Get ticket for not riding in bike lane - Crash into things in the bike lane!

reply to post by boncho

Believe me I am no friend of the police,but in the town I live in we have bike lanes and nice ones at that, but some people think they have the right to the whole road and ride 2, 3,4 abreast, dont stop signs or obey other traffic laws when they ride. I see it every day, sometimes I would like to open a door when I go past some of them and get their spandex dirty.
Thaks Ed

reply to post by Osiris1953


It confuses me on this. It really does... Just what is wrong with using sidewalks for a bike, anyway?? Oh...I see the problem in New York City or Chicago's business district. It would be an open war (with shots fired before long) if bikes and people went to direct competition for sidewalk space. Fair enough in some of the most packed cities where walking is..well, the norm.

In most of the nation I've seen trucking? Walking is the rare exception to every rule and by no means the norm. Empty sidewalks are the norm all over. They say bikes need to mix with 2000-5000 lb cars because people are too vulnerable to those big mean bikes on otherwise empty sidewalks....Well?

How well do people sitting a foot higher off the ground and protected by thin air do vs. those cars when a bike it the only thing they have beyond soft flesh? I believe....it's a pretty fatal match-up as often as not.

So...Heck, why not make sidewalks standard (I didn't know they weren't until moving to the Midwest) and make the use of sidewalks a priority thing, not absolute. If the sidewalk is empty, that's where most bikes need to be and where I was as a kid, most of the time. Only if a conflict exists for people using the sidewalk at the moment, should bikes be in normal traffic lanes for anything.

Just my thoughts on a terminally bad match up. (We won't even touch 18 Wheeler vs. Bike ...a trucker would need told it even happened if he didn't visually see it...little or nothing may be felt)

reply to post by Osiris1953

I watch pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, cage-monkeys and just about any other form of people moving around who forget all about common sense when it come to the "right of way"....

Like there is a law now that makes it mandatory to yield the right of way to pedestrians IN the crosswalk, pedestrians seem to think it's ok to jump out into the crosswalk while you are heading down the road in a car or on a bicycle from the sidewalk which isn't the crosswalk, never even looking for traffic coming by because they have the right of way.

STUPID

Like people in cars who have no intention of actually stopping at that stop sign they are approaching, running over a bicyclist at the corner who actually is observing traffic laws and stopping, because the driver is looking to the left in order to run the stop sign. This happened to me more than once, luckily it only wrecked two pairs of perfectly good bike shoes, but I don't do that anymore, I avoid intersections any chance I get.

STUPID

Like laws in Florida which make it illegal to go the actual posted speed limit in the left lane, they call it a "The Road rage reduction act", it is unbelievable how stupid the drivers are there, sun dried brains, like sun dried tomatoes in that shaker on the table at a pizza restaurant....

STUPID

Roving packs of speeding motorcyclists weaving between lanes and passing traffic congestion at lights in the goddamned bicycle lane at 50 MPH, nearly been pasted that way too....

STUPID

People who make assumptions as to the future actions of others, like 2 days ago, I was lane changing into the left turn lane and a guy made a left turn in front of me on his Poser ass Harley pigdogdavidson to cross to a gas station, then wanted to tell me I was wrong....

STUPID

Anyway....

STUPID

im all for ticketing bikers.

they are supposed to follow road laws (and use bike lanes when they are there)
but never do either.

i see them running red lights, j-"riding", doing all sorts of reckless things.

to hell with em

reply to post by darepairman


I didn't say anyone was fat and didn't mean to insult anyone, it's just that driving a car requires absolutely no effort, and drivers consider it a problem to push the brake or go around, while rushing about the whole time like a bunch of lemmings.

I consider it an insult that anyone would feel the urge to open their door and knock someone off a bicycle for being rightfully on the road, whether or not they follow traffic laws does not make it ok to cause them harm.

Please, don't anyone lump me into the group who doesn't follow the rules of the road because I do when it isn't unsafe for me to do so, that's reserved for people who drive like tards, quite a few do, both on bikes and in cars.

