Commuting - Official superiority appreciation thread

I'd say it must be school holidays somewhere. Maybe they could declare it that way permanently. There's nothing that beats riding in heavy traffic leaving behind queues of cages who are sitting there helpless and can do nothing!

Well, OK, maybe a good climb beats it, or maybe a decent headwind, or a torrential downpour, or...

Either way, it's fun anyway! :D

Amen. There is a certain satisfaction in moving faster than the auto traffic. That, and knowing that they'll likely die of heart attacks and strokes from inactivity.

Paul ;-)

My favorite thing like that is that surprised look, you know, from the driver that angrily passed you cussing and telling you "you're #1" . Suddenly you are silently at their right window at the red light they arrived at 20 seconds earlier. Man, that look on their faces is priceless. Did I mention I don't look like your average cyclist either... Six foot tall, Two hundred fourty five pounds, Tattoos up and down both arms. (I used to ride with a motorcycle club) I don't usually carry a camera with me, I may have to start!

Yeah it really is the best when you pass someone who just
passed you a mile back. I always pick out a car that passed me
to close or yelled something out their window and then I make
sure they see me and I make eye contact as I pass them while
they are stuck in the traffic. That surprised look always makes my
day.

Steve

I loved the looks I got this past weekend in North georgia where I was pulling open gaps between me and the cars on the curvy downhills. When a driver sees you plowing a 25 mph curve at 35-40 mph they take notice.

I had one car blast past me on a straight stretch and he had to hit it hard to get around, I think i was kissing about 50 mph at that point, but when I passed him back up in the next stretch of curves he really $hi! his pants. Fun Fun Fun!

Yeah, there was this time that I was passed by a car of young people that yelled "HA HA HA HA HA!", a few moments later they were stuck in a long line of traffic and as I flew by them all I could do is say "HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

Hey Sam, Woody's gap, Neal's gap? where were you?

My favorite was when I was riding home passing a bunch of cars stuck in traffic I was in a bike lane from somewhere in the mass of cars I heard a womans voice exclaim "hey thats not fair" :)

Souther California, Interstate 5, Labor Day weekend....
Traffic is bumper to bumper @ 15 MPH. I'm cruising the shoulder @ 18-22 with a tailwind when out of the crowd a drunken male voice says, "We're gettin' beat by a BIKE!".
Bwhaahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

I especially like it when I zoom past expensive sports cars. Driving a Porche in rush hour traffic is a bit like wearing a tuxedo to go to Mcdonalds.

I am in total agreement. Nothing feels much better than sitting at a red light with some yahoo with their big V-8, they jam on the gas to race to the next light (and they want to let you know they are cool) and a mile later you are rolling by their window, grabbing a drink of water totally relaxed. For me it is a win-win situation. I am not contributing to pollution or traffic and I am getting great exercise and not being stressed out in my car. I had to drive the other day and could not take it, I really wanted my bike. I did bike about as much as I drove last week so I am getting to the point where I am tipping the scale and reducing my driving. The only thing better would be riding on some great empty roads.

The greatest was yesterday. For part of the way to work there is a bike path that runs parralel to the road. I never ride on it because it is usually filled with pedestrians and people waiting for the bus. Some guy is pulling in from a street on the right on my right of way. He doesn't see me and slams on the breaks and is now forced to wait for some cars to pass. He passes me a little while later, honks and yells something about the bike path. A little later on I come to a left hand turn lane where the traffic is really backed up. I come through on the outside of the left hand turn lane, see the same guy at the front of the line. So I smile and wave to him as I run the red light. The guy almost flips out. Lucky I managed to stay a head of him for the rest of the ride because he was super pissed at that point. The funniest thing in the world is to be super nice to people after they've been a complete ******* to you. Its hillarious when drivers see that your waving to them instead of giving them the finger.

When I passed a guy the other day, he leaned out the window and said I was making him feel guilty.

(edit) sorry.. i totally posted this in the wrong thread..

Originally posted by ngateguy
from somewhere in the mass of cars I heard a womans voice exclaim "hey thats not fair" :)

Not to be a killjoy, but doesn't she have a bit of a point? Isn't it unfair? I guess not in your particular case, because you were in a lane designated for bicycles, but some of the other people here talk about passing on the shoulder of the interstate, passing cars waiting in the left turn lane (and blowing a red light), and I assume others are just squeezing by cars on the right side.

How is that really any different than a jerk in a Porsche pulling out into the shoulder and flying by all the backed up traffic on the highway? Or someone in a huge SUV blasting by on the side of the road through the grass and gravel? Or a kid in a Civic cutting through parking lots? The only thing that really allows the cyclist to be faster than the drivers is that the drivers are (generally) obeying the rules.

I'm not saying I don't sometimes to the same things (although I hardly ever encouter backed-up traffic on my routes), but I'm just wondering how people rationalize this kind of thing to themselves. Perhaps it's stupid, but sometimes I *do* tend to feel a small twinge of guilt when doing these things.

That was me on the shoulder of the interstate. I forgot to justify my experience by noting that it is a desingated bike route. Riding the shoulder of the interstate is legal in selected areas in California. Very different from the jerk in the Porsche you mentioned.
I don't think you're a killjoy, just uninformed.

Originally posted by elares
That was me on the shoulder of the interstate. I forgot to justify my experience by noting that it is a desingated bike route. Riding the shoulder of the interstate is legal in selected areas in California. Very different from the jerk in the Porsche you mentioned.
I don't think you're a killjoy, just uninformed.

I was wondering about that, elares. Where exactly on "The Five" was that? Don't know of any portions of the interstate up around here where that's allowed but I'd heard that it was okay in certain designated zones.

Between Los Angeles and San Diego at Camp Pendleton. The roads through Camp Pendleton were closed to civilian traffic due to security concerns. This was Labor Day last year. I understand that portions are also okay between Frasier Park and Grapevine where no good alternate exists. Riding the interstates isn't promoted. The clue you can identify is a difference in the sign at the on-ramp. Most say something like, unlawful for bicycles, pedestrians, .... Some say, unlawful for pedestrians... and leave the bicycle prohibition off.

Cool. I'll start paying closer attention to the signs.

A few major surface streets here in Sacto have bike lanes and stacked up traffic during rush hour. Make sure to keep your head up while riding in this situation. A lot of motorists think it's okay to use the bike lane to pass on the right or if they're planning to turn right at the next corner (only allowed 200 ft in California). And then there are the jerks that are mentioned above. I guess they just feel entitled.

Neil G.,

The reason we can pass people on the shoulder is because we can fit on the shoulder. A porshe deosn't. They wouldn't be stuck in traffic if they all road their bikes. Why should I feel sympathy for them?

The reason I can pass people on the left turn lane is the same. I'm a foot an a half wide where a car is six feet wide. I can saefly ride on the very left side of the through lane. I can think wate at the end of the lane where I am more visible then when I am in the middle of the lane. I think it also decreases congestion as I don't take up space whith in the lane and the cars behind me don't have to wait for me to get to the end of the turn lane, cross the road and get to the side of the next road.

These are what I get for not taking up more then my share of the road. Hell, if all the people in their cars rode their bikes, they wouldn't be stuck in traffic. I have no feelings of guilt when I pass people who are polluting the environment.

The SUV driving through the grass is different then a cyclist passing on the shoulder. Their are no pedestrians or groung hogs or anything like that on the shoulder, they are on the side of the road, where the SUV is driving.

In terms of the civic cutting through parking lots, thats his reward for being smart. Because everyone else is to stupid to figure that out, he shouldn't feel guilty about it. I cut through parking lots all the time with no feeling of guilt.

I can't really justify red lights. I probably shouldn't do that... but I'm impatient and often late.

Originally posted by Neil G.

How is that really any different than a jerk in a Porsche pulling out into the shoulder and flying by all the backed up traffic on the highway? Or someone in a huge SUV blasting by on the side of the road through the grass and gravel? Or a kid in a Civic cutting through parking lots? The only thing that really allows the cyclist to be faster than the drivers is that the drivers are (generally) obeying the rules.

There would be nothing wrong with the scenarios you mentioned at all if they could physically do it. The fact is, they can't. This is one of THE advantages of riding a bike in traffic - being smaller you can go places the others can't. I'm legally entitled to ride anywhere on the road (apart from the oncoming traffic lanes) that I see fit - the same as these vehicles are. If they are too big to squeeze by on whatever patch of road is leftover from the traffic, it's their problem - not mine. If they want to be immune to traffic, there's nothing stopping them from getting on a bike themselves.

Originally posted by Chris L
If they want to be immune to traffic, there's nothing stopping them from getting on a bike themselves.

Amen. I expressed basically the same thing to some guy who asked me why he couldn't drive in the bike lane (after I'd yelled at him not to do it). You want to use the bike lane? You're welcome to, as long as you're on your bike.

Why this is a difficult concept, I don't know....

Too many exhaust fumes seeping in through the air conditioner.

Today I passed a minivan on the way home, and the passenger leaned out the window and said, "It's faster on bike, isn't it?"

Yep.

Overall, in heavy traffic, I would have to agree. Yep.

Originally posted by Neil G.
Not to be a killjoy, but doesn't she have a bit of a point? Isn't it unfair? I guess not in your particular case, because you were in a lane designated for bicycles, but some of the other people here talk about passing on the shoulder of the interstate, passing cars waiting in the left turn lane (and blowing a red light), and I assume others are just squeezing by cars on the right side.

How is that really any different than a jerk in a Porsche pulling out into the shoulder and flying by all the backed up traffic on the highway? Or someone in a huge SUV blasting by on the side of the road through the grass and gravel? Or a kid in a Civic cutting through parking lots? The only thing that really allows the cyclist to be faster than the drivers is that the drivers are (generally) obeying the rules.



Everyone's replying to you here, Neil, but I'll add a reply too.

It's legal in every state-- well, I think every one but surely every one I've lived in-- to ride on the shoulder.

As elares points out, in CA and some other western states it's legal to ride on the interstate freeways. Here, cyclists are _required_ to ride on the shoulders.

So, for what it's worth, it's not just that cyclists _can_ do these things and get away with them. They're permitted to do them.

Yep! Ain't it groovey!:D (okay... Time warp, that's wierd). I don't believe we are all a bunch of law breakers. We are however; slow moving vehichles (comparitivly speaking). Haven't you ever seen a tractor or other such piece of equipment driving on the shoulder? Same orange triangle that you get from Bike America. You know, the one that designates you as a slow moving vehichle. Don't beat yourself up and feel guilty about passing cars, just think of it as a fringe benifit of being a slow moving vehicle!:)

well, it's been pretty much covered here, but i think the main point is:

1st: on a bike if i squeeze past cars stuck in traffic or pass on the shoulder, i'm not being a "prick in Porsche or SUV" b/C i'm not slowing anyone else down b/C the bikes takes up so little space. the SUV driver who drives on the shoulder to pass everyone when there is traffic then makes everyone else wait when he merges back in - nobody has to wait for a bike to merge back in b/c the bike uses the spaces already "dead" from all the stopped cars. the traffic will not go any slower or faster b/c of the bike, but everyone has to wait for that one "i don't have to put up with this crap b/c i got a cool car"

2nd: when an auto driver passes on the shoulder or some weird place it often endangers others but the relative danger caused from a bike passing is very low. likewise red lights (here it is usualy illegal, although i believe the law should be changed so that a red light is a "stop sign" for cyclists - i think Oregon is working on this one)

3rd: the "what if everybody did it?" test. if lots of people passed on the shoulder in the SUVs it would be even more chaos than the traffic. if lots of people rode bikes and passed on the shoulder, then all would be fine (actually better as there would be less traffic)

Its not about being "fair" ,its not a game or sporting event (though at times its a bit of an extreme sport ), its about getting from A to B ,& you choose the mode of transport you use. In NZ, OZ & the UK its eccepepted practice to pass lines of cars backed up in traffic , they do after all, pass you eventualy & usualy get to their destination ahead of you , we don't expect them to wait for us to catch up so its "fair" do we ??

Originally posted by nathank
3rd: the "what if everybody did it?" test. if lots of people passed on the shoulder in the SUVs it would be even more chaos than the traffic. if lots of people rode bikes and passed on the shoulder, then all would be fine (actually better as there would be less traffic)

I think we're all missing the point with the "what if everybody did it?" question. I see drivers of porsche's, SUV's, buses and just about every thing else try to do it everyday. The fact is that everyone would do it if they could. They aren't refraining from doing it out of any interest in following the road rules, they're being prevented from doing it by the cumbersome nature of their transport choice.

By passing a line of cars stuck in traffic, I'm not attempting anything that nobody else is attempting to do, I'm just using better tools and doing it more efficiently.

Originally posted by Neil G.
...
How is that really any different than a jerk in a Porsche pulling out into the shoulder and flying by all the backed up traffic on the highway? Or someone in a huge SUV blasting by on the side of the road through the grass and gravel? Or a kid in a Civic cutting through parking lots? The only thing that really allows the cyclist to be faster than the drivers is that the drivers are (generally) obeying the rules....

If cars are permitted to pass me in the same lane, why wouldn't I be allowed to do the same thing? In fact the Australian road rules clearly state that it is legal for bikes to pass cars up the left side.

So, Neil, the difference is: it's legal for bikes to do it, not for cars. It's a small thing, but fairly important.

So, Neil, the difference is: it's legal for bikes to do it, not for cars. It's a small thing, but fairly important.


unfortunately this (passing on right and/or lane-splitting) is only legal in a few states in the US: California (i think), Oregon (i think since 2001, but not sure)... not sure of other states

i suppose i could look it up but i am i to lazy, but i think in Germany it is allowed by law.

Originally posted by nathank
unfortunately this (passing on right and/or lane-splitting) is only legal in a few states in the US: California (i think), Oregon (i think since 2001, but not sure)... not sure of other states


So would that give me the right to sue the next driver who passes me without changing lanes completely? As far as I'm aware, there's no law specifically requiring one to change lanes when overtaking - just to give adequate clearance (something few drivers around here do incidentally - hence my lane claiming habits on much of my commute).

Either way, whether it's illegal or not, overtaking without changing lanes seems to be one of those socially acceptable "crimes", so I'll keep doing it when necessary.

Here (http://www.bikehighway.com/cyclinglaws.htm) you can find the bicycle laws for most states and a few other countries. Anyone out there care to interpret the laws?