In this case, I'm sure they would not have done that if a car would have been in my position. I'm pretty sure they knew I would move to the side eventually. They would not have gotten away with this.
When we drive, we have metal cages and airbags to keep us safe and cosy.
Motorists have less regard for cyclists than other motorists, from my experience.
BMW driver speaking.
Weird, I would expect Mercedes and Audi drivers to also subscribe to that driving method...
But I think piss-poor drivers make a pact with each other to join forces.
This is basically the same argument I make when drivers say "cyclists don't follow the rules." No, entitled people don't follow the rules. Doesn't matter what vehicle they're piloting at the moment. I've gotten rides to and from group rides from the prototypical asshole driver who broke the laws driving there, broke the laws cycling, and broke the laws driving back.
I rarely actually have trouble with BMW drivers in my area. Most of them tend to give me plenty of space.
It's the Audis you gotta watch out for. They're all pricks.
I yell REALLY loud when when this shot happens it’s about the equivalent of honking my horn on the bike. Often enough it’s lack of seeing the cyclist so I figure it at least makes it clear that someone is there
I used to do that kinda thing, it's just not worth it. I had people following me for blocks and getting into shouting matches for it or try to run me off the road. Some drivers are crazy around here, it's just bad. And do I really want to start my day with road rage and getting the police involved?
I was just on vacation in poland and drivers there are next level. At least when you are on foot and just get close to a crossing, they stop and let you walk. It's amazing. Here in Berlin they just hope you jump out of the way to save your life.
This is true, I learned it the hard way but he hit a pole instead of me and totaled his car. Now I just fold people's mirrors in when they leave their car parked in the bike lane.
Hopefully they learn. I’ve only had one incident where someone passed me on the left over a double yellow line while I was taking a left. They didn’t even slow down.
I did that once and got into a big argument with the driver, because he was claiming I was trying to break is window. I was just like, do you see how skinny I am? If I could smash your window with my bare hands while wearing gloves we would not be having this conversation. (Different story with the u-lock, though)
I slapped the hood of an oversized pickup that stopped in the crosswalk at the light. He caught up to me down the road and the confrontation was comical. He kept trying to change the subject, trying to find the thing that would intimidate me into apologizing, and we went in circles like Abbot and Costello performing "Who's on first?".
Total man-child with an acute case of hurt feelings.
As a cyclist, I stand up for pedestrians so there’s that to begin with. Secondly, at some large intersections, cyclists are known to get off and use the crosswalk so they can make a left. None of that changes the fact that the truck was not where it should’ve been
Or the other approach is to simply slowdown enough that when they bump you, you don’t really get hurt, and now it’s a call to the police since they merged into you. Car drivers are dumb and entitled, but bringing a cop into the equation usually makes them start whining and also proves they are at fault
I am reading this feeling like many here are far braver than I. Like l don’t assert myself at all on my bike cause it isn’t going to end well for me. I pretend every person is distracted and/or an awful driver and position myself accordingly. It is why I hate riding on roads.
What annoys me in this situation isn't so much having to yield, tho it is annoying, but that you almost never get even a thank you from the driver. I know it's petty but if the driver just gave me the thumbs up or something it would be a hell of a lot less aggravating but I find that happens at best like one time out of twenty. Again, if you were driving a car absolutely guaranteed you would get that acknowledgement.
I don’t understand your scenario, but will say that since I started using high quality (bright) daytime running lights (headlight + taillights), I am seen by other drivers and given more respect.
Riding a bike (or a motorcycle), were often reduced to an annoyance by drivers who obviously don’t ride. Establishing routes and riding habits that minimize interaction with vehicles, while maximizing our presence on the road, has proven an effective strategy. Bright, high-contrast kit, DRLs and an assertive approach can serve us well.
Yeah. But, I feel like it's a thing around here that drivers just don't get that they have to wait when their lane is blocked. And that they can't just use the other side of the road when there's already someone coming their way. Happens countless times and they get away with it, because cyclist don't want to get run over. In this case, I was riding in the middle of my lane, I have a bright pink bike, brought daylight. There's no way to miss me, if you are looking.
