PhilThee

I'm driving home Friday in rush hour traffic and I am coming up to a busy 4 way stop.
I see a commuter with a backpack and no helmet approaching going the opposite direction as me.

I think to myself I wonder if he will come to a complete stop or not.I fully expected him to at least slow.
There's traffic in all directions and I'm thinking if he doesn't come to at least somewhat of a stop to be seen this could be really bad.

I'm the next car in my line.
I witness the car in front of the cyclist stop and the cyclist is a good deal behind him.

The car in front of him goes forward and the cyclist doesn't even stop.Instead he puts the hammed down
You guessed it.The car going in the opposite direction doesn't see him and isn't looking for him because it's his turn to go.The car makes it about 1/4 of the way through the intersection and slams on his brakes narrowly missing the cyclist.
The cyclist doesn't even turn his head around, no arm movement to show that he f'd up..nothing.
He just keeps the hammer down.

What the hell are these fools thinking???
The rules don't apply to me?
I live on the edge?

I am the highlander, there can be only one?

I-Like-To-Bike

No need to say more, you said enough; you saw what you were looking for and wanted to see. Feel better now?

San Rensho 

Witnessed a Roadie/Commuter blow through a busy 4 way stop and narrowly escape.

And I had pork chops for dinner.

Sorry to be so sarcastic, but it happens all the time. He's riding on a Darwin bicycle and he will eventually learn, or.....

dobber

I'm hoping I see something irritating tomorrow so I can post about it. Worse I've had to complain about this week is the snow plow leaving a drift at the end of the drive.

Blue Order

Speeding up at an intersection? Probably to "preserve his momentum."

Sixty Fiver

Yeah... this is what people are looking for and want to see when they are commuting.

Near misses between cars and cyclists rate as a personal favourite of mine.

Machka 

Go stand on any sidewalk near the University of Alberta in Edmonton and watch the cyclists there. You'll be able to list hundreds of violations and witness dozens of close calls. If you're just standing there on the sidewalk, you'll also be run down by several cyclists.

Cyclists these days don't seem to realize that they are vehicles of the road and MUST follow the rules of the road. It's sad.


BTW - I think more people should make posts like this ... it's a good reminder to all of us to be careful out there ... and it lets it be known that true cyclists don't appreciate this kind of behaviour because it sheds a bad light on us.

Blue Order

They sure seem to realize it when they're squealing about their right to the road...

Machka 

They want the right to the road without taking on the responsibility of the road.

syn0n

Exactly. But I don't really care if they want to blow signs and stuff when I'm in my car - they're going to end up roadkill, not me. Though I genuinely worry about them when on foot or on the bike. Some even expect other bikes to run lights, etc, as I was almost rearended by a roadie while filtering and coming to a stop.

Sixty Fiver

My biggest issues when I am riding are generally related to cyclists who do not follow the rules of the road and pedestrians who are just simply clueless.

With rights comes responsibilities...it's that simple.

PhilThee

No need to apologize.I'm quite sarcastic myself.
It's just that's the first time that I've witnessed a cyclist do something that stupid. Jumping things and doing stunts can get real stupid.As in man your crazy, your nuts man.

But what he did, stupid/idiotic, I'm still kinda in awe.

PhilThee

That's just crazy.The town I live in isn't heavily populated by cyclists so maybe that's why I haven't seen this before.

If it's as common as you guys are making it out to be it's no wonder I keep reading about cyclists who get yelled at and have things thrown at them.

tomcryar

It's all respect. If you--the cyclist-- doesn't respect the rules that "govern" the roads, such as stopping for red lights, or even slowing down, then you will get what you deserve---Disrepect. Plain and simple. You think you "belong" on the road with cars and trucks? Do something to prove it.

UmneyDurak

Oh good, generic roadie bashing. Now this thread is almost complete. All that is missing is VC analysis by HH, and this truely be an A&S thread.

John E

Please avoid over-generalizations by noting that "some cyclists these days," or even "too many cyclists these days," and admit that the same observation can be made regarding some motorists, or even pedestrians, these days. When was the last time you saw a motorist come to a complete stop at a 4-way stop sign if first up at the intersection and with no conflicting oncoming traffic? Most do the logical, if admittedly not "literallly legal" thing of rolling very slowly (2 to 4 mph, at most) through the stop, much as a responsible cyclist might. As long as everyone approaches each stop-controlled intersection slowly and attentively and yields right-of-way as appropriate, I do not see this as a particularly reprehensible behavior. "Blowing through" dangerously or at speed is, of course, an entirely different animal.

donnamb 

Ok, gotta know.. which intersection?

hairyman

What does not having a helmet have to do with anything?

bac

Don't worry. Soon there will be ZERO if he keeps riding like you stated.

... Brad

I-Like-To-Bike

OK also gotta know what the bicyclist's choice in head adornment has to do with the OP's unbiased observation/assumptions/focus of vision while he was driving his car. Or how he determined the cyclist's status as a roadie, commuter, or whatever else there might be.

Sure glad the rest of the gang reporting in are such paragons of cycling virtue and feel so confident about themselves. Can't guess why that they need to smirk along with the driver who reported of his being shocked, shocked at the observation of a bad boy cyclist.

I-Like-To-Bike

Maybe, the OP's bias and assumptions affecting his snap observation and conclusion.

ken cummings

To make us all feel better I have a report for all y'all. Two years ago the wife and I were waiting for the light at a 4-way intersection when a cyclist blew through a red causing the lead car in the cross traffic to smoke his tires in stopping. There was a city cop right behind me. He popped his lights and sirens, I drove onto the road shoulder to let him by, all car waited for him, he did a quick left through the intersection and pulled the cyclist over. When the light changed again the cars behind me let us back in and the guy who had smoked his tires waved.

Machka 

Yesterday evening, on my way home from work ... and in the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that ...... In fact, every time I approach a 4-way stop, I come to a complete stop. But I'm not the only one, all the drivers I've seen here not only come to a complete stop at a 4-way stop, but it takes an earthquake to get most of them to move again.

gcottay

Change the "they" to a "we" and I will agree. Whether we are riding or driving, we want to move where we want when we want at whatever speed feels best as the time.

I think it's flat amazing that traffic rules and good practices, as diverse and often ignored as they are, combined with whatever good sense we are able to muster at the time, usually get us where we are going without damage.

wheel

What do you know your just a car?

We only care about the PEDS!
Cars can can be fixed, Stupid people die.