rumrunn6

re: 1st video, at 1st glance I would have slowed down and let the animal go by. hard to 2nd guess on the spot decisions. this guy clearly CHARGED the cyclist and I wouldn't have surprised to see a fight break out. +1 for calling 911

the cyclist in the snow video doesn't seem to show any caution. they want cars to stop at stop signs but aren't willing to do the same themself? also are they riding on the sidewalk?

kickstart

You don't understand that ones current location doesn't define ones experiences? I grew up in NJ, and drove trucks longhaul in all conditions for many years.

Failure to adjust ones actions to conditions and abilities is not an excuse.

lopek77

According to the same logic, I can safely assume that most folks who post CA as a location - have little or no experience with riding their bikes on snow.
"Assume" and "most"... I may be wrong, and I probably am in some cases, BUT looking at location of members under this very thread - it's a safe assumption, and it seems that the logic is there.
I grew up in Europe and lived on 3 continents, different weather, roads, temperatures...and I still don't know everything.

Beth W

A sad footnote is that this footage came out the same day a 66-year-old cyclist was hit by a motorist (who had possibly run a red light) and later died of his injuries, also in San Francisco. I'm about to post that in another thread if someone hasn't already beat me to it.

howsteepisit

Safety to a large extent resides in our own hands. Learn to ride safely, which would include not running into cars because you perceive a right of way. And a bit less drama queen helps too.

lopek77

That doesn't sound promising at all...If we all change, than it would be different. Accidents are called accidents for a reason. Paying attention, having common sense and understanding other road users would help the most. I know...wishful thinking. That's why I ride far from cars and cities. It feel awesome when I see more wildlife than cars on my rides.

trailangel

Is there something wrong with you?
You hijack this thread and create some controversy with a video pulled from you-tube, and now you are putting down the west coast riders. WTF

lopek77

wow...

RomansFiveEight

So, actually, there's a reason the southern states become paralyzed during snowstorms. And they have massive power outages, shut down roads, etc. ICE. It's warmer, even in the winter. The ground is warm. It's not the light fluffy snow you get up north that you just have to push out of the way. It's slushy, icy, very dangerous stuff. You can't drive on it, no matter how good your car or your skills are. Ice is the great equalizer, that puts four-wheel drives and rear-wheel drives in the same ditch. A couple years ago we had an ice storm so bad it caused several ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars to wreck and resulted in emergency services actually shutting down. If it's bleeding, better put pressure on it and wait until morning.

Here in Missouri, we experience both. When it's never been warmer than 25 for a week and it's snowing in the single digits and we get 12" of fluffy snow, no big deal. It's quickly cleared and most of us can drive on that anyway. When it's 45 during the day and starts to rain, then dips down into the low 30's and high 20's in the late evening and it switches to snow and ice, that's downright dangerous.

I know everyone likes to pick on them. It's sort of a pecking order; Missourians laugh at the Georgians shutting down after an inch of snow whilst the Canadians can't believe we Missourians close schools the day it snows so they can get the roads cleared off. But it's just not an apples-to-apples comparison. That's all compounded by the fact that the south doesn't have the infrastructure to clear snow that other states do. Missouri only gets a few good snows a year, nothing like the all-winter-long snow that the northern states get or Canada gets. And yet we have more snow removal infrastructure in the city of St. Louis than the entire state of Georgia.

GP 

Overall, riders in warmer climates are more skilled because they're able to get more annual miles in. Notice that there was only one bike in the video? When's the last time you saw that on a ride?

Buffalo Buff

Am I missing something? In both of those situations the biker had the complete ability to avoid the cars and chose not to. These exact scenarios are why I avoid sidewalk riding. Riding in the road this would be avoided. Either way in those situations the biker should be aware of the approaching cars and just tap the brakes and avoid them. No, the car drivers are not 100% in the right, but it's not always about who's right and who's wrong, but can you avoid the situation? If you can, than do so.

howsteepisit

Actually the riders attitude explains his actions to a large extent. He refers to stupid drivers every day. I'd say that reflects the way he acts towards other road users.

lopek77

I love how Internet works...What if "stupid drivers every day" means 2 on a 100 mile ride? Why to assume such a things? We all know how hard sometimes is to have fun and stay safe on the roads as as cyclists. Assuming things based on other assumption is highly irresponsible and meaningless.

kickstart

Yes, there are a few stupid people out there, and we will encounter them.......get over it.

If you cycle angry, you're doing it wrong.

howsteepisit

Actually is very rare for me not to have fun and stay safe on a bike ride.

TrekkingMitten

Calling cops was the right thing to do. That guy went crazy very quick. I hope it was just his bad day, otherwise he shouldn't drive the car. Any updates on that situation?

unterhausen

I refer to stupid drivers every day, and I almost never have any negative interaction with drivers. Then one day, three stupid drivers tried to cut me off rather than wait 5 seconds to make their right turns behind me. This almost escalated, I can assure you

Most of the stupid drivers I see are when I'm in my car. I generally make arrangements to avoid them.

howsteepisit

Are they really stupid or just behave in a way you do not agree with? I suppose that by definition about 1 in 10 drivers are indeed stupid, but that really does not call for anyone to call them stupid.

Buffalo Buff

I see dumb **** every day. I constantly get cut off so people can save 2 seconds on their commute to get around me and make a right turn. I usually have at least one person a day pull out in front of me at a 4 way intersection as I'm coming through. I claim the lane on a particular rural 45 mph 2 lane road to make a left turn and have people pass me on my left and nearly knock off my left arm as I signal for my turn.

Bottom line though?

I'm on a bike, they're in a ****ing car. I need to watch the **** out and protect my ass because they aren't going to. Who gives a **** who was right if you get hit. You're gonna get ****ed, they might scratch their paint. I like my health.

Just ignore them and keep pedaling.

Chris516

I have been checking google, the websites for ABC7 in San Francisco, and the Daily Mail in London. So far I haven't seen any updates.

randallovelace

I've been in similar (but without the benefit of a helm cam)... and had to call 911 to get the bone headed driver to understand that I take the bicycle lane laws seriously.

Bm7b5

I highly recommend that you do not keep your hands by your side in that kind of situation. Glad it worked out for you though.

Hypno Toad

To be blunt, I was surrounded by friends, if this guy took a cheap shot ... it would have ended poorly for him. I would not leave my defenses down in other situations, this was a unique situation. However, there are plenty of hot-heads that will see a defense posture (hands up) as aggressive and will use it as justification to get physical. And to your point, there are cowards that will use a 'non-defensive' stance as an opportunity to make a cheap shot.

Related - How About We Go Outside And Settle This Like Emotionally Stunted Men?
Warning - includes profane language

spare_wheel

Me too. I also have enjoyed just about every one of my interactions with the increasingly rare road-ragin' cager.

I had an amusing interaction a few months ago, however. I chased down a young man in a subaru sedan who had just sped through a red light with pedestrians in the crosswalk. Immediately after lowering his window this individual exclaimed heatedly that he saw me run 3 lights in a row and was trying to teach me a lesson (by endangering other people). I explained to me him that when I stopped and proceeded through those lights I was not endangering pedestrians or impairing anyone's right of way. I think I actually got through to him because he seemed to calm down quite a bit and waved at me when I road off.

howsteepisit

Why is that some people feel entitled to teach someone a lesson? I just don't get it.