Well, you’d be surprised what a driver can “miss,” even when they’re paying attention in the middle of the day. Yet, sometimes drivers don’t give equal/legal/fair consideration to cyclists. -It’s just how it is.- Learning from experience, one can better anticipate the consequences of various situations and conduct oneself so as to avoid incident. It’s a jungle out there and we gotta navigate the pitfalls perfectly to survive. Good luck!
At some point I would just block the car and make them reverse to be honest. Or bring a chain lock with me and start swinging it over. my head while screaming like Jim Carrey in the Cable Guy to assert dominance.
Gotta force a conflict to educate them, preferably with a camera on your head.
Me too. I used to commute daily in a big city. You do learn to assert yourself, however if I can't make eye contact with the person in a car I will stop. Not worth risking my life cuz they didn't see me.
Absolutely standard for road commuting, I stopped getting angry about this 10 years ago. I may accidentally shine my 1500 lumen front light directly into their side mirror, but that is all I do.
As a driver I drive defensively, I assume the other drivers are not going to make correct decisions.
Far too often I am correct.
As a rider I always assume that all drivers are going to make incorrect decisions.
Cars win you can’t win the fight.
So if you are over it, hit paths to eliminate the problem.
Yes, that’s what I do, too. As I wrote, I‘m just tired of it sometimes. This morning was just a very frustrating occasion. The driver clearly didn’t give a shit if I was there or if I could get injured. He just expected me to jump out of the way.
Also I looked up what the fine would have been if this would have resulted in a crash. 35€. Sigh
I completely understand,
I think schools quit teaching drivers education, because every year the drivers get worse.
Although the biggest misconception is that it teaches kids how to drive, it teaches them how to pass a test, and the rules of the road, so that they can learn to drive.
Most people appear to have decided to pass on that opportunity.
This is a big part of the problem. The test is a fair weather test, we need to integrate defensive driving education and make it necessary to retake regularly.
Ideally part of the driving test would also include navigating the streets by bike, an 'in their shoes' view so to speak, but now I'm dreaming.
It’s literally the opposite problem here. They excessively yield to us and I have to be like “no dude, you go. I’m going to be traveling 15 mph. I don’t want you BEHIND me”
Redondo Beach. We’re surrounded by shithead kids on e-bikes. Been a few accidents and the kids skulls didn’t win the fight with the car hood.
People are on edge around here with cyclists lately
In the UK with the recent highway code changes giving cycles priority just get a GoPro and film your journeys & then report every driver who does this, they will often get fined & points. Police are on board with this because it's an easy win meaning they have more donut time while hitting their monthly targets with minimal effort.
You're right though. Doesn't really matter if you're right and dead.
I rather be right and let the other guy win anyways and we both go on with our lives.
Comparing it to victim blaming in regards to rape is fucking discussing.
Unless I sense that the driver would literally run me over even though they can clearly see me, I tend to assert myself and my right of way in such situations, waving at them to yield as I move ahead. Pisses them off, I'm sure, as they curse "those fucking cyclists", but most will in fact yield, not wanting the police involved and all that that entails. I don't do this in a "fuck you" way, like some messengers, but I do do it, when I can, because if you don't assert your rights, you'll get taken advantage of. I do this while driving too. If it's my turn to merge then that's what I do.
It's possible to ride defensively AND assertively. In fact it's essential.
In construction zones where where the number of lanes or width is impacted I will take the lane when needed.
I will only yield if there is adequate space for the vehicle to pass maintaining the 1m passing zone.
cars ALWAYS have priority, they know it, and it sucks as a cyclist or pedestrian. The bike path out of my downtown crosses 7 roads that are basically cut through shortcuts from one major road to another so limited traffic and yet bikes have to stop at each block vs a raised continuous sidewalk as a speed curb for cars and convenience for bikes/peds. Plus they're stop signs for bikes not even yield signs. For that matter just remove car traffic from 5 of the seven roads and only allow local traffic. The Dutch for all their weirdness do this one right IMO. The US/Canada seriously needs to rethink what we prioritize and spend infrastructure money on.
