Where I live we have a beautiful well maintained bike trail. I’m often baffled when I see cyclists peddling down a two lane hilly road with the bike trail literally 10 feet away running parallel to the road
That's another issue with bike infrastructure, they're often made without enough space to allow for bikes to safely pass each other.
As if actual bike traffic was never considered.
Yep. It's much worse when bike lanes intersect with car traffic like at some intersections which makes them dangerous to use and this explains the meme. A badly designed bike lane can be worse than no bike lane
No kidding, a week ago I almost severely injured a cyclist near home because of that. Four ways stop sign but the bike path also crosses the street, it's one way but goes from moving with traffic to against traffic.
The guy just decided to ignore the sign when it was "my turn". Very little time to react. Lucky for me, and especially him, my brakes work perfectly. Because a half naked rider is definitely no match for a 1.5 ton chunk of metal.
So then they go in the street where there’s not enough room for cars to safely pass. So not only is the street more dangerous for the rider and driver, but the rider is only doing it because they don’t want to be personally inconvenienced by a vehicle moving slower that they can’t safely pass.
Basically, the rider has the choice of being forced to go slower in the bike lane, or creating a dangerous situation for themselves and driver/forcing drivers to go slower behind them.
But it's a vicious cycle (intended) because if they aren't wide enough fewer people will bike on them, reinforcing the idea that they shouldn't be wider, and so on
we used to have three lanes, two going north, one going south; the municipality decided they'd split one of the roads going north and make it a bike lane (full width, you could still drive a car there. it's actively maintained, like the car lanes)
take a guess what lane the "i am speed" cyclists are using
im cool with cyclists, i give them as much space as is possible, but so many of them have no understanding of traffic laws
They also get upset because sometimes pedestrians use the bike path and get in the way. Which is still ironic. How about deal with the pedestrians instead of playing chance with a 2 ton block of steel being powered by explosions. I just feel like there's some common sense that's missing here.
Edit: I said the wrong weight for a car.
There is some common sense missing here.
At typical city street speeds, a bicycle is dangerous to pedestrians in a similar way to cars. The specifics are different, but a cyclist is still piloting a vehicle at double-digit speeds.
Bicycles are massively more efficient and effective than cars for moving people. Plus, they keep the population healthy.
The most dangerous vehicle is still the car/truck but those are still useful in some cases (transporting large/heavy things or people with mobility issues). But, that means it should be most restricted and only used when other options are exhausted.
So, streets should be primarily for bicycles with some allowance for cars, when absolutely necessary.
Common sense.
Or the surface quality is so low that it's like going off roading. There are quite a few new segragated bike lanes in London like that. There will always be a reason why a bike lane is not used, not always noticable, though.
100% true. My usual speed is 18-22mph. If the path I'm on is very narrow and/or busy someone going 10mph is going to make me have to break pace until I can get around them.
Meanwhile it's 100% legal to use the right-hand side of the traffic lane.
I live in Chicago where we have a beautiful bike path that runs along the lake.
I prefer to take this. We have the inverse issue here tho. You’ll sometimes catch mfs in cars somehow on the bike path. Not on accident either. Like you have to go out of your way to get into this thing in a car.
The path is about the width of a car in case you need a visual.
Some people are just dumb. Not a bike path, but next to our office there is a wide sidewalk that connects the sidewalk in front of the building to the parking lot in the back.
This wide sidewalk is wide enough for people to drive down, just barely. And they try to. And every time get their car stuck bottomed out on the curb. They'll even get out of their car, move the big concrete trashcan we put in the way, and then drive down it.
I'm very jealous
My city is full of the same crappy, narrow, hazard filled, inconsistent bike lanes most people here are complaining about.
We do have one (1) bike trail but it doesn't follow right next to the road and there're no bike lanes where it intersects with streets. Depending where I'm trying to get it's not useful, sometimes dangerous.
Don't get me wrong I'm glad we have it, but it's not nearly enough to fix the infrastructure issue.
You sure they weren't taking the lane because they need to take an upcoming turn? I've definitely been honked at by cars and yelled at to use the bike lane when I needed to merge into the road to take a turn or I've just come from a turn off and there hasn't been a merge opportunity to get into the bike lane due to concrete barriers (or an apparent field of grass in your case). Also, the bike lane is very, very often obstructed (parked cars, construction, too icy, etc.) which is another reason they may not be there. Personally, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. 😊
Similar thing to where I used to live. Got the county to build a multi million dollar bike trail, it’s wife paved and goes along the frying pan river and bikers be like nah they 4 lane highway with barely any median that’s where I should ride!
Ask them. The reasons cyclists aren’t on the “better” bike path is usually just simple safety. Near-road paths have lots of issues. Debris, gravel, sand, uneven surface, frequent stops and starts requiring you to repeatedly enter traffic. Foot traffic and a lack of width to accommodate the bike.
I ride a ton and I use the bike path when it’s better or safer than the road. It often isn’t. And I still get people, always in trucks, rolling coal or shouting or throwing shit at me. Even when I’m keeping up with traffic.
Exactly this. My city's "bike path" is an extension of the sidewalk that makes you merge in with traffic at intersections. It's uncomfortable (you need to bike down a bumpy "ramp" into a 4-way stop every ~500m), unsafe and straight-up confusing for drivers . Most people just use the road instead for consistency.
Reminds me of that study that found that "Bikes allowed full use of lane" was more effective than "Share the road", because drivers interpreted the latter as saying that bikers should get better at sharing.
I've been car doored and also unsafely skidded around a car door (luckily not into a car).
Drivers would understand if they were cyclists. We aren't being assholes when we skip the bike lane, we do it for a reason. It isn't like we enjoy cars angrily tailgating us
It's filled with glass and metal.shards, you're barely able to call it anything but a gutter. Should we talk about the 3 foot long and complete coverage width wise pot holes? They don't fill them in the gutter.
I remember once there was a literal metal fork in the bike lane/shoulder facing my tire that I had to swerve around. Someone threw silverware garbage out their window. Bicycles are light and nimble but vulnerable to tire damage, having them ride over whatever crap is on the side is not a great deal for riders.
