BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I understand your frustration, but his behavior is not the only reason people don't like bikers. I blame poor street design, impatience, and ignorance more than I blame stuff like this even though this definitely doesn't help.

Nah. Cars get plenty of respect I see idiots driving them every day.

We all make mistakes, too. I'm fairly certain each one of us could point to a handful of poor decisions we've made on our bikes in traffic. Perhaps what he did was idiotic, but calling him an idiot isn't going going to make someone see the error of their ways--it's only going to start an argument.

Perhaps what he did was idiotic, but calling him an idiot isn't going going to make someone see the error of their ways--it's only going to start an argument.

Words to bear in mind when speaking of any road user's idiocies, not only cyclists'.

I fully agree that there are many, MANY, idiot drivers out there. This was just a prime example of why "joe average" driver does not like bikers. This biker nearly caused an accident and then gave the finger afterwards. I took it as him having a "holier than thou" type attitude as if he figures that he is a biker, bikes are allowed on roads, so he will do whatever he pleases. I put him in the same exact catigory as the stupid yinzer driver that honks for no reason and "chicken" swerves at bikers. Both have a "This is my road" attitude.

Were this guy driving he could easily have received a reckless driving ticket (plus maybe endangering others, etc).

i don't think the poor decisions by this or any other bicyclists really has much effect on "joe average driver's" opinion. simply bicycling down the street in a safe predictable manner is enough to bring on the hellfire from some people.

there's assholes everywhere and it is unrealistic to suppose that we can somehow purge the world of that kind of behavior. steps toward the normalization of bicycle traffic, like bike pittsburgh's bike lanes, signs, and sharrows and increased bike traffic is to the only way to force driver's to grudgingly accept us on the road and bring the holier-than-thou daredevils down to earth.

The only thing that didn't bring this guy down to earth was that the driver was actually paying attention.

I witnessed something very similar Wednesday night when the traffic was locked up because of the snow. He passed me on 5th between the two lanes, moving in just the same manner as you mention, slow and methodical, but not smart. He was basically weaving between the cars, when the roads were slick.

I went my bike way on Reynolds which had NO traffic and got back into traffic on Penn where a few minutes later here he comes. On Penn, weaving in between cars. He was treating it like a game. Rather than avoid traffic, he was relishing in the idea of riding in between it.

rsprake... and had he gotten hit/bumped by someone all we would be seeing is how drivers don't care or watch for bikers...

and had he gotten hit/bumped by someone all we would be seeing is how drivers don't care or watch for bikers...

Where are you getting this? People in this very thread have acknowledged the bad behavior of the rider that you described, even as they have raised more constructive points - like how poor street design can contribute to unpleasant car-bike interactions.

i don't really understand how he comes up with his conclusions. most people on here are pretty pragmatic and recognize the importance of riding safely and predictably, as well as admitting fault. whatever.

yeah, nothing sucks more than a cyclist hating on another cyclist. holier than thou attitude indeed.

I witnessed something very similar Wednesday night when the traffic was locked up because of the snow. He passed me on 5th between the two lanes, moving in just the same manner as you mention, slow and methodical, but not smart. He was basically weaving between the cars, when the roads were slick.

What would you suggest doing instead? When road conditions are bad, cars are crawling along, and I'm forced to ride on a road like Penn Ave, I ride slowly and predictably between the two lanes of traffic going in my direction. I don't see any safer options. Riding behind a car in start and stop traffic seems likely to result in me either rear ending the car in front of me or getting pinned between two cars, and of course riding on the sidewalk is a terrible idea.

What would you suggest doing instead?

Well, I think he did suggest it--take a side road. I don't ride along that section of Penn even when the roads are dry. Cars routinely ignore the speed limit, and that road is just barely big enough for four lanes.

Given the conditions (I was riding home in the same muck), I was trying to act like a car as much as possible. I have trouble thinking that weaving between traffic (even it was stopped) in those conditions would be safe. The sidewalk wouldn't be a bad (nor illegal) option, though you do have to assume that most folks hadn't gotten around to clearing them.

That said, I've done the same thing in the past. I've mellowed over the years, though (read: got more timid).

Hmmm... I wonder if this was the same guy I saw a couple of days ago that was riding over the hot metal bridge, like the car bridge, not the overpass ped/cycling bridge. It seemed pretty stupid to me. I like using roads as much as anybody else, but if there is a parallel bike specific bridge, I don't know, it just doesn't seem to make sense. There's no shoulder or room to pass and there was a dump truck behind him that I'm sure was pissed off. I think the guy lives somewhere around Southside. As for the guy in the first post, it would have made a lot more sense for the cyclist to just to turn on the first side street after the bridge (Cinema Drive) and go around through there to get to Carson. There's less traffic and more room. I recently made a dumb mistake on Forbes and Craig. I was coming from Carnegie Library going to Craig and I had a green, but I thought it was a protected green or it changed so fast and I didn't realize it. If the driver wasn't paying attention he probably would have plowed right into the front of my bike. I didn't freak out or give him the finger. I kind of put my hands together like a prayer kind of as an offer of thanks.

I find it hard to believe that there are a few people here defending this guy.

united we stand, divided we fall...

One person critical mass.