Almost killed one of us today
#1
Mr. Frowny Man
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Almost killed one of us today
So Im coming back from lunch, driving since I have to be home right after work, and I turn off of a 4 lane, onto another 4 lane going South, and I just about pancake some older kid/guy coming North up the 4 lane I turn on to. Ummm.....S*#%*&#)$*%)!! I've never quite looked at it from this perspective before until the last month or so.
Wow.....I hope he has an organ card.
Wow.....I hope he has an organ card.
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There has got to be a rash of this. I didn't post it, but last night on the bike path I passed someone going the wrong way on a street. Right next to me. Literally.
And there's been a slew of them other places. People here have a mentality of "I can see the cars coming better that way"...
And there's been a slew of them other places. People here have a mentality of "I can see the cars coming better that way"...
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drives me crazy. That and sidewalk riding, but to be honest I'd rather these wrong way cyclists would just keep to the sidewalks and off the road headed straight at ME
my way to deal with wrong way cyclists on my bike is to move as close to the curb as I can and force them to pass me on my left. No way in hell i'm gonna move out into traffic because some jerk wants to ride in the wrong direction.
my way to deal with wrong way cyclists on my bike is to move as close to the curb as I can and force them to pass me on my left. No way in hell i'm gonna move out into traffic because some jerk wants to ride in the wrong direction.
#6
Mr. Frowny Man
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I remember being told as a child to WALK that way if possible, but never to ride that way. Thats a really busy intersection with OC/ 14th and then another 2 lane called Warlick that feeds off of a Hwy about 2 miles away turning and runs into the junction. I hate driving it-if you miss what you are doing you end up on the outer edge of Lincoln starting at a dirt road.
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It is frustrating. There is this old guy who commutes into the work the same way as me, only an hour and a half later and on the wrong side! I'm allready tearing it up in my garbage truck at six when he rides through town. One of these mornings I'm gonna get out and introduce myself and ask him what's up? I am getting curious as to what motivates these wrong way riders to keep doing it. I have seen this one guy have several close calls. One of them with me! I'm glad you missed that guy. Good driving. Maybee you scared some sense into him.
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A few weeks ago I passed a cyclist in the center of the left lane (2-lane road, he was going the wrong way). At night, dressed in black, with just a little white LED on the front of the bike. No helmet, natch. We were headed up a steep short hill too, putting him in a perfect position to get nailed by someone hustling over the hill. I didn't hear any sirens passing by later so I assume he survived the ride. Why on earth would anyone think this is a wise thing to do?
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It is a survival of the fitist thing, Usually done by young males under the age of 21. If they survive until then they usually get over it. Some never do.
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1st bike - 1962 Schwinn Varsity (bought new and wish I still had it, left it in Siagon, Viet Nam 1965)
1962 Schwinn Varsity (could be a twin of my first bike)
1969 Peugeot PX10E
1972 Schwinn Sports Tourer (bought new)
1982 Peugeot PH19 Mixte
1989 Novara Aspen
#10
Senior Member
So, I nearly hit one of these wrong way kids leaving my driveway this afternoon. I was going for a quick ride, waiting at the end of my driveway to turn right. Last car passes me, I start to pull out, and realize there's a kid on a bike, riding the wrong way, about 15 feet away from me. I yelled at him to ride on the right, but I doubt he'll learn.
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drives me crazy. That and sidewalk riding, but to be honest I'd rather these wrong way cyclists would just keep to the sidewalks and off the road headed straight at ME
my way to deal with wrong way cyclists on my bike is to move as close to the curb as I can and force them to pass me on my left. No way in hell i'm gonna move out into traffic because some jerk wants to ride in the wrong direction.
my way to deal with wrong way cyclists on my bike is to move as close to the curb as I can and force them to pass me on my left. No way in hell i'm gonna move out into traffic because some jerk wants to ride in the wrong direction.
Now of course in middle age, with friends dying of heart attacks, they look at their expanding middles and high blood sugars, and high cholesterol, and getting in shape becomes a priority, high gasoline prices, has led a lot of them back to 2 wheeled human powered transportation. Problem is, they don't really remember how. Look at the bicycles of most cyclists and you see either a helmet or bar mounted mirror, which makes proper, right way riding much easier.
I am starting to think the solution is another licence class, for human powered vehicles, this would have a provincial or state riders guide, which is written by someone in the ministry (department) of transportation, who has actually read the laws pertaining to bicycling. You would apply, get a copy of the guide, write a short exam, and get your bicycle licence, which you must keep on you at all times when riding. At the same time, the province or state would have another guide for police officers, explaining to them how the law applies, as many police officers are clueless on bicycling laws.
Last edited by Wogster; 07-29-08 at 04:21 PM. Reason: a couple of spelling errors.
