Bikers... Grrr (the kind with pedals)

RemmoSi · 06-24-02, 12:15

So I went and did a little mountain driving yesterday (gotta have fun in the twisties) and it was great, except for all the bikes on the road as well. As in I saw 50 or 60 bikes in a couple hours.

Now a lot of the bikes were fine, they were over on the shoulder or close to the white line, but the ones that made me mad were the ones that were riding almost in my right wheel track with oncoming traffic and a shoulder to move over on. I can understand crossing a bridge or in a tunnel, but if there is a decent shoulder, give some room for my peace of mind as well as their own safety.

And I've heard the argument that bikes have just as much right to the road as cars do. OK, I can accept that when bikers start stopping at stop signs and yielding when they need to a little more. I've seen a few bikers stop at stop signs and signal when they turn, and I will follow them on the road until I can safely pass anytime, but the rest... I don't know, the one bad side of a great day in the mountains.

fat biker · 07-01-02, 06:12

Remmo;

"Now a lot of the bikes were fine, they were over on the shoulder or close to the white line, but the ones that made me mad were the ones that were riding almost in my right wheel track with oncoming traffic and a shoulder to move over on. I can understand crossing a bridge or in a tunnel, but if there is a decent shoulder, give some room for my peace of mind as well as their own safety."

About the shoulder;
Road bikes, anyway, have really skinny tires. This is both a good and a bad thing. Bad when it comes to broken or uneven pavement, also bad when there is junk on the pavement.

So, to you, driving in your car, the shoulder may look perfectly acceptable. From the guy (or gal) riding the bike it might look like a trip to the ER. I know there is one patch of pavement at the bottom of an overpass that scares the crap out of me.

Don’t know about your state. Here in California, it is perfectly legal for a bike to “take the lane” when safety requires it.

"And I've heard the argument that bikes have just as much right to the road as cars do. OK, I can accept that when bikers start stopping at stop signs and yielding when they need to a little more. I've seen a few bikers stop at stop signs and signal when they turn, and I will follow them on the road until I can safely pass anytime, but the rest... I don't know, the one bad side of a great day in the mountains."

True, bikes are entitled to the roadway.
It sounds to me like you are linking your respect of a fellow road user to how well they adhere to the rules. Let me ask you this; Of all the drivers you see, how many of them follow the rules? Do you not leave them any margin?

There is one more thing I would like to point out and that is the relative experience level of the rider. Perhaps the riders that were not doing very well need more seat time.

It takes a certain mindset and a certain amount of mental toughness to ride a bike at high speed (relative) with much more powerful, much heavier cars all around you. Add in that many drivers either don’t know the rules or just don’t care...(not implying anything about you here.)

I am not defending inconsiderate bike riders. They make it tough for all bike riders, as I think you demonstrate. That is just one of the reasons why I always follow the rules. I wish more bikers and certainly more motorists would too.

Do you ride? It really is a lot of fun. Give it a try, you just might like it.

Drive safely, and I’m done ranting (for now)

fat biker

thevolvoguy · 07-02-02, 05:47

Well, let me start by saying I am a rider. I have a few mountain and road bikes. I agree with fat to an extent, road bikes are very sensitive to bad pavement. But, Remmo made it seem like they were riding there for a while. Not just to get around a pot hole. I may be mistaken, but wouldnt it be possible for them just to have moved into a thinner line? (If they were in a big group) If so, as long as the terrain was good on the shoulder... the cyclists are at fault.

buttersideup · 07-02-02, 07:20

Bikes should be ridden about a foot to the left of the white line on most roads. The shoulder is a very dangerous spot for bikes in that it contains a lot of debris and it's surface is very unpredictable. Ride the shoulder and you may fall, drift, flat or have to swerve across the white line into traffic to avoid an obstacle. If a rider is steady to the left of the line, the overtaking drivers know where they'll be at all times while passing.,..cycling 101.