Paul
New member
Is Darby O'Gill beloved to you?
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Riding bicycle on sidewalks
- Thread starter Rambo
- Start date
Is Darby O'Gill beloved to you?
Marc
New member
I'd like to add that I farking hate Critical Mass.
riverc0il
New member
You won't get bombed by me. Just before I got home and jumped on my bike and hit the road, I was swearing bloody murder at two roadies going double down the road. Roadies not keeping up with traffic should hug as close to the shoulder as safe to do so and let traffic pass. But, sometimes for everyone's sake, roadies do need to assert their space in difficult places, especially when they are keeping pace with traffic. Technically, a road biker has to follow the same rules of the road as a car, so if keeping pace, there is nothing wrong with getting into the lane.
That said, to the OP's topic, if a roadie needs to get up on the sidewalk, I think they had poor route selection. Time to get off the bike and walk or turn around and find another route. Even when I biked in MA in cities (Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, etc.), I knew what places were "safe" biking roads and which roads to avoid. I never went up on the sidewalk. Definitely not safe for walkers to have a biker riding up there.
As to mirrors, I could seeing using them if I was a city commuter. But just checking your 6 is a quick look when nothing is in front of you... that really is not dangerous and does not need to be done often unless you are in a high traffic area and playing dodgems with obstructions and pot holes.
Paul
New member
this
Oh come on they seem like such a sensible group...
abc
Well-known member
That's right, the same applies to a tractor or horse trailer on the road. Or leaf-peepers in the fall driving 15mph on a 45 zone.
So what do you expect a horse trailer to do? Pull over as soon as they see you coming up from behind? They'll be pulling over every 3 min. and won't get very far in an hour! What will YOU do if you were the one driving the horse trailer?
Cars are not "required" to slow down to bike speeds. They're allow to pass at a spot that's safe!
But if there's no safe spot to pass, yes, slow down and drive 5mph behind a student driver, a tractor, a mop, or a cyclist!:smash:
riverc0il
New member
Equating farm equipment to bikes is not a good comparison. Farm equipment by its very nature has to take up a full lane and then some whereas bikes can generally hug the shoulder. It should be a lot easier to pass a bike than a tractor, by default.
Yes, cars should slow down a bit and pass when it is safe to do so but passing a cyclist should be a LOT easier than passing a tractor in which a driver needs to pass in the on coming traffic lane! As a cyclist myself, I am extremely diligent to never be "that roadie" who impedes traffic in any way not absolutely required for safety. If cyclists are constantly making cars slow down and drive 5 MPH, they need to either hug the shoulder more, not cycle two abreast, or pick a different route if it is constantly happening.
Yes, cars should slow down a bit and pass when it is safe to do so but passing a cyclist should be a LOT easier than passing a tractor in which a driver needs to pass in the on coming traffic lane! As a cyclist myself, I am extremely diligent to never be "that roadie" who impedes traffic in any way not absolutely required for safety. If cyclists are constantly making cars slow down and drive 5 MPH, they need to either hug the shoulder more, not cycle two abreast, or pick a different route if it is constantly happening.
marcski
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2005
- Messages
- 4,576
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Or ride more so they can ride faster than 5 mph.
I basically agree....I only "take the lane" when I'm at or over the posted speed limit (ie. when I'm on downhills that have curves) and/or when I have to for safety purposes due to road conditions.
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