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DisgustipatedinCA

(12,530 posts) Mon Mar 11, 2013, 04:22 PM Mar 2013

How do you feel about sharing the road with bicyclists? How cyclist-friendly is your area? [View all]

I live in Sonoma County, where a bill is being considered to make it easier for cyclists to sue motorists who harass them. The comments section of the local paper is filled with people who are obviously angry with cyclists. Comments include: when cyclists start to pay taxes, they can use the road (cyclists DO pay taxes, btw), cyclists should have to be licensed like drivers are, cyclists should not be able to ride on roads without a dedicated bike lane, and so on. There's also a lot of talk about cyclists who disregard road laws, and to the extent that cyclists break these laws (e.g., blowing through a stop sign), I agree with those comments. But I don't see it as a big problem, and I sure don't see it as a reason to become enraged with the general biking community. I'll admit, when I see the negative commentary about bicycling, I immediately assume the comments are coming from some 'bagger in Fresno who couldn't make it up a flight of stairs without becoming winded. That's probably unfair of me. Anyway, what are your thoughts on cyclists sharing the roads with vehicles? And how biking-friendly is your local area?

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How do you feel about sharing the road with bicyclists? How cyclist-friendly is your area? [View all] DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 OP

Funny, I JUST got done watching this video, clicked on DU and saw this thread snooper2 Mar 2013 #1

Yes. That's actually me. DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #3

The idiot was operating a vehicle while intoxicated, they should of called this in to the police. Nika Mar 2013 #8

how about offering him a ride... lame54 Mar 2013 #16

Nope, why enable him? He will just do it again. Nika Mar 2013 #23

it's ratting lame54 Mar 2013 #27

It's illegal, and ALL drunk driving kills or maims people all the time. Nika Mar 2013 #30

"ALL drunk driving kills or maims people all the time" lame54 Mar 2013 #38

Naturally not all do, I misspoke, angry at your two word answer, "that's ratting." Nika Mar 2013 #49

I do not appreciate your flippant attitude towards putting people in jail... lame54 Mar 2013 #64

Most DUI offenses are expensive nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #70

but he wasn't driving lame54 Mar 2013 #77

I watched the video nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #79

where do you live - Mayberry?... lame54 Mar 2013 #80

San Diego...it's police department policy, county wide nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #82

i was talking about one guy on one bike and 2 people who could have helped him... lame54 Mar 2013 #81

So, a BUI is a misdemeanor in San Diego... lame54 Mar 2013 #86

No, a first time offense is a felony nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #90

so it could go either way... lame54 Mar 2013 #98

The video showed a happy drunk...are you having trouble? nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #101

that's one deeped voiced woman lame54 Mar 2013 #107

Have a good day nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #109

I am speaking about drunk drivers, and a no compromise policy is the only thing that has worked... Nika Mar 2013 #72

I am referring to one guy on one bike - no car involved lame54 Mar 2013 #76

A car CAN be involved. All he has to do is pedal his intoxicated litle self in the way of one and be Nika Mar 2013 #87

that's why you offer him a ride... lame54 Mar 2013 #92

... which will not cure him from riding drunk at three in the afternoon. Nika Mar 2013 #99

I would be more worried the drunk on a bike would HappyMe Mar 2013 #45

I share this worry. Nika Mar 2013 #52

I think that the poor driver of the car HappyMe Mar 2013 #56

I agree. tarheelsunc Mar 2013 #36

Good post. I am a bicyclist that takes bicycling very seriously. Nika Mar 2013 #43

They do. My local cops ticket people nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #74

Heck, I got detained for over an hour in Macon, Ga by a policeman which said I was riding on wrong Hoyt Mar 2013 #97

On either side nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #100

Those big front wheeled bikes were slow : ) Hoyt Mar 2013 #108

only for like 500 feet LOL, it's in Canada by the way... snooper2 Mar 2013 #139

Us bicyclists do not block traffic, we are traffic. Nika Mar 2013 #2

Very cool. DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #5

many bike shops here rent bicycles because people visiting here spend big $$$ to go out on our ... Nika Mar 2013 #10

Off the road bike paths are great. JDPriestly Mar 2013 #44

My favorite one is the unimproved Leaf Erickson Drive in Forest park in Portland, Oregon. Nika Mar 2013 #46

The best one I have ever traveled was the Elroy-Sparta trail in Wisconsin Art_from_Ark Mar 2013 #144

It's pretty bicycle friendly here. cali Mar 2013 #4

Trying to recall....are you near Big Bear or maybe Mammoth Lakes? DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #28

neither. I live in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont cali Mar 2013 #53

I don't think I could've guessed any more incorrectly than I did DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #58

It's extremely friendly to bikes in NYC, thanks to Mayor Bloomberg's initiatives toward wellness graham4anything Mar 2013 #6

K&R edhopper Mar 2013 #7

Good to hear. I'd probably be too apprehensive to bike in NYC DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #13

very friendly to bicycles here quinnox Mar 2013 #9

I looked at Google bike maps for Eugene and Portland DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #17

Riding a bicycle here in Sin City is tantamount to suicide. n/t Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #11

I checked Google's bike map for Las Vegas DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #26

And the aggressively stupid drivers out here use the bike lanes as unofficial passing Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #93

Sonoma County has beautiful scenery, and ideally someone 30 years ago LuckyLib Mar 2013 #12

Would that they had done this 30 years back. DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #22

Hwy. 116 between Forestville and Guerneville is extremely dangerous for biking. Webster Green Mar 2013 #138

I'm fine with the concept, but a lot of cyclists act like total jerks who think they own the road. slackmaster Mar 2013 #14

I agree with most of what you say DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #19

I've ridden bicycles quite a bit, and understand the desire not to lose precious momentum. slackmaster Mar 2013 #20

I've taken just enough physics to understand that my mass & acceleration won't DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #25

Oh, a poor guy behind a 300 horse power auto might get delayed 5 seconds by a bicyclist. Jeebus. Hoyt Mar 2013 #24

In traffic, I try not to stay on the very edge of the road (in a situation w/no paved shoulder) DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #29

Thank you for moving over. HappyMe Mar 2013 #48

Poor guy in a 300 horse power auto joeunderdog Mar 2013 #63

Fully agree with everything you said. eom tarheelsunc Mar 2013 #41

in most states they have exactly the same rights to the road as motorists... mike_c Mar 2013 #113

Helmets are required here in California, as are head and tail lights for night riding, however... slackmaster Mar 2013 #123

I don't mind bicyclists or motor bikes Broken_Hero Mar 2013 #15

I bike when the weather is better. Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Mar 2013 #18

I wish it were more biker friendly but Phentex Mar 2013 #21

I don't know Atlanta well, and sorry to hear it's not so bike-friendly, but.... DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #33

That's the Silver Comet Trail... Phentex Mar 2013 #40

I have biked in Atlanta since the eighties wilt the stilt Mar 2013 #62

I was thinking in terms of commuting to work or stores... Phentex Mar 2013 #65

San Jose has over 50 miles of dedicated bike lanes. KamaAina Mar 2013 #31

You are most assuredly NOT a bagger from Fresno DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #37

Too many potholes, not enough bike lanes. HappyMe Mar 2013 #32

I understand the arguments for sharing the road, but I find it dangerous. tarheelsunc Mar 2013 #34

Thanks for your reply. I hope that road-sharing will continue to become safer over time n/t DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #39

Bike lanes on major streets create a real problem in LA. JDPriestly Mar 2013 #47

No problem at all, if they follow the rules of the road, Nye Bevan Mar 2013 #35

+ 1 Berlum Mar 2013 #54

As a pedestrian in a large city, I have a problem with bikers not obeying the same traffic rules smirkymonkey Mar 2013 #128

Traffic violations by bicyclists is a big problem in LA. JDPriestly Mar 2013 #42

All good points DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #51

I get fed up PasadenaTrudy Mar 2013 #118

we have bicycle lanes in the San Stupido Valley olddots Mar 2013 #50

That's too bad. You have perfect weather and scenery for cycling DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #57

They have bike lanes in my area madville Mar 2013 #55

You live in madville, after all. ;) DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #59

It depends. If they can keep up with traffic, no problem. Peter cotton Mar 2013 #60

I ride on two lane roads in a rural area. I ride bicycles (I have two, but only bike man Mar 2013 #61

The ones who stay out of my way... No problem... Melon_Lord Mar 2013 #66

There's staying out of your way, and there's sharing the road. These may be different things DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #73

99.9% of the time I am going faster than a bike... Melon_Lord Mar 2013 #106

I have no problem sharing the road with SAFE cyclists. Pab Sungenis Mar 2013 #67

Although I'll never be able to prove it, I would think and hope that the vast majority DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #75

I hope so. Pab Sungenis Mar 2013 #124

I think most cyclists are safe, DiCA. They go about their business, ride defensively, and people... slackmaster Mar 2013 #127

THIS. TheMightyFavog Mar 2013 #88

Well, we have bike lanes... NV Whino Mar 2013 #68

Silverado Trail is really nice for riding DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #78

There are some very narrow places on it NV Whino Mar 2013 #84

This is my chief beef with cyclists nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #69

You're almost right. DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #91

I bought my usually 700 bike nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #96

Only a fool would ride a bike on our main roads hack89 Mar 2013 #71

Most of the cyclists around here need to be institutionalized Sen. Walter Sobchak Mar 2013 #83

These men are nihlists, Donny. There's nothing to be afraid of. DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #85

I think the non-offenders are riding on the mountain bike trails Sen. Walter Sobchak Mar 2013 #89

My city is very pedestrian and cyclist friendly loyalsister Mar 2013 #94

I live near the university, so the area is very bike friendly Warpy Mar 2013 #95

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Mar 2013 #102

Drivers in my area are extremely unfriendly to bicyclists, and kestrel91316 Mar 2013 #103

Very bike friendly here, we have about 10% bike commute rate Bluenorthwest Mar 2013 #104

No problems with cyclist Texasgal Mar 2013 #105

I was a long time bicycle commuter and recreational rider... mike_c Mar 2013 #110

We have a great deal of bike lanes in my city... Drunken Irishman Mar 2013 #111

It does look like you could get pretty much anywhere you need to go in a dedicated bike lane DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #116

It helps we have a grid system and wide streets. Drunken Irishman Mar 2013 #121

Thanks for all of the responses. I think this has been a useful discussion DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #112

I live in Pittsburgh, PA ebbie15644 Mar 2013 #114

So tired of hearing... Charlotte Little Mar 2013 #115

I think people notice the outliers more, just because they're outliers DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #117

I should invite you to spend a couple days on my corner nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #135

Just because you follow the rules doesn't mean all do. Zoeisright Mar 2013 #136

Few car drivers also obey *all* rules of the road Fumesucker Mar 2013 #143

Cyclists may pay taxes but they don't pay gas taxes. former9thward Mar 2013 #119

a couple of points DisgustipatedinCA Mar 2013 #122

The point is that cars pay the road taxes not bikes. former9thward Mar 2013 #125

Very bike friendly in my area. Whole families come to the area just to bike and site-see. Auntie Bush Mar 2013 #120

I live in Oregon.... cliffordu Mar 2013 #126

My community is very cyclist friendly. Butterbean Mar 2013 #129

After reading this thread it's clear to me that all car drivers always obey all rules of the road Fumesucker Mar 2013 #130

When I used to drive I hated sharing the road with bicyclists. Thankfully, I don't drive a car or a applegrove Mar 2013 #131

Bikes on the road? I've never seen that in San Antonio LeftInTX Mar 2013 #132

As long as they stay off their cell phones.... whistler162 Mar 2013 #133

I agree, a bicyclist like a motorist should shut up and ride. Nika Mar 2013 #142

I don't mind IF Zoeisright Mar 2013 #134

While some rule breaking makes sense because bicycles are a different sort of vehicle where ... Nika Mar 2013 #141

I live in your county, as well. I have one gripe regarding bicyclists. DollarBillHines Mar 2013 #137

I look, listen, but never stop at stop signs. Nika Mar 2013 #140

I live on Denver's Capitol Hill. donheld Mar 2013 #145