Guys like this are what gives diesel a bad name

[CobyRupert]

I don't have much to add, except that it seems to me that bike riders are pretty much a cross section of society; perhaps tending toward the academic elite (I live in a college town). While some riders appear to be a bit arrogant, that doesn't bother me. It's the stupidity some exhibit that I tend to watch out for. I don't want their mistakes...or mine either... to cost them their life, so I am simply extra careful when I see one…..

True. Bikers are a wide cross section of society, just like vehicle drivers are. There’s the good and bad, timid and aggressive, etc..

Just last week I was riding on a wide road, riding to the right of the white line on a shoulder that was almost as wide as a car lane. Pretty nice right? I was approaching a side road, intending to ride straight past the side road, when a truck passed me and took an immediate right turn onto the side road, cutting me off and nearly sideswiping me.
I realized my mistake:
1) I should of been occupying (blocking) the main traffic lane, forcing the truck to wait behind me as I went past the intersection. This may upset a lot of motorists, but I won’t risk my life again to jerks like the truck driver who think they have the right of way to cut me off.
2) I should of kicked the rear quarter panel of his truck in. We were that close.
3) After hitting the truck I should of fallen off and called a TV lawyer for the neck & back pain I just discovered.

(Note: I’m only serious about 2 out of 3 of these)

 

[blee03]

If you’re on a pedal bike, for the love of god don’t try to block a lane... what if the driver is looking down at his phone? You’re dead, that’s it.

You can’t physically block a 4,000 lb car with your bicycle

 

[CobyRupert]

That’s why I’m saying I should of been out riding in and blocking the main lane for an extended distance before the intersection and before any traffic approached from the rear.
I’m just as dead when I’m in my own lane on the shoulder and they decide to sideswipe me.

 

[blee03]

That’s why I’m saying I should of been out riding in and blocking the main lane for an extended distance before the intersection and before any traffic approached from the rear.
I’m just as dead when I’m in my own lane on the shoulder and they decide to sideswipe me.

Being directly run over and side swiped can be the different between life and death.

Riding on the side of the road is dangerous enough, riding in the middle of a main lane is even worse

 

[cjoffutt]

Man, that sucks. You ever watch the whistlin diesel youtube channel? Thats what I think of when I think of central Indiana. Not that our rural Michigan towns aren't mostly the same way, but.

Lol, I've seen a handful of his videos. Some are pretty good (the Hilux series), some are just....ya.

 

[deezler]

Lol, I've seen a handful of his videos. Some are pretty good (the Hilux series), some are just....ya.

Indeed. Pretty wild to think that you can just make some dumb videos of doing burnouts on banana peels in your daily driver duramax, and build that into a multi million dollar video channel within a couple years. I'm eager to see what MonsterMax 2 gets into eventually.

 

[Torvy]

I would say the people who are taking a negative view of bicycle riders don’t ride. I recently added a rear view mirror on our bikes. Me and the wife will ride side by side but go single file when cars are coming from either direction. People need to pass bikes just like they would a car, clear view of the road and no oncoming traffic. If I see a hill or blind corner coming I will slow down and let a car coming up behind me have a clear line to pass.

Since we started riding more a few weeks ago, mostly rural but paved roads, most drivers have been very courteous and careful around us.

You are not the type of riders involved in the accident nor of whom we are discussing. We are talking about the clustered, large groups (20+ riders) who obstruct traffic and violate traffic laws while screaming about their rights to the road. If they were all doing what you do, this thread would never have been started.

 

[Torvy]

Just to play devil's advocate a bit, these bikers were training for a triathlon, and probably ride more like 25-35 mph, unless they hit a steep hill.

Not sure if you have ridden much, but your estimate is very high. Professional riders only average about 20 mph on training workouts. This was a bunch of amateur riders. In my experience, amateur riders are going about 15-20 on straight flat roads, less uphill, more downhill. Speeds above 25 mph can only be sustained on flat roads for relatively short distances by all but the professional level riders. Ironman Texas bike leg is 112 miles. These guys are not riding anywhere near 25 mph during training for that.

 

[Jstpssng]

That’s why I’m saying I should of been out riding in and blocking the main lane for an extended distance before the intersection and before any traffic approached from the rear.
I’m just as dead when I’m in my own lane on the shoulder and they decide to sideswipe me.

Do you really believe that it would have made a difference? You cite one a-hole driver, then seem to use it as an excuse to be a jerk yourself.

 

[Diggin It]

Progress?

Lawyer says teen who crashed into six Houston-area bicyclists was 'inexperienced' driver

Regardless of more severe charges potentially facing a 16-year-old who struck six...

www.houstonchronicle.com