The Chainlink

Bikers that always cut to the front of the line, repeatedly....

I am always getting quite annoyed of those fellow bikers, whom ride much slower than you, get in front of you at intersections. This is particularly bad on the diagonal roads where they will try to shortcut the light by pulling half way across it. 

Don't these guys have a clue after the 5th or 6th time that I pass them before they even finish getting across the intersection? It's not like this "head start" is really getting them up to speed any quicker. Most of the time they are just causing a potential conflict as I pass them....

I notice that it usually are the ones that are riding fixed gear... 

Views: 4772

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tim S on August 23, 2013 at 8:51am

I don't see the rampant blowing of red lights nearly as much as I used too. You must be a super quick rider if you can catch cyclists that blow off red lights and pass them again.  

Permalink Reply by David Barish on August 23, 2013 at 8:57am

I don't usually find it with a rider on a fixie. Its the bro with the backwards Cubs hat and earphones, The Bartmans of the road. It usually does not last for more than a couple  lights. Eventually either I will be faster than that guy or he will cut a light while I wait and we will establish enough separation for the problem to evaporate. The problem is often heightened by me seeing a half block away that there will be a red and that I will have to stop. I usually stop pedaling and coast to the stop.  That guy will always pass me.

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on August 23, 2013 at 9:57am

I have never witnessed anyone say the word "bikies" before this moment. 

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

I grew up thinking that "bikers" rode motorcycles and "bikies" rode bicycles.  Applying the term "bikers" to cyclists seems weird to me.

Permalink Reply by Davo on August 23, 2013 at 9:59am

sounds like a british slang word.



Peenworm "8 mile" Grubologist said:

I have never witnessed anyone say the word "bikies" before this moment. 

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

I grew up thinking that "bikers" rode motorcycles and "bikies" rode bicycles.  Applying the term "bikers" to cyclists seems weird to me.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 23, 2013 at 10:05am

Sounds like a derogatory, condecending term a certain "journalist" would use.

Peenworm "8 mile" Grubologist said:

I have never witnessed anyone say the word "bikies" before this moment. 

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

I grew up thinking that "bikers" rode motorcycles and "bikies" rode bicycles.  Applying the term "bikers" to cyclists seems weird to me.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on August 23, 2013 at 10:07am



Peenworm "8 mile" Grubologist said:

I have never witnessed anyone say the word "bikies" before this moment. 

Learned when I started serious cycling as an undergrad at UCLA in the 70s.  So, it could be a generational thing, a California thing, or a serious cyclist sort of thing, depends on how we differ along those axes. :-)

Permalink Reply by Scott on August 23, 2013 at 10:16am

Bikers... bikies....  I think everyone thinks my name is "Get off the road!"

Permalink Reply by John Wilson 6.0 on August 23, 2013 at 10:47am

That picture is two years old. I wear contacts instead of glasses now and have a mustache. So...okay.

Tim said:

Actually John, you sort of look like the guy that I'm complaining about here!!! Makes sense.

John Wilson 6.0 said:

So...you started a thread to complain about cyclists who do something you admit doing yourself?

Gotcha.


Tim said:

it's funny because I admit I do it too. Only thing is, I actually have a reason to do it, I ride fast. The thing that I don't do is, if someone is faster than me, I will let them go ahead of me, and that is how it should be.

Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on August 23, 2013 at 11:28am

How many times will that one go around before it is laid to rest. Sidewalks do not have sight lines. Other users do not expect cyclists and will not behave like traffic.

But it doesn't matter. Those who believe sidewalks are safe will never be convinced. Try this one: It's illegal. Any incident that occurs will be the fault of the cyclist. Cyclist will be liable for anything that occurs. Period. End of story.



h' 1.0 said:

Depends on how one rides. If one were hell-bent on maintaining a steady pace of 14-16 mph, maybe.

I find the notion that one is less safe riding on the sidewalk than in the street with cars unlikely.

scott stevens said:

So ironic since your odds of getting hit by a car go way up riding on the sidewalk...  That GIF that was posted up earlier...  I bet this guy from the earlier poster wished he wasn't riding on the sidewalk...  Nearly hit by a car then finally hit by another biker...

h' 1.0 said:

It says right on the stations (in multiple languages?) that it's illegal.

My guess is that they're afraid of getting seriously injured or killed by cars.

Maurice said:

Quite a lot of them don't seem to understand that it's illegal (not to mention rude) to ride on the sidewalk here, including the fellow Divvying his way down a narrow River North sidewalk today at 6pm.
Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 23, 2013 at 11:38am

If you ride on the sidewalk, you can still get doored by patrons exiting buildings.

Permalink Reply by Andrew on August 23, 2013 at 1:24pm

Shoaling is indicative of people on bikes who think they are basically pedestrians on wheels. They move like pedestrians. Think about how pedestrians use the sidewalk, how they bunch up before crossing the street, or how they don't really look at the signal before they cross the road. These pedestrian-minded cyclists don't see any problem with shoaling (and other bad bike behaviors) because they are making decisions as a pedestrian would and not the way a motor vehicle would.

Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on August 23, 2013 at 1:34pm

My safety strategy is too stay as far away from other road users as possible. So I will shoal slower riders. It's only rude if you do it to people who are clearly faster than you, IMO. 

RSS

Groups

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service