0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Quote from: eastvillagedon on July 31, 2012, 04:32:59 AMQuote from: Keith M. on July 30, 2012, 06:11:07 AMThis whole, cyclists being held to a higher standard than motorists is motorist propaganda pure and simple and I can't say I'm surprised to see it more prevalent in Ohio (though I used to complain about lawbreaking cyclists too here and there, until it dawned on me both are equally lawbreakers). unfortunately in New York cyclists never seem to be held up to any standard (as bad as some motorists can be--especially taxis--at least for the most part they follow the rules). I constantly observe cyclists breezing through red lights totally oblivious to any pedestrians or motorists who have the right of way--I guess it's just way too uncool for them to actually follow the law. It's outrageous. The level of arrogance they display is unbelievable. I don't know what it's going to take for law enforcement authorities to finally start cracking down on this sort of behavior, but it has to stop, or cyclists will only start to become more marginalized and despised--and deservedly so.To this I respond that motorists have killed 241 pedestrians and cyclists total in NYC last year (note that this figure does not include motorists killed). And I follow up that statement with a simple question. How many people did cyclists kill last year in comparison? This link for this year says it all as far as how well-behavd motorists are: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/08/03/nypd-7371-pedestrians-and-cyclists-injured-79-killed-through-june-2012/ . Motorists should be more marginalized and despised--and deservedly so. So when I see cyclists blowing through red lights like in that video, yes of course it's dumb and I'd advise against it, but I just shrug it off and couldn't care less. Looking at the bigger picture it's just nothing to get riled up about.
Quote from: Keith M. on July 30, 2012, 06:11:07 AMThis whole, cyclists being held to a higher standard than motorists is motorist propaganda pure and simple and I can't say I'm surprised to see it more prevalent in Ohio (though I used to complain about lawbreaking cyclists too here and there, until it dawned on me both are equally lawbreakers). unfortunately in New York cyclists never seem to be held up to any standard (as bad as some motorists can be--especially taxis--at least for the most part they follow the rules). I constantly observe cyclists breezing through red lights totally oblivious to any pedestrians or motorists who have the right of way--I guess it's just way too uncool for them to actually follow the law. It's outrageous. The level of arrogance they display is unbelievable. I don't know what it's going to take for law enforcement authorities to finally start cracking down on this sort of behavior, but it has to stop, or cyclists will only start to become more marginalized and despised--and deservedly so.
This whole, cyclists being held to a higher standard than motorists is motorist propaganda pure and simple and I can't say I'm surprised to see it more prevalent in Ohio (though I used to complain about lawbreaking cyclists too here and there, until it dawned on me both are equally lawbreakers).
OK - I admit it. I don't wait for red lights. I slow down and if there is no cross traffic, I go.
If someone wants to bike for real transportation, they need to ride by themselves on streets, because that's what they will be doing.
I'm sure I'm going to get flamed for this, but it must be said. The vast majority of cyclists: 1) do not know the laws regarding cycling, or 2) know the laws, but don't care to follow even the most basic of them. For the first time in over a week I finally saw someone following the laws by riding in the street, with traffic, and stopping at a red light. The rest of the week I saw dozens of cyclists riding on the sidewalk, riding against traffic (one fool almost got hit) and blowing through red lights. To top it off, a coworker of mine came in yesterday furious about his bike commute convinced that "all mankind is doomed". Apparently, the idiots walking on the sidewalk across a bridge were taking up the "entire sidewalk" when he was trying to ride past them. To be fair my experiences are limited mostly to downtown Cincinnati, but if all the supportive comments on the fools racing through traffic is any indication, there is no shortage of selfish/ignorant cyclists. It's not fair that those that do follow the law get accosted by angry drivers/pedestrians. However, given that most people's experiences with cyclists are with those that selfishly endanger themselves and others, it really isn't too surprising that people lump them together with the majority.
Bicycling is pretty damn simple, pretty much as simple as walking or running. I'm not sure what practical purpose all this social commotion surrounding it of late could possibly serve.
QuoteBicycling is pretty damn simple, pretty much as simple as walking or running. I'm not sure what practical purpose all this social commotion surrounding it of late could possibly serve.It's a fad. There is sort of this ideological "green' thing going on, but also a lot of hipsterish styling, too. Taken together its become a trendy thing. Like "lofts" and urban farming and indy coffeeshops and "craft beer". Thinking back I'm trying to recall what started that big bike boom back in the 1970s.
In my opinion, this "acting like a car" is of course following the rules, but it places you, as a cyclist, in far more danger than is necessary.
QuoteIn my opinion, this "acting like a car" is of course following the rules, but it places you, as a cyclist, in far more danger than is necessary.This is absolutely true. For example, if you are biking on a multi-lane one way street and need to take a left. The law states that you need to keep to the right - which means you will have to cross several lanes of traffic before you can take the left. On a bike, one cannot simply "change lanes" like a car. You might have to weave through a line of cars stopped at a light, or you might have to run a red light in order to safely change lanes with no cars moving behind you. There is a way to do it safely, especially in downtown grid-type situations.
The safest way might be to walk it across the crosswalks as if you were a pedestrian crossing diagonally.
One thing I've been noticing lately is that in areas where there is a lot of car traffic and almost no pedestrian traffic, bicyclists use the sidewalk (example: Richmond Road between 271 and Miles. Technically illegal, but sensible.
The bike boom in the 70s might have been a result of the trifecta of anti-establishment hippie culture, the oil crisis, and (i'm not sure on this) the greater availability of cheaper bikes (imports and such). There was also a general youth culture that blossomed with the birth of the teenager.
Penalty for Rule-Breaking Bicyclists: A Remedial Classhttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/24/nyregion/manhattan-court-sends-erring-cyclists-to-remedial-class.htmlQuoteIt comes amid broad agreement among bike advocates and the Transportation Department that compelling riders to obey traffic signals, go with traffic and stay off the sidewalk is critical to improving the image of cycling and ensuring the long-term health of New York City’s expanding bicycle network....Mr. McKissick was hardly alone in complaining of unfair treatment at a class last week. Several cyclists admitted riding on the sidewalk for a few feet and complained that the sentence — often a day of community service in addition to the class — was excessive. “It was literally three seconds,” Steve Galiczynski said of his short sidewalk ride to his parking spot on the Upper West Side, witnessed by a police officer. He said he had already spent a day cleaning up trash in Times Square. “This whole thing is nuts. It’s like I’m in a Russian novel — a crazy Russian novel.”...If there is one thing that unites New Yorkers who see bikes as a menace with others who view them as a mainstream form of urban transportation, it is a mutual disdain for the lawbreaking cyclist.
It comes amid broad agreement among bike advocates and the Transportation Department that compelling riders to obey traffic signals, go with traffic and stay off the sidewalk is critical to improving the image of cycling and ensuring the long-term health of New York City’s expanding bicycle network....Mr. McKissick was hardly alone in complaining of unfair treatment at a class last week. Several cyclists admitted riding on the sidewalk for a few feet and complained that the sentence — often a day of community service in addition to the class — was excessive. “It was literally three seconds,” Steve Galiczynski said of his short sidewalk ride to his parking spot on the Upper West Side, witnessed by a police officer. He said he had already spent a day cleaning up trash in Times Square. “This whole thing is nuts. It’s like I’m in a Russian novel — a crazy Russian novel.”...If there is one thing that unites New Yorkers who see bikes as a menace with others who view them as a mainstream form of urban transportation, it is a mutual disdain for the lawbreaking cyclist.
^ Er, "Breaking Away"?
If you don't know that's pre-stardom Kevin Costner on the left
Author
Topic: The Bike Subculture Thread (Read 3331 times)
