So I'm in my big ugly 78 Chev 1/2 ton truck.
I'm at a stoplight and it's red.There's three lanes stopped going my direction.
There's a Ferd truck that's both bigger and taller than my POS and it's closer to the crosswalk than me so it's obstructing my view from that side.
I'm in the innermost lane and the Ferd is in the middle lane.
So here we are minding our our business waiting for the green light when all of a sudden the light unexpectantly turns...GREEN :eek: OMFG
I'm thinking holy cow what do I do.Well how about go, move forward, yea that wouldn't be a bad idea.
I notice the truck next to me hasn't moved yet.I'm thinking he must be asleep at the wheel.
I give it the gas and move about 1 or two feet and here it comes...
A friggin IDIOT GIRL going the wrong way who also just ran the red light on a bicycle wearing no helmet :mad:
I hit the brakes and miss her.
God I can't tell you how much I wanted to hop out of my truck and voice my displeasure with her :mad:
Not everyone on a bike can be called a cyclist or even a bike rider for that matter.
I'd classify her as road meat, just a matter of time.
She looked like she was in her mid 20's.
While driving away I couldn't help but think to myself it's a wonder she's made it this long.
Wonder what would have happened if it was someone else who was on the phone or texting at the moment :mad:
SSP
10-28-07, 10:09 AM
Last night I was driving back from the grocery store on a very narrow 2-lane road with no street lighting. It was only at the last second that I saw a dum*ss on a BMX bike riding towards me - the moron wrong-way rider had no lights, no reflectors, and (of course) no helmet.
Scared the crap out of me...and p*ssed me off too. What are those idiots thinking?
FWIW, I would have gone after the red-light running girl and read her the Riot Act. I didn't go after the wrong-way cyclist last night because there was no place to turn around and I had a big POS pickup on my tail (was that you?).
PhilThee
10-28-07, 10:25 AM
Nope wasn't me, but I do own a big O'l :D
gosmsgo
10-28-07, 10:27 AM
So 90% of us routinely run red lights and stop signs and will shout to the moon that road rules do not apply to us but we all agree that everyone should ride on the right hand side of the road?
BS
I have been called several names on here and even told that I need "to toke" on here by the cycling advocates who claim that by terrorizing motorists they are moving the message forward. Running red lights and stop signs are the two biggest things we can do to promote cycling in our community.
I say that girl is a patriot and should be carried on our shoulders for her cycling knowledge.
donnamb
10-28-07, 10:33 AM
:roflmao:
PhilThee
10-28-07, 10:41 AM
I say that girl is a patriot and should be carried on our shoulders for her cycling knowledge.
I strongly agree.
My back hurt so I was covertly offering to carry her on the top of my hood :D
SSP
10-28-07, 11:05 AM
Well, it's one thing to run a red when there's no other traffic nearby (on the bike, this is most easily done via a right turn / U-turn / right turn maneuver).
But, running a red light when there's cross traffic is just plain stupid.
divergence
10-28-07, 11:42 AM
The cyclist was riding like a complete idiot, but your driving wasn't all that great either.
If the car in the next lane is standing still on a green light, you have to assume there might be a reason. If you haven't got a good line of sight to what might be in front of or just beyond the other guy's car, then move forward carefully for a better look; don't just hit the gas blindly. Could have been an elderly pedestrian who had started crossing on the green but was moving too slowly to clear the light in time.
PhilThee
10-28-07, 12:08 PM
Yep I knew it, someone had to imply I'm a bad driver because I have a car, and a performance car at that, as my avatar. Surely this implies that I don't pay attention and am a bad driver.
Pffft
The point is that I had already waited for a bit. I went forward with attention being paid to my surroundings.If I hadn't she would have been dead meat.
It takes all kinds :rolleyes:
Don't jump to conclusions.
OH306
10-28-07, 12:42 PM
Well, at least you weren't driving a Ferd. My only question is what were you expecting the light to do after red? A sudden change from red to a different color should have been expected. Were you looking for blue or perhaps mauve?
zeytoun
10-28-07, 01:00 PM
I have been called several names on here and even told that I need "to toke" on here by the cycling advocates who claim that by terrorizing motorists they are moving the message forward.
You're so full of sh--.
I was the one who told you that you need to toke, but exactly when did I claim "that by terrorizing motorists they are moving the message forward"????
I said that I see nothing wrong with running a stop sign if there is no other traffic around. Exactly which motorists would be terrorized, if there are no other motorists present? Can you grasp how there is a difference between that and running a red light going the wrong way with multiple cars present?
Please don't respond to any of my posts until you have read this article. You are welcome to write a report on it if you like:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man
divergence
10-28-07, 01:04 PM
Yep I knew it, someone had to imply I'm a bad driver because I have a car, and a performance car at that, as my avatar. Surely this implies that I don't pay attention and am a bad driver.
Pffft
The point is that I had already waited for a bit. I went forward with attention being paid to my surroundings.If I hadn't she would have been dead meat.
It takes all kinds :rolleyes:
Don't jump to conclusions.
Um...like the conclusion that people are reacting to your avatar rather than reading your posts? ;)
Sir Bikesalot
10-28-07, 01:23 PM
If the car in the next lane is standing still on a green light, you have to assume there might be a reason. If you haven't got a good line of sight to what might be in front of or just beyond the other guy's car, then move forward carefully for a better look; don't just hit the gas blindly. Could have been an elderly pedestrian who had started crossing on the green but was moving too slowly to clear the light in time.
+1000. Many drivers don't know to do this, mostly because it's not taught anywhere unfortunately. Always always always wait for the guy next to you to start moving first if he's blocking your view of incoming traffic. A lot of ppl learn this the hard way; consider yourself lucky Philthee!
Also, the girl may have gotten into the intersection before the light turned red (which is legally ok), but because she was on a bike, did not clear the intersection as quickly as a car would.
StrangeWill
10-28-07, 01:50 PM
+1000. Many drivers don't know to do this, mostly because it's not taught anywhere unfortunately. Always always always wait for the guy next to you to start moving first if he's blocking your view of incoming traffic. A lot of ppl learn this the hard way; consider yourself lucky Philthee!
Also, the girl may have gotten into the intersection before the light turned red (which is legally ok), but because she was on a bike, did not clear the intersection as quickly as a car would.
I think you have to be able to clear the intersection in a timely manner, otherwise you're blocking it.
PhilThee
10-28-07, 01:50 PM
I do not and will not consider myself lucky.I am a plenty experienced 40 year old driver who has not had one accident.This is due to my attentiveness.
If I had to count the amount of times that someone has just sat there next to me at a green light because their head was up their arse I would be going for days.
This includes people texting, on the phone, talking to a passenger, turned around talking to the person in the backseat, talking to someone in another car beside them, putting on makeup, shaving, eating, reading, searching for a CD, picking their nose in the rear view, and the list goes on and on and on.....
I proceed, but with caution, but not fast.
If some people want to wait through two turns of the red light for someone picking their nose, so be it, have fun with that.
Perhaps I should have mentioned that I never even entered the crosswalk.But it doesn't matter.
Some people will always tell you how to drive and what you should have done.
SSP
10-28-07, 01:54 PM
+1000. Many drivers don't know to do this, mostly because it's not taught anywhere unfortunately. Always always always wait for the guy next to you to start moving first if he's blocking your view of incoming traffic. A lot of ppl learn this the hard way; consider yourself lucky Philthee!
Also, the girl may have gotten into the intersection before the light turned red (which is legally ok), but because she was on a bike, did not clear the intersection as quickly as a car would.
The girl was an idiot...not only did she run the red, but she was riding on the wrong side of the road.
yes
10-28-07, 02:13 PM
Plenty of cars run red lights that have just turned. It always makes sense to verify that no one is coming before moving on a green. The truck next to you would have eventually gone. Use the horn if needed, but it makes sense to wait until you can see.
That's one reason why lots of people hate big ass honking trucks and SUVs. They pull up next to you and completely block your view. Then, you have to wait for them to go before you can move.
The girl on the bike was pulling a moron maneuver. Cross walk lights give plenty of notice for a walker to make it across. A bike should have no problem. This has nothing to do with running a stop sign in the absence of traffic. gosmsgo can not be serious here. Some rules are breakable, but obviously not all rules. One has to be able to see shades of gray to understand this concept.
Sir Bikesalot
10-28-07, 02:26 PM
I do not and will not consider myself lucky.I am a plenty experienced 40 year old driver who has not had one accident.This is due to my attentiveness.
Then you should know to do this already. Also this incident with the girl should not have surprised you. I probably haven't driven as long as you have but have encountered this situtation many times. Don't be arrogant; just consider this a lesson learned. There will always be stupid peds/bikers, the slow elderly, even blind ppl doing unpredictable things on the road. When we're driving we have an obligation to go that extra mile to make sure we don't kill them with our 2-ton vehicles...even if what they're doing happens to be illegal. It's just the right thing to do.