Be careful with bikers, you're just sitting in your motorized recliners, and we're all warmed up and crankin along.

reply to post by MyHappyDogShiner


Well bud its like this, you said multiple ton arm and leg, I interpet that as insinuating I am fat. All I said was I woud LIKE TO open the door. I wouldnt mind bike riders if they used the bike lanes supplied to them and let me at least do the speed limit. Even when they use the bike lanes they will swerve out of it causing drivers to have to swerve to keep from hitting them, I dont want to kill or hurt anyone but if I did whos fault is it automaticaly,the driver. The fact that I see riders ignoring the traffic laws all the time (and thats not the exception) Really pisses me off.on the other point of this you seem to think drivers like me are lazy and out of shape, let me tell you I am in great shape for a 50 year old man, my job is very physical and I get plenty of exercise the 8-12 hours I work each day. I build cars for preformance for pleasure as a hobbie and I do obey traffic laws out of common curtisy and safty. so I dont feel the need to ride a bike around town in my spandex like I am a racer for exercise because I sit my butt at a computer (not that there is anything wrong with that) all day. I get my hands dirty for a living and wouldnt have it any other way, just dont think because you ride a bike your the only one warmed up and cranking along. Thanks Ed

reply to post by darepairman

Much of the time cyclists swerve out of the bike lane for reasons like this OP is about.

The multiple ton arm or leg statement was to imply that many drivers are lazy and in a rush, which many are.

I understand that thinking and doing are not the same thing, but it's the thought that counts, as they say.

If you were 3 feet wide and could ignore traffic laws to avoid conflict and be run over by some dummy in a car, you probably would do the same, I only break the rules when drivers are being stupid in heavy traffic hurrying along to get nowhere while just sitting there in their cars being part of the traffic jam, fuming.

Just because I ride a bike doesn't mean I don't work as hard as you think you do and need to get exercise to stay in shape, I work many hours a day rebuilding motorcycle engines mostly, other types when the work comes along, pretty much anything mechanical, cycling is my hobby.

The assumption that I would wear spandex is humorous, as a 52 year old man who has been riding most of my life it wasn't even popular in the beginning.

Most people who think they're in good physical condition never have been in their entire life.

Grumpy old man, wanna meet for coffee?.

reply to post by MyHappyDogShiner

It seems like we are talking about 2 different riding arenas here, the one I am talking about is in the town where I live it is small about 23000 people and not very congested. but the yeppies in thier spandex think they own the road and everyone can just wait for them, and they are all over. Oh and sorry for the assunptions about you. Lets get to the in shape part here, I was a wrestler through out my school years and I coached for 8 years when my son started at the age of 6 years old so I know the differance between in shape and thinking about it. If you were close to me, I dont know your location, I would love a cup of coffee you seem alright. And dont forget about that grumpy part

My take on the video is that the guy got a crappy ticket, but a fair and legit one. He did break the law. He should have just paid the 50 dollar fine and be done with it. Sometimes life takes a little dump on your head. But to purposely crash into things including other peoples property is clearly illegal, regardless of whether their stuff was illegally i the bike lane. Purposely crashing into a police car can probably get you arrested for something.

The guy on the bike seems like he's the immature, self important one to go out of his way to make such a stupid point.

I live in Los Angeles. I cant pretend to know what other s go through in other towns but in LA bicyclists are largely a nuisance. And I don't even drive. I walk everywhere.

What I see are self absorbed entitled people zipping around on their bicycles. They don't believe in staying in their lane, weaving all over the road is acceptable to them, after all their bicyclists. Not like every single law that applies to a car applies to them safe a few. In LA they are allowed to drive a bicycle on the sidewalk. However, only if they are operating that bicycle at the same pace as a pedestrian. its a safety issue. But nope bicyclists dont care they do 25 mph on the sidewalk nearly shoulder checking everybody also sharing the sidewalk with them as they pass. Every time they do that past me I have to fight the momentary self defense reaction to clothesline them.

Ever seen a bicyclist respect things like stop signs? I havent most of them tear ass through them at 25 mph. Ever seen a bicyclist make a left turn from the right lane. I see them do that all the time. Whats the deal. Is it too difficult to operate your bicycle within the laws. Like every single other motorist has to? Are bicyclists special in some way, entitled?

I've seen bicyclists cut off buses and then have the nerve to turn and look at the bus like he's the asshole. No, last time I checked anybody who thinks they can contend with a 30 tone piece of steel rolling down the road at 30mph, is a moron. Even if the law was on your side, it's still unforgivably stupid. Your entitled Butt didnt get here because your ancestors thought they could cut off a charging rhino on the serengeti. So why does the dude on the bicycle think they are somehow more special? BTW ask any bus driver what they think of bicyclists. You'll get an ear full. and their views aren't positive.

Why not stop at the stop signs??? Too much work to do? Why not use the proper lane to turn from. Too much effort. That only applies to everybody but you? Why do 25 MPH on a sidewalk, it's only reckless if everyone else does it, but you and your earth saving bicycle. Hey it's OK for bicyclists to ride the the wrong way and go against traffic. They can do anything they want, they are in the grey area between pedestrian and automobile, their bicyclists and they're special...oh wait except that they're not and they actually do have to obey the laws everyone else does.

One time I was sitting on a highway offramp in LA waiting my turn to exit when two cars in front of me some guy on a bike at nighttime with no safety reflectors or nothing just dark clothes doing 25 mph on the sidewalk on the wrong side of the street rips through the cross walk on the offramp even though the light was red for him and green for the offramp and flies over the hood of a car making a right turn. He actually had the nerve to try and blame the driver for him smacking into the side of a car. Ummmm. no how bout you don't recklessly drive your bicycle on a sidewalk.

Like I said my rant goes for bucyclists in Los Angeles since I have limited experience with them in other cities. But in LA they are a special breed, that honestly think they are special. And if they wanna go the route that they are saving money or the environment and thus exempt and special. Do what I do hero, and WALK. Ride a bus. Or, you could ride a bike... in a manner respectful to your community and neighbors.

Sorry about the rant ATS.

darepairman
reply to post by boncho

 

Believe me I am no friend of the police,but in the town I live in we have bike lanes and nice ones at that, but some people think they have the right to the whole road and ride 2, 3,4 abreast, dont stop signs or obey other traffic laws when they ride. I see it every day, sometimes I would like to open a door when I go past some of them and get their spandex dirty.
Thaks Ed

I think you're lying, but if not, you need to take anger management classes before you do something criminal. Why not rage against all the cars on the road? This attitude against people trying to get exercise is despicable. Shame on you.

reply to post by Maverick7


So what on earth makes you think I am lying???? Also explained in another post ( would like to)not have or would do it. Feeling a little victemized (sp) today Maveric? no shame on me.

reply to post by BASSPLYR


Just because people are bicyclists doesn't mean they are all idoits, it's just that the idoits are way more visible (Yes, I am spelling idoit wrong, I must).

Just like a bunch of little girls, a couple of them are screamers, therefore they are a bunch of annoying screaming girls. Eh?!

Now, when motorists hate bicyclists, do they hate all of them, or just the dummies who should have a license just to be alive?

But of course, I don't live in LA, nor do I live in Florida where they have different speed limits on the same road to foil road rage; really?
That's crazy, and makes me feel a bit mad, I think I will borrow the woman's car later, no, what I think I should do is cause chaos with my motorized bicycle, not quite a bicycle, not a motorcycle, nor a car, .........OHhhh BOY! Get a load of me!


Anyway, to make a short story stay short, why should I be hated by a cager simply because of the faults of some of those bicyclists who should not have been bred?
It's the few who always ruin it for the many.

The rules of the road are the same for cyclists as they are for cars. If a cyclist is going straight through an intersection with no bike lane, it only makes sense for the cyclist to be on the line between the right turn lane and the lane designated for traffic going straight, or those turning will turn over them. Common sense and legal but a lot of motorists don't get it and have choice comments to share with the cyclist frequently as they basically run the stop sign or light without stopping. If making a left it is the same procedure for the same reason. Uncontrolled intersections without separated lanes demand the cyclist gets in the middle for visibility's sake, triggering similar commentary from motorists.

Cyclists are required to go with the flow of traffic and stay as far right as possible unless they are trying to set up for a left turn, another maneuver that is frequently misunderstood by motorists who share way more of their meaningless opinions about my riding than I care to recall. Being a cyclist in a world of motorists who have a license more because they have the money to pay the fees and insurance than anything resembling real driving skill, common sense or consideration for the safety of others tends to make one rather thick skinned. Everybody has a bad day, and sometimes the comments and stupid maneuvers get me a bit angry, but never destructive toward other people and things or property.

I rode to work 32 miles one way to work when I lived in Florida for 6 years, there are some people on the road down there that couldn't get a license to walk if one needed one, let alone to drive a motor vehicle, but the cyclists were by far way worse. I knew about 5 once, who are dead now, because they insisted it was safer to ride against traffic, they failed to consider the red light and stop sign runners were looking to the left to jump out into the traffic flow while they approached from the right. A couple of those guys got hit 8 or 10 times before anyone got stopped because the traffic was basically bumper to bumper at about 45 mph. I tried to tell them why they shouldn't without poking through their very thin skin....Nearly head on collided with some of them too on a occasion or so before they were gone....

As far as the OP, the guy in the video was being a tad silly about the whole thing, it isn't so hard to look far enough ahead to avoid obstacles in the bike lane, although I have hit things in the bike lane before when being pushed aside by motorists in the past it isn't usually so much of a problem as he made it out to be.

I have been told that if I were to be killed riding my bicycle on the road, that I deserved what I got for being dumb enough to be there on the road. That's a really crappy thing to say, but hey, you get smoked driving your car on the interstate at 80 mph, chunking a wheel into the dirt from trying to maneuver too quickly at speed, bumper to bumper, flipping over and over, doors flying off and people flying through the air, OK, you wanna drive like that, you deserve what you get.

I feel safer on a bicycle or motorcycle, cars are too big, slow, and maneuver too sluggishly, which basically makes it impossible to avoid bumping into one another.

Insurance companies love you all, don't ya know?, I asked about insurance for myself because I felt endangered by motorists in the past, there ain't no such thing....

reply to post by boncho


Bravo!

This man is just awesome.

And..This thread made my day B.......


S&F

BASSPLYR
My take on the video is that the guy got a crappy ticket, but a fair and legit one. He did break the law. He should have just paid the 50 dollar fine and be done with it.

He DID pay his ticket.

How about the Cop parked IN the Bike Lane?

Wheres HIS Ticket?

Either the laws are for everyone or no one.

reply to post by boncho


If some local Georgia lawmaker gets his way, bikes will be required to have license plates, and some counties will be able to BAN bikes from roads. Link This is absurd.

Another source of extortion for creating revenue for the state.

Just like "ticket" for not riding in the bike lane. Since it's not illegal to not bike in the bike lane, this is simply Officer Revenue Randy with a badge doing his citation for collection duty.

Disgusting.

reply to post by Liquesence

There is a place in Florida already, I don't remember the name of it right now, but it is illegal to ride bicycles in the town at all because it's mostly retirees and they banned bicycles there instead of taking the licenses away from people who really shouldn't be driving anyway. Really, because they ran over so many cyclists there they just banned bicycles there, if you appear to maybe be homeless or even poor, it's good advice to avoid the town also.

Florida is one of the weirdest places I have ever been, somehow I became accustomed to it when I was there, mainly by keeping to myself and staying alone and safe and watchful. It really is a dangerous place to be....

Damned if I can remember the name of the place right now though....I'll edit this post when it comes to me....

reply to post by MyHappyDogShiner

Banning bikes from anywhere is absurd really, but mandatory health insurance was preceded by mandatory auto insurance, it's all about the total bull-crap they can set precedent with, the crap they can slip past shortsighted idiots who only think of themselves and their....whatever....

They won't be able to ban bikes or require licenses because it doesn't have a motor, unless they declare people to be dumb machines somehow or other, maybe our allowing this mandatory health insurance proves we really are just dumb machines though, aside from bicycling being an inherently dangerous activity, which insurance companies in their endless risk reduction pursuits deny claims when someone does good healthy exercise and get hurt by a motor vehicle, because it is interpreted as careless behaviour.

I rode all the way up the edge of the river that Strom Thurman Reservoir is on in 2011 on a bike and didn't have any problems at all from anyone except outside of Harlem GA, when we stopped along the road on a Saturday night because we didn't get to our destination before dark to avoid getting run over. They only carded us and told us we were ok till morning, somebody saw us while driving by and thought there was an accident because all they saw were reflectors a ways off the road. Georgia was one of the nicest places we went through.

I see any activity at all in the future to be required to feed the economy or cost something, that just seems to be the way the world is headed, it's gonna suck then. I hope I die before that comes to pass, because I may just not be able to contain myself when it gets to that point.