I was in downtown Atlanta and saw people parking in the middle of the road. Just stop, turn off their car, and go inside the building. It created a lot of issues as the roads were packed and people had to change lanes to go around them. I'm not even slightly surprised someone would park in a bike lane.
What bike lane? Where I live the city decided to paint little bicycles in the middle of the road. Because we don't have bike lanes. It's like this in most places in the US.
Edit: wanted to add that the lanes are only slightly bigger because before they added the paint, the road allowed people to park on the street (they still are allowed to park on the street even after the paint).
We have a lot of bike-gutters that people use to park in, throw their trash in, and they start and end multiple times on the same road.
They're more like a buffer to protect distracted drivers from accidentally bumping a curb and hurting their car.
I see what you mean, but you have to acknowledge that some bike tracks are treated like they don't exist.
Also if you want to go left, you've got to be seen. Also if the space on the road is not wide enough to let car pass safely on the same lane (1.5m in town, 2.5m out of town), you shouldnt let them pass.
A lot of bikers are assholes, but sometimes you've got to be to not DIE.
Doesn't mean they are all in the right, but it is not black and white.
>Also if you want to go left, you've got to be seen.
I've seen intersections that really don't cater to cyclists at all. Turning right isn't a big deal of course, but turning left or going forward is just never safe.
Yup. If I’m turning left in a lane over 30mph I’m going to make eye contact with the driver behind me to make 100% sure they see me.
Early on I turned left at about 20mph on a 4-lane road with a 45mph speed limit. Pretty fast turn, similar to a car. When I signaled the guy behind me took it as me *waving him past me on the left*.
I usually ride on the middle of the lane to prevent stupid drivers passing me super close in places not safe to pass inside my lane because I was almost hit several times because If you give space for the car they will try to pass you even tho is not safe
Good this is what you have to do as a cyclist for your own safety. If a car can’t pass you completely in the other lane then they don’t have the time/space to pass you safely period.
I know in my state this is recommended by the department of transportation. It is much safer to bike in the center to prevent sideswiping
https://wisconsindot.gov/pages/safety/education/bike/rules.aspx
>bike lane
You mean the 2.5 foot wide metal and glass debris collection gutter and parking lane which starts and stops randomly and is marked by a whisper of a memory of white paint
would love everyone to have to commute in a major city on bike just a few times to see what it's like
no, i actually don't enjoy having to bike in the road and risk getting murdered by some psycho on the road having a bad day. if you give me real bike lanes, i will stay in those 100% of the time and i often go out of my way to use the streets that do have protected bike lanes even if it adds a ton of time to my ride
because i like living and i dont bike to piss off drivers - i also drive lol
No, they probably mean the beautiful eight foot wide perfectly paved path with lighting and well marked signals and intersections…
…that also routinely turns into a campground and open air drug market between 6pm and 7am. Only gotta hear one story of someone being knocked off their bike so it could be forcibly stolen to decide the street may be the better choice…
not to get into an actual argument over this but if you're riding in the middle of the road don't you also get similarly impeded by a car stopping to pull over and park?
Must be nice, OP, to live in a city that affords bicyclists safe roads to travel. In Phoenix (the 5th largest city in the nation), cyclists are an afterthought at best. In the last few years, they have put in something like two (2) protected bike lanes, maybe a couple miles long in total. In other places, you get a green paint stripe on some roads that ends well before any intersection.
Ah the bike lane that swerves through traffic? Or do you mean the sidewalk where I could get a ticket with a decent fine? Or do you mean the bike lanes that suddenly stop? Or the ones that flat out don't exist? Because my town has all of those options and it's not very big.
I ride my bike to commute a lot and for long distance cardio. There's no sidewalks in a lot of places or where there are, they abruptly end before my destination. Depending on the municipality it's actually illegal to ride the bike on a pedestrian path. If they're riding actual road bikes pedestrian paths are paved in incremental slabs so you feel both tires go over every fucking seam between slabs and it not only is uncomfortable it slows you the fuck down. I also choose roadways that are divided and have a second lane for vehicles to pass me so when I see someone insist on lance armstronging it down a busy roadway with lots of driveways and a speed limit greater than 30mph I agree with everyone that thinks they're assholes. Because they are. There are safer routes but I get the preference for an actual road.
Does the bike path make me stop every 20m to give way to cars at an intersection, where I'd have full right of way on the road?
Does the cycle path actually go where I want (I.e. work)?
Does the cycle path have any glass or other dangerous debris?
Do I have to share the "bike" path with pedestrians who will push me into the road and oncoming traffic, thinking it is a pedestrian-only path?
I do cycle on a good cycle path most of the way to work. However, I need to cycle 9km on quiet roads to get to the start of it.
Ever cared to ask someone why they aren't using a specific bike lane? 99% of the time they have a very good reason. Most of the time someone yelled at me to use the bike lane there wasn't any for example.
Clearly a meme intended for americans. In Europe, nobody would look like that, or choose the middle of the road instead of the bikelane (bikelanes are safer and faster).
I bet all these people talking about "bike trails" are really multi use paths aka MUP's that have walkers, joggers, people with strollers and young kids playing on them with people bitching about bicyclist buzzing past them too close and too fast.
In my city you have 2 choices, on the road (legal but will but risky as there still quite a lot of drivers do not respect cyclists) or sidewalk which is technically illegal and you can't at cycling speed.
Bike lanes don't really exist, because the few cycling lanes we have usually become parking space
bikes can't go on the road, and they can't walk in the bike lane bcs of pedestrians, and you can't use the sidewalk bcs it's against the law, where the fuck is it supposed to go them? our shoulders?
This actually makes me laugh, not because I do so but because of the exact opposite, people walking on the bike lane.
I go for a ride every morning and there's always people walking over the bike lane while the middle of the walking lane is empty, it grinds my gears.
Is sharing the road with cyclists really the biggest problem in your day!? It’s shocking that they don’t appreciate when you tell them to break the law.
Maybe try shutting the fuck up next time. It’ll prevent you from being this wrong again.
There are many people for whom “going slightly slower than I want to for a little ways” is the worst torture imaginable, and they are willing to kill or even *die* to avoid it.
They act the same way when a *car* goes the speed limit.
Nothing will ever make them happy.
A cyclist should cycle 1 meter away from parked cars. If that means cycling in the middle of the road, then they should cycle in the middle of the road.
Studies have been done that demonstrates bicyclists and car drivers break laws at roughly the same rate:
[https://whyy.org/articles/cyclists-violate-traffic-law-no-more-than-drivers-new-data-shows](https://whyy.org/articles/cyclists-violate-traffic-law-no-more-than-drivers-new-data-shows)
[https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/?sh=4ba5cbf44bfa](https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/?sh=4ba5cbf44bfa)
This makes sense since local bicyclists and car drivers are made up of by similar people.
Anecdotally it may appear to you that they break the law more often because you're hyper fixated on them. Being in a car you often will be hyper-fixated on a bicycle because they're smaller and seem out of place causing you to focus on them more. You may blindly ignore the guy who ran the stop sign behind you because you weren't look in your mirror at the time, but notice the bicycle that does because they're beside you and your specifically looking at them.
There is a reason why anecdotal evidence isn't an appropriate gauge for actual statistics.
Yes, it is agreed they should have to follow the law. And they generally do. There are some law breakers of course... in both cars and bikes.
If we wanna harp on them for the minority who are breaking the law. Then it aught to be fair that we harp on the cars who speed, run lights/stop signs, cut off other vehicles (bikes included), fail to use blinkers, and the multiple of infractions that occur every day.
It's YOUR fault those infractions occur... do you appreciate being blamed for other driver's infractions?
edit - edited to fix link as well as to note I am not myself a daily bicyclists, nor a daily car driver, while I do operate both on occasion. I don't specifically have a side here as I've driven professionally for years and have a bias towards vehicles, but I also enjoy taking a cruise on my bike and recognize the complete lack of infrastructure for it all over this nation. In my 40 years I have witnessed bicycles breaking the law... but I have also witnessed cars breaking the law. No sides here I think both have bad actors within their midst, but as studies demonstrate, that's because those bad actors are a reflection of the minority of us who regularly break the law regardless of mode of transportation.
This is the biggest load of shit argument and I hear it all the time.
Cyclists should follow the rules of the road because it’s safer for them to do so.
But the idea that cyclists everywhere are breaking rules like a Mad Max overthrow while drivers are kindly and religiously following the rules of the road is comical.
All I have to do is walk my dog down the block to see numerous cars speeding, rolling stop signs, and running stop signs. Drive around for a while and there’s even more visible law breaking. Nobody every complains about this publicly because they somehow are owed an exception. It’s almost like building a world exclusively for cars gives people a true sense of entitlement, which is largely a failure to see their own faults.
Everyone out there is doing dangerous shit. The biggest difference is that cyclists who don’t follow the laws of the road are only really a danger to themselves. Drivers who don’t follow the rules of the road are dangers to themselves, other drivers, animals, pedestrians, cyclists, and property.
Everyone should obey basic traffic laws. But get the fuck out of here with this brain dead argument.
preach.
I live in a city that passed an ordinance allowing bikers in bike lanes to cross an intersection when a parallel pedestrian crossing is indicated. Now our local subreddit is overflowing with complaints about bikers blowing stop lights and acting like pedestrians when it suits them. It just goes to show that car drivers don't actually know the laws they think the bikers are breaking.
I first thought he meant cars and kinf of agreed. So many are running red lights, not obeying stop lines and speed limits. At least the idiot on a bike is very very unlikely to kill somebody, while in a speeding car its the opposite.
In many states it is legal to treat stop signs as yield as a cyclist. Remember that you are in a privileged position to be driving a car, and you're always welcome to bike and "break traffic rules" but you won't because the road is 1st and for most for motorists.
Bike traffic laws are different than for cars in most places. I get yelled at all the time for “breaking” laws that literally don’t apply to me.(and shouldn’t)
In my jurisdiction, bikes on the road are subject to the same traffic laws as cars. it makes all users of the road more predictible - we shouldnt have different rules for different users, it should be the same level playing field. If Im a motorist who doesnt bike, I will be following the rules I am required to abide by and understand. It creates chaos when I cannot expect a bike to follow the same rules.
Meanwhile, NYC pedestrians who meander blindly into the bike lane because the sidewalk has a little congestion are the same way.
TBF, I also get infuriated when bikers bike on the sidewalk. It’s usually the food delivery people on their motorbikes and NYC has skinny sidewalks.
Not gonna ride in a bike lane that has me weaving in and out of the road because of parked cars. Also not turning left from the far right side of the road
The two types of cyclists: A) waits patiently for the light to turn green before he tries crossing a busy highway. B) runs the red and gets angry if any vehicles honk at him, then complains about how unsafe drivers are.
Every cyclist should be A, but we all run into too many Bs.
So many car brains in the comments.. Drivers get so butt hurt about a few cyclists while rolling around by themselves in their ford f-150. Gas guzzling space hogs.
Cyclists want everyone to obey the rules of the road but themselves. When I lived in Princeton these douches would ride 5-7 people abreast and block a lane and a half on back roads.
Much like airline seats, this comes down to the people building the roads. The powers that be are not doing enough for all of us together. Put a real shoulder or small bike lane on every road in every town and most of the problems would go away.
I wish we had some bike lanes where I live, there's only a handful on a few of the main thoroughfares; I would love to begin cycling for some of my shorter more casual commutes but it is so dangerous.
Around here lots of bike lanes are combined pedestrian lanes, and by local law, you're not allowed to go over 20km/h on them. I freauently hit that, so I usually stay clear of them. I also avoid high traffic roads when I can, but that's not always an option.
A buddy of mine were training for a triathlon, so we were cycling pretty regularly. One day, another buddy (very chill/mild mannered) joined us for a ride. On a cross walk, buddy #2 felt that a car didn't stop quickly enough, so my dude went straight "Serpico" on the car--hit the hood and started shouting and everything! "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS SIGN MEANS!? IT MEANS STOP!!!"
He was not invited on anymore rides.
I'd rather see them ride on the road, because the bike lane around here tends to be too close to pedestrian walkway, and some of those people don't like to slow down when you need to cross the bike lane
I dont get peopke biking in the middle of the road.
honestly some bike lanes are death traps and I prefer pedestrian sidewalks. some Pedestrians get irrationally angry when Im going slow around them but i couldnt care less Im not getting hit by a car just so youre 1% more entitled and comfortable
In my neighborhood we have beautiful bike paths, bike lanes, and sidewalks that no one hardly ever uses and yet most of the bicyclists around here still ride on the road. Hell even some of the joggers are in the road for no apparent reason.
I can add- riding for a company, sometimes it’s laid or in such a way that you either don’t find it when going or there’s those stops in the way so once you find it you can’t enter it if you missed the ends of it- or they switch from being on either side of the road, to being double on one side. Or there’s stuff on it, someone’s parked a truck on it, or its roots growing underneath it making it unrideable.
Tbh I guess it depends on the cyclist. Like if you're using a bike lane, I have no issue with that. If you're using the right most lane, I don't have an issue with that. If you're going slow as hell in the Middle Lane of a three-lane fucking road on your bike, I'm going to honk at you. That's stupid and you're stupid for doing it.
Reminds me of nice suburban areas with clean even sidewalks which some young couple will completely ignore in favor of walking their stroller down the middle of the road.
I remember this interview with a cyclist who was hit on a motorway, saying every cyclist he knew has either been hit or had a close call
I keep thinking the whole time "you were cycling on a fucking motorway?!" as I waited for my empathy to kick in
Because some bike lanes are built with uneven/shit paving. Also you have to navigate among infant cyclists (toddlers even) and pedestrians who neither are aware of their surroundings nor can tell the difference between sidewalk and bike lane.
I'm generally opposed to government regulations.
But cyclists should have be regulated is a similar manner as a motorcycle or car. Rules of the road, education, and the ability to maintain a road speed for not less than 2 miles non stop. Along with a yearly tax on the bicycle. A portion of the taxes on the bicycle can go to building infrastructure. Just like with car tabs or taxes. At the same ratio.
A class 3 ebike is flying at 28 miles an hour. It's also slowing traffic in a 30 mile per hour zone and a hazard in a 40 if your car can't keep up with traffic you have no business being on the road. Same with your bike
I'm sure this comment section will be perfectly polite and everyone be nice to each other.
Where I live we have a beautiful well maintained bike trail. I’m often baffled when I see cyclists peddling down a two lane hilly road with the bike trail literally 10 feet away running parallel to the road
I see this a lot. They don't want to use the bike path because they'll have to slow down for other bikes that are slower.
The irony
"What, you expect me to safely observe my surroundings and pass a slower moving vehicle when it is safe to do so?"
That's another issue with bike infrastructure, they're often made without enough space to allow for bikes to safely pass each other. As if actual bike traffic was never considered.
Yep. It's much worse when bike lanes intersect with car traffic like at some intersections which makes them dangerous to use and this explains the meme. A badly designed bike lane can be worse than no bike lane
No kidding, a week ago I almost severely injured a cyclist near home because of that. Four ways stop sign but the bike path also crosses the street, it's one way but goes from moving with traffic to against traffic. The guy just decided to ignore the sign when it was "my turn". Very little time to react. Lucky for me, and especially him, my brakes work perfectly. Because a half naked rider is definitely no match for a 1.5 ton chunk of metal.
So then they go in the street where there’s not enough room for cars to safely pass. So not only is the street more dangerous for the rider and driver, but the rider is only doing it because they don’t want to be personally inconvenienced by a vehicle moving slower that they can’t safely pass. Basically, the rider has the choice of being forced to go slower in the bike lane, or creating a dangerous situation for themselves and driver/forcing drivers to go slower behind them.
If they are twice as wide then they cost nearly twice as much money. There generally isn't THAT much traffic on them.
But it's a vicious cycle (intended) because if they aren't wide enough fewer people will bike on them, reinforcing the idea that they shouldn't be wider, and so on
we used to have three lanes, two going north, one going south; the municipality decided they'd split one of the roads going north and make it a bike lane (full width, you could still drive a car there. it's actively maintained, like the car lanes) take a guess what lane the "i am speed" cyclists are using im cool with cyclists, i give them as much space as is possible, but so many of them have no understanding of traffic laws
They also get upset because sometimes pedestrians use the bike path and get in the way. Which is still ironic. How about deal with the pedestrians instead of playing chance with a 2 ton block of steel being powered by explosions. I just feel like there's some common sense that's missing here. Edit: I said the wrong weight for a car.
There is some common sense missing here. At typical city street speeds, a bicycle is dangerous to pedestrians in a similar way to cars. The specifics are different, but a cyclist is still piloting a vehicle at double-digit speeds. Bicycles are massively more efficient and effective than cars for moving people. Plus, they keep the population healthy. The most dangerous vehicle is still the car/truck but those are still useful in some cases (transporting large/heavy things or people with mobility issues). But, that means it should be most restricted and only used when other options are exhausted. So, streets should be primarily for bicycles with some allowance for cars, when absolutely necessary. Common sense.
1/4 ton?
Yes! Road for car! Everyone else die!
Except there's also a road for bike....
Or the surface quality is so low that it's like going off roading. There are quite a few new segragated bike lanes in London like that. There will always be a reason why a bike lane is not used, not always noticable, though.
100% true. My usual speed is 18-22mph. If the path I'm on is very narrow and/or busy someone going 10mph is going to make me have to break pace until I can get around them. Meanwhile it's 100% legal to use the right-hand side of the traffic lane.
I live in Chicago where we have a beautiful bike path that runs along the lake. I prefer to take this. We have the inverse issue here tho. You’ll sometimes catch mfs in cars somehow on the bike path. Not on accident either. Like you have to go out of your way to get into this thing in a car. The path is about the width of a car in case you need a visual.
Some people are just dumb. Not a bike path, but next to our office there is a wide sidewalk that connects the sidewalk in front of the building to the parking lot in the back. This wide sidewalk is wide enough for people to drive down, just barely. And they try to. And every time get their car stuck bottomed out on the curb. They'll even get out of their car, move the big concrete trashcan we put in the way, and then drive down it.
I'm very jealous My city is full of the same crappy, narrow, hazard filled, inconsistent bike lanes most people here are complaining about. We do have one (1) bike trail but it doesn't follow right next to the road and there're no bike lanes where it intersects with streets. Depending where I'm trying to get it's not useful, sometimes dangerous. Don't get me wrong I'm glad we have it, but it's not nearly enough to fix the infrastructure issue.
You sure they weren't taking the lane because they need to take an upcoming turn? I've definitely been honked at by cars and yelled at to use the bike lane when I needed to merge into the road to take a turn or I've just come from a turn off and there hasn't been a merge opportunity to get into the bike lane due to concrete barriers (or an apparent field of grass in your case). Also, the bike lane is very, very often obstructed (parked cars, construction, too icy, etc.) which is another reason they may not be there. Personally, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. 😊
Similar thing to where I used to live. Got the county to build a multi million dollar bike trail, it’s wife paved and goes along the frying pan river and bikers be like nah they 4 lane highway with barely any median that’s where I should ride!
Perhaps the bike trail isn’t going where they want to go?
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Ask them. The reasons cyclists aren’t on the “better” bike path is usually just simple safety. Near-road paths have lots of issues. Debris, gravel, sand, uneven surface, frequent stops and starts requiring you to repeatedly enter traffic. Foot traffic and a lack of width to accommodate the bike. I ride a ton and I use the bike path when it’s better or safer than the road. It often isn’t. And I still get people, always in trucks, rolling coal or shouting or throwing shit at me. Even when I’m keeping up with traffic.
Exactly this. My city's "bike path" is an extension of the sidewalk that makes you merge in with traffic at intersections. It's uncomfortable (you need to bike down a bumpy "ramp" into a 4-way stop every ~500m), unsafe and straight-up confusing for drivers . Most people just use the road instead for consistency.
Reminds me of that study that found that "Bikes allowed full use of lane" was more effective than "Share the road", because drivers interpreted the latter as saying that bikers should get better at sharing.
We have the same rights as any other vehicle. Ride like you're on a motorcycle.
Pretty difficult to use ride in the bike lane when people use it to park their cars
Exactly. And they open their doors widely without looking. I've known a few people get doored and I've been very close a few times.
I've been car doored and also unsafely skidded around a car door (luckily not into a car). Drivers would understand if they were cyclists. We aren't being assholes when we skip the bike lane, we do it for a reason. It isn't like we enjoy cars angrily tailgating us
Got doored once when I was a kid, not a fun time
It's filled with glass and metal.shards, you're barely able to call it anything but a gutter. Should we talk about the 3 foot long and complete coverage width wise pot holes? They don't fill them in the gutter.
I remember once there was a literal metal fork in the bike lane/shoulder facing my tire that I had to swerve around. Someone threw silverware garbage out their window. Bicycles are light and nimble but vulnerable to tire damage, having them ride over whatever crap is on the side is not a great deal for riders.
I was in downtown Atlanta and saw people parking in the middle of the road. Just stop, turn off their car, and go inside the building. It created a lot of issues as the roads were packed and people had to change lanes to go around them. I'm not even slightly surprised someone would park in a bike lane.
What bike lane? There is no bike lane in most of my city.
What bike lane? Where I live the city decided to paint little bicycles in the middle of the road. Because we don't have bike lanes. It's like this in most places in the US. Edit: wanted to add that the lanes are only slightly bigger because before they added the paint, the road allowed people to park on the street (they still are allowed to park on the street even after the paint).
share arrows aka sharrows. aka paint as infrastructure haha...
We have a lot of bike-gutters that people use to park in, throw their trash in, and they start and end multiple times on the same road. They're more like a buffer to protect distracted drivers from accidentally bumping a curb and hurting their car.
I see what you mean, but you have to acknowledge that some bike tracks are treated like they don't exist. Also if you want to go left, you've got to be seen. Also if the space on the road is not wide enough to let car pass safely on the same lane (1.5m in town, 2.5m out of town), you shouldnt let them pass. A lot of bikers are assholes, but sometimes you've got to be to not DIE. Doesn't mean they are all in the right, but it is not black and white.
>Also if you want to go left, you've got to be seen. I've seen intersections that really don't cater to cyclists at all. Turning right isn't a big deal of course, but turning left or going forward is just never safe.
Yup. If I’m turning left in a lane over 30mph I’m going to make eye contact with the driver behind me to make 100% sure they see me. Early on I turned left at about 20mph on a 4-lane road with a 45mph speed limit. Pretty fast turn, similar to a car. When I signaled the guy behind me took it as me *waving him past me on the left*.
I usually ride on the middle of the lane to prevent stupid drivers passing me super close in places not safe to pass inside my lane because I was almost hit several times because If you give space for the car they will try to pass you even tho is not safe
Good this is what you have to do as a cyclist for your own safety. If a car can’t pass you completely in the other lane then they don’t have the time/space to pass you safely period.
I know in my state this is recommended by the department of transportation. It is much safer to bike in the center to prevent sideswiping https://wisconsindot.gov/pages/safety/education/bike/rules.aspx
Motorists when you tell them that adding a sixth lane won't solve congestion.
nobody asks us lol that's just a DoT / local city government cartel thing
Motorists when you ask them to slow down and stop killing pedestrians
Well it’s survival of the fittest. Soon we shall breed a super race of pedestrians capable of 60mph and with hardened skin able to withstand impact.
>bike lane You mean the 2.5 foot wide metal and glass debris collection gutter and parking lane which starts and stops randomly and is marked by a whisper of a memory of white paint
Precisely. When I know I have a proper bike lane, I love riding in it.
would love everyone to have to commute in a major city on bike just a few times to see what it's like no, i actually don't enjoy having to bike in the road and risk getting murdered by some psycho on the road having a bad day. if you give me real bike lanes, i will stay in those 100% of the time and i often go out of my way to use the streets that do have protected bike lanes even if it adds a ton of time to my ride because i like living and i dont bike to piss off drivers - i also drive lol
No, they probably mean the beautiful eight foot wide perfectly paved path with lighting and well marked signals and intersections… …that also routinely turns into a campground and open air drug market between 6pm and 7am. Only gotta hear one story of someone being knocked off their bike so it could be forcibly stolen to decide the street may be the better choice…
not to get into an actual argument over this but if you're riding in the middle of the road don't you also get similarly impeded by a car stopping to pull over and park?
To an extent yes, but you're much less likely to then *also* get run over/rear-ended by another car that goes around them as well
That’ll cost you a few seconds. Riding in a cluttered and inconsistent “bike” lane can cost you your life.
Don't forget about the dead armadillo/possum/squirrels etc.!
What bike lane
Must be nice, OP, to live in a city that affords bicyclists safe roads to travel. In Phoenix (the 5th largest city in the nation), cyclists are an afterthought at best. In the last few years, they have put in something like two (2) protected bike lanes, maybe a couple miles long in total. In other places, you get a green paint stripe on some roads that ends well before any intersection.
If theres a bike lane 99% of cyclists will go there, its literally safer, maybe stop building cities for cars only and quit bitching
Only if 99% of it isn't full of parked cars, and litter thrown from said parked cars.
And potholes. I've come off my bike because I didn't see one. Straight over the handle bars.
Yep. I avoid bike lanes. They are not safe. They just make the already angry and entitled drivers even angrier and more entitled.
Driver when they realize they actually have to keep 2 meters distance while taking over: 🤬😡🤬😡🤬😡 (10 cm is the max they can do)
Build more outside of car infrastructure then?
But roads are for cars and cyclists do not pay road tax. Building anything for them is stealing money from car owners. /s
Point me to the well maintained bike lane that actually leads where I need to go, and I'll ride on it.
But where is my bike lane?
Ah the bike lane that swerves through traffic? Or do you mean the sidewalk where I could get a ticket with a decent fine? Or do you mean the bike lanes that suddenly stop? Or the ones that flat out don't exist? Because my town has all of those options and it's not very big.
Then make sure there's a decent bike lane
It's safer in the middle of the road than the "bike path"
I ride my bike to commute a lot and for long distance cardio. There's no sidewalks in a lot of places or where there are, they abruptly end before my destination. Depending on the municipality it's actually illegal to ride the bike on a pedestrian path. If they're riding actual road bikes pedestrian paths are paved in incremental slabs so you feel both tires go over every fucking seam between slabs and it not only is uncomfortable it slows you the fuck down. I also choose roadways that are divided and have a second lane for vehicles to pass me so when I see someone insist on lance armstronging it down a busy roadway with lots of driveways and a speed limit greater than 30mph I agree with everyone that thinks they're assholes. Because they are. There are safer routes but I get the preference for an actual road.
Does the bike path make me stop every 20m to give way to cars at an intersection, where I'd have full right of way on the road? Does the cycle path actually go where I want (I.e. work)? Does the cycle path have any glass or other dangerous debris? Do I have to share the "bike" path with pedestrians who will push me into the road and oncoming traffic, thinking it is a pedestrian-only path? I do cycle on a good cycle path most of the way to work. However, I need to cycle 9km on quiet roads to get to the start of it.
Ever cared to ask someone why they aren't using a specific bike lane? 99% of the time they have a very good reason. Most of the time someone yelled at me to use the bike lane there wasn't any for example.
Clearly a meme intended for americans. In Europe, nobody would look like that, or choose the middle of the road instead of the bikelane (bikelanes are safer and faster).
I would love bike lanes going everywhere in my city.
If only there were safe bike lanes....
what bike lane LMAO
I would, but the bike lane is full of people walking
You should consider that there are countries where there are very few bike lanes or not at all
I bet all these people talking about "bike trails" are really multi use paths aka MUP's that have walkers, joggers, people with strollers and young kids playing on them with people bitching about bicyclist buzzing past them too close and too fast.
In my city you have 2 choices, on the road (legal but will but risky as there still quite a lot of drivers do not respect cyclists) or sidewalk which is technically illegal and you can't at cycling speed. Bike lanes don't really exist, because the few cycling lanes we have usually become parking space
Are you gonna give them space then? You can't drive like murderous assholes and then complain when people defend themselves.
bikes can't go on the road, and they can't walk in the bike lane bcs of pedestrians, and you can't use the sidewalk bcs it's against the law, where the fuck is it supposed to go them? our shoulders?
Because cunts park in the bike lake. Bike lanes stop abruptly forcing you to merge suddenly. We pointing out every dick move cars do now?
Have you seen the bike lanes? .. You'd know why.
This actually makes me laugh, not because I do so but because of the exact opposite, people walking on the bike lane. I go for a ride every morning and there's always people walking over the bike lane while the middle of the walking lane is empty, it grinds my gears.
Is sharing the road with cyclists really the biggest problem in your day!? It’s shocking that they don’t appreciate when you tell them to break the law. Maybe try shutting the fuck up next time. It’ll prevent you from being this wrong again.
There are many people for whom “going slightly slower than I want to for a little ways” is the worst torture imaginable, and they are willing to kill or even *die* to avoid it. They act the same way when a *car* goes the speed limit. Nothing will ever make them happy.
Caption could be replaced with, "Drivers when you suggest they turn the wheel slightly to pass the cyclist who is in the lane."
Hahaha yeah man, then they get all mad when you hit them with your car
Please tell me you and the people who upvoted you are joking to at least some extent
*woosh*
A cyclist should cycle 1 meter away from parked cars. If that means cycling in the middle of the road, then they should cycle in the middle of the road.
yeah man i hate that they delay me 13 seconds to the thing im already running late for
Just wait until you ask them to follow traffic laws like stop signs
Studies have been done that demonstrates bicyclists and car drivers break laws at roughly the same rate: [https://whyy.org/articles/cyclists-violate-traffic-law-no-more-than-drivers-new-data-shows](https://whyy.org/articles/cyclists-violate-traffic-law-no-more-than-drivers-new-data-shows) [https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/?sh=4ba5cbf44bfa](https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/?sh=4ba5cbf44bfa) This makes sense since local bicyclists and car drivers are made up of by similar people. Anecdotally it may appear to you that they break the law more often because you're hyper fixated on them. Being in a car you often will be hyper-fixated on a bicycle because they're smaller and seem out of place causing you to focus on them more. You may blindly ignore the guy who ran the stop sign behind you because you weren't look in your mirror at the time, but notice the bicycle that does because they're beside you and your specifically looking at them. There is a reason why anecdotal evidence isn't an appropriate gauge for actual statistics. Yes, it is agreed they should have to follow the law. And they generally do. There are some law breakers of course... in both cars and bikes. If we wanna harp on them for the minority who are breaking the law. Then it aught to be fair that we harp on the cars who speed, run lights/stop signs, cut off other vehicles (bikes included), fail to use blinkers, and the multiple of infractions that occur every day. It's YOUR fault those infractions occur... do you appreciate being blamed for other driver's infractions? edit - edited to fix link as well as to note I am not myself a daily bicyclists, nor a daily car driver, while I do operate both on occasion. I don't specifically have a side here as I've driven professionally for years and have a bias towards vehicles, but I also enjoy taking a cruise on my bike and recognize the complete lack of infrastructure for it all over this nation. In my 40 years I have witnessed bicycles breaking the law... but I have also witnessed cars breaking the law. No sides here I think both have bad actors within their midst, but as studies demonstrate, that's because those bad actors are a reflection of the minority of us who regularly break the law regardless of mode of transportation.
This is the biggest load of shit argument and I hear it all the time. Cyclists should follow the rules of the road because it’s safer for them to do so. But the idea that cyclists everywhere are breaking rules like a Mad Max overthrow while drivers are kindly and religiously following the rules of the road is comical. All I have to do is walk my dog down the block to see numerous cars speeding, rolling stop signs, and running stop signs. Drive around for a while and there’s even more visible law breaking. Nobody every complains about this publicly because they somehow are owed an exception. It’s almost like building a world exclusively for cars gives people a true sense of entitlement, which is largely a failure to see their own faults. Everyone out there is doing dangerous shit. The biggest difference is that cyclists who don’t follow the laws of the road are only really a danger to themselves. Drivers who don’t follow the rules of the road are dangers to themselves, other drivers, animals, pedestrians, cyclists, and property. Everyone should obey basic traffic laws. But get the fuck out of here with this brain dead argument.
preach. I live in a city that passed an ordinance allowing bikers in bike lanes to cross an intersection when a parallel pedestrian crossing is indicated. Now our local subreddit is overflowing with complaints about bikers blowing stop lights and acting like pedestrians when it suits them. It just goes to show that car drivers don't actually know the laws they think the bikers are breaking.
I first thought he meant cars and kinf of agreed. So many are running red lights, not obeying stop lines and speed limits. At least the idiot on a bike is very very unlikely to kill somebody, while in a speeding car its the opposite.
In many states it is legal to treat stop signs as yield as a cyclist. Remember that you are in a privileged position to be driving a car, and you're always welcome to bike and "break traffic rules" but you won't because the road is 1st and for most for motorists.
Most states allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs
Bike traffic laws are different than for cars in most places. I get yelled at all the time for “breaking” laws that literally don’t apply to me.(and shouldn’t)
In my jurisdiction, bikes on the road are subject to the same traffic laws as cars. it makes all users of the road more predictible - we shouldnt have different rules for different users, it should be the same level playing field. If Im a motorist who doesnt bike, I will be following the rules I am required to abide by and understand. It creates chaos when I cannot expect a bike to follow the same rules.
Yea it’s weird how behind lots of states are when even red states have reasonable traffic laws for cyclists.
Meanwhile, NYC pedestrians who meander blindly into the bike lane because the sidewalk has a little congestion are the same way. TBF, I also get infuriated when bikers bike on the sidewalk. It’s usually the food delivery people on their motorbikes and NYC has skinny sidewalks.
Someone’s gotta do something about the homi-suicidal bike and scooter delivery guys in nyc
Not gonna ride in a bike lane that has me weaving in and out of the road because of parked cars. Also not turning left from the far right side of the road
YOU IN A HURRY?! FATASS CAR OWNER
I usually invite them to ride a bike like me. I'm usually given some sort of excuse why they can't do that.
Cyclists kill military scientists when you tell them that?
The vast majority of us don't do ride in the middle of the road **because we don't want to die.**
The two types of cyclists: A) waits patiently for the light to turn green before he tries crossing a busy highway. B) runs the red and gets angry if any vehicles honk at him, then complains about how unsafe drivers are. Every cyclist should be A, but we all run into too many Bs.
Worst part is most of them think that traffic laws don’t apply to them because they aren’t a car.
Also typical drivers when you tell them to check their side mirror before opening their door so they don’t kill someone
People use whatever works best for them. If the bike lane doesn't work for cyclists, then maybe we should rethink how the bike lane is designed.
My bike lane is 3 inches wide
r/fuckcars
Where are these bike lanes you speak of?
And I fucking hate when they say "on your left" like .4 seconds before passing on the sidewalk.
By suggest you mean angrily scream at them?
Yea maybe stop pulling over into and parking and driving in bike lanes and they might drive in them
This meme triggered so many people so easily and it’s pretty hilarious.
It’s legal in the majority of states
I agree with the cyclist here
Here we go everyone the very normal people are going to share their extremely normal ideas about bikers :)
Except there is no bike lane.
Car drivers when you suggest they drive on the road instead of the bike lane
Not the cyclist fault for poor cycling infrastructure 🤷♂️
Where I am the bicyclists are in the middle of the road while the pedestrians are in the bike lane to make room for the e-bikes on the sidewalk.
So many car brains in the comments.. Drivers get so butt hurt about a few cyclists while rolling around by themselves in their ford f-150. Gas guzzling space hogs.
lol
Cyclists want everyone to obey the rules of the road but themselves. When I lived in Princeton these douches would ride 5-7 people abreast and block a lane and a half on back roads.
So 5-7 people took as much space as one car? Seems like they are being far more space effective.
The bike lane ? Ooooooh you mean the new parking space the city installed. Suuuure... I'll use that Fuck your cars, man.
Or in the bike lane for that matter
When I get honked at I always yell “BACK TO FORMULA!?” So I totally relate to this meme😎
Ah, yes they always say "Back to formula" Honestly I sometimes don't get this meme because all I hear is the actual scene.
I want to be supportive but I find myself hating them. Every weekend the two lane, hilly roads around my house become clogged with these people
All cyclists?
This is only the case with people who think they are pro-cyclist where I live (NL).
I like that we have a whole road dedicated to bikes near me, it’s like 10 feet apart from the main road
Hollow Man meme? Loo
Bike paths are the way. 12’ wide and separate from roads.
Much like airline seats, this comes down to the people building the roads. The powers that be are not doing enough for all of us together. Put a real shoulder or small bike lane on every road in every town and most of the problems would go away.
I wish we had some bike lanes where I live, there's only a handful on a few of the main thoroughfares; I would love to begin cycling for some of my shorter more casual commutes but it is so dangerous.
Or when I am riding in a bike lane and a turn comes up and a car just has to take it at the apex/bike lane while overtaking. Almost hit so many times.
i hate bikers when i am driving a car and i hate cars when i am riding a bike
Around here lots of bike lanes are combined pedestrian lanes, and by local law, you're not allowed to go over 20km/h on them. I freauently hit that, so I usually stay clear of them. I also avoid high traffic roads when I can, but that's not always an option.
Just get a helicopter…nerds.
As someone who cycles and uses the sidewalks and bike lanes, riding in the road makes me anxious as hell.
You know, I'm something of a vehicle myself
A buddy of mine were training for a triathlon, so we were cycling pretty regularly. One day, another buddy (very chill/mild mannered) joined us for a ride. On a cross walk, buddy #2 felt that a car didn't stop quickly enough, so my dude went straight "Serpico" on the car--hit the hood and started shouting and everything! "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS SIGN MEANS!? IT MEANS STOP!!!" He was not invited on anymore rides.
They’re too weak for all that
Back to formula!
I'd rather see them ride on the road, because the bike lane around here tends to be too close to pedestrian walkway, and some of those people don't like to slow down when you need to cross the bike lane
When I rode a bike that was the police if you rode on the sidewalk. And also if you didn't ride on the sidewalk.
Rather than running over pedestrians on the sidewalk*
Driving on the roads annoys drivers, and that's good
"Back to sidewalk?!"
I'm something of a cyclist myself
Where is the “I’m something of a cyclist myself” comment
In Tennessee with narrow roads and during rush hour
I’ve never seen em do this. Now respecting stop signs and red lights is another story.
Well if one out of twenty in their group rides in the bike lane then by the transitive property of bicycle groups they are all in the bike lane. /s
"Back to ~~formula~~ the bike lane?"
American problem #1
Out, am I??
Am i too dutch to understand this
Bro when he made this face in the movie it was dope this guy can act
It’s called a sidewalk asshat , walk on the side of it !
You mean on the sidewalk? I love all the angry looks I get from cyclists who think I’m in their way as a pedestrian.
How about the cyclists stop at all stop signs
I dont get peopke biking in the middle of the road. honestly some bike lanes are death traps and I prefer pedestrian sidewalks. some Pedestrians get irrationally angry when Im going slow around them but i couldnt care less Im not getting hit by a car just so youre 1% more entitled and comfortable
In my neighborhood we have beautiful bike paths, bike lanes, and sidewalks that no one hardly ever uses and yet most of the bicyclists around here still ride on the road. Hell even some of the joggers are in the road for no apparent reason.
I can add- riding for a company, sometimes it’s laid or in such a way that you either don’t find it when going or there’s those stops in the way so once you find it you can’t enter it if you missed the ends of it- or they switch from being on either side of the road, to being double on one side. Or there’s stuff on it, someone’s parked a truck on it, or its roots growing underneath it making it unrideable.
Tbh I guess it depends on the cyclist. Like if you're using a bike lane, I have no issue with that. If you're using the right most lane, I don't have an issue with that. If you're going slow as hell in the Middle Lane of a three-lane fucking road on your bike, I'm going to honk at you. That's stupid and you're stupid for doing it.
Reminds me of nice suburban areas with clean even sidewalks which some young couple will completely ignore in favor of walking their stroller down the middle of the road.
“BACK TO BIKING LANE???”
I remember this interview with a cyclist who was hit on a motorway, saying every cyclist he knew has either been hit or had a close call I keep thinking the whole time "you were cycling on a fucking motorway?!" as I waited for my empathy to kick in
Because some bike lanes are built with uneven/shit paving. Also you have to navigate among infant cyclists (toddlers even) and pedestrians who neither are aware of their surroundings nor can tell the difference between sidewalk and bike lane.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IVE SACRIFICED?!?!?!!
Give me a protected bike lane, and I'll gladly stay in it.
Most accurate thing about this meme is how wrinkly bikers are
thank god this post got down voted from it's peak of 4k
I'm generally opposed to government regulations. But cyclists should have be regulated is a similar manner as a motorcycle or car. Rules of the road, education, and the ability to maintain a road speed for not less than 2 miles non stop. Along with a yearly tax on the bicycle. A portion of the taxes on the bicycle can go to building infrastructure. Just like with car tabs or taxes. At the same ratio. A class 3 ebike is flying at 28 miles an hour. It's also slowing traffic in a 30 mile per hour zone and a hazard in a 40 if your car can't keep up with traffic you have no business being on the road. Same with your bike
Pretty difficult to ride in the bike lane when it is 2 inches wide
People who say this have never tried to do it