Behavior that pisses off drivers

On yesterday's ride, I had a truck gun it around my left so it could make a right turn around me as I waited to go straight. I was in the proper spot: at the front of the bike lane and the "go straight" right lane leaving the righthand turn lane open. At first I was was irked but then realized that two Freds had come up on my right and stopped in the righthand turn lane blocking it. Now, technically the truck should have just waited behind them.

Other stuff I see:

Running reds and stops while cars wait

Fake right turn then shallow u-turn combo to go straight but cars at red have to wait

Two abreast on narrow shoulder while having a nice conversation

Other stuff you folks see?

 

Cyclists not using the bike lane. Share the road.

 

Bicycles.

 

First off, let me say, I love both MTB and road.

A couple weekends ago we we're heading to an event down Olympiad. Speed limit is probably 40-50, traffic flowing for a Saturday morning. Come up over a kind of hill and there in the road is a group of let's say 20. Rolling 4-5 wide, 3/4 of the way into the lane and doing about 16 mph.
I get the whole "take the lane" thing, per situation. This was not it.
When you have a 10,500 lb truck rolling down the road, a bike and rider is merely a speed bump. Don't be a speed bump.

I slowed down and got around them. All the while thinking this is why some motorist don't like some cyclists.

 

This I see it all the time on the PCH. I even see solo guys right on the live along the section of PCH that is 60 mph. Even worse is when they are 3-4 across (I see a purple and pink club do this all of the time in HB). I ride dirt and pavement, we as bicyclists have to take the high road versus hikers (on dirt) and cars (on the road). Be polite folks, even if the other side are @$%holes. Which PLENTY of them are.

 

cyclists riding in the right lane, then crossing left across multiple lane in front of traffic. They just have to make that left turn lane!

Almost took them out last week. Like lemmings, one does a bonehead move, the rest follow!

 

This is actually the legal and correct way to make a left turn on a bicycle, so it seems you should be upset with yourself for not knowing the traffic laws.

 

Hahaha! yep the fact you're on a bike is bad enough.

You're correct, signal 'left' and make the move. If there's too much traffic just slow and wait.

 

You know, this is sorta relates as to why motorists don't like bicycles. A huge percentage of drivers are unskilled at operating a vehicle, these drivers are so unsure of their ability to operate a vehicle they freak out when presented with people on bicycles, it causes them fear and panic which they in turn project as anger towards the cyclists. I'll give an example, I was riding in a car with someone (not a cyclist) one morning and we came upon large group of cyclists, some out in the road. The person I'm with starts freaking out because they are slowing her down, I suggest she just pass them as there is no oncoming traffic for quite a distance, she proceeds to freak out at me and the cyclists. Mind you this is an area with broken yellow line for passing and plenty of sight. For someone who knows how to drive a car this would have been a non-event, instead it's another person who's going to complain about cyclists.

 

I think you nailed it. I never thought of it like that before. A cyclist is a variable they just can't handle. Kind of like the jock mentality of I'm-insecure-and-I-don't-understand-punk-rock-so-let's-beat-the-crap-out-of-those-punkers

 

It is their responsibility to make sure it is clear. Not mine to read the cyclists minds that they need to turn left instead of going forward.
At the very least, look over your shoulder and make hand signals. A driver could then infer through the riders actions that they intend to go left.
Or as I would when not safe, go forward and then wait on the other side at the light.

I slow for bikes, will stop and let them by, give lots of room when passing.
This however does not excuse poor and unsafe behavior.

 

Dan, good point--hand signals are key. I don't do the old-school left arm at 90 degrees for a right hander but point right with my right arm (even shaking my hand a bit for extra attention), I do the same shaking hand on outstretched left arm for left turns. A thank you wave is always nice for a car that waits for me.

 

when roadies ride 3 or 4 wide it pisses me off, not to mention makes cyclists look bad......actually it makes me mad when cyclists ride anywhere but the bike lane its just irresponsible and life threatening especially with the drivers out here.....i guess though if you arent smart enough to jump out of the fire its population control

 

So then what you are saying is that if there is no bike lane available.....cyclists should not be allowed to ride there?

 

people riding at night with no lights; i've seen it so much out here and saw them just in time. some didn't even have rear reflectors. i would say what pisses motorists off the most is if you are riding and not all the way over causing them to have to slightly move the steering wheel in order to avoid you and delaying them by many milliseconds.

 

:lol: sums up my jr. high and high school experience.
As a cyclist I think I'm very aware and respectful-even protective of roadies. What pisses me off to no end is the retards who just bought their first "fixie," and can't sack up enough to get off the sidewalk.

 

Do drivers get pissed too?
Sweet...

 

This is everything that pisses me off as a driver and cyclist.

Ninjas.

Salmon.

Ninja Salmon.

Ninja Drivers...I think as a percentage of owners, more Prius drivers forget to turn their lights on than any other group...including seniors.

Stealth Drivers (Its a LEAF for Christ's sake...why do you even turn the headlights off...extra 200 yards of range?)

Right Hooks.

Right Jabs.

Creepers.

Two-abreast riding in a two-wide lane...if there's only two of them...inevitably they're unaware of the "Left" callout as you come up on them, or unsure of what to do. Groups of six or more that aren't quick pacelining, I can understand and therefore have patience for.

Anyone not holding their line, assuming there's nobody behind them (car or bike)...aka "Weavers"...sometimes the combination of slow and weaving means they fit the criteria to be on the sidewalk, so they should go there. Also fall into the category of Organ Donors since they wear poor-fitting helmets (if at all) and can't seem to figure out that they need to make eye contact with cars at intersections (the right-turn lane thing).

Slow-poke riding the line of a bike-lane. You're just asking for it from all vehicles (cars, trucks, minivans, lycra-clad MTB'ers).

A-holes talking on their cellphone pulled over into the bike lane. You really don't have a hands-free device or can call that person back in a few minutes?

Runners running with traffic. I have no problem with them running against traffic on the asphalt...with or without a sidewalk present.

Any driver at an intersection that waves me through when they've clearly been there longer than I have. I can't see you at night, or behind your tinted windows, or guess what you or any of the other three drivers at the intersection is going to do...I have to assume you're going to hit me and I need to obey the rules accordingly. Besides, nobody in this freakin' world knows how to stop at a four-way intersection.

The "Bike Lane Closed" sign in Irvine. For a "Bike Friendly City", there sure are a lot of them that show up in the middle of a stretch of road with no advanced warning that the Bike Lane is closed ahead, forcing cyclists into thick traffic or an area where the construction zone has reduced the speed limit to "only" 45mph from the posted 60mph...we all know how many people slow down for that.

I encountered all of this yesterday on my 4-hour "recovery" road ride through South Orange County on Sunday, an area with some of the better bike lanes in the country...with the exception of the Ninjas and Ninja Salmon Thursday night.

 

Whatever dudes. When I'm on the road, I'll run whatever red I want if I know it's safe. I also see no problem pulling the shallow right turn to u-turn behind 1 or 2 waiting cars and go around them to keep going straight. What's the harm in that? That's may favorite move. Even if the light turns green for them, I'm never in front of them or in a position that they have to worry about me.





This all said, I'm always double-cautious when pulling the left hand turn with traffic through the lights, particularly at the large, busy, multi-lane intersections. Unless I'm way, way clear, I wont risk weaving across multiple lanes of traffic to get into that left turn lane and I'll just use the crosswalks instead.