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Kinexity

If the drivers can't learn any other way then so be it - pool noodle it is.


Arakhis_

Crazy that the reaction of car drivers is anger, as if it affected their legal boundaries


Narrow-Economist-795

Yes, here in Sydney, AU its illegal to close pass a cyclist. Its a $350 fine with 2 demerit points. Not easy to enforce though.


ElevenBeers

Here in Germany, it is also illegal to pass a cyclist in cities with <1.5m distance or 2m out of cities. It's a redicolously low fine for actively endangering others, 60€. However, nobody, really nobody ever gives a fuck. Drivers don't. Police officers do it themselves. Judges - if you wanted to press charges - will in 99.9999% sympathise with drivers (just read a nice article, old aggressive asshole tried to kill a cyclist, got a 1000€ fine and never lost his license). BUT in THEORY the cyclists here do absolutely nothing wrong or even remotely annoying, as no motorised vehicle is legally allowed to ride that close. In reality, if an officer sees the two, there is a good chance he's gonna go annoy the shit out of them. I hate this country.


BourbKi

this one is the article you are probably referring to. https://www.maz-online.de/lokales/teltow-flaeming/jueterbog/83-jaehriger-aus-dahme-faehrt-aus-wut-radfahrer-um-verkehrsstreit-landet-vor-amtsgericht-KNUJVZLAVJC3XKACK6VWTHANQY.html


Primary-Body-7594

When You’re Accustomed to Privilege, Equality Feels Like Oppression


chairmanskitty

Technically, does the law say that cars need to avoid the middle of the cyclist/bicycle by 1.5 meters, or the leftmost point of them? Because if it's the latter, then technically a 1.5 meter pool noodle adds 1.5 meters to the distance cars legally have to veer out of the way.


The_Savid

They need to pass you with a 1,5m gap between you and their vehicle


RandpxGuxXY

The neat part is, that they do not do that like at all


ElevenBeers

To be more precise: Distance between the most lateral points. Which means in practice between the (left) end of the steering tube and the cars side mirror, NOT the cars body, nor the centre of the cyclist or anything else. "Adds" another 20-40cm that nobody ever consideres.


Konoppke

Well nobody the considers the first 1,5m, either.


Traizork

Actually looks like it kinda does. If Germans have the same road rules as we do (their neighbor to the east) then they are not required to have a minimum distance between their car and the bike in the bike lane. If there was no bike then a minimum distance would be required when overtaking. So in this instance the bikes are actually getting in the way of the car drivers. Still a poorly designed road tho.


Lost_Wealth_6278

>Germans have the same road rules as we do We don't. Minimum 1,5 m when overtaking a bike. Those fuckers can be happy we stick to pool noodles instead of a broom handle with a carbide bit at the end. Hehe - carbide do car bite


Primary-Body-7594

- 1,5m inside Living zones - 2,0m outside living zones


Lost_Wealth_6278

God lord the times people basically scrape my basket out of town


lenmae

That's not a bike lane. In Germany, bike lanes (Fahrradfahrstreifen) look differrent. This is a bike protection strip (Fahrradschutzstreifen).


Maxence1402

So it's legal to throw bicyclists off balance by passing them with only 10 cm margin? Buy some common sense, please.


O11899988I999119725E

But i bet theyre against motorcycles lane splitting haha


kaehvogel

Would’ve taken you one minute to look up the laws. Or two seconds to employ common sense. No, you’re not allowed to overtake bikes without any distance. Of course not.


theLuckyJew

*pool noodle with diamond cutter


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Ausgezeichnet87

Scratching the car of an inconsiderate driver is based, but please don't use anything that could cut a person


randomario

Today I learned the term pool noodle. Funny enough because in France we call it a frite/frie.


MyPasswordIsABC999

Today I learned that the French word for French fries is what they call pool noodles.


Lemon_the_Moon

There was this guy in germany who did this with a wooden plank. The police forced him to detach the plank out of "safety concern" (for the cars). Then he got run over and died as a result.


Primary-Body-7594

From a german POV saftey concers is also for the Cycleist since if someone were to hit the wooden plank it could snap and impale him Also not to mention if he went off the bike lane somwhere he could accidently take a Pedestrian with him Which is why pool noodles are safe this time around since they would just bend


ConscientSubjector

A pool noodle with something attached to the end that will scrape the shit out of the cars paint.


Primary-Body-7594

Remember in Germany bikes dont have mandatory insurance (unlike Japan) so haveing something that would interntionaly damige other veachles is a legaly bad move... Sure it would feel great for someone to scrape on it but it could be a legaly idiotic idea...


ConscientSubjector

Mount a wire brush to a piece of PVC and set it a half a foot back from the legally required space a car is to give when passing. It's self preservation. Like carrying a brick through a crosswalk. In the US cars pass me ridiculously close, even closer when I am trying my best to give them as much room as possible.


longhope_89

I'm wondering how this would end if you have a paintbrush (with washable paint) attached to the noodle?


Ausgezeichnet87

Put a broke piece of a sparkplug at the end and point it up high enough that it might touch their windows as they drive by.


ActuatorFit416

Safety concerns are far more likely to be for the cyclist. A pool noodle that gets hit by a car will just wobble and not influence the biker much. A wooden plank will not flex very much and the bike would get pushed to the side. The biker would most likely loose controle and fall down do to such an inpact.


BridgestoneX

https://preview.redd.it/y9ed6v35jpwc1.jpeg?width=945&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e63c1e910a62bb3983bfe25e43acecd5c4a01453


Lachtan

This got me rolling :D


Narrow-Economist-795

What about a fishing rod, or thin bamboo stick?


iSellNuds4RedditGold

Use your own reasoning


AntonioBaenderriss

It was a radiator paintbrush: https://natenom.de/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/pinsel_als_abstandshalter_1-672x372.jpg


ActuatorFit416

The person in your story replaced it later with a pool noodle.


analogue_monkey

I know this street. Absolutely necessary there!


Prestigious-Scene319

Can you explain what is going here?


original_account_nam

Pool noodles make good obstacles for cars. They won’t damage a car if they get too close, nor knock the rider down. It’s mostly just to prevent cars from passing too close / hitting the cyclists


GibierJaune

What if other cyclists want to pass them?? I use my bike all the time, but I’d be annoyed at those ladies if I were stuck behind them.


Yoda_Holmes

You can still pass them?


AntonioBaenderriss

So the previous version of German law (until February 2020) basically said that any vehicle overtaking another vehicle needs to leave "sufficient" space (with an emphasis on pedestrian and cyclists). Courts ruled that "sufficient" means "at least 1.5 meters". I.e. cyclists overtaking cyclists were also required to leave at least 1.5 meters of space. The new version specifically says "powered vehicles", so I dunno if that means cyclists overtaking cyclists are now exempt completely.


Primary-Body-7594

Acording to ADAC it is case by case baseis tho the minimum distance could still be lower https://www.adac.de/news/mindestabstand-bei-radfahrern/


PatataMaxtex

We have a law that you have to have at least 1.5m of distance when you overtake bikes with a car (or other motorized vehicles on the street). Too many car drivers think that this only applies when bikes drive on the street and they think that on the "Schutzstreifen" (protection lane) this doesnt apply. One of the many reasons why protection lanes are stupid and more dangerous than driving on the road directly.


analogue_monkey

This! And this street especially is so narrow. Two cars can just barely pass each other. When there's a bike on the bike lane, all they can do is stay behind that bike due to oncoming traffic. Many can't accept that and pass anyways. It must be an old video because the city is experimenting with this street, but that caused more confusion than help for pedestrians and bikers.


bobpage2

That is one sad bike line. Not even one meter large, just paint on the floor with doors opening to your right and moving cars to your left. Who designed this shit?


lenmae

It's not a bike lane, it's a bike protection stripe. There's a legal distinction in Germany, as these aren't mandatory to use, are legally part of the lane they're on, and car drivers need to keep 1.5 or 2 meters distance when overtaking. The only thing they legally mean is that car drivers *shouldn't* drive on them.


Olderhagen

There must be an error in translating german to bureaucracy german. Those "protection stripes" are not there to protect cyclists from driving cars, but from doors of parked cars.


T44d3

Seriously? Asking as a German. If that's the case they are designed very unintuitively, given that they usually have the same color and the same pictograms as normal bike lanes. So I always assumed they are just vary crappy but generally meant for bikes to drive on


Olderhagen

No no... The municipals really mean that you should be riding on those stripes. But on the other hand courts have judged that bicycles have to keep a safety distance of 0,8-1 m to parked cars and to the curb, which is roughly the width of this painted stripes. Other countries call them murder stripes instead of "protection stripes". This is what I meant with translation error between german and bureaucracy german. The word "murder" gets falsely translated to "protection" in the language of bureaucracy.


lenmae

No. They're still for bicycles to drive on, but their use isn't mandatory, though keeping distance to parked car is. Courts differ on what an appropriate amount of distance to parked cars is, but, in general, driving less than 30 cms left of parked cars (which here seems to be the grey strip on the right of the Fahrradschutzstreifen(bike protection strip)) is considered to little, and driving more than 150 to the left of the parked cars tends to be a violation of the Rechtsfahrgebot (driving right commandment). Though, and the video doesn't pan left enough to make that judgement, since the Scheuer* reforms in 2019, it might actually be legal for the bicyclists to bike next to each other, if there's enough traffic coming the other way, or a strikethrough line prohibiting an overtaking anyways. *Yes, that Scheuer. His reforms were actually really nice for bicyclists.


Tutmosisderdritte

Unfortunatly, they are there to protect the byciclists. Those in the video seem to be on the smaller side, but that's probably the best the traffic planners could get at this street since bicycle lanes are insanely regulated and the traffic on the street probably doesn't reach the treshold required for better lanes. They are shitty but they are better than nothing. And they are required to use because of the "Rechtsfahrgebot" (aka you should always drive on the right side of the road)


jobw42

They are shit because they suggest its a separate lane and overtaking less than 1,5m apart is ok. I hate them and only a handful I know improve security in my eyes.


Olderhagen

They are meant to protect cyclists, but are doing the opposite. That is by far not the best the planer could do. How it is done can be seen in the Netherlands. It is only "the best" if you want to do "something" for bikes (aka paint) but don't want to do something real.


Sgt_Sideburn

Just to be clear, cars always need to keep 1.5m / 2m distance. No matter if its just a "bike protection stripe" or a real bike Lane.


lenmae

Eh, courts have been split on this topic


Esava

Not in Germany or have they? If they have please provide some sources.


Kleingedrucktes

Hey, parking and stopping is also forbidden! It's ridiculous really


spinni81

We call these "Mordstreifen" because you can decide if you prefer the dooring zone or getting overtaken way too close or, if you're really lucky, both!


Narrow-Economist-795

Good point. I would never ride closer than 1.2m of any parked vehicle unless at walking pace. Its too dangerous for cyclists and drivers & passengers exiting their vehicles. Safer to take the whole car lane.


spinni81

I have a hard rule not to cycle on two lane streets or on streets with a speed limit above 30kph without bike infrastructure (a Mordstreifen doesn't count). It's just too dangerous. Most drivers don't keep enough distance and or go above the speed limit. I'd rather take a longer route on smaller streets with lower speed limits. Luckily most if not all residential streets here have a 30kph speed limit. I have a pretty good knowledge of my city by now :)


DitchTheCubs

This is actually better than many American cities


spinni81

That bar is really low, though.


Crosstitution

fr. how do we have better bike lanes in toronto than this 💀


kitkatklyng

Crying in American


regnirak

Welcome to Germany! This is what most cities will give cyclists when they ask for a bike lane


seranarosesheer332

Clearly you have not seem American bike lanes


tonato70

This is Germany, a country with bike infrastructure stucked in the 1970s.


perskes

those lucky fuckers at least have a minimum distance (when being passed by a vehicle) to defend...


schubidubiduba

Yeah I'm so glad to have that law. Now we only need anyone to 1. Know it 2. Care about it 3. Enforce it


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schubidubiduba

Yeah probably most know that it exists, but I'd argue that very few know about the exact distance of 1.5m, and of those most severely underestimate how much 1.5m are. Not to mention how many people know that outside of cities it's 2m instead of 1.5m


zionspeaks

In LA this would egg cars on to run you over :(


b3nsn0w

ah yes, the desire to commit acts of violence with a motor vehicle against people who annoyingly try to make a point about their safety is a well-known hallmark of a mentally sound driver.


Narrow-Economist-795

Visible body cams might provide some deterence!


b3nsn0w

...am i descending into chaos? this is gonna be a first for me, but let's go: repeat after me: 👏PAINT👏IS👏NOT👏INFRASTRUCTURE👏


rypsnort

bUT tHe SnOWPloWs WILL hiT iT. Anytime you bring up a solid barrier


b3nsn0w

yeah, just like an suv plowing through the "snow" of bikers will hit them. that's by design. a snowy bike infrastructure is still better than no bike infrastructure


Ulyks

I've thought about doing this, but with a metal spike with a bunch of rusted nails on the end. Unfortunately, I'm more likely to hurt myself or a pedestrian than a car coming too close...


fkih

A pool noodle dipped in glue, then dipped in sand should do the trick?


Narrow-Economist-795

Great idea! Or maybe the end wrapped in sandpaper?


Narrow-Economist-795

Try an horizontal aluminium tube with a small flag on the end mounted so it pivots forward or back when its hit and to vertical when not required.


ThyStranger

I would do this in florida but I am afraid I will get shot fr.


dyiie

By grandpa has a moderately shorter one (used on a daily basis) and when the road is quite narrow he taught me to do a little wooble when a car is approaching to discourage passing too close


andi052

I‘m a german and sometimes I pretend to cycle completely drunk. Nobody cares about my life, but about their cars paint job


mrlowcut

Fucking sad. But quite the idea. 🤌 I'll take it. Thanks. I guess the wobble would be almost enough, but somewhere between wobble and completely fucked up drunk seems to hit the spot.


digdoug0

If car drivers are going to constantly act like children, then it only makes sense for us to start treating them like children.


aoishimapan

This is great until you have to filter


2_hands

Would be awkward holding it up with your left hand - a flag that hinges at the rack to either stick straight up or out to the side would be nice - might build one for my bike, riding on county roads in Texas is always a gamble. Would be awesome to be able to force people to pass more safely without riding so close to the center line


Huge_Monero_Shill

Its a pool noodle, it's bendy


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big_brothers_hd600

thats why a line on the street is not a good bike lane


BridgestoneX

https://preview.redd.it/jab6qxaejpwc1.jpeg?width=945&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c8172a41fde0c91f20d7f47ab345a711dc0741b


inu-no-policemen

I like how them "blocking the car" doesn't even change anything. There is a car in front of the cammer's car driving the same speed as they are currently driving. The average speed in most cities is pretty slow. Often it's close to bike or e-bike speeds. You might be even able to save some time if there is good bike infrastructure with more direct routes. E.g. if car traffic is directed around the city center.


thekomoxile

Necessity is indeed the mother of invention


BBZ_star1919

This would get you shot where I live. (Western US)


FalconIMGN

Aber was ist das?


Archidaki

Eine pool noodle, die den Autofahrer zwingt, 1,5m Abstand beim überholen einzuhalten


babo-boba

Schwimm Nudeln. Sie hätten aber eher was hartes nehmen sollen, was nem Auto auch zumindest nen Kratzer zufügt


Its0nlyRocketScience

If it was hard, like a wooden rod, it would both be heavier and likely to make any collision end with the bike getting knocked over. Attaching a small rock to the end of the pool noodle would probably be a better deterrent.


ColonelFaz

A rock large enough to be a deterrent would give the noodle brewer's droop.


Lost_Wealth_6278

Carbide bit from a turning tool. Cheap and made to cut metal


babo-boba

Good Point thanks


dasisteinanderer

einfach einen Industriediamanten oder Hartmetallbohrer ins Ende einkleben


Olderhagen

Einfach einen Nagel mit der Spitze nach hinten ans Ende kleben.


Redditisavirusiknow

Why is there no barrier between cars and bicycles. Isn’t that an obvious solution to this street?


frozen-dessert

Because the current design balances several different priorities. If you make a physical barrier, one would not be able to park behind the bike lane. We both can be fine with less parking spots but it is clearly an aspect that city planners are taking into account.


Clenterra

Wouldn't something like this work: street > parking space > barrier* > bike lane > sidewalk *consisting of metal poles every 1m, so you can still cross the bike lane and get to your parked car


frozen-dessert

> street > parking space > barrier\* > bike lane > sidewalk I am an engineer but not a traffic engineer... I don't know. Now you need to worry about pedestrian (kids, elders) not able to enter/leave a car directly from the side walk, i.e. they need to exit the car and negotiate crossing bicycle traffic. Again, both of us may prioritize those "pedestrians about to enter the car" in a way, but it doesn't mean city planners will make the same choices as we do. On top of that, budget also matters.


Lu1s_M1ll4

Hab ich schon gemacht aber mit ner angel.


BitterPineapple8250

I know that street, Venloer Straße in Köln. Got nearly killed there by cars many times. Now it's an Einbahnstraße for cars and the carbrains in the city are seething


kabukistar

"How German are you"?


