Menace to Cycling ( my list in order)
08-07-13, 10:41 AM
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
Menace to Cycling ( my list in order)
Please keep in mind that there are some generalizations included - so don't take them personally.
After 7 years of road cycling here are my observations:
1.) People driving trucks - almost always men ( I have a truck)
2.) People driving trucks who smoke
3.) People driving trucks pulling a trailer - they don't realize that further clearance is needed
4.) People driving any vehicle who smoke ( I used to be a smoker)
5.) Elderly drivers with an attitude about where bikes should be ridden
6.) Elderly drivers
7.) Texting drivers
8.) Idiotic teenage drivers who enjoy scaring the &8%# out of cyclist
9.) Impatient drivers who can't wait 10 more seconds to arrive to their destination
10.) Drivers who think that somehow they win by passing me within 50 ft of a stop sign
11.) Drunk drivers
12.) Drivers who yell at me to ride on the sidewalk
13.) Drivers who are angry ( in general - often associated with their physical fitness or lack thereof)
14.) Chipseal (perhaps not a menace but no fun to ride on)
15.) Wind (again, not really a menace but can be unpleasant)
I'm sure I have missed a few.
After 7 years of road cycling here are my observations:
1.) People driving trucks - almost always men ( I have a truck)
2.) People driving trucks who smoke
3.) People driving trucks pulling a trailer - they don't realize that further clearance is needed
4.) People driving any vehicle who smoke ( I used to be a smoker)
5.) Elderly drivers with an attitude about where bikes should be ridden
6.) Elderly drivers
7.) Texting drivers
8.) Idiotic teenage drivers who enjoy scaring the &8%# out of cyclist
9.) Impatient drivers who can't wait 10 more seconds to arrive to their destination
10.) Drivers who think that somehow they win by passing me within 50 ft of a stop sign
11.) Drunk drivers
12.) Drivers who yell at me to ride on the sidewalk
13.) Drivers who are angry ( in general - often associated with their physical fitness or lack thereof)
14.) Chipseal (perhaps not a menace but no fun to ride on)
15.) Wind (again, not really a menace but can be unpleasant)
I'm sure I have missed a few.
Last edited by akeelor; 08-07-13 at 12:47 PM. Reason: I've been riding longer than I thought
08-07-13, 10:53 AM
#5
I'm doing it wrong.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,875
Bikes: Rivendell Appaloosa, Rivendell Frank Jones Sr., Trek Fuel EX9, Kona Jake the Snake CR, Niner Sir9
Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9742 Post(s)
Liked 2,812 Times
in
1,664 Posts
So, the op doesn't like drivers, huh?
To add to the list, I have to say other cyclists who just ride like crap in a group setting. You know em, you've seen em.
To add to the list, I have to say other cyclists who just ride like crap in a group setting. You know em, you've seen em.
08-07-13, 10:57 AM
#6
Full Member
Thread Starter
08-07-13, 11:00 AM
#7
well hello there
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Point Loma, CA
Posts: 15,430
Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 503 Post(s)
Liked 336 Times
in
206 Posts
Don't forget soccer moms. They're evil.
__________________
.
.
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
.
.
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
08-07-13, 11:01 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,646 Times
in
6,054 Posts
Cyclists who are angry.
Group rides.
Hills, for most people.
Days colder than 70 F or warmer than 80 F, for most people.
Group rides.
Hills, for most people.
Days colder than 70 F or warmer than 80 F, for most people.
08-07-13, 11:01 AM
#9
.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Rocket City, No'ala
Posts: 12,763
Bikes: 2014 Trek Domane 5.2, 1985 Pinarello Treviso, 1990 Gardin Shred, 2006 Bianchi San Jose
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 62 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 28 Times
in
13 Posts
Please go check the lock on the A & S forum. I think they've found their way to the 41.
08-07-13, 11:04 AM
#10
Full Member
Thread Starter
08-07-13, 11:06 AM
#11
Full Member
Thread Starter
08-07-13, 11:09 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,619
Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1069 Post(s)
Liked 788 Times
in
505 Posts
Suicidal squirrels.
I like hills and the wind so not on my list
I like hills and the wind so not on my list
08-07-13, 11:11 AM
#13
An Average Joe
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 646
Bikes: '13 Orbea Orca
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I liked the list and while most are true where I live I will add these and ONCE AGAIN DON'T TAKE OFFENSE:
-Floridians who use to be northerners who come to the mountains in NC to look at leaves who don't pay attention to driving and will hit you!!!!
