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    Thats just sickening. People operating motorized vehicles have to be held responsible for their actions. Bicyclists (my wife is an avid one) are getting mowed dowm, swore at, stuff thrown out of cars at them, threatened, etc., etc. And NOTHING is done about it. There are some sick/mean people in our world! I'm an avid motorcyclists...I travel on my motorcycle all the time (Cheaper on gas and fun), but definitely notice that car/truck drivers are very verydisrespectful of others!!! Why cant we all just slow down and think a little here?????
  2. > ticketed for failing to yield the three feet and paid a $114 fine.

    The guy's address is on the ticket.

    Send Vinne and Tony to pay a visit.

    Recall the scene from "Pulp Fiction" where the Samuel L. Jackson
    character (Jules) said, "Now we 'Go medieval on You'"

    Sigh. It's good to live in a dream/fantasy world, where the good guys
    always win.
  3. Chucksa, stop being a jerk and pay attention to the article. The ride is meant to call attention to, among other things, that type of thoughtless attitude among drivers. And, as the article says, "On a more basic point, the participants want to remind drivers that they have a right to be on the road."
  4. Hardly fair compensation for a life...$114
    And lets not even mention the cost for the pain suffered by their friends and family.

    Chucksa . . . I'd be careful. What an insensitive comment. Bad things happen to good people all the time. We (bikers) have the same rights on the roads as any car and should be able to use them without being worried about some inattentive driver(s).
  5. Considering how many are unskilled at controlling a bike, oblivious to what's going on around them, and completely ignore street signs and other rules of the road, nine fatalities a year seems quite low.

    The reason some of the penalties for drivers who injure or kill a bicyclist mayy seem so trivial is that the cyclist is very often the cause, not the victim. WHY don't you need a license to ride a bike on anything other than a residential street? WHEN was the last time a cop ticketed a biker? If bicyclists want improved safety, they should start by improving their skills.
  6. Chucksa - Littmann's stepdaughter recently competed for the U.S cycling team in Europe, and finished third in the USA Cycling Collegiate Championships road race in Madison earlier this month.
    I think she deserves some respect.
  7. Would the roads be at least a bit safer if some laws were changed? Such as bicycles SHOULD used sidewalks when available and instead of driving with traffic they drive AGAINST traffic?

    Just the latter of the two would give bicyclists a chance to see possible erratic drivers as they are approaching.

    But, maybe that's just me, when we were kids we were always riding against traffic so we could see cars coming, and some of the roads we road were busy, we did so because our parents told us that way we could get off the road if a car was coming and looked like they were erratic or that it may come too close to us and we did so until a police officer stopped and told us (we were probably around 9 years old) it was against the law. Around 3 decades later, there are many more cars on the road and many many more distractions for drivers, because against the law or not, people don't think it's a problem to text and drive and even drivers in their 20s don't seem to realize how much distance is actually traveled in a few seconds.
  8. Lots of good points made in this article about drivers not allowing riders their fair share of the road. My concern is about the riders who don't follow those same rules by running stop signs, not signaling intentions and certainly speeding. They need to share equal responsibility for these deaths.
  9. "instead of driving with traffic they drive AGAINST traffic."

    Let's just nip this in the bud. It is incredibly dangerous, stupid, and illegal to ride on the left side of the road. Do not do it. Cars turning right or will not expect you to be there and they'll hit you. Do not do it. Again, do NOT do it.
  10. dbahr - riding on the sidewalks is very unsafe for both pedestrians and cyclists.
    When I'm biking to work at 20+ MPH, I don't want to be dodging pedestrians.

    Biking against traffic is also pretty unsafe. While it might work on suburban
    roads, it's just not a very good idea when coming down Wisconsin Ave like I
    have to every morning.

    The safest solution is having a maintained bike path (like the Oak Leak Trail).
    The next-best solution is to have a dedicated bike lane, one where I can bike
    without having to swerve around parked cars.
  11. "When I'm biking to work at 20+ MPH, I don't want to be dodging pedestrians".

    Hmmm...sounds much like drivers talking about bikes, no?
  12. jammon, sidewalks don't have "lanes". As a biker, I can be reasonably
    assured that a car will stay in its lane and that I have a reasonably safe
    corridor where I can bike. On the sidewalk, people are walking all over.
    Weaving through pedestrians is just as dumb as weaving through
  13. As jammon said, riding on the sidewalk is just not practical. You're not comparing
    apples to apples there. It's called a side'walk' for a reason. I think the whole point is
    that if anyone on this board were to hit and kill a cyclist they would be devastated.
    It seems as if you can hit a cyclist then you're also in the position to hit a
    pedestrian, a construction worker or a tree because you're not paying attention. In
    the cases where the car is at fault, it's usually because of inattention or failure to
    simply slow down. Do you really want to live with someones death on your
    conscience. Even though the person above only got a ticket I'm sure every day is a
    living hell for them.

    As for the bikers not following the rules. Yes, there is merit to it and I'll be the first
    to point it out if I see it, but that is irrelevant as to having the right to hit someone,
    which almost seems to be the insinuation here. I wish they would get ticketed just
    as anyone else, especially when it's an egregious and dangerous situation.

    Is it that hard for everyone to pay attention, follow the rules and simply slow down?
  14. Why don't bicyclists stop at 4-way stops like cars have to? Case in point Golf Road, Pewaukee/Delafield. I will be about to proceed after coming to a stop and cyclists that were some 100 feet from the intersection will blow thru the sign right in front of me. what's the deal? Second example: Bayside where the stop signs state "bicyclists also" posted below the big red octagon, I observe them ignoring the sign, some have flashed me that special hand sign as they fly by me at one of those "special" intersections.
  15. "Hmmm...sounds much like drivers talking about bikes, no?"

    No. Cyclists are required to stay as far to the right of the road as is practicable. Pedestrians can be wherever they want to be on the sidewalk.
  16. Last week I was angrily honked at by a motorist who barely stopped outside
  17. Chucksa. Turn off your webcam we can see you!
  18. Chucksa. Does it hurt?

    Here is a good start:
    There are links all over the page for further explanation.

    Really, all it takes is consideration, patience and respect.






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