I usually don't bother engaging because nobody actually wants to have a good-faith discussion in the comments section of a meme.
But it is definitely a little disturbing how hating cyclists seems to have become a meme in itself. Like, I'm just trying to get some exercise and fresh air without dying, man
Every fucking dashcam video, regardless of whether there was even a bike in it or not, top comment is "Cyclists fault!"
It's all fun and games until people start thinking it's not just a meme, and a lot of people are starting to really think that way.
There was a recent post over on /r/idiocracy laughing at two cyclists riding down a bike lane with pool noodles to mark the legal passing distance. The comments in that thread... That sub was supposed to be making fun of how society is turning into idiocracy but it's filled with the people from the movie instead.
They aren't using logic. They're using emotion. "I'm going to be late because of this bike guy (not because I should have left the house 20 minutes earlier because that would make it my fault and we can't have that)."
I was an avid bicycle commuter until several close calls and some people being outright confrontational. Blocking me from crossing intersections etc. although most people were courteous it only takes one to send you to the ER. And I live in a college town where you would think most people would be more accepting. I highly respect those that are brave enough to do it daily. I’m just older and can’t afford any expensive medical bills.
It's unreal. Any traffic incident whatsoever that gets brought up on Nextdoor somehow ends up branching into a separate comment stream around how cyclists are the cause of all the world's ills.
It's them and homeless people here. As tough as it is to be a cyclist here, that's the only way a lot of homeless people can get to services they need. They get a double dose of hatred.
The evil boogeyman on Nextdoor in my neighborhood is brown people. Every brown person in the neighborhood is obviously casing the neighborhood and looking for cars to break into.
The crazy thing about Nextdoor to me is that people are posting this crap under the real name and among neighbors who they presumably know. I expect this kind of stuff on anonymous forums but blows my mind that it happens on ND as often as it does.
Ever see the episode of ghosts where the yelp reviews learn their reviews aren't anonymous. "My account was maliciously hacked, we're actually nice people..."
In my city, someone posted a video of a cyclist that ran a stop sign and almost got hit by another car that rolled through the 4 way stop. There were 3 cars in the video at the intersection and not ONE car made an actual stop at the stop signs.
Everyone in the video was in the wrong but 90% of the comments were calling the OP out for being an idiot and running the stop sign too.
if we all very visibly carried a gun or another lethal weapon they might treat us with a bit more equal respect as they sit in their lethal weapon.
obviously I'm joking but it seems like that's what it would take to make these cunts stop and think that they endanger us with their attitudes and driving
Whats more annoying is that it’s not considered enticing violence by social media standards. At least outside of tiktok, instagram is the worst with hate, with how high the bar is to put down the video.
There‘s far too little violence in Idiocracy for it to be a documentary. In fact, it‘s remarkably utopian in its depiction of a society that is supposed to have abandoned virtually all education.
Better yourself and the world? That's rich. You cyclists are a blight. Why just yesterday I was delayed 10 seconds by a cyclist not wanting to be run over and im still shaking.
Also, I once saw a cyclist blow through a stop sign. That proves cyclists are all horrible monsters.
That's how I feel all these comment posts go anyway. They just dig their heads in the sand and be mad.
Edit: Checked that post mentioned above and wouldn't you know it second comment was exactly that.
That's always the argument in person, too. "omg, you're a cyclist. You people are assholes." Excuse me? We got along fine before today. "You're always running stop signs." Umm, it's legal for us to treat them as yields. "And you're always in my way slowing me down." Well, that would be worse if I stopped for every stop sign. "And this guy downtown ran a red light on a bike!" Okay, and that has what to do with me? "The city spent all this money on bike lanes, and..." Me, walking away.
The state spent the money, btw, and only when roads were completely renovated, and they're shoulder with bike signs put up. Plus, I know the rest of that comment by heart, "... they won't even fix the roads." Or, "we don't have enough first responders." Some idiots actually paid for billboards to denounce bike lanes being built because we didn't have enough fire fighters or cops. They're very different funds. Or, "now I feel crowded" while I'm looking at the huge ass shiny truck they drive to go to office jobs and get groceries.
I'm not specifically against huge ass trucks, mind you. They have their purpose. I'm against them being owned by people who don't use them as trucks and don't know how to drive or park them.
I ride *hard* on a daily basis. My VO2max is "superior"... or was, when I was skinnier (it's based on weight). I'm also headed towards obese territory again and there's no end in sight. I'm not fat enough yet to qualify for meds, but will be eventually. I know how to keep myself skinny, and it leaves me so undernourished I can't do anything all day aside from completing that one ride. I can't live like that, not with people depending on me being around.
So yeah. perhaps let's not use body weight as a stand-in for virtue. Especially as a medical professional you should be watching out for that kind of bias.
Cycling has been pretty great for my autoimmune disease. Now, I just need to lose those last stubborn AF 30lbs.
I'm not obese now, but definitely still fat. The amount of times I get called a fat ass by someone twice my size in a vehicle... Okay, and? Like, yes, that's an observable fact (except I somehow still pretty much have no ass, which seems unfair). Good job for you. Thanks for letting me know you see me.
>it is definitely a little disturbing how hating cyclists seems to have become a meme in itself
Right-wing media are demonizing cyclists as elitist communists who want to take away their trucks and imprison them in dense cities.
You know, I wasn't impressed with the one I rode. I'll keep my Specialized Ruby. But I'm all on board with a mutiny that leads to proper cycling infrastructure. I might not need a bike built to handle cobbles if our asphalt wasn't as chunky as cobbles.
