# Cyclists, beware!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyclists-beware/8227
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [September 21, 1999, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyclists-beware/8227 "1999-09-21T18:24:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)
#### Post date: [September 21, 1999, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyclists-beware/8227/21 "1999-09-21T21:30:00Z")
> [@](#):
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> when was the last time you were driving and waited oncoming traffic to clear and used your blinkers to pass a bicyclist? You might call 'em vehicles but you don’t treat them like vehicles.
Yea, but you’re _supposed_ to. In most jurisdictions, the very same laws you follow for passing a stopped or slow car apply to you when passing bicyclists. As it happens, enforcement of this is lax in most places without strong bicyclist lobbies. The police see what’s going on, and as long as no one is in danger, they’re gonna look the other way when you zip around a cyclist.
Try pulling around a bicyclist in NoCal without signaling and you’ll find out where the liberal death penalty proponents live. OK, it’s not that extreme, but you know what I’m saying.
> [@](#):
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> Only I would never put something through a bicyclists spokes …It is something I just wouldn’t do. I’ve had the urge to but always controlled myself.
As it happens, that _is_ the controlled response. It’s not like I chase the weasels down and shoot them after they’ve fallen. I’ve had the urge, but always controlled myself. 😉
> [@](#):
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> Nothing pisses me off more than having to wait for a cyclest holding up traffic on the road. Especially when there is a multi-million tax-dollar bike path just 3 ft away. Not a sidewalk a bike path.
## I’m with you there. Inconsiderate weasels. Sure you don’t want to borrow an umbrella? 😉
Livin’ on Tums, Vitamin E and Rogaine
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### Author:  [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)
#### Post date: [September 21, 1999, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyclists-beware/8227/22 "1999-09-21T23:57:00Z")
Bicyclists in Houston are not required to stop at stop signs or red lights.
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### Author:  [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)
#### Post date: [September 22, 1999, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyclists-beware/8227/23 "1999-09-22T00:26:00Z")
Bicyclists can only ride about a foot away from the curb, because some tiny piece of junk YOU could drive over needs to be avoided.They could easily fall riding over a beer can. You also can’t ride on and off curbs unless you have fat tires(recommended for lots of potholes etc.)
What I don’t get is joggers who run in the street, in the dark, when there are side walks next to them.
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### Author:  [@bantmof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bantmof)
#### Post date: [September 23, 1999, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyclists-beware/8227/24 "1999-09-23T02:31:00Z")
Bicycles are legally (and logically) vehicles and, virtually everywhere in the USA, are supposed to be ridden on roads. In many locations it is actually illegal to ride them on sidewalks.
Bicycles are supposed to obey the same set of traffic laws that cars do, with only a few exceptions. (Many bicyclists ride in an unpredictable and unsafe manner, of course, but many automobiles are driven in a similar manner). That means bicycles should use the same turn lanes as cars, obey stop signs and stop lights, and so on.
For the most part, bicycles are not allowed on limited access highways with minimum speed limits. The exceptions to this tend to be where there is no practical alternative route.
When passing, the passing vehicle has the obligigation to pass in a safe manner, whether the vehicle being passed is a farm tractor or a bicycle.
## I think that about sums it up.
peas on earth
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