The Chainlink

Driving and/vs. biking...

Does anyone commute both with bicycle and car? Have you noticed that since you started biking your driving has become better and you've become more aware? I'm a "newbie", I guess, and ever since I've started riding, I've noticed that as a motorist, I'm much more aware of the bike lane, if there are any bikers in the bike lane, if I'm parking and have to cross the bike lane - checking to see if any bikers are close, opening my car door, etc. I guess it's just another advantage of picking up a bike! Also, does anyone else think that the cell phone rule should apply to bikers as well? I hate when I see motorists on the phone, but I've had some almost run ins with bikers that were on the phone and not paying attention as well... anyone?

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on October 29, 2008 at 10:13am
I'm both a motorist and cyclist. I need a car for my work (real estate agent). I can get away with showings on my bicycle if I'm dressed approriately (which I'm perfecting), but need to drive my buyers around. I completly agree that biking has affected my diving, especially when I'm turning right and when opening up my car door.
Permalink Reply by Anne on October 29, 2008 at 10:42am
The first result of escaping Cage Life is treating others with more care, be they walking, biking, or sitting next to you on the train. Welcome to the new society :)

Cell phones while cycling - you can't fix stupid. But I give them a piece of my mind.
Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on October 29, 2008 at 11:26am
I definitely think that they are related. Well...actually since I now drive very rarely it's strange to get behind the wheel. I keep having to remind myself that I can't thread the needle and I get very annoyed when I'm stuck in traffic.

However, if you neither drive, or bike regularly, I think it can be difficult to be aware of the rules of the road. My boyfriend doesn't drive AND he doesn't bike much either. i'm always terrified for him when we ride cause he isn't very aware of watching for cross traffic, pedestrians or other hazards.
Permalink Reply by Ammo on October 29, 2008 at 11:31am
I have never owned a driver's license. Never really needed one with public trans, and now my adoration for velo culture.
Permalink Reply by Chris on October 29, 2008 at 9:41pm
what i find extremely odd is the fact that the police/the law expect cyclists to obey the rules of the road which are exclusively taught to motorists. what if youve never taken drivers ed, had a drivers license, or had to learn the rules of the road and you ride a bike? Theres no real solid grounds for enforcing motor traffic laws to cyclists. Theres no reason any cyclist should know the rules for cars...i was just thinking about this today. i dont drive ever and get very uncomfortable in cars. im a two wheeled man and dont wanna change
Permalink Reply by vxla on October 29, 2008 at 10:58pm
Chris said:
what i find extremely odd is the fact that the police/the law expect cyclists to obey the rules of the road which are exclusively taught to motorists. what if youve never taken drivers ed, had a drivers license, or had to learn the rules of the road and you ride a bike? Theres no real solid grounds for enforcing motor traffic laws to cyclists. Theres no reason any cyclist should know the rules for cars...i was just thinking about this today. i dont drive ever and get very uncomfortable in cars. im a two wheeled man and dont wanna change
Rules of the road are posted on road signs. If you can't understand that red means stop, and green means go, then there is some other functional disconnect.
Permalink Reply by Chris on October 29, 2008 at 11:08pm
in the same way that pedestrians dont know/adhere to these signs because they are for autos is what im sayin. the rules are not posted! they say words but thats not the guidelines
Permalink Reply by vxla on October 30, 2008 at 12:39am
Chris said:
in the same way that pedestrians dont know/adhere to these signs because they are for autos is what im sayin. the rules are not posted! they say words but thats not the guidelines
"Don't Walk"
"Stop"
"No Left Turn"
"Do Not Enter"
"Yield"

Anyway - here's a question then: by using the Internet, you do realize that you are bound by U.S.C. Title 18 section 1080 that explicitly defines computer fraud, right? You use the Internet, so you must know the rules, right?
Permalink Reply by Chris on October 30, 2008 at 8:42am
alright senior vxla what youre commenting on are the most basic simple signs for immediate safety. The "rules of the road" are more complicated rules that cant be put on signs. Signs are constructed to be noticed and adhered to, passing by at legal speeds of 20 to 55 mph. Im talkin about rules like if theres two solid yellow lines dividing the directions of traffic, theres no passing into oncoming traffic for either direction. If theres a solid yellow line on your side and a checkered like line on the other side then they can pass into oncoming traffic but you cant. stuff like that
Permalink Reply by evanK on October 30, 2008 at 9:43am
Where did this vituperation come from? Chris, I think you made a good point that people who never take drivers ed don't get indoctrinated with all the rules of the road. vxla, I think you made an over-reactive response. Then, per usual, things spiraled in a general downward direction.

There is far more to the rules of the road than just signs. Some bike-exclusive examples: helmets for kids (in chicago), front light at night, illegal to ride on sidewalk (even when not posted). Granted, you could get by pretty well by just observing the signs. And by observing them, I mean that you understand the underlying purpose to the sign and then do your best to bend the rule to suit your purpose. It's what all people do, whether biking, driving, or walking (some more than others)--especially in the city.

Oh, and...Chris: I thought it was funny when you said "senior" instead of "señor." It made me think of some sort of cult where people are called "elder" or "brother".
Permalink Reply by GabeW (not the other Gabe) on October 30, 2008 at 1:36pm
ignorance of the law is no excuse - it's available if you want it

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd...

as for the original post - I commute by bike around evanston now and leave the car parked unless I have a long road trip or lots of errands with tons of stuff to carry. I take public trans with my bike to get to the loop, then ride from there for school and work. I love driving (wish my wrx was electric) and like anything - practice, practice, practice. The more you are exposed to, the better you are at reacting in a critical situation, or avoiding getting into a critical situation to begin with.

And for the cell phones - ear buds while riding are illegal, and one/no handed riding is illegal (except signaling) - so by some mathematical principal, talking on the phone is therefor illegal too.
Permalink Reply by Dhruv on April 29, 2011 at 12:27pm

I bike and I find that its more disturbing that cyclist have earbuds on while biking or using cell phones.  Its just plain stupid.  I bike and drive, and I can say that when I bike, I want to make sure I hear everything around me and not be distracted.  With bicycles, any slight accident could be fatal.

 

And the new law with not being on cell phone doesn't work.  Police aren't enforcing this, or it doesn't seem like it.  75% of drivers I see are on their phones.  Which brings me to another question, why the f* do we need to talk so much???

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