If it can get people who use there vehicles to intentionally scare bicyclists, I am all for it. One meter is WAY too close.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2016/06/24/a-new-device-could-help-bikers-catch-cars-that-drive-too-close-to-them/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-technology%3Ahomepage%2Fcard
I'm all for it ,several yrs ago a bicyclist got runned over, as a tribute they chained his bike to a post and painted it white as a reminder ......I drive past it on my way to work....
ReplyDeleteTo this day they haven't caught his killer!
I think that bikes should be put back on sidewalks, and not on the roads. I'd also love to see true stats on the severity of collisions between Bikes and Walkers VS Bikes and Cars... I am sure we'd all be safer if bikes could use paths and sidewalks again. I tell my kids to bike on the sidewalks in Ottawa, and I'll gladly pay a fine if they are stopped by police. I'd rather pay a fine then the funeral costs if they are killed on the road.
ReplyDeleteRoss MacRae they have as much rights to ride their bicycles on the road just like we all do and just like mopeds that drive slow. Motorists just need to open their eyes and watch what they are doing. These days they dont look where they are going and they dont care if they are too close to someone else including cyclists. My son rode his bike to work with all the safety gear on at 4:30am few years ago he rode through roundabout 4wd entered roundabout going left cut across lanes on roundabout and hit my son which he was knocked unconscious and got a broken clavicle bone in 3 places. Motorists fault because they don't look where they are going and that motorist shouldnt of cut across lanes in firts place on roundabout when he was already going left. What about motorcycles you gonna say they should ride on footpath as well?
ReplyDeleteOne thing is still difficult to apply how to live a healthy life in all cities
ReplyDeleteKat Macca I ride a motorcycle, and know all to well how isolated and unaware of their suroundings drivers are, I ride with the mindset the every car is actively trying to kill me. And when there is an accident and a car takes out a motorcycle, I think the driver should be charged with attempted murder. So if we all know how dangerous cars are to people on foot and on two wheels, why does the discussion of "bikes have a right to be on the road" come up.. why can't it be "bikers have the right to be safe" and have the right to ride on the sidewalks?
ReplyDeleteFree. Stuff
ReplyDeleteRoss MacRae I ride my bike upwards of 25 mph for extended periods with others in a club. Are you suggesting I do this on a sidewalk where kids are playing? Also we don't have sidewalks around here. It's roads or nothing.
ReplyDeleteMark Shryock I don't have all the answers, but maybe be able to choose sidewalks when going slow, and roads when traveling fast and with groups? And if there are no suitable sidewalks, I guess the answer is pretty clear.
ReplyDeleteRoss MacRae More bike trails would be good but they are probably not cheap.
ReplyDeleteMark Shryock I was going to say, go to a dedicated trail or park. I don't get why bikers are on the road all the time. I really don't. There are always trails to be found. Or a high school's track maybe? I just have never found it necessary for them to be on the road. I've also come over a hill on a back road and nearly ran a guy over. Not cool. Not trying to be critical here, but I'd really like to understand it. What is wrong with trails or huge parking lots or tracks? Seems to me like everyone would be safer that way, no?
ReplyDeleteOh you mean those bicyclists that slowly make their way through a red light? Would love to end them.
ReplyDeleteBicyclists by and large hold little to no regard for traffic rules and laws. Red lights, stop signs, not yielding appropriately, not crossing when allowed by crossing lights, not riding single file according to "share the road" rules...you name it, bicyclists violate it. So yeah, if you're breaking these rules--which do all in fact apply to bicyclists--then you have no room to bitch when I get closer than 3 feet.
ReplyDeleteAnd man is great to see a cop pull these asshats over for these violations. Doesn't happen often, but oh the sweet justice when it does.
You wanna be safe? Keep your slow and selfish ass outta the freakin' way. Why cars that are doing 30-60 mph have to deal with a bicyclist going 10-20 is beyond me.
I don't like bike's I have fallen on my a lot of times
ReplyDeleteEric Sorensen Calling for death to bicyclists - get the hell off my profile
ReplyDeleteI am a cyclist, and see no reason why we cannot share the road. I still think cyclist need to obey the laws of the road. I drive a commercial truck for a living and almost smeared a gal today. As I pulled up to an intersection to make a right turn. (Red light) I stopped and waited for traffic to pass. Once traffic was clear I started to make my right turn as she pulled out in front of me. (Still red light) scared the crap out of me.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy my bicycle and respect those that ride. I don't give a rat's tail who you are or what you are driving, if your being an idiot I don't feel bad for you... respect need to go both ways between all Driver's.
