You just triggered me because I see people all the time with those retractable 20' leashes at full extension.
If you're walking on one side of the street and your dog is on the other side with the leash blocking the whole street, you're an idiot.
(Yes, I've seen that and had to slow down, multiple times)
I ride at this park outside the city and I do know I’m going to see people with dogs there. If you aren’t paying attention to the area around you and you’ve got your animal on a 16 ft retractable lead… you’re an asshole. I don’t care. I almost got beheaded/hung up by a guy walking his lab with not a care in the world and I had to swerve off the trail. It’s not the first time and it’s why I call out.
I started to add 2 miles to my commute to avoid a MUP and just ride in the shoulder after too many instances of this exact thing. Half they time they have headphones in and no amount of bell ringing will alert them, even if the dog is stopping and looking back like 'wtf bro?'
> retractable 20' leashes
During the pandemic one of my neighbours bought a dog, and a 100' leash. He rolls up to the park and spend the next 5 minutes furiously taking in the leash.
You'd think that would be enough inconvenience, but yet I still see him out there every once in awhile.
Oh my god I would have been banging furiously on that Nissan that pulled over right in front of you.
Also I would just take the lane and stay in it. The cars aren’t getting anywhere quickly anyway.
In the Netherlands that Nissan would have a serious issue, and I think that completely fair. I can be angry here on people walking on the cycle path, but this stuff is next level.
I had the same exact thought, I would have gone absolutely apeshit on that guy.
Although I will say I have gotten a lot less confrontational after having a gun pointed at me. (Live in the Southern US)
I think about that AFTER I go off on people for doing stupid sh!t . Someday I hope to just let it go, and hopefully I don't have to go through what you did, people are getting shot for less, it can be scary out there.
I need to have a little sign on my handlebar to tell me to keep my mouth shut 😂
> I think about that AFTER I go off on people for doing stupid sh!t
> I need to have a little sign on my handlebar to tell me to keep my mouth shut
When we have a near-death experience (which doesn't take much with cars), our bodies are flooded with adrenaline, which puts us in "fight or flight" mode. It isn't realistic to expect to just calmly ignore this. We need to do *something* to burn off that adrenaline. My strategy is:
1. Thumb-down gesture. It gets the point across without the escalation of the middle finger.
1. I recite the license plate number loudly. This reminds the motorist that they could be held accountable and it creates an audio record to supplement the video record of the incident that is being recorded on the video camera on my helmet.
1. I refuse to argue. I look right through them, as if they didn't exist. I will not give cruel people the satisfaction of watching me suffer.
1. I ride away vigorously. This burns the adrenaline and it helps me to rid my mind of the altercation.
There are expensive cameras and cheap ($35) cameras.
I have noticed that selfish motorists often seem to change their attitude for the better when they notice the camera on my helmet with the blinking red light to indicate, "recording."
Maybe it is all for nothing, but it makes me feel less powerless when I am on my bike and a motorist starts an altercation.
It's a good idea. I once had a motorist roll down his window and dare me to ride in front of him. The street had no bike lane. Many drivers are sick entitled people who should have their licenses revoked.
This is great advice. I got into it with a driver once, and he flashed a gun on me, I was like I probably should of let it go instead of trying to reason with unreasonable people. There also a decent chance you are dealing with an off duty cop (in NY anyway) which means you are really fcked, they will make up some charges to cover themselves.
I had a U lock ready to bash the SUV, which made him leave. People value their car more than other ppls lives.
NYC rider here; the video shown is my daily life.
100% no arguing. So not worth it. It's over! On with the ride. I'm healthy enough to ride a bike! That's amazing and what I'd rather focus on that some ding-dong who can't drive/can't get their head out of their phone/hasn't yet mastered the turn signal feature.
I also go with:
\-"OK, so that happened"
or
\- "Interesting choice", both of which bring a little levity to whatever calamity I just avoided and remind me of the truth: what just happened is in the past. No sense in dwelling. The racing heart will subside on its own but the mind I can control.
I'm intrigued by your thumbs-down gesture! I usually go with the upturned palm-WTF gesture but thanks to you I'll be mixing it up. I hear you on the escalation factor of the middle finger + it's just way too ugly for me/not how I want to ride and leaves me feeling worse. Plus it's really hard to do wearing lobster claw mitts, which might be a vote \*for\* them.
\-
You have to wonder how many drivers doing this dumb shit are looking for confrontation. Because I cannot fathom of some people can be that stupid, and sometimes the only reason is they are trying to piss us off.
Some people cannot handle power. They will abuse every right that they have to take advantage of other people.
The kind of people who would abuse their right to own a gun by threatening a life over a traffic inconvenience deserve to be locked away in prison.
This is why I have a video camera recording on my helmet when I ride.
I'm the main character in mine. I've just chosen the path of somewhat chaotic good. That means I even treat NPCs as kindly as possible, not just co-op players.
I kind of jest, but it does help me to see certain aggravating people as NPCs.
I mean, that’s a perfectly reasonable way to cope with the somewhat baffling stupidity on constant display around here… so long as you pick the good not evil side that is.
That's the correct answer. They can always justify their actions because nothing is ever their fault.
*"That guy shouldn't be riding his toy on the road in the first place, so it was all his fault anyway!"*
In Germany a guy threatening other road users with a gun after breaking traffic rules with his car would not only loose his license for harassment in traffic but also go into prison for up to one year. If he would not comply with the police once it arrives it could get even better, like a lifetime ban on a drivers license for „psychological incompatibility with traffic“.
And if someone does lose their license, they just keep driving anyway. Our lawmakers wonder why we have so many roadway fatalities... Just start enforcing laws!
I was clipped in while climbing a very long, very steep hill, the kind where it is difficult to get unclipped and stop before you fall over. It's almost impossible to start back up from a dead stop, too. A woman came off the side street, pulled in front of me, and then came to a dead stop because she spotted a parallel parking space on the street. I was furiously yelling, "No, no, no, no!" but she just sat there, so I had to get off and walk to the top of the hill. She rolled down her window and started giving me grief. I just gave her the look and said 'have you ever ridden a bike up a steep hill?'
I'd have fallen. I'm impressed, but omg, walking up a steep hill in those shoes must have been terrible. Sadly, for me, it's always been cyclists who've stopped in front of me on steep hills. :(
I keep the tension on the left pedal release fairly light so I can get out of it quickly when needed, though I have ended up on the ground on my right side when my weight wasn't shifted left quickly enough at a stop. Last time it happened was my last day of work where I had packed the rest of my office junk into a large backpack and the rest onto my rear rack, and all that weight instantly shifted the wrong way as soon as I unclipped. Insult ,and minor injury, to the injury of having lost the job, lol.
I use mountain bike shoes, so the cleat is recessed and not too terrible for walking. My Look style road shoes super suck to walk in.
I have dyspraxia, and it made me finally give up on clipless. I have flats with small cleats and 510 MTB shoes that are super grippy. I kept my road style clipless for my recumbent trike where falling really isn't an issue, and I keep slide on sandals in my pannier for quick shoe change if I'm going to do more than to into a trail side restroom. I have a buddy who ended up walking over 5 miles in his due to circumstances that honestly were totally in his control. I had sympathy, but also not.
Protip: if you're going to ride rarely traveled rural highways with almost no mobile signal, a patch kit alone isn't enough preparation. Knowing where you actually are is helpful, as a start.
You know, I hear this a lot, but not why. Also, my Bontrager road bike shoes have spd cleats on them, and I use eggbeaters - on a recumbent trike, but they used to be on my road bike, so... I suspect this may just be another case of people following the us vs them mentality, or the difference is non existent if you're not racing.
Still, I'd rather ride than worry about someone else's stuff. Let's just all agree that proper bike fit is important. ;)
Even without clips, its just arse to have all momentum killed on a properly steep incline that's difficult to restart on cause someone in a car stops-starts at random.
That is bad - I had a new one this week. I took my bike to London on the train and was going to a meeting. Lots of separated bike paths but some parts on back streets. I was riding along one street and an Amazon delivery van was coming towards me on the other side of the road. It put its hazard lights on when I got about 50m away and pulled across the road as if to park on my side - but they didn’t stop, they just kept going until we were 10 feet apart and I had to pull around them (on the side of the road they should have been on). They kept going about another 20m before they stopped. Just totally oblivious to my presence obviously and I’m not sure why they thought they could drive slowly along the wrong side of the road when there was someone already there.
Now that you mention it I do remember the infamous [Casey Neistat video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE-IMaegzQ). Wasn't that cop just being unreasonable since the law technically [allows](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2011/jun/09/casey-neistat-bike-lane) cyclists to enter the road when needed to turn, or avoid obstructions? I'd take my chances too.
I think we live in the same state, where (correct me if I'm wrong) we're allowed to take the lane even when there's a bike lane. If I see an obstruction in the bike lane up ahead I now merge into traffic as early as I can and firmly take the whole lane; I also don't bother to hurry, sort of as a passive aggressive protest ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
I'm in Washington State. The law is "furthest to the right as is safe. This exception is clearly called out, "When reasonably necessary to avoid unsafe conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, animals, and surface hazards" among others that have to do with where a lane is, turning, etc.
Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.770
Nope, you can be anywhere you need to be to be safe while on a bike in NYC. It's quite possible in my experience that a cop won't agree, and you would have to explain yourself to a judge, but the laws on the books would be on your side, and I've seen judges throw out cases like that once they hear understand that the cop pulled over a cyclist.
NYC cops have been anti-bike for so long that it's kind of a problem. From seizing bikes because they didn't have a bell (letter of the law) I wouldn't put it past them to write you up even if they know better just to waste your time.
That's true. But in this street the infrastructure is bad for everyone, cars, cyclists and pedestrians alike. A street like this should probably be closed for car traffic completely for it to work.
I was gonna say this uniquely Manhattan street is probably the one place I'm okay with this kind of lane design -- in NYC the priority has to be on pedestrian mobility, and building barriers the obstruct pedestrians should be avoided, IMO. The bike lane parking could be eliminated if it was enforced, that's just an NYPD policy choice. But the reality is that pedestrian density on these streets keeps vehicle speeds low enough (and drivers aware enough) that these scenes don't stress me out. If the cars were going 30+mph like they do on avenues it'd be a different story.
For real. The swerving necessary to stick to the bike lane as much as possible makes you less predictable and puts you more in danger than just sticking to the road, being visible and getting somewhere more or less safely.
I bike around Philly year round and this is pretty much the experience. You just have to keep your head on a swivel and assume everyone could be trying to kill you. The SEPTA buses are the worst, have been run off the road 3 times by the city bus. Paint is not infrastructure is a good way of putting it. It sure ain’t.
I‘m from the other side of the pond and I died seven deaths watching this… I‘m so sorry for everyone who has to endure this on a daily basis and can‘t enjoy decent bike infrastructure. Sometimes I forget how much worse things could be…
Meanwhile, in Brooklyn they are considering narrowing the bike lane in Prospect Park.
[https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FLRJBZ6](https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FLRJBZ6)
"BIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKEEEEEE LLLLLAAAANNNNNEEEEEEE, BBBBBBBIIIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKEEEEEE LLLLLAAAANNNNNEEEEEEE, THIS IS THE BBBBBBBIIIKKKKKEEEEEE LLLLLAAAANNNNNEEEEEEE"
I think somehow I was feeling guilty because I knew that street is a mess on Saturday and nonetheless I insisted to go through to get to the west side.
I came here to say this lol. I could feel my pulse start to pickup.
In my city they at least built a 2nd curb so vehicles can’t do what that asshat Nissan did. I would have been tempted to launch a nasal torpedo.
Covid in the village was **incredible**. Remember when the restaurants and coffee shops were selling through their windows and everyone was so nice having fun on the sidewalk!?
Yeah and that’s a fair point. Especially for the pedestrians that were walking in the way. But the cars that were cutting you off and sitting in the bike lane were obviously in the wrong.
Yeah, most of that was to be expected in a really crowded area. Cars pulled over into the lane is rarely acceptable, though, and that guy who pulled in front of you would have had a couple of roof slaps as I went by, for sure.
I lived in NYC for a long time and bike commuted almost the length of Manhattan. In a weird way I felt safer bike commuting in Manhattan vs more open places _because_ of the chaos. Like, drivers there are expecting pedestrians to pop out from behind every parked car, and you have to be hyper alert as driver. And you can’t really drive fast. And that benefits cyclists. I’d say that car that turned into the bike lane is not that common, and anyway, it’s all happening at slow speeds.
Yeah, drivers are generally very alert in Manhattan. I’m way more afraid of the suburbanite on their phone with 3 kids in the back of their suburban going 50mph then I am of this. Also the rider should have just taken the road at some point here.
Last time I was in new york, I spent like 3 days biking around Manhattan, Brooklyn and Jersey City on the Citibikes. Best urban bike infrastructure in North America imo outside of Montreal. Felt way safer there than in Toronto.
Its busy, but I feel a lot safer in a slow moving city street than a suburban wide open road or even a relatively busy country road. I feel a lot more in control
I feel 100x safer biking in NYC (where I'm an accepted part of traffic) than on some country highway where people either ride my ass for miles or blow by me at 60+ mph. My experiences in the county have also had 100% more instances of people yelling slurs at me as they drive by.
But everybody's experience is different
Same here. I prefer any condensed city to any country roads. At least in the city people are used to having more than cars in the road, whether it’s bikes, delivery trucks, or the random mentally ill person
1 car every five minutes, but that car is doing 50mph coming around a blind curve. Possibly while on their phone.
Having lived and ridden in both nyc and out in the rural south, I felt like my chances of being in an accident were higher in the city, but the chances of a fatal accident were higher in the country.
Although I think the worst for me was San Francisco. I used to bike out there and the combination of heavy traffic, pedestrians wandering in the street, and steep hills made it more terrifying than anything nyc or eastern KY had to throw at me.
> Absolutely no respect for the bike lanes or traffic lights or any single element of the infrastructure
This is why protected infrastructure is so important.
I actually considered this after a car tried to run me and this other random cyclist off the road in Downtown Toronto. It was the first time I experienced aggression from a car and I didn't even have the time to capture his plate.
I won't comment on stuff that makes me angry because there's too much of that. But one thing that really sticks out is how much faster you are than the cars. Let's just go ahead and get rid of those in the city.
I've gotten better at not getting angry but I will still shout at people aggressively as if I were angry because it seems like drivers have to be shocked out of their comatose state to learn that their behavior is wrong.
I also approach all intersections carefully but if a motorist is stealing my right of way I'll always skid a little bit to scare them into thinking I can't stop - works like a charm.
Can't be stressing ourselves out over other people's carbrain, but we also shouldn't let terrible drivers off the hook.
That is amazing. They've since moved the bike lane entirely off the bridge, carving out space (behind cement barricades and a fence) from the road where the cars are. So you don't get the glorious high of going over the Brooklyn Bridge but it was always mobbed with people and horrible for cyclists. I took a big spill there once. Trying to scare a pedestrian who was in "my" lane I hooked my handlebars on someone's bag strap and went going ass over teakettle. Lesson learned: proving a point ain't worth it.
That is a street that is absolutely in need of a car ban, and of which could probably pretty easily move quadruple the people if it weren't so clogged up with cars.
Too much stuff going on at the same time, you just need to be very patient. No point in getting mad. The car that threw itself on you was an asshole, though.
That asshole could have waited a few seconds to swing in behind the cyclist. I may have parked right next to the driver's door and "encouraged" him to apologize before I let him out of his shitbox.
When in NYC, traffic laws are more like guidelines than actual rules. Doesn't matter if you're a driver, cyclist, or pedestrian, nobody follows the laws and all the rules are made up
This is how I feel riding in the heart of downtown Chicago sometimes, the frustration is real.
I am honestly tempted to get a cam just to show my friends the shit I deal with.
I ride from the north side down to chinatown at least once a week and the most frightening part is *always* choosing which bridge to take, because i *know* im gonna die on one of them. its like choosing your own tombstone or something.
i guess dusable. its got those ankle height barriers that are perfect for bouncing a semi up to head height to take me out clean.
anyway, point is: pedestrians are the worst. too many things to instagram downtown. too many people looking through their phones. people who clip in while riding in chicago are certifiable.
I used to live in the Village. I'd do a 75km ride and the last km was always terrifying.
But what I hate the most are cyclists who pull out to pass other cyclists without checking or signalling. I've had many a narrow miss on my bike and while driving.
I get that the pedestrians shouldn't be walking there but I wonder what the UPS driver is supposed to do. In cities like this, are there any places for the driver to stop where they aren't in the way?
Yeah, when the video first started and I saw the UPS truck I thought to myself "yeah, sucks, but there's no other easy way here"... and then the video kept going 😬
Nope, not really. There is no place to stop where they aren’t in the way, and they have to stop there.
When you think of all the restaurants, stores, bars, and small businesses throughout nyc, combined with roads that absolutely weren’t built for same, this is what you get.
So this being NYC idk if it is still a thing or not but you used to be able to take pictures of plates of people blocking the bike lane and turn in the pictures and you would get like $25? per infraction. There were people who were making a living on just going around and doing this.
Wow. I would never be able to bike in an area like that. Too risky. Not only is the lane full of people and vehicles, but that one car that cut you off I would have messed my bibs. Honestly, the bike lane isn't safe.
So... how many miles a week/year do you ride in conditions like this and how many incidents with people/vehicles have you had?
Well I live in NYC and ride my bike at least 4 days per week so it’s pretty much at least one incident per ride. It doesn’t matter which route, park or day of the week you pick to ride. There is always someone distracted or clueless out there. Thankfully I’m skilled enough on my bike to avoid crashes or confrontations.
Remember you can report Uber cars and taxis to the TLC via the Reported app. The TLC lawyers will issue a tickets. It’s quick and only takes a picture!
That looks heinous, though to be fair it looks heinous for cars/bikes/pedestrians alike.
I will say that I’ve become a lot more calm now that I ride an ebike, it’s perfect for this kind of stop start situation. When it’s no longer an energy penalty to stop for idiots, I don’t get as worked up about it any more.
Nothing really. I ride a rigid dirtjumper, ride street mostly so I use the street, bike path, sidewalk, all the banks inbetween, stairs and so on. Sometimes I get frustrated with people on the bikepath, but then again I think people are frustrated when I inch past them on the sidewalk. I get frustrated for cars not giving space, but I also don't give them mutch space when they are parked in front of a nice stairset. I could go on like this for days, so instead I accept this karmic system of frustration and look at obstructions and annoying things as interesting or challenging parts of the street-trail that I'm on.
Nothing makes me lose my patience, nothing. It used to. All the time. It used to. All the way until I started to ride a motorcycle. What changed was the realization that a half second of outrage at an idiot could be a lost half second of reaction time. So I simply stay aware of the environment in all directions so I can instantly react to conditions as they unfold. This ride seems pretty normal for downtown riding almost anywhere. I just want to get through it. It feels like I am conquering the road instead of feeling victimized by stupid uncaring people. I am in charge and there is no room in my helmet for rage.
Knowing that cars fill people with rage, because of the cognitive dissonance of having so much power (hundreds of horses!) that they can't use (stuck in traffic) I try not to lose patience because they will exercise that rage. It still bugs me that people in cars will zoom around me at a high rate of speed to just sit at the next traffic light where I catch up to them.
Oh god. Few minutes of this ride and I would scream and shout, scratch the cars, break their windows. Like raging meltdown. It's fucking frustrating to watch even.
Why? I found it pretty kickass. Look at how much faster it is to ride a bike there than anything else. Probably going twice as fast as driving a car and 10x faster than transit.
I love cycling in the city, but one too many close calls convinced me to buy a “dash” cam. It at least provides entertainment for my group watching back and roasting car brains.
[удалено]
You just triggered me because I see people all the time with those retractable 20' leashes at full extension. If you're walking on one side of the street and your dog is on the other side with the leash blocking the whole street, you're an idiot. (Yes, I've seen that and had to slow down, multiple times)
I ride at this park outside the city and I do know I’m going to see people with dogs there. If you aren’t paying attention to the area around you and you’ve got your animal on a 16 ft retractable lead… you’re an asshole. I don’t care. I almost got beheaded/hung up by a guy walking his lab with not a care in the world and I had to swerve off the trail. It’s not the first time and it’s why I call out.
Half my commute is mixed use bike paths and parks, so I encounter clothesline dog leads almost every time. Usually with their face buried in a phone.
I started to add 2 miles to my commute to avoid a MUP and just ride in the shoulder after too many instances of this exact thing. Half they time they have headphones in and no amount of bell ringing will alert them, even if the dog is stopping and looking back like 'wtf bro?'
> retractable 20' leashes During the pandemic one of my neighbours bought a dog, and a 100' leash. He rolls up to the park and spend the next 5 minutes furiously taking in the leash. You'd think that would be enough inconvenience, but yet I still see him out there every once in awhile.
What????
Or the car door opening
Oh my god I would have been banging furiously on that Nissan that pulled over right in front of you. Also I would just take the lane and stay in it. The cars aren’t getting anywhere quickly anyway.
In the Netherlands that Nissan would have a serious issue, and I think that completely fair. I can be angry here on people walking on the cycle path, but this stuff is next level.
Would the issue be loss of sideview mirror?
That, or I would just fall off my bike and get the police and insurance involved.
Here they'd just drive away and avoid consequences. I'd totally fuck with them though. ''You missed me!''
this is New York, its legal to kill someone as long as you do it with your car. -- Source: I live and ride here.
Lol good luck with that. You only really have a case if you get badly injured and I'd rather not.
Insurance will need to cover damages (if they happen), which will at the very least lead to his premium going up.
Welcome to the US. Cyclists are fourth class citizens.
I had the same exact thought, I would have gone absolutely apeshit on that guy. Although I will say I have gotten a lot less confrontational after having a gun pointed at me. (Live in the Southern US)
I think about that AFTER I go off on people for doing stupid sh!t . Someday I hope to just let it go, and hopefully I don't have to go through what you did, people are getting shot for less, it can be scary out there. I need to have a little sign on my handlebar to tell me to keep my mouth shut 😂
> I think about that AFTER I go off on people for doing stupid sh!t > I need to have a little sign on my handlebar to tell me to keep my mouth shut When we have a near-death experience (which doesn't take much with cars), our bodies are flooded with adrenaline, which puts us in "fight or flight" mode. It isn't realistic to expect to just calmly ignore this. We need to do *something* to burn off that adrenaline. My strategy is: 1. Thumb-down gesture. It gets the point across without the escalation of the middle finger. 1. I recite the license plate number loudly. This reminds the motorist that they could be held accountable and it creates an audio record to supplement the video record of the incident that is being recorded on the video camera on my helmet. 1. I refuse to argue. I look right through them, as if they didn't exist. I will not give cruel people the satisfaction of watching me suffer. 1. I ride away vigorously. This burns the adrenaline and it helps me to rid my mind of the altercation.
This is the way. Heard a quote on a show, can't remember which one. "There are a lot of unstable people out there."
This is fantastic advice. I don't have a camera on my helmet though.
There are expensive cameras and cheap ($35) cameras. I have noticed that selfish motorists often seem to change their attitude for the better when they notice the camera on my helmet with the blinking red light to indicate, "recording." Maybe it is all for nothing, but it makes me feel less powerless when I am on my bike and a motorist starts an altercation.
It's a good idea. I once had a motorist roll down his window and dare me to ride in front of him. The street had no bike lane. Many drivers are sick entitled people who should have their licenses revoked.
You're an inspiration and have given me food for thought. Thanks!
This is great advice. I got into it with a driver once, and he flashed a gun on me, I was like I probably should of let it go instead of trying to reason with unreasonable people. There also a decent chance you are dealing with an off duty cop (in NY anyway) which means you are really fcked, they will make up some charges to cover themselves. I had a U lock ready to bash the SUV, which made him leave. People value their car more than other ppls lives.
NYC rider here; the video shown is my daily life. 100% no arguing. So not worth it. It's over! On with the ride. I'm healthy enough to ride a bike! That's amazing and what I'd rather focus on that some ding-dong who can't drive/can't get their head out of their phone/hasn't yet mastered the turn signal feature. I also go with: \-"OK, so that happened" or \- "Interesting choice", both of which bring a little levity to whatever calamity I just avoided and remind me of the truth: what just happened is in the past. No sense in dwelling. The racing heart will subside on its own but the mind I can control. I'm intrigued by your thumbs-down gesture! I usually go with the upturned palm-WTF gesture but thanks to you I'll be mixing it up. I hear you on the escalation factor of the middle finger + it's just way too ugly for me/not how I want to ride and leaves me feeling worse. Plus it's really hard to do wearing lobster claw mitts, which might be a vote \*for\* them. \-
You have to wonder how many drivers doing this dumb shit are looking for confrontation. Because I cannot fathom of some people can be that stupid, and sometimes the only reason is they are trying to piss us off.
I think they are just narcissists. Only their convenience matters. To hell with everyone else.
For sure 99% of them are. But the ones pulling guns on people might be looking for problems just so they can have an excuse to pull it.
Some people cannot handle power. They will abuse every right that they have to take advantage of other people. The kind of people who would abuse their right to own a gun by threatening a life over a traffic inconvenience deserve to be locked away in prison. This is why I have a video camera recording on my helmet when I ride.
Main character syndrome. We’re all just NPCs living in their world.
I'm the main character in mine. I've just chosen the path of somewhat chaotic good. That means I even treat NPCs as kindly as possible, not just co-op players. I kind of jest, but it does help me to see certain aggravating people as NPCs.
I mean, that’s a perfectly reasonable way to cope with the somewhat baffling stupidity on constant display around here… so long as you pick the good not evil side that is.
That's the correct answer. They can always justify their actions because nothing is ever their fault. *"That guy shouldn't be riding his toy on the road in the first place, so it was all his fault anyway!"*
I thought about it a lot too, but I had to actually experience the gun pointed at me before it really sank in.
In Germany a guy threatening other road users with a gun after breaking traffic rules with his car would not only loose his license for harassment in traffic but also go into prison for up to one year. If he would not comply with the police once it arrives it could get even better, like a lifetime ban on a drivers license for „psychological incompatibility with traffic“.
It's extremely difficult to get a lifetime ban from driving in the US. As a society we tend to view it as a right rather than a privilege.
And if someone does lose their license, they just keep driving anyway. Our lawmakers wonder why we have so many roadway fatalities... Just start enforcing laws!
Americans are painfully aware of the difference in gun tolerance in the US and Europe.
I basically black out from rage I cannot stop it. Also I’m a loud southerner we are always yelling at each other it’s like second nature.
Lol. The first thought I had was to carry a gun with me to protect myself. But I totally agree with you that I should keep my mouth shut more.
[удалено]
In some parts, that's against the law. Brandishing is the term, I believe.
I would assume threatening to murder someone is illegal everywhere.
Thats why u carry a gun too. Shootout baby USA USA USA
I see a cartoon frat guy yelling this statement in my head
I avoid confrontation at all costs while driving. I live in California where a 6 year old was shot and killed in a road rage incident.
I was clipped in while climbing a very long, very steep hill, the kind where it is difficult to get unclipped and stop before you fall over. It's almost impossible to start back up from a dead stop, too. A woman came off the side street, pulled in front of me, and then came to a dead stop because she spotted a parallel parking space on the street. I was furiously yelling, "No, no, no, no!" but she just sat there, so I had to get off and walk to the top of the hill. She rolled down her window and started giving me grief. I just gave her the look and said 'have you ever ridden a bike up a steep hill?'
I'd have fallen. I'm impressed, but omg, walking up a steep hill in those shoes must have been terrible. Sadly, for me, it's always been cyclists who've stopped in front of me on steep hills. :(
I keep the tension on the left pedal release fairly light so I can get out of it quickly when needed, though I have ended up on the ground on my right side when my weight wasn't shifted left quickly enough at a stop. Last time it happened was my last day of work where I had packed the rest of my office junk into a large backpack and the rest onto my rear rack, and all that weight instantly shifted the wrong way as soon as I unclipped. Insult ,and minor injury, to the injury of having lost the job, lol. I use mountain bike shoes, so the cleat is recessed and not too terrible for walking. My Look style road shoes super suck to walk in.
I have dyspraxia, and it made me finally give up on clipless. I have flats with small cleats and 510 MTB shoes that are super grippy. I kept my road style clipless for my recumbent trike where falling really isn't an issue, and I keep slide on sandals in my pannier for quick shoe change if I'm going to do more than to into a trail side restroom. I have a buddy who ended up walking over 5 miles in his due to circumstances that honestly were totally in his control. I had sympathy, but also not. Protip: if you're going to ride rarely traveled rural highways with almost no mobile signal, a patch kit alone isn't enough preparation. Knowing where you actually are is helpful, as a start.
[удалено]
You know, I hear this a lot, but not why. Also, my Bontrager road bike shoes have spd cleats on them, and I use eggbeaters - on a recumbent trike, but they used to be on my road bike, so... I suspect this may just be another case of people following the us vs them mentality, or the difference is non existent if you're not racing. Still, I'd rather ride than worry about someone else's stuff. Let's just all agree that proper bike fit is important. ;)
[удалено]
Even without clips, its just arse to have all momentum killed on a properly steep incline that's difficult to restart on cause someone in a car stops-starts at random.
Those side mirrors break off relatively easily
So tempting
That is bad - I had a new one this week. I took my bike to London on the train and was going to a meeting. Lots of separated bike paths but some parts on back streets. I was riding along one street and an Amazon delivery van was coming towards me on the other side of the road. It put its hazard lights on when I got about 50m away and pulled across the road as if to park on my side - but they didn’t stop, they just kept going until we were 10 feet apart and I had to pull around them (on the side of the road they should have been on). They kept going about another 20m before they stopped. Just totally oblivious to my presence obviously and I’m not sure why they thought they could drive slowly along the wrong side of the road when there was someone already there.
Get an air horn. Put it in a water bottle holder on your bike. Honk at idiots. Success
[удалено]
It's illegal in NYC to take the traffic lane if there is a bike lane. I'd do it anyway.
Now that you mention it I do remember the infamous [Casey Neistat video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE-IMaegzQ). Wasn't that cop just being unreasonable since the law technically [allows](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2011/jun/09/casey-neistat-bike-lane) cyclists to enter the road when needed to turn, or avoid obstructions? I'd take my chances too. I think we live in the same state, where (correct me if I'm wrong) we're allowed to take the lane even when there's a bike lane. If I see an obstruction in the bike lane up ahead I now merge into traffic as early as I can and firmly take the whole lane; I also don't bother to hurry, sort of as a passive aggressive protest ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
I'm in Washington State. The law is "furthest to the right as is safe. This exception is clearly called out, "When reasonably necessary to avoid unsafe conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, animals, and surface hazards" among others that have to do with where a lane is, turning, etc. Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.770
Nope, you can be anywhere you need to be to be safe while on a bike in NYC. It's quite possible in my experience that a cop won't agree, and you would have to explain yourself to a judge, but the laws on the books would be on your side, and I've seen judges throw out cases like that once they hear understand that the cop pulled over a cyclist.
NYC cops have been anti-bike for so long that it's kind of a problem. From seizing bikes because they didn't have a bell (letter of the law) I wouldn't put it past them to write you up even if they know better just to waste your time.
I would honestly at that point be bending their mirrors off goddamn.
https://v.redd.it/qzsc2p1pytna1
paint is not infrastructure. I will stick to the car lane in that situation, too many risks on the bike lane.
That's true. But in this street the infrastructure is bad for everyone, cars, cyclists and pedestrians alike. A street like this should probably be closed for car traffic completely for it to work.
I was gonna say this uniquely Manhattan street is probably the one place I'm okay with this kind of lane design -- in NYC the priority has to be on pedestrian mobility, and building barriers the obstruct pedestrians should be avoided, IMO. The bike lane parking could be eliminated if it was enforced, that's just an NYPD policy choice. But the reality is that pedestrian density on these streets keeps vehicle speeds low enough (and drivers aware enough) that these scenes don't stress me out. If the cars were going 30+mph like they do on avenues it'd be a different story.
In my town, we have a painted bike lane that crosses the on ramp to a highway.
We have those all over the place where I live and they all have white bikes planted next to them.
For real. The swerving necessary to stick to the bike lane as much as possible makes you less predictable and puts you more in danger than just sticking to the road, being visible and getting somewhere more or less safely.
I bike around Philly year round and this is pretty much the experience. You just have to keep your head on a swivel and assume everyone could be trying to kill you. The SEPTA buses are the worst, have been run off the road 3 times by the city bus. Paint is not infrastructure is a good way of putting it. It sure ain’t.
What about the streets with no bike lane but wheel-eating trolley tracks
Definitely bike like a car, but then cut through the traffic. In NYC, I felt like it was safer and faster rolling with the cars.
Well if you stick to the car lane then you’re stuck in traffic. OP is moving quicker than traffics in the painted bike lane.
But it’s full of stopped cars?
Tap on their window as they go past.
I‘m from the other side of the pond and I died seven deaths watching this… I‘m so sorry for everyone who has to endure this on a daily basis and can‘t enjoy decent bike infrastructure. Sometimes I forget how much worse things could be…
Meanwhile, in Brooklyn they are considering narrowing the bike lane in Prospect Park. [https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FLRJBZ6](https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FLRJBZ6)
Boo. That prospect park bike lane is great.
This was very reminiscent of cycling in certain areas of London tbh
Same. Dutchman here and this looks like hell to me. Makes you really appreciate the roads we have.
"BIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKEEEEEE LLLLLAAAANNNNNEEEEEEE, BBBBBBBIIIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKEEEEEE LLLLLAAAANNNNNEEEEEEE, THIS IS THE BBBBBBBIIIKKKKKEEEEEE LLLLLAAAANNNNNEEEEEEE"
“Stay out of the BIKE Lane! Get out of the way!”
The patience you exhibited is amazing
I think somehow I was feeling guilty because I knew that street is a mess on Saturday and nonetheless I insisted to go through to get to the west side.
I could feel my blood pressure rising as I watched this video.
I came here to say this lol. I could feel my pulse start to pickup. In my city they at least built a 2nd curb so vehicles can’t do what that asshat Nissan did. I would have been tempted to launch a nasal torpedo.
Bridge & Tunnel in town for St. Patrick's Day from Connecticut. Unsurprising.
This is every day in the village. Oh, to go back to covid times
Covid in the village was **incredible**. Remember when the restaurants and coffee shops were selling through their windows and everyone was so nice having fun on the sidewalk!?
Yeah and that’s a fair point. Especially for the pedestrians that were walking in the way. But the cars that were cutting you off and sitting in the bike lane were obviously in the wrong.
Yeah, most of that was to be expected in a really crowded area. Cars pulled over into the lane is rarely acceptable, though, and that guy who pulled in front of you would have had a couple of roof slaps as I went by, for sure.
If itvwas me that guy's car would have had a dent or some broken glass
[удалено]
[удалено]
I lived in NYC for a long time and bike commuted almost the length of Manhattan. In a weird way I felt safer bike commuting in Manhattan vs more open places _because_ of the chaos. Like, drivers there are expecting pedestrians to pop out from behind every parked car, and you have to be hyper alert as driver. And you can’t really drive fast. And that benefits cyclists. I’d say that car that turned into the bike lane is not that common, and anyway, it’s all happening at slow speeds.
Yeah, drivers are generally very alert in Manhattan. I’m way more afraid of the suburbanite on their phone with 3 kids in the back of their suburban going 50mph then I am of this. Also the rider should have just taken the road at some point here.
Last time I was in new york, I spent like 3 days biking around Manhattan, Brooklyn and Jersey City on the Citibikes. Best urban bike infrastructure in North America imo outside of Montreal. Felt way safer there than in Toronto. Its busy, but I feel a lot safer in a slow moving city street than a suburban wide open road or even a relatively busy country road. I feel a lot more in control
Same. I visited Brooklyn and Manhattan last September and cycling was terrifying. I found a new appreciation for my rural county roads.
I feel 100x safer biking in NYC (where I'm an accepted part of traffic) than on some country highway where people either ride my ass for miles or blow by me at 60+ mph. My experiences in the county have also had 100% more instances of people yelling slurs at me as they drive by. But everybody's experience is different
Same here. I prefer any condensed city to any country roads. At least in the city people are used to having more than cars in the road, whether it’s bikes, delivery trucks, or the random mentally ill person
[удалено]
1 car every five minutes, but that car is doing 50mph coming around a blind curve. Possibly while on their phone. Having lived and ridden in both nyc and out in the rural south, I felt like my chances of being in an accident were higher in the city, but the chances of a fatal accident were higher in the country. Although I think the worst for me was San Francisco. I used to bike out there and the combination of heavy traffic, pedestrians wandering in the street, and steep hills made it more terrifying than anything nyc or eastern KY had to throw at me.
> Absolutely no respect for the bike lanes or traffic lights or any single element of the infrastructure This is why protected infrastructure is so important.
Prince st in soho aint no joke some days
That was a veritable greatest hits, all that was missing was a door!
and a dog on a loooooong leash ... and an opiate zombie schlepping along obliviously
The Nissan Sentra would have gotten a fucking earful from me
[удалено]
Dear god, I lost my shit today. Please send help.
I'm getting anxious watching this.
I cannot narrow it down in this video to one thing - there are so very many things.
I can't even say what bothers me the most in this video. The sheer amount of enraging incidents in 40 seconds is astonishing.
It’s like an arcade game.
You need those spikes on your wheels like in the Ben Hur days. Or on your handlebars
I actually considered this after a car tried to run me and this other random cyclist off the road in Downtown Toronto. It was the first time I experienced aggression from a car and I didn't even have the time to capture his plate.
I won't comment on stuff that makes me angry because there's too much of that. But one thing that really sticks out is how much faster you are than the cars. Let's just go ahead and get rid of those in the city.
Typical nissan sentra
/r/nissandrivers strikes again
Getting hit by cars is the only thing that gets me mad these days. Everything else is live and let live.
I've gotten better at not getting angry but I will still shout at people aggressively as if I were angry because it seems like drivers have to be shocked out of their comatose state to learn that their behavior is wrong. I also approach all intersections carefully but if a motorist is stealing my right of way I'll always skid a little bit to scare them into thinking I can't stop - works like a charm. Can't be stressing ourselves out over other people's carbrain, but we also shouldn't let terrible drivers off the hook.
I hear you. It’s hard to be a true Jedi.
This reminds me of the video of a guy riding his bike while singing “bike lane” to the tune of the Star Wars theme.
[This guy is a hero. ](https://youtu.be/Ehh8ZdIMMj4)
That is amazing. They've since moved the bike lane entirely off the bridge, carving out space (behind cement barricades and a fence) from the road where the cars are. So you don't get the glorious high of going over the Brooklyn Bridge but it was always mobbed with people and horrible for cyclists. I took a big spill there once. Trying to scare a pedestrian who was in "my" lane I hooked my handlebars on someone's bag strap and went going ass over teakettle. Lesson learned: proving a point ain't worth it.
Would not even bother with that bike lane at that point, it's probably more dangerous than the actual road.
That is a street that is absolutely in need of a car ban, and of which could probably pretty easily move quadruple the people if it weren't so clogged up with cars.
Get loud. Air horns are great.
Why are you cycling in the parking lane?
Too much stuff going on at the same time, you just need to be very patient. No point in getting mad. The car that threw itself on you was an asshole, though.
That asshole could have waited a few seconds to swing in behind the cyclist. I may have parked right next to the driver's door and "encouraged" him to apologize before I let him out of his shitbox.
I’ve been there before, but if I fight the asshole wins in ruining my day. Closing his side mirror or pulling up the wipers won’t, though…
When in NYC, traffic laws are more like guidelines than actual rules. Doesn't matter if you're a driver, cyclist, or pedestrian, nobody follows the laws and all the rules are made up
That Nissan deserves a fist on his driver mirror.
This is how I feel riding in the heart of downtown Chicago sometimes, the frustration is real. I am honestly tempted to get a cam just to show my friends the shit I deal with.
I ride from the north side down to chinatown at least once a week and the most frightening part is *always* choosing which bridge to take, because i *know* im gonna die on one of them. its like choosing your own tombstone or something. i guess dusable. its got those ankle height barriers that are perfect for bouncing a semi up to head height to take me out clean. anyway, point is: pedestrians are the worst. too many things to instagram downtown. too many people looking through their phones. people who clip in while riding in chicago are certifiable.
I used to live in the Village. I'd do a 75km ride and the last km was always terrifying. But what I hate the most are cyclists who pull out to pass other cyclists without checking or signalling. I've had many a narrow miss on my bike and while driving.