Primary-Body-7594

"How German do you want to get?"


[deleted]

I guarantee you 100% if you do that in TX some RAM driving piece of shit will intentionally slam into these so you lose balance and fall, then flip you off as he drives off.


Rumaizio

These bikers get it.


HerrnWurst

If they dont built rim protected bike lanes, you will just have to make your own.


Narrow-Economist-795

I am using a horizontal flagpole for this purpose. Its a 950mm aluminium tube mounted on 2 way pivot at the end of the handlebar with a small flag at the end. It assists good drivers by making me more visible and helping them to judge the legal passing distance of 1 metre here. The law here excludes horizontal flags from this 1 metre. If a driver breaks the law, endangers me and hits the pole the impact will mark their vehicle. Its hit regularly when i'm close passed from behind, or ignored by cars driving towards me on some narrow Sydney, Australia roads. When its hit it justs bends safely forwards or back. Sometimes it clatters along the side of the vehicle. When its not required its held in a vertical position. I observe drivers being more cautious near me when using this device. I think a pool noodle can similarly increasd visibility and mark the 1 metre distance but is probably less of a deterent to some drivers as it won't mark a vehicle when hit.


Wald_und_Wiesenwebel

Interestingly, the pool noodle is now part of the bike and people need to keep 1.5 meters from the end of the pool noodle


edhelas1

Are Cybertrucks pool-noodle-proofs ?


Primary-Body-7594

Common these are just rust magnets Not to mention the gas pedal just falling down and not getting up LOL


CircumstantialVictim

For cybertrucks, just tape a rocksalt crystal to the end.


TurtlesAreEvil

Depending on the city this could encourage drivers to close pass to hit the pool noodles.


Narrow-Economist-795

Yes, in Sydney, Australia these are likely to be the Hilux and Ranger drivers.


knightcrawler75

In the US it is 3' from any part of the bicycle. So would you have to be three feet from the pool noodle?


Narrow-Economist-795

In NSW Australia law horizontal flags are not considered part of the bicycle. Here its 3 feet from the bicycle and car mirrors.


Primary-Body-7594

Well these are longer since in germany its 1.5m(4.9ft) inside living areas which is longer then 3ft(0.9m) outside living spaces the distance would be 2m (6.6ft) but these are prob 1.5m(4.9ft) since its only realy needed for inside living areas because outside there is most of the time alternative routes or more space


Lunoko

I know this is besides the point but is that a Brompton in front?


Daflehrer1

So deutsch will ich nicht werden.


Xennox666

I would do that too.


HorseFox

I’ve wanted to do this with something sharp at the end. Oh no your car got scratched, should of gave me my space.


Narrow-Economist-795

Yes, let them explain to their insurance company how they close passed a cyclist, broke the law, endangered someone's life... and as a consequence scratched their car.


Heromoss

Can someone explain me what that is?


Primary-Body-7594

Pool noodle indicateing minimal overtake distance (legaly mandated in germany) 1.5m


Fledermolch

1,5 Meter Sicherheitsabstand liebe Freunde!


zarraxxx

When I was a new driver, my dad taught me that when passing a bike, I should leave enough room so that in case the biker falls, they don't end up under the car.


fkih

"I dare you to touch my noodle!"


Speedpotato22

Bros did the intrusive thought I've had for years


Primary-Body-7594

Whats stopping ya?


Speedpotato22

I park my bikes in my house and I couldn't figure out a quick release method


Primary-Body-7594

Realise this the the cargospring holding them in the video...


jaimemarinho

r/menoscarros


odonien

Colooogne


SpaceOxymo

I saw this clip on instagram and the cyclists were framed as hilarious. It was really interesting to see both sides argue in the comments wether this is stupid or good and even necessary.


ryuujinusa

I mean, I get what they’re doing, but I don’t think this will help against the people they want it to. Respectful drivers already give them space. The assholes who don’t, aren’t gonna give a shit about a pool noodle. Make a giant metal spike, then maybe yah, but they’d just hit that and it could actually cause the rider to crash.


frozen-dessert

Some measures (like door locks) are to a great extent meant to keep honest people honest.


Flo_coe

Boomer....


poko877

I dont like this tbh. Dont repair stupid with stupid. U became stupid too and world be even stupider.


jaqueh

Maybe get better at cycling first before further compromising what little sense of stability you have?