I am an avid cyclist. It’s how I get around this city when I’m not walking. Two things:
Get off of the sidewalks. We don’t belong there! If you are too scared to ride with traffic, then walk or take the bus! The other thing: Use lights on your bike! Reflectors are shit. Front and back lights. Drivers can see us that way. —Safe & Smart Cyclist
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2010.
Thank you, thank you.
You forgot one point though. People who seriously want to cycle in this city shouldn’t used fixed gear bikes. They can’t keep up with traffic.
Finally, a cyclist with brains 🙂
it is illegal and very dangerous to ride on the sidewalk, unless you are 12 or under…please put your big boy pants on
And don’t get angry if/when I push you over after you try and make me move for you.
sebastian, there are more bright cyclists than your comment gives credit to. Unfortunately as in all things, the few bad ones give us all a bad rep. My bicycle has head and rear lights, a horn and I know and obey the rules of the road. All my cycling friends adhere to the same standards. But I guess it’s more fun for you to lump all cyclists under the same brain-dead category risking others to think you a candidate for that category yourself, when likely you are not.
IAWTB 🙂
I could have wrote thsi today!
I was standing on the sidewalk waiting for my bus with earphones in, and could hear a noise.
Turned and here’s this cyclist yelling at me to get off the sidewalk.
Jerk
That’s when you want to see him wipe out in front of you, so you can treat him to the old “American History X” curb kiss.
I’ll see them driving on the road, then drive through the crosswalk I’m walking in and almost hit me, and then continue driving on the road! You can’t have it both ways!!
Curb smile Ivan, curb smile 🙂
Walking one’s bike across a crosswalk is the only way, after waiting to ensure traffic has stopped of course.
Curb Smile, right. Spassibo D-Mouthy. I’m usually pretty tolerant of bicyclists because they don’t need anymore enemies. But being told to get off the sidewalk by one calls for a straight-arm to the adam’s apple and a fistful of snapped-off spokes up the kazoo.
Too many Darcy Sheppard imitators in Halifax.
Fate is around the next corner.
The Darcy Shepppard tragedy, perhaps was inevitable, given Sheppard’s troubled past. It was the way that Bryant chose to resolve the situation that is questionable as are the differences in how his case was handled in the justice system as compared to how it would be handled for a common criminal. It wasn’t hard to predict who was going to come out on top.
I did forget to mention cyclists that drive through crosswalks. Very stupid as well as wrong. I see it all of the time when they drive through the Commons. They just keep on riding, and because they don’t stop, they obviously do not use the button for the flashing crosswalk lights.
– Safe & Smart Cyclist
Amen Brother, I’ve been preaching responsible riding for years, and seeing douches on bikes gets me going. The fixie trend will continue for some time, I’m afraid.
OL if you’re on a bike, you shouldn’t be walking through crosswalks. You should be riding and obeying the rules of the road. Don’t be one of those “I’ll be whatever I want to be when I want to be” people. You’re either a cyclist or a pedestrian.
Sorry Bro Tim, but a cyclist has the option of being a pedestrian to use a crosswalk. Sometimes crossing to the desired side is just safer when achieved by crosswalk in heavy traffic. Walking bikes across crosswalks is no different than walking one’s bike on the sidewalk which is a necessity going up some of the steepest hills. If I choose to be a pedestrian on a sidewalk or by extension, a crosswalk, who pushes a bicycle that is entirely my option.
ah, another bike bitch, must be almost summer, when all the little douches come out of their eco-nut basements.
Oceanlady, I meant I didn’t like when they DRIVE through the crosswalks, not walk their bikes across. I have yet to see one hop off their bike, walk it across, then hop back onto it. And I almost got smoked by one when I was crossing the crosswalks between the commons on Cogswell. The cars stopped for me, but the biker kept on rolling, even though we had EYE CONTACT. If I didn’t hurry out of her way, she would have hit me.
melectric…you just haven’t been driving where I’ve been crossing with my bike because I always hop off my bike and walk it across crosswalks. It’s the only considerate way:) Too bad all the cyclists who don’t do this are giving we responsible cyclists a bad rap. Curse them!
Here here! I also cycle-commute and those cyclists who ride on the sidewalk give us all a bad name.