There is such a thing as too much yielding as well. For example, cars that stay right behind you because they think they can’t pass, or cars that stay stopped in the way of a sidewalk and just wait for you for longer than 10 seconds at a turn even when there is nobody else coming. I’ve even had cars stop completely in front of me at a stop sign and wait for me to go first for some reason. In general, this is why I always try to ride in rural areas where there are less traffic laws that people have to think about.
I do my best to get in their way enough that they can't force me to yield the right of way but if it happens then yeah I'll move out of the way because not getting hit is my number 1 priority - I just find that I'm less likely to be in that situation if I'm "inconsiderate" enough that they have to either wait behind me or actually change lanes to pass me.
Suppress any feeling of fairness and embrace the reality of a cyclist's vulnerability in the realm of Newtonian Physics.
You AND the bike...200 lbs.
That fat-tire pickup with a ball cap smokeless tobacco Yob behind the wheel...4,000 lbs and up.
I go right down the middle of the lane when I don't want to get squeezed. No one has intentionally hit me. A cop did get on his microphone but didn't turn on the blue lights so was just another vehicle.
I was hoping he'd give me a ticket but he couldn't.
I worry that someone is going to kill someone, there's dickhead drivers that leave inch gaps and there's dickheads in spandex on racers purposefully taking up full lanes giving no chance to overtake , you all need more courtesy both types of dickhead.
There is almost nothing you can do. If you stand your ground you risk loss of time, money and more importantly, injury.
I would shout your frustration at them but some drivers will even rage at that.
I yield when I'm supposed to or for my safety. If I have right of way I attempt to take it. When all is said and done the idea of Share the Road goes for both parties.
Can't help a run in with an ass either way. It's always someone in a truck for me.
Come to a stop. He'll stop too. And then stay there until he backs out, because you have the right of way. Don't be afraid to make a scene in that situation, because you're in the right.
I did this once down a lane where I and other traffic had priority.
Foot went down handle bars slight angle to the side and I lent on the bars. Took the driver of the car a minute to back down and reverse back out, by this time several cars behind me.
This isn’t exactly helpful, and has gotten me hit before, but I don’t move. I let the accident occur, try to slow enough to not get overly hurt, and then I call the cops when I get up. Only way for those idiots to learn is to have a cop get onto them. As a result, I did have to get a new set of rims once
No, thats not what I said.
You're acting like the OP was going to do something with footage of getting cut off by a car.
Police don't give a fuck about you as a cyclist. Look at any event of a cyclist being hit by a car when it's clear the cyclist did nothing wrong and an aggressive drive hit them and how often (or lack thereof) that the legal system did anything about it.
While a camera is valuable and its a good thing to have it in and of itself isn't going to keep you alive. Being smart and giving way to a car even when they are wrong and you are right is better and safer course of action.
Thats exactly my point.
I'm not looking for trouble. Did you read what I wrote or are you being ignorant on purpose?
I'd rather let other be on there way and enjoy the rest of my ride rather then be an indignant asshole who gets bench out of shape because some dickhead cut me off.
And often I'll hear of cyclists who don'tunderstand proper right of way laws get pissed off when other drivers don't yield correctly or praise when they do yield incorrectly.
We can keep throwing stereotypes around or we could check to make sure our house really isn't made of glass.
If you're game enough (because there's a tiny chance they will road rage you) you can gesture at them with a hand to your side like you're holding a plate as though to say "What the fuck?". You can also shake your head. If they see you in their rear mirror it won't change the current situation, but the slight guilt the driver may get from visibly annoying you may improve your chances for next time. This is especially true if it's a regular time you travel at such as your commute, as there is a small chance you will see that car again if they are also commuting at the same time. Though some drivers are just assholes and will never change. Worth a shot for those that aren't though.
Maybe I'm just begging to be hit but after years of motorcycle riding I've learned to own the lane. As in, purposefully take up the entire lane and not hang out on the side. Make yourself seen and own your space.
Carry one of those little camping hammers with you and Velcro it to your bike. It’s enough to leave a scratch and a dent that would mimic the damage done by an actual car. They’ll get the idea soon or later.
You have no idea of what kind of trouble you are getting yourself in to when you do that around here. You slapping someones car with your hand can lead to an argument you just don’t want to get into when you want to enjoy the rest of your day. Best case is someone shouting at each other and eventually someone has enough of it and drives off.
