So today is December 11. At 4pm in front of Park Victoria, I am sitting in a car in a line of traffic northbound, and then, like a mirage, you zoom by my right side on your sport bike in the bike lane. Yes the freaking Bike lane! Your leathers are red, white and black stripes that end in the middle of your back as narrow points. You were probably doing 40 km/h in the bike lane on your motorcycle. I am calling out to the motorcycle community; if you see or know this dude, feel free to inform him about how truly dangerous this could be to him and others and the car/motorcycle relations in general. Motorists do not expect many motorcycles on the streets in our rainy, dark December days, let alone passing on the right and in the bike lane. Next time you see a cyclist, you may want to tell them what the door prize is. Enjoy your freedom, for now. —Just another observer
This article appears in Dec 11-17, 2014.
Try calling the cops on him.
THE DOOR PRIZE
So what is the door prize?
Avatar #108: VICTORIAN BAND DAGGER
A pleasure as always,
Cheerio!
Motorists also don’t expect to see crazy bike people on the roads in the rainy, dark Decembers… but we see it all the time. In fact, last December I saw one towing a kid in one of those death by parent bicycle trailers in the middle of oxford street with half a foot of snow on the road… she couldn’t even keep the bike upright… Called the police to tell them they may have to come pick little Johnny up with a spatula shortly and they said they couldn’t charge someone for stupidity. Go figure…
THE DOOR PRIZE EXPLAINED
Unsure of the meaning of “door prize”?
Is it easier to spam the comment section than use a google search?
To win a door prize is to have a door opened into oneself whilst commuting by bicycle.
Avatar #108: A TYPE OF SPONGEBOB IM SURE
A discomfort as always,
Cheerios, good for the heart!
-Halifax Boy
A DOOR PRIZE?
A “door prize” is to have a door opened into oneself whilst commuting by bicycle? But what does one see when the door into oneself is opened? Does this mean that those who commute by bicycle are schizophrenics? Buddhists? Other?
And what’s with the “whilst?” Who are you trying to impress? I know I was impressed.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Those “death-by-parent” bicycle trailers for children ought to be illegal. I’ve seen people towing their babies around in those in heavy traffic, with cars zipping by a metre away. If the bike lost control – not an unusual occurrence when you ride ride by the curb, and run over stormwater grates or a crack or loose gravel – where’s that bicycle trailer going to end up?
Mind you, I’ve also seen bicyclists running their dog, holding the leash in one hand as they cruise down a heavily-trafficked road. They must be extremely trusting in the ability of their dog not get in front of, or under, the bike….or run out into traffic.
I had some idiot last night coming from behind me in a bike lane while I was turning right. Being in the bike lane doesn’t give you the right to pass me from behind as I am turning right. It is a good way to die.
Well, some of these bicyclists probably deserve a door prize. Or as it is known more informally, getting doored. I don’t include the bicyclists who obey the MVA and still get doored – that’s on the motorist. I’ve had it happen to me several times…someone opening the door unexpectedly without checking for a bicycle travelling legally. Many dooring incidents result in injuries to the bicyclist because he or she swerves away from the opened car door…into traffic. Me, one time, I thought to myself I’d rather hit a soft human being than get run over by a truck…let’s just say we both got hurt…me less than him.
Speaking of motorcyclists turning your hair grey, drive in California. Lane splitting is legal there (to be more exact, it’s not illegal), so you can be in stop and go 6 lane traffic with motorbikes driving in between the cars on the lines.
OB: Should have grabbed the plate number and reported the leathered miscreant. Typically, people that drive motorcycles are most conscientious and pride themselves on being “model drivers” … except on abandoned, twisty roads in the country. Sadly, like any segment in society, there are idiots that bring discredit to the overall sport. Report stupidity to Constable Friendly. You’ll be happier, we’ll be happier and the roads will become safer.
As for cyclists … there are 5% “good” riders on the road that ride safely 365 days a year. The other 95% ignorantly survive.
The larger, uniformed … dare I say ignorant? … group (and let’s be charitable and call them novice riders), hop on their 2 wheeled conveyances giving not a moments thought as to their riding environment; believing as if they are perpetually cruising in bliss on a groomed trail with no vehicular traffic – puppies and toddlers in tow.
I posit that these riders require an intervention … from friends, family, lovers – even pets.
If you know someone that cycles on our city streets … smack them upside the head and ensure they know (and heed) the “rules of the road”. It’s too late to address when we are confronting each other on the road.
And dammit, buy a bell and use it.
I wouldn’t be so enamoured of motorcyclists in the Maritimes, HaliOOPs. In many North American jurisdictions motorcycles are not allowed to ride side-by-side in a single lane, staggered or single-file is recommended or enforced…for good reasons. I genuinely don’t know if in NS motorcyclists are allowed to ride side by side in a single lane – it’s not a practise that anyone recommends actually – but God knows you see a lot of it around here during the riding season.
Large gaggles – I’ll call them gaggles for want of a better word; is there a collective noun for a group of motorcyclists other than gang? – of bikers also often trail out and dawdle along, and make it almost impossible to pass at even legal speed. It’s nice that they are tooling along at 65 or 70 kmh in an 80 kmh zone, enjoying the warm summer air and the beauty of nature…but maybe all of those 15 or 20 motorcycles could open up some holes in their f**king leisure convoy and let people pass.
I should also the mention the youngsters that ride rice rockets – I’ll give Harley owners this much, they don’t usually speed. But it’s a bit hair raising and highly dangerous when 20-somethings zap by on a 100 series highway at 140 kmh, and this is not a rare occurrence.
You mentioned “abandoned, twisty roads in the country”. Unless they are private roads, no such “abandoned” roads exist in Nova Scotia, and they are public and maintained (err, sometimes somewhat maintained). That means that you can – and should – still be a “model driver” on every road you are likely to be on.
And by the way, motorcycling on public roads is not a “sport”. If you’re offroad perhaps it is – but if you’re on a public road – car, truck, bicycle or motorcyle – there is no “sport” about it – you are conveying yourself legally from Point A to Point B.
And let’s be charitable and *not* call most motorcylists novice riders, but evidently most bicylists are? What, you seriously believe that most motorcyclists are bearded veterans with many decades of intense motorcycling under their belt, able to cope with all driving conditions, and that most bicyclists are ignorant (you said it, not me) newbies that don’t know what they are doing?