To the drivers: just fricking’ pass me! I ride up and down Summer st. often and it is amazing how many motorists are too skittish to pass a cyclist even though it is a VERY wide street. There is nothing worse than being stalked by a car driven by a white-knuckled geezer for 3 blocks.
We know you are behind us. I am not going to suddenly swerve and dive beneath your wheel if you try and pass. Just push the gas and go around!
Speaking of the commons, don’t ride your fucking bike through the commons! If I can’t take my car across the commons on the trails, your bike shouldn’t go there!
Prekrasno, Ne za chto Ivan 😉
As a pedestrian, I find cyclists to be much more unpredictable than car drivers- which to me makes them more dangerous. Why do so many seem to think they can do whatever the hell they want??? I feel sorry for the good cyclists, but it’s hard to sympathize on a whole when as a pedestrian that has the right of way, it’s bikes and not cars who have so often threatened my life. I don’t mind sidewalk riders- more often than not, they atleast ride with care.
Watched a bike swerve out in front of a car who was sharing the lane with him. Jerk off must have thought that because he stuck his left arm out the car would let him cross in front to turn left (instead of just waiting for the gaining car to pass before turning left). Thank god the driver jammed on the brakes (and thank god I was paying close attention too so I did the same), or biker dude would have been a hood ornament. Bikes make me nervous because they’re so unpredictable…
“To the drivers: just fricking’ pass me! I ride up and down Summer st. often and it is amazing how many motorists are too skittish to pass a cyclist even though it is a VERY wide street. There is nothing worse than being stalked by a car driven by a white-knuckled geezer for 3 blocks.
We know you are behind us. I am not going to suddenly swerve and dive beneath your wheel if you try and pass. Just push the gas and go around!”
If this happens frequently, I don’t think you’re giving them as much room as you think. And if there are cars/trucks/busses coming from the other direction, it’s hard to squeeze by!!
How the fuck is holding your arm out to indicate that you are going to turn anything but predictable?
Knowledge of hand signals used to be mandatory to getting your driver’s license.
Doesn’t matter if they are performed by a cyclist, motorcyclist or any mv suffering a signalling malfunction a hand-signal is a valid way to signal intent.
I bike on sidewalks sometimes in certain areas (Quinpool Road, Barrington Street, ex) BECAUSE DRIVERS IN VEHICLES ARE DANGEROUS TO CYCLISTS AND THE CITY WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. In fact, the city was planned at a time when BICYCLES were the newest alternative means of transport. SO YES, I BIKE ON THE SIDEWALK FOR FEAR OF MY LIFE. AND I’m always sure not to endanger pedestrians in any way.
“Speaking of the commons, don’t ride your fucking bike through the commons! If I can’t take my car across the commons on the trails, your bike shouldn’t go there!” said NL’s GREATEST EXPORT.
Are you retarded? So all the major cities in Canada that have bike paths throughout should allow vehicles on them? The commons paths are multi-use for people with an active lifestyle.
Most people in vehicles have never biked, otherwise there’d be far less bitches about cyclists.
IF EVERYONE BIKED, THERE WOULD BE NO MORE CYCLIST VS. MOTORIST BITCHES ON THIS WEBSITE.
YAY BIKE WEEK!
In my short time there I was nearly killed numerous times on : Robie,Quinpool and Barrington rather bike on the DVP than those deathtraps
I have thought of this as well Halifox10 but I think the cyclist vs motorist bitches and the bus bitches would just turn into bitches about the idiocies performed by some in the masses of cyclists in competition for roadspace. It wouldn’t work though. Some people need to drive for distance and/or mobility issues. And then there is the inevitability of winter.
Cranky, the situation was more like, nervous driver trying to pass cyclist – cyclist sticks out arm and swerves in front on car without looking (maybe he thought the helmet would protect him?). Cutting people off isn’t cool, no matter if you’re a cyclist or a motorist. Just because you signal doesn’t mean you get the right away. You’re supposed to SHARE the road, not own it.
Yeah, I kinda figured thats what happened. It should go without saying that a hand signal should incorporate a shoulder check, I mean, sticking your arm out is 1/2 way there to a shoulder check.
Look, even cyclists can be douches. Whatev. Just don’t hit me ’cause some dude flipped you off, ok?