Is It O.K. to Kill Cyclists?

New York Times ^ | November 9, 2013 | Daniel Duane

[nickcarraway]

EVERYBODY who knows me knows that I love cycling and that I’m also completely freaked out by it. I got into the sport for middle-aged reasons: fat; creaky knees; the delusional vanity of tight shorts. Registering for a triathlon, I took my first ride in decades. Wind in my hair, smile on my face, I decided instantly that I would bike everywhere like all those beautiful hipster kids on fixies. Within minutes, however, I watched an S.U.V. hit another cyclist, and then I got my own front wheel stuck in a streetcar track, sending me to the pavement.

I made it home alive and bought a stationary bike trainer and workout DVDs with the ex-pro Robbie Ventura guiding virtual rides on Wisconsin farm roads, so that I could sweat safely in my California basement. Then I called my buddy Russ, one of 13,500 daily bike commuters in Washington, D.C. Russ swore cycling was harmless but confessed to awakening recently in a Level 4 trauma center, having been hit by a car he could not remember. Still, Russ insisted I could avoid harm by assuming that every driver was “a mouth-breathing drug addict with a murderous hatred for cyclists.”

The anecdotes mounted: my wife’s childhood friend was cycling with Mom and Dad when a city truck killed her; two of my father’s law partners, maimed. I began noticing “cyclist killed” news articles, like one about Amelie Le Moullac, 24, pedaling inside a bike lane in San Francisco’s SOMA district when a truck turned right and killed her. In these articles, I found a recurring phrase: to quote from The San Francisco Chronicle story about Ms. Le Moullac, “The truck driver stayed at the scene and was not cited.”

[FredZarguna]

Most states have the following restrictions that most bicyclists and most motorists seem unaware of:

1. Bikes are vehicles. Except where specifically noted otherwise, they are obligated to obey the entire vehicle code. You may not use a crosswalk unless you dismount. You may not jump a curb, you may not use a sidewalk unless it's specifically designated. If you dismount, you become a pedestrian, and are governed by municipal statutes and not by the vehicle code.
2. In most states, cyclists are obligated by law to a) NOT ride the berm. Motorists think cyclists are supposed to be there; they aren't. The berm is for emergency and official uses and is not for moving vehicles, including bikes. Many states now spell this out explicitly in their learners' manuals.
   b) ride as far to the right of the travel lane as circumstances safely permit.
3. In most states, because of rule #2, cyclists are only permitted to ride more than single file when there is no following traffic within 300 feet. This is probably the single thing that idiot cyclists do that aggravates motor vehicle drivers most. Many cyclists do not know side-by-side riding is illegal when there is following traffic.
4. In most states, you may not pass a cyclist unless you have 3 feet (in some states 4 feet) of clearance from your right outside mirror and the leftmost handlebar of the cyclist. Passing is unlawful, and it is not the cyclists fault, when motorists lack clearance.
5. Cyclists may not pass motor vehicles in the same travel lane on the right. Cyclists who do this on city streets are asking for serious injury. A passenger just opening his door can kill you in this circumstance.

25 miles/hour doesn't seem fast in a car, but it's the rough equivalent of falling from the top of 3 story house. If you hit a utility pole or a wall or a stopped car head-on at that speed, you will be seriously injured. Consequently, best practice is to assume most drivers are idiots: as both a motor vehicle driver and a cyclist, I have lots of stories to back up that assumption.

[Wingy]

I can specifically remember being 11 years old, taking my old “Western Flier” bike and riding 7 miles to town, riding around there for a while then 7 miles back to our house in the country.

Yeah, me too. But that was in 1965 when auto traffic was much less dense, and it seemed that drivers were in less of a hurry so they would give us kids a break. I had a 5+ mile paper route for 4 years plus a 6 mile ride to school all before 8:00am. In summer, the pool was 1.5 miles away and the river was about a mile. I rode to all these places sans helmet and never had even a scare from a motorist.

Maybe I was careful, or maybe the drivers were better. I think a little of both.

[FredZarguna]

Just because you think you’re entitled to break the law doesn’t mean you are. Cyclists have to obey the vehicle code, and so do you.

[Uncle Miltie]

Bike lanes are where the broken beer bottle glass collects. They’re useless.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Bikes. Don’t have to obey any laws or rules. No matter what the stupid man says.

What can you do about people determined to die except send dandelions to their funerals?

No need to waste money on flowers for a fool.

[FredZarguna]

I'd be curious to hear from other FReepers, but I don't know of any state where cyclists are legally permitted to ride more than single file when there is following traffic.

The problem is that cops don't cite them for this, and they should.