Kyle Vick I find it pathetic that you feel the need to prove your manhood by using your car to intimidate bicyclists. To me that seems like something a sissy would do
ReplyDeleteCaleb Williams because they're using their bikes for transportation- how could you not know that?
ReplyDeletePeople who say cyclists have the same rights as cars to use roads are wrong. Those roads are paid for and maintained with gas taxes and registration fees and stuff that cyclists don't pay. If they are licensed and taxes the same as cars then yes, I would agree.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the fundamental problems is that the society gave cars many exclusive rights. A lot of our live is shaped around giving cars the space and rules to move fast, disregarding other forms of movement.
ReplyDeleteThis is so implanted in our society:
- Cities are planned around traffic concepts.
- Children learn how to behave around cars. We don't let little children play outside in cities until they know how to cross streets.
- A huge proportion of space is dedicated on cars moving and parking. Everyone else is supposed to step back and follow rules to be safe. Sidewalks or bicycle lanes are specials, not available everywhere but only where the pedestrians and cyclists would bother drivers.
- You get the idea.
I love the concept of shared space: combine sidewalks, roads, crossings and bicycle lanes into one shared zone with no rules, especially without implicit rules like lane markings or curbstones. Everyone is supposed to watch for the others and themselves. Traffic will be slower, but mean travel time won't suffer and safety also won't, because one of the reasons making cars so dangerous is the drivers being used to have their space and their exclusive rights.
Chris Dontworryaboutit and I pay for schools and a lot of other things I don't use. You have a fundamental misunderstanding of what government is for.
ReplyDeleteSelf-driving cars can't come soon enough.
ReplyDeleteNever ever put cycles in the same category as a motorbike or small scooter.
ReplyDeletePush bikes should remain on the side walk.. And slow the fuck down if people are about..
I ride a motorbike and see everyday a push bike riders holding up peak hour traffic and this is dangerous.
If u can't do the speed of the flow of traffic then u shouldn't be there.
I wouldn't ride a small scooter with a top speed of 60kms per hour on a freeway with a top travel speed of a 100kph,
So why would u ride a push bike with a top speed of 25kph on a road with a 60kph speed or more?
When a bicyclist can keep up with the flow of traffic, and obey the same laws I am expected to obey, then I have no problem sharing the road. Where they insist that they can "share the road", in dangerous situations, I'm like, ok, but if it comes down to you, or me, I ain't going to risk myself to save you.
ReplyDeleteThat why motorcycles are ok on the road and bikes are not, IMO. It's that "motor" part.
In my neck of the woods they put in a bunch of bike lanes with a grant from "Pednet". And many of the retarded bicyclists in my town are too stupid to use them. Will ride, in the road, right next to a bike lane. And then bitch when someone honks at them. In fact, my town passed a bill that makes it illegal to honk at a bicyclist - you can be fined for it.
It is great that folks want to save money or get excersize, but you have to use common sense. A person on a bike is fragile. They do not belong on roads with 3000lbs vehicles that are going at speeds most bicyclists can only dream of...
Caleb Williams I have a bike because I am a student and hence unable to afford a car (and have no where to park one). A bike is my primary form of transport, not everyone is riding on the road just for fun. A huge parking lot would be safer for me to ride on but how is that helping me do my shopping?
ReplyDeleteThat thing there using sounds good, but they need a device that riders can use on their bikes that measures the distance and if violated snaps a pic of the license plate...the devices they were talking about in the article police were using then radioing ahead to other officers...since May 6th of 2014 I've been hit by more than 3 cars while on the road...it's not going to stop me from riding, and I'm not going to break the law and ride on the sidewalk...on accident sent me to the hospital, another broke my sandals, i have three broken knuckles on my right hand that never healed properly, herniated discs in my neck just to mention a few problems from being hit by cars...thankfully I haven't been killed...these jackasses that break the law need to be caught...