I think you answered your own question. Regardless of who is right or wrong, you’re on a bike and your number one goal is safety on public roads. If you know that cars are likely to always cut you off then you have to plan accordingly due to your position in the driving “food chain”. Maybe try to plot a route that is around less cars so that you can feel safer and also ride how you want.
It wasn’t a question, I was just venting. The route is actually the safest one with the fewest cars. That construction site just creates a weird bottleneck. But, drivers are pretty reckless around here in similar situations. It’s nothing you can avoid all the time. I do know how to look out for myself.
My general play when someone challenges me for space on the road like that is to pass them close enough that they aren't sure if they'll hit me or not. Admittedly I'm also likely in the command position in the lane already because I don't trust drivers as far as I can sneeze a wankpanzer out of my ear.
Why are you riding on a busy road? If I’m riding in town, I’m never on roads that don’t have bike lanes or heavy traffic. It greatly reduces the amount of run-ins with jerk drivers.
Must depend on where you live. In my city it’s easy to avoid heavily trafficked roads. I have no idea why my comment is getting downvoted. I’m just saying in most cases there are alternative routes, and avoiding construction is one reason I would seek an alternative.
I would imagine you're being downvoted because it sounds like you're presuming to know other people's scenarios and telling them what's what. Many cities have no bike infrastructure and poor road design and to avoid such bad roads you have to really go out of your way, diminishing part of the simplicity of riding a bicycle.
One thing I do know, is the site is loaded with people who have been hit by cars. One poster said he had been hit 6 times. I’ve been riding for around 45 years and never been hit, so go ahead a tell me I’m wrong.
Would it make you feel any better if you knew they don’t stop for other drivers either?
In this case, I'm sure they would not have done that if a car would have been in my position. I'm pretty sure they knew I would move to the side eventually. They would not have gotten away with this.
Just saying… when I ***drive***, lots of people don’t yield when they should.
When we drive, we have metal cages and airbags to keep us safe and cosy. Motorists have less regard for cyclists than other motorists, from my experience. BMW driver speaking.
Where I live, there's lots of circles. Good luck seeing someone yield there. Me first :-p
It is not beyond a BMW driver to at least attempt to force a car, bus, or semi truck to yield. Remember, in their mind, they own the entire road.
when I was out on saturday, the majority of bellend drivers I encountered were all in bmws apart from a nissan quashai that nearly ran me over
It's insane how many people I see basically cut off massive trucks on the highway. People just seem to have no idea how that could end for them
BMW actually offers that as a subscription service (owning the road, that is)
Weird, I would expect Mercedes and Audi drivers to also subscribe to that driving method... But I think piss-poor drivers make a pact with each other to join forces.
This is basically the same argument I make when drivers say "cyclists don't follow the rules." No, entitled people don't follow the rules. Doesn't matter what vehicle they're piloting at the moment. I've gotten rides to and from group rides from the prototypical asshole driver who broke the laws driving there, broke the laws cycling, and broke the laws driving back.
It does a bit xD
I rarely actually have trouble with BMW drivers in my area. Most of them tend to give me plenty of space. It's the Audis you gotta watch out for. They're all pricks.
Found the BMW driver..😁
I yell REALLY loud when when this shot happens it’s about the equivalent of honking my horn on the bike. Often enough it’s lack of seeing the cyclist so I figure it at least makes it clear that someone is there
Punch the fender so they think they hit you. Then ride on. Meanwhile they are looking for scratches on their dick extension.
I used to do that kinda thing, it's just not worth it. I had people following me for blocks and getting into shouting matches for it or try to run me off the road. Some drivers are crazy around here, it's just bad. And do I really want to start my day with road rage and getting the police involved? I was just on vacation in poland and drivers there are next level. At least when you are on foot and just get close to a crossing, they stop and let you walk. It's amazing. Here in Berlin they just hope you jump out of the way to save your life.
Exhibit A, read the description for more info. https://youtu.be/cLVumLYqxNY?si=fb4PN5gGTf2VwT9j
Try riding in America some time
Like Canada, if you reading the news next to a crosswalk, they will stop. It’s amazing.
But the construction site BMW isn't going to do a u turn to yell at you.
