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bicycles on roads, be aware of side X side road blocking, etc

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Deleted member 23845

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All,
Riding my Italian terror home on University in Sugar Land I encountered a huge pack of slow cars. Not unusual to have a lot of traffic, but this clog was especially long with several cars jockeying to jam pass into left lane. Stuck at red light, then as I proceeded found two bicyclists closing right lane with 2 X 2 side by side geometry. Dicey for me and I had to be extremely careful to get into left lane, and not hit by cars. So, be careful out there. Bicycles are out with spring weather. What gets me is there is a full bicycle lane on this road: ignored by these bicycle riders. YMMV.
 
I know what you mean. They had the Capital 10000 foot race in Austin today. I got caught up in all the road closers.
 
c_m_shooter said:
Bicycles have the right to use the full lane.
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Yes, but this is not true at all times and all places.

A&M has put together a nice little summary of the Texas traffic code as it applies to bicycles. It can be found here: https://transport.tamu.edu/Alternative/bicycles/statelaw.aspx

Bicycles can take the full lane whenever it is less than 14 feet wide and does not have a dedicated bicycle lane. In the instance posted by Lucydad, the cyclists are required to use the bike lane unless there is some kind of hazard in it. But in practice almost nowhere in Texas has 14 foot lane widths and bike lanes are not common, so bikes have the right to the full lane about 99% of the time.
 
Sounds to me like #8 was not being followed.
"Persons operating bicycles on a roadway may ride two abreast. Persons riding two abreast on a laned roadway shall ride in a single lane. Persons riding two abreast may not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic on the roadway. Persons may not ride more than two abreast unless they are riding on a part of a roadway set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles."
 
When bicycles pay their fair share of road taxes and carry lability insurance I will give them their fair share of the roadway . Untill then I will use the smoke valve on my oil burner truck when I encounter a pack that wants to take the whole road . And I don’t want to hear any crap that they already do because the also have a car , I lisence , insurance and pay taxes for 3 trucks and 4 motorcycles one that is a full blown dirt bike and I can only drive one at a time .
 
I have completely given up bicycle riding on the road in Dallas. It's as if I am invisible (much more so than when riding my motorcycle). Just too many cars. And about 40% of those drivers are clutching their precious phones. Regardless of the laws, or interpretations of those laws, I think you are a fool, or have a death wish, if you ride on the streets around here- single file or two abreast.
 
My concern: there have been several bicycle fatalities on this stretch of road in the past few years. The bicycle riders, to me, were flaunting any common sense riding safety practice. And, they also put cars and myself into higher risk scenario.
 
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Lucydad said:
My concern: there have been several bicycle fatalities on this stretch of road in the past few years. The bicycle riders, to me, were flaunting any common sense riding safety practice. And, they also put cars and myself into higher risk scenario.
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Exactly why they need to be insured if they are on a public street . When they cause an accident they are going to be liable for damage regardless if they are still alive or not .
 
Ah, the annual bicycle thread. For the most part, bicyclists DO pay their fair share of taxes. I pay mine through 2 cars, a motorcycle, a travel trailer, a house, and a pile of federal income tax; some of you may choose not to recognize that fact, but it remains a fact nevertheless. So my little patch of pavement is pretty much paid for.

Folks, I'll just ask you to do this - don't get mad at bicycles & do something stupid. A tiny graze, deliberate or accidental can kill someone.

About 2 years ago, somebody on this forum suggested rolling up behind a bicyclist and giving him a little love tap. I deal every summer with people who carry a general grudge against bicyclists. I keep within 30" of the curb, and even ride on sidewalks when it's safe (which it rarely is in Arlington due to cracks, dropped sections, trash cans, overgrown trees, etc). Almost all motorists are courteous to me, or at least treat me in a benign way, which is fine. But I get about two people a week who are mad at the last bicyclist they encountered, and decide to take it out on me. During the summer, I'll get at least one person a week who passes in me in my lane on a 4-lane road, within a foot of my bike, when they could easily have gone around. I've had cars shoot around me & turn right point blank in front of me, causing me to nearly crash into their cars. I've had folks slow down and scream obscenities at me, a couple of people throw bottles at me, and last summer a guy in a pickup slashed his construction trailer in on me. One guy rolled up behind me on an empty 4-lane, put his grill about 5' off my rear tire, and leaned on his horn for a full five seconds.