Please for God's sake look at the leaves in your own darn state and leave us alone!!!!!! If you hate the leaves in your state then move!
-Floridians who use to be northerners who come to the mountains in NC to look at leaves who don't pay attention to driving and will hit you!!!!
Please for God's sake look at the leaves in your own darn state and leave us alone!!!!!! If you hate the leaves in your state then move!
08-07-13, 11:17 AM
#17
.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Posts: 3,981
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Comp, Soma ES
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
RV drivers... They own the road. I've nearly been killed by several of them.
__________________
Demented internet tail wagging imbicile.
Demented internet tail wagging imbicile.
08-07-13, 11:20 AM
#18
Senior Member
I agree the biggest threat are wound-up drivers who are totally convinced that cyclists have no place on the road, that they as drivers own the entirety of the road and should never, ever be inconvenienced by one second because of a cyclist (despite the fact that countless other cars or pedestrians inconvenience them every day). These people also often have anger management / machismo issues and depersonalize cyclists to such a degree that they put them in serious danger. This applies to perhaps less than 10% of drivers but you are assured to run into this type of driver at least once on any given ride. Distracted drivers are also dangerous, but the fuming/deliberately challenging ones are the worst.
I'd say the second biggest threat is oblivious road engineers / construction crews who don't consider cyclists at all in their work and build serious hazards into their roads that really don't need to be there. Tiny or non-existant shoulders, sharp lateral drop-offs or seams in the pavement surface right in the zone cyclists ride, storm drain grates parallel to direction of travel, dangerously wide bridge expansion joints etc. Cyclists have zero say in how roads are constructed and this often results in very dangerous conditions. Most cyclists also own cars and pay taxes and as such should have a say. Also, many of these dangers cost nothing to resolve or cost nothing to avoid in the first place.
I'd say the second biggest threat is oblivious road engineers / construction crews who don't consider cyclists at all in their work and build serious hazards into their roads that really don't need to be there. Tiny or non-existant shoulders, sharp lateral drop-offs or seams in the pavement surface right in the zone cyclists ride, storm drain grates parallel to direction of travel, dangerously wide bridge expansion joints etc. Cyclists have zero say in how roads are constructed and this often results in very dangerous conditions. Most cyclists also own cars and pay taxes and as such should have a say. Also, many of these dangers cost nothing to resolve or cost nothing to avoid in the first place.
08-07-13, 11:29 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,646 Times
in
6,054 Posts
Poodles, according to this forum.
08-07-13, 11:37 AM
#20
Full Member
Thread Starter
I agree the biggest threat are wound-up drivers who are totally convinced that cyclists have no place on the road, that they as drivers own the entirety of the road and should never, ever be inconvenienced by one second because of a cyclist (despite the fact that countless other cars or pedestrians inconvenience them every day). These people also often have anger management / machismo issues and depersonalize cyclists to such a degree that they put them in serious danger. This applies to perhaps less than 10% of drivers but you are assured to run into this type of driver at least once on any given ride. Distracted drivers are also dangerous, but the fuming/deliberately challenging ones are the worst.
08-07-13, 11:45 AM
#23
I'm doing it wrong.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,875
Bikes: Rivendell Appaloosa, Rivendell Frank Jones Sr., Trek Fuel EX9, Kona Jake the Snake CR, Niner Sir9
Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9742 Post(s)
Liked 2,812 Times
in
1,664 Posts
08-07-13, 11:58 AM
#25
Senior Member
- Jaywalking young women wearing headphones fixated on some handheld device. Maybe they should be using an app to check the wait times for the closest emergency ward.
- Addicts who without even a glance will simply run across 6 lanes of traffic the instant they see their dealer on the other side of the road
- Kids running out from between parked cars. Watch out for playground and school zones.
- Cycling freds doing the wrong-way in the bike lane
- Young males riding BMX bikes. On the sidewalk, scooting out from between cars, blowing through red lights - you name it.
- Young women riding old cruiser bikes. Flip flops, no helmet, headphones, and a small dog in a basket. Completely oblivious to all dangers while crawling along on a creaky POS rusty bike.
- Dogs. For some reason the smaller the dog the more likely they are to lunge at you and end up doing revolutions in your spokes.
- Riders on weird bikes. The stranger the bike, the more likely the rider is a flake and a menace. The hard-core commuters and racers may ride fast, but they are like bus drivers - they are experienced and smart.