Idiot on Bicycle

[blksn8k]

On my way home from work I have to make a left turn at a busy downtown intersection. Upon approaching the intersection this afternoon at about 15 mph in the left turn lane the light was already green and there was no oncoming traffic beyond the intersection which meant I was free to make the left turn. As I was about halfway through the intersection I hear somebody on my left side yelling "NOOOOOO!" As I proceeded through I looked in my rearview mirror just as some 40ish looking guy flew through the intersection behind me on a bicycle from the sidewalk on the left side of the highway and now he is yelling "JESUS CHRIST!" as if I had somehow done something wrong. First of all, bicycles are subject to the same traffic laws as any other wheeled vehicle meaning he should have been in the same right hand lane as any other vehicle passing straight through that intersection, not traveling 20 mph on the left hand sidewalk. Had he hit me he would have probably been severely injured considering his speed along with the fact that he was wearing a baseball cap instead of a helmet and it would have been his fault. There is no way I could have seen him approaching the intersection at that speed on the opposite sidewalk coming from behind me, not to mention the fact that there was also opposing traffic that had just passed through the intersection and was blocking my view of the left hand sidewalk. What a doofus. :sad:

 

[Robert Thomas]

Being both an idiot on a bike and a old ST driver I tried to follow. I am amazed that he could go twenty on the sidewalk unless it was also designated for bikes. Did the intersection have walk, don't walk lights.



If it's any consultation to you I once gave a drunk driving ticket to a guy on a bike. No helmet is just natural selection.



Breath in - breath out - move on " jimmy buffet"

 

[Kevin Lang]

I'm thinking that something happens to the brain that shuts off common sense for many people when they get on bicycles. The more expensive the bike and the more spandex clothing they have on, the less sense they have. I don't know why governments spend money on bike paths as I see countless bikers pretending to be cars (a pet peeve of mine: if you can't go the speed limit+, outta the lane with you!) in the street adjacent to nice wide bike paths.



When I'm walking, I hate cars.

When I'm driving, I hate pedestrians.

No matter what I'm doing, I hate bicyclists.

 

[blksn8k]

I'll check tomorrow to confirm but I don't think this intersection has pedestrian walk/don't walk lights but it must have handicap curbs. The only thing I can guess is that he had just come off the bridge near the intersection. The bridge has a raised center with a pretty decent slope where you could gain a lot of speed if you don't use your brakes. Pretty sure he would not have been able to peddle that fast. :grin:

Why anyone would enter an intersection like that on a bike from that position at that speed is beyond me. I didn't get a good enough look at him but I'm guessing he had either a Budweiser or cell phone in at least one hand. I don't dislike bicyclists, just idiots.:smack:

 

[FlipTrac_511]

When I'm walking, I hate cars.

When I'm driving, I hate pedestrians.

No matter what I'm doing, I hate bicyclists.

Nice one. You should make it your signature.

 

[Robert Thomas]

First of all, bicycles are subject to the same traffic laws as any other wheeled vehicle meaning he should have been in the same right hand lane as any other vehicle passing straight through that intersection

I don't know why governments spend money on bike paths as I see countless bikers pretending to be cars (a pet peeve of mine: if you can't go the speed limit+, outta the lane with you!)

Here's the problem. One driver wants you on the road and the other driver thinks you have no right on the road. Most drivers don't respect the right of a bicycle to be on the roadway and see them as a hindrance to getting where they are going at the speed they want to go.

I didn't get a good enough look at him but I'm guessing he had either a Budweiser

I never have heard of a car getting hit by a beer can thrown from a bicycle. It is usually the other way around. I am at two cups of beer and one beer bottle (which hurt) with a few other near misses. :haveabeer::haveabeer:



I have put in a lots of miles on a bike in my life. Think about leaving your house on a bicycle and going on a 30 plus mile ride, what safe route would you take. It is very hazardous and I have the wounds to prove it. :cheeky: During all this time I have never hurt a vehicle.

 

[Andy Chase]

Breath in - breath out - move on " jimmy buffet"

Awesome parrothead referance Redfish!

 

[Robert Thomas]

Jimmy Buffett and Matt Betton)



I bought a cheap watch from a crazy man

Floating down canal

It doesn't use numbers or moving hands

It always just says now

Now you may be thinking that I was had

But this watch is never wrong

And If I have trouble the warranty said

Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On



And it rained, It was nothing really new

And it blew, we've seen all that before

And it poured, the Earth began to strain

Pontchartrain leaking through the door, tides at war



If a hurricane doesn't leave you dead

It will make you strong

Don't try to explain it just nod your head

Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On

 

[blksn8k]

Redfish, you misunderstood my statement. I never said I wanted him on the road. I was only stating that Ohio law requires him to be on the road and not on the sidewalk with pedestrians and wheelchairs. :grin:



BTW, I did check today and that intersection does have PEDESTRIAN walk/don't walk lights. Only problem is they are manually controlled meaning you have to push a button on a pole to activate them. Kinda hard to do at 20 mph from a bicycle seat. If it is anything like the ones in front of my office the time it takes between the time you push the button and when you are allowed to cross the street can be well over a minute.



You also misunderstood my comment about the Bud. What I meant is that he was probably either drunk or talking on his cell, i.e. "distracted". Had nothing to do with throwing crap at cars. Although now that you brought it up he probably would have if he had had a beer can. He did seem the type. :grin:

 

[blksn8k]

Here's another little story about a bicyclist. About two months ago a friend of mine was parked in a mall parking lot about a quarter mile from this same intersection. He was in a parking space just sitting in the driver's seat when he heard a loud thump and looked over to see a man's face plastered against his passenger window. You guessed it, the guy was on a bike and just ran into his truck and then took off. He also left a nice dent in the door. It was probably Doofus with a Bud. Or maybe the guy is actually a deer in disguise. :rofl:

 

[Robert Thomas]

You also misunderstood my comment about the Bud. What I meant is that he was probably either drunk or talking on his cell, i.e. "distracted". Had nothing to do with throwing crap at cars. Although now that you brought it up he probably would have if he had had a beer can. He did seem the type.

Ok, my bad I misunderstood a lots of statements. So the guy didn't have a Bud in his hand. Thank goodness I was really afraid it was me. I had a Bud all day while riding that day. Anyway I was sure it was a black ST and yours is white, right?

:haveabeer:



Try the movie "Premium Rush" the guy get creamed good a couple of time.

 

[blksn8k]

Actually my truck is medium gray metallic which could be mistaken for black under the right lighting. So maybe it was you after all. :driving: