Cyclists/motorists - What Do You Honestly Think



cyclingonroads

New Member
Aug 12, 2015
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Hey everyone

I know that this is a massive debate between cyclists and motorists, but what are YOUR opinions?

We know that arguments can lead to road rage, or 'bike rage', as the term goes.
Sadly, these arguments or angry acts can often lead to serious injury, or even death in the worst scenario.

Do you guys prefer to travel on bike paths and cycle paths, even if they go the long way around?

Also, it would be great if you could fill this survey about the issue above.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZSJNGPP
www.surveymonkey.com/r/
ZSJNGPP


Cheers
 
When we hired a carpenter to fix our wooden door, my husband had a chat with him regarding his bike - the carpenter arrived on a racer bike. The carpenter said that he is not scared of the vehicles on the road since the cars and buses are using their own lane most of the time. He is scared of the motorcycle riders who are like snakes that slither in between vehicles. He had a collision with a motorcycle twice already, one of which landed him in a hospital for an x-ray.
 
I want to play it safe because you never know what may happen when you are on the road. Sometimes you still get in trouble not because you broke a rule but because others do. To cut the problem short stay where you are supposed to and follow
 
I'm struggling with this a little right now because a cyclist was just killed by a person in a truck on Saturday. It was an organized ride of almost 500 people (myself included), but still, the driver didn't even stop after he hit her. :(

I still think that riding in the road is safer most of the time, but there are just some careless people out there. Most people are good-if it's convenient, people in cars will often pass in the other lane. My theory is that they want to feel like they are good drivers for noticing the cyclist! When it's inconvenient is where things get dicey-if there's oncoming traffic and it slows them down, that's when they start to get frustrated. Not to mention distracted driving...

I might look a little "Fred-like" with a mirror on my road bike, but I can see every car this way. I always ride like everyone is texting, prepared to get out of the way if it seems like the driver won't give me enough space. As much as it is my right to use the road, I know that I will lose in a car-bike crash every time.
 
It's a stupid argument because there's no right or wrong answer, considering there are millions of interactions between motorists and cyclists each day. Sometimes the cyclists are in the right, and sometimes they're in the wrong. The same is true for motorists, too. It just depends on each individual person, whether they're on a bicycle or a vehicle or even a motorcycle.
 
I avoid getting into situations that would cause road rage. Many people have been killed in such circumstances and therefore it's not a path anyone should pursue. It's best to remain calm and collected even under the most stressful conditions on the road. There are no bike paths in my country and therefore must use the same roads as everyone else. This increases potential danger but since I've got no other choice there's little I can do about it apart from being constantly alert.
 
I usually stick to the bike paths because I want to enjoy my rides and commuting with traffic stresses me out a bit too much. When I'm on the road I do my best to stay aware of what's going on around me and leave lots of time to signal when I'm turning or whatever...ultimately, all I can do is my own best to keep myself and the people around me safe on the road.

This also means the rare times I get people shouting at me or acting aggressive from their car, I look around to make sure I'm not in danger and then just ignore it because I know I'm not doing anything unsafe or causing anyone else to drive in an unsafe manner.
 

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