or what i do to “push the envelope,” as you curiously put it. but go ahead, pontificate and speculate all you want, if that’s what gets you off. i’ll come back to this thread when the discussion returns to cyclist safety, since i feel that topic is far more important than the personal lives of us random bitchers. moreover, the verbal diarrhea of some armchair psychologist, thinking he’s got me pegged, is just bullshit. your supercilious assessments, and superiority complex, don’t interest me in the least.
oh, and i still say you’re a pompous ass
Tech, you seem to justify breaking the rules by comparing it to motorists who break the law or have bad habits. I would think you would want to rise above and be a model cyclist, rather than use bad motorists as an excuse to do as you please.
Again, I don’t understand your irrational anger towards ALL motorists, and your need to paint them all with the same “fat, lazy” brush. They’re (we’re – since I’m a driver sometimes) not. Some people have no choice. I’m guessing you wouldn’t want sweeping generalizations made about cyclists, so why not give drivers the benefit of the doubt also?
Most of us on here aren’t the enemy, we’re cyclists too. Don’t lose sight of that.
Yes push the envelope…get outside the accepted boundaries of where things currently are…make change happen. Don’t piss and moan, go to a city council mtg. The amount of time you have spent replying to people’s posts here would be hugely beneficial time for such groups as The Halifax Cycling Coalition ….this might shed some light on things regarding bike safety and the popular/accepted philosophy on those trying to make a difference instead of whining about it.
http://www.cyclehalifax.ca/hccboards/viewt…
and for pete’s sake put away your thesaurus…when you are using them in this context they make you sound as dumb as I think you are.
i have no interest in ‘rising above the bad motorists’, Jennie, i am more interested in staying ALIVE. so if/when a crosswalk or sidewalk happens to be the safer route for me to take, pedestrians nothwithstanding, then that is precisely what i am going to do – i will choose the safer option (for me). it just makes good sense, from a safety perspective – for me, for you… for everyone.
bickering about a cyclist’s failure to strictly adhere to the ‘rules’ is moot, and doesn’t necessarily keep us (or the motorists) any safer. the chance of a head on collision b/w a car/cyclist is greater when riding against traffic at busy intersections, in which case, the crosswalk and/or sidewalk might actually be the safer/saner choice for the cyclist to make. why putting my safety first amounts to an egregious ‘problem’ for some of you is somewhat revealing i’d say, not so much about me, but rather the contempt some (of you) drivers have toward cyclists in general.
that said, i can’t be responsible for what other, perhaps less conscientious cyclists might do. i ride safely, at all times, even if i happen to be using a crosswalk or sidewalk. i don’t want to be in an accident, which is likely the reason i detoured through/onto the crosswalk/sidewalk in the first place – NOT just so i can get ahead of the cars and piss off all the motorists – simply because i didn’t ‘wait my turn’ (talk about petty gripes & sour grapes). plus i’m likely to get out of your way quicker too, by temporarily getting off the road… so why bitch and complain, especially about a cyclist being proactively safe?
Gee I can reason with a two year old better than with Tech.
And there’s probably less foot stomping and screaming too.
“Gee I can reason with a two year old better than with Tech”
no doubt, ‘Bro’… but i think even a 2 year old might find you less than interesting, nevermind reason with.
cheers bitch
you are mistaken, Miles, what you refer to as foot stomping & screaming is merely emphatic banter, at least on my part. my language/delivery may be a bit on the ‘spicey’ side, perhaps even needs some work, but it’s only for ‘effect’ – and it sure as hell got us all BITCHING and talking… which i belive is the point here.
“… amusing fact that Tech said that Truth had an inflated superego, and then blabbed on about how he’d be so happy to talk about himself”
oh c’mon, Dino, that was obvious sarcasm on my part, and you know it. i was making a point about truthx2 derailing the discussion with his irrelevant ‘psychological assessments’ of me.
can I save you techcafe from making an more posts.
blahblahblahblah crosswalk… blahblahblahblah whatever i want. blahblahblahblah mortorists suck blahblahblahblah crosswalk….. crosswalk blahblahblahblah safety… blahblahblahblah truthx2 is a cunt
This more or less sums up every post you make so lets just end the debate as there has never actually been one. Just you telling us we are wrong or lambs for trying to see both sides of an issue.
Bikes need MIRRORS !
WTF is up with all the bikes with no mirrors ?
IMO, if your going to drive on the road, you need signal lights, a brake light & at least 2 FUCKIN’ MIRRORS !
And don’t bother responding about hand signals…I spent over an hour on Tuesday in Halifax & I seen at least 10 bikes go by the Metro Centre & I never seen 1 hand signal for a turn or a stop…although I did see more than one drive onto a cross walk & ride to the sidewalk .
blah blah blah mirrors blah blah blah hand signals blah blah blah unpredictable blah blah blah red lights blah blah blah helmets blah blah blah no insurance blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah …
I agree that the only fair thing is for motorists to share the roads, streets and highways with bicycles…
…and that’s why I’m sure that my two-wheeled friends will join the campaign to have that right solidified in a fair way. A growing number of people are calling for a licence, road tax and mandatory insurance program to be introduced for bicycles in Canada. This has the attention of the government as both a great way to raise more revenue, and to give cyclists the ‘right’ to share our roads. Right now, of course they pay NOTHING towards upkeep, traffic light maintenance, yellow line paint, crosswalk construction, frost-caused pothole repair and so on…and even the most ardent cyclist must feel a bit ashamed at this.
So join me in calling for a fair policy…I suggest a yearly fee of about $500 per bicycle…about a tenth of what my car costs me.
And then, you cyclists will actually get to have a say in how the roads are used!
Unlike now, when you really need to fuck off shut up, and stay out of my way, you whinging, sweaty nut-sack-at-work, rules-of-the-road ignoring, bottled-water-drinking, towing-your-fucking-kid-in-a-trailer, bicycle-built-by-slave-labour, menaces to society…
I assume your new bike tax is only for those who own bike only? We have two cars as well and pay for our roads as everyone else does, although not quite sure of your math…what do you pay $5000 towards?
“I suggest a yearly fee of about $500 per bicycle…about a tenth of what my car costs me.”
Same here. I’ve owned many cars over the past 20 years. Paid taxes and registration on them all, not to mention income tax, gst, hst… I figure I’m covered. Plus theres all the 1000’s in GST/HST I’ve paid on bike related stuff. Not to mention the lack of health care that I’m going to be draining on ‘the system’.
Sounds to me like the people who don’t own bikes owe me something. I’ll take cash in lieu of a cheque or money order. Thanks.
Fuck, a kid buying candy at the local store contributes to the roads via sales tax and won’t even get to use them until he/she turns 16, what a rip!
Yes, please explain how your car contributes $5000 to the maintenance of the roadways? I own a car and I’m afraid revenue canada is going to come looking for my 5 grand!