ReplyDeleteCaleb Williams i don't own a car and can't afford one, but I still need to buy groceries, do laundry at a laundromat because i can't afford a washer and dryer, go to Dr appointments for problems from being hit by cars...if you have a car you're obviously going to get where you're going faster than a cyclist trying to run his/her errands what will it hurt you to take a couple of second to go around a cyclist...many people bike out of necessity not just for exercise...
ReplyDeleteHolly's Folly - A Garden are you by chance in Columbia?
ReplyDeleteRob Gordon No, they're not. That is not what I'm talking about. They are wearing their full on riding gear. Exercising.
ReplyDeleteGeron Phillips Again, I am not talking about biking for transportation. My questions are yet to be answered. I am talking about recreational riding for exercise.
ReplyDeleteCarl B. This is not what I'm talking about, and I don't live in a city where people could really even get anywhere on a bike. The riders around here are not riding for transportation purposes.
ReplyDeleteBicyclist need to be on the sidwalk mopeds in the so called bike lane its safer smarter theres too many people who cant drive or drive illegaly without dl or suspended dl
ReplyDeleteRob Gordon if you dont like peoples opinion why even post things evryone has very good points you seem to hate on people who refuse to see your point of view
ReplyDeleteThis is getting ridiculous there's barely enough room for cars
ReplyDeleteNoah Rule It's ridiculous how much room cars already have.
ReplyDeleteMichel Kangro Cause they are ton vehicle's moving at a high speed they need the room.
ReplyDeleteNoah Rule Start with why we need such big, heavy and fast vehicles? At least inside cities, it wouldn't hurt them a lot to be a lot slower and share space. And cars in general need to be smaller anyways.
ReplyDeleteRobert MacAnthony I am. And if you ever visited "The Cheshire Cat" or "Dreamtime Games" whilst here getting your education, then you probably know my husband and I.
ReplyDeleteRob Gordon you see how you.start one good profile and it ends with stupid comments from Eric glad u kicked him off the boat
ReplyDeleteIt wasnt an opinion it more like a death threat.
Ricky Rocket yes, there have been a few people on this post who I don't believe are responsible enough to own cars, and I have deleted the posts that imply that bicyclists should be harmed or killed. I don't want to have anything to do with people like that.
ReplyDeleteMy county put in paths for bicycles that go to every town. It was expensive, but should be done everywhere. It's safer for everyone.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, where I live this is not been a huge problem - at least in my experience. Cars and bicyclists really do share the road. The only time I've seen this happen is in the country where there's actually more room on the roads. In my opinion anyone who uses their vehicle to threaten a bicyclist should get more than a ticket - they should be in jail. It's almost the same as pulling a gun out and putting it in someone's face - go to risk may actually be higher. One wrong move and you killed somebody.
ReplyDeleteRob Gordon I give you a standing ovation we don't need those type of people on our post and I'm glad you can kick them out, thank you for sharing your thoughts and your comments God bless you Rob
ReplyDeleteRoss MacRae My son who also rides a motorbike got rear ended by a motorists when my son gave way on the roundabout. In my opinion I think there are too many cars on the roads 😄healthier way is to ride not drive😁 much safer is cycling than driving, then it also wont have such high rate in obesity as we all know that driving makes people lazy.😉
ReplyDeleteKat Macca I 100% agree.
ReplyDeleteEric Sorensen hum what about the idiotic drivers that run red lights and kill other motorists, cyclists or pedestrians? Motorists are always breaking the laws. What about all the idiots that text while driving always see their eyes in the laps while texting that is plain stupid and dangerous to others (Shakes my head). Motorists are the worse of all on the roads.😐 cyclists have rights just like we all do but we dont have the rights to run them down. Motorists need to not be so ignorant to others.
ReplyDeleteThat is just ridiculous so you want cyclists to pay rego, lic etc for doing something healthy cyclists dont go around killing people, you gonna make kids that ride their bikes for fun, to and from school pay as well geez that is just dumb. Back in my days my only transport was to ride my bike to and from school as my parents couldn't afford to pay for bus fares, I had to ride my bike to & from school during that time never got hit by a car but back in those days motorists weren't ignorant and they had respect for everyone on the roads also the roads werent overcrowded like they are now. Footpaths are for pedestrians not cyclists.
