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liftandcut |
Okay, so what’s the deal with you people? As a driver, day after day it amazes me how inept so many of you are at riding bikes in the streets of the city, particularly in this, and surrounding neighborhoods. Here’s what I see: you don’t ride at the speed of traffic, preferring to leisurely pedal at 5 mph, without a care in the world. You often ride two, or even three abreast, in order to better facilitate conversation with your biking buddies as you make your way down streets. You even ride against traffic on narrow streets and get mad when honked at. You have been seen riding so far from the curb and parked cars that you end up in the path of moving cars. You don’t use headlights at night (illegal), hand signals, bells, and you almost never look over your shoulders. To top it all off, most of you don’t even wear helmets, which baffles me. As a former bike messenger, daily driver, and native New Yorker, the only thing that makes me curse out loud in my car is how so many of you bike like you’re on a sun-dappled, suburban sidewalk. It makes me furious, really. I don’t know when this happened in New York. Used to be, bikers and drivers had an understanding, and a certain rhythm in the streets of this city. Sure, there have been accidents, and middle fingers flipped, and filthy words hurled, but jeez, at least traffic used to move. Last thing I have to say to you “bikers” is: learn how to ride those super cool, retro metro, “I bought this $25 bike so I can sport a $100 Kryptonite chain,” bikes. It would make a lot of pedestrians, and drivers a lot happier. |
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People are allowed to bike at whatever speed they want, also if its a one lane road they are allowed to take the full lane. Thats the law. If you used to be a messenger why did you switch to the dark side of complaining about bicyclists. You should be happy people are biking. If its making your commute longer, then bike!
I will agree that not wearing a helmet or biking against traffic is dumb.
the best solution for both auto and bicycle traffic is more protected bike lanes. this would resolve all conflicts between different modes of travel, including most of the complaints brought here – riding far from parked cars (to avoid being doored) and the curb (to avoid oblivious pedestrians) and against traffic (often to avoid busier and more dangerous streets).
then us bikers would be left to deal with the clueless among us on our own.
i couldn’t agree more about cyclists who don’t have lights and who talk on the phone, send text messages, and listen to headphones while riding. these are all illegal for cars and should be for bikes as well.
I’m a cyclist who bikes through Brooklyn everyday (and lives in Prospect Heights) and, on some points, I actually agree. Cyclists who bike the wrong way in traffic drive me absolutely crazy (esp because, as a cyclist going the correct way, they often force me to dodge them coming at me head-on), as are ones who talk on the cell phone while biking. Bikes are vehicles and should move with traffic. At the same time, bikes *are vehicles* and have the same rights to the road as you do. I bike pretty far into the lane. Maybe I’m crazy, but I just don’t want to smash into someone’s door when they (invariably) don’t look behind them before they open. I also kind of like my fellow vehicles to see me. less chance of them running me over that way. If you don’t llke the speed of motor traffic in Brooklyn, maybe you should consider the quicker alternative: a bike! 😉
While it’s true that some cyclists don’t follow the rules, it’s important to note that New York City law states that bikes have every right that cars do on our streets. That’s right, cyclists can take the whole lane.
Sure, it’s not very considerate of cyclists to go extremely slow (I find most bikes go faster than traffic, actually), ride on sidewalks, or go the wrong way. And no, it’s not wise to ride without a helmet.
But I say these transgressions pale in comparison to the reckless behavior legions of NYC drivers inflict on cyclists, pedestrians and each other all the time. Cars kill and maim thousands of people every year in New York alone.
And you’re bent out of shape because a few clueless cyclists delay your trip by a minute or two?
GET REAL!
“You have been seen riding so far from the curb and parked cars that you end up in the path of moving cars.”
Is this not to avoid being “doored” by parked cars? Is this not a reasonable safety measure?
yup, not only do cyclists have a right to take up the whole lane, but often times being in the middle of the lane is the SAFEST place for a cyclist (and it is recommended).
(Though a considerate cyclist will let cars pass when it is safe to do so).
But as a cyclist, one thing I absolutely cannot stand is when some idiot on a bike is riding towards you against traffic. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had my life put in danger because of that.