Yet another rude bicyclist.

[SMullen]

Hi, all.

I haven’t been on this board very long. I do feel like this is a good place to vent, so I’m venting.

I don’t drive. Most of my traffic confrontations with others are with drivers. This morning I had one with a bicyclist. Seattle is jammed with them. Most of them are fine.

This morning I was one of about 8 people who stepped off a bus by my workplace. We were waiting ON THE SIDEWALK in a little knot for the light to change so we could cross the street. I was having a conversation with a co-worker. I noticed him stepping back, so I looked around and a bicyclist ON THE SIDEWALK was trying to get through our little knot. No “excuse me”, no ringing a bell from his handlebars, nothing. I guess I was supposed to pick up out of the ether that there was a “king bicyclist” behind me.

This guy made a crude remark after I stepped back to let him through. I was so surprised that all I could do was give him the finger behind his back, which I immediately tried to change to something else so as not to offend my co-worker. And failed.

So. Here is what I wish I could have said to him. You arrogant, no-helmet-wearing, sidewalk-riding king-of-the-world attitude-having jerk. One of these days you’re going to make a smart remark to the wrong person and end up with a bullet in your back. From me you are only getting a curse, which I hope propels you into the path of someone who is much less passive than I. Then maybe your pretty face will get a little messed up and you’ll find out what it’s like to be less than the perfection you obviously believe you represent.

[Never_Say_Dice]

I live on a bike lane, but they often drive me off when I’m walking down the sidewalk. And if I open my car door into the lane, even when they are far back, they can’t handle it. I’m here too, okay, and just now I was here first. If you have to slow down it’s NOT as though I wanted to slam you, you have time to slow and wait or go around, same thing a car would do on a narrow residential street. But one ahole looped back and whacked my trunk with his bike pump. Put in an expensive dent because HE doesn’t want to share the road. And now I’m afraid to park in front of my house until it’s fixed and maybe some time after that because I don’t want him to notice and remember my car and whack it again.

[Swallowed_My_Cellphone]

@SMullen

This guy made a crude remark after I stepped back to let him through. I was so surprised that all I could do was give him the finger behind his back, which I immediately tried to change to something else so as not to offend my co-worker.

At least you took the high road.

[Push_You_Down]

Bicyclists tend to be royal dicks from my experience.

[Zeriel]

I ordinarily love bicyclists, and I try to give plenty of room to the ones who ride in the road downtown here as long as they are obeying the laws, which 99% of them do.

That other 1%, who for whatever reason I always seem to encounter when I’m a pedestrian? I have fantasies of seeing how far they fly when someone crams an umbrella through the spokes of their front tire as they blow by.

[Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela]

@Zeriel

I ordinarily love bicyclists, and I try to give plenty of room to the ones who ride in the road downtown here as long as they are obeying the laws, which 99% of them do.

That other 1%, who for whatever reason I always seem to encounter when I’m a pedestrian? I have fantasies of seeing how far they fly when someone crams an umbrella through the spokes of their front tire as they blow by.

It’s amazing how 1% shit stinks more than 99% cream.

Here’s dreaming of a day when everybody finally figures out that we are all pedestrians at least some of the time.

[Swallowed_My_Cellphone]

@Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela

Here’s dreaming of a day when everybody finally figures out that we are all pedestrians at least some of the time.

Quoted for truth.

[Labrador_Deceiver]

@Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela

It’s amazing how 1% shit stinks more than 99% cream.

Here’s dreaming of a day when everybody finally figures out that we are all pedestrians at least some of the time.

That’s because it isn’t anywhere near 99% in many areas. There is 4-way stop at the end of my street. I have never, as in not once, seen a bicyclist stop at that sign. Ever. I may see 3 or 4 per day, sometimes more, sometimes less. Very few bother to even hit their brakes. If there is a car already at the stop, they will slow down so that they arrive after the car has proceeded through the intersection.

[picunurse]

Hum… Bicycles in Seattle… Do they follow the traffic laws? Only when it’s convenient. Do they follow laws that govern pedestrians? Only when it’s convenient.

Now, the city is painting bicycle lane markings in the main traffic lanes! I guess bikes follow the same laws that busses do… they have the right-of-way no matter what.

[cmosdes]

@Never_Say_Dice

I live on a bike lane, but they often drive me off when I’m walking down the sidewalk. And if I open my car door into the lane, even when they are far back, they can’t handle it. I’m here too, okay, and just now I was here first. If you have to slow down it’s NOT as though I wanted to slam you, you have time to slow and wait or go around, same thing a car would do on a narrow residential street. But one ahole looped back and whacked my trunk with his bike pump. Put in an expensive dent because HE doesn’t want to share the road. And now I’m afraid to park in front of my house until it’s fixed and maybe some time after that because I don’t want him to notice and remember my car and whack it again.

I need to clarify a few things before proceeding:

1. There are bicyclists who are jerks out there. The guy that slammed your car is one of them. They are in the minority. (Push You Down’s experience notwithstanding).
2. Bicyclists, with rare exception, shouldn’t be on the sidewalk.
3. There are non-bicyclists who are jerks. They are in the minority.
4. I’m a bicyclist, to some degree.

