Traffic ettiquette

jmc · Sep 19, 2005

I'm looking for a reality check here. First, a little background-

This is a college town with a lot of bicycle traffic. Most bikers do ok and some bikers are especially carefully about obeying traffic laws, even though thats harder on a bike than in a powered vehicle. But then there is that last group. They ride down one way streets backward. Sometimes at night without lights. They morph between vehicle and pedestrian, depending on which right of way suits them. They zoom near you from behind on the sidewalks. They give the rest of the bikers a bad reputation. Not because they are malicious- just clueless. This summer one was killed by a cement truck as the biker was riding backwards down a one way main drag.

The city has thoughtfully put in bike lanes where room allows. They are one bike wide and well marked.

Tonight my daughter(12 YO) and I were trying to get past 2 bikes riding abreast. One was in the bike lane along the right side of the road and the other biker was next to him, blocking my lane. When oncoming traffic cleared, I pulled up beside the bike in my lane and said "Why don't you use the bike lane!" somewhat forcefully. They both looked at me indignantly. No suprise there but my daughter told me she was embarrassed I confronted him and thought the tone of my voice was rude.

Was I out of line?

BTW, 2 blocks later they passed me and I saw the guy formerly in my lane go full speed thru a busy 4 way stop.

John

Farmwithjunk · Sep 19, 2005

Not at all out of line. The biker was lucky all you did was fuss at him. Wasn't there a young woman hit while bike riding, then tossed off a bridge in an attempt to hide the death in Bloomington, just a while back?

Junkman · Sep 19, 2005

If the local police start enforcing the traffic laws, there will be less problems. One thing that these clowns don't realize that in most states being on a bicycle doesn't exempt you from the traffic laws. If you have a drivers license, the violation is the same as if you were driving a car. I would push the local law enforcement people to start enforcing the rules of the road. It won't take long for the word to get out that it can get expensive to violate the traffic laws.

Egon · Sep 19, 2005

( One thing that these clowns don't realize )

Many of these clowns riding cycles rdalize exactly what the rules are.

Now do the clowns driving the cars that beleive the cyclists should disapear know what they are.

Egon

RedRocker · Sep 19, 2005

We call folks like that donors.

Junkman · Sep 19, 2005

( We call folks like that donors. )

I assume that you were refering to "organ donors" not "financial donors"...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

JimR · Sep 19, 2005

( We call folks like that donors. )

That's what the hospital emergency ward calls motorcyle riders that don't wear helmets.

JimR · Sep 19, 2005

You were in the right to tell them they were in the wrong. Come to Ma. You'll likely get close to being hit for doing something that stupid. The drivers here are just plain stupid. Both bicycle and automobile.

MikePA · Sep 20, 2005

Please remember that TBN is a Family Friendly Site and language that's appropriate other places, is not here. (Refer to the Terms of Service and the FAQ) Also, replacing obviously inappropriate words with ***** or ----- are not acceptable alternatives. Thanks! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cowboyjg · Sep 20, 2005

I wouldn't base your questioning of yourself on your daughters reaction. Her reaction was really based on her own embarrasment issues. I've encountered that with my 4 from time to time as they have been growing up.

What you've experienced is a sad sign of what has become more common place. A basic lack of respect for one another, a sort of self centerdness. Now I'm not talking about donation giving in times of crisis. That's an anomoly of sorts in the big picture. What I'm refering to is the day to day general indifference displayed by people toward each other.

I have a theory I've been kicking around about this ever increasing behavior I'm seeing. When I was growing up I remember a common message told to me by the various role models in my life. "Learn to take care of yourself because no-one is gonna do it for you". Now, I took that to mean there was no free lunch and I should become self relient and work for the things I wanted out of life. Somehow, somewhwere along the way I think that got translated into something like "You just worry about youself" and "be careful out there, people will try to take advantage of you"...and so on. This... to me....never seemed to be tempered by direction of kindness and compassion. There are, of course, a whole host of supporting characters in this production, like the media in particular. I'm not quite sure it's a liberal v conservative issue. I think it's really more than any one thing that has lead to this change in values. I know I don't believe that as a society we are making progress. What ever we seem to gain in the technological area we loose alot more in the human relationship area.

To answer you question though....no I don't believe you were out of line. I have the same experience on a daily basis. I am working 5 construction projects along a beach road near me and need to visit my crews there several times a day. This area for the last several years has been a prime spot for renovation and new construction. It's a narrow two lane road and quite often one vehicle will have to give way for another in order to pass. There is what appears to be a colony of bicycle riders (I have nothing against bicycle riders and I'm only kidding about the colony) who every day, all day, sometimes in groups and sometimes individually ride up and down this 2-3 mile stretch of road. Many times it's several abreast taking up more than half the road so as to prevent vehicles from passing. The observation is that nobody wants to give. Not even a little. I know the day is coming when a driver and a rider go toe to toe. I see verbal confrontations periodically and think it's only a matter of time. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif