Advocacy & Safety - Rider swerving back and forth...Should I stop and talk to him??

Almost every day on my way to work, I pass this young guy on a mountain bike. I have been seeing him for over a year and I can only assume he is commuting to school(college) but not really sure. I saw the guy almost get run over the other day. :eek: When he sees cars coming up behind him, he swerves over to the left side of the road(against traffic). Then after you drive past him, he swerves back to the right side of the road. The other day he swerved over when I was coming up behind him, but their was another car a couple hundred feet behind me that I guess he didn't see. Anyway, after I went by him, I looked in my mirror and he starts to swerve back over, almost crashes into the car behind me and then swerves back again. In the mean time another car is coming up on him from the opposite direction. He made it ok, due to some car drivers that were paying attention to him, but I was beginning to wonder.

Several times I have thought about stopping and talking to him and asking him if he knew what he was doing was dangerous and suggesting he not swerve back and forth, but hold his line and ride WITH traffic. I just don't want to be nosey and piss anyonbe off, But then again I really don't want to see him squashed under a pickup truck. What would you do??

I'm tempted to say Darwinism has it's place, but I think it's worth telling him what an idiot he is. Once. Let him know how dangerous it is. He can take the advice or not. Only way to tell is if you see on your route, and he's changed his riding behavior. And if you don't see him anymore, well, there you go...

You could start the conversation by asking him why he crosses to the other side when a car comes up.
Being less confrontational and "preachy" might get through to him better.

He probably rides like that because some idiot once yelled at him to get out of the way and now he figures he shouldn't be riding in the road. You could try and teach him the proper way to ride, but I wouldn't be suprised if he told you to screw off.

I know I wouldn't be too quick to listen to riding advice from a passing motorist. ;)

Yeah I thought I might tell him I thought it was cool that he rides his bike so much. And then ASK HIM if he thought the swerving was a good idea. Tell him I ride on the road a lot also and ....yada yada yada. I dunno. Since I will no doubt pass him after I talk to him, if I piss him off he might start throwing rocks at me or something. Call me a pansy, but I just don't like being confrontational. I'm too old for that crap.

He probably rides like that because some idiot once yelled at him to get out of the way and now he figures he shouldn't be riding in the road. You could try and teach him the proper way to ride, but I wouldn't be suprised if he told you to screw off.

I know I wouldn't be too quick to listen to riding advice from a passing motorist. ;)

I hear ya. Maybe the Litespeed sticker on my rear window would at least let him know I wasn't just trying to jerk him around.

Yeah I thought I might tell him I thought it was cool that he rides his bike so much. And then ASK HIM if he thought the swerving was a good idea. Tell him I ride on the road a lot also and ....yada yada yada. I dunno. Since I will no doubt pass him after I talk to him, if I piss him off he might start throwing rocks at me or something. Call me a pansy, but I just don't like being confrontational. I'm too old for that crap.

All reasons why I would probably just drive on without saying anything. I do admire your desire to teach him the proper, safe way to ride.

I suppose the best situation would be to catch him at a stoplight and just say something casualy, so you don't appear to be going out of your way to confront him.

He's endangering you, too. If he falls while swerving in front of you, you'll have to slam on your brakes or swerve around him. Just asking him why he does it would be justified.

If he's that regular, another possibility is ask the police if they could have a patrol go through that area around the time in question. He deserves at least a warning about his dangerous, illegal behavior.

....If he's that regular, another possibility is ask the police if they could have a patrol go through that area around the time in question. He deserves at least a warning about his dangerous, illegal behavior.

Great idea........BUT.....It's not in the city limits. It's outside of town about 3 miles. Would have to be the sherrif dept to contact. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see those goomers actually giving a rat's @ss about a guy riding a bicycle.

+1 on asking the police to watch out for him

Just realized that I have never seen this guy wearing a helmet. I think talking to him might be a lost cause. :(

Why on earth would he swerve all the way over to the left? What about oncoming traffic? What does he do when he can't get over to the left?

You would think that some of these people would learn by the examples of other bike riders. Apparently some monkeys can't see and do. I vote for Darwin to weed these guys out.

A problem will alowing Darwin to correct him is that the bloodshed may cause some well-meaning but ignorant members of the community to raise a hue & cry about 'bike facilites' and such.

Perhaps provide him with a copy of the relevant laws or the state driver's manual, provided it addresses bikes.

If you ask me, calling the police or sherrif is the right thing and the only thing to do.

If I was this guy, I really don't want anyone especially some guy in car telling me how I should or should not ride (its a matter of pride), afterall, I am on the bike, you are in the car. If the police do talk to him, he's much more likely to change than if Joe Schmoe in a car said something. I know I would anyway. If they don't talk to him, well, nobody has hit him yet.

If it's a child - tell the sherrif. If an adult - honk your horn and continue on.

These are the very riders HH and other propose to teach the right lessons to... if only those riders knew how ignorant they were, and would just seek the light...

:D

Just realized that I have never seen this guy wearing a helmet. I think talking to him might be a lost cause. :(
If you judge people by their conformance with your personal preference for styrofoam hats, perhaps your best bet is to keep your advice to yourself. Your contempt for those who don't fit the PC "profile" will be apparant and might lead to a confrontation.

If you ask me, calling the police or sherrif is the right thing and the only thing to do.
Why does advocacy so often come across on this list to mean "sic the cops" or the education patrol on all the other cyclists who are not like the self righteous experts. Advocacy? For whom?

