Bikers and runners - an open letter

[widebody911]

Why in the hell do you insist on practicing your art in the middle of the most crowded areas? And why do you get bent out of shape when you have to slow down and go around/through/under/over the lollygagging tourists? If you need to run your 5 minute mile, get the f*ck off of Fisherman's Wharf and go somewhere that you can run. Same for you bike retards - what's the point of taking you an your $10k carbon fiber road bike down the sidewalk and trying to navigate through thousands of people who have no interest in getting out of your way while they're checking out the street performers, feeding the seagulls and/or homeless people? Are you that desperate for attention that you need to doll yourself up in several hundred dollars worth of Lycra, wedge your way into a crowd, and then get pissy when you can't maintain any forward momentum?

Please, stop that. If you're serious about riding or running, there are places for you to do so. Stop posing and making the rest of us want to throw a body check as you go by.

[Zeke]

Stay tuned for the new TV reality show "Sidewalk Warriors."

[dennis in se pa]

I don't understand how some bicyclists have NO CLUE how much danger they put themselves in. Around here they ride right along side the BUSY roads with no bike lane and no shoulder! Maybe it is akin to the motorcylers that ride without helmets. A natural thinning of the herd.

[VINMAN]

Nothing burns my ass more than the roadbike tribes. They are a plague arounfd here.

[Baz]

+1

Unfortunately it only takes a few to give the serious cyclists a "bad name".

I don't mind sharing the road if you share it too....

[bell]

i share the road, but when bikers are riding 4 and 5 wide on a 50mph double lane when there is a clear bike lane then they get the horn.....

[Nostril Cheese]

Sharing the road doesnt mean having a bicyclist turn directly in front of you, out of nowhere at night wearing no reflective gear.

And of course it's all MY fault for not seeing him.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by widebody911

Why in the hell do you insist on practicing your art in the middle of the most crowded areas? And why do you get bent out of shape when you have to slow down and go around/through/under/over the lollygagging tourists? If you need to run your 5 minute mile, get the f*ck off of Fisherman's Wharf and go somewhere that you can run. Same for you bike retards - what's the point of taking you an your $10k carbon fiber road bike down the sidewalk and trying to navigate through thousands of people who have no interest in getting out of your way while they're checking out the street performers, feeding the seagulls and/or homeless people? Are you that desperate for attention that you need to doll yourself up in several hundred dollars worth of Lycra, wedge your way into a crowd, and then get pissy when you can't maintain any forward momentum?

Please, stop that. If you're serious about riding or running, there are places for you to do so. Stop posing and making the rest of us want to throw a body check as you go by.

OK sure but get your people to stop throwing cans at me while I'm riding down my out of the way , 2 lane back road routes . I do sometimes ride along busy streets because there's no other way for me to ride to the grocers. So how about not crowding me off of the road. How about you stop gunning your motor to move around me while crossing a dbl yellow on a curve? How about a light touch of the horn 100 feet back instead of waiting until you're on top of me and the startling the crap out of me? Eat me clownie.

[nostatic]

We need a sign on cars - "I'm in a hurry, I need my Big Mac". That way a bicyclist can see that and clear the way for that important driver. After all, fries are up!

[mossguy]

99% of cyclists give the rest a bad name!

[fastfredracing]

Real bikers ride in the woods, out of the way of all those pesky motorists trying to get to work.

[Laneco]

The thing is that the Fisherman's Wharf area is a multi-use path. That means walkers, runners, strollers, skaters, skateboards, and cyclists. This multi-use path is in a heavy tourist area, near bus lines, the Amtrak station, etc (if memory serves me). It is very congested and should be negotiated with care.

There are rules of travel on multi-use paths. The first one is traffic direction. Keep right. The slower you are moving, the further right you need to be. That way if you want to stop and feed seagulls, etc., you are at the extreme right and can be safely passed. If you decide to take a 90 degree turn across traffic, count on getting hit as you've moved directly into someone else's path without indicating your intentions or checking to see if the path was clear.

