Advocacy & Safety - Ever hear "Get in the bike lane!" ???

Have you ever heard a driver yell "Get in the bike lane!" ?

If so, was it on a road with a bike lane?

It happened just yesterday. I chased the vehicle down and confronted the teenager while he was walking to his front door. The coward had nothing to say to me face to face, even though I was on my best behavior and polite.
I was yelled at on a six lane road (three each direction) with light traffic. I was taking the lane. There is a MUP within a few miles of that location, but it wasn't a connection to my destination.

No!! :lol:


Ummmmm ... what's a "bike lane"?

It happened just yesterday. I chased the vehicle down and confronted the teenager while he was walking to his front door. The coward had nothing to say to me face to face, even though I was on my best behavior and polite.
I was yelled at on a six lane road (three each direction) with light traffic. I was taking the lane. There is a MUP within a few miles of that location, but it wasn't a connection to my destination.

Did he yell at you to get in the bike lane or on the bike path or just yell at you to get off the road in general?

Have you ever heard a driver yell "Get in the bike lane!" ?

Let me see ...

There is a bike lane on the road. You chose to ride in the car lane instead with no obvious reason and without negotiating it with others.

No, I never do that.

The only time I have been told to get in a Bike Lane, there wasn't a bike lane but simply a wide fog line area in the street. It wasn't a shoulder, but a lined off area that further down the road was further demarcated into an "off ramp" (not hiway) that was a sweeping right turn.

This was on a 50 MPH boulevard.

I have heard "get on the sidewalk" far more times on roads where bike lanes did not exist.

Even better: A hit&run driver (under oath) and his lawyer both claimed that a collision with me was my fault, because I was not riding in the "bike lane". The right side of the picture shows the so called "bike lane".

http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhibit20hitptbb4.jpg

Even better: A hit&run driver (under oath) and his lawyer both claimed that a collision with me was my fault, because I was not riding in the "bike lane". The right side of the picture shows the so called "bike lane".



Oh, do tell...

Even better: A hit&run driver (under oath) and his lawyer both claimed that a collision with me was my fault, because I was not riding in the "bike lane". The right side of the picture shows the so called "bike lane".

http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhibit20hitptbb4.jpg
Classic.

Did he yell at you to get in the bike lane or on the bike path or just yell at you to get off the road in general?

"Get on the Bike Path!"
There is no bike lane or sidewalk on that street. The right most lane is as wide as the other two.
It was anunusuall comment because I most often hear "Get on the side walk" or "Get off the road"

Last time it happened to me I was riding to an area I had never ridden before, looking for a specific street. The road I was on roughly followed the river that was just east of it. Between the road and the river was a park area that had a MUP going through it. I would have been willing to ride on the MUP, except for the fact that I was trying to find the correct street and the MUP didn't exactly have signs telling you which streets were intersecting the road running parallel to the MUP. Thus in about a 1-1.5 mile stretch on this road I got flipped off once, yelled at to "get on the bike path" about 4-5 times, and had people lay on the horn as they passed more than that. It was great.

Remember this gem (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=167821) from "bike-friendly" Portland. After riding beind a cyclist outside of the bike lane, a Portland bus driver stopped, and let a passenger out to punch the cyclist. The "bike friendly" residents of Portland pretty uniformly praised the attacker and blamed the cyclist. Their opinion was that cyclists should walk their bikes on the sidewalk if no ridable bike lane is available.

I guess that's one way to say "Get in the bike lane."

Plenty of times. It usually prompts some kind of response. My Response varies with the intensity of their commentaries and dependent upon my moods.

Never, but if I was told this, I might have to collapse in gales of laughter.

Even better: A hit&run driver (under oath) and his lawyer both claimed that a collision with me was my fault, because I was not riding in the "bike lane". The right side of the picture shows the so called "bike lane".

http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhibit20hitptbb4.jpg

Curious but what is the very wide lane marked with the dots on the left? I see no cars etc there.

Ive never heard get in the bike lane. Here its always get on the sidewalk or get off the road. I tossed a flyer of hb 389 for ohio in to one drivers face and said read that and other laws listed by url regading bikes on the road. I have noticed a huge decrease in bozos yelling this at me after that bill was passed last year by taft and ive done a ton more riding this season when compaaired to last. Last year i had little more than 1k miles total bad year for me this year ive already got 416 sence replacing the battery on my bike comp. Before the batt died i had 320 something and during the time i had no battery in the comp i estimate i had another 200.

So some where theres something filling in drivers on laws regarding bikes on the road.
As for riding in a bike lane well if there is one its clean and useable then ill ride it. If theres a mup i can take and save time when im riding to get some where ill use it if im on a plesure ride heck ill be on the towpath any how. Seeing coyotes fxes minks etc well i enjoy that. My 15 mile loop http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=988260 has 2.8 miles of towpath in it. So i got flats and large hill climbs and decents and small hills every where on that route. Its a great mixxed bag route.

As for the towpath in general as a way to go from place to place well another season or 2 and it would be silly to not use it while on bike. While hammer heading on it is just stupid you can keep a avarage speed of 15 to 17 and not worry about plastering some pedetrian out for their morning walk or jog. So in the end if i work along the tow path some where i can get to the job faster useign the towpath.

I don not ride in a manner to make some bozo drivers life "esier" i ride in a manner to make my ride more plesurable to me. If takign the lane makes it more fun for me then i will if letting that drive behind me iin the right turn strait lane makes it easyer for me and them then ill scoot over towards the right edge of the left turn/strait line.
Zoom in on wooster road in my loop map to see such a area where this is the case. it has a fairly wide outside lane where scooting over is plenty easy and a car and bike can be in the lane side by side with some room to spare. Other times depending on timing ill take a spot with in the left/strait lane all depending on trafic. If trafic is light im in the right turn lane if heavy i putmy self center of left/strait.

Why take the entre lane on a road that has mostly drivers who tend to be cyclist friendly and aware?
Wooster road has a bike route (and part of it is a marked bike route) that dumps in to it. Drivers in the area tend to understand our right tot he road and accept it.

Classic.


Truly.

The most common place I get yelled at to get in the bike lane is along these roads and similar ones:
http://azbikelaw.org/images/SampleBikeRoute.jpg
http://azbikelaw.org/images/ray1.jpg
Al

Thankfully there are any bike lanes near me. I know where a few are, but they are not anywhere that I go.

not yet. that I know of. I usually can't tell what they are yelling though. I got called a ****** once.

Never for me, but I can't help but wonder how many drivers are thinking "why aren't those bikers using the bike lane" on some roads. Heck I know that's what Id be thinking.

In this example, the driver did not yell at me, but used their horn.
I can assume the horn meant 'get in the bike lane', perhaps 'get out of my way'

youtube YwpJz438DyQ - Double Honk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwpJz438DyQ) (posted before)

Al

Never for me, but I can't help but wonder how many drivers are thinking "why aren't those bikers using the bike lane" on some roads. Heck I know that's what Id be thinking.
Even when the cyclist is preparing for a left turn, or the bike lane is full of debris (that you possibly can't see from your car), or the bike lane is too narrow for the speed the cyclist is traveling at, or because he's approaching a junction and is trying to preempt a potential right hook or right or left cross?

Even when there is no bike lane on the road?

With "bicycling advocates" like this...

Tell us about the time(s) a driver has yelled at you to get in the bike lane, HH.

I've heard "Get on the sidewalk!"

The most common place I get yelled at to get in the bike lane is along these roads and similar ones:
http://azbikelaw.org/images/SampleBikeRoute.jpg
http://azbikelaw.org/images/ray1.jpg
Al
Wow, you acutally get painted lines and a bit of a shoulder. In Winnipeg the winter erases all of the lines and filles the gutter is sand/glass/other crap I don't want to ride on and I have to ride out in the lane. Luckily most drivers are understanding, and the wrost I have is them gunning their engines as they pass me.

I've heard "Get on the sidewalk!"

It's illegal for cyclists with wheels larger than 14" to ride on the sidewalk here so luckily that's not a problem.

The most common place I get yelled at to get in the bike lane is along these roads and similar ones:
http://azbikelaw.org/images/SampleBikeRoute.jpg
http://azbikelaw.org/images/ray1.jpg
Al
Is THAT really a bike lane?

Is THAT really a bike lane?
No, it is not. It is a 'bike route', not 'bike lane'. See the green sign.

Is THAT really a bike lane?
NO - it is not a bike lane. It goes to the point that drivers will yell 'get in the bike lane' even when there is not one.

Also compounding the problem is that many cyclist will ride in this very narrow shoulder - so drivers are expecting other (more safety aware) cyclists too as well.

Al

It's illegal for cyclists with wheels larger than 14" to ride on the sidewalk here so luckily that's not a problem.

Not that that matters much. It's illegal to ride on the sidewalk here as well, but too many drivers know nothing about bike laws and believe bikes belong on the sidewalk even when the law dictates otherwise.

No, it is not. It is a 'bike route', not 'bike lane'. See the green sign.
What is a bike route?

I think that roads are bike routes and roads are bike lanes.

A bike route is a road designated as part of a route that is supposedly favorable to bicyclists for arguably mysterious and arbitrary reasons.

A bike lane is a narrow swath of space on the road designated by painted stripe for usage primarily by bicyclists (but turning motorists are allowed to cross it, and are allowed and even required to merge into it before turning in some states).

A bike route is a road designated as part of a route that is supposedly favorable to bicyclists for arguably mysterious and arbitrary reasons.

A bike lane is a narrow swath of space on the road designated by painted stripe for usage primarily by bicyclists (but turning motorists are allowed to cross it, and are allowed and even required to merge into it before turning in some states).

It took me about 100 miles of bike path traveling before I almost learned that lesson the hard way. Here's the deal I'll be happy to propose to city planners: I'll ride in the bike lane when you build a curb to separate it from the general road and not-at-grade intersections for it with every side street. Until then, forget it.

Around here, that's why I actually do use the MUP for most of my commute - it gets underpasses or overpasses for most intersections (including the 5 worst ones).

I think that roads are bike routes and roads are bike lanes.
I'll stay with this^^^^^

What is a bike route?