PS - Last summer, I finally gave up bicycling. It's just too dangerous because there are too many angry people who are willing risk MY life to make a point. So I surrender. The bicycle haters of the world won this round. I'm sure they're very proud of themselves.
 
I have no issues with a bicyclist, it is the pack of bikes that I have an issue with. As mentioned in the link above, bicycles should ride as close to the right side as safely possible, they are not to impede traffic by riding 2 abreast, and must follow all other traffic laws.

One of the worst I dealt with was when I was working EMS and was responding to a bicyclist down at a bike ride rally on a back country road, about 3/4 of the bicyclists were not moving out of the way, even with my lights and sirens on.
 
Cagiva 549 said:
When bicycles pay their fair share of road taxes and carry lability insurance I will give them their fair share of the roadway . Untill then I will use the smoke valve on my oil burner truck when I encounter a pack that wants to take the whole road . And I don’t want to hear any crap that they already do because the also have a car , I lisence , insurance and pay taxes for 3 trucks and 4 motorcycles one that is a full blown dirt bike and I can only drive one at a time .
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And I will call the police on you when you weaponize your vehicle like that. Been there, done that. You don’t get to make your own laws.

As for liability insurance, you left out pedestrians. They most certainly present equal risk to you as do bicyclists.

The good news here is that an anti-bicyclist thread means spring is coming!
 
I get a kick out of the cowardly folks that do something mean to cyclists and then speed away in their vehicles.

I also get a kick out of knowing at a good portion of those cyclists are videoing their ride and will likely get some retribution :)
 
Jarrett, I videoed for a year, but the sole incident that happened on camera didn't give me a license plate. The trailer incident was the last straw and I gave up cycling. In a few months we'll be living in a more bike friendly city, and with a bike path network only 300 yards from our house. I'll probably start back up at that time.

For safety, I also spent the last two summers riding with a ginormous flashing red light on the back of my bicycle. It didn't make me safer; it was more like a target that drew the boo-birds.
 
jcyuhn said:
And I will call the police on you when you weaponize your vehicle like that. Been there, done that. You don’t get to make your own laws.

As for liability insurance, you left out pedestrians. They most certainly present equal risk to you as do bicyclists.

The good news here is that an anti-bicyclist thread means spring is coming!
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I don't recall seeing sober pedestrians walking with traffic.

But ... help me ...

I don't understand how cyclists can think impeding traffic is OK, acceptable and a good idea.
We both know that at some point, someone is going to get impatient and do something stupid, resulting in someone getting hurt or killed.
At that point, being lawful or unlawful doesn't really matter.

I was driving between Glen Rose and Brazos Point (FM 56) last fall and saw a cyclist laying on the yellow stripe, bleeding and not moving.
The bike was wadded up in the ditch, cars were pulled over and folks standing in the ditch and roadway. I met EMS coming from Glen Rose.

A very sad sight.

Upon reflection, I would have liked to have asked the cyclist if it was worth being in the right?
Not sure he could have answered that question.
 
Dont quit! Hate to hear of folks giving up bicycling because of the action of a few misguided individuals. I hear of folks giving up motorcycles for similar reasons. Know people who wont drive because they fear busy traffic or tractor-trailers...people who wont fly because they aren't in control....Maybe all you need is a different approach?