An audible signal on approaching is always appropriate. Ringing a bell on a bike, or "passing on your left - thank you" as well. Many people on foot will turn and look and step into your path at an audible signal or bolt to the other side of the road (thus either moving into your path, or getting hit from those traveling the opposite direction). Take care, mind the speed, and give room.

A spot of good manners from all sides makes the use of multi-purpose paths safe and fun.

angela

[VINMAN]

I have no issue with single riders ( except for the NYC bike messengers.. they are the devils spawn..) I ride myself. moutain, not road bike. I follow all the rules of the road, stay far away from vehicles as i can. The groups of road bikers in there spandex clown suits, are the ones I have issue with. Is it really neccesary to ride 5 across on a twisty 2 lane road?? Do they purposely not move over when they know there are vehicles behind them?? You guys dont own the road, m***********s!

[NY65912]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Sharing the road doesn't mean having a bicyclist turn directly in front of you, out of nowhere at night wearing no reflective gear.

And of course it's all MY fault for not seeing him.

+1000000000000!!!!!!!!!

You cant frikin believe the a-hole hipster scum that make it impossible to get around the area my shop is located in, Williamsburg/Greenpoint area of Brooklyn. If you are gonna ride a bike in an urban environment at least take some responsibility for your actions....like looking where the hell you are going, oh wait your texting about some BS with your hipster scum friends like where the hippest new this or that is and that you found it first!

Sorry, my medication is wearing off.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by NY65912

+1000000000000!!!!!!!!!

You cant frikin believe the a-hole hipster scum that make it impossible to get around the area my shop is located in, Williamsburg/Greenpoint area of Brooklyn. .

Yep, I can confirm this!

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by nostatic

We need a sign on cars - "I'm in a hurry, I need my Big Mac". That way a bicyclist can see that and clear the way for that important driver. After all, fries are up!

Or a sign on the bikes that says "I'm special, my playtime is more important than you getting to work on time" or "I'm special, I may cause an accident but I enjoyed myself while doing it"... Yea, something like that

And the sign will need to be emblazoned with sponsor stickers, big neon ones (this is I can only assume from experience VERY important).

[intakexhaust]

In Chicago along Oak Street beach, a portion of the bike path reverts to walking only on busy days. Chicago's revenue expertise is in writing tickets and in this situation DO enforce the walking rule.

BTW: Body checks and hits are too obvious. Easier to 'accidently' have an old mans cane, umbrella or whatever stick thru some spoked wheel.

[lendaddy]

My personal favorite is hipster doofus who feels the need to express his "rights" by riding in the middle of the lane on a four lane accompanied by his hipster spawn of ~8-10yrs old. Young hipster may get flattened or maimed but damnit, he was on the right side of the law and therefore noble in his cause!!!

Second place goes to hipster doofus who rides with infant child in a buggy on a four lane.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by lendaddy

Or a sign on the bikes that says "I'm special, my playtime is more important than you getting to work on time"

And if the person on the bike is riding to work...then the person in the car gets a sign saying, "I'm too lazy or stupid to allow enough time to get to work."

Hey, this is fun!

[island911]

Originally Posted by lendaddy

Or a sign on the bikes that says "I'm special, my playtime is more important than you getting to work on time" ....

Spot on. Some pack of spandex clad guys with CF bikes are not some guys just trying to get to their minimum wage job in the city. ...or trying to be like rural Chinese to reduce their carbon foot-print.

I'm just glad that soccer fanatics haven't followed their lead. ...playing a game of soccer in the middle of a rural road. "oh wait" sez the raised soccer player hand to the approaching car ..."I'm just about to score."

Many Cyclist completely ABUSE the right to the road - which has been provided for transportation utility - not for playtime Tour de France reenactments. (if only they were that fast)

IOW, my open letter is: you are not Lance Armstrong - no matter how many yellow dollar bands you sport/how much your CF bike cost. You are not that fast. Get your spandex clad gut out of the middle of the road. --Thank you.