monsterkidz

On my commute in to work this morning, came up on a fellow commuter swerving all over the bike lane of the Queensborough Bridge. As I approached her I noticed she was talking on her cell phone! I couldn't believe it. She was going along at a pretty slow speed with little to no control of her bike, making it almost impossible to pass her safely. Finally after a few aggravating minuets I passed her and she gave me a dirty look. Seems that we complain a lot about cagers and how inconsiderate they can be, but this opened my eyes to how there can be rotten apples in every bunch. Sorry for the rant.

peterm5365

Cell phones are the downfall of polite society. People seem to think they enter a little force field when they talk on a cell phone.

super-douper

I saw a bike commuter on a cell phone this morning too. He was going the other way and didn't appear to be swerving or anything.

I admit, I've taken calls on my cell while riding..both with the hands-free kit and without but I don't do that anymore I just stop, answer and tell the person that I'll be home in about an hour and will call them back. I answer to make sure there's no emergency.

markhr

exactly the same here in the big smoke - forkwits on bicycles with cellphones who make out that their own dangerous cycling is your fault. That is, if there were no other road users then there wouldn't be a problem - duh!

All I can suggest is grab the phone, dump it in the nearest trash can then cycle off.

Crash Dummy

When I was in college, there was this guy who rode his bike everywhere with no hands. One year, he got into fencing. He practiced everywhere. Even on his bike. That's right, there was a guy riding around our campus wielding a sword. The amazing thing is that this guy had more control of his bike while swinging a sword around than most other people do with both hands on the bars. I kept telling the guy to try out for cirque de soleil, but he decided to go get his PhD in chemistry instead. What a weirdo.

Kind of off topic, but hey, that was one of the coolest things I've ever in my life seen. Sadly I don't have a camera and therefore no picture to post...

powers2b

I bet the fencing mask kept the bugs out of his face too.

Enjoy

darkmother

It's a cancer. I actually leave my cell at home unless I am expecting a call that I need to take, then I take it with me. Letting your cell phone run your life is way beyond bleak. No thanks.

ofofhy

https://www.pawtuckettimes.com/site/n...id=24491&rfi=6

Sort of the same.

bikecrate

On another note...I was just reading an article in the paper that said one of the latest trend in cell phone behavior is the fake phone call. People will just pretending to be on the phone, have a fake conversation to manipulate the people around them. One example they gave was a lady at a grocery store forgot her wallet and was holding up the line, so she pretended to scold her daughter for taking her wallet over her cell phone so the people in the line wouldn't be mad at her. Sad....

HiYoSilver

Be Prepared-- an air zonds for next time ;-)

Cell phone talkers are rude period. It will take much rudeness in return to make a small dent on their behavior.

good luck

Crashtest

HEY HEY HEY! Let's not be too hard on the young lady. I'm sure she must have been on a very important call. Probably talking to the Ambassador about how to solve that whole Middle East thing...

Monument Man

i actually saw a woman, today, on the bikepath talking on the phone, pedaling with no hands and using hands to have a casual conversation on her phone. Looked pretty confident and stable but was definitely not in great shape and was riding a real "fitness bike".

To me it looked like an accident waiting to happen.

not the busiest day on the bikepath but there's lots of bladers, cyclists, dogs, etc. Lots of passing and if you pass when there's oncoming traffic in the other lane, watch out.

genec

Saw a woman on the path today that was totally into her cell phone... so much so that her dog was wandering all the way to the end of the leash to the left side of the path, thus with her on the right, and dog on the left, there was no way to pass.

MediaCreations 

If my phone rings while I'm out riding I just let it go to my voice mail or I pull over somewhere safe first.

In the end it's my decision if I want to talk on the phone, not everyone who might have my number.

CommuterRun

In this case I probably would consider blowing by her at about 20 mph making loud train whistle noises (WHOOOO-HOOOOoooooooo).

But I probably wouldn't have actually done it for fear of making her crash.

But then, I've never seen a loud, cheery, "Good Morning," cause a crash. Although, when they don't hear the greeter coming, I've seen cyclists just about jump out of their skin. Including me.

mattmatthew

answering a cell phone is not a life or death situation. i'd prefer to wait until it's convenient for me to stop and answer it. but i guess a lot of people think if they don't answer their phone they'll miss the call from publisher's clearinghouse or something.

matt

Seanholio

I think I'd have used the airzound on her. It is unlikely she would have paid attention to any more-polite methods of getting her attention. Besides, I like to make rude people jump.

FLBandit

Man, I must be weird, I don't even have a cell phone!!

TuckertonRR

I don't either....I gave it up after two years....ate up my wallet!

Stubacca

Yup.

There are good drivers, and there are idiots who drive cars.

There are good cyclists, and there are idiots who ride bikes.

I guess an idiot is just an idiot no matter what they're doing .