When I lived in North Dallas, I used to ride back-ways from Preston just south of Plano Parkway to Campbell, then cut over to Addison. Was a favorite bicycle run of mine. Here south of Houston, I still ride my bicycle around the streets here but now I don't go more than about 5 miles radius from home on the bicycle. Rather ride the motorcycle(s). I always operate bicycles under the assumption that cars have the right of way. So I hug/ride on the shoulder - ride on sidewalks, ride on the side of the road that has the most room, and do what I can to be courteous and stay out of the way. After all I can be "dead right" to enforce my legal rights to the same lane as a car. I cant think of a horror story by comparison, as it has worked out since I started riding a bike around age 5, a wee bit more than 45 years ago. I ride with trail tires on the bike so I can cut through grass/go off pavement and such if it is a short cut that keeps me out of harms way...will do some of that on the motorcycle too as long as I have am on my Tiger. I take advantage of the agility of a bicycle to increase my safety margin, just like I take advantage of 0-60 in 3 seconds to get me out of jams on the motorbike. I simply try to avoid mis-applications of car logic to riding on 2 wheels, and use what is to my advantage to stay upright and out of the way of what can hit me.

What always bewildered me was how our city planners never plan bigger shoulders or bike/pedestrian uses better on our roads (I don't mean taking a road lane away and converting it to a bike lane as an afterthrought like these "vision zero" socialists want, which only makes the problems worse for motorists. What I mean is a real plan retaining the same car capacity that keeps bikes and pedestrians safe). Can't tell you how many times there isn't even a simple side walk along a major corrider/shopping area to use to walk between things like 2 shopping plaza's without moving your car - I have to play "frogger" even walking across a street. Did someone forget we have been walking since pre-stone age? So at least I can say that on the motorcycle I remain a few "steps up" on the highway food chain.
 
mitchntx said:
...
At that point, being lawful or unlawful doesn't really matter.
...
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I tell my daughter this all the time even when driving a car, and this is in my mind when I ride my motorcycle.
Was just telling my son that is about to turn 15 about how right of way is given, not taken, and how defensive driving is so important (especially on a motorcycle).
It does me no good to be hurt or dead and bike totaled but have been "in the right".

I agree with you on your question.
Do those that ride 2 (or more) wide and impede traffic really think it is OK to do?
Do they not understand that riding 15-20 MPH single file on a road with a 65 MPH speed limit is not the safest thing to do on a good day, much less riding 2 wide blocking a land and causing traffic aggravation?
I by no means condone any action against a bicyclist that causes them harm or blatantly harasses them, but it causes a dangerous situation for both riders and other vehicles.
 
asinop said:
What always bewildered me was how our city planners never plan.....
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Bike routes do weird things in non-bike towns. A few years ago, I discovered the first bike lane in south Arlington. Excited, I started following it. After a mile, it suddenly dumped me onto a narrow, two-lane road with a ditch to the right and no shoulder whatsoever. I was stuck on that for half a mile while angry pickup trucks whizzed by, possibly cursing the rude bicyclist who would hold up traffic.

asinop said:
Dont quit!
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Thanks, but it's done. At least for now. I ride for exercise, not for transportation. Bicycling is what I do during the 4 months when it's too hot to comfortably run. For the time being, I'm back to running 12 months out of the year. In any case, I'll be living in a Denver suburb with great bike paths, & I'll hop back on the bike then.
 
All of the following is about bicycle riding. I have a different set of values for motorcycles.
I haven't done much riding in the last year, but intend to get back to it shortly. I live about 3 mile out of town on a nice 2 lane with wide marked paved shoulders. I see bikes go past my house pretty regularly always on the paved shoulder. I've had my mailbox taken out 3 time and a young lady went thru my brick retaining wall. Couple weeks ago vehicle went off the road in the snow thru the ditch onto my circle drive, made the circle and exited back on the hwy. Didn't tear anything up. All that to say I wouldn't ride on that hwy the 3 miles into town. When I ride I load my bike on the back of the P/U and haul to a big parking lot in town. From there I have a 17 mile loop around town that has the least traffic. I ride on the wrong side of the road if it is wide enough. I blow stop signs if I can see both ways and there is nothing there. I always always give the right of way to a bigger vehicle. If I have someone behind me on a narrow road with approaching traffic I will usually stop and get off the road. I don't do the big group rides, although I have considered it ( they require a helmet and I haven't found one I like yet ). I try to be as courteous as I can. I don't like holding up traffic, just exactly like I don't like being held up by bicyles, motorcycles or cages. There is not anything worse than a group of motorcycles riding in formation 20 mph below the speed limit. All that being said, bicycles have just as much right to the road as I do. I won't try to intimidate or throw a scare into them. At the first safe opportunity I'll go around them. At the same time I don't take someone trying to intimidate me lightly.
 
