rydabent

Yesterday I was riding on a bike trail that went by a trail head with parking. Just as I got to the driveway, a car drove out and completely block the trail I was on. The car sat there for almost a full minute waiting for traffic to pass. The driver glanced my way at least once so he knew I was waiting to go on. Yet he made no attempt to back up and let me pass.

Apparently he went from a cyclist to a driver mentality and figured a bike should wait on him since he was now a driver. My how getting behind the wheel of a car changes a person.

10 Wheels

He was keeping you safe.

Suggest you look in the mirror if you are complaining about the minute wait.

Which is Driver Mentality

bruce19

I can only visualize the situation based on how our rail/trail routes cross roads. So, maybe my take on it doesn't reflect your actual situation. But, from what you've said I don't see a problem. If you were waiting for the car to leave so you could enter or cross the road I'd think the car would act as a perfect shield for you to do so.

OldsCOOL

At least he wasnt flipping you off, calling you names and rolling coal on you.

andr0id

No, it sounds like the car was doing the equivalent of blocking the box. Always a dirt bag move.

bruce19

What's the box? Here you would come upon a metal gate and go left or right around the gate post to enter a small parking area just before crossing a roadway to a continuation of the trail on the other side.

David Bierbaum

I think that's a New York term for getting stuck in the middle of the intersection when the light changes, so that suddenly nobody can go anywhere... How traffic actually flows at all in downtown New York (or any big City) is entirely beyond me.

JohnDThompson 

If the car is past "stop line" behind which vehicles are supposed wait, then the driver is at fault. One of the local MUPs parallels a busy road. I refuse to use it because the car drivers routinely ignore the "stop lines" and block the path while waiting to turn right. Far too often, they don't even bother to check for cross-traffic on the MUP and pull out directly into your path.

Garfield Cat

Gridlock?

bruce19

That's a new one to me and I grew up there. Well, actually 10 mi. west of the GWB.

David Bierbaum

Well, it's in Wikipedia, under "Gridlock" Blocking the Box (Box Junction) in New York City is worth a $90 fine...

BlazingPedals

I don't know the particulars, but around here the trail users have to yield for every driveway crossing and street. If that's true, then the driver had the right to do it. Besides, he probably was in as much of a hurry to get out onto the road as you were to go down the trail.

BigAura

I guess he felt you, as bent rider, were a little more laid-back

Last ride 76 

There have been signs at major intersections about fines for blocking the box for at least the past 20 years...

10 mi west of the GWB is 10 mi west of the GWB. (just teasing).

Best Regards, Eric (now living 12 mi north of the GWB)

bruce19

Well you're right about the time frame. It's been a LONG time since I've lived there. But the real question is....which side of the GWB do you live on?

Biker395 

Tribalism. As humans, we see the world as if everyone is like us, doing what we are doing.

When we drive, we think like a driver, and assume everyone else is in a car. Slow trucks are irritating. Bikes even more so. What's the problem if I block the crosswalk ... no one uses them? If I don't make eye contact with you, you're not there.

When we're driving truck, we think like a truck driver. All those cars scooting around making dangerous passes ... what's wrong with them?

And of course, when we're on a bike, cagers are all the same.

At least those of us in this group spend a lot of time in different tribes. We drive and ride bikes, and are able to see things better from more than one perspective.

Last ride 76 

I think mentioning the GWB gives it away. Folks in Westchester don't mention the bridge, just "12 miles north of the city"... The bridge is only relevant if you go over it.

Cheers, Eric

VegasTriker

I grew up in Bergen County which is west of the GWB. Last visit was in 2011. I couldn't believe how narrow the roads are and how choked with traffic the roads are. I don't think I could survive riding a recumbent trike there. When I was a kid, I'd ride all over the county with no concern.

FBinNY 

You're making an assumption without any basis on evidence.

Odds are he's an inconsiderate person full time regardless of the vehicle, or even if he has one. Most likely the kind of person who blocks doorways, stands at the bottom of escalators, and crowds choke points like where arriving passengers emerge from the secure areas of the airport.

Some people have no awareness of their place in the space around them, and others simply don't care.

No difference car or bike, except that cars are bigger so the problem is more obvious.

FBinNY 

Yes, if you live in Westchester the GWB is irrelevant to you since it goes to New Jersey. Living in NJ or Rockland makes it important because it goes to NYC. It's all a question of point of view.

B. Carfree

Yuck. In Oregon bike paths are legally roads, so where they cross other roads it's an intersection like any other and motorists are not allowed to block them. Also, people exiting driveways are required to stop prior to crossing a sidewalk or bike path. (As far as I know, only one citation has ever been issued for failing to do this, and it was a quarterback for the local university who had some other issues.) Fortunately, even though we have no traffic law enforcement, very few motorists are inclined to block bike path crossings, but it's kind of nice that the law is on our side.

rydabent

To clarify to some, it was a driveway out of traihead parking. I was on the bike path along the street. He was totally blocking the bike path. IMO he was just being a jerk.

2manybikes

Sometimes you think there is room for your car past the intersection, but the traffic stops before you get across the intersection. it almost never happens to me, but some drivers just don't think about it. It may not have been planned.

One minute? Why is one minute so important? Is someone going to die if you don't get to surgery on time?

Taking the lane on a bike could potentially block a car for one minute. Probably rare though. But if a driver was mad at a cyclist for delaying him one minute, many would post about what a jerk he is getting upset for only one minute.

I know it seems like a long time when you are waiting to go. Once in a while check the time with a watch if you wear one. It's probably not as long as it seems.

I'm not saying I would not be annoyed too, but, that's just life, it happens.

ramzilla

If he didn't roll down the window and say "sorry" then - the guy is an ass%le!