If I had to count the amount of times that someone has just sat there next to me at a green light because their head was up their arse I would be going for days.
This includes people texting, on the phone, talking to a passenger, turned around talking to the person in the backseat, talking to someone in another car beside them, putting on makeup, shaving, eating, reading, searching for a CD, picking their nose in the rear view, and the list goes on and on and on.....
Was this guy doing any of those things?
Perhaps I should have mentioned that I never even entered the crosswalk.But it doesn't matter.
Some people will always tell you how to drive and what you should have done.
No, I think you did the right thing. I'm just saying, there's an even better alternative, which is to wait until the guy next to you starts moving, assuming he doesn't have his head up his arse of course.
Dchiefransom
10-28-07, 02:26 PM
I proceed, but with caution, but not fast.
Congratulations. You saved someone's life.
gosmsgo
10-28-07, 03:46 PM
gosmsgo can not be serious here. Some rules are breakable, but obviously not all rules. One has to be able to see shades of gray to understand this concept.
Oh I'm serious. Sure, I used to be one of these guys who thinks bikes should follow traffic laws but I have since seen the light after hearing how traffic laws were designed for cars and cannot and should not have any effect on bicycles.
No laws apply to two-wheelers....that girl is a patriot and is getting the "cagers."
Those cagers just love cyclists more after seeing someone doing that. Just like they stare with jealousy at watching a bike run a stop sign while they have to stop....right?
Blue Order
10-28-07, 03:51 PM
That girl is a candidate for the Darwin awards. I should send Darwin a Google map.
BigBoss
10-28-07, 04:35 PM
da girl was an idiot i agree. even though i bike a lot(and im a messenger too) i have to admit some bikers ride like morons. u just gotta call it the way you see it
genec
10-28-07, 06:02 PM
Yep I knew it, someone had to imply I'm a bad driver because I have a car, and a performance car at that, as my avatar. Surely this implies that I don't pay attention and am a bad driver.
Pffft
The point is that I had already waited for a bit. I went forward with attention being paid to my surroundings.If I hadn't she would have been dead meat.
It takes all kinds :rolleyes:
Don't jump to conclusions.
No, the "bad driver" part comes from pushing the pedal before engaging the brain.
Too many drivers use "quick checks" and don't bother to really ensure the way is clear and then follow up with "go for it... "
Far too many motorists go first and then wonder. Take your driving mode out of automatic and look twice, make sure the way is clear, and then you may go. If you are not sure or cannot ensure the way is clear, inch out very slowly until you are sure. Or DON'T GO!
Now as to the bicycle rider... bucking for a Darwin award.
PhilThee
10-28-07, 07:15 PM
So here we are minding our our business waiting for the green light when all of a sudden the light unexpectantly turns...GREEN :eek: OMFG
I'm thinking holy cow what do I do.Well how about go, move forward, yea that wouldn't be a bad idea.
I notice the truck next to me hasn't moved yet.I'm thinking he must be asleep at the wheel.
I give it the gas and move about 1 or two feet and here it comes...
This implies I waited before I moved forward with caution.
I proceed, but with caution, but not fast.
Perhaps I should have mentioned that I never even entered the crosswalk.
I'm totally open to a flogging now.
UmneyDurak
10-28-07, 08:12 PM
Just my .002 cents. Maybe she entered intersection on a green or as it just turned yellow but was moving so slowly that light changed before she crossed. There have been times where I entered intersection on green, it turned yellow, then red before I had time to clear it. Specially the ones that have cameras, they seem to have the shortest yellow light intervals.
Blue Order
10-28-07, 08:29 PM
Just my .002 cents. Maybe she entered intersection on a green or as it just turned yellow but was moving so slowly that light changed before she crossed. There have been times where I entered intersection on green, it turned yellow, then red before I had time to clear it. Specially the ones that have cameras, they seem to have the shortest yellow light intervals.But one question-- if she was riding against traffic, how would she know what color the light is?
cooker
10-28-07, 08:34 PM
+Also, the girl may have gotten into the intersection before the light turned red (which is legally ok), but because she was on a bike, did not clear the intersection as quickly as a car would.
No, you don't enter an intersection on the yellow unless you can get through before it turns red.
cooker
10-28-07, 08:36 PM
Just my .002 cents. Maybe she entered intersection on a green or as it just turned yellow but was moving so slowly that light changed before she crossed. There have been times where I entered intersection on green, it turned yellow, then red before I had time to clear it. Specially the ones that have cameras, they seem to have the shortest yellow light intervals.
