Bike Forums - What the hell is with SUVs?

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- - What the hell is with SUVs? (https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/123350-what-hell-suvs.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by noisebeam

None of us were there so we can't know what really happened and will of course give you the benefit of the doubt, but a few thoughts...

I don't know of any public (vs. private drives and parking lots) residential areas that have speed limits of 10mph. It seems cyclist fell into a lapse of innattention (not an excuse) or there was some other unexplained circumstance that lead to the incident.
Riding hard (which is irresponsible in places like this) can make one less attentive, crashing and pain can make one say stupid things (like blaming your daughter) All cyclists I know want to avoid at all costs crashing, especially when riding 25mph on pavement. This means swerving to avoid potholes, let alone a young child. No cyclist, except a deranged one with issues, wants to intentionally crash into a child.
Rage can make one react stupidly in response to a person who was not riding responsibly, but also not intentionally endangering you and your daughter. After getting kicked, they probably left the scene feeling less bad about it and learning less of a lesson vs. had you (done the near impossible) and offered to help them up while calmly lecturing them about speed and attentivess. But that is easy to say after the fact.

Drivers kill people daily due to lapses of inattention and other irresponsible behaviors.

Al

It may have been a private area... such as a housing area. One great MUP I ride often, goes into and parallel to streets in a housing development. The streets ARE considered private and are so posted as you enter the MUP from a public street above, but the path is public and is also so posted.

The housing area has posted speeds of 15MPH.

There are child play areas adjacent to the MUP.

Some cyclists fly down the street... leaving the MUP; some cyclists fly down the MUP even thougth there may be peds walking the family dog. I suppose that technically while in the street they should not go above 15MPH and that the peds should not be in the MUP. I think we should all cooperate and when I use the area, I greet walkers/runners and take care to watch for peds.

Some cyclists may not... in which case they could be setting a bad precedent for all cyclists. BTW in other areas the MUP also parallels a horse path covered with DG. Sometimes the horses/riders use the MUP and leave their "mark."

Quote:

Originally Posted by genec

It may have been a private area...

I left that option open.

A mall parking lot in my area has a speed limit of 17mph. Why not 15? I think it is because it gets ones attention as it is unusual.
The YMCA parking lot has a posted speed limit of 5mph. Its hard to drive this slow, let alone cycle this slow thru it when I go for a swim workout.

I find it harder to keep to low speed limits (20, 15 and below) on my bike that when driving. But I am very careful to keep about ~16mph thru active 15mph school zones while riding in center of lane. I love how it pisses off drivers behind me, sometimes they still honk or agreesively swerve around me. I was almost run over going 7mph in the YMCA parking lot, which is not a short distance having to go all around to back of building.

Al

i know where there is a public road (non-residential) with a 2.5 mph speed limit...

i flipped a '78 MG roadster three times on it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlin453

Literally laughing out loud.

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

Don't forget, mini vans and trucks put out the same amount of polution, but it's "easier" to blame those damn SUV drivers!
http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/c..._emissions.gif

Hey, cool! My car is third from the bottom! :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlin453

http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/c..._emissions.gif

I want to see where cyclists fit on that chart compared to the autos... should be interesting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by noisebeam

I left that option open.

Al

I understand... but in my example the public and private areas have somewhat blured lines... I do see cyclists riding at high speeds that perhaps are not aware of the potential for an accident right around the corner... Oh for the lack of a bit of common sense...

And yes, certainly this is a unique situation.

And in reference to the OP situtation... jeeze, still no reason to kick a man already down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasGuy

I again caught this buttwipe at the next light, reached in, grabbed this dickhead by the throat and told him to get out and he and I were going to ha

------

You should be in jail if you actually did that. No wonder why so many people have a negative attitude towards cyclists.

Texasguy, what?? This jerk tried to hit me and you don't like it that I got pissed? Jeeze maybe if this was you, why don't you discuss it in a very civilized manner over a decaf latte and tell him how insensative he was by almost hitting you. Stand up for your rights and maybe this moron will think twice about trying to wipe out a bike rider. You be the wuss, not for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shimanopower

People in SUVs always seem to be more cyclist hostile (at least in chicago.) Now perhaps it's different in other places, specifically where SUVS are used for their off road capabilities, but it's horrible in chicago. I get cut off more often, yelled at, engine reved at, and they often pull far to the right so I can't pass them.

Perhaps it's because SUV people have security issues. They say that more woman buy SUVs then men because they like to feel more powerful on the road with a higher seating perspective. Perhaps that need for more power translates into cycling hostility.

Or perhaps people who drive SUVs are just in general more ass***ish.... ::shrugs::

maybe your taking up more space than needed.
I see some dumb cyclists taking up one lane at rush hour!
that would piss anyone off.
I tend to stick right to the side when im on my bike.
but becoming hostile towards the cyclists is just stupid.
maybe saying something like, "get f out of the way at rush time you ass monkey" wouldn't be that bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by henesse

The delemia I face every day. Do I ride in the center of the very narrow outside lane during rush hour and slow up traffic as cars behind me try and squeeze into the next allready full lane to pass me. This also results in daily insults hurled at me and agressive close passing, etc. Or do I ride to the right in the narrow lane where if a car doesn't merge a bit out of their lane to pass me, they will clip me, so they still need to slow a bit and squeeze left. This results in many close passes (less than 6") and still insults hurled at me (not quite as many as if I ride in center of lane, but still quite a few) I'd say the former is safer although one needs a thicker skin to deal with all the abuse. I also look like more of an a-hole from the perspective of drivers, like I am taking up a whole lane, but riding to right I still take a whole lane as driver should be merging left into the next lane for a safe 3ft clearance path

Al

I am a conservative white Christian male who owns an SUV for cargo capacity and towing capability alone. SCARY. Oh, and I own an evil black assault rifle for target shooting. I should be locked away for good.

I think that alot of motorists act aggressively toward cyclists (runners, motorcyclists, etc.) because they are doing something different. Most cagers feel that the road belongs to them and nothing else, if something else (cyclists) are in the road, then they are intruding and their aggressive actions are justified. Then when someone reacts to the aggressive nature, the cagers recoil in horror and start calling the media to complain that this cyclist "attacked" them, when in reality they were just reacting to aggressive/dangerous behavior. How often do other cagers call the media when another cager gets mad at them and reacts back???? Especially when you compare the number of events, cager vs. cager happens all the time, cager vs. cyclist not so much, but you always hear about the isolated cyclist/motorcyclist etc. incident.