tshelfer said:
Bike routes do weird things in non-bike towns.
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Yep, and I'm in one of those towns. Our bike lanes are a mess. There was a situation years ago where the right-of-way of a bike lane and the right-of-way of a traffic lane contradicted one another. It caused some significant problems and underscored the fact that, most of the time, even municipalities don't understand the rules.

That said, one unarguable rule according to the Texas Transportation Code is that no bicycle may impede traffic. That rule also extends to pretty much every other vehicle. I ride bicycles and would never go out of my way to make a motorist's day more difficult just because I thought I was legally in the right. There's this thing called courtesy that we've all forgotten about in this day and age, and it's one of the reasons I never participate in bicycle group rides or club activities. Too many of them are hellbent on intentionally getting in people's way like it's some kind of social crusade.
 
Sometimes, bullies pick on the wrong person. An acquaintance of mine in Denver was in his pickup truck in a suburban downtown area. When a bicyclist rolled through a stop sign, he took it upon himself to pull up beside the bicycle and lecture him. So the bicycle turned right at the next stop sign to get away from. Chuck turned right & paralleled the bicyclist, still attempting to "counsel him of the dangers" - hey, that's what he told me. He wasn't angry; he was "counseling" him. The bicyclist had enough reached out & whacked the truck's front fender with his fist, and left a dent that allegedly cost $400 to fix. I don't know why this guy would expect sympathy for that, but I didn't offer him any. If you're deliberately paralleling a bike, yelling at the rider, and are close enough that he can reach out & touch you, you are a clear threat. In my book, he's lucky he didn't get arrested for some sort of vehicular threat. Plus, if a bicyclist can dent your fender with his fist while riding, your truck is wimpy.

TWTim, I agree with you about rude group riders, and I suspect most casual cyclists also do. And most of us ride alone & keep to the far right. Bicycles, though, have this in common with motorcycles: Most people don't see them or pay attention us until they get mad at a squid on a sport bike, or at an idiot bicyclist riding in the middle of the left hand lane. Suddenly, all of us motorcyclists or bicyclists are blamed for being that person.
 
Just know that if a pedestrian/bicyclist is threatened by a motorist brandishing lethal force - and a 2+ ton pickup is a proven killing machine - said pedestrian/bicyclist can rightfully defend with a lethal force multiplier. Unlike a motorcyclist, who may reasonably possess the means to evade the threat, a pedestrian/bicyclist may not and can reasonably envoke the castle doctrine. Im no lawyer, but I would advise those motorists who may be tempted to "road side lecture" a pedestrian/bicyclist to think twice before testing a person's right to self-defense. Especially in Texas.
 
Lucydad said:
All,
Riding my Italian terror home on University in Sugar Land I encountered a huge pack of slow cars. Not unusual to have a lot of traffic, but this clog was especially long with several cars jockeying to jam pass into left lane. Stuck at red light, then as I proceeded found two bicyclists closing right lane with 2 X 2 side by side geometry. Dicey for me and I had to be extremely careful to get into left lane, and not hit by cars. So, be careful out there. Bicycles are out with spring weather. What gets me is there is a full bicycle lane on this road: ignored by these bicycle riders. YMMV.
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FWIW, I avoid University Blvd like it's the plague. Every single time I have to suffer thru that road, there are no shortage of drivers hogging the left lane at or below the PSL. It's made worse by the sections where the City redrew the lanes to be even narrower than the already narrow and shoulderless raised curbed road. WTH for? All it does is make drivers cross over lane dividers constantly. This is City planning at its worst... for such an arterial road.
 
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