No, she came from the right and held up the vehicles in the first half of the intersection, even though their light had turned green. So her light turned red as she entered the intersection.
UmneyDurak
10-28-07, 09:11 PM
But one question-- if she was riding against traffic, how would she know what color the light is?
I am assuming there is traffic light on the other side too.
UmneyDurak
10-28-07, 09:15 PM
No, she came from the right and held up the vehicles in the first half of the intersection, even though their light had turned green. So her light turned red as she entered the intersection.
Well thats another story then. Not too bright on her part.
Blue Order
10-28-07, 09:24 PM
I am assuming there is traffic light on the other side too.You mean in the lanes going her direction?
Perhaps. But William of Occam would have a different explanation for the incident.
Sir Bikesalot
10-28-07, 09:39 PM
No, you don't enter an intersection on the yellow unless you can get through before it turns red.
How would you be able to tell? Yellow lights don't come with timers afterall. You'd have to very familiar with the light timing and be able to do a calculation based on your present speed and distance to the intersection to determine whether you'd be able to make it through before the light turned red. And be able to do in your head in about 1-2 seconds. Kinda difficult I think. Also, light timings are tweaked on a regular basis at some intersections making it even more difficult.
Which is probably why cameras at intersections trigger only if a car attempts to pass into the intersection after the light turns red, NOT if the car fails to make it to other side before the light turns red.
Sir Bikesalot
10-28-07, 09:56 PM
So her light turned red as she entered the intersection.
How do you know that? I mean, it's a good guess but we don't really know do we? She could have been doing what most drivers do, which is to squeeze in under the yellow when they probably shouldn't. Except whereas a car can get away with it, a bike can't due to its slower speed. So really we're punishing her because she was riding a bike and not a car.
Blue Order
10-28-07, 10:16 PM
How do you know that? I mean, it's a good guess but we don't really know do we? She could have been doing what most drivers do, which is to squeeze in under the yellow when they probably shouldn't. Except whereas a car can get away with it, a bike can't due to its slower speed. So really we're punishing her because she was riding a bike and not a car.How does your explanation account for the fact that by riding against traffic, she couldn't even see the light?
Sir Bikesalot
10-28-07, 10:26 PM
How does your explanation account for the fact that by riding against traffic, she couldn't even see the light?
I think for the most part, lights turn at the same time in either direction along a straightaway. So the lights that she saw would have been the same going the other way. Yes, there are some intersections that stagger their timing (usually those with protected lefts), but again we don't know what the case was here. So we can't assume she couldn't know what the light was.
Blue Order
10-28-07, 10:32 PM
I think for the most part, lights turn at the same time in either direction along a straightaway. So the lights that she saw would have been the same going the other way. Yes, there are some intersections that stagger their timing (usually those with protected lefts), but again we don't know what the case was here. So we can't assume she couldn't see what the light was.If she's riding against traffic, the lights are going to be above her head, facing the oncoming traffic. She couldn't possibly see the lights unless she rode out under them, then craned her neck up and back to see them. The other possibility is that she could see the lights going in her direction, in the lanes on the other side of the roadway.
I refer you once again to Occam's Razor.
Sir Bikesalot
10-28-07, 10:46 PM
The other possibility is that she could see the lights going in her direction, in the lanes on the other side of the roadway.
This was what I was getting at. Sorry if it wasn't clear.
Cyclaholic
10-28-07, 11:01 PM
If everyone at the intersection had been on bikes instead of driving greedy, polluting, planet destroying cages then an innocent girl's life would never have been put in danger. Stop blaming the victim, take full responsibility for the real impact of your choice of personal transport upon everyone else.
cooker
10-29-07, 08:22 AM
How do you know that? I mean, it's a good guess but we don't really know do we? She could have been doing what most drivers do, which is to squeeze in under the yellow when they probably shouldn't. Except whereas a car can get away with it, a bike can't due to its slower speed. So really we're punishing her because she was riding a bike and not a car.
The OP was in the (EDIT) left lane and a larger, view-blocking vehicle was to his right, in the middle lane. The light turned green, but the vehicle in the middle lane didn't advance because that driver could see the cyclist coming from the right. The OP waited a second after the light turned green, then cautiously started forward, only to have to immediately stop as the cyclist came into view. How can we explain that in any other way than that she entered the intersection as her light turned red? The OP's light had already been green for a second or two before she crossed the first two lanes (of six!) in that intersection.
