Cycling Pet Peeves
06-14-14, 01:13 AM
#176
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Professional dog walkers on the MUP, walking five or more leashed dogs at once. Really?
Haters who always post comments to news stories involving cyclists. I'll click on a story about a cyclist who got killed by a car and see hundreds of online comments along the lines of: "I bet they ran a red light, bikers do this to me all the time and I hate them. I hope the vehicle driver doesn't get unfairly blamed." Blaming the cyclist for being killed before the facts even get investigated or reported... Really?
People who assume "all cyclists" are the same... e.g. "I hate all those wannabe racers in colorful spandex who think they are entitled to the road, run red lights..." Yes, we are all the same. Just like how women are all alike, Norwegians are all alike and hockey players are all alike. I recently was talking to someone with a Ph.D. about biking and he says, "I want to hit them when they ride at night without lights."
They= all cyclists. I know he would never say this if they= cultural minority group. Not okay to stereotype and insult others based on skin color, but it is okay to do this because of their hobby/sport/transportation choice. Really?
People who don't stay to the right on MUP's and fire roads. I don't care if you want to walk around naked while high on drugs, painted purple and listening to Yanni at full blast on your headphones - just do this on the right side of the MUP/trail. If you have off-leash dogs, ADHD kids, etc..., fine, but they must stay to the right also. If they can't, you need to find a way to make them stay to the right. Related pet-peeve: MUP's that don't have a yellow line painted down the middle and signs telling people to stay to the right. All paths should have this.
People who see me riding toward them on the MUP, while stopped in the middle of the path chatting to people and don't move over. Sometimes, pedestrians should yield to cyclists. Eventually, city planners will need to realize this. Usually this is related to people being oblivious, self-absorbed and/or passive aggressive.
Drivers who get freaked over the prospect of passing a cyclist and drive really slow behind you for a long time because they are afraid to pass you, even when it is obviously clear to pass. It seems to be either very poor driving skills or passive-aggressiveness.
Salmoners... No one should be traveling against traffic in the bike lane. I can sort-of accept it when people walk on a road in the bike lane when it is flat and straight and there is no sidewalk. However, I regularly encounter salmoners on a stretch of my bike commute that includes a curvy downhill, where it is easy to pick up 30-40 mph+ speeds and not see people behind curves. Cyclists could easily kill these salmoners coming out of a curve or be killed while crashing to avoid them. I would like to see national, state and local cycling groups advocate for changes to law and enforcement on this issue.
Haters who always post comments to news stories involving cyclists. I'll click on a story about a cyclist who got killed by a car and see hundreds of online comments along the lines of: "I bet they ran a red light, bikers do this to me all the time and I hate them. I hope the vehicle driver doesn't get unfairly blamed." Blaming the cyclist for being killed before the facts even get investigated or reported... Really?
People who assume "all cyclists" are the same... e.g. "I hate all those wannabe racers in colorful spandex who think they are entitled to the road, run red lights..." Yes, we are all the same. Just like how women are all alike, Norwegians are all alike and hockey players are all alike. I recently was talking to someone with a Ph.D. about biking and he says, "I want to hit them when they ride at night without lights."
They= all cyclists. I know he would never say this if they= cultural minority group. Not okay to stereotype and insult others based on skin color, but it is okay to do this because of their hobby/sport/transportation choice. Really?
People who don't stay to the right on MUP's and fire roads. I don't care if you want to walk around naked while high on drugs, painted purple and listening to Yanni at full blast on your headphones - just do this on the right side of the MUP/trail. If you have off-leash dogs, ADHD kids, etc..., fine, but they must stay to the right also. If they can't, you need to find a way to make them stay to the right. Related pet-peeve: MUP's that don't have a yellow line painted down the middle and signs telling people to stay to the right. All paths should have this.
People who see me riding toward them on the MUP, while stopped in the middle of the path chatting to people and don't move over. Sometimes, pedestrians should yield to cyclists. Eventually, city planners will need to realize this. Usually this is related to people being oblivious, self-absorbed and/or passive aggressive.
Drivers who get freaked over the prospect of passing a cyclist and drive really slow behind you for a long time because they are afraid to pass you, even when it is obviously clear to pass. It seems to be either very poor driving skills or passive-aggressiveness.
Salmoners... No one should be traveling against traffic in the bike lane. I can sort-of accept it when people walk on a road in the bike lane when it is flat and straight and there is no sidewalk. However, I regularly encounter salmoners on a stretch of my bike commute that includes a curvy downhill, where it is easy to pick up 30-40 mph+ speeds and not see people behind curves. Cyclists could easily kill these salmoners coming out of a curve or be killed while crashing to avoid them. I would like to see national, state and local cycling groups advocate for changes to law and enforcement on this issue.
06-14-14, 07:04 AM
#177
Junior Member
fellow cyclists who can't fix their own FLATS!! Tired of rescuing people during my training rides--I learned this before I was 18.
people in cars asking me directions during a downhill!! Thought I lost something off the bike when they tried to get my attention
people who try to fly by me on slight downhills/flat but fold on any kind of uphill --happened all day during The HOTTER-N-HELL 100 --this is not a peeve, I do like passing them in turn.
people in cars asking me directions during a downhill!! Thought I lost something off the bike when they tried to get my attention
people who try to fly by me on slight downhills/flat but fold on any kind of uphill --happened all day during The HOTTER-N-HELL 100 --this is not a peeve, I do like passing them in turn.
