View Single Post
Old 07-28-15, 01:11 PM
  #8  
79pmooney
Senior Member
 
79pmooney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,892

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4792 Post(s)
Liked 3,918 Times in 2,548 Posts
I have seen more than a few instances of cars pulling quickly into the bike lane to block me. Usually as they wait for a light. Sometimes I pass very close. (I will hit them rather than the curb. I am likely to suffer less damage and if it costs them paint, well good!

I have also considered pulling off a move that would be very unpopular but would place the spotlight on the driver. If the cars are packed close, I could pass on the left, pull back into the bike lane, stop right in front of the car, pull out my phone, call 911 and report the car. It is virtually guaranteed I would eventually see the driver's face and so could file a complaint. (Every intentional close call I have reported, the officer has told me that without me being able to identify the driver, they can do nothing.) Meanwhile, it is virtually certain that this driver would have to listen to the horns behind him.

Yes, I may take militant action some day. I have felt like a second class citizen for 50 years for exercising my right to ride a bicycle on the public roads that were originally paved for bicycles.

Ben
79pmooney is offline