I-Like-To-Bike
10-29-07, 09:35 AM
How can we explain that in any other way than that she entered the intersection as her light turned red?
Well for starts "we" can read the OP's entire post and sense the obvious arrogance and "I'm a bad M.F." attitude, and be skeptical that he is a good source for providing an unbiased account of any incident.
cooker
10-29-07, 10:04 AM
Well for starts "we" can read the OP's entire post and sense the obvious arrogance and "I'm a bad M.F." attitude, and be skeptical that he is a good source for providing an unbiased account of any incident.
The guy wrote a very straightforward post. He was at a green light and about to move forward, but since his view to the right was obscured by a larger vehicle that for some reason wasn't moving, he proceeded with caution. Lucky for an idiotic, wrong-way, red-light-running cyclist that he did.
As for the use of "we" it was appropriate in that context.
SSP
10-29-07, 10:13 AM
Well for starts "we" can read the OP's entire post and sense the obvious arrogance and "I'm a bad M.F." attitude, and be skeptical that he is a good source for providing an unbiased account of any incident.
I read the OP's posts, and didn't sense any "obvious arrogance"...just a straightforward account of an encounter with an idiot cyclist who nearly ended up as a hood ornament.
Perhaps you're projecting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection)? Wouldn't be the first time...
Sir Bikesalot
10-29-07, 10:16 AM
The OP was in the middle lane and a larger, view-blocking vehicle was to his right, in the curb lane. The light turned green, but the vehicle in the curb lane didn't advance because that driver could see the cyclst coming from the right. The OP waited a second after the light turned green, then cautiously started forward, only to have to immediately stop as the cyclist came into view. How can we explain that in any other way than that she entered the intersection as her light turned red? The OP's light had already been green for a second or two before she crossed the first lane (of six!) in that intersection.
First, the larger truck was not in the curb lane; it was in the middle lane. The OP was in the leftmost lane. Second, why didn't the larger truck (or for that matter the car in the rightmost lane) proceed upon getting the green? Because most likely, the girl was already in the intersection at that time. Third, we're arguing over a matter of split seconds, and we really don't have any real evidence either way.
cooker
10-29-07, 10:31 AM
First, the larger truck was not in the curb lane; it was in the middle lane. The OP was in the leftmost
That's true, I've edited my post with the correct info. So the rider was in the intersection when the light turned green (red for her), and presumably in the first of six lanes she had to cross. So less than twelve feet into an intersection when the light turns red. How can she possibly not have started across late?
SSP
10-29-07, 10:38 AM
That's true, I've edited my post with the correct info. So the rider was in the intersection when the light turned green (red for her), and presumably in the first of six lanes she had to cross. So less than twelve feet into an intersection when the light turns red. How can she possibly not have started across late?
+1 - as described, the girl clearly ran a very red light while riding on the wrong side of the road.
Sir Bikesalot
10-29-07, 10:39 AM
That's true, I've edited my post with the correct info. So the rider was in the intersection when the light turned green (red for her), and presumably in the first of six lanes she had to cross. So less than twelve feet into an intersection when the light turns red. How can she possibly not have started across late?
She definitely showed bad judgment trying to cross so late, but we don't know what else may have happened. Maybe she had some difficulty with her bike and had to slow down after passing the first car. Maybe she fell in the intersection and got up again. The point is, the OP could see none of this since his view was blocked. We're all assuming she had to have run the red, but then again she made it into the intersection before any cars had started to move. So it could go both ways; that's all I'm arguing.
I-Like-To-Bike
10-29-07, 10:55 AM
and we really don't have any real evidence either way.
Oh, but we have the OP's version of the evidence which is raw meat for those who hold most other cyclists in contempt (i.e. simpletons, not like "us" cyclists) for not meeting their own lofty standards. Don't need no more stinkin' evidence than that to stir these jackboots into action.
cooker
10-29-07, 12:04 PM
Oh, but we have the OP's version of the evidence which is raw meat for those who hold most other cyclists in contempt (i.e. simpletons, not like "us" cyclists) for not meeting their own lofty standards. Don't need no more stinkin' evidence than that to stir these jackboots into action.
Are you saying these people jump to highly dubious conclusions and are extremely judgemental?
edzo
10-29-07, 12:09 PM
I'd hit it.
:D
fordfasterr
10-29-07, 12:24 PM
when on my motorbike, I always use my high beam at night. .. (except when there are cars in front of me) .. I can catch some ninjas by surprise !!!!!