06-14-14, 08:54 AM
#180
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Yes, this one too, and gaping at me, expecting me to stop as I ride by, as if I am a magician...
...which I am sometimes.
They can't believe how quickly one can get going again after just a little preparation and bike fixing skill
...which I am sometimes.
They can't believe how quickly one can get going again after just a little preparation and bike fixing skill
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06-14-14, 08:56 AM
#181
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Agreed. Very annoying. Which is when I make up stuff of how I've crashed several times in races on this very bike...and soon withdraw the sale.
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06-14-14, 11:22 AM
#182
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People walking/jogging in the bike lane/path/road who see you coming and make no effort to move out of the way.
06-14-14, 11:27 AM
#183
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Knees that give out before my mind does.
06-14-14, 01:57 PM
#184
Aluminium Crusader :-)
Haters who always post comments to news stories involving cyclists. I'll click on a story about a cyclist who got killed by a car and see hundreds of online comments along the lines of: "I bet they ran a red light, bikers do this to me all the time and I hate them. I hope the vehicle driver doesn't get unfairly blamed." Blaming the cyclist for being killed before the facts even get investigated or reported... Really?
People who assume "all cyclists" are the same... e.g. "I hate all those wannabe racers in colorful spandex who think they are entitled to the road, run red lights..." Yes, we are all the same. Just like how women are all alike, Norwegians are all alike and hockey players are all alike. I recently was talking to someone with a Ph.D. about biking and he says, "I want to hit them when they ride at night without lights."
They= all cyclists. I know he would never say this if they= cultural minority group. Not okay to stereotype and insult others based on skin color, but it is okay to do this because of their hobby/sport/transportation choice. Really?
People who assume "all cyclists" are the same... e.g. "I hate all those wannabe racers in colorful spandex who think they are entitled to the road, run red lights..." Yes, we are all the same. Just like how women are all alike, Norwegians are all alike and hockey players are all alike. I recently was talking to someone with a Ph.D. about biking and he says, "I want to hit them when they ride at night without lights."
They= all cyclists. I know he would never say this if they= cultural minority group. Not okay to stereotype and insult others based on skin color, but it is okay to do this because of their hobby/sport/transportation choice. Really?
), and the hate from motorists is probably as bad as ever. It is annoying that most cyclists get lumped in together, yet hoon drivers are apparently easier to separate from the sensible ones.
06-14-14, 02:01 PM
#185
Aluminium Crusader :-)
pet peeve: guys who turn up to night time group smash-fests with lights so bright that the rear can trigger epileptic seizures, and the front rivals night roadworks spot light for lumination.
06-14-14, 02:29 PM
#187
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people moving up at stop lights on group rides.
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06-14-14, 02:56 PM
#188
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One peeve I can't seem to let go of, poorly skilled noobs trying to instruct and direct cyclists on the MUP. Waving me to pass on a blind corner? Really? Telling everyone how you like to hear their signals, shouting nearly constantly? Just stay home, please.
06-14-14, 05:41 PM
#189
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Walkers and joggers taking up the "Wheel" lane on the MUP, worse yet, going in the wrong direction...
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06-14-14, 06:03 PM
#190
Senior Member
06-14-14, 08:16 PM
#193
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the bike paths in my area have a posted limit of 10mph. I ride in the road.
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06-14-14, 08:31 PM
#194
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I've saved a lot of money by not evening bothering to buy tubes anymore. Whenever I get a flat I just wait on the side of the road for another roadie to pass by and they usually offer me one their extras. I thank them, pump it up and continue on my way. Only downside is that sometimes you might have to wait a few minutes.
06-14-14, 08:35 PM
#195
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Not to expose my OCD, but I hate it when I see zip ties used to hold wires or something, but the tie is untrimmed. Seeing that two inches of unused zip tie sticking out makes me cringe.
06-15-14, 12:08 AM
#197
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Got me some of those untrimmed zip ties holding my bell on, I like to flick them when I am bored.
06-15-14, 05:46 AM
#198
a77impala
People walking in the bike lane when there are sidewalks on both sides of the street!
06-15-14, 06:20 AM
#199
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Entitled walkers who assume a pedestrian/bike trail is for walkers because well...pedestrians clearly are first.
I sorta blew by a walker on our MUP and he yelled at me for going "to fast" (I'd just crested a slight dune and maybe I was going 16-18 mph on the downhill). So I went to the city and asked if there was a speed limit. They laughed and said "No" and "We'd appreciate it if you don't kill anybody". It's a beautiful paved trail through the dunes but all the twists and turns make it a challenge to ride at speed though good for technical cornering training.
Besides, I wrote the grant that built the majority of the trail, I own that mother****** 'cause I'm a cyclist and I'm entitled.
I sorta blew by a walker on our MUP and he yelled at me for going "to fast" (I'd just crested a slight dune and maybe I was going 16-18 mph on the downhill). So I went to the city and asked if there was a speed limit. They laughed and said "No" and "We'd appreciate it if you don't kill anybody". It's a beautiful paved trail through the dunes but all the twists and turns make it a challenge to ride at speed though good for technical cornering training.
Besides, I wrote the grant that built the majority of the trail, I own that mother****** 'cause I'm a cyclist and I'm entitled.
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