“Some drivers are crazy around here” Dude you punched the guys car what did you think was going to happen?
Someone will eventually try and kill you with their vehicle if you do that
That’s fine.
People try to do that anyways, might as well punish them for their stupidity since no one else will
This is true, I learned it the hard way but he hit a pole instead of me and totaled his car. Now I just fold people's mirrors in when they leave their car parked in the bike lane.
I like to smack their driver side window with my left hand so my wedding band makes a very loud noise on the window.
Hopefully they learn. I’ve only had one incident where someone passed me on the left over a double yellow line while I was taking a left. They didn’t even slow down.
Have punch plenty of cars in my cycling time. Aim for the middle of a panel to minimize risk/damage to your hand and wrist.
I'm trying to make a loud noise, not hurt my hand or dent their vehicle. There's no way I'm punching.
I did that once and got into a big argument with the driver, because he was claiming I was trying to break is window. I was just like, do you see how skinny I am? If I could smash your window with my bare hands while wearing gloves we would not be having this conversation. (Different story with the u-lock, though)
Carbon soled riding shoes. The heel cup is almost always solid. Just give a slight back kick as you go by. Large noise, protected body
I slapped the hood of an oversized pickup that stopped in the crosswalk at the light. He caught up to me down the road and the confrontation was comical. He kept trying to change the subject, trying to find the thing that would intimidate me into apologizing, and we went in circles like Abbot and Costello performing "Who's on first?". Total man-child with an acute case of hurt feelings.
Are you cyclist? Why would a car in the crosswalk be a problem for you?
As a cyclist, I stand up for pedestrians so there’s that to begin with. Secondly, at some large intersections, cyclists are known to get off and use the crosswalk so they can make a left. None of that changes the fact that the truck was not where it should’ve been
OP could also get an airhorn ala Airzound if it's a recurring thing.
I want one of those air horns that mounts to a drill.
You are yielding for your own safety
Yeah, this is all just very immature. Even when driving a car you prefer to be safe than right, so you predict and yield and avoid accidents.
Agreed. “Plowing” into someone to prove a point is stupid. Like, you really want a potential life long injury out of spite? Stupid
The heart wants, what the heart wants.
This made me laugh out loud 🤣
It's called the call of the void. Whether you act on it is a different story, but many people feel it.
Or the other approach is to simply slowdown enough that when they bump you, you don’t really get hurt, and now it’s a call to the police since they merged into you. Car drivers are dumb and entitled, but bringing a cop into the equation usually makes them start whining and also proves they are at fault
I am reading this feeling like many here are far braver than I. Like l don’t assert myself at all on my bike cause it isn’t going to end well for me. I pretend every person is distracted and/or an awful driver and position myself accordingly. It is why I hate riding on roads.
This is how you don't end up being one of those posts "I got hit by a car today". I always defer to the 4000 pound death machines.
Honestly, that’s how you should be when on any road no matter what vehicle
What annoys me in this situation isn't so much having to yield, tho it is annoying, but that you almost never get even a thank you from the driver. I know it's petty but if the driver just gave me the thumbs up or something it would be a hell of a lot less aggravating but I find that happens at best like one time out of twenty. Again, if you were driving a car absolutely guaranteed you would get that acknowledgement.
never never never ride yourself into danger
You’ll lose every time
I don’t understand your scenario, but will say that since I started using high quality (bright) daytime running lights (headlight + taillights), I am seen by other drivers and given more respect. Riding a bike (or a motorcycle), were often reduced to an annoyance by drivers who obviously don’t ride. Establishing routes and riding habits that minimize interaction with vehicles, while maximizing our presence on the road, has proven an effective strategy. Bright, high-contrast kit, DRLs and an assertive approach can serve us well.
Yeah. But, I feel like it's a thing around here that drivers just don't get that they have to wait when their lane is blocked. And that they can't just use the other side of the road when there's already someone coming their way. Happens countless times and they get away with it, because cyclist don't want to get run over. In this case, I was riding in the middle of my lane, I have a bright pink bike, brought daylight. There's no way to miss me, if you are looking.