If you judge people by their conformance with your personal preference for styrofoam hats, perhaps your best bet is to keep your advice to yourself. Your contempt for those who don't fit the PC "profile" will be apparant and might lead to a confrontation.

Huh? Didn't realize wearing helmets was PC. I thought it was just being safe, not to mention smart...go ahead, flame away!:D

Huh? Didn't realize wearing helmets was PC. I thought it was just being safe, not to mention smart...go ahead, flame away!:D
OK. Your assumption that all others that have not bought into that highly marketed belief in the powers of styrofoam are not as smart as you makes you subject to the following treatment:

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/flamethrow.gif

OK. Your assumption that all others that have not bought into that highly marketed belief in the powers of styrofoam are not as smart as you makes you subject to the following treatment:

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/flamethrow.gif

Didn't say that you or non-helmet wearers are "not as smart". Please note my reference to Darwinism in my first post... ;)

Besides, what's wrong with buying into the marketing of styrofoam? They make me look sexy! Like how if I buy the right beer, I'll get all the girls! :rolleyes:

Sorry for being OT...

Darwinism has it's place, but this guy's technique is so bizzare, he may be making all of us look bad.

Drag racer, any chance you could catch this guy while YOU are on a bike? Riding to work, I frequently and easily strike up conversations with fellow riders (weather, cagers, gear, etc). He'd probably be much more receptive to your concerns if they came from a fellow rider. Still need to be sensitive ("I noticed you go over to the other side of the road when there is traffic coming up behind you...").

Personally, I wouldn't listen to anybody in a car telling me how to operate my vehicle...

If it was me, I'd be glad to have a more experienced cyclist point out that I'm riding unsafely. We shouldn't assume he'd be offended. I think it's all in the way he's approached. If you ride up to him and strike up a conversation, he might be receptive to some friendly pointers.

I work with people with various mental and neurological disorders. Your weaving cyclist might be some "mentally challenged" (what a PC phrase) "child" (calendar age 25 and 200 lb) who would crash into something if you tried to talk to him. I had that happen to me when I tried to help a kid who got loose from a care facility on his bike. I have also seen drunks/druggies act like that. The police are in a position to get him the kind of help he needs. Whether it be a cycling class, therapy, rehab, or a cell.

Catch him at a light and talk to him. Hey, I see you on my way to work every morning. I ride a lightspeed but can't commute because it's 4 hours by car. See what his reaction to you is - then ask why he changes sides of the road so often. Maybe he just can't afford a helmet or mirror.

He's a terrorist! Alert the media. That should generate enough interest about Dangerous Bikers In the Local Area to get some right-wing organizations fired up enough to ban cycling altogether. Problem solved!

He's a terrorist! Alert the media. That should generate enough interest about Dangerous Bikers In the Local Area to get some right-wing organizations fired up enough to ban cycling altogether. Problem solved!
Given that a cycling ban isn't likely except in the nightmares of a few rabid EC™ types, the "problem" is only partly solved. The "sic the cops on 'em" piece is covered, but where are the mandatory helmet and "training" pieces of the "solution"? Both of which can help slice the cyclist population down to a size better tolerated by the handful of "advocates" and other loonies so opposed to cycling by the general public.

Given that a cycling ban isn't likely except in the nightmares of a few rabid EC™ types, the "problem" is only partly solved. The "sic the cops on 'em" piece is covered, but where are the mandatory helmet and "training" pieces of the "solution"? Both of which can help slice the cyclist population down to a size better tolerated by the handful of "advocates" and other loonies so opposed to cycling by the general public.

Good points, thanks.

We might also want to add a course in "how to recognize and respond to sarcasm".

Almost every day on my way to work, I pass this young guy on a mountain bike. I have been seeing him for over a year and I can only assume he is commuting to school(college) but not really sure. I saw the guy almost get run over the other day. :eek: When he sees cars coming up behind him, he swerves over to the left side of the road(against traffic). Then after you drive past him, he swerves back to the right side of the road. The other day he swerved over when I was coming up behind him, but their was another car a couple hundred feet behind me that I guess he didn't see. Anyway, after I went by him, I looked in my mirror and he starts to swerve back over, almost crashes into the car behind me and then swerves back again. In the mean time another car is coming up on him from the opposite direction. He made it ok, due to some car drivers that were paying attention to him, but I was beginning to wonder.

Several times I have thought about stopping and talking to him and asking him if he knew what he was doing was dangerous and suggesting he not swerve back and forth, but hold his line and ride WITH traffic. I just don't want to be nosey and piss anyonbe off, But then again I really don't want to see him squashed under a pickup truck. What would you do??

"Excuse me sir, I'm concerned that while you will be killed instantly and painlessly with those ridiculous swerving maneuvers, your exploding bodyparts traveling at such speeds might kill or maim children and/or families."

I face these riders everyday. Ticks me off for some reason. Mostly these are grocery getters (small town), including one older woman who "walks" her dog on a long leash while she rides a bike. I have tried to mention to a couple that they need to stay in the right lane so traffic can safetly pass, but all I get in return is "mind you own business".

Now, I don't bother to say anything. Well, except to the leadership of the local bike club. My idea was to volunteer to go to grade schools, say 1st thru 5th, and give a quick lesson on bike safety and riding regulations. Plus, carry some nice bikes in for show and tell. Promotes riding safety and the cycling.