ReplyDeleteI have seen how motorists drive they are worse on the roads you see it all the time some of them bastards deliberately veer into the cyclists. Even with the laws changed where motorists are legally suppose to be a metre away from them they don’t. Cyclists should be quipped with cameras so they have evidence.
Kat Macca Transportation is the only reason they should be on the road, and I NEVER see bicyclists on the road as a source of transportation. They are always wearing full marathon gear. Take it to a park!
ReplyDeleteCaleb Williams Why don't you just drive your car around the park?
ReplyDeleteI should have the rights to ride my bike on the road so should my children.
ReplyDeleteRob Gordon If I was driving for sport I WOULD take my car to a track. When I drive I have somewhere to be, I'm not driving for fun. What a childishly stupid comment. If you're doing it for exercise, do it on a stationary bicycle at home, just go to a gym, or take your bike anywhere that isn't a ROAD. There's places to ride EVERYWHERE. It's the same thing as runners who aren't on the road because it's DANGEROUS. You are harder to see than other objects, and you cannot move nearly as fast as you need to. It's not a hard concept to grasp.
ReplyDeleteTheyve been around since the 1800s never had a problem with them then like I said previously its arrogant ignorant motorists that have no respect for anyone on the roads. I repeat again you dont see cyclists veering into cars to kill them.
ReplyDeleteHow about we get vehicles banned and all go back to bikes that way we get healthy, so much better for your tickers. Then there will be no speeding, no hoons, no running red lights, no police chasers, no fines, no killings cause bikes cant kill lol, no fuel, be tons of room on the roads for all, no bloody tailgaters. Good idea cheaper than horses 😀 much safer than vehicles.
ReplyDelete+Caleb Gatlin I'm not sure what world you live in where you never see bicycles being used for transportation but it certainly isn't the world the rest of us live in. Since your profile is blank and your profile picture is of a cat I don't know what city you're in where the roads are jammed with triathlon bicycle trainers like that.
ReplyDeleteSo you're saying the police should somehow determined from what a person is wearing whether they should be allowed to use the road or not? Never mind that lots of people wear bike clothes and then change at work, I think the same standards should be applied to you. Should you be banned from taking the scenic route so you can enjoy your drive more?
Bicyclists have every right to use the road as long as they do it responsibly. 99% of drivers are totally cool with sharing the road but there's that 1% that are total dicks and the behavior I described in this post is indefensible..
Rob Gordon Our roads are not jam packed with marathon riders, but when I DO see them that's what they're wearing. Most of the time it's not a problem, and I'm not one of the jerks that tries to run them over. But it scares the crap out of me when I almost hit them on accident because they are going so slow and I come over a hill and they're in the middle of the road. Or holding up traffic. Those are the ones that give you a bad name, not us drivers. They are irresponsible. But again I'll ask...why must they be on the road and not in a safer place if they're exercising?
ReplyDeleteCaleb Williams Okay, look, You've already said they are welcome on the road if .... and gave conditions. Are the police supposed to pull each person over and ask them what their motivation is for biking on the road? ridiculous. Similarly, while YOU may not use the road for entertainment or enjoyment, there ARE a great number of "sunday drivers" who do.
ReplyDeleteIn the US, at least, the new laws about giving bikes right of way are not so much about taxes or transportation, etc, it's about oil. Wind power, solar, geothermal, etc, everything we're doing is in preparation for when we run out of fossil fuels and HAVE to find other transportation. Bikes have and will work in such a world so the laws have to start getting put into place now, and slowly edged up to give people time to adjust. I'm sure once people have aligned to this one, the next step will be to turn over the right lane completely to bike traffic and give them preference on two lane roads.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, that will also mean some of the OG bikers will have to start obeying street laws. I'm sure they'll eventually get with the program: one funeral at a time.
Tedward LeCouteur Missing my point completely. I'm done.
ReplyDeleteCaleb Williams Then make your point clearer. Not every biker is "exercising" some people on the road, even in full athletic wear, are just getting around (better to switch out of sweaty athletic gear to go to work). So, how do you tell the difference? should we just ban helmets and tight spandex on bikes?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering how trips would get classified - suppose I ride my bike downtown to get some exercise but also to have a business meeting with a friend and associate. In this world view, would this be permitted?
