To fellow bicyclists: pet peeves

[alaskaguy]

Bicycle jerseys are a must for reasons beyond functionality; they look really cool. I wish that I could wear shirts as colorful as bicycle jerseys at work.

[CycloneYoda]

That plus, use the sidewalk...dont ride in packs...try and keep up with the pace of traffic and when I honk dont crash in front of me.

This is insane. Many cities prohibit bikes on sidewalks for a reason. I can see and anticipate a cyclist's intentions on the road, but when they come whipping out from a sidewalk, they tend to spend more time in my blind. Dangerous for pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists.

[alarson]

My first rule is never, never ride on the sidewalks.

Why not? Because the bike might have to slow down for the pedestrian? (and yes, this is the most common reason ive heard). Oh the horror. Odd that its ok to demand a car slow down for them, when the car has nowhere else to go, but not ok for a biker to use a perfectly fine alternative following the same path, because THEY might have to slow down for a pedestrian. If all goes wrong in either situation, if the biker gets hit by the car, theres a lot more potential for serious injury than if a biker runs into a pedestrian.

If its a narrow, heavily trafficked sidewalk, i can at least understand a bit. But if its a wide, trail width sidewalk, like is common in west des moines, use it. Its designed for that kind of traffic.

I understand that technically bikers have the right to use the road, and i'll do what i have to to avoid an accident with them. That doesnt mean that it is the smart thing to do in many places, nor does it mean that maybe the law should be altered to restrict use of roads on which there is an adjoining sidewalk (maybe with a certain minimum width). No different than requiring a minimum speed on the freeway.

As for riders in packs.. it seems like you never see them single file in wdm. In fact, theres a group that goes out riding pretty often on EP true that'll turn around and laugh at the car thats slowed down by them.

[alaskaguy]

Why not? Because the bike might have to slow down for the pedestrian? .

No, beecause it is dangerous as hell riding on the sidewalk.

[VeloClone]

Why not? Because the bike might have to slow down for the pedestrian? (and yes, this is the most common reason ive heard). Oh the horror. Odd that its ok to demand a car slow down for them, when the car has nowhere else to go, but not ok for a biker to use a perfectly fine alternative following the same path, because THEY might have to slow down for a pedestrian. If all goes wrong in either situation, if the biker gets hit by the car, theres a lot more potential for serious injury than if a biker runs into a pedestrian.

Please see my post #18. Traffic crossing the sidewalk is often more dangerous than the traffic that is moving along with you on the street. I have had many more close calls with traffic crossing the sidewalk/bikepath not looking for bikes than I have had moving with traffic. You have to use reason and go with what is safest in each situation.

[tazclone]

Most of mainland Europe drives on the right side of the road. And regardless of what side of the road they drive on, that doesn't address the fact that signals were originally performed with either hand.

Basketball was originally played with a peach basket...who cares. All I know is most people are taught how to signal with their left hand.
My kids have been to school in 4 different states. Every year at their elementary school in each state,they have bicycle safety day....Guess what they are taught...hand signals. 4 states 6 different elentary schools and all of them taught the hand signals we are talking about. Not to mention drivers education down the road. And of course, the kids come home and show thier parents.
Just saying. I will stick with what most people are taught at the current time in this country.

[farminclone]

Has anyone seen a huge increase in the amount of people biking on paved county roads outside of small towns? It seems in my area that the cool thing to do is ride your bike in the country on the paved county roads where the speed of traffic is 55MPH and there is a lot of big farm equipment moving in the spring and fall.

That just seems insanely idiotic when there are two paved 12 mile bike trails in the area, but maybe thats just me.

[Clone9]

I ride my bike to work some of the time, and am a big supporter of cyclists. However, yesterday there was this girl riding down the middle of the road (literally) with no hands talking on her cell phone and wouldn't get over to the side for us to pass. She even looked back and saw us waiting, but didn't get over. Let's just say she heard plenty of our horn. It's these types of riders that give other cyclists bad names. The majority are courtesy and very willing to share the road.

[Chipper]

I hate when I'm running or walking around Ada Hayden and a bicyclists yells at me from behind;

"On your left."

I know people are stupid but shouldn't there be a maximum age to people you yell this to?

[tazclone]

Has anyone seen a huge increase in the amount of people biking on paved county roads outside of small towns? It seems in my area that the cool thing to do is ride your bike in the country on the paved county roads where the speed of traffic is 55MPH and there is a lot of big farm equipment moving in the spring and fall.

That just seems insanely idiotic when there are two paved 12 mile bike trails in the area, but maybe thats just me.

I had to laugh when my grandpa was complaining about bikers on his paved country road. He was ****** because he had to slow down or pass them with his tractor. I laughed and said people were probably ****** when they had to slow down and pass his tractor. That made him think a little.
I am guessing some people want a little more variety or perhaps they are biking more than 12 miles.

[alaskaguy]

Has anyone seen a huge increase in the amount of people biking on paved county roads outside of small towns? It seems in my area that the cool thing to do is ride your bike in the country on the paved county roads where the speed of traffic is 55MPH and there is a lot of big farm equipment moving in the spring and fall.

That just seems insanely idiotic when there are two paved 12 mile bike trails in the area, but maybe thats just me.

I bicycle regularly on county roads. In fact, I live off of a county road so every time I leave my house on my bicycle I am cycling on a county road. However, I am cycling in Colorado and most of our county roads are gravel as opposed to gravel.

But to reply to many of the posts on this thread bicycles BELONG ON THE ROAD. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean they don't. The rules they follow mimic the rules for car traffic, they should obey traffic signs, stay right except to pass, and use signals. The sidewalk is for running, walking, kids playing hopscotch.

[CykoAGR]

Please see my post #18. Traffic crossing the sidewalk is often more dangerous than the traffic that is moving along with you on the street. I have had many more close calls with traffic crossing the sidewalk/bikepath not looking for bikes than I have had moving with traffic. You have to use reason and go with what is safest in each situation.

This is spot on.

I'm a cyclist and although relatively new to the sport I love it.

I pretty much avoid riding in the city at all costs, too dangerous. I live in waukee and have the Racoon and Greenbelt trails within a few miles. If I get sick of these I will haul my bike to a trail head and ride another trail.

Motorists do NOT pay attention to pedestrians/bikers at all. To many people on the phone or messing with the radio etc. We had a friend get hit while on the SIDEWALK and Merle Hay and Pioneer Parkway, they guy was making a right turn and pulled all the way through where the sidewalk crosses the intersection. Luckily it ended with only a broken leg but could have been much worse. This is an incident where if she had been riding on the street this wouldnt have happened because that person would have been watching the traffic but riding on a busy street like MH is not smart.

I understand that cyclists are afforded the same rights as motorists and that they are expected to follow the same traffic laws. IMHO it is not worth riding on a BUSY street just because I am allowed to do it, too risky. I would rather ride on a WIDE sidewalk and have to watch out for crossing traffic and share it with pedestrians than run the risk of getting plowed on the street just to prove that I have the same rights as motorists.

[VeloClone]

Basketball was originally played with a peach basket...who cares. All I know is most people are taught how to signal with their left hand.
My kids have been to school in 4 different states. Every year at their elementary school in each state,they have bicycle safety day....Guess what they are taught...hand signals. 4 states 6 different elentary schools and all of them taught the hand signals we are talking about. Not to mention drivers education down the road. And of course, the kids come home and show thier parents.
Just saying. I will stick with what most people are taught at the current time in this country.

Great. We are not asking you to change. The thread was started by someone who was telling everyone to change to his way of doing it. That is the difference.

You think your way is best because that is what everyone is taught. I think my way is best because it clearly shows my intent even to someone who doesn't know or care about bicycle signals. I'm not asking you to change.

I even point nearly straight ahead when I am veering right from a curb lane to a parallel bike path. This lets the car on the side road know I am coming his way but will still be passing in front of him. A right hand turn signal would be a disaster here.

[CykoAGR]

I hate when I'm running or walking around Ada Hayden and a bicyclists yells at me from behind;

"On your left."

I know people are stupid but shouldn't there be a maximum age to people you yell this to?

Most people would rather have someone yell "on your left" than have a cyclist sneek up behind them going 20mph and then that person steps out in front of them. If I was you I would rather be warned than end up with a bike up my ***.

My guess is that you are one of those people who walks 3-4 wide on a trail taking up the whole thing.

[VeloClone]

I hate when I'm running or walking around Ada Hayden and a bicyclists yells at me from behind;

"On your left."

I know people are stupid but shouldn't there be a maximum age to people you yell this to?

This is a courtesy to you so you know to maintain your line and don't get hit. Most people now wear earbuds while running or walking so they have little chance of hearing the approaching bike if you don't call out.