Cyclists vs cars...

[joshh]

I bought a new bike and have been hitting it hard.
I've been up down and around the downtown loop. It's a great ride as long as there aren't too many people downtown.
I noticed it's very unusual for cyclists to alert you to their passing. I've counted exactly 3 people who have anounced their passing. Out of well more than one hundred or more.

I stopped for two trucks to turn into a drive and had a cyclist whiz by me igoring the fact he saw I was trying to allow these trucks to turn.

I saw a cyclist pound on a cars window because the driver was stopped in the bike lane while trying to turn because traffic.

Cyclists not stoping or even hardly slowing for stop signs.

This could be equalled to a driver not signaling a turn and making you hit the brakes harder than you would normally need to. It's just fucking rude.

I have always known cyclists were as bad as drivers of cars but I didn't realize how bad till I was one of them more recently.

I'm now religious about respecting others on bikes and specially cars since they can squish a cyclist and commonly do.

Those of you who are respectful, please keep it up.
Those of you who aren't (you know who you are) FUCK YOU! Get your shit together.

I'm considering video taping these types of things and putting them up on Youtube just for fun and proof cyclists can be the worst part of the car vs bike problem.

No wonder why so many cyclists in this city get their asses kicked by cars. And why drives don't give a fhying fuck either.

I would consider the cyclist is more responsible than the cars are. Considering you can be killed. Just assuming the car has seen you is asking for trouble.

Those of you this doesn't apply to, ride on and be safe!!

[Danny]

Another thing that bugs me is this whole no brake fixie fad.

Its so unsafe.

[Miasma]

Well here in Austin the cyclist's are actually pretty good I would say. I know I don't ride like a asshole.... I love cruising downtown on my bmx bike.

[kylebes1]

I cycle, but I do not call myself a cyclist. they are mostly fags. the guys i used to ride with only talked about what they did on the bike, how fast and far... blah blah

I always keep up with them and usually win the sprint at the end.

and yes in traffic most of the guys are so tuned into riding and feel they are better than anyone else on the road so they are incosiderate.

I always call pot holes, gravel, turns, passing, and everything else to keep myself and others around me safe.

[T3rd Ferguson]

Another thing that bugs me is this whole no brake fixie fad.

Its so unsafe.

Only if you're a complete douchebag. If you know the rules of the road it should never be a problem. By the way, you post entirely too much.

[TDE30]

Cycling amongst drivers in our country must be stupidly unsafe. I can barely tolerate them in my car, I can't imagine battling them in a 20 pound bicycle.

Mountain biking for me.

[KenC]

That's Portland for you. I'm totally on your side. I have many friends that are pretty serious cyclists, and they share your views as well. Cars and bikes need to have way more respect for each other; I hate the asshole drivers as much as the asshole riders.

[kylebes1]

Only if you're a complete douchebag. If you know the rules of the road it should never be a problem. By the way, you post entirely too much.

I would never ride a no brake fixey on the road. Count me in with the douchbags.

[myinfernalbmw]

I would never ride a no brake fixey on the road. Count me in with the douchbags.

I think it depends on your way of looking at it. I do see having a front brake as more safe, but I don't really feel like i need a front brake on a fixed because i can't see stopping on a dime pertinent in my area and style of riding. I just go cruise and never really find myself amongst a lot of car traffic. I however don't understand how people can ride in downtown areas, with tons of traffic, and even try to argue that it is just as safe as a regular bike. I understand why people do it, but i don't agree personally.

[Danny]

^ I agree.

I mostly meant the riders cutting through SF on their fixies with no regard for other traffic.

[Hallen]

Of course the Portland City Manager would like nothing more than to solve this problem. In other words, if he could just get those annoying and rude car drivers off his city's streets, things would be much better. Did you hear about the poor biker who got smashed by... a cement truck? wasn't it, a few weeks ago. I think the intrepid Sam Adams declared it happened because there wasn't enough bike lanes around or something like that.

I live in a College town, so we get our share here too. But thankfully, as long as you are not on or immediately beside campus, it isn't too bad. Most riders are careful and mostly courteous. The drivers still don't pay attention, cutting off riders, things like that, but there is no real open animosity. Just like with motorcycles, as a driver, you just have to pay more attention to where those other vehicles are.

[shiftbmw]

I ride plenty, and all I can say is one thing:

Might makes right!

The car will always win so I let the car go first. I assume nothing.


I honestly like Costa Rica's stance on the matter. If a pedestrian/cyclist gets hit by a car, they pay for the damage done to the car(and themselves). Hitting a pedestrian on the sidewalk or in a crosswalk is one thing, but I'd contend that often times the pedestrain is partially/fully at fault in the street.

[joshh]

Of course the Portland City Manager would like nothing more than to solve this problem. In other words, if he could just get those annoying and rude car drivers off his city's streets, things would be much better. Did you hear about the poor biker who got smashed by... a cement truck? wasn't it, a few weeks ago. I think the intrepid Sam Adams declared it happened because there wasn't enough bike lanes around or something like that.

I live in a College town, so we get our share here too. But thankfully, as long as you are not on or immediately beside campus, it isn't too bad. Most riders are careful and mostly courteous. The drivers still don't pay attention, cutting off riders, things like that, but there is no real open animosity. Just like with motorcycles, as a driver, you just have to pay more attention to where those other vehicles are.

OMG, don't say that fucking name. Liberal POS he is.
The problem is both sides but because the cyclist is on a 20 lb machine the big bad car is always in the wrong (at least in peoples minds).
I remember seeing a statistic a couple years ago that showed somewhere around 70% of car vs bicycle accidents were fault of the bicycle.

I can't wait for the day a cyclist does something stupid and I have my bike one back of the car.

Just yesterday a couple guys got out of their truck and beat the shit out of a guy on a bike here in Portland. I'd put my money on the fact the cyclist did something to piss those guys off. Not that it's right of course. But having my bike on the car, I'd have a pretty good arguement.

[scott_is]

I've been involved in 4 accidents car/bike in the past two year.
3 of them I was on my bike:

1.Hit a taxi that was waiting on a red light and decided to turn
in the parking of the shop on the corner of the street,
he never used his flashers. I smashed is side window with
my shoulder. (1 trip to hospital)

2.A 16 years old girl squeezed me between a parked truck
and her echo. When she finally realized what was happening
she jumped on the brake she was a little ahead of me. I manage to
avoid here miror but hit the truck and crashed. I wasen't hurt
the girl did stop and she gave me her number. I put her
number on the truckl windshield(the truck was scratched and the
mirror broken.

3.A guy coming out of his driveway looked both side for cars
but I he said 'I did not see you' yeah right. dented his front
fender , bent my front wheel bad and I had bruise everywhere
after my little jump over his hood.

4. I was in the car waiting at red light. As usual when waiting
on a light where the street is flat I put the car in neutral and
don't hold the brake as the car don't move anyway. Well two
random guy hit the back of the car as they tought the car was
moving since the brake lights were not on, they smashed the back
window of the car.

People driving their cars don't see cyclist and cyclist think car are
automated.

Scott (drunk)

[Quadrajet]

Up around here it's a definite difference between "roadies" and mountain bikers. Roadies riding 2 and 4 abreast on the Highway. And fronting tude at people trying to pass them. Or stopping on Deception Pass bridge without using any type of signal. Or blowing thru Red lights like they don't exist. I'm surprised more don't eat steel around here. I used to ride both, so when I yell, "Stupid "roadies" go home!" it's not biased, those individuals are truly stupid.