I think that roads are bike routes and roads are bike lanes.
It serves information purpose only. 'Bike route' signs are posted to help bicyclists to find an optimal route without constantly looking at maps. Serves the same purpose as 'truck route' for trucks. It makes certain that you are not end up in a dead-end street or on a freeway. Bicyclsts have no additional rights on such routes.

It took me about 100 miles of bike path traveling before I almost learned that lesson the hard way. Here's the deal I'll be happy to propose to city planners: I'll ride in the bike lane when you build a curb to separate it from the general road and not-at-grade intersections for it with every side street. Until then, forget it.

That, or they underground all motor traffic, eh?

Back to the real world: beware of the false sense of security some cyclists feel when riding in bike lanes!

Twice.

The first time was by a cyclist, on Folsom St. in San Francisco. If I do use the bike lane on that street, I tend to merge out of it far in advance of any upcoming right turns, which is what I had just done. I explained to the cyclist the concept of a right hook and he told me that I just need to "be aware". I am aware! I'm aware when there's a right turn coming up, and it's time to merge into traffic.

The second time was by a JAM on Oak St. in San Francisco, next to the panhandle. She honked at me from behind then buzzed me on the left yelling "GET IN THE BIKE LINE EYAGRFHRYGAHRGHRGH *unintelligible*". There is, in fact, no bike lane or even a painted shoulder on the street. She may possibly have been referring to the MUP in the park that parallels the street.

All in all, I pretty much never run into that sort of idiocy in this town. Bikes are so commonplace in the streets (and cyclist behavior so generally lawless) that people both expect me to be there and have very few expectations of how I'm going to ride. My general goal is to be safe, and pleasantly surprise drivers by being both predictable and (for the most part) law-abiding.

In this example, the driver did not yell at me, but used their horn.
I can assume the horn meant 'get in the bike lane', perhaps 'get out of my way'

youtube YwpJz438DyQ - Double Honk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwpJz438DyQ) (posted before)

Al

Were you riding a recumbent?

Were you riding a recumbent?
No. I am curious why you might think so.
Al

Tell us about the time(s) a driver has yelled at you to get in the bike lane, HH.

No. I am curious why you might think so.
Al
Maybe he means that it is unusual for people to beep at recumbants. A friend of mine rides a recumbant, NOBODY ever bothers him. I honestly believe that drivers think he has Down's syndrome or something. His bike does look sort of like a wheel chair.

yet another HEADPOLL, in response to a simple comment in another thread.


boy, as it stands now (before I ride to work in the rain) an OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of cyclists responding have NOT HEARD 'get in the bike lane'

what is this biased poll attempting to prove, head? trying to show me that cyclists get it sometimes?

usually, its' GET OUT OF THE ROAD!' when there's no bike lane, dude.

just stop with your pathetic relentless attacks on bike infrastructure. you ride in bike lanes when you occasionally ride your bike, Mr. Head.

I answered that I have not heard "get into the bike lane", but there aren't bike lanes here. At least anywhere near where I ride. So maybe I throw off the validity of the poll.

no, you haven't skewed it at all. this HeadPoll was in response to a comment I made in another thread that responded to head asserting riders hear 'get in the bike lane' when there aren't any bike lanes.

you prove MY assertion, that riders DON'T hear 'get in the bike lane' when there aren't any bike lanes, they most commonly hear "GET OUT OF THE ROAD"

you prove my point, and disprove heads, maddyfish.

Have you ever heard a driver yell "Get in the bike lane!" ?


Nope. Never.

Even better: A hit&run driver (under oath) and his lawyer both claimed that a collision with me was my fault, because I was not riding in the "bike lane". The right side of the picture shows the so called "bike lane".

http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhibit20hitptbb4.jpg

Curious but what is the very wide lane marked with the dots on the left? I see no cars etc there.
The road has 3 traffic lanes, 1 going downhill into the gulch, and 2 coming up out of the gulch; so the speeders do not have to follow behind people that drive the speed limit.

So the lane you speak of, is the slow uphill lane. Cool you noted that no one was driving in that lane.

Never been yelled at to get in the bike lane. Been yelled at to ride single file on group rides, though.

Heh, heh, on today's ride, we were on some roads with bike lanes that were about 10 feet wide(and clean). We followed a street sweeper up one hill.

you prove MY assertion, that riders DON'T hear 'get in the bike lane' when there aren't any bike lanes, they most commonly hear "GET OUT OF THE ROAD"


Although merely anecdotal, your description exactly matches what I've experienced numerous times. I am riding a narrow road, with no fog line, no shoulder, no bike lane, thus no way to let someone pass and an obviously inconvenienced motorist passes me in the opposing lane yelling exactly that, "Get off the road!"

Funny thing is, where this has happened the most is a road that I'm usually travelling downhill at nearly the 30mph speed limit.

Tell us about the time(s) a driver has yelled at you to get in the bike lane, HH.
Large group of cyclists on Hwy 101 southbound in Solana Beach. Some guy on the sidewalk in front of a bar yelling "get in the bike lane!" to us, which was funny because there is no bike lane there.