And you thought DH was dangerous

[stinsonblvd]

I have been comuting now for about a month in Seattle. Drivers in this town have no tollerance for bikers. Some guy driving a Yukon XL honked at me when I was riding down Eastlake and then told me to get my ass off the road when we stopped at the light. Is this common-are other comuters experiencing this agressive behavior from drivers?

[MMike]

I remember Andy Savage and Steve the Producer were bitching about bikes on the roads and how they were a menace.....

[Snacks]

I don't ride on the road because it's too dangerous!

[pnj]

hell yes, i ride on the sidewalk. screw people in cars and screw stupid bike riders. :nuts:

[66]

Is this common-are other comuters experiencing this agressive behavior from drivers?


yes. it never goes away. i was a messenger for a while and have spent my time riding bike in traffic. drivers are dicks. carry a ulock in your back pocket and a key around your arm.

[Borneo]

It's just not downtown. I gave up on commuting from Duvall to Monroe on 203 because even when the median was 10 feet wide, they'd swerve over the solid white line just to give you the wind blast and a finger as they went by.

Just not worth it anymore. Gave my road bike away...

If I'm going to get hurt biking, it's on my own terms now.

[vibiker]

I commute year round. I'm not a messenger, but tend to ride like one :eek:. I probably get more of an adreneline rush riding along the Seattle waterfront then coming down Clown Shoes. The vehicular traffic is very dicey, but so are the peds in DT Seattle. I try not to hang around long enough to get in a confrontation with drivers....except of course that one time with the dump truck driver in W. Seattle :mad:.

But I am consistently using (friendly) hand-gestures to the cage operators to give me a bit of room as they pass by.

The funniest though, is when you are doing a few miles over the speed limit and drivers get bent out of shape and tailgate or honk as if you are doing 2mph.:confused:

[Dave_Schuldt]

I've been riding in Seattle for 20 years, 3 of them as a mesenger, had a few close calls, but I don't have much of a problem with drivers. I've seen plenty of sketchy stuff on the freway. Things are getting worse. Why do people run red lights? The amount of time you save isn't worth the risk. I never ran them while mesengering 'cause it didn't make me much faster. Being a fast mesenger is all about routing.

[scottjustscott]

I started commuting this past spring and have had a few "situations". I had one guy try to wedge himself between me and another rider a couple bike lengths ahead of me then try to make a right turn with one hand on the horn. The rider ahead of me nearly crashed and I ended up with a swollen hand from punching his passenger window so hard. I sure am glad that he didn't stop though because he probably would have kicked the crap out of me. My favorite response to the text book "get on the sidewalk" is "does it look like I'm walking a-hole?"

[angry_cyclist]

hell yes, i ride on the sidewalk. screw people in cars and screw stupid bike riders. :nuts:

mmmhhh :evil:

[h22ekhatch]

I have about 1500 road miles under my belt (less than 100 from commuting though...) in the Portland area.

Here is the damage

1x hit by car
1x beer bottle thrown at me
1x hit by side mirror of car passing WAY too close (but I didnt actually fall)
2x times when car was crazy enough that I thought for sure I was going to get it (you know how things go slowmo kinda?)
50x get on the sidewalk remarks

All in all, I would say your experience sounds pretty typical. I have been told by some road riders that my size/demeanor are somewhat intimidating and that I don't get it nearly as bad as they do. I can imagine the spandex roadie crowd really gets it bad :(

Also, for some strange reason it seems the most aggressive/verbal people about telling you to get the hell off the road (and back onto the sidewalk?!@?) are old women. Go figure.

[Tenchiro]

Man I am afraid for my safety most of the time while driving up here, much less trying to commute on my bike. Most of the time I stick to the sidewalks, unless it is a residential street.

Even the design of the roads up here are not very bike friendly though, which is very disappointing. I grew up in Eugene OR and road riding down there was much more enjoyable.

[ummbikes]

Man I am afraid for my safety most of the time while driving up here, much less trying to commute on my bike. Most of the time I stick to the sidewalks, unless it is a residential street.

Even the design of the roads up here are not very bike friendly though, which is very disappointing. I grew up in Eugene OR and road riding down there was much more enjoyable.


I thought you were dead.

[Tenchiro]

I thought you were dead.

Just a coma.

[ummbikes]

Just a coma.

Well good then. Glad to see you recovered.

[trailhacker]

My solution to that sort of stuff is a good spitting! Nothing like a hocked up loogie to show them who's boss.
Then turn and get the hell out of Dodge!!! I know, its cowardly, but it makes you feel all good inside.

I remember going to see the Presidents at one of the pain in the grass shows way back when. When I was leaving I was crossing mercer (by Tower) with the light and some chick almost ran me over then yelled profanites at me as she drove away. Well I saw that the traffic was backed up in the dip under Aroura due to a red light. I rode down there (she was in the curb lane) and got into a verbal thing with the guys in the passenger and back seat. The passenger kept asking me if I wanted him to get out and kick my fat ass. I kept telling him yes but he wouldn't get out? When the light turned green they pulled away but ran into backed up traffic at the crest of the hill. I caught up to them just as traffic started to move again. The passenger started to talk some more sh!t so I spit pretty much in his mouth as I rode by. They took the next right and three guys jumped out of the car (the guy in the driver side back seat was WAAYY bigger than me) and started to run towards me. I knew I could get by them with how fast I was going so I stroked the pedals a few more times and hacked some oysters from deep in my throat. The guy who's face I had just spit in was reaching out to grab me as I went by so I gave everything I could muster - a direct hit in the face again!!! I think I said something like "kick my fat ass now" as I rode away down Mercer. I quickly started making turns and got the hell out of there as they surely would have pummeled me had they caught me.
Cowardly? Maybe.
Do I still crack a smile seeing that guys face in my mind as I sprayed him with throat oyster? You betcha!
I don't advocate this method to everybody however......

[Snacks]

Do I still crack a smile seeing that guys face in my mind as I sprayed him with throat oyster? You betcha!
I don't advocate this method to everybody however......

EW! Throat oyster! That is just wrong! :nono:

[rallyprox]

I am from Portland Oregon, And have driven a lot downtown, because of work and so on. But anyways, I have expirenced all different types of riders on the streets, those from the considerate (for cars) and the ones that will ride in the middle of the road. I myself used to ride bikes downtown also, so I think that I am fairly un-biased. I do not agree with bikes riding in the street. Mainly because accidents do happen. There is no way around that. When the smallest car that would be encountered on the road would weigh somewhere around 2,000 lbs, and the heaviest biker most likely would not ever exceed 300 lbs including gear, bike, etc. If a accident would happen obviosuly the biker would be on the loosing side, regardless of whose fault it is. The law may say the biker has the right-of-way, but physics doesn't. I know there is a valid argument for both sides, but this is how I see it.

[pnj]

*blah blah blah......

ahahahahahhahahah!!!!
that's awsome.

they started it, why not finish it eh? :thumb:

[Five]

I spit pretty much in his mouth as I rode by.


Ahahaha - gross!...but that's awesome.

[scottjustscott]

Rallyprox:
Should the other cars stay on the sidewalks too? After all cars collide all the time.

[Fast&Smooth]

i'm moving to dt seattle lenora and 2nd in a week. my bike will be my main means of transportation around the city then onto buses to get out to the subrbs. i've got my bike all rigid and roaded out.

i have commuted from bothell to dt bellevue lots of times and luckily people out here seem to be pretty nice about it. i felt i could take advantage of them most of the time.

i'm sure i'll be running into many of the situations you guys have listed above. i think i might wear sun glasses in light and clear lenses at night because of the beer bottle comment.

as for people getting pissed/crazy when they shouldnt be...i'm not so sure what i can do about that. probably shouldn't point a gun at people, def. can't shoot at anything. long distance pepper spray maybe? HA. they should make mini paint ball guns

[scottjustscott]

That would be awesome!

[Borneo]

EW! Throat oyster! That is just wrong! :nono:

Uhm, you actually live with said oyster shooter, right? :eek:

But, hey, I laughed my ass off when I read that! Thanks TH.

[rallyprox]

Rallyprox:
Should the other cars stay on the sidewalks too? After all cars collide all the time.


You are missing my point. Bike vs car is not good, Car vs truck a little better. Most cars on the road now a days have airbags and seat belts, I have yet to see a bike that includes those as a factory option. And lets say that a bike on the sidewalk would hit a person. Well both parties may get scratched or at worse break a bone or two. If a bike was hit by a car, the biker would be lucky to get away with his life.

[Secret Squirrel]

You are missing my point. Bike vs car is not good, Car vs truck a little better. Most cars on the road now a days have airbags and seat belts, I have yet to see a bike that includes those as a factory option. And lets say that a bike on the sidewalk would hit a person. Well both parties may get scratched or at worse break a bone or two. If a bike was hit by a car, the biker would be lucky to get away with his life.


I guess you missed the post in the lounge about the biker that hit a pedestrian crossing the street and killed her.....

[Vno]

A little squirt gun filled with Skydrol(aircraft hydraulic fluid) will probably eat away car paint by the time they reach home. Again...doesn't solve the problem, but sure puts a smile on my face! :devil: Brake fluid is probably a suitable substitute.

[scottjustscott]

In this day of everyone suing for anything, I doubt if hitting and killing a pedestrian would be very cost effective. Not to mention the thought of taking another life.

[Denny]

I just ride my road bike like I'm on a mountain bike ride. Be aware of your surroundings, and don't get munched.

I ride in the traffic lane unless there's a bike lane. If there are cars parked on the side of the road, I ride 1.5 door widths away from the cars to avoid being doored.

I do 100 miles a week in the city, and it is quite entertaining.

My baby:
http://students.washington.edu/dennyt/bike/fixedblueshogun.jpg

[Skookum]

I don't advocate this method to everybody however......
Haha if you ever ride around the streets again lemme know, i got yo back, and a few lung cookies to donate myself. :)

[Skookum]

Just a coma.
We put you back on the milk box.
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130014

[gregzore]

I usually wear steel toed shoes when I commute through the city. They let you kick and steer at the same time. Plus, you can be "subtle" about the swings you take.

[Tenchiro]

We put you back on the milk box.
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130014

Haha nice. :blah:

[DBR X6 RIDER]

Then you have those times where you're JRA when some jackass on a cellphone fails to acknowledge the red light they just roasted - let alone even look to the left before he makes a right turn, thus cutting you off w/o any notice. You swere to avoid him and get high-ended as you're recovering from your abrupt swerve. I got lucky this time and only wound up with some sweet roadrash.
http://www.ridemonkey.com/mountain-bike-photos/data/500/7830091805_Roadrash.JPG

At least the bike is OK.:monkey:

[Certified Drunk]

Some roads bikers need to aviod! Airport way in Seattle is one of them! No shoulder, cars and trucks doing 60 mph+.

You can be right and you can be dead right, but when your dead nobody cares if you were right!

[FatalExposure]

http://www.ridemonkey.com/mountain-bike-photos/data/500/7830091805_Roadrash.JPG

At least the bike is OK.:monkey:

Every two wheeled injury I have ever had was usually greeted with the words "Oh $hit is my bike alright?"

Used to ride my old 91 Specialized Rockhopper from Pearl Harbor thru Honolulu and down to Waikiki. Down sections where you could hammer alongside H1, thru the busy portion of Honolulu dodging cars, buses, and bunny hopping sidewalks, weaving around stinky bums with the crotch of their pants ripped out, and finally down to this sandy beautiful beaches. All with Bach's greatest hits or Radio Clash driving those legs forward. Funner than most trail rides I've done.

[freeridekid]

i don't really like driving past bikers riding on the shoulder, but its even worse when they still ride on the edge of the road when they could be further in the shoulder, making me have to swerve into the wrong lane to make it past them. this is especially bad when you're going over the crest of a hill. i swear they must not be thinking about cars at all when they do that and it really pisses me off. if you're afraid of getting a flat cuz ur riding too close to the edge of the pavement, then u shouldn't be riding there at all. (btw i'm talking about roads with speed limits higher than anyone on a bike can keep a steady pace at.)

[Denny]

Well, cyclists are allowed by law in WA. to ride on the right side of the rightmost lane. http://www.leg.wa.gov/rcw/index.cfm?fuseaction=section&section=46.61.770

I'm surprised how many mountain bikers have zero consideration for bicyclists on the road when said mountain bikers are behind the wheel, on their way to a ride or not. Comments like "you shouldn't be riding there at all" [if you don't ride on the glass&rock-strewn shoulder] are great examples.

As a mountain biker who commutes on a road bike, all I ask is that you don't hit me when I'm obeying the law.

I'm sorry if you "don't really like" passing bikes, and that it "really pisses you off". But please, remember, it's your responsibility to slow down if you can't see over the crest of that hill:

From RCW 46.61.400:
"(3) The driver of every vehicle shall, consistent with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, drive at an appropriate reduced speed when approaching and crossing an intersection or railway grade crossing, when approaching and going around a curve, when approaching a hill crest, when traveling upon any narrow or winding roadway, and when special hazard exists with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions."

I mean, when did it become cool to kill your fellow cyclists?

[scottjustscott]

Well said Denny.