Why are bicycling commuters such dicks?

I guess people don't want to ride on the huge cycle route as they will have to slow down slightly at car park entrances and that would wreck their Strava commuting times :rolleyes:

What if the car park exit crosses the bike path? About 8 times in 2 blocks … and oncoming cyclists are obscured by hedges and blind corners … and the drivers only look in one direction when they cross the bike path - the direction of traffic on the road … and they park their cars on the bike path while waiting to turn out onto the road …. and the road is smooth but the bike path has potholes, puddles and cracks from roots under the asphalt. That's the bike path 10 feet from the smooth, straight pavement I ride on Dollarton Hwy.

What if the car park exit crosses the bike path? About 8 times in 2 blocks … and oncoming cyclists are obscured by hedges and blind corners … and the drivers only look in one direction when they cross the bike path - the direction of traffic on the road … and they park their cars on the bike path while waiting to turn out onto the road …. and the road is smooth but the bike path has potholes, puddles and cracks from roots under the asphalt. That's the bike path 10 feet from the smooth, straight pavement I ride on Dollarton Hwy.

Fair enough but that's not the case with the Great Northern Way. Sure, some cars can pull out but visibility is pretty good. I've ridden on it countless times and it's never occurred to me to ride on the road.
Also, car drivers are not allowed to drive as fast as humanly possible, so why do cyclists think that they should? What's so bad about slowing up a bit at blind spots? Whether I'm walking, driving or cycling I just assume everyone around me is a complete and utter fucktard and proceed accordingly.

Sanrensho, don't bother. It is clear that the OP has issues that he is taking out on someone else in this case a cyclist. And he has admitted to jumping out of a vehicle to try to chase down some one who in his mind offended him. Sounds like road rage to me. What is he going to do next…take him out with his vehicle?

Because I recognized that approaching him in my car would result in nothing good so I chose to hop on my bike to go try and talk to him, I have road rage? And next I'm going to try to hit him with my car? Okay.

Alright. A grown ass man can admit when he's wrong. I'll admit that my tone has been a bit off and that cyclists doing bad things can set me off. I try to be a responsible cyclist when I ride my bike on the road and I get really pissed off when I see people doing dumb stuff. And I guess I can look back on things and determine that trying to start a conversation about responsible cycling by talking about cracking skulls might not be for the best. I'll ride my bike tomorrow and think of a way to be more productive.

Alright. A grown ass man can admit when he's wrong. I'll admit that my tone has been a bit off and that cyclists doing bad things can set me off. I try to be a responsible cyclist when I ride my bike on the road and I get really pissed off when I see people doing dumb stuff. And I guess I can look back on things and determine that trying to start a conversation about responsible cycling by talking about cracking skulls might not be for the best. I'll ride my bike tomorrow and think of a way to be more productive.

hey man don't sweat it - i'm on the same page. it can be incredibly frustrating at times watching some of the meat-sticks pedaling around with absolutely no clue or consideration for anyone else around them. like you say the idiots on the bikes make it harder for those that aren't.

my experience is to take a deep breath and then say something with a positive spin along the lines of how changing their behaviour will be better for their own safety as well as other people's. if you just give someone crap they're not going to pay any attention to yoou and you'll just end up angry.

Alright. A grown ass man can admit when he's wrong. I'll admit that my tone has been a bit off and that cyclists doing bad things can set me off. I try to be a responsible cyclist when I ride my bike on the road and I get really pissed off when I see people doing dumb stuff. And I guess I can look back on things and determine that trying to start a conversation about responsible cycling by talking about cracking skulls might not be for the best. I'll ride my bike tomorrow and think of a way to be more productive.

Meh, you aren't really off base. Maybe a little frustrated, but that's understandable. Those rollin' coal assholes get their hatred for cyclists from somewhere, and while some of it is from their own inadequacies, some of it is also from the actions of a significant number of cyclists who refuse to act like responsible road users. I don't want to be the guy who kills a cyclist in my vehicle because he/she refused to use lights or reflectors and rides into oncoming traffic at 10pm (true Comox story), nor do I want to be the cyclist run off the road by a vehicle and left to die in a farmers field (another true Comox story). Both sides need to change their habits but unfortunately cyclists need to do it first as they're the ones that will lose 100% of the time when going head to head with a car.

