Aravynandrea's Blog

This is about Bicycles, not motorcycles.

Today I was heading to the bank. Its a narrow street that's usually busy, but the traffic moves because there are no stop signs or stop lights. Its usually a 5 minute ride, yet it was stop and go the whole time.

as I finally inched up the hill behind a line of cars, I realized... it was because they were trying to go around someone on a bike.

Not that this guy didn't have a bike lane... he just chose to ride in the middle of the street and refused to get into the far side of the bike lane so people could pass him.

People on bikes have been annoying me lately.

When I'm walking my dog near the lake on a walking path, someone on a bike will come flying from behind me almost hitting me and my dog.

Biking etiqutte says that on a shared path (Bike/walking) you should say "To your left" or "to the right" so a person knows you're coming. Because lets face it, with the noise of people, animals, wind and traffic, you're not going to hear someone on a bike until they're already on you.

Why should I have to look over my shoulder ever 10 seconds to make sure someone's not coming? If you're coming fast behind me, and you know I can't see you, but you can see me, it should be your duty to let me know to move aside so no one gets hurt. Otherwise, I'm going to have no sympathy if I accidentally step out in front of you and causes you to fall off. its not my fault. Just like if I chose to ignore you it wouldn't be your fault.

The worst thing is when they HAVE a WIDE bike lane on the street, and they either ride RIGHT ON the line or they don't use it all together and they decide to ride in the street making cars have to pass them, holding us all up.

That's even more annoying with gas the way it is today. Stop and go, stop and go, stop and go.

not to mention a few months ago when my dog snuck into the basement when the baby gate was left open and he smelled like he may have eaten something toxic. On my way to the vet, a freakin', in the middle of the street going 3 miles an hour on a 45 mile an hour highway, biker was holding me up. (Luckily my dog just stank, and his tummy was empty so he didn't ingest anything bad.)

But if the biker gets hit, its the driver's fault even though they're caught between a rock and a hard place because the bikers are not obeying the rules. They either have to swerve into on coming traffic, come to a complete stop, or keep going. Why should they be forced to cater to a biker who chooses to not use a bike lane or chooses a busy street instead of a bike path at a park or something.

I asked a friend about this and they said, "Well, don't they say people on bikes have equal rights?"

I say, if they follow Biking etiqutte, if they follow the rules about riding in the bicycle lane, and if they can travel 35+ miles an hour, obeying the minimum speed limit...

THEN they can have equal rights. Until then, get out of the flippin way!!

above all, you're not just being an annoyance, you're putting yourself, drivers trying to swerve around you, and other pedestrians at risk for injury because you think you can go 1 on 1 with a car. If you want to put yourself in danger, bungee jump off a short bridge. Don't include me or my family and friends in your plans.

Ok

Rant over. ^_^

I have nothing against people getting out and getting exercise. I bike myself to stay in shape. But I at least follow common courtesy.

I know I can't travel as fast as a car so I stay out of their way.

If I see someone in front of me, I slow down a tad and let them know I'm approaching so they can move aside. If they don't, then that's their problem if they get hit. lol. But I've never had that issue. Most people get out of the way.

And above all, I use the bike lane if I'm on a road, and I avoid roads that are narrow, busy and have don't have a defined lane for riding.

There are so many places to ride, why do bikers gravitate to busy, narrow roads? especially when I'm trying to get somewhere??

GAH!!

Ok... NOW my rant is over. ^_^

luv ya all anyway! (even the dufus on the bike from this morning should he read this.) ^_^