# I found the cyclist everyone thinks of when they think of bad cyclists **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 29, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815 "2014-08-29T00:34:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/21 "2014-08-30T01:03:33Z")
> [@Stealth\_Potato](#): > > He nearly hit the police officer who was directing traffic, and I saw him blow past some pedestrians in my rearview as well. Running the red light, looking at his phone while riding, passing on the right with no audible signal from an unexpected direction (the construction zone) – all these things are stupid behaviors that put other road users at risk. Not wearing a helmet makes him a dumbass, but I agree, that’s none of my business and I’m not complaining about that. He didn’t touch or harm anyone. Some people are sluggish and incompetent, freaking out about traffic, unable to hop a curb, etc. They’re putting others at risk because they don’t have the reflexes or wherewithal to react. In the end, if everyone reaches their destination intact, it’s all good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/22 "2014-08-30T01:05:44Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > In the end, if everyone reaches their destination intact, it’s all good enough for me. **IF** ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/23 "2014-08-30T01:16:55Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > There’s a saying with motorcycling, “You dress for the fall, not for the ride.” I imagine it’s a similar thing with bicyclists. Okay, but that’s his head, not ours. Why is not wearing a helmet seen as an affront to others? ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/24 "2014-08-30T01:19:01Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > **IF** Did I miss some sort of bloody slaughter at the end? Maybe I cut the video off before it was over. ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/25 "2014-08-30T01:57:24Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > It was easy to find altercations between bicyclists and cars in the Pac NW area. I was a little surprised at that. I even looked up the law for citizen’s arrest because apparently bicyclists are slapping cars to “communicate” with drivers. I’ve been guilty of this myself. Once a guy in a truck “buzzed” me on a broad and practically empty main street; he had plenty of room but deliberately veered as close as he could to me without actually knocking me over. I caught up to him in traffic maybe a quarter of a mile later (I hustled – I was maaaad) and kicked a dent in his door. I probably shouldn’t have, but it felt good at the time. > [@AnaMen](#): > > He didn’t touch or harm anyone. … In the end, if everyone reaches their destination intact, it’s all good enough for me. This reasoning seems backwards to me. You could make the same defense of drunk driving. The behavior is irresponsible and illegal even if the particular instance of it does not result in injury. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/26 "2014-08-30T02:00:09Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > Okay, but that’s his head, not ours. Why is not wearing a helmet seen as an affront to others? For motorcycling, injuries to helmetless bikers was a cost burden to society. Hence, many states have helmet laws. I imagine the societal cost concern might be similar for bicyclists. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/27 "2014-08-30T02:08:54Z")
My former office was in an office park behind a local reservoir/lake. It’s a pretty road and nice for bikers and walkers and such. BUT…There is a group of cyclists that ride in a pack completely across the entire street. They just ride in a horizontal line and block traffic. And they get pissy when you honk so they can move. One day I was feeling pissy myself, so I pulled as close as possible to the Wall of Bikes and yelled “MOVE!”, and one of the guys claimed he didn’t see or hear me. At the time I drove a large, bright red, SUV. So yeah, dickus cyclius. And then there are the ones that slalom between rush-hour traffic in the cities. If I hadn’t spent some years patching up people after accidents, I would consider opening my car door into of the more egregious offenders. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/28 "2014-08-30T02:22:07Z")
> [@Stealth\_Potato](#): > > Summary, if you can't/would rather not watch the video: The words don’t match the video. Reminds me of those 911 truthers “In this video, you can clearly see the CIA at work”… The video was completely boring. Ok won’t comment about the video directly… there’s nothing there worth talking about. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/29 "2014-08-30T02:29:46Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > For motorcycling, injuries to helmetless bikers was a cost burden to society. Hence, many states have helmet laws. > > I imagine the societal cost concern might be similar for bicyclists. And some states have repealed them. I don’t want to debate helmet legalities – I just don’t get the “helmetless = asshole” connection. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/30 "2014-08-30T04:17:46Z")
> [@Stealth\_Potato](#): > > I’ve been guilty of this myself. Once a guy in a truck “buzzed” me on a broad and practically empty main street; he had plenty of room but deliberately veered as close as he could to me without actually knocking me over. I caught up to him in traffic maybe a quarter of a mile later (I hustled – I was maaaad) and kicked a dent in his door. I probably shouldn’t have, but it felt good at the time. I did exactly the same thing once. The truck actually clipped my elbow just a tiny amount, did not even hurt but I did go into the curb and down. Took a couple of lights to catch up IIRC ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/31 "2014-08-30T04:18:43Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > And some states have repealed them. > I don’t want to debate helmet legalities – I just don’t get the “helmetless = asshole” connection. Oh yeah, gotcha. Yeah I don’t understand that connection either. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/32 "2014-08-30T04:25:49Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > My former office was in an office park behind a local reservoir/lake. It’s a pretty road and nice for bikers and walkers and such. > > BUT…There is a group of cyclists that ride in a pack completely across the entire street. They just ride in a horizontal line and block traffic. And they get pissy when you honk so they can move. > > One day I was feeling pissy myself, so I pulled as close as possible to the Wall of Bikes and yelled “MOVE!”, and one of the guys claimed he didn’t see or hear me. > > At the time I drove a large, bright red, SUV. > > So yeah, dickus cyclius. > > And then there are the ones that slalom between rush-hour traffic in the cities. If I hadn’t spent some years patching up people after accidents, I would consider opening my car door into of the more egregious offenders. I’m not understanding what this group was doing that was so horrible. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/33 "2014-08-30T04:41:58Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > I’m not understanding what this group was doing that was so horrible. Overall, blocking traffic. Slower traffic is supposed to stay to the right. However, without knowing such things as the number of lanes, width of the lanes, number of cyclists, room for passing and so on, it really can’t be determined who’s more at fault. I will say that sharing the road works both ways. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/34 "2014-08-30T04:53:51Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Overall, blocking traffic. Slower traffic is supposed to stay to the right. However, without knowing such things as the number of lanes, width of the lanes, number of cyclists, room for passing and so on, it really can’t be determined who’s more at fault. I will say that sharing the road works both ways. I gathered as much, but as you without details its really hard to toss the blame on the group ride. In my (admittedly limited) experience lake roads tend not to be very wide or multi-laned. Far too many drivers think it is the duty of cyclists to start riding on the fog line the moment a car comes up behind them. ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/35 "2014-08-30T09:20:31Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > The words don’t match the video. > Reminds me of those 911 truthers > “In this video, you can clearly see the CIA at work”… > > The video was completely boring. Ok won’t comment about the video directly… there’s nothing there worth talking about. Well, since it was so boring that you were apparently eager to tell me just how boring (“completely”), mind telling me which parts don’t match the description? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/36 "2014-08-30T09:57:17Z")
> [@running coach](#): > > However, without knowing such things as the number of lanes, width of the lanes, number of cyclists, room for passing and so on, it really can’t be determined who’s more at fault. I will say that sharing the road works both ways. > [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > I gathered as much, but as you without details its really hard to toss the blame on the group ride. In my (admittedly limited) experience lake roads tend not to be very wide or multi-laned. Far too many drivers think it is the duty of cyclists to start riding on the fog line the moment a car comes up behind them. 😕 It seemed pretty clear to me. (S)he said: _“There is a group of cyclists that ride in a pack completely across the entire street. They just ride in a horizontal line and block traffic”._ That’s not describing a single cyclist not being far enough in the gutter. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/37 "2014-08-30T12:04:11Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > 😕 > It seemed pretty clear to me. (S)he said: _“There is a group of cyclists that ride in a pack completely across the entire street. They just ride in a horizontal line and block traffic”._ That’s not enough detail. Is the road lane wide enough for a car to safely share it with a bike(s)? Is it more than one lane they are taking up (that seems unlikely as he describes them as being in a horizontal line). If the lane is not big enough for a car and bike to share then the actions he took were frankly selfish and dangerous (pulling up close and yelling). If the lane is big enough the driver still is required to pass safely. > [@](#): > > That’s not describing a single cyclist not being far enough in the gutter. I know it isn’t. I would like more details before I go condemning this group ride. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/38 "2014-08-30T12:11:32Z")
> [@kylen](#): > > Yeah, these clowns give the rest of us a bad name. > > Plus, if you’re going to flaunt the law, at least be a bad-ass about it - like the guy [Colbert saw a few years ago](http://video.tvguide.com/Colbert+Report/Dirt+Bike+Badass+in+the+Lincoln+Tunnel/9854987). Flout. Flaunt a lime green lycra costume; flout the rules. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/39 "2014-08-30T13:30:57Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > There is a group of cyclists that ride in a pack **completely across the entire street**. They just ride in a horizontal line and block traffic. (Emphasis mine.) > [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > That’s not enough detail. Is the road lane wide enough for a car to safely share it with a bike(s)? Is it more than one lane they are taking up (that seems unlikely as he describes them as being in a horizontal line). If they’re “completely across the entire street” I think it’s a safe bet that they’re taking up more than one lane. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815/40 "2014-08-30T13:38:26Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > (Emphasis mine.) > If they’re “completely across the entire street” I think it’s a safe bet that they’re taking up more than one lane. Given the sloppiness of the description (the cyclists are also described as riding in a horizontal line - which sounds like a pace line to me) I am unwilling to assume that there is more than one lane to be taken up. Given the description also describes some unsafe behavior by the driver I am not giving them any benefit of the doubt at this point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-cyclist-everyone-thinks-of-when-they-think-of-bad-cyclists/696815.md?page=3)