#12
Mr. Frowny Man
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That would shoot down that whole "well, its not fair that you are on the roads and don't have to have a license, pay taxes, blah blah blah..." argument, wouldn't it?
#13
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one of my coworkers leaving the office hit a guy going against traffic on a one way street. I see it outside my window all the time. I just want to scream "hey idiot, you are supposed to ride WITH traffic, not against it."
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#14
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Exactly what I did. I have had this happen once on the 55mph (where everyone does 65) road I commute into work on. The shoulder is nice and wide (width of a full lane) but I am not going to move nearer the traffic voluntarily.
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I work in a shore town here in southern NJ and I'm amazed a bicyclist hasn't been killed yet. They blow stop signs, red lights, ride against opposing traffic etc. It's nuts. Now a majority of them are foreign kids here working during the summer but there are quite a few "locals" and tourists who should know better.
#17
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I'm afraid we are going to lose someone around here too. I can't tell you how many riders are on the sidewalks or riding the wrong way. I would way that it is more common to see someone doing it wrong then doing it right. This week I saw a grade school aged girl riding the wrong direction on the street. She pulled out from behind a parked car and almost got hit by a car. I'm sure that the driver was scared out of her wits, but there was no way of knowing that the girl was there. Also, as much as I would like to say that it is just younger riders that mess up, I see older one that don't get it right either. My wife walks to work 2-3 times a week with our 3 year daughter in a jogging stroller. All most every day a older rider in full kit gear about hits her riding on the sidewalk AND traveling the wrong way. It has happened enough that I am considering riding along with her to catch the guy and confront him about it. There is no reason for him to be riding on the sidewalk, there is a very nice marked bike lane on the road. As much as I dislike the idea of a bicycle road test in some ways, I am starting to see the value that it might have.
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Wogsterca wrote:
I am starting to think the solution is another licence class, for human powered vehicles, this would have a provincial or state riders guide, which is written by someone in the ministry (department) of transportation,
I am starting to think the solution is another licence class, for human powered vehicles, this would have a provincial or state riders guide, which is written by someone in the ministry (department) of transportation,
We don't need more laws -- we need people to accept responsibility for their actions.
#21
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I was driving into work about 3 weeks ago(I know... driving=bad) and I was listening to talk radio. The topic was the increase of bikes on the roads
Anyways, the host asked people to call in and explain some bike safety rules and this idiot lady calls in and says that she thinks that bikes should ride against traffic so you can see whats coming and get outa the way....
Yeah... I woulda called in if I hadn't forgotten my cell.
So many things wrong with that and I'll bet that 200 parents told their kids to ride against traffic because of it. I was sooooo surprised no one called in to correct that idiot woman.
Unfortionately the host didn't know any better so he agreed with her.(it makes logical sense, just not practical sense)
Anyways, the host asked people to call in and explain some bike safety rules and this idiot lady calls in and says that she thinks that bikes should ride against traffic so you can see whats coming and get outa the way....
Yeah... I woulda called in if I hadn't forgotten my cell.
So many things wrong with that and I'll bet that 200 parents told their kids to ride against traffic because of it. I was sooooo surprised no one called in to correct that idiot woman.
Unfortionately the host didn't know any better so he agreed with her.(it makes logical sense, just not practical sense)
#22
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I am starting to think the solution is another licence class, for human powered vehicles, this would have a provincial or state riders guide, which is written by someone in the ministry (department) of transportation, who has actually read the laws pertaining to bicycling. You would apply, get a copy of the guide, write a short exam, and get your bicycle licence, which you must keep on you at all times when riding. At the same time, the province or state would have another guide for police officers, explaining to them how the law applies, as many police officers are clueless on bicycling laws.
But then again that would make me a pinko commie
#23
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I see a lot of this as well. The worst was when I encountered a big group of guys doing this - more than a dozen cyclsts in a pack, riding wrong-way on route 27 in Edison.
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No offence taken, I think you have part of the right idea, which I underlined above, the problem is, this isn't happening, and when it doesn't the state needs to step in, to force the issue,
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I grew up in Madison, WI and 35-years ago, we were required to be licensed to ride a bicycle. The program was administered by the fire department. When I got my new Schwinn Continental I had to go to the local fire house, fill out the application, pay the fee, and perform a riding test. They then gave out a serialized sticker that had to be in place in order to ride in the street, and since it was illeagle to ride on the sidewalks, there was no choice.
As I recall though the only people who ever got in trouble for, "riding an unregestered bike," were the kids who got in trouble for something else like being out after curfew...
As I recall though the only people who ever got in trouble for, "riding an unregestered bike," were the kids who got in trouble for something else like being out after curfew...