Not familiar with those particular roads, but the fact that there may be a separate (multi-user) path doesn't necessarily make it the safest or best choice for riding.

Pretty Safe. One time I almost hit a jogger. And you do get a lot of people riding with no hands and texting when you're on the viaduct but other than that I saw a raccoon once.

Great Northern Way

The Viaduct

Pretty Safe. One time I almost hit a jogger. And you do get a lot of people riding with no hands and texting when you're on the viaduct but other than that I saw a raccoon once.

I once had a dude riding the other way down the viaduct fully looking at the view of the mountains for like 150 feet. It took a good minute of yelling before he noticed me. He was riding right down the middle of both lanes.

Alright. A grown ass man can admit when he's wrong. I'll admit that my tone has been a bit off and that cyclists doing bad things can set me off. I try to be a responsible cyclist when I ride my bike on the road and I get really pissed off when I see people doing dumb stuff. And I guess I can look back on things and determine that trying to start a conversation about responsible cycling by talking about cracking skulls might not be for the best. I'll ride my bike tomorrow and think of a way to be more productive.

I share your sentiments. I also think I will ride my bike tomorrow, it's kinda fun.

I ride Great Northern Way as part of my commute every day. There are very select times that I will go on the road, and that is:
Only going downhill (westbound) from clark to just past the MEC construction site. I have done it both ways (on the path and on the road) and it is safer on the road, if you are comfortable with it, and JUST FOR THAT SHORT STRETCH. Lots of peds at VCC skytrain and the vehicle traffic at the Shaw depot and now the MEC construction site. Yes, some people go all the way up and down GNW on the road but that is unneccesary IMHO. GNW is also super wide at that point.

I am amazed by guys cycling at night, in the fog, on their phone, no lights, dark clothing, no helmet-saw that last night. That is just suicidal.
My pet peeve is cyclists on a major street when a bicycle-dedicated route is one block away. (Broadway instead of 10th, Burrard instead of Cypress, etc.) Yes the major street is faster but chill out.

Seems to be agreed that people riding or driving or walking like douchebags, like they are the only douchebag in the world are a pain in the ass. Drive your bike like you drive a slow moving car. Treat others with respect, ride like you are invisible let faster folks ride or drive past you. Leave the fucking toys in your pocket. The phone call can wait as can the text. prolly just another douchebag sending an instagram of a Timmy's doughnut they are about to eat anyway.

prolly just another douchebag sending an instagram of a Timmy's doughnut they are about to eat anyway.

nope, a fog shot.

Is there a minimum speed requirement for cyclists?

“Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an IDIOT, and anyone going faster than you is a MANIAC?” ? George Carlin

I'm always amazed by the level of bike commuter hate on this forum. Seems like a community based around the sport of riding bikes (one one form or another) would agree a bit more.

My pet peeve is cyclists on a major street when a bicycle-dedicated route is one block away. (Broadway instead of 10th, Burrard instead of Cypress, etc.) Yes the major street is faster but chill out.

While I largely agree w/ you, as a biker that does occasionally use major roads (like Howe or Seymour) and who can maintain motor traffic speeds on said roads, I get pissed off when cars make it their mission to blow by me doing 20 km/hr over the speed limit, just to pull back in front of me and then stop to turn right at the next intersection… leaving me to have to slow down and stop, or risk my life trying to get around him. Just * stay behind me doing the speed limit for one freakin' block…

I'm always amazed by the level of bike commuter hate on this forum. Seems like a community based around the sport of riding bikes (one one form or another) would agree a bit more.

While I largely agree w/ you, as a biker that does occasionally use major roads (like Howe or Seymour) and who can maintain motor traffic speeds on said roads, I get pissed off when cars make it their mission to blow by me doing 20 km/hr over the speed limit, just to pull back in front of me and then stop to turn right at the next intersection… leaving me to have to slow down and stop, or risk my life trying to get around him. Just * stay behind me doing the speed limit for one freakin' block…

It's not bike commuter hate, or car driver hate, it's asshole hate. The majority of drivers riders and pedestrians act responsibly. But when it gets crowded, the assholes stand out more because there is more often reasonable people affected. Running a stop sign at 4:00 AM probably won't be seen by anyone. At Rush hour it's a different thing. the more crowded it is the more important it is to follow the rules.