What do you do when cars block intersections?
01-22-16 | 09:59 PM
#28
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,402
Likes: 48
Depends on where you are. Here it's illegal to proceed unless you can clear the junction. It's not enforced much outside of winter but they're increasingly enforcing it during winter.
01-23-16 | 09:14 AM
#29
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Hi All, I bike commute to work in San Antonio. I encounter one such intersection which is blocked during peak hours. I just get on the side walk and pass all the vehicles in front of me and cross the intersection whenever there is a gap in traffic to do so ( Regardless of the traffic light). This takes practice but it is one of the perks of being on a bicycle.
01-26-16 | 08:06 PM
#31
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,301
Likes: 14
From: La La Land (We love it!)
Bikes: Gilmour road, Curtlo road; both steel (of course)
Apparently, in Montreal, you do it just once. If you gridlock an intersection in Montreal and the light turns green in the other direction, cars will pull up right beside yours and the drivers will lean on their horns for the entire time that you're there.
If I'm blocked by gridlock, I'm going to do the same but ring my bell continuously, that'll teach them.
If I'm blocked by gridlock, I'm going to do the same but ring my bell continuously, that'll teach them.
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Today, I believe my jurisdiction ends here...
Today, I believe my jurisdiction ends here...
01-27-16 | 10:56 AM
#32
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 133
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From: Otay Mesa in South San Diego
Bikes: Worksman Port o trike, Cozy cargo trike; both electric.
01-27-16 | 11:03 AM
#33
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 199
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From: Virginia, USA
Bikes: Jamis Sputnik
Yeah, I usually make it a point to touch their car in some obvious form. I don't care about the legality of it. But I think it annoys them that someone dare encroach on their protective steel cage.
01-27-16 | 11:04 AM
#34
aka Tom Reingold
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,180
Likes: 6,418
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
You could say that, but there is method to the madness. Each area has its own method. I look at it as a dance. You have to learn how the dance goes by careful observation. Then you can join the dance. I realized this when I was visiting Paris. I grew up in NYC and then lived in Boston for three years. Then I visited Paris. My hosts said that even though I was an experienced cyclist, they didn't recommend I ride in Paris traffic, and I agreed. It looked frightful. Then after a few days of walking around, I understood the dance. I got on my wheels, and it went just fine.
NYC is tough and sometimes irritating, but unless I'm imagining it, it's actually a bit kinder and gentler than it used to be. I still don't like driving a car here, but I'm just fine riding a bike, most of the time. It helps to predict how others will behave and also be predictable to others. It also helps to understand people's motivations.
NYC is tough and sometimes irritating, but unless I'm imagining it, it's actually a bit kinder and gentler than it used to be. I still don't like driving a car here, but I'm just fine riding a bike, most of the time. It helps to predict how others will behave and also be predictable to others. It also helps to understand people's motivations.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
01-27-16 | 11:15 AM
#35
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Otay Mesa in South San Diego
Bikes: Worksman Port o trike, Cozy cargo trike; both electric.
You could say that, but there is method to the madness. Each area has its own method. I look at it as a dance. You have to learn how the dance goes by careful observation. Then you can join the dance. I realized this when I was visiting Paris. I grew up in NYC and then lived in Boston for three years. Then I visited Paris. My hosts said that even though I was an experienced cyclist, they didn't recommend I ride in Paris traffic, and I agreed. It looked frightful. Then after a few days of walking around, I understood the dance. I got on my wheels, and it went just fine.
NYC is tough and sometimes irritating, but unless I'm imagining it, it's actually a bit kinder and gentler than it used to be. I still don't like driving a car here, but I'm just fine riding a bike, most of the time. It helps to predict how others will behave and also be predictable to others. It also helps to understand people's motivations.
NYC is tough and sometimes irritating, but unless I'm imagining it, it's actually a bit kinder and gentler than it used to be. I still don't like driving a car here, but I'm just fine riding a bike, most of the time. It helps to predict how others will behave and also be predictable to others. It also helps to understand people's motivations.