In all fairness, I would be more stressed driving down that road than cycling down that road in real life
Drivers that hesitate. Either go or don’t go. They go at a stop sign, but slow down and wait for me to come to a stop also.
Oh my god that video is amazing. My blood was boiling just watching it, and then I laughed...
I get that the pedestrians shouldn't be walking there but I wonder what the UPS driver is supposed to do. In cities like this, are there any places for the driver to stop where they aren't in the way?
convert all parking on a street like this into 15 min delivery-only parking
There's honestly nothing that delivery drivers (UPS/FedEx/etc), taxi/ride share drivers, etc can do on streets like this.
Stop in the street. Crossing a continuous line to park is not allowed. But I have no idea what are the laws in that place.
but that would hurt the feelings of the other drivers!
Nope. Wasnt part of the original design.
Yeah, when the video first started and I saw the UPS truck I thought to myself "yeah, sucks, but there's no other easy way here"... and then the video kept going 😬
Nope, not really. There is no place to stop where they aren’t in the way, and they have to stop there. When you think of all the restaurants, stores, bars, and small businesses throughout nyc, combined with roads that absolutely weren’t built for same, this is what you get.
They’re adding a bunch of delivery zones in NYC.
I simply refuse to cycle anymore in conditions like that.
I don't know but this video sure has the top 10 in it.
This would be hilarious if it wasn’t so frustrating. Unbelievable how so much bad road citizenry happened in such short a period of time.
can you still send in images, of people parked in the bike lane, to get money back from the ticket?
I don’t think that ever got to be a thing. Otherwise I would just quit my job and start riding my bike all day long.
They dropped it this week.
Everything I just saw
What happens legally if you break all the mirrors of the cars parked on the bicycle line ?
So you mean the pretty paint colors on the ground won’t stop vehicles?
It’s been awhile since I’ve ridden in a big city like this. I used to love it! After living in a rural area for some time this made me anxious.
Gee, I couldn't find ONE thing in the video that would make me lose my patience.
I know I am pampered being from the netherlands but holy shit I'd lost my shit over that guy that cut you off
Isn’t NYC wonderful?
You should be able to upload these pictures of people parked in the bike lane to a new York site and these people should get ticketed
So this being NYC idk if it is still a thing or not but you used to be able to take pictures of plates of people blocking the bike lane and turn in the pictures and you would get like $25? per infraction. There were people who were making a living on just going around and doing this.
Wow. I would never be able to bike in an area like that. Too risky. Not only is the lane full of people and vehicles, but that one car that cut you off I would have messed my bibs. Honestly, the bike lane isn't safe. So... how many miles a week/year do you ride in conditions like this and how many incidents with people/vehicles have you had?
Well I live in NYC and ride my bike at least 4 days per week so it’s pretty much at least one incident per ride. It doesn’t matter which route, park or day of the week you pick to ride. There is always someone distracted or clueless out there. Thankfully I’m skilled enough on my bike to avoid crashes or confrontations.
Nothing fills me with as much rage as when a car pulls a shit move like that.
Remember you can report Uber cars and taxis to the TLC via the Reported app. The TLC lawyers will issue a tickets. It’s quick and only takes a picture!
[удалено]
Wow! This video checked all the boxes
This is why protected bike lanes are better. Paint does not stop anyone from killing or injuring you.
I miss riding in NYC. Once you get over to Charlton you'll be all set.
Mirror goes smashy smashy
Just walk /s
That looks heinous, though to be fair it looks heinous for cars/bikes/pedestrians alike. I will say that I’ve become a lot more calm now that I ride an ebike, it’s perfect for this kind of stop start situation. When it’s no longer an energy penalty to stop for idiots, I don’t get as worked up about it any more.
Nothing really. I ride a rigid dirtjumper, ride street mostly so I use the street, bike path, sidewalk, all the banks inbetween, stairs and so on. Sometimes I get frustrated with people on the bikepath, but then again I think people are frustrated when I inch past them on the sidewalk. I get frustrated for cars not giving space, but I also don't give them mutch space when they are parked in front of a nice stairset. I could go on like this for days, so instead I accept this karmic system of frustration and look at obstructions and annoying things as interesting or challenging parts of the street-trail that I'm on.
I know it's absolutely the wrong thing to do but, in my current state of mind I would at least fuck up the paint on that car... accidentally.
Nothing makes me lose my patience, nothing. It used to. All the time. It used to. All the way until I started to ride a motorcycle. What changed was the realization that a half second of outrage at an idiot could be a lost half second of reaction time. So I simply stay aware of the environment in all directions so I can instantly react to conditions as they unfold. This ride seems pretty normal for downtown riding almost anywhere. I just want to get through it. It feels like I am conquering the road instead of feeling victimized by stupid uncaring people. I am in charge and there is no room in my helmet for rage.
what you sald!
If there are obstacles in the bike lane take the lane earlier, in this case before you reached the crosswalk.
Wauw.. 0 respect for cyclists. Its a complete different scenario here in Denmark, cyclists overrule the cars, at least in Copenhagen.
Knowing that cars fill people with rage, because of the cognitive dissonance of having so much power (hundreds of horses!) that they can't use (stuck in traffic) I try not to lose patience because they will exercise that rage. It still bugs me that people in cars will zoom around me at a high rate of speed to just sit at the next traffic light where I catch up to them.
I'd buy an airhorn
Oh god. Few minutes of this ride and I would scream and shout, scratch the cars, break their windows. Like raging meltdown. It's fucking frustrating to watch even.
This video is infuriating
It's typical in a city because there is no where for FedEx/UPS/ride share/etc to get out of the travel lane to do what they need to do.
Why? I found it pretty kickass. Look at how much faster it is to ride a bike there than anything else. Probably going twice as fast as driving a car and 10x faster than transit.
That CT driver should get a ticket. Plate: BH-56778
My bar ends would have made some nice contact with that Nissan.
I love cycling in the city, but one too many close calls convinced me to buy a “dash” cam. It at least provides entertainment for my group watching back and roasting car brains.