Why do cyclists......?

Question

Why do people who ride bicycles think they own the road? They ride in the street when there's a bike lane, run red lights/stop signs, ride 4 and 5 of them next to each other? Do they not realize that they weigh a couple hundred pounds, where a car weighs like 2000?

Answer 1

We don't all ride like that. Unfortunately, it's those kinds of riders that give a bad name to the law-abiding cyclists.

Most, if not all, states require that bicycles use a bike lane if there is one. Otherwise, ride as far to the right as practical. We are entitled to a bit of the road, we are not required to hug the curb with all the gravel and broken glass.

Bikers are supposed to follow all traffic laws, including stopping at red lights & stop signs, signalling for turns, yielding to pedestrians, etc. They are also required to ride single file, so cars have room to pass.

Answer 2

Not this old chestnut again.

OK

Most car drivers do not believe that they own the road, they know that they do. As a species this tends to make them intollerant of other users. They also suffer from the delusion that they are safe within their thin metal shells. Volvo drivers used to be the worst, but BMW drivers have taken up the gauntlet on this one. The same weight comparison has been used for motorcycles as well. My favourate responce to this one was the Volvo estate driver who T boned an R1 doing 120 mph. The bike cut the car in half. Both car and rider died. So even though there is a weight difference, you can still get injured.

You are right however, cyclists do seem unsure regarding thier status. Road user or pedestrian. This, I suppose, is because you do not have to sit a test to ride one. However, red lights mean stop. The solution to this would be for the police to actually enforce the laws of the road, underscoring the fact that they are road users and not exempt from the law. Dark clothing and no lights are also a goody for cyclists.

However, this will not replace training and common sence. After all, if car drivers all obeyed stop signs, didn't run red lights, overtake on blind corners/summits, there would not be the need for so many speed cameras, traffic cops, traffic calming measures.

So, although I would say that there is an issue that should be addressed, I would not say that car drivers are saints.

Luck

Answer 3

The question should be: Why do motorists think they own the road? when cyclists ride like that, it's so that they have less chance of getting hit by motorists. Ask a motorcycle rider how often he's been cut off. People in cars don't pay attention.

A bicycle is a vehicle, not a toy- contrary to what most motorists think. I have two vans and I show respect to cyclists and motorcyclists. I agree that bicyclists shouldn't run lights or stop signs. Also, motorists shouldn't intentionally make right turns in front of cyclists. The mentality is that cyclist shouldn't share the road with cars because the average self-absorbed motorist thinks they own the road.

The goal is to ride as safely as possible- even if that means slowing down motorists. If you were to ride your bike down Santiago Rd in Villa Park California, you will notice that the bike lane is bumpy and full of debris. However, the lanes for cars are nicely paved and clean. It would be ridiculous to expect me to ride in the bike lane when I could lose control and injure myself or get hit by a car. Therefore when I ride along that stretch of road, I ride in the motorists lane. As I previously mentioned, when you see riders riding next to each other, it's to make their presence known to motorists. However, I do think that it should be limited to two riders next to each other out of respect to motorists as well.

The space is meant for bicycles and motor vehicles. Maybe I was a little harsh with the language in the beginning but I live around a lot of lazy people in a not so bike friendly neighborhood. You don't have to be a cyclist to care about your health but usually it's the slothful types that complain the loudest (notice I said usually, not always.)

Answer 4

Why do motorist.....?
Why do people who drive cars think they own the road? They pass in the bike lane, only yield at red lights/stop signs, drive two wide, on a designated one lane road. And, think because they weigh "like 2000", that gives them the right to make a sporting event of passing as close as possible to a law abiding cyclist.

And yes, since I pay taxes...I DO OWN THE ROAD!

Answer 5

Not all of them do that. I know a few road cyclists and I went out with one before. They don't do that at all. Sometiems htye ride in the road instead of the bike lane because pedestrians decide to walk on the bike lane and refuse to move out of the way when a bike comes. A decent cyclists knows ot ride in a single file line, not a lagre group. Usually they obey traffic laws just live vehicles do. They should be obeying traffic signals, but if they don't it's because they don't want to break rythm.

Answer 6

For the same reasons that motorists run red lights/stop signs, fail to signal turns, speed, drive erratically while yapping on the phone, pull out of parallel parking spaces without looking or signaling, swing their doors open into traffic without looking, race to pass cyclists then jam on the brakes to execute a turn, start to pass a cyclist and then turn right on top of him.......

Answer 7

You are confusing cyclists with anyone on a bicycle.

Answer 8

just to get you mad. do you have enough money to cover a lawsuit?
bikes have the same rights to the road that cars do.

Answer 9

most are just confidant that people driving cars wouldn't hit them so the ride anywhere they want most don't take safty courses our even wear protective padding our helments

Answer 10

can not help it if you are jealous, get a tricycle and you to can join the forces that piss off the retarded.