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I want this debate to go on for all eternity though.
Hopefully Caleb actually IS done. but yeah, simple answer is that you can't classify activity with any grace so it all has to be allowed (or not).
ReplyDeleteIn Ontario a bike law has been passed they can ride anywhere on the road I don't like that bikes ride on the shoulder, stay the fuck in your lane
ReplyDeleteCars need to stay in their lane and not deliberately veer towards bikers/motorbikes.
ReplyDeleteThat /should/ go without saying, but that said, I'm glad you mentioned it. :)
ReplyDeleteKat Macca Amen Kay Macca
ReplyDeleteRob Gordon I feel your anger Rob. What has happened to love thy neighbor? I'll never understand the hatred and ignorance among today's society. Wish we could gather all the disrespectful assess who have no regard for human life and force them to live together.
ReplyDeleteCaleb Williams OH MY GOSH, YOU HAD TO BE A RESPONSIBLE DRIVER, AND PAY ATTENTION!!! Poor thing.
ReplyDeleteCaleb Williams bicyclists pay taxes that build roads. Why should they have to give up the opportunity to ride their bike to work, around the block or whatever they wish? When a person gets a driver's license they're saying I'm responsible enough to operate a two ton piece of machinery. So why do you want to bitch and cry because you're expected to be responsible and watch the road and what you're doing. How selfish not to want to share the road because you don't want to stand up to the responsibility of being a safe driver.
ReplyDeleteRoss MacRae I'm an adult female and I ride my bike on the sidewalk. If the sidewalk is clear than what's the big deal? Every road should have a bicycle lane but they don't. And until they do I'm using the sidewalk.
ReplyDelete.. Wow...I bike to work. I bike to the store. I bike because it's a great way to transport myself and sometimes, groceries, etc. I'm astounded at the amount of anti-bike sentiment. I have a SUV that I drive when I choose to...and I yield to my two wheeled brethren. It has never made me late, or caused an accident... But, I've been hit by a car as well that encroached the "meter/yard" law and it ran me into the back of a parked car(concussion, amazing black eye and knob on my head.. hit & run) I understand that some bikers are "tools" , but the "tools" weilding a few tons of metal and pissed off at the "tools" on bikes, are the selfish ones. Any good rider knows how to let a car pass... and any good driver knows how to pass a biker...
ReplyDeletecrazygirlfun1 If you're on a beach cruiser or other slow bike, the side walk is safe, or more to the point, pedestrians are safe from YOU. sidewalk laws are about people doing 20-60MPH on their bikes (Yes, it happens, I was once written a ticket for doing 55 in a 35 on my schwinn). At those speeds, dodging kids, and other pedestrians just isn't practical.
ReplyDeleteI cant read a book while riding a bicycle
ReplyDeleteso
i find riding a bus more convenient
GregoryFrednotFred SpinoffGlavinovich but you can listen to an audiobook while riding.
ReplyDeleteRodion Krivoshein true...but it cost money
ReplyDeleteand
listening to audio book....distracts you from traffic
and less able to react well to noise from traffic or people on sidewalk
if someone yells or talks or honks at you
You don't have to use both earplugs. One is enough to listen to the book
ReplyDeleteI'll take cyclists seriously as soon as they stop at signs and yield to cars making right turns in front of them. Also, I want to see a ban on cyclists on roads with speed limits 80kmph and up just like limited speed motorcycles.
ReplyDeleteLuke G people riding cars are pigs...hogs.
ReplyDeleteCars SHOULD NOT make a right turn in front of a pedestrian.
i think bikes are stupid.
dangerous
they should not be on the road
americans waste too much gasoline
they should take the bus
cars should be taken away from americans
walk or take the bus
GregoryFrednotFred SpinoffGlavinovich Please don't call people "pigs" on my post. I am not entertaining the views of extremists here on either sidle, and I really don't have time to moderate an old post.
ReplyDeleteLuke G - get lost - I normally hate to let the really disgusting trolls win but the last thing I want to have to do is take time off on my Sunday to deal with crap like this. Yes I have learned there are many people who absolutely should not be allowed to ever drive cars and a handful of extremist bicyclists, but I'm done. Comments are closed on this post.
ReplyDelete