Vehicles (some electric) & cyclists Part 2

I have no problem with cyclist as long as they obey the laws.  I slow down when I come up on them and try to give them as much room as possible. Sometime running interference for them when there is no shoulder and/or intersections (it's hard to go from a standstill to 55 in a few yards).  My only concern is when they deliberately do things that put them and others in danger. 

 However a couple of cyclists would occasionally still ride persistently in the original traffic lanes ( 100km limit ) and two abreast as well, basically because they could ie. no law prevented them and they would proclaim that loudly & proudly when asked. I believe that is an extremely small percentage of riders. By report they were exclusively young males. So they were up for an argument and indeed went quite out of their way in that setting to achieve/construct one. On social media they claimed the 'persecuted rider' victim cloth, wore it brazenly and received personal accolades from that subset of society that think likewise ( well, right up until they wound up on YouTube sourced from dash-cams ).

The idiocracy at work

Tacks and wires are wrong.  Utterly disobeying traffic laws is wrong.  Rubbing others noses in what you can get away with is wrong.  Police have much better use of their time than writing tickets to bicyclists.  Some people however become frustrated to see criminals get away with their crimes and take it upon themselves to become Paul Kersey.

At least California did one thing correct, if the police do issue a ticket, it is the same as a ticket in your car.  Your insurance is going up and it is points on your license.

The issue in many cases is "runner's high" were the exercise of riding releases enough crap on the brain as an equivalent of drink driving.  Unfortunately that is legal, but just as unsafe.  Then you also have the idiots as Mike describes who will do things to hazard themselves and dare others to nominate them for a Darwin award.

I still remember the idiots who failed to obey a red traffic signal at the start of a on ramp (slip) from a three lanes each way highway, speed limit 55 mph, onto a four lanes each direction freeway, speed limit 65 mph.  Protected turn arrow with two lanes turning and they were shocked to suddenly see several cars coming at a good clip and the sudden screech of car tire skidding in an attempt to not make Darwin award winners.  It seems some bike club had put together a large well advertised ride but they didn't get permits to close the road to other traffic.  Distracted driving, talking to each other?  Don't know.  That group, which included children, got the message loud and clear, obey traffic laws.

I've recently seen a group that rides on the weekend ignore a traffic signal.  One of them goes out a bit ahead and plays lookout.  He yells clear when the others get to the signal if there isn't cross traffic.  Last time I read the vehicle code in California that would make it a speed contest which isn't a ticket but a go to jail crime, mandatory revocation of license and a big fine.  Bicycle clubs need to understand that they need to be better than motorcycle clubs or the public will treat them the same.

To be complete, here is the relevant summary of regulations local to myself :  

Riding with other riders

A cyclist can ride next to another cyclist (this is called ‘riding two abreast’) on the road with the following rules:

• On single-lane roads, cyclists can’t ride beside more than one other cyclist (unless overtaking).
• On multi-lane roads, cyclists:
  •  can’t ride more than two abreast in any single marked lane (unless overtaking)
  • can ride more than two abreast across multiple lanes.
• When travelling two abreast, cyclists shouldn’t be more than 1.5 metres apart.

Tip for cyclists: when riding two abreast, consider other road users and if necessary, change to single file to help drivers overtake safely.  Tip for drivers: only overtake when it is safe and legal to do so. After overtaking, make sure you’re well clear of the cyclists before moving back.

Bicycle lanes

If there’s a bicycle lane on the road heading in the same direction as you, you must use this when riding a bike (unless it’s not practical to do so).

Bicycle lane rules for drivers

If you’re driving a car, you’re not allowed to drive in a bike lane unless:

• you’re driving for 50 metres or less to:
  • enter or leave the road (e.g. to turn at an intersection)
  • overtake a vehicle that’s turning right or making a U-turn from the centre of the road
  • avoid an obstruction(e.g. a broken-down vehicle)
  • get from one part of the road to another
  • enter the traffic stream after being parked on the side of the road
  • pick up or drop off passengers (if you’re driving a public bus, public minibus or taxi)
• there's a sign indicating that vehicles can use the lane. 

You must give way to cyclists already in the bicycle lane. 

You would be amazed as to how many times I've heard one portion of the above quoted in the absence of the modifying context of the others, thus producing the inference of unconditional right-of-way. Which has never been true !

Cheers, Mike.

( edit ) You can search for the definitions of multi-lane, bicycle lane, etc here.

In this instance it is brand spanking new ( swept ) bitumen, quite superior in fact to the older tarmac that hasn't been resurfaced IIRC for 10+ years.

IMHO: I'd say that this particular scheme has contrasted the relatively tiny number of people who really don't generally get on with others, with the vast number that are content to do the pretty obvious, safe, polite, co-operative things. Alas the public perception has hooked onto a few rotten apples ( there will be drivers in that category too ).

Cheers, Mike.