People on bikes may be rude and may not follow the rules, but can’t be aggressive.
When a man with a .45 meets a man with a rifle, the man with a pistol will be a dead man.
Original stripe from the Onion: https://www.theonion.com/bum-rush-hour-1846606314
Cross-posted from: https://mastodon.uno/users/rivoluzioneurbanamobilita/statuses/113615912203015089
And when they have their own lane:
I am visiting Boston. I am looking forward to using their transit, but their biking has not left a good impression so far. In one spot, they had a bike lane symbol, but it was just on a busy street between parking and traffic with no actual lane. In another spot, there was an actual lane, but people were parking on it. And just in general, there aren’t a lot of obvious places to bike around. People are making it work, but it just looks dangerous.
There’s room for a lot of improvement, and drivers hungry for parking are already fighting back against the changes we have.
Something that makes the experience much nicer is if I manage to plan out a destination that will take me along one of the community paths that are walking/bike specific. But yes, ideally you shouldn’t need to do such a thing.
Wait, this artist is serious and not mocking drivers with this opinion? Lol
No
I was riding on a two-lane road a couple of years ago. I heard a car approaching from behind, and he went really wide into the opposite lane to pass me. This was thoughtful of him except that there was a white van coming the opposite way which had to get almost all the way over to their curb to avoid hitting the car passing me head on. The driver of the white van stuck his head out of his window and yelled at me “YOU’RE GONNA GET SOMEBODY KILLED!”
I watched someone do that (without the screaming) right in front of a cop car going the other way, to the point where the cop had to hit the brakes to avoid a collision. I had to laugh.
Naturally nothing came of it. You know, driving dangerously isn’t a ticketable offense, for some reason.
Well. There are some really dumb bicyclists out there.
I have a real world example from just over an hour ago. I work overnights. I have to travel to different locations during my shift on certain nights. Tonight was one of those nights. I’m headed up to a location on a city street, 40mph speed limit, when I catch sight of a cyclist in my lane when I’m maybe 20ft from him. He’s peddling for his life but only doing 12-15mph or so.
Why didn’t I see him until he was that close to me? Was I playing on my phone? Tired because I work overnights? No. He is a black guy, wearing a black hoodie with black sweat pants, on a bike with no reflectors on it. Riding down a city street in the middle of the night. I’m pretty sure this is the second time I’ve encountered this guy too (same ninja cosplay both times). The first time was at least half a year ago. Honestly I’m surprised he’s still alive, or at least uncrippled to the point that he can bike.
People are insufficiently conscious of their visibility. Last night, in the dark and rain, a jogger came running full speed to cross a crosswalk from a dark wooded area between buildings who was completely wearing black. I would have hit her if it weren’t for the two inches of white socks that extended above her black sneakers which allowed me to slam the brakes just a moment before.
I know it can be hard to introspect about your own visibility. My partner has pointed out to me how to be better visible when I go out on my bike. More people should think about it.
Across the board, nighttime visibility on US roads has gotten worse for drivers and cyclists alike imo.
Then you need actual bike lanes
Yea bud, except the amount of stupid drivers out there far exceeds both the amount of stupid bikers and the danger they pose. You’re just used to it because the standard of driving skill is so abyssmally low and you’re a) probably part of that group whether you like it or not and b) familiar with what to look out for while bikes might be rarer.
In all my time driving I rarely see people who aren’t way too close to the limit of their driving skill. One little mistake followed by someone else not making up for it and bam, problem.
I’m going out on a limb here. On average car drivers and cyclists are equally rubbish in traffic. After that it becomes a numbers game. I don’t see any reason why the mode of transportation has any bearing on my skills in traffic.
As I told my kids when they started venturing out in traffic by themselves:
Me: expect anyone in traffic to be a moron Them (in a got ya-snicker): But that means you, too! Me: yes.
We all have bad days in traffic, regardless of how many wheels are at our disposal. Plan for it.
Probably the main point to follow this on is that bike collisions likely do happen, involving pedestrians or other cyclists. They’re aggravating and occasionally require intense treatment, but generally nowhere near as lethal as car collisions.
So, the risk factor makes a big difference. Like walking to your desk with a full cup of coffee, vs a pinless grenade.
Thank you for your insight, @psycho_driver@lemmy.world
Removed by mod
I’m pretty sure in this case, the indication was that his skin color literally made him harder to see at night.
Removed by mod
What’s more visible at night, an all-black outfit or a rainbow outfit? A: The all black outfit because antidenialistbot doesn’t see color
Removed by mod
Which non-natives did you steal your country from?
Removed by mod
Removed by mod
So you almost ran a guy over, but it’s his fault for being black?
I mean, that’s one way to live your life.
EDIT: just saw the user name. Totally ate the onion. Leaving the comment up to commemorate my shameful action.
No, as a driver you are always responsible for your actions.
However, being a driver does not absolve any cyclists of their responsibility as cyclists. In this case the issue is the lack of reflectors and lack of bike lights. That is part of the responsibilities that comes with being a biker.
Any reference to race, outside of the reflective properties of different colors that might actually be relevant in this case, are yours.
Any reference to race, outside of the reflective properties of different colors actually relevant in this case, are yours.
The way OP listed the person’s skin color along with other attributes that are supposedly relevant for visibility looked to me like HE was implying it was relevant.
Usually, I would let it slide, but (at least over here) “lol black people are hard to see at night” is unfortunately still a very harmful trope that gets bandied about, even in the aftermath of crashes.
So you can see why I thought it was worth calling out.
Now I think it’s all moot, a guy called “psycho driver” posting in “fuck cars” is probably not posting in good faith. But still.
“Black peoples are more likely to be criminals” is a harmful trope, and evokes racism through stereotyping. But “black people are hard to see at night” is…just true.
What the hell?
Yeah, your shameful comment makes you sound like the racist, idiot…
Uhh, ok.
Your post history is 90% name calling and deleted comments, so I’m sure it’s me who is the problem here.
Ok. My post history makes you not look like a dumbass.
Yup. That’s how it works. Lol
Edit: I’ve never once seen somebody who is actually debating in good faith check post history. As I’ve said to others, I don’t give a flying fuck. But going immediately to an ad hominem attack? Like, could you look any more like a stupid asshole?!?
You ad hominem’d first lmao.
Most assholes in cars can’t be bothered to stop for twenty seconds – like they’re supposed to – when there’s an obstruction in their lane. They think there’s some unwritten rule that they absolutely have to be moving no matter what’s on the road in front of them.
The proper thing to do in these “squeezed by a bike” scenarios is to just let the fucking bike determine the pace for a little while, and then wait until the other lane is free and you can pass using it.
They think there’s some unwritten rule that they absolutely have to be moving no matter what’s on the road in front of them.
I’ve experienced that more times than I can count from cyclists on sidewalks that think that I should be expected to dodge out of their way just because they ring their little bell.
Most assholes in cars can’t be bothered to stop for twenty seconds – like they’re supposed to – when there’s an obstruction in their lane.
The problem is that this applies to assholes on bikes, too. This is not to defend asshole car drivers, but you cannot deny that quite a number of bicycle riders have a rather loose connection to the rules of the road.
Weird that you link directly to the post of original comic, but then share a lower quality, fuzzy version.
Why not just use the image in the original post you linked to?
I think some lemmy instances use thumbnail caching.
Drivers in my city liberally use the bike lane as an impromptu turn lane, especially if another car is behind them even more if a bike is in the lane.
German right wing party AfD had one just like this, but unironically
No what I hate about bikes besides everyone saying it doesn’t happen is them not following the rules of the road
Man, if only they had like a place to fuck off to, so they don’t have to be on the road… Maybe like an area completely off the street? COUGHS IN DUTCH
Yes, in a car
I fucking hate dodging cyclists, especially when visiting my mom in the country side, single lanes, poor visibility, god forbid it’s summer and everyone’s out fucking cycling. You know where I never had to go around a cyclist? Literally any Dutch city I visited, because bikes lanes are almost completely separate. Driving in the Netherlands is fucking great. Despite the bike infrastructure, drivers aren’t at all compromised. Just look at their highways, shit looks like a copy paste of American highways.
This is what you people sound to me like ever since my trip in the Netherlands:
like not parking or driving in the bike lanes ? Like not speeding on every street because of the “cushion” ?
like driving without a license ? or insurance ?
oh you were whining about the human powered vehicle not the one the needs gas/coal/oil. My bad.
Every time I take my bike I’m amazed at how many car drivers don’t follow (or don’t know) the rules about overtaking safely.
You only get to pass me if there is plenty of space and it’s absolutely safe for both of us. Just because you’re in a car doesn’t mean you’re entitled to squeeze past and nearly run me over.
Sometimes, though rarely, they even come to a complete stop at the slow down sign.
Removed by mod
This comic is woefully inaccurate. There’s no way there are three people in that car. Also it’s not a car, it’s an SUV or a truck.
Removed by mod
Reminds me of my bike messenger days.
This might be my new favorite sicko with a bicycle helmet on 🚲
Bike needs a ‘Latest fad’ asterisk
The bicycle was invented in 1817. It isn’t the ‘Latest fad’.
It’s a Kelly comic, facts aren’t relevant
I’ve lived in a city…well two major cities and I did drive. I definitely noticed a difference between conscientious cyclists and oblivious cyclists… Which if I’m being completely honest I always gave space because safety and I hope they never felt unsafe.
The lunatics are on scooters in traffic…good God man it seemed to be pure insanity.
ALLAHU HANDLEBARS!!!
I must “Pick men” to be my sexual partners!