In the OP’s example, it certainly sounds like the bicyclist was acting like a first class, self-absorbed jerk.

In your example, he is a complete and utter asshole and his denting of your car has no excuse whatsoever. But perhaps I can offer this as a possible explanation for his frustration. I don’t think he dented your car because he didn’t want to share the road. I think he dented your car because you were the 20th person that month that didn’t see him and almost caused him to crash.

If I’m parking on a narrow residential street and getting ready to exit my car, I will look to see if any cars are coming and if they are, I’ll wait until they pass. I won’t open my door hoping they will slow down or go around. This may be where you and I (and he) disagree. You might be thinking that all he needs to do is slow down, but from his perspective he sees you as 1 more driver that didn’t bother to look for bikes in the bike lane or just didn’t care.

For a bicyclist, about the only option is to slow down because having to move out of the bike lane can be dangerous, especially if he wasn’t prepared for it and hadn’t checked to see if the car lane was clear. Also, on a bike, slowing down means having to speed back up which means a whole lot more effort than just stepping on a gas pedal. It gets annoying to constantly have to speed up and slow down because of the drivers that just don’t see bicyclists.

My experience is that 99% of drivers are awesome about looking for bikes. But it only takes that 1 to make life miserable. On a commute of about 5 miles, you’re probably likely to find at least 1. Every time you ride. For me, that means daily. I gave up long ago getting uptight about it. I just watch for em and move along.

I can’t stress this enough: He was an asshole, plain and simple. But at the same time it is entirely possible based on what you’ve posted that you did cut him off and he had some right to be upset by that.

[cmosdes]

@picunurse

Hum… Bicycles in Seattle… Do they follow the traffic laws? Only when it’s convenient. Do they follow laws that govern pedestrians? Only when it’s convenient.

Now, the city is painting bicycle lane markings in the main traffic lanes! I guess bikes follow the same laws that busses do… they have the right-of-way no matter what.

That’s right. All of them. Every single last one of them. No, no generalizations here.

These threads always go the same way. People that don’t like bicyclists slam them all and people that are avid bicyclists slam drivers, and both sides always with the same claim, “well, I don’t do those things!”.

As Zeriel points out, most people on both sides are reasonable. As the OP highlights, there are exceptions. I can give you dozens of examples of drivers that follow the rules only when convenient, too. That doesn’t condemn the entire driving population.

[Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela]

Also, if I may throw in - even if one particular group did break the law on a regular basis, that does not make it acceptable for another group to break the law. Laws reflect a balance of rights and responsibilities for all parties, or they are not fair and just laws.

Or as I put it the other day - my taxes helped build this road, and I may drive on it or ride on it as I choose, as long as I obey the rules. My taxes also helped build that sidewalk, but that doesn’t mean I should be allowed to drive on it or ride on it. It’s for the pedestrians.

Perhaps if sidewalks were designed so that the laws of Physics prevented anyone not on foot from using them…

[Swallowed_My_Cellphone]

@cmosdes

These threads always go the same way. People that don’t like bicyclists slam them all and people that are avid bicyclists slam drivers, and both sides always with the same claim, “well, I don’t do those things!”.

I’m an avid cyclist (for the primary reason that I feel it is more responsible to the planet to avoid driving as much as possible). I would not say that drivers are any more or less dickish than cyclists. The dick on a bike, will be a dick behind the wheel and vice versa.

IMHO, is that a majority of people, in North American society at least, have got such over inflated senses of entitlement that we are degenerating to barbarism across the board. Everything is taken as a personal affront now. For example: you don’t hold the elevator for that guy in the lobby? You’d better hope he doesn’t know which car is yours because he might key it in revenge. I wish I was kidding.

I don’t know if it’s me getting older of if our culture of consumerism is actually brainwashing us all into thinking the world revolves around each of us, but it seems that more and more lately, I am seeing people clearly in the wrong, becoming enraged with their own near-victims.

Eg/ a car blew past a streetcar that was letting off passengers (it’s illegal to pass a streetcar in Toronto if the doors are open). He nearly hit an old guy who somehow managed to roll over the guy’s trunk as he passed and remain unscathed, while the streetcar driver blared his horn. The car’s passenger stuck his head out the window and screamed “FUCK YOOOOU!” at the people they nearly killed.

Seriously folks. What the fuck is going on? When did most people start thinking that the rules should only apply to everyone else and that if you decide to ignore a rule and hurt someone, then your victim is an evil bastard for being your victim?

You ignore a stop sign and run me over, and you’re the one who is outraged?

If you are cycling on the sidewalk and nearly hit someone, if they tell you to get the hell off the sidewalk, you don’t get to be all indignant. You’re the one in the wrong. If you’re driving while texting and you hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk. You don’t get to yell at the pedestrian for having the gaul to be the victim of your screw up.

I’ve spent a good chunk of this summer as a pedestrian and I’m starting to hate everyone.

ETA:

Perhaps if sidewalks were designed so that the laws of Physics prevented anyone not on foot from using them…

Or if there was a simple blood test. "I’m sorry. Your overly inflated sense of entitlement exceeds 500 ppm. You’re not allowed to be in control of anything that exceeds a speed limit of 5 mph. Here are your walking shoes. Only cross the street when the sign says “walk’”.

[Mr.Miskatonic]

@Labrador_Deceiver

That’s because it isn’t anywhere near 99% in many areas. There is 4-way stop at the end of my street. I have never, as in not once, seen a bicyclist stop at that sign. Ever. I may see 3 or 4 per day, sometimes more, sometimes less. Very few bother to even hit their brakes. If there is a car already at the stop, they will slow down so that they arrive after the car has proceeded through the intersection.

I could say the same thing about the intersections around me with regards to cars. There’s a couple I won’t cross because the cars can’t be bothered to stop at the stop sign.

We can play this game all day.

[Mister_Rik]

@Swallowed_My_Cellphone

Seriously folks. What the fuck is going on? When did most people start thinking that the rules should only apply to everyone else and that if you decide to ignore a rule and hurt someone, then your victim is an evil bastard for being your victim?

It’s probably better suited for Great Debates, but I blame the “self esteem” education. “You are special” has unintentionally morphed into “What you want is more important than what anybody else wants”.

[Robot_Arm]

@SMullen

This morning I was one of about 8 people who stepped off a bus by my workplace. We were waiting ON THE SIDEWALK in a little knot for the light to change so we could cross the street. I was having a conversation with a co-worker. I noticed him stepping back, so I looked around and a bicyclist ON THE SIDEWALK was trying to get through our little knot. No “excuse me”, no ringing a bell from his handlebars, nothing. I guess I was supposed to pick up out of the ether that there was a “king bicyclist” behind me.

This guy made a crude remark after I stepped back to let him through. I was so surprised that all I could do was give him the finger behind his back, which I immediately tried to change to something else so as not to offend my co-worker. And failed.

I’ve been riding every day for the last few weeks; mostly on designated bike paths. There’s one spot where I take the sidewalk for a quarter mile to get from one path to another. (It’s hard to tell exactly where the bike routes begin and end, maybe that quarter mile is included.) If it’s crowded enough, I can keep a walking pace and blend in with the pedestrians. I’ll ring my bell and ask them to make way, sometimes. It’s amazing how many of them don’t hear me.

What was the crude remark, if you don’t mind me asking? I’ll generally say “thank you” if someone makes room for me. I’m always a little worried that in my out-of-breath state it will sound like something else.

[RTFirefly]

@Labrador_Deceiver

There is 4-way stop at the end of my street. I have never, as in not once, seen a bicyclist stop at that sign. Ever. I may see 3 or 4 per day, sometimes more, sometimes less. Very few bother to even hit their brakes. If there is a car already at the stop, they will slow down so that they arrive after the car has proceeded through the intersection.

I’m failing to see the problem here. When I drive through Georgetown in D.C., which is crammed with 4-way stops, most drivers don’t come to a full stop unless they absolutely have to. And people don’t seem to have a big problem with that, as long as they don’t go when it’s someone else’s turn.

Now here’s the deal with cyclists: they’re already going roughly the speed that drivers tend to slow down to at a 4-way stop. So if they slow down so that they go through the intersection after any drivers waiting at the stop sign, what’s the big deal? They’re acting in the same manner that ‘polite’ drivers are acting. The only difference is, the cars were going faster before they got near the intersection, so it seems like they’re being more courteous.

[Swallowed_My_Cellphone]

@Mister_Rik

It’s probably better suited for Great Debates, but I blame the “self esteem” education. “You are special” has unintentionally morphed into “What you want is more important than what anybody else wants”.

That was recently in a “Cracked” article/list of stuff: 6 Bullshit Facts About Pshychology That Everyone Believes. It’s #5 and links to a PDF of some study that shows that people who have an inflated sense of self-worth become aggressive when their sense of superiority is called into question.

But yes, it would be a decent GD topic.

[Brainiac]

If God had wanted us to stop at bicycles he wouldn’t have given us Henry Ford.

[Rack-a-Bones]

@Mr.Miskatonic

I could say the same thing about the intersections around me with regards to cars. There’s a couple I won’t cross because the cars can’t be bothered to stop at the stop sign.

We can play this game all day.

Seems like we play this game weekly.

The guy in the OP was an ass who happened to be on a bicycle. You can leave out the bicycle part. I’m betting this wasn’t a helment wearing, spandex clad, special shoes commuting cyclists, but probably some douche on a mountain bike probably riding with one hand and drinking a big gulp. I see this all the time in Belltown. It isn’t fair to lump this dick into the same group as people commuting by bike.

As someone mentioned above they are now designating traffic lanes as bike lanes as well. I take the 15 or 18 every day and the bus lanes and the bike lines are the same! Zoiks. :eek: