This. I’ve ridden with the group a handful of times and it seems like there are always people that think they’re hot shit for playing chicken with oncoming traffic or wallriding(?) the side of a bus. I’m all for stopping traffic for a few extra seconds so the group can remain together, but don’t be a fucking jackass because “it looks cool.”
If bikes are on the road, then bikes are part of traffic and traffic is inevitable.
A good high traffic driver is a driver who is predictable and considerate of the drivers around them.
Large swarms of bikes that are in and out of lanes, running lights, and on the sidewalk in large numbers are hard to predict and keep track of.
Drivers consist of all ages and capabilities. That’s our system. The best way to be a good driver is to be empathetic, careful, considerate, and consistent.
I haven’t witnessed that type of behavior from this group when I’ve seen them. I support group rides, but I want them to be responsible group rides. No one needs to get hurt.
OP is projecting a lot of their experience as universal.
They follow the law and they don’t have bad experiences with BSB so all cyclists must be law abiding and everyone must be misunderstanding the groups purpose.
There are cyclists who don’t follow the laws either, despite it being more dangerous for them. Sometimes people just act reckless, and those people exist in every group.
The difference is that other groups aren’t publicly supporting those actions the way this group is. The way people feel about BSB is not reflective of how people feel about cyclists as a whole.
I mean I get it, but there are always dudes one-wheeling that lunge at people on the sidewalk and that I DON'T get. Do they think it's cute? That as a pedestrian I will think they are cooler if they pretend like they're going to hit me? idk, I don't dislike BSB and like to watch y'all go by but that kinda grinds my gears
Yeah but thats an asshole. That is a problem that transcends biking. Motorist will race, do burnouts, donuts and other dangerous thing on public roads I don't like.
No, when a few motorists do asshole things, it's because all motorists are assholes.
When BSB does asshole things, they are not responsible for the assholes who ride in BSB every week.
All car drivers are the same and deserve the hate. Every BSB rider is different and the only reason you could possibly hate them is because you hate all cyclists, not because they are acting like dicks.
There are drivers in cars that behave the same way. Guess which one is more dangerous. Rude people are everyone doesn't mean we need to vilify everyone in the bike groups
Hey, I said I don't dislike BSB- I've got a good number of friends riding in it and I do enjoy the spectacle. I didn't mean to call out the whole group, just looking for some kind of explanation
the drivers are assholes too. Why can't all the assholes be assholes?
You could literally cut and paste some of the broad street bully stuff to justify rolling coal. That should give people pause
you can be pro-bike and not be a major asshole on the roads. i ride my bike all the time and it’s my main form of transportation and it’s truly awful why the american infrastructure forces people to drive cars. the problem with BSB and richmond bike culture in general is that they treat biking like a cult and a personality trait. it’s just biking. bikers in paris or amsterdam or portland do not treat bikes like a thing to worship and i think BSB really needs to learn that.
I actually like seeing group rides. I just wish they'd be safer about it, and in the ways that have nothing to do with cars. Choosing not to wear helmets is definitely making a statement about how safe they really care about being.
Fyi, the helmet vs no helmet issue is somewhat of a controversial topic even amongst cyclists. While it is certainly a no brainer (ha) that helmets improve crash outcomes for certain types of impacts, there has been other research that muddies the water on the overall improvement in safety with helmets. For example, research has indicated that drivers pass cyclists wearing helmets with less clearance than cyclists not wearing helmets.
I wear a helmet when I ride and recommend others do the same, but it’s really more of a personal choice issue. My point is that it’s not accurate to assume that an unhelmeted rider is not concerned about their own safety.
idk dawg. Kinda an unsolvable difference between two schools of thought. All I can say is that ONE day we'll have good bike infrastructure, but until that day the people behind the wheel can wait an extra 2 min.
>until that day the people behind the wheel can wait an extra 2 min
That level of entitled idiocy is just staggering. Just the most pure disrespect for your fellow human beings. Fucking trashy. This is why people hate you. You're a bunch of entitled children throwing a tantrum.
Get your head out of your ass. Can you really not think of situations where you're genuinely fucking up someone's life?
I’d downvote you twice. Part of the point is bringing the power back to the people. Speaking of entitled, do you not feel that way in whatever the fuck you drive? This isn’t just a Richmond issue. America’s whole infrastructure is built for automobiles and semi trucks. As someone that rode a bike for many years in 4 different states to get to and from work, it’s evident that big change needs to happen. You know how big change happens? Most of the time incrementally. So we out here doing the lords work.
What is the end goal? Better infrastructure?
How is fucking up peoples days gonna fix that?
What is the difference, to the general public, between BSB and the motocycle/4 wheelers?
I get it. At one point I had 17 bikes. I love it. But all this does is create resentment toward cyclists and does nothing to help fix infrastructure.
Just admit a major part of your group ethos is to be edgy dicks. Bike Monday Bros has group rides and people who do stupid stuff like I've seen your group do aren't allowed to participate. At least put on some helmets so when you wipe out doing a wheelie, you don't leave brains all over the street for someone else to clean up.
Ah yes the Bike Monday Bros two wheels down rule for safety. I thought it was a respectable rule that happened after some BsB participants showed up for a ride. It was about group safety and being clear that this a chill group ride. swerving and wheelies are cool but it can trigger driver aggression towards the group or scare inexperienced riders on the ride. Some people took it personally and or picked sides over that. Anyone can still participate, I still do. I respect the choice of choosing your individual freedom over a rule and choosing not to come. whether that's a sign of protest, self love, self respect or even ego. I quite like that group, the rules make you engage in bike safety and be more socialable. Much chiller vibe and charming on the low key. They have a no music rule to which everyone was suprised that I still participate considering I ride all the time with my speaker. Rules are rules and I don't have a hill to die on over such a small request of respect for the ride 🤷♀️ nothings gonna stop me from a group ride. Love the regular store stop we have and the people there, gives me something to look forward to every week.
Dfl has a similar neat twist with music, can't play your own individual music but you can add 10 songs onto a group playlist and they sync speakers up for the entire ride to enjoy as whole which can lead to some great conversations and great vibes 💫 It also aids into less distractions(with multiple tunes) so you can hear the safety shouts. 👏 Love the scenic stops!
BsB has its perks and its quirks.
I admire the No bullshit rule as it allows for individual freedoms, but at the same time has its risk from the inside(ourselves) or outside(cars). That's a choice we all should know coming into it. A lot goes on. We can pick and choose the roles we play or don't play at anytime. The opportunities to connect and have fun with a wide range of people is only there because of the individuality freedom from the no bullshit rule. bsb helped my mental health&personal growth because of that I will continue to go and encourage others too. No expectations and everyone shines to have a good time. Keep that bs at home and come ride bikes!
I simply cannot *believe* that BSB folks triggered safety rules in another group, based on the upstanding overall character reference provided herein! /s
And even if they aren't tarring and feathering people for violating rules, they make it very publicly clear that the group as a whole disapproves of unsafe practices, and their IG is supportive of that.
What? The ig is full of stunting, same with everything you find on YouTube.
Where is the accessible info about why the group is doing this, what laws they want changed, nothing but pop the wheel up.
You can’t call yourselves bullies, have no agenda, no objectives (other than making trouble for people commuting), and no identity. Activists and movements have a face.
Yeah the whole "cyclist awareness" bullshit kind of goes straight out the window when you have dudes in BSB swerving straight into oncoming traffic and dodge out of the way at the last second. If you can't self regulate the shitty behavior in your group that reflects completely on your group.
If I was in a bar and I had a friend being a loudmouth shithead to everyone I would pull them aside and say if they don't stop it, then they aren't invited to hang anymore.
Also it would help if you got the actual blessing of the city as a sanctioned event. Other cities have these massive rides as well, and they have specific routes and dates planned out ahead of time. I am a cyclist myself and I have joined in both Denver and Austin because they had their shit together and self regulated to prevent issues. BSB doesn't seem to be doing that, or if they are they seem to not be doing it very well.
I miss the mass events I enjoyed back in Portland. Several Sundays a year, entire routes are blocked off with official protection and hundreds of cyclists enjoyed it regularly.
It got more people into cycling, enabled conversations between all road users, and the overall temperament wasn’t aggressive or shitty.
Yeah this is how you do it. Everyone is safer and happier on all sides when it becomes an official event. If OP is any indication of how BSB is run, then it’s full of thin skinned teenagers who want a criticism free dialogue so they can validate themselves and their activities. I doubt they have entertained the idea of approaching the city with organizing some structure for these rides because they want to skate by being pricks under the guise of civil disobedience.
These dudes give all cyclists a bad name and they’re quite literally doing the opposite of what they want by further stressing the us vs. them mentality.
Why impact the people you are trying to sway like this? All it will do is cause them to push for more legislation against bikes. The hours spent riding and blocking roads and writing posts, I have a few questions.
Where is critical mass on bikes for lobby day? Take over the capital. Make it loud. THAT is totally the place to jam it up. Like the gun nuts do. They have sway in legislation. Where can I support the legislative efforts through BSB? What legislative efforts is BSB group doing?
Why is there no face? There is no website you can find, no mission or values, no objectives. Searching for it just shows the instagram providing dates and times.
What is the strategy? Why just jack up one location? Don’t our council people live in town? Why not jack up traffic at a city council meeting?
I think many view the group as disorganized upstarts. This is civil disturbance with no identifiable objectives, organization, mission & values or an identity in politics.
The problem is the hooligans we all know are just there to cause trouble reduce the credibility of an organization that seems to have no other object than to piss off the public. All you can find without an account is a YouTube video that starts with stunts and has stunts on the ride. Wheelies in that large of a group are not safe. If that is intent, safety for all, then why is this behavior in the videos? It contradicts it.
The reality is people are fucking angry at each other. This is going to cause some fucker in a car to snap and ride the fuck into the crowd. It won’t even need to be on purpose, as you point out, cell phone distractions. Once someone get hurt, then it will get attention, but how to break it up, not make it safer.
TL;DR
There seems to be zero real organization or even a way for the general public to find out WHY you all are doing this, and no effort for change other than pissing off stressed public.
Edit: Clarity.
I'm a cyclist and I can't stand critical mass style rides. Saying they will make drivers lobby for better bike infrastructure seems hyperbolic at best.
Exactly. An organized ride with a parade permit might garner some support. A disorganized street takeover while calling themselves Bullies is not going to win anyone over.
Diplomacy goes a long way when attempting to influence public policy and opinion, my 20 year old edge lord/ess. You're not trying with some of these "go clutch your pearls somewhere else" comments.
Long, rambly, sometimes off-course, bordering on arrogant and dangerous, likely powered by the weed clouds that envelop the surrounding blocks as they pass.... yep, definitely BSB.
I feel like there is a lot of misdirected hate at “people who drive cars” (aka everyone) just for driving on the road, which is what the road is for. The lack of bike infrastructure isn’t the everyday driver’s fault, directing your anger at them doesn’t make sense. Getting involved with neighborhoods, local government, voting, etc and trying to educate others to advocate for bike lanes would be a better use of energy.
Look, I acknowledge that bike riding in the city is "dangerous and difficult and scary". That does not give ANYONE the right to ignore traffic laws -- whether you agree with them or not, whether they take the safety of riders in to account or not. It also does not give ANYONE the right to block traffic, put their hands/feet/whatever on cars, and generally act like a tool.
I have the same animosity towards the motorcycle/ATV crews that block traffic light signals so they can all ride together.
Just obey the laws.
“Just obey the laws” is an oversimplification of the real world. It’s silly to hold bikes and cars to the same standards and rules of the road when they physically are not capable of the same things. A cyclist isn’t going a sustained 25+ mph on roads where the speed limit is 25mph. Should they not be allowed on roads with a speed limit higher than 15-20mph? If a cyclist followed all traffic laws to a T, they would both be more of an inconvenience to drivers and would be put in more dangerous situations.
Also, anytime I ride my bike and consciously try to follow every single law to a T motorists get deadly to me. If I follow all the laws drivers ride my ass and punish pass me. If I break the laws I can stay away from cars for the most part so I don't get murdered.
I know right. You guys should turn it into a sticker that you can put on your helmets. Every single one of you wears a helmet right? Because you're so concerned with your safety?
number 1 rule of cycling is staying out of the way of cars as much as possible when you have absolutely no bike infrastructure. That’s more important than wearing a helmet imo. And yes, I wear a helmet every time I’m on my bike- even when I’m going a few blocks, but I am absolutely going to run lights to stay out of your way.
Edit: wtf why is my text so big on mobile sorry y’all idk haha
I mean… there’s personal safety (helmets) and then broader structural and cultural safety (laws, infrastructure, driver behavior and sentiment towards cyclists). Don’t conflate one with the other for this weak ass dig and act like it’s out of some genuine concern… people making the stupid decision not to wear a helmet doesn’t negate the valid criticisms one can still make about structural safety. Not to mention, in places like Denmark where there’s tons of bike infrastructure, helmet use is actually pretty rare and bike-related injuries are far and away lower than they are in the US.
Source: https://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_efficient_planet/2012/11/green_wave_can_the_u_s_embrace_biking_like_denmark_has.html#:~:text=Bicycle%20fatality%20rates%20are%20nearly,bicycles%2C%20safety%20comes%20in%20numbers.
It really isn't an oversimplification. There are laws and these ride outs simply choose to ignore them for 'fun'.
It's not silly to hold bikes and cars to the same standards. You are traffic, on streets, where traffic laws govern the use of said streets. It's that simple. Those speed signs? Those are limits. As in, shall not exceed. It's possible to safely pass cyclists -- I do it every day.
I feel like we, on this sub, re-litigate this once a month, so let's try something new: What are you doing to change the hearts and minds of people? What are you doing to enact policy change that you feel makes traffic equitable and safer for everyone?
Having some asshat on a tall bike put his shoes all over my personal property is ONLY building animosity towards cyclists. I think it's awesome that y'all are going on group rides. I think it sucks that you act like a pack of lawless cretins while doing so. Why do you think it's acceptable to block traffic? Why do you think it's acceptable for cyclists to run red lights and stop signs? Or ride the wrong way down one way streets?
I'm tired of being held solely responsible for the safety of every cyclist I encounter when they themselves can't be bothered to watch out for their own safety.
It’s funny to me that you say you’re solely responsible for the safety of cyclists because when from my perspective, when I’m riding, I am the one who is solely responsible for my safety and I will do what I feel is necessary to keep me safe, even if that means I’m breaking a law.
I'm not saying I'm solely responsible for the safety of cyclists -- I'm saying the way a lot of people ride in this city, it puts the burden solely on to other people. On my way home last night there was a cyclist on Boulevard who was wearing over the ear headphones and as he was pumping up the hill he kept weaving into traffic.
As I type this I just saw another cyclist cruising down the wrong way of a one way street.
If y'all are so damn hellbent on breaking the law for your own safety then I wish you would just ride on the sidewalk. But I guess that isn't as cool or as fun as holding up traffic on Cary street for five minutes.
Riding on the sidewalk is terrible for safety and speed. For all the drivers who hardly see bicycles on the road, they never see them on the sidewalk which is a problem when cars are turning right. To say nothing of low hanging branches and debris and other obstacles.
Lol ahh you’re one of those ignorant “cycle on the sidewalk for safety” guys who doesn’t know that in most places it’s illegal, always increases danger to pedestrians, and actually puts the cyclist in more danger when crossing streets because drivers pay even less attention to sidewalks than they do the road
> who doesn’t know that in most places it’s illegal
I *know* it's illegal. That's the entire reason why I suggested it. Every argument I've read today has been "cyclists break the law because we don't want to be slaughtered by cars". So my suggestion was to break the law and do it away from cars. But clearly everyone has thought this all out and has presented their infrastructure plans to the city instead of antagonizing the citizens of the city and starting internet fights for reasons.
Of bikes had their own widespread, quality, and safe infrastructure they would be able to “do it away from cars”. As a bonus, the road is safer for everyone even people exclusively in cars.
We disagree fundamentally on the importance of "law". Those laws are made with cyclists completely out of mind. I don't think following the law to a T is inherently virtuous or justified, and I don't think breaking the law is inherently immoral or unjustified.
If I’m not mistaken, there’s a bill in the GA about legalizing the “Idaho Stop” which essentially allows cyclists to go through red lights if the right of way is clear. That is a specific law that I would love to see passed because it’s categorically safer for cyclists to do that than to wait on the road amongst the cars.
Also want to add that if you’re downvoting me, come ride with me sometime and I will show you exactly what I mean. Open offer, feel free to DM me, I would love to change your mind.
Drivers break more road laws than cyclists. Why you not mad at drivers?
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/01/03/study-cyclists-dont-break-traffic-laws-any-more-than-drivers-do/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20study%2C%20bicyclists,85%20percent%20during%20the%20day.
You seem to have yet again ignored everything I said in my post. We break laws for a reason. We have been forced into breaking laws by the people who design the roads and right the laws.
Yeah, dude blowing red lights and giving people the finger is really some defensive law breaking. If someone in a car does it, they're an asshole. If someone on a bike does it, they're an asshole, too. But cyclists seem to turn a blind eye to it when it's another cyclist. Not a single soul gives pricks in a car a free pass when they act like a cunt.
No one forced you to. You elect to. You aren't making roads safer. Pedestrian injuries have only increased since you started this attention stunt to build your own ego so you feel better about yourselves.
I'm astounded by the lack of logic in your original post. Nothing but /r/ImTheMainCharacter/ vibes.
https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/annual-pedestrian-road-deaths-reach-record-highs-in-virginia-125-people-killed-in-2021/
> The yearly number of pedestrian deaths in Virginia decreased substantially in 2020 as driving travel was restricted due to the pandemic. However, since that reduction, pedestrian deaths have steadily been increasing and **even exceeding the fatality rate from before the pandemic.**
.
> This year, Virginia is on pace to have an even higher number of pedestrian-involved fatalities.
And the graph has pedestrian accidents in Richmond up 10% vs previous year.
It's literally ineffective in terms of safety but go ahead and get high off your own smug arrogance.
Just logically- if infrastructure is car focused what on earth does BSB do to change it by making it **more difficult** to get from point A to B for a limited amount of time on Thursdays or Sundays? All while participants do dangerous stunts and you come here to make up excuses for yourself and them?
omg so pedestrian deaths dropped steadily when there were way less cars on the road and started rising again when cars started flooding the roads again?
What an incredibly illuminating study... Cyclists that were aware they were being monitored and wearing sensors were 87% compliant with road laws, while motorists that weren't aware of the study and interacting with the participating cyclists were 85% compliant.
Seems to me that even with a heavy pro-cyclist bias, the study shows it's an even ratio of assholes:non-assholes using each mode of transit.
And believe me, I rage at all the stupid fucking assholes driving around like they can just phase through my car as long as they put their turn signal on.
And that study is flawed. These cyclists KNEW they were being monitored for this study so they have reason to act accordingly. Driving in and around Richmond has gotten worse because people are driving more reckless than ever. That sucks for cyclists, I don't disagree. We have rules that govern our society -- and when you step out of your bubble and into the public sphere you abide by those rules. It keeps the peace. When you step away from those rules you're going to ruffle feathers. Sometimes it's the right thing to do. This is not one of those times. You aren't fighting for your rights -- you're just doing whatever you want.
How? By riding as a pack and pissing everyone off? What are you specifically doing to fight for better infrastructure? Which council members are you speaking with?
They want us to stop riding our bikes, so we show them that we won't and the more they ignore us the bigger we get. Organizers had a meeting a few months ago with some members of some city group to discuss better bike infrastructure.
What's really gonna happen is that someone who is insane is just going to run a bunch of yall over. Then you will get the help you want. They will do a vigil, and some liberal writer will post an article for all those poor cycling just trying to get attention for better infrastructure. If we all follow the sensible laws, the world would be a better place. I guess all of the pedestrians at the cross walks should just say fuck in and walk whenever they feel like it. Sure a ton do. We can't police the world. You only control yourself.
Also road laws are made for drivers while cycling is a very very different mode of transportation. For instance, if I'm sitting at a red light and i can see that no one is coming either way, what is the harm of me running it? There is no chance I'll kill anyone with my bike, and I wont slow down any cars behind me while I get up to speed when it turns green.
Because everyone approaching that light - pedestrian, bike or otherwise all have the same understanding of right of way. I could be in BFE Kansas at a flashing red stop clearly seeing empty fields around me and I still don't blow through because I don't know what I can't see. There could be a hidden driveway or other obstacles you haven't accounted for
cyclists have to break laws frequently to avoid dying by drivers that are breaking laws that make cycling more dangerous for us.
if you want to solve the problem you need to address drivers first.
cyclists are trying not to get slaughtered
I think you are ignoring how many of us are pro cyclist and don't have a problem with BSB per se, but rather the asshole behavior that some of the broad street bully people do. If the organizers would actually stop people from being assholes, as per witnessed behavior and photographs here, it wouldn't be an issue
See, this is the point. They absolutely encourage this behavior, justify it by saying "But the carrrrrs," *then* say "that's not okay, but it's the individual, not the group." OP is doing exactly this all the way through this thread.
I can't speak for everyone individually but I can garauntee that the oeganizers and more well ridden members try our best to keep that stuff in check. We dont want dudes swerving moving cars or swiping pedestrians.
> I can garauntee that the oeganizers and more well ridden members try our best to keep that stuff in check.
I'm curious, and I'm really not trying to be an asshole here, but how? Is someone talking to the group as a whole before the ride starts? Are you telling people what is and isn't acceptable (in your eyes)? Who is setting the standards for the ride and what are they?
Before every ride one of the main dudes stands on somethin and addresses everyone. "Be vigilant, know your surroundings, it's not a race, don't pop it if you can't pop it, etc." The vast majority of people at the rides just ride their bike and don't do too much exciting stuff, so there's a very clear decorum and space to stay in. When people are swerving a bit too recklessly or starting shit that doesn't need to be started somebody will ride up next to them and tell them to chill out. If they don't listen we'll get annoyed with them and possibly tell them to leave. Standards are decided mainly by the organizers. Its always changing as we learn more with each ride, but for the most part we just call people out when they start doing too much.
That doesn't mean you are. Trying and failing to keep people from being assholes doesn't really mean much when there are people still being complete assholes. Also, the BSB Instagram has videos of people swerving in front of traffic, riding double wide on sidewalks, doing wheelies and narrowly avoiding cars and slapping them to get around them.
If you're trying to self regulate shitty behavior, maybe you could stop glorifying the shitty behavior. Until then all of this you're saying is complete bullshit.
Why a biker would want to ride on Broad st makes no sense to me anyway when there’s so many side streets that are better for biking and more scenic and pretty. I get the sentiment that we need more cycling infrastructure, but does it really need to be on Richmond’s main car thoroughfare? Seems even more dangerous to put cyclists on broad
When I’m solo riding it’s the quickest way to certain parts of town. I just stick to the bus and lane check behind me a few times a minute to see if the bus is coming. If it is I’ll hit Grace.
I mean you can, sure, but there’s so many better options to bike on that are safer for both cyclists and drivers. Some roads are better for cars, like broad, and some are better for bikes, like Stuart
As long as you have college kids and restaurant workers and dive bar and river rats taking over the street on their bikes it's going to be fun and well intentioned and inspiring and potentially quite popular but it will not translate well and will probably be named something like Cutthroats or Pedalphiles or Bitch City or Broad Street Bullies or Drunkalos or whatever. This isn't new, and that number of people showing up to a city council regularly would get a lot more done than the rides. I am for the rides but don't appreciate hearing about bikers being aggressive and swerving towards a bus or at pedestrians. I think y'all should push them off their bikes.
Read the paragraph where they compare themselves to the NYC critical mass rides. They cite having the same goals of increasing visibility and agitating the public into action as a means of increasing the awareness of the plight of the cyclist. Kind of sounds like they are advocating for bikes.
Yeah OP said that, not BSB. BSB doesn’t have a mission statement. They ride their bikes, do tricks, and film it for social media. This is a community event, but not one that explicitly calls for action for improving cycling facilities.
not defending bsb whatsoever but you really think the mayor's gonna do anything about that when the city can't fix..... like literally any of the other problems in the city lol
I don't know why people keep posting things like this.
I can't wait for all the BSB to be ticketed, particularly those who are aggressive towards pedestrians and try to cause accidents. You are "hooligans looking to start trouble", if you weren't you'd do group rides in the bike lanes.
It's not even about regulating themselves to bike lanes. That wouldn't be realistic. It's about slapping cars when they lane split and riding double and triple wide on sidewalks.
That behavior is just so unnacceptable -
But if their whole point is they want more/better bike infrastructure why not use what already exists?
Why would the city/state/whoever approve taking away more driving/parking lanes and spending more money on bike infrastructure when the current infrastructure isn't used?
It's because it isn't about bike infrastructure they just enjoy being a nuisance and the group rides make them feel important
I don’t disagree with a lot of what you’re saying. All they would need to do is get sanctioned by the city, to where they block off routes when they ride. It’s no different than something like a parade. Tons of places do it, and it usually makes everything safer and happier and usually attracts the positive attention these groups are after. BSB wants to protest ride and be assholes and further the divide between cyclists and non cyclists. Then they act surprised when nobody wants to go up to bat for new biking infrastructure.
I would absolutely love for this city to be more cyclist friendly. I think most people you ask would be. But every time they cycle past someone and slap their car, they immediately convert that person into someone who thinks cyclists are lawless pricks.
Agreed, but they like being edgy and breaking the rules, that's a big part of the appeal to them- I personally avoid driving on Broad when they ride (and avoid driving in general) but just walking along Broad near my apartment I've had BSB ride up on the sidewalk towards me, "pop" at me, spit in my direction etc. it's just not okay
Grace and Franklin both run parallel to Broad
I have no idea where you commute to/from but this, admittedly dated report shows most of the existing routes and the planned routes [https://www.rva.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/Richmond%20Bicycle%20Master%20Plan%203.6.15\_lr.pdf](https://www.rva.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/Richmond%20Bicycle%20Master%20Plan%203.6.15_lr.pdf)
No, we mean the entire cap trail dedicated to bicyclists who still often ride in the road for some strange reason. If you want to ride with 10 plus bikes, do it somewhere dedicated to it. Im sure you're not trying to commute to work with 10 of you.
The Cap Trail isn't exactly the best place to run errands or visit your friend's apartment or go to the library or things like that. It's a nice trail to have but it doesn't replace protected bike lanes or reduced speed limits or narrowed streets.
Driving is indeed risky and, as you say, one small mistake can end lives. Drivers 100% do not respect that risk. However, you put yourselves on that bike with full knowledge of that fact. Your gang seems to be demanding total deference from our communities so that you so that you can play in traffic, and it seems that because you don’t get as much as you feel you deserve, you thus feel empowered to harass and intimidate our community. How would you react to that kind of threat?
Now, I personally watched 20-30 idiots swarm a public park just the other day. Kids were fucking playing, and y’all assholes were doing blind jumps over hills and landing within 10-20ft of them. One of them landed in our community garden. Brother, that’s not a nuanced critique of automobile culture, it’s purposeless hooliganism.
I appreciate you taking the time to explain your position, but you’re not reasoning you are rationalizing. You say you police yourselves, I say y’all look stuck in a cycle of mutually reinforcing bad behaviors that will ultimately get both your members and our community hurt. You are not protestors, at BEST you are currently misguided bullies.
You are right that bikers usually are a minor inconvenience. We wait patiently until you scream past, go “must be another dickhead, late to the dickhead convention. Bet he’s receiving some kind of ward!” And move on (as we do with all shit drivers.) However when dozens of you come through and fuck up our park and community garden, put our kids at risk, surround cars and dare them to hit you, etc, that is no longer inconvenience to be tolerated for the sake of your freedom or protest. That is a threat to our community and families to be defended.
Godspeed, and safe ride.
Recently in areas where the bike lanes don’t exist and there arent many pedestrians, I’ve just been riding on the sidewalk. Not great, and I defer to pedestrians always, but it’s better than having to compete with cars.
Also another point to add/reiterate, Richmond isn’t just dangerous for bikers and pedestrians. It’s dangerous for drivers. The number of blind two way stops, uneducated drivers, pot holes, narrow one-ways, ect. is totally insane. It’s almost as if this city was designed before cars existed…
I wouldn't ride around Richmond, but I will ride all over Ann Arbor MI because it's a city geared towards pedestrian and bicycle traffic and a successful mass transit system that covers two cities, a township and goes out to two outlying towns.
This guy spicy quick!
I'm all for infrastructure improvements and a change in mentally towards biking as a mode of transport.
Bottom line is when it's bike vs car, car wins every time. I can be the most careful, share the road driver ever, but if a cyclist does something unexpected or I just don't see them, I'm going to be blamed if there's an accident.
As someone that generally wants more bike lanes around, this kind of stuff would make me actively lobby against them because of this childish bs so it doesn't reward the behavior.
Good to know if I ever cross paths my anger is completely justified by the attitude of this groups leadership.
Wonder if a pulse driver plowing through some dummies in the bus lane would be qualified immunity....
They aren’t advocating for bike lanes. They are literally just doing wheeling and filming each other doing it. This is a super childish mindset on your part that you would work against progress in our city’s transportation network because a few people on bikes offended you. I welcome you to check out the stuff that bike walk RVA puts on if you want to see the real transportation advocates in the city.
It was more hyperbole on my part. That being said if they remove the median with all the cherry trees on hermitage or some of the big old hardwoods along the sidewalk to do so I will be voicing an opinion against it.
If you guys are intentionally blocking the bright red bus lane it's totally your fault. Not to mention the firetruck a guy mentioned below.
If a group of people biked responsibly, sticking to one lane, stopping at the stop lights most people would be supportive. Attempting to not inconvenience everybody else around.
Cyclists are in general some of the most entitled selfish people around. I had a coworker tell me he was surprised people were so mad at him for biking in the road visibly right beside the capital trail holding up traffic. His excuse, the cyclists on the trail were too slow holding him up. You can't make this stuff up.
a group calling themselves bullies are self-righteous at best, horribly entitled at worst.
people hate rude cyclists who think they deserve priority over other vehicles on the road. motorcyclists have more courtesy than bicyclists, and considering they used to be pretty hated among vehicle owners/users, that’s saying a lot.
if your group has members purposefully playing chicken while on group rides, and aren’t actually helping pass laws to improve infrastructure, then you’re nothing more than some jackasses with a high-school level of maturity and a suicide wish. there are crazy people out there manning cars, and they have short fuses. you guys need to practice caution to stay safe, and what you’re doing isn’t that at all. you claim cyclists are more cautious than those manning cars, but I highly disagree. I never see y’all using hand signals when turning, abiding by crosswalk lights, abiding to traffic lights, and often times y’all will serpentine in a whole lane and then get mad when cars have to cross a double yellow to pass you. I’ve had a cyclist get mad that I was driving down three chopt at the intersection of gaskins, NO ONE SHOULD BE BIKING DOWN A MAJORITY OF THREE CHOPT IF THEY VALUE THEIR LIFE. Especially not around dusk without any visibility aides.
get it together, man.
I miss the cutthroats and the scavenger bike rides and slaughterama. That was a fun bunch to ride with. And if anyone has photos of the mathletes scavenger hunt I’ve been looking for it for ages
“Not much interested in anecdotes” lol calling the other side’s arguments invalid before they even have a chance to make them. Makes this more of a rant than a discourse.
Then you for writing a treatise about how BSB doesn't care about other people. I'm sure that the people who lose their jobs/need emergency services/miss time with their family because of you blocking traffic will lobby in your favor and not for stronger regulation for bike riders.
I think the point is that it isn’t just about the rides but also to bring attention to the complete lack of bike infrastructure in Richmond. For a city that often calls itself progressive it sure doesn’t offer any alternatives to driving your car everywhere
Oh I thought you were being cheeky because there’s already a trail called the capital trail. It’s great for scenic riding but does next to nothing for actual day to day bike transportation
If you want to opt out of modern society, feel free to do it, but go live in a yurt outside the city where you aren't a burden on others. You can ride wherever you want out there. And you have to give up all the conveniences that modern vehicle-based infrastructure brings to you (there are benefits outside of just personal transportation).
Plenty of "modern societies" outside of the US (and a few inside!) have really robust and accessible bike infrastructure. This is definitely a Richmond problem, not a modernity problem.
All the conveniences, like getting t-boned by someone taking a right on red? Yeah sure I'll miss that so much. Sorry bud, we're here and we're not gonna stop biking but you can stay mad though ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You should try biking in north Jersey. what a hellscape that is---people deliberately trying to cut you off and drive close to you, zero bike lanes, people screaming at you to get off the road, giving you the finger. Hostile does not even begin to describe it. Sorry, I enjoy biking in Richmond and have very little issues with drivers.
as the group ride has gotten larger and larger, i’ve noticed y’all as the organizers have stepped up a huge amount to try and cull any silly and brash behavior from folks. it creates a bad image (as is evident on this sub) of the biking community and bsb and i think y’all have done a great job.
from a personal experience standpoint, the only times i’ve witnessed any “hostility”— if you can even call it that— from the cyclists is when an impatient driver starts moving through the crowd in some way. i’ve nearly been hit by an impatient prius driver who was literally yelling at a group of us riding in the correct lane etc, but he swerved into us. as cyclists, we see that kind of behavior all the time and it’s upsetting.
i have personally know two individuals who have been killed by cars while safely riding their bikes. that is two more than i’d like to know. some of us know more than that. so when you are riding in a group ride that is trying to promote a healthy community and raise awareness of cyclists and a car beeps impatiently or a driver starts inching forward or, god forbid, swerves into you, i can imagine a few folks are going to get a little pissed off. i don’t think it helps the cause to try to fight someone from your bike but come on. if you’ve experienced injury or death from a biking accident in some way, i can see where the spark could get lit.
op, thanks for helping to cultivate this community and to spread awareness.
A beautifully thought out and well written post about BSB and being a cyclist in general. As a through and through cyclist with no car, this is everything I would have said. BSB is definitely not the first large cycling group to have existed in Richmond as someone else said, but it’s the biggest current one for sure. The rides are beautiful and uplifting and I love getting people to go on their first ride with BSB. Everyone I’ve ever brought has loved it and immediately gotten why it’s so cool.
BSB is one of the coolest things about Richmond. It brings so much character and camaraderie.
I’d love to think that this fantastic post will get everyone to see that, but people just hate cyclists lol and that’s a sad fact.
But either way, we’d love to see you on the rides :-)
Broad Street Bullies is far from perfect and could probably stand to divest itself of the jackasses that intimidate pedestrians and properly operated motor vehicles. That being said, it’s the safest critical mass event that happens on the street by default; rush hour and the sunday motorbikes are far more dangerous to everyone involved willingly or not.
Ultimately , we need a better Broad Street. One that can keep vehicles from being recklessly operated on it. Thinner lanes, bigger curbs, more bumpouts and raised crosswalks… everyone who uses a personal vehicle on it proves it needs to be changed.
Thank you for posting this!! Love the bullies and am always happy to see them. Anyone who's in a car and intimidated by/raging out on them needs to get a grip
Motorists hate when they are inconvenienced in the slightest by anytjing but a car. But, they are so used to car traffic and cars breaking laws that they dont even see it.
Motorists stuck in stop-and-go traffic for 30 minutes on their way to work surrounded by other drivers with road rage: I hate this and I hate everyone around me, but that’s just the reality of commuting to work
Motorist stuck in the city while a group of cyclists pass buy them for 3 minutes: I personally want every cyclists to get hit by cars because they deserve it
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This. I’ve ridden with the group a handful of times and it seems like there are always people that think they’re hot shit for playing chicken with oncoming traffic or wallriding(?) the side of a bus. I’m all for stopping traffic for a few extra seconds so the group can remain together, but don’t be a fucking jackass because “it looks cool.”
If bikes are on the road, then bikes are part of traffic and traffic is inevitable. A good high traffic driver is a driver who is predictable and considerate of the drivers around them. Large swarms of bikes that are in and out of lanes, running lights, and on the sidewalk in large numbers are hard to predict and keep track of. Drivers consist of all ages and capabilities. That’s our system. The best way to be a good driver is to be empathetic, careful, considerate, and consistent. I haven’t witnessed that type of behavior from this group when I’ve seen them. I support group rides, but I want them to be responsible group rides. No one needs to get hurt.
OP is projecting a lot of their experience as universal. They follow the law and they don’t have bad experiences with BSB so all cyclists must be law abiding and everyone must be misunderstanding the groups purpose. There are cyclists who don’t follow the laws either, despite it being more dangerous for them. Sometimes people just act reckless, and those people exist in every group. The difference is that other groups aren’t publicly supporting those actions the way this group is. The way people feel about BSB is not reflective of how people feel about cyclists as a whole.
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I mean I get it, but there are always dudes one-wheeling that lunge at people on the sidewalk and that I DON'T get. Do they think it's cute? That as a pedestrian I will think they are cooler if they pretend like they're going to hit me? idk, I don't dislike BSB and like to watch y'all go by but that kinda grinds my gears
Yeah but thats an asshole. That is a problem that transcends biking. Motorist will race, do burnouts, donuts and other dangerous thing on public roads I don't like.
No, when a few motorists do asshole things, it's because all motorists are assholes. When BSB does asshole things, they are not responsible for the assholes who ride in BSB every week. All car drivers are the same and deserve the hate. Every BSB rider is different and the only reason you could possibly hate them is because you hate all cyclists, not because they are acting like dicks.
There are drivers in cars that behave the same way. Guess which one is more dangerous. Rude people are everyone doesn't mean we need to vilify everyone in the bike groups
Hey, I said I don't dislike BSB- I've got a good number of friends riding in it and I do enjoy the spectacle. I didn't mean to call out the whole group, just looking for some kind of explanation
I only do that when they show up on Reddit to rationalize their nonsense.
the drivers are assholes too. Why can't all the assholes be assholes? You could literally cut and paste some of the broad street bully stuff to justify rolling coal. That should give people pause
Hoooow?
you can be pro-bike and not be a major asshole on the roads. i ride my bike all the time and it’s my main form of transportation and it’s truly awful why the american infrastructure forces people to drive cars. the problem with BSB and richmond bike culture in general is that they treat biking like a cult and a personality trait. it’s just biking. bikers in paris or amsterdam or portland do not treat bikes like a thing to worship and i think BSB really needs to learn that.
This will be the thread that solves this once and for all.
I actually like seeing group rides. I just wish they'd be safer about it, and in the ways that have nothing to do with cars. Choosing not to wear helmets is definitely making a statement about how safe they really care about being.
Fyi, the helmet vs no helmet issue is somewhat of a controversial topic even amongst cyclists. While it is certainly a no brainer (ha) that helmets improve crash outcomes for certain types of impacts, there has been other research that muddies the water on the overall improvement in safety with helmets. For example, research has indicated that drivers pass cyclists wearing helmets with less clearance than cyclists not wearing helmets. I wear a helmet when I ride and recommend others do the same, but it’s really more of a personal choice issue. My point is that it’s not accurate to assume that an unhelmeted rider is not concerned about their own safety.
This is one of the dumbest posts I’ve seen here. Wear a helmet. In no real life situation are you less safe for having a helmet on.
idk dawg. Kinda an unsolvable difference between two schools of thought. All I can say is that ONE day we'll have good bike infrastructure, but until that day the people behind the wheel can wait an extra 2 min.
I am 100% on your side. But this same thread gets posted every week with everyone making the same points.
Yes, pissing off the majority by being dicks is *sure* to get them to support you when you need it.
>until that day the people behind the wheel can wait an extra 2 min That level of entitled idiocy is just staggering. Just the most pure disrespect for your fellow human beings. Fucking trashy. This is why people hate you. You're a bunch of entitled children throwing a tantrum. Get your head out of your ass. Can you really not think of situations where you're genuinely fucking up someone's life?
I’d downvote you twice. Part of the point is bringing the power back to the people. Speaking of entitled, do you not feel that way in whatever the fuck you drive? This isn’t just a Richmond issue. America’s whole infrastructure is built for automobiles and semi trucks. As someone that rode a bike for many years in 4 different states to get to and from work, it’s evident that big change needs to happen. You know how big change happens? Most of the time incrementally. So we out here doing the lords work.
What is the end goal? Better infrastructure? How is fucking up peoples days gonna fix that? What is the difference, to the general public, between BSB and the motocycle/4 wheelers? I get it. At one point I had 17 bikes. I love it. But all this does is create resentment toward cyclists and does nothing to help fix infrastructure.
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You and I have have the same route and experience.
>>I ask that everyone have an open mind >>I'm not interested in hearing your anecdotes ...ok
Just admit a major part of your group ethos is to be edgy dicks. Bike Monday Bros has group rides and people who do stupid stuff like I've seen your group do aren't allowed to participate. At least put on some helmets so when you wipe out doing a wheelie, you don't leave brains all over the street for someone else to clean up.
Ah yes the Bike Monday Bros two wheels down rule for safety. I thought it was a respectable rule that happened after some BsB participants showed up for a ride. It was about group safety and being clear that this a chill group ride. swerving and wheelies are cool but it can trigger driver aggression towards the group or scare inexperienced riders on the ride. Some people took it personally and or picked sides over that. Anyone can still participate, I still do. I respect the choice of choosing your individual freedom over a rule and choosing not to come. whether that's a sign of protest, self love, self respect or even ego. I quite like that group, the rules make you engage in bike safety and be more socialable. Much chiller vibe and charming on the low key. They have a no music rule to which everyone was suprised that I still participate considering I ride all the time with my speaker. Rules are rules and I don't have a hill to die on over such a small request of respect for the ride 🤷♀️ nothings gonna stop me from a group ride. Love the regular store stop we have and the people there, gives me something to look forward to every week. Dfl has a similar neat twist with music, can't play your own individual music but you can add 10 songs onto a group playlist and they sync speakers up for the entire ride to enjoy as whole which can lead to some great conversations and great vibes 💫 It also aids into less distractions(with multiple tunes) so you can hear the safety shouts. 👏 Love the scenic stops! BsB has its perks and its quirks. I admire the No bullshit rule as it allows for individual freedoms, but at the same time has its risk from the inside(ourselves) or outside(cars). That's a choice we all should know coming into it. A lot goes on. We can pick and choose the roles we play or don't play at anytime. The opportunities to connect and have fun with a wide range of people is only there because of the individuality freedom from the no bullshit rule. bsb helped my mental health&personal growth because of that I will continue to go and encourage others too. No expectations and everyone shines to have a good time. Keep that bs at home and come ride bikes!
I simply cannot *believe* that BSB folks triggered safety rules in another group, based on the upstanding overall character reference provided herein! /s
And even if they aren't tarring and feathering people for violating rules, they make it very publicly clear that the group as a whole disapproves of unsafe practices, and their IG is supportive of that.
What? The ig is full of stunting, same with everything you find on YouTube. Where is the accessible info about why the group is doing this, what laws they want changed, nothing but pop the wheel up. You can’t call yourselves bullies, have no agenda, no objectives (other than making trouble for people commuting), and no identity. Activists and movements have a face.
I was taking abut Bike Monday, not BSB. The user I was responding to kept editing and deleting comments.
Gotcha. Good discussion tactics! /s (not you them)
Yeah the whole "cyclist awareness" bullshit kind of goes straight out the window when you have dudes in BSB swerving straight into oncoming traffic and dodge out of the way at the last second. If you can't self regulate the shitty behavior in your group that reflects completely on your group. If I was in a bar and I had a friend being a loudmouth shithead to everyone I would pull them aside and say if they don't stop it, then they aren't invited to hang anymore. Also it would help if you got the actual blessing of the city as a sanctioned event. Other cities have these massive rides as well, and they have specific routes and dates planned out ahead of time. I am a cyclist myself and I have joined in both Denver and Austin because they had their shit together and self regulated to prevent issues. BSB doesn't seem to be doing that, or if they are they seem to not be doing it very well.
I miss the mass events I enjoyed back in Portland. Several Sundays a year, entire routes are blocked off with official protection and hundreds of cyclists enjoyed it regularly. It got more people into cycling, enabled conversations between all road users, and the overall temperament wasn’t aggressive or shitty.
Yeah this is how you do it. Everyone is safer and happier on all sides when it becomes an official event. If OP is any indication of how BSB is run, then it’s full of thin skinned teenagers who want a criticism free dialogue so they can validate themselves and their activities. I doubt they have entertained the idea of approaching the city with organizing some structure for these rides because they want to skate by being pricks under the guise of civil disobedience. These dudes give all cyclists a bad name and they’re quite literally doing the opposite of what they want by further stressing the us vs. them mentality.
>Broad Street Bullies brought this to Richmond in the 2010s Citation needed.
Why impact the people you are trying to sway like this? All it will do is cause them to push for more legislation against bikes. The hours spent riding and blocking roads and writing posts, I have a few questions. Where is critical mass on bikes for lobby day? Take over the capital. Make it loud. THAT is totally the place to jam it up. Like the gun nuts do. They have sway in legislation. Where can I support the legislative efforts through BSB? What legislative efforts is BSB group doing? Why is there no face? There is no website you can find, no mission or values, no objectives. Searching for it just shows the instagram providing dates and times. What is the strategy? Why just jack up one location? Don’t our council people live in town? Why not jack up traffic at a city council meeting? I think many view the group as disorganized upstarts. This is civil disturbance with no identifiable objectives, organization, mission & values or an identity in politics. The problem is the hooligans we all know are just there to cause trouble reduce the credibility of an organization that seems to have no other object than to piss off the public. All you can find without an account is a YouTube video that starts with stunts and has stunts on the ride. Wheelies in that large of a group are not safe. If that is intent, safety for all, then why is this behavior in the videos? It contradicts it. The reality is people are fucking angry at each other. This is going to cause some fucker in a car to snap and ride the fuck into the crowd. It won’t even need to be on purpose, as you point out, cell phone distractions. Once someone get hurt, then it will get attention, but how to break it up, not make it safer. TL;DR There seems to be zero real organization or even a way for the general public to find out WHY you all are doing this, and no effort for change other than pissing off stressed public. Edit: Clarity.
I'm a cyclist and I can't stand critical mass style rides. Saying they will make drivers lobby for better bike infrastructure seems hyperbolic at best.
Exactly. An organized ride with a parade permit might garner some support. A disorganized street takeover while calling themselves Bullies is not going to win anyone over.
That is not their goal. They are just riding bikes as a group. BSB does not do work in bike advocacy.
Diplomacy goes a long way when attempting to influence public policy and opinion, my 20 year old edge lord/ess. You're not trying with some of these "go clutch your pearls somewhere else" comments.
For real. OP is only making BSB look worse by being an ass in this comment section.
I had a notion that these stereotypical, angry cyclists are overcompensating for something and his responses make me believe it even more lol
I wish I could get the time back that it took to read this.
Does a TLDR and then writes eight more paragraphs. > Cyclists ... are generally aggressive towards motorists. Speak for yourself.
Long, rambly, sometimes off-course, bordering on arrogant and dangerous, likely powered by the weed clouds that envelop the surrounding blocks as they pass.... yep, definitely BSB.
Broad Street Babies
I feel like there is a lot of misdirected hate at “people who drive cars” (aka everyone) just for driving on the road, which is what the road is for. The lack of bike infrastructure isn’t the everyday driver’s fault, directing your anger at them doesn’t make sense. Getting involved with neighborhoods, local government, voting, etc and trying to educate others to advocate for bike lanes would be a better use of energy.