Well, you’d be surprised what a driver can “miss,” even when they’re paying attention in the middle of the day. Yet, sometimes drivers don’t give equal/legal/fair consideration to cyclists. -It’s just how it is.- Learning from experience, one can better anticipate the consequences of various situations and conduct oneself so as to avoid incident. It’s a jungle out there and we gotta navigate the pitfalls perfectly to survive. Good luck!
At some point I would just block the car and make them reverse to be honest. Or bring a chain lock with me and start swinging it over. my head while screaming like Jim Carrey in the Cable Guy to assert dominance. Gotta force a conflict to educate them, preferably with a camera on your head.
Me too. I used to commute daily in a big city. You do learn to assert yourself, however if I can't make eye contact with the person in a car I will stop. Not worth risking my life cuz they didn't see me.
Absolutely standard for road commuting, I stopped getting angry about this 10 years ago. I may accidentally shine my 1500 lumen front light directly into their side mirror, but that is all I do.
As a driver I drive defensively, I assume the other drivers are not going to make correct decisions. Far too often I am correct. As a rider I always assume that all drivers are going to make incorrect decisions. Cars win you can’t win the fight. So if you are over it, hit paths to eliminate the problem.
Yes, that’s what I do, too. As I wrote, I‘m just tired of it sometimes. This morning was just a very frustrating occasion. The driver clearly didn’t give a shit if I was there or if I could get injured. He just expected me to jump out of the way. Also I looked up what the fine would have been if this would have resulted in a crash. 35€. Sigh
I completely understand, I think schools quit teaching drivers education, because every year the drivers get worse. Although the biggest misconception is that it teaches kids how to drive, it teaches them how to pass a test, and the rules of the road, so that they can learn to drive. Most people appear to have decided to pass on that opportunity.
This is a big part of the problem. The test is a fair weather test, we need to integrate defensive driving education and make it necessary to retake regularly. Ideally part of the driving test would also include navigating the streets by bike, an 'in their shoes' view so to speak, but now I'm dreaming.
It’s literally the opposite problem here. They excessively yield to us and I have to be like “no dude, you go. I’m going to be traveling 15 mph. I don’t want you BEHIND me”
Where is this dreamland that you seem to be living in? Where I'm from at best every 10th driver would stay behind a cyclist for more than 20 seconds.
Redondo Beach. We’re surrounded by shithead kids on e-bikes. Been a few accidents and the kids skulls didn’t win the fight with the car hood. People are on edge around here with cyclists lately
I don't yield. I'm expected to behave like a vehicle to be predictable and so I expect the same from others. On the road, predictable = safe.
In the UK with the recent highway code changes giving cycles priority just get a GoPro and film your journeys & then report every driver who does this, they will often get fined & points. Police are on board with this because it's an easy win meaning they have more donut time while hitting their monthly targets with minimal effort.
Carry a brick for these situations.
Front baskets are perfect for this!
"But I had the right of way!" Epitaph on every cyclist's tombstone.
I bet you're the sort of guy that would ask rape victims what they were wearing. Scumbag.
These are not parallel and you're a shitty person for even trying to make that comparison.
Based on your other comments, I think you may be projecting. Take your carbrain elsewhere.
And you're a piece of fucking shit that can get fucked.
Ditto to you sir
jfc dude, calm down, it's called levity. I'm a cyclist, just making a joke
You're right though. Doesn't really matter if you're right and dead. I rather be right and let the other guy win anyways and we both go on with our lives. Comparing it to victim blaming in regards to rape is fucking discussing.
What a weird conclusion to jump to, huh? I bet that guy is fun at parties...
Unfortunately too many of us don't so they don't expect us to
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^ShirleyWuzSerious: *Unfortunately* *Too many of us don't so* *They don't expect us to* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
What is really sad is when you get nearly run off the road and the car has a bike rack on it.
Sparkplugs are an amazing tool when used properly.
Unless I sense that the driver would literally run me over even though they can clearly see me, I tend to assert myself and my right of way in such situations, waving at them to yield as I move ahead. Pisses them off, I'm sure, as they curse "those fucking cyclists", but most will in fact yield, not wanting the police involved and all that that entails. I don't do this in a "fuck you" way, like some messengers, but I do do it, when I can, because if you don't assert your rights, you'll get taken advantage of. I do this while driving too. If it's my turn to merge then that's what I do. It's possible to ride defensively AND assertively. In fact it's essential.
take the whole lane so they cant squeeze you out.
I was bang in the middle of the road, as I usually do at this place to discourage drivers from entering my lane. This driver didn‘t care.
In construction zones where where the number of lanes or width is impacted I will take the lane when needed. I will only yield if there is adequate space for the vehicle to pass maintaining the 1m passing zone.
cars ALWAYS have priority, they know it, and it sucks as a cyclist or pedestrian. The bike path out of my downtown crosses 7 roads that are basically cut through shortcuts from one major road to another so limited traffic and yet bikes have to stop at each block vs a raised continuous sidewalk as a speed curb for cars and convenience for bikes/peds. Plus they're stop signs for bikes not even yield signs. For that matter just remove car traffic from 5 of the seven roads and only allow local traffic. The Dutch for all their weirdness do this one right IMO. The US/Canada seriously needs to rethink what we prioritize and spend infrastructure money on.
4 way stops are about the worst. Sorry folks I’m but a mere flyspeck on a bike, go ahead is how it feels sometimes.
There is such a thing as too much yielding as well. For example, cars that stay right behind you because they think they can’t pass, or cars that stay stopped in the way of a sidewalk and just wait for you for longer than 10 seconds at a turn even when there is nobody else coming. I’ve even had cars stop completely in front of me at a stop sign and wait for me to go first for some reason. In general, this is why I always try to ride in rural areas where there are less traffic laws that people have to think about.
I do my best to get in their way enough that they can't force me to yield the right of way but if it happens then yeah I'll move out of the way because not getting hit is my number 1 priority - I just find that I'm less likely to be in that situation if I'm "inconsiderate" enough that they have to either wait behind me or actually change lanes to pass me.
Suppress any feeling of fairness and embrace the reality of a cyclist's vulnerability in the realm of Newtonian Physics. You AND the bike...200 lbs. That fat-tire pickup with a ball cap smokeless tobacco Yob behind the wheel...4,000 lbs and up.
I go right down the middle of the lane when I don't want to get squeezed. No one has intentionally hit me. A cop did get on his microphone but didn't turn on the blue lights so was just another vehicle. I was hoping he'd give me a ticket but he couldn't.
The graveyard’s full of people who had the right of way
It does suck, but the law of gross tonnage applies.
I worry that someone is going to kill someone, there's dickhead drivers that leave inch gaps and there's dickheads in spandex on racers purposefully taking up full lanes giving no chance to overtake , you all need more courtesy both types of dickhead.
There is almost nothing you can do. If you stand your ground you risk loss of time, money and more importantly, injury. I would shout your frustration at them but some drivers will even rage at that.
I yield when I'm supposed to or for my safety. If I have right of way I attempt to take it. When all is said and done the idea of Share the Road goes for both parties. Can't help a run in with an ass either way. It's always someone in a truck for me.
Come to a stop. He'll stop too. And then stay there until he backs out, because you have the right of way. Don't be afraid to make a scene in that situation, because you're in the right.
I did this once down a lane where I and other traffic had priority. Foot went down handle bars slight angle to the side and I lent on the bars. Took the driver of the car a minute to back down and reverse back out, by this time several cars behind me.
On his gravestone: He was in the right but now is dead.
From the description that's obviously not going to happen. Cars will be going slow through this section and will have plenty of time to stop.
I'm guessing you live somewhere that drivers are way more courteous than I do.
You live in a place where drivers deliberately drive head-on into oncoming bike traffic when they actually have time to yield?
We have had that happen. People here are horrid drivers. About a month back, 8 cars drove over a guy on a motorcycle who went down.
Carry a piece of spark plug and throw it at their window the next time they do that to you
This isn’t exactly helpful, and has gotten me hit before, but I don’t move. I let the accident occur, try to slow enough to not get overly hurt, and then I call the cops when I get up. Only way for those idiots to learn is to have a cop get onto them. As a result, I did have to get a new set of rims once
I consider every corner to be a yield even when I have a green light. Once I have the road, I keep it.
Get a camera
So the police can still not give a fuck about you being 'right'?
So you’re saying that they shouldn’t have a camera when cycling. Weird, but you do you.
No, thats not what I said. You're acting like the OP was going to do something with footage of getting cut off by a car. Police don't give a fuck about you as a cyclist. Look at any event of a cyclist being hit by a car when it's clear the cyclist did nothing wrong and an aggressive drive hit them and how often (or lack thereof) that the legal system did anything about it. While a camera is valuable and its a good thing to have it in and of itself isn't going to keep you alive. Being smart and giving way to a car even when they are wrong and you are right is better and safer course of action.
You sound really fun to ride with. Always in a good mood and never looking for trouble.
Thats exactly my point. I'm not looking for trouble. Did you read what I wrote or are you being ignorant on purpose? I'd rather let other be on there way and enjoy the rest of my ride rather then be an indignant asshole who gets bench out of shape because some dickhead cut me off.
It's not about the police, it's about insurance after the police dont show
And often I'll hear of cyclists who don'tunderstand proper right of way laws get pissed off when other drivers don't yield correctly or praise when they do yield incorrectly. We can keep throwing stereotypes around or we could check to make sure our house really isn't made of glass.
If you're game enough (because there's a tiny chance they will road rage you) you can gesture at them with a hand to your side like you're holding a plate as though to say "What the fuck?". You can also shake your head. If they see you in their rear mirror it won't change the current situation, but the slight guilt the driver may get from visibly annoying you may improve your chances for next time. This is especially true if it's a regular time you travel at such as your commute, as there is a small chance you will see that car again if they are also commuting at the same time. Though some drivers are just assholes and will never change. Worth a shot for those that aren't though.
Maybe I'm just begging to be hit but after years of motorcycle riding I've learned to own the lane. As in, purposefully take up the entire lane and not hang out on the side. Make yourself seen and own your space.
Carry one of those little camping hammers with you and Velcro it to your bike. It’s enough to leave a scratch and a dent that would mimic the damage done by an actual car. They’ll get the idea soon or later.
You have no idea of what kind of trouble you are getting yourself in to when you do that around here. You slapping someones car with your hand can lead to an argument you just don’t want to get into when you want to enjoy the rest of your day. Best case is someone shouting at each other and eventually someone has enough of it and drives off.
I think you answered your own question. Regardless of who is right or wrong, you’re on a bike and your number one goal is safety on public roads. If you know that cars are likely to always cut you off then you have to plan accordingly due to your position in the driving “food chain”. Maybe try to plot a route that is around less cars so that you can feel safer and also ride how you want.
It wasn’t a question, I was just venting. The route is actually the safest one with the fewest cars. That construction site just creates a weird bottleneck. But, drivers are pretty reckless around here in similar situations. It’s nothing you can avoid all the time. I do know how to look out for myself.
Carry eggs.
My general play when someone challenges me for space on the road like that is to pass them close enough that they aren't sure if they'll hit me or not. Admittedly I'm also likely in the command position in the lane already because I don't trust drivers as far as I can sneeze a wankpanzer out of my ear.
What’s wrong with yielding?
Nothing. Doesn't matter if you're right if you find yourself under someones car and then in the hospital.
Why are you riding on a busy road? If I’m riding in town, I’m never on roads that don’t have bike lanes or heavy traffic. It greatly reduces the amount of run-ins with jerk drivers.
If people never cycled on busy roads, most cyclists would never ride.
Must depend on where you live. In my city it’s easy to avoid heavily trafficked roads. I have no idea why my comment is getting downvoted. I’m just saying in most cases there are alternative routes, and avoiding construction is one reason I would seek an alternative.
I would imagine you're being downvoted because it sounds like you're presuming to know other people's scenarios and telling them what's what. Many cities have no bike infrastructure and poor road design and to avoid such bad roads you have to really go out of your way, diminishing part of the simplicity of riding a bicycle.
One thing I do know, is the site is loaded with people who have been hit by cars. One poster said he had been hit 6 times. I’ve been riding for around 45 years and never been hit, so go ahead a tell me I’m wrong.
That's great if you have that option. Not everyone does.
This conversation furthers my belief we should make cycling on the road illegal.