[PrivateIdaho]

I’m a cyclist, a triathlete and a Freeper. It’s damned dangerous out there. You can’t live forever anyway.

Ditto! You're the first triathlete I've run into around here, good to know I'm not all alone amongst all the spandex haters ;-}

[FredZarguna]

Just ask Genetal Patton.

This is a thread about bicycling in traffic. Genital Pattin' is over on the TSA thread.

[dalereed]

I’m waiting for them to make bicyclists open season!!!

Bicycles belong in the trash on your 16th birthday!

[miss marmelstein]

I was almost murdered by a bicyclist circa 1976 outside the Graybar Building on Lexington Avenue. A messenger, of course. As a bicyclist, several years later I took up riding in Central Park. The bike lanes featured maniacal riders who took pleasure in driving us more conservative (and leisurely) bikers off the road. Things may have changed with the city rental bikes and the broad bike lanes - but I doubt it. Bicycles have no place in this city. P.S.: the NYC bike lanes are generally empty.

[noprogs]

“Most of the world” is an impoverished dung heap, and 99.9% of the road traffic is not cars and trucks there (as it is here), but other bicycles, mopeds and scooters.

Ride all you want, but have lane discipline. Don’t ride on sidewalks either, if for no other reason than someone may be walking a large breed dog with a barely latent prey drive, like my American Bulldogs from my friend’s pack of wild hog catchers. You can’t pedal that fast.

[real saxophonist]

I’m not a triathlete, just a cyclist. Ironman’s still around. Met him in DC many years ago. Good guy.

[Darksheare]

That’s just it, it isn’t legal to ride like that.
But they do it anyway.
And water bottle stops in the road that brings all traffic to a halt.
Apparently it is too hard on law enforcement to enforce the law on those guys.
Someone posted some of the laws about it further up thread.

But who suffers?
Those of us who live there, ride and try to be conscious of our surroundings.
We get the idiots who rage over the genius spandex douches
aiming at us in misplaced anger direction.
(I’m out in orange county ny. Some rural spots, but let’s be real here. Rural doesn’t mean “block the darn roads”, and cops can’t be bothered for it unless someone is hurt as they are a reaction force not a preventive force these days.)

[Darksheare]

Lol!
Soon, that will be everywhere.
“Paper, plastic, TSA colonoscopy?”

But I just wanna buy a candy bar!

“Subversive!! Take him down!”

[Alberta's Child]

I'm a civil engineer and I plan and design transportation projects for a living. I've long said that my profession has it all wrong when we get involved in these "complete streets" initiatives under which motorized vehicles are supposed to share the road with bicycles and pedestrians.

Pedestrians are one thing because they cross the street at designated locations, and are usually walking at right angles to the flow of traffic. Bicycles, on the other hand, cannot be safely accommodated on a roadway with mixed traffic and nothing more than pavement markings (if even that) separating cyclists from vehicular traffic.

I may end up putting my career at risk someday because I will absolutely NEVER sign a design for a bike lane in an active roadway.

[Red Dog #1]

Amen. A good rider usually has bike that is few years, a faded jersey and new tires.

Ride safe my friend..

[Yogafist]

The list of complaints in this thread will be long, inflammatory, and stereotypical. But anyone that has ridden regularly can assure you, cyclists could make an equally inflammatory thread complaining about the rudeness, poor driving, and bad attitudes of drivers. Most of my riding is separate from traffic. I am fortunate to have a river trail that goes from the foothills to the beach within a mile of my house. But even riding that mile I have had a bus run me into the curb, trying to stop while I was still alongside him. He looked panicked when I slammed my fist on his window. I have had people zoom past me, and then make abrupt right turns (from an improper roadway position) causing me to skid to avoid them. And bike tires are nearly as expensive as car tires. I have had people pass me in close proximity, clearly trying make a point, even though the lane is about 20 feet wide. There is plenty of bad behavior to go around, whether it is cyclists, or drivers, and a little more respect from both would make it a lot easier on all of us. Can’t we all just get along?

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

I see them ride by my shop and blow the stop sign.That pisses me off. I almost hit one after I stopped at the stop sign while he just blew right through it.He then proceeds to cuss me out. Good thing I was having a good day, for him.

[Red Dog #1]

And here is today’s two minute hate.

[freedumb2003]

The case where the driver hit the brakes and the cyclists who were harassing him were hurt was a miscarriage of justice (said driver was found guilty of some offense).

Cyclists have the same requirement as autos — they have to maintain a safe following distance.

Now, they might have had a civil case as unpaid hood ornaments.

Follow me closely cyclists and I will slam on my brakes, too.

And I will instruct MY lawyers on the law.