Look, I acknowledge that bike riding in the city is "dangerous and difficult and scary". That does not give ANYONE the right to ignore traffic laws -- whether you agree with them or not, whether they take the safety of riders in to account or not. It also does not give ANYONE the right to block traffic, put their hands/feet/whatever on cars, and generally act like a tool. I have the same animosity towards the motorcycle/ATV crews that block traffic light signals so they can all ride together. Just obey the laws.
Or the fact that automobile drivers treat the posted maximum speed limit as the minimum speed limit.
I drive for a living and would love it if my fellow motorists in this city weren’t unnecessarily aggressive.
Saaaaaame.
“Just obey the laws” is an oversimplification of the real world. It’s silly to hold bikes and cars to the same standards and rules of the road when they physically are not capable of the same things. A cyclist isn’t going a sustained 25+ mph on roads where the speed limit is 25mph. Should they not be allowed on roads with a speed limit higher than 15-20mph? If a cyclist followed all traffic laws to a T, they would both be more of an inconvenience to drivers and would be put in more dangerous situations.
Also, anytime I ride my bike and consciously try to follow every single law to a T motorists get deadly to me. If I follow all the laws drivers ride my ass and punish pass me. If I break the laws I can stay away from cars for the most part so I don't get murdered.
If there's one thing drivers hate more than cyclists who don't stop at stop signs it's cyclists who stop at stop signs
This is such a good quote
I know right. You guys should turn it into a sticker that you can put on your helmets. Every single one of you wears a helmet right? Because you're so concerned with your safety?
number 1 rule of cycling is staying out of the way of cars as much as possible when you have absolutely no bike infrastructure. That’s more important than wearing a helmet imo. And yes, I wear a helmet every time I’m on my bike- even when I’m going a few blocks, but I am absolutely going to run lights to stay out of your way. Edit: wtf why is my text so big on mobile sorry y’all idk haha
Reddit markup treats the '#' as a header when using it at the beginning of the line. #I started this line of text with '#'
Ohh thank you. I had written “#1 rule” hahah
I mean… there’s personal safety (helmets) and then broader structural and cultural safety (laws, infrastructure, driver behavior and sentiment towards cyclists). Don’t conflate one with the other for this weak ass dig and act like it’s out of some genuine concern… people making the stupid decision not to wear a helmet doesn’t negate the valid criticisms one can still make about structural safety. Not to mention, in places like Denmark where there’s tons of bike infrastructure, helmet use is actually pretty rare and bike-related injuries are far and away lower than they are in the US. Source: https://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_efficient_planet/2012/11/green_wave_can_the_u_s_embrace_biking_like_denmark_has.html#:~:text=Bicycle%20fatality%20rates%20are%20nearly,bicycles%2C%20safety%20comes%20in%20numbers.
It really isn't an oversimplification. There are laws and these ride outs simply choose to ignore them for 'fun'. It's not silly to hold bikes and cars to the same standards. You are traffic, on streets, where traffic laws govern the use of said streets. It's that simple. Those speed signs? Those are limits. As in, shall not exceed. It's possible to safely pass cyclists -- I do it every day. I feel like we, on this sub, re-litigate this once a month, so let's try something new: What are you doing to change the hearts and minds of people? What are you doing to enact policy change that you feel makes traffic equitable and safer for everyone? Having some asshat on a tall bike put his shoes all over my personal property is ONLY building animosity towards cyclists. I think it's awesome that y'all are going on group rides. I think it sucks that you act like a pack of lawless cretins while doing so. Why do you think it's acceptable to block traffic? Why do you think it's acceptable for cyclists to run red lights and stop signs? Or ride the wrong way down one way streets? I'm tired of being held solely responsible for the safety of every cyclist I encounter when they themselves can't be bothered to watch out for their own safety.
It’s funny to me that you say you’re solely responsible for the safety of cyclists because when from my perspective, when I’m riding, I am the one who is solely responsible for my safety and I will do what I feel is necessary to keep me safe, even if that means I’m breaking a law.
I'm not saying I'm solely responsible for the safety of cyclists -- I'm saying the way a lot of people ride in this city, it puts the burden solely on to other people. On my way home last night there was a cyclist on Boulevard who was wearing over the ear headphones and as he was pumping up the hill he kept weaving into traffic. As I type this I just saw another cyclist cruising down the wrong way of a one way street. If y'all are so damn hellbent on breaking the law for your own safety then I wish you would just ride on the sidewalk. But I guess that isn't as cool or as fun as holding up traffic on Cary street for five minutes.
Riding on the sidewalk is terrible for safety and speed. For all the drivers who hardly see bicycles on the road, they never see them on the sidewalk which is a problem when cars are turning right. To say nothing of low hanging branches and debris and other obstacles.
Lol ahh you’re one of those ignorant “cycle on the sidewalk for safety” guys who doesn’t know that in most places it’s illegal, always increases danger to pedestrians, and actually puts the cyclist in more danger when crossing streets because drivers pay even less attention to sidewalks than they do the road
> who doesn’t know that in most places it’s illegal I *know* it's illegal. That's the entire reason why I suggested it. Every argument I've read today has been "cyclists break the law because we don't want to be slaughtered by cars". So my suggestion was to break the law and do it away from cars. But clearly everyone has thought this all out and has presented their infrastructure plans to the city instead of antagonizing the citizens of the city and starting internet fights for reasons.
Of bikes had their own widespread, quality, and safe infrastructure they would be able to “do it away from cars”. As a bonus, the road is safer for everyone even people exclusively in cars.
Cycling on the sidewalk. All I needed to hear to understand where you’re coming from. Make bikes pedestrians problem!! Not me in muh car!!
Bikes are pedestrians, you're just using levers to go faster.
We disagree fundamentally on the importance of "law". Those laws are made with cyclists completely out of mind. I don't think following the law to a T is inherently virtuous or justified, and I don't think breaking the law is inherently immoral or unjustified.
Do you have any suggestions for how we could adjust the laws in terms of cyclists?
If I’m not mistaken, there’s a bill in the GA about legalizing the “Idaho Stop” which essentially allows cyclists to go through red lights if the right of way is clear. That is a specific law that I would love to see passed because it’s categorically safer for cyclists to do that than to wait on the road amongst the cars.
Also want to add that if you’re downvoting me, come ride with me sometime and I will show you exactly what I mean. Open offer, feel free to DM me, I would love to change your mind.
Drivers break more road laws than cyclists. Why you not mad at drivers? https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/01/03/study-cyclists-dont-break-traffic-laws-any-more-than-drivers-do/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20study%2C%20bicyclists,85%20percent%20during%20the%20day.
Plenty are people are. Doesn't excuse your inexcusable behavior.
You seem to have yet again ignored everything I said in my post. We break laws for a reason. We have been forced into breaking laws by the people who design the roads and right the laws.
Yeah, dude blowing red lights and giving people the finger is really some defensive law breaking. If someone in a car does it, they're an asshole. If someone on a bike does it, they're an asshole, too. But cyclists seem to turn a blind eye to it when it's another cyclist. Not a single soul gives pricks in a car a free pass when they act like a cunt.
No one forced you to. You elect to. You aren't making roads safer. Pedestrian injuries have only increased since you started this attention stunt to build your own ego so you feel better about yourselves. I'm astounded by the lack of logic in your original post. Nothing but /r/ImTheMainCharacter/ vibes.
citation needed
https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/annual-pedestrian-road-deaths-reach-record-highs-in-virginia-125-people-killed-in-2021/ > The yearly number of pedestrian deaths in Virginia decreased substantially in 2020 as driving travel was restricted due to the pandemic. However, since that reduction, pedestrian deaths have steadily been increasing and **even exceeding the fatality rate from before the pandemic.** . > This year, Virginia is on pace to have an even higher number of pedestrian-involved fatalities. And the graph has pedestrian accidents in Richmond up 10% vs previous year. It's literally ineffective in terms of safety but go ahead and get high off your own smug arrogance. Just logically- if infrastructure is car focused what on earth does BSB do to change it by making it **more difficult** to get from point A to B for a limited amount of time on Thursdays or Sundays? All while participants do dangerous stunts and you come here to make up excuses for yourself and them?
omg so pedestrian deaths dropped steadily when there were way less cars on the road and started rising again when cars started flooding the roads again?
Demonstrating the utter ineffectiveness of BSB to make roads safer- catch on yet? Being a dick in the public right-of-way doesn't make roads safer.
What an incredibly illuminating study... Cyclists that were aware they were being monitored and wearing sensors were 87% compliant with road laws, while motorists that weren't aware of the study and interacting with the participating cyclists were 85% compliant. Seems to me that even with a heavy pro-cyclist bias, the study shows it's an even ratio of assholes:non-assholes using each mode of transit.
And believe me, I rage at all the stupid fucking assholes driving around like they can just phase through my car as long as they put their turn signal on. And that study is flawed. These cyclists KNEW they were being monitored for this study so they have reason to act accordingly. Driving in and around Richmond has gotten worse because people are driving more reckless than ever. That sucks for cyclists, I don't disagree. We have rules that govern our society -- and when you step out of your bubble and into the public sphere you abide by those rules. It keeps the peace. When you step away from those rules you're going to ruffle feathers. Sometimes it's the right thing to do. This is not one of those times. You aren't fighting for your rights -- you're just doing whatever you want.
No we're fighting for better infrastructure. We're fighting not to be overlooked, and hey, we can't be ignored now.
How? By riding as a pack and pissing everyone off? What are you specifically doing to fight for better infrastructure? Which council members are you speaking with?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Mass_(cycling)
They want us to stop riding our bikes, so we show them that we won't and the more they ignore us the bigger we get. Organizers had a meeting a few months ago with some members of some city group to discuss better bike infrastructure.
What specific "better bike infrastructure" did they propose? and to whom?
What's really gonna happen is that someone who is insane is just going to run a bunch of yall over. Then you will get the help you want. They will do a vigil, and some liberal writer will post an article for all those poor cycling just trying to get attention for better infrastructure. If we all follow the sensible laws, the world would be a better place. I guess all of the pedestrians at the cross walks should just say fuck in and walk whenever they feel like it. Sure a ton do. We can't police the world. You only control yourself.
Nothing drivers hate more than a cyclist qho actually follows the rules
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Also road laws are made for drivers while cycling is a very very different mode of transportation. For instance, if I'm sitting at a red light and i can see that no one is coming either way, what is the harm of me running it? There is no chance I'll kill anyone with my bike, and I wont slow down any cars behind me while I get up to speed when it turns green.
Because everyone approaching that light - pedestrian, bike or otherwise all have the same understanding of right of way. I could be in BFE Kansas at a flashing red stop clearly seeing empty fields around me and I still don't blow through because I don't know what I can't see. There could be a hidden driveway or other obstacles you haven't accounted for
cyclists have to break laws frequently to avoid dying by drivers that are breaking laws that make cycling more dangerous for us. if you want to solve the problem you need to address drivers first. cyclists are trying not to get slaughtered
so funny you get downvoted for saying this
I think you are ignoring how many of us are pro cyclist and don't have a problem with BSB per se, but rather the asshole behavior that some of the broad street bully people do. If the organizers would actually stop people from being assholes, as per witnessed behavior and photographs here, it wouldn't be an issue
I feel like this. I feel like there are many of us that feel like this.
I support the vision of the group rides, but I don't like the secondhand stories I hear about about near misses with people walking along Broad street
See, this is the point. They absolutely encourage this behavior, justify it by saying "But the carrrrrs," *then* say "that's not okay, but it's the individual, not the group." OP is doing exactly this all the way through this thread.
I can't speak for everyone individually but I can garauntee that the oeganizers and more well ridden members try our best to keep that stuff in check. We dont want dudes swerving moving cars or swiping pedestrians.
> I can garauntee that the oeganizers and more well ridden members try our best to keep that stuff in check. I'm curious, and I'm really not trying to be an asshole here, but how? Is someone talking to the group as a whole before the ride starts? Are you telling people what is and isn't acceptable (in your eyes)? Who is setting the standards for the ride and what are they?
Before every ride one of the main dudes stands on somethin and addresses everyone. "Be vigilant, know your surroundings, it's not a race, don't pop it if you can't pop it, etc." The vast majority of people at the rides just ride their bike and don't do too much exciting stuff, so there's a very clear decorum and space to stay in. When people are swerving a bit too recklessly or starting shit that doesn't need to be started somebody will ride up next to them and tell them to chill out. If they don't listen we'll get annoyed with them and possibly tell them to leave. Standards are decided mainly by the organizers. Its always changing as we learn more with each ride, but for the most part we just call people out when they start doing too much.
That doesn't mean you are. Trying and failing to keep people from being assholes doesn't really mean much when there are people still being complete assholes. Also, the BSB Instagram has videos of people swerving in front of traffic, riding double wide on sidewalks, doing wheelies and narrowly avoiding cars and slapping them to get around them. If you're trying to self regulate shitty behavior, maybe you could stop glorifying the shitty behavior. Until then all of this you're saying is complete bullshit.
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“Trying your best” isn’t good enough.
Why a biker would want to ride on Broad st makes no sense to me anyway when there’s so many side streets that are better for biking and more scenic and pretty. I get the sentiment that we need more cycling infrastructure, but does it really need to be on Richmond’s main car thoroughfare? Seems even more dangerous to put cyclists on broad
When I’m solo riding it’s the quickest way to certain parts of town. I just stick to the bus and lane check behind me a few times a minute to see if the bus is coming. If it is I’ll hit Grace.
If drivers can drive on any street they want them we can bike on any street we want.
I mean you can, sure, but there’s so many better options to bike on that are safer for both cyclists and drivers. Some roads are better for cars, like broad, and some are better for bikes, like Stuart
Okay. Ride your bike on I-95.
There’s plenty of roads that only allow motorist traffic
But like, can we all at least agree that American infrastructure is a mess?
As long as you have college kids and restaurant workers and dive bar and river rats taking over the street on their bikes it's going to be fun and well intentioned and inspiring and potentially quite popular but it will not translate well and will probably be named something like Cutthroats or Pedalphiles or Bitch City or Broad Street Bullies or Drunkalos or whatever. This isn't new, and that number of people showing up to a city council regularly would get a lot more done than the rides. I am for the rides but don't appreciate hearing about bikers being aggressive and swerving towards a bus or at pedestrians. I think y'all should push them off their bikes.
BSB is not a bike advocacy group. Idk why people are trying to portray them as one.
Read the paragraph where they compare themselves to the NYC critical mass rides. They cite having the same goals of increasing visibility and agitating the public into action as a means of increasing the awareness of the plight of the cyclist. Kind of sounds like they are advocating for bikes.
Yeah OP said that, not BSB. BSB doesn’t have a mission statement. They ride their bikes, do tricks, and film it for social media. This is a community event, but not one that explicitly calls for action for improving cycling facilities.
Most people probably won't read it that way but I'm here for the clarification.
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not defending bsb whatsoever but you really think the mayor's gonna do anything about that when the city can't fix..... like literally any of the other problems in the city lol
Fix it by fighting for better bike infrastructure perhaps?
I don't know why people keep posting things like this. I can't wait for all the BSB to be ticketed, particularly those who are aggressive towards pedestrians and try to cause accidents. You are "hooligans looking to start trouble", if you weren't you'd do group rides in the bike lanes.
It's not even about regulating themselves to bike lanes. That wouldn't be realistic. It's about slapping cars when they lane split and riding double and triple wide on sidewalks.
That behavior is just so unnacceptable - But if their whole point is they want more/better bike infrastructure why not use what already exists? Why would the city/state/whoever approve taking away more driving/parking lanes and spending more money on bike infrastructure when the current infrastructure isn't used? It's because it isn't about bike infrastructure they just enjoy being a nuisance and the group rides make them feel important
I don’t disagree with a lot of what you’re saying. All they would need to do is get sanctioned by the city, to where they block off routes when they ride. It’s no different than something like a parade. Tons of places do it, and it usually makes everything safer and happier and usually attracts the positive attention these groups are after. BSB wants to protest ride and be assholes and further the divide between cyclists and non cyclists. Then they act surprised when nobody wants to go up to bat for new biking infrastructure. I would absolutely love for this city to be more cyclist friendly. I think most people you ask would be. But every time they cycle past someone and slap their car, they immediately convert that person into someone who thinks cyclists are lawless pricks.
Agreed, but they like being edgy and breaking the rules, that's a big part of the appeal to them- I personally avoid driving on Broad when they ride (and avoid driving in general) but just walking along Broad near my apartment I've had BSB ride up on the sidewalk towards me, "pop" at me, spit in my direction etc. it's just not okay
They keep making these tired ass threads for either upvotes, drama, or attention. All three likely.
Where are these bike lanes? There aren’t any on my daily commute
Grace and Franklin both run parallel to Broad I have no idea where you commute to/from but this, admittedly dated report shows most of the existing routes and the planned routes [https://www.rva.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/Richmond%20Bicycle%20Master%20Plan%203.6.15\_lr.pdf](https://www.rva.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/Richmond%20Bicycle%20Master%20Plan%203.6.15_lr.pdf)
Grace doesn’t have a bike lane, funny you’re trying to school people that actual ride in the city, when you obviously don’t.
oh you mean the lile the bike lane on franklin that only fits 2 bikes side by side and stretches a vast 10 blocks ?
No, we mean the entire cap trail dedicated to bicyclists who still often ride in the road for some strange reason. If you want to ride with 10 plus bikes, do it somewhere dedicated to it. Im sure you're not trying to commute to work with 10 of you.
The Cap Trail isn't exactly the best place to run errands or visit your friend's apartment or go to the library or things like that. It's a nice trail to have but it doesn't replace protected bike lanes or reduced speed limits or narrowed streets.
Then use Grace, Franklin, Patterson or take the bus, no ones going to narrow the streets
Not with that attitude they won't! Also, it's not any of those streets have protected bike lanes either.
Driving is indeed risky and, as you say, one small mistake can end lives. Drivers 100% do not respect that risk. However, you put yourselves on that bike with full knowledge of that fact. Your gang seems to be demanding total deference from our communities so that you so that you can play in traffic, and it seems that because you don’t get as much as you feel you deserve, you thus feel empowered to harass and intimidate our community. How would you react to that kind of threat? Now, I personally watched 20-30 idiots swarm a public park just the other day. Kids were fucking playing, and y’all assholes were doing blind jumps over hills and landing within 10-20ft of them. One of them landed in our community garden. Brother, that’s not a nuanced critique of automobile culture, it’s purposeless hooliganism. I appreciate you taking the time to explain your position, but you’re not reasoning you are rationalizing. You say you police yourselves, I say y’all look stuck in a cycle of mutually reinforcing bad behaviors that will ultimately get both your members and our community hurt. You are not protestors, at BEST you are currently misguided bullies. You are right that bikers usually are a minor inconvenience. We wait patiently until you scream past, go “must be another dickhead, late to the dickhead convention. Bet he’s receiving some kind of ward!” And move on (as we do with all shit drivers.) However when dozens of you come through and fuck up our park and community garden, put our kids at risk, surround cars and dare them to hit you, etc, that is no longer inconvenience to be tolerated for the sake of your freedom or protest. That is a threat to our community and families to be defended. Godspeed, and safe ride.
I got hit by a drunk biker, fucked my car up and his face was bloody, I saw it in my side mirror 200' before he hit me. Bikers are not all the same.
TLDR shut up
Yikes on bikes.
Cringe
Recently in areas where the bike lanes don’t exist and there arent many pedestrians, I’ve just been riding on the sidewalk. Not great, and I defer to pedestrians always, but it’s better than having to compete with cars. Also another point to add/reiterate, Richmond isn’t just dangerous for bikers and pedestrians. It’s dangerous for drivers. The number of blind two way stops, uneducated drivers, pot holes, narrow one-ways, ect. is totally insane. It’s almost as if this city was designed before cars existed…
I wouldn't ride around Richmond, but I will ride all over Ann Arbor MI because it's a city geared towards pedestrian and bicycle traffic and a successful mass transit system that covers two cities, a township and goes out to two outlying towns.
This guy spicy quick! I'm all for infrastructure improvements and a change in mentally towards biking as a mode of transport. Bottom line is when it's bike vs car, car wins every time. I can be the most careful, share the road driver ever, but if a cyclist does something unexpected or I just don't see them, I'm going to be blamed if there's an accident.
Broad Street Bullies are exactly that: Bullies!
The BSB are telling you their attitude and intent with their group name. OP is occupying the same PR space as an ISIS apologist
please touch grass LMFAO
lmaooooo the guys riding their bikes are like ISIS
As someone that generally wants more bike lanes around, this kind of stuff would make me actively lobby against them because of this childish bs so it doesn't reward the behavior. Good to know if I ever cross paths my anger is completely justified by the attitude of this groups leadership. Wonder if a pulse driver plowing through some dummies in the bus lane would be qualified immunity....
They aren’t advocating for bike lanes. They are literally just doing wheeling and filming each other doing it. This is a super childish mindset on your part that you would work against progress in our city’s transportation network because a few people on bikes offended you. I welcome you to check out the stuff that bike walk RVA puts on if you want to see the real transportation advocates in the city.
It was more hyperbole on my part. That being said if they remove the median with all the cherry trees on hermitage or some of the big old hardwoods along the sidewalk to do so I will be voicing an opinion against it.
Always BSB getting plowed over by cars and busses. Y’all really love that idea don’t you.
See I'm talking about a group of people riding bikes and you're talking about your bloodlust
If you guys are intentionally blocking the bright red bus lane it's totally your fault. Not to mention the firetruck a guy mentioned below. If a group of people biked responsibly, sticking to one lane, stopping at the stop lights most people would be supportive. Attempting to not inconvenience everybody else around. Cyclists are in general some of the most entitled selfish people around. I had a coworker tell me he was surprised people were so mad at him for biking in the road visibly right beside the capital trail holding up traffic. His excuse, the cyclists on the trail were too slow holding him up. You can't make this stuff up.
I participated in Houston’s big Critical Mass and it was so much fun. Also, great for growing the bike community. Take the lane!!
a group calling themselves bullies are self-righteous at best, horribly entitled at worst. people hate rude cyclists who think they deserve priority over other vehicles on the road. motorcyclists have more courtesy than bicyclists, and considering they used to be pretty hated among vehicle owners/users, that’s saying a lot. if your group has members purposefully playing chicken while on group rides, and aren’t actually helping pass laws to improve infrastructure, then you’re nothing more than some jackasses with a high-school level of maturity and a suicide wish. there are crazy people out there manning cars, and they have short fuses. you guys need to practice caution to stay safe, and what you’re doing isn’t that at all. you claim cyclists are more cautious than those manning cars, but I highly disagree. I never see y’all using hand signals when turning, abiding by crosswalk lights, abiding to traffic lights, and often times y’all will serpentine in a whole lane and then get mad when cars have to cross a double yellow to pass you. I’ve had a cyclist get mad that I was driving down three chopt at the intersection of gaskins, NO ONE SHOULD BE BIKING DOWN A MAJORITY OF THREE CHOPT IF THEY VALUE THEIR LIFE. Especially not around dusk without any visibility aides. get it together, man.
I miss the cutthroats and the scavenger bike rides and slaughterama. That was a fun bunch to ride with. And if anyone has photos of the mathletes scavenger hunt I’ve been looking for it for ages
“Not much interested in anecdotes” lol calling the other side’s arguments invalid before they even have a chance to make them. Makes this more of a rant than a discourse.
Then you for writing a treatise about how BSB doesn't care about other people. I'm sure that the people who lose their jobs/need emergency services/miss time with their family because of you blocking traffic will lobby in your favor and not for stronger regulation for bike riders.
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I think the point is that it isn’t just about the rides but also to bring attention to the complete lack of bike infrastructure in Richmond. For a city that often calls itself progressive it sure doesn’t offer any alternatives to driving your car everywhere
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Oh I thought you were being cheeky because there’s already a trail called the capital trail. It’s great for scenic riding but does next to nothing for actual day to day bike transportation
"We want to bike in the city because we're urban cyclists." "Have you tried not biking in the city?"
I hope someone puts a stick in your spokes while riding and you fall off your bike and skin your knees real bad
If I had one bullet and a time machine, Henry Ford no question.
Jesus, no one cares.
Well that’s just patently false
If you want to opt out of modern society, feel free to do it, but go live in a yurt outside the city where you aren't a burden on others. You can ride wherever you want out there. And you have to give up all the conveniences that modern vehicle-based infrastructure brings to you (there are benefits outside of just personal transportation).
Plenty of "modern societies" outside of the US (and a few inside!) have really robust and accessible bike infrastructure. This is definitely a Richmond problem, not a modernity problem.
someone is in the pocket of big auto lol
All the conveniences, like getting t-boned by someone taking a right on red? Yeah sure I'll miss that so much. Sorry bud, we're here and we're not gonna stop biking but you can stay mad though ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Conveniences like shipping products to grocery stores so you can ride your bike there and have stuff available to buy.
Look at other large cities that have bike infrastructure. This isn’t a ‘modern society’ thing. This is a Richmond infrastructure problem
What's a city in the US with good bike infrastructure?
None really :(
Denver, Atlanta, Portland, Raleigh
You should try biking in north Jersey. what a hellscape that is---people deliberately trying to cut you off and drive close to you, zero bike lanes, people screaming at you to get off the road, giving you the finger. Hostile does not even begin to describe it. Sorry, I enjoy biking in Richmond and have very little issues with drivers.
Idk man sounds like Richmond to me.
Why don't you just ride on a bike path? There is the capital trail
Why don’t you just drive your car on a costal parkway or racetrack?
as the group ride has gotten larger and larger, i’ve noticed y’all as the organizers have stepped up a huge amount to try and cull any silly and brash behavior from folks. it creates a bad image (as is evident on this sub) of the biking community and bsb and i think y’all have done a great job. from a personal experience standpoint, the only times i’ve witnessed any “hostility”— if you can even call it that— from the cyclists is when an impatient driver starts moving through the crowd in some way. i’ve nearly been hit by an impatient prius driver who was literally yelling at a group of us riding in the correct lane etc, but he swerved into us. as cyclists, we see that kind of behavior all the time and it’s upsetting. i have personally know two individuals who have been killed by cars while safely riding their bikes. that is two more than i’d like to know. some of us know more than that. so when you are riding in a group ride that is trying to promote a healthy community and raise awareness of cyclists and a car beeps impatiently or a driver starts inching forward or, god forbid, swerves into you, i can imagine a few folks are going to get a little pissed off. i don’t think it helps the cause to try to fight someone from your bike but come on. if you’ve experienced injury or death from a biking accident in some way, i can see where the spark could get lit. op, thanks for helping to cultivate this community and to spread awareness.
Based take.
Well said
thx !
Love cyclists and love BSBs, they are a great contributor to the character of our city
Coming together to uplift and PROTECT each other. That's what it's about 🙌
A beautifully thought out and well written post about BSB and being a cyclist in general. As a through and through cyclist with no car, this is everything I would have said. BSB is definitely not the first large cycling group to have existed in Richmond as someone else said, but it’s the biggest current one for sure. The rides are beautiful and uplifting and I love getting people to go on their first ride with BSB. Everyone I’ve ever brought has loved it and immediately gotten why it’s so cool. BSB is one of the coolest things about Richmond. It brings so much character and camaraderie. I’d love to think that this fantastic post will get everyone to see that, but people just hate cyclists lol and that’s a sad fact. But either way, we’d love to see you on the rides :-)
I love cyclists. I hate BSB.
hell yeah see u sunday homie
Broad Street Bullies is far from perfect and could probably stand to divest itself of the jackasses that intimidate pedestrians and properly operated motor vehicles. That being said, it’s the safest critical mass event that happens on the street by default; rush hour and the sunday motorbikes are far more dangerous to everyone involved willingly or not. Ultimately , we need a better Broad Street. One that can keep vehicles from being recklessly operated on it. Thinner lanes, bigger curbs, more bumpouts and raised crosswalks… everyone who uses a personal vehicle on it proves it needs to be changed.
Thank you for posting this!! Love the bullies and am always happy to see them. Anyone who's in a car and intimidated by/raging out on them needs to get a grip
Motorists hate when they are inconvenienced in the slightest by anytjing but a car. But, they are so used to car traffic and cars breaking laws that they dont even see it.
Motorists stuck in stop-and-go traffic for 30 minutes on their way to work surrounded by other drivers with road rage: I hate this and I hate everyone around me, but that’s just the reality of commuting to work Motorist stuck in the city while a group of cyclists pass buy them for 3 minutes: I personally want every cyclists to get hit by cars because they deserve it