Gentle Reminder for Every Week

[jkeisenh]

Originally posted by Bollocks:
  I bet you red light running bikers would be the first to piss and moan if you got whacked by a car who was very legally going through on green.
 
 Do Brennser and Chimbly also weave in and out of a line of cars then get all pissed off when they nearly get hit by a car very legally turning....do they also ride on the sidewalk and scare the crap out of pedestrians as they speed by, even though it's called a sideWALK, not a sideCYCLE?

I do whatever is safe to get me where I'm going quickly.  I weave through traffic, but only when it's stopped at a red light or going significantly slower than me.
 
 I DO NOT (nor does any respectable cyclist!) bike on the sidewalk.  It's illegal in downtown DC, for one.  And it's shameful.

[ggw]

Suddenly opening the car door does wonders for stopping bicycles.

[Venerable Bede]

Originally posted by chimbly sweep:
 I DO NOT (nor does any respectable cyclist!) bike on the sidewalk.  It's illegal in downtown DC, for one.  And it's shameful.

well, jaywalking is illegal. . .so you just pick and choose which laws you want to obey depending solely on what's best for you?

[markie]

Originally posted by Bollocks:
 do they also ride on the sidewalk and scare the crap out of pedestrians as they speed by, even though it's called a sideWALK, not a sideCYCLE?

Ahh, Bollocks!
 
 Cars have roads, pedestrians have paths. It leaves cyclists with a few pretty average cycle paths in the city. I guess people have to learn to share.
 
 I cycle on sidewalks and run red lights. Will I go to hell?
 
 I think I scarred more little old ladies when I ran than I do on my cycle. At least on the bike I am past them before they realise it. When I ran,  as the slow, lumbering, deep breathing, unhappy looking person approaching from the rear, I always got a reaction. I guess I should have run on the road, too?

[markie]

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
 well, jaywalking is illegal. . .so you just pick and choose which laws you want to obey depending solely on what's best for you?

So you dont jaywalk, you always come to a complete halt at stop signs, you do not speed and you have never driven after a beer and a half?
 
 And YOU dont pick and choose the laws YOU wish to obey?

[mankie]

I'm as avid a cyclist as anybody, but the way most cyclists behave it's no wonder most people fucking hate us. I hate them and I am one for God's sake.
 
 A little courtesy and obeying the laws would do wonders to improve the attitude of others towards cyclists.

[Venerable Bede]

Originally posted by mark e smith:
  So you dont jaywalk, you always come to a complete halt at stop signs, you do not speed and you have never driven after a beer and a half?
 
 And YOU dont pick and choose the laws YOU wish to obey?

oh, come on. . it's more fun to throw stones.      
 
 and i will stop at stop signs (i also stop before making a right hand turn, unless i have a green), and tend not to jaywalk.  sure i speed, but apparently most people drive faster than i do (at least according to the fiancee). . and i won't address the drinking and driving.

[markie]

Originally posted by Bollocks:
  A little courtesy would do wonders to improve the attitude of others towards cyclists.

I am plenty for that.
 
 there are plenty of things I dont think are a good idea. Racing through an intersection that there are a lot of pedestrians crossing and cycling the wrong way up a busy street or road.
 
 Stuff like that annoys the tits of me. But running a red light....
 
 I suppose, like Bede points out, you never speed in your car?

[markie]

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
 oh, come on. . it's more fun to throw stones.      
 
 

Sure is.
 
 I imagine most well grounded people choose to break the law on a regular basis.
 
 Just be grateful I didnt bring up your H habit.

[Venerable Bede]

Originally posted by mark e smith:
 
 Just be grateful I didnt bring up your H habit.

hey, just because i like to wear long-sleeved shirts all the time doesn't mean anything.

[mankie]

Originally posted by mark e smith:
 

I suppose, like Bede points out, you never speed in your car? [/b]

Ever tried actually driving the speed limit around here??

<img src="http://members.cox.net/dustdevilsbike/images/wpe31743.gif" alt=" - " />

[grotty]

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
 [/qb]

well, that's interesting. one of my friends got bike-jacked in san diego comeing back from the bar. he was pretty fucked up, i hear [/QB][/QUOTE]
 
 ***********************
 
 Not that I condone either, but it's much more difficult to ride a bike when you are under-the-influence than it is to drive a car.        
 
 I still find cabs to be the best option for show going if you're in a 'festive' mood. [Assuming I can remember to save the fare $$.]
 Too bad Pittsburgh only has about 5 cabs total. And no public trans other than buses. Now here's a city that could use your help Chimbly.

[jkeisenh]

Originally posted by grotty:
  Not that I condone either, but it's much more difficult to ride a bike when you are under-the-influence than it is to drive a car.          
 

Let's not forget, though, how many people drunk driving kills, compared to drunk biking.
 
 Cars are homocidal machines.  Bikes, well, you'd have to be really screwed up.

[markie]

Originally posted by chimbly sweep:
 
 
 Bikes, well, you'd have to be really screwed up.

Force= Mass x Acceleration
 
 Even if you ignore the speed element,say you get hit by both a car and a bike going 10 miles an hour, the lightest current cars in America weigh about 3000lbs. The lightest bikes weigh half of one percent of that. With rider you are looking at around 5-10% of the energy involved in the impact...