G1nko

Not directly commuting related, but close enough. I ride a 16mi round-trip commute 3 to 4 times per week. We've all had our run-ins with motorists and pedestrians behaving badly; I've experienced my share of buzzes, honking, yelling, and having stuff thrown at me from passing motorists.

I got a nice opportunity last weekend, however, to be on the receiving end from a cyclist. I was in New York City in The Park as a pedestrian. There were a number of cyclists zipping down the road I wanted to cross. I was at a crosswalk and waited for the walk signal before starting across. I was about 3 feet from the opposite sidewalk when a "serious" cyclist (I could tell because she was in full kit, decked out with ads, and riding a cf bike) cut between me and the sidewalk, buzzing me in the process. As she passed she yelled out "Pedestrians belong on the sidewalk, *******" which leads me to believe the buzz was intentional. I yelled back "Which is where I was heading before you cut me off!" managing, barely, to not add an expletive at the end as I didn't need a lecture from Mrs. G1nko.

I was crossing on a walk signal, the cyclist ran a red light, and caused a confrontation complete with profanity. Yet I'm sure she was somehow convinced she was 100% right. The experience made me see how we, as cyclists, can come across sometimes.

(Shakes head, resolving to be more polite in the future to stupid drivers I'm 100% convinced are in the wrong.)

EKW in DC

There's bad grapes in every bunch. Sadly, cyclists are no different...

vtjim

Tempting to shove the cyclist for that. Not saying I would. Just saying... Y'know... It's tempting.

billyymc

A rude self absorbed cyclist in Central Park? I'm shocked.

acidfast7

fixed that for ya.

dalegribble

No one wants to yield to each other anymore. Motorist should yield to bicycles which in turn should yield to pedestrians. Everyone has this, 'I'm more important' attitude. You are a unique snowflake, just like everyone else. <-If more thought this way their would be less road rage. Sorry that happened to you but one bad apple doesnt spoil the whole bunch.

myrridin

Well, I fixed your fix for you...

myrridin

Actually motorists/pedestrians/cyclists should yield as required by their local traffic regulations for the specific situations. One group is not always required to yield to another in all situations...

spivonious

rumrunn6

yup ... thanks for the reminder

Timothy

Cyclists have been annoying me way more than cagers lately.
I have been working on getting a new cycling storage room in our office building and have had two run ins with cyclists while with my property manager.
Once while in the building lobby and a tenant was bringing his bicycle down the passenger elevator, property manager politely asked that he bring the bicycle down the freight elevator, the cyclist told him to ***k off.
Second time we were in the service area of the building and a cyclist kicks the door open and buzzes us as he rides his bike to the elevator. I just shook my head and and gave up on the new bike storage room at that point.
Now I am having a difficult time defending cyclists when I here people say that "cyclists are **s h*les"

Digital_Cowboy

Agreed, the law makes it clear that there are times and circumstances when pedestrians are required to yield to other traffic.

acidfast7

throw some glue in their bike lock next time they lock their bikes up outside.

Commodus

Jerks be jerks, don matter how they're getting around.

myrridin

Did you intend the irony?

acidfast7

when some one tells me to "**** off" while using my elevator (or the elevator I am hired to manage) that sets a bad precedent.

i wouldn't actually put the glue/epoxy in the lock, so don't give me that "oh the irony" line*

*i'd pay a local kid 20 dollars to do it ... lol

ckaspar

lol

alan s 

Most cyclists lost their driver's license for a reason, most likely DUI, so what do you expect?

neil

I don't think anyone's ever claimed that there aren't ******* cyclists out there. But there's a huge difference between "cyclists are ********" and "I encountered an ******* cyclist today." As a cyclist, it's easy to see the distinction (I am not an *******, yet I am a cyclist, therefore...), but motorists who never ride bikes have a much harder time with that.

Notso_fastLane

[citation needed]

Timothy

The people in question are Junior associates in law firms riding high end bikes. They will never lock them outside.
Unfortunately the people getting punished by their behaviour are the cubicle dwellers that are stuck cramming there bike in an overcrowded bike cage.
Maybe it's not cyclists that I have a problem with? maybe it's lawyers

modernjess

You know what the problem is don't you?

People.

The world would be awesome if the people were gone.

TFS Jake

Ditto.

jfowler85

I think that's perpetuating the problem, not necessarily irony because it's becoming common practice and thus expected. Seems apparent here that the best way to end the problem is to continue it. Brilliant.

DataJunkie

So sorry.