I used to condemn them for blocking the road, but in recent years I have realized that there is probably a reason for that.
When a lone bike rider is hugging the edge of the road, many drivers will try to squeeze between them and an oncoming vehicle, with the result that the car passing the bike rider gets really close to the bike rider. Too close for comfort.
So in blocking the lane, they force the vehicle to wait until there is no oncoming traffic.
Not that I agree with them, but only to recognize that there are vehicle drivers who will “squeeze”.
My biggest complaint with them is the stupid practice of riding in dark clothes on roads with lots of tree shadows. A driver in a spot of bright light, squinting because of the bright light, has a very hard time seeing a bike in the dark shadows.
It should be the law that all riders must wear a shirt or top of luminous green.
I have recently run up behind bike riders in dark blue riding within a half mile on the same route as a rider who was recently badly injured with the resulting uproar on the local editorial pages.....
That is stupid.
As a dedicated cyclist I refuse to ride the streets. Luckily the area I live in has numerious dedicated bike paths, several hundred miles of them all told, that provide for car free/safe two lane traffic while, at the same time, giving a sort of a “wilderness in the city” experience.
I’ve encountered everything from mountain lions to rattlesnakes, coyotes to Canada geese, trophy sized deer to rapid running ground squirels, and pheasants to wild turkeys while riding the trails which are laid in “green belt” areas that surround the local rivers, streams, and creeks.
The bike trails are very popular and very crowded on the weekends, though on the less popular weekdays you may feel at times as though you’ve stumbled onto the start of the Tour de France, after being passed by “drafting” teams in full team regalia, riding at speeds well above the 15 MPH posted trail speed limit!
Nope you won’t find me riding any of the city streets! Those big bumpered cars, traveling at speeds much faster than I can spin, can have ‘em without me!.....