Zaskar

Buckhead/in-town Atlanta at 1:30 on Sunday afternoon on a very busy road - two lanes each way with single and double turning lanes; 35 zone. Traffic was backed up for a couple blocks because of these guys. They were not making any attempt to ride with traffic - more of a chit-chat pace (12-15 mph), side-by-side... just out for a stroll with a "cars can *#@% themselves" attitude.

Yes - they're allowed to. Yes - they're "vehicles" with the right to the lane. But if that were a car going 14 mph in a 35 zone, would you think "Oh hey, it's cool - you do you. We'll hangout back here til you get where you're going". This is a city of 6 million people. We have plenty of roads that don't go through the heart of town. THIS is why motorists hate us.

Don't be these guys. And yeah, they ran this light... of course they did.

theblackbullet

If they were riding single file, were you going to buzz them to get past?

If you're sitting in traffic on peachtree, it's because of the other cars in your way, not because of cyclists.

SalsaShark

Just use the other lane and pass them....seems easy enough, no?

sdmc530

Ahhh.... your complaining about a legal action and probably the safest way to ride in this situation to a cycling group?

Can't attest to running a red light but if traffic is as busy as you say it is they were not crossing the street ahead.

I got no issues with this as a cyclist or a motorist.

Move on....this is a dumb thread.

genejockey 

There's no bike lane, and almost no shoulder. There's no room to pass a cyclist safely without entering the other lane, and there IS another lane. A SINGLE rider should take the lane.

I thought you were complaining about something I'm seeing a lot of these days - people riding two-up on roads with wide bike lanes, but the rider in the bike lane is in the middle or even left of middle, and the other rider is in the middle of the traffic lane, with at least 3 feet between their bars. And this on a road where the speed limit for cars is 50, and most go faster still. If you can't ride two up on that road without riding in the middle of the traffic lane, maybe you shouldn't be riding two-up AT ALL.

zandoval 

Now that's rare... A picture of an intersection in Georgia with eight vihicles and only one of them is a Pick Up...

Oh... It's Buck Head...

Comfort is King

Absolutely perfect riding. Nothing wrong even in the slightest. The lane isn't wide enough to share, so what difference does it make?. What, exactly is the problem? I do not see one.

Bald Paul

Try this:

tempocyclist

Traffic was backed up a couple of blocks because of two cyclists taking up one lane on a two-lane road? Sure.

Looks perfectly safe, legal and the best way to ride in that situation.

Daniel4

I think their problem is that they don't have their rear lights on. And if they had a rear-facing camera, they might see how many patient and careful drivers there really are out there.

holytrousers

Be these guys !

indyfabz

But they were not cars.

Atlanta’s population is not 6 million. That would be the entire metro area. You’re complaining about riding in the heart of town.

Maybe they live in the heart of town. Should people have to drive somewhere to ride?

BTinNYC

I've driven in Atlanta, and bikes are not the problem.

GhostRider62

Buckhead is rich. Why such skinny roads, no shoulder, no bike lane.

Don't be that selfish, nasty little town.

Chuck M 

In my town, we have many signs that explain bicycles can use the entire lane. In fact it is a state law. The law would also require that motorists give at least three feet of space to overtake a bicycle so even single file it would have been necessary for cars to cross into the other lane which is also allowed. And bicycles in Oklahoma can treat stop lights and signs as yield signs if the way is clear. IMHO, bicycle safety and advocacy should preserve the cyclist's right to ride and protect them from motorists in situations like this rather than make them haul their bikes to a MUP.

Unless these guys are using the wrong chain lube, tire pressure, wrapping their bars the wrong direction, or wearing the wrong socks, I don't think this is anything to get upset about.

noimagination

I'm sorry, I've enjoyed your posts in the past, but in this case I agree with the other posters, you're quite simply wrong. They are riding perfectly considering the conditions of the road as pictured. There is no room for a car to pass them safely in the lane they are occupying. There is another lane available for passing. Why get annoyed with the cyclists? If traffic is backed up, it is at least as much the fault of the other drivers for being on the road.

As for running the light - yes, I agree that this is annoying, and Illegal.

stevel610 

Only "complaint" is the guy on the right should have a brighter jersey(and the aforementioned lights).

work4bike

The picture just doesn't provide enough information on the cyclists' riding practices, good or bad. That could easily be me, I always take the lane at stop lights/signs, because it prevents Right hooks when the light turns green and I'm more visible to others at the stop sign intersection. The OP mentioned that they ran the red light. That's not something I do, but in some areas it's ok, if they do it in a way that doesn't impede upon other road users.

gpburdell

Wish we had that treat-stops-as-yield in GA. We do have the three foot law, and also can use the entire lane if turning left or if the lane is too narrow to safely share.

making

If I was riding there alone I would be where the guy in the hi viz shirt is. I dont like giving motorist the I idea I want to share the lane with them.

livedarklions

You realize that the only safe position is to take up the lane, so double or single file, the effect would be the same. You need to move your car over a lane, big whoop.

As a driver, I get stuck behind slow moving motor vehicles a fair amount. People just don't wax indignant and make social media posts about it.

Is your complaint they weren't going fast enough? Then you probably shouldn't complain if they did an Idaho stop at the light--it gets them up the road and out of your super-important way faster.

Is it that you think they don't belong on urban streets? I really have nothing polite to say to that.

making

I always do whatever I think is safest at a light, I look at the biggest threat around me and try to prevent it. If I come to a light with traffic I follow the rules just like in my pick up truck. If I come to an intersection that has no traffic as far as I can see I go thru, why wait for a car to show up and run over me while I am waiting at the light?

livedarklions

Also, that's a right-turn possible lane and they're approaching an intersection. Since right hook is the biggest threat there, I'm making it clear the car has to wait until I'm clear of the intersection. I'm not going to look up Georgia law, but that's the law in NH. Drivers are often shocked when I yell that back at them.

Zaskar

My points about the time and location are key. Of course we have the right to the lane. BUT, we need to also be considerate. That is a horrible road to ride on at any time on any day. But these guys picked then (maybe late start because of the cold) and there to ride, running lights... staying in the way. There are hundreds of roads around here. Why head into the busiest part of town? I don't buy the argument that they live there - they'd know 15 faster, safer routes than the one they were on.

That "Idaho stop" thing is very inconsiderate - it forces motorist to keep passing the riders. The motorists finally get past the cyclists... who then roll past the line, run the light... and are in front of the row of cars again.

indyfabz

I did not know that. The only state I knew for sure was ID. It applies to red lights as well, as long as you come to a complete stop first. When I was touring there in 2019 I had a funny incident. When I travel by bike I like to set a good example in towns by following laws. I was camping in the relatively small town of Wallace and took a ride to pick up some supplies. Stopped at one of the few traffic lights (if not the only one) in town. It was Tuesday, later afternoon. Not a car in sight. Here I am waiting at the red light. I finally remembered what state I was in and had a good laugh at myself. (I had come from Montana two days earlier, and there had been no traffic control devices my first night in ID.)