This bitch is in your face

All the guys who got out of their vans swinging deserved a U-lock coma. And this is coming from someone who rarely rides on the road and has clipped a cyclist in a work van.

i fully agree with you jerry , but there is a lot of ground between the unexpected and malicious intent , and i saw a lot of malicious intent in the video combined with a lot of stupidity and ignorance on two wheels and four .

i know there are a lot of fatasses out there who couldn't even comprehend the idea let alone do it , but there would be a lot less conflict and a lot more cooperation between cyclists and motorists if people had to ride a bike for a year before they could apply for a drivers licence .

in germany , i understand they have some sort of cyclist education program in the school system . i'm not sure what is taught but from my limited experience there back in 2013 , the motorists treat cyclists with a lot more respect than they do anywhere else i've ridden : like that is another human life there that chooses to use a different form of transportation , one where they use their own power to get around . it's a lot different than sitting on your ass moving your hands and feet a little bit . i don't think most motorists get that .

and i'll be the first to admit that a lot of cyclists try to get away with shit just because they are on a bike . if you are going to bend the rules in an attempt to make your ride safer by reducing your exposure , rule number one is to make sure it is indeed going to be safer . if that plan relies on the motorist to react ( favorably ) to your unexpected / unlawful movements , then maybe you should re-think that plan . staying alive on a bike requires a lot of thinking before the shit hits the fan , because right or wrong 4000 lbs of steel [HTML_REMOVED] 30 lbs of bike .

…there would be a lot less conflict and a lot more cooperation between cyclists and motorists if people had to ride a bike for a year before they could apply for a drivers licence .

in germany , i understand they have some sort of cyclist education program in the school system . i'm not sure what is taught but from my limited experience there back in 2013 , the motorists treat cyclists with a lot more respect than they do anywhere else i've ridden : like that is another human life there that chooses to use a different form of transportation , one where they use their own power to get around . it's a lot different than sitting on your ass moving your hands and feet a little bit . i don't think most motorists get that .

It's definitely harder for people who have never ridden a bike on the road with cars to fully understand what it's like. Some of the points mentioned in this interview were eye opening (and scary), although you can see why motorists might feel that way if they've never been on the other side:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/the180/mmiw-inquiry-debunking-electoral-reform-and-what-is-the-west-1.3295363/why-do-drivers-hate-cyclists-1.3295461

i fully agree with you jerry , but there is a lot of ground between the unexpected and malicious intent , and i saw a lot of malicious intent in the video combined with a lot of stupidity and ignorance on two wheels and four .

i know there are a lot of fatasses out there who couldn't even comprehend the idea let alone do it , but there would be a lot less conflict and a lot more cooperation between cyclists and motorists if people had to ride a bike for a year before they could apply for a drivers licence .

in germany , i understand they have some sort of cyclist education program in the school system . i'm not sure what is taught but from my limited experience there back in 2013 , the motorists treat cyclists with a lot more respect than they do anywhere else i've ridden : like that is another human life there that chooses to use a different form of transportation , one where they use their own power to get around . it's a lot different than sitting on your ass moving your hands and feet a little bit . i don't think most motorists get that .

and i'll be the first to admit that a lot of cyclists try to get away with shit just because they are on a bike . if you are going to bend the rules in an attempt to make your ride safer by reducing your exposure , rule number one is to make sure it is indeed going to be safer . if that plan relies on the motorist to react ( favorably ) to your unexpected / unlawful movements , then maybe you should re-think that plan . staying alive on a bike requires a lot of thinking before the shit hits the fan , because right or wrong 4000 lbs of steel [HTML_REMOVED] 30 lbs of bike .

With regard to Germany:

Children have to take part in a course in primary school, as well as in the kind of school they are visiting after having left primary school. So basically they have to take part in two courses, both led by the local police officers responible for such stuff.

The children have to deal with basic theory and riding in traffic, they have to pass, and many parents actually practise with their children. Being able to ride a bike in traffic is considered important.

Since education in Germany depends on the province, i have no idea how this is being dealt with in other provinces, but for Northrhine Westphalia you are correct.

And I think your second point is true as well, cyclists sort of share the road over here…of course, there are some douchebag drivers who do not care and never will but the majority is sort of ok. Those who are really careful are truck drivers, at least in my experience in the past years of commuting.

Riding a bike in bigger cities is a little different, but not much. Drivers tend to be a little more agressive, as traffic in general is more hectic and faster, but not in such a way as it seems to be the case in North America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AFn7MiJz_s

Good grief…

Not sure where that shot is from , but I was told they recently passed that law in california .

Having just returned from there , I found the drivers to be very considerate . I don't know if it was because that law is relatively new , but in over 1000 miles of riding I only encountered one guy with an attitude .

As for that shot above , the jersey I get ( sort of ) , but why would you want to make your bike that wide ? Just seems like an unnecessary hazard for both the rider and motorists , like that is the kind of thing that pisses off the other users of the road . Imagine if a motor vehicle had an equivalent object sticking out of it ?

I assume it was in Cali as the KOTD IG feed seems to be from there. Always shots of surfer bro brahs in their steamers getting all yeasty in their ragtops.

The flag is fucked and I agree it pisses other road users off. I could do without the writing. I don't have an issue with someone wearing a bright coloured jacket for visibility even if it may not work

Does the 3ft law also apply to cyclists? Preventing them from rolling up to the front of a queue at an intersection?

Cyclists do stupid shit, motorists do stupid shit, everyone does stupid shit so let's just give eachother a break already and just chill the fuck out

Cyclists do stupid shit, motorists do stupid shit, everyone does stupid shit so let's just give eachother a break already and just chill the fuck out

Agree in principal…

..the difference is the consequences: scratched fender vs eating-your-meals-through-a-straw / need-help-putting-on-your-pants-for-the-next-year / dead.

I'm guessing that picture has something to do with this guy.

The picture is probably from Florida.

https://bikeable.wordpress.com/2010/11/11/3-feet-please-%E2%80%94-the-no-1-advocate/

http://www.3feetplease.com/home

http://www.voler.com/browse/collections/details/li/3FeetPlease/

Does the 3ft law also apply to cyclists? Preventing them from rolling up to the front of a queue at an intersection?

cyclists aren't allowed to roll up to the front of a queue at an intersection if they don't have a full, unobstructed lane in which to do so. doesn't stop them (or me ;)) tho

cyclists aren't allowed to roll up to the front of a queue at an intersection if they don't have a full, unobstructed lane in which to do so. doesn't stop them (or me ;)) tho

Not here either - and after having been nearly hit by passengers getting out of a car, or people deciding to switch lanes at the last moment, I finally have decided this last season to take it easy and just stop behind the car that stops in front of me.

The few seconds or minutes it might take longer to get to where I want to be would not be justified if I had a serious accident because of stupidity on my side. I am not a car and I do not have enough stuff (read: metal sheets) around me.

Serious injuries are not fun, and if I can think twice and ride accordingly and fully aware of any consequences, I am a happier rider.

Not here either - and after having been nearly hit by passengers getting out of a car, or people deciding to switch lanes at the last moment, I finally have decided this last season to take it easy and just stop behind the car that stops in front of me.

i'd like to obey this law. but in urban peak traffic, where it can take a car 10 minutes to travel a block, it just doesn't make any sense. as that guy in the cbc interview posted earlier noted, the rules of the road were designed for cars. i'll follow their spirit, but where they don't make sense for a bike i don't feel bound by them

that said i'm very wary when passing cars on the right (well, in general too). i've seen a number of cyclists blissfully pull ahead of traffic and up to the curb at a light, get hit with a right cross by a driver not expecting anyone on their right (and why would they?), and then freak out at the driver. their ignorance is sad, a bit funny, and potentially quite dangerous too