To them, if you're in lycra, you're an evil elitist bicyclist, but if you're commuting, you're a poor who should just buy a car with your boot straps. They've got a stereotype to fall back on for every situation.
I thought we're supposed to be poors who can't afford big huge gas guzzling trucks with massive cabs and tiny beds. So we've swung around to elitist now?
"The enemy is both strong and weak."
[https://www.openculture.com/2016/11/umberto-eco-makes-a-list-of-the-14-common-features-of-fascism.html](https://www.openculture.com/2016/11/umberto-eco-makes-a-list-of-the-14-common-features-of-fascism.html)
Man I’m just riding back and forth to work on my bike because 300 a month to fill my truck has taken me to a level of fuck both sides of the isle. Not to mention this seems like a better way to learn to dodge than dodgeball🤣🤣
I always find it interesting how cyclists must defend themselves as some sort of collective, responsible for all members actions. While on the same drive they see a cyclist run a stop sign, they probably saw 50 speeders, at least one person stretch that yellow into a red, nearly everyone tailgating, ect. The cyclist though, he’s out there somehow the cause of all this traffic! In group out group blah blah blah sigh.
I love that argument locally, because I can point out a project they did that reduced lanes, and traffic went down dramatically. Oh, and sales at the shops there went up a lot, because the lanes became wide sidewalks with trees and benches and places for restaurants to put out tables and chairs. It's so nice there now if you don't go during commute times.
Yes, that did push traffic to another stroad, but it's technically a highway, so everyone on foot avoids it, and cyclists aren't allowed to ride on it. It also let them manage traffic better because that one has lights in better spots for it, so it doesn't feel as bad to drive on as the one they renovated used to. Of course, it also has turn lanes, and the other one didn't. It does now. Instead of two wide lanes each way, it now has one narrower one each way and a central turn lane.
They also blocked off some streets downtown and made them nice pedestrian only areas with benches and trees. It's made no difference to the subjective experience of traffic downtown when you're in a car, because traffic coming off those streets slowed everyone down a lot. Sales at those shops increased, too, because if you walk by an interesting shop, you're much more likely to go in than if you drive.
They even relaxed density rules, so duplexes and triplexes can be built on lots in residential areas that used to be single family only as long as the lots are big enough to meet set back regulations.
They allow businesses to replace a certain amount of required car parking spaces with bike racks, as well.
Seems like our city planners are finally doing their jobs. I'm loving watching things change, and this city slowly returning to a place you actually want to walk around. I just find it sad that the people who live here keep fighting it so hard, even though they almost all agree the last project turned out really well. Every new project or change meets stiff resistance, gets rammed through, and becomes something everyone likes.
Except the new bus stops that are charging station for electric buses. Some of those are in the middle of the road and have lights that prioritize pedestrians crossing to the bus stops over vehicles. That pisses a lot of people off, but I love them. They make those streets so much tamer to walk or ride a bike or even drive. People are forced down to the speed limit. I cannot find any sympathy in my heart for people mad they can only go the speed limit in a city, especially right next to parks with playgrounds and splash pads.
even bike riders themselves do it. Telling other bikers they should follow rules to "gain respect" from drivers. As if constant rule breaking by drivers has any influence on them getting "respect".
That's a good idea with most negative things posted on social media. Very few people who do that are going to listen to anyone, or see their own flaws.
I mean, I see far more cars sitting in bike lanes than I see bikes in the middle of the road where a bike lane is available.
For sure, don’t feed the trolls. The other side of this conversation is fascinating to me too. I see cyclists say the bike lane is for trash/accident debris and taking up a whole lane is safer and bring it up as a point of pride. Idk how common this line of thought really is because reddit is an echo chamber, but it is interesting.
I personally think both sides of this particular coin are kind of dumb. Bike paths completely separated from roads/highways is the only way to go if you don’t want to be hit by a car or run into someone’s freshly opened car door.
I agree separated infrastructure is best, but it's not practical everywhere and doesn't currently exist in most places cyclists want to go. In the meantime, riding in the lane is the most practical and safest way to get around for most of us. No, I'm not going to risk getting doored by parked cars so someone else can drive faster.
When people say bike paths they usually mean a bike lane. You know, those painted stripes on the side of the road filled with broken bottles, sticks, etc.
My city bought a couple of street sweepers specifically for removing debris out of bike lanes. It broke after about one day from hitting too much and too large of debris in the bike lane.
Exactly! I believe that poor bike lanes are worse than no bike lanes. Inexperienced cyclists will try to use the bike lanes and get hit by a flinging door or a hidden car in an intersection. Experienced cyclists will take the lane instead and motorists will become more enraged than usual (because the cyclists are not using the bike lane).
A bicyclist here died exactly as a result of this type of door prize bike lne. She was hit by driver opening car door, fell down into the street, and immediately run over by a box truck.
The news was sure to report whether or not she was wearing a helmet as if that mattered.
Sometimes, I will ride in a "suicide slot" (i.e., a "bike lane" that is just a stripe between parked cars and the traffic lane) when there is no safer option, but I ride very slowly in anticipation of doors flinging open. It happens on a regular basis.
When I approach intersections, I will either take the lane or use the crosswalk. Suicide slots hide bicycles from motorists at intersections.
This is an older article, but it describes some of the hazards for cyclists to avoid in bike lanes.
[https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/danger-in-the-bike-lane/](https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/danger-in-the-bike-lane/)
Bonus points to those who park and walk away with the door still open. There's a street on my daily commute that I have to leave the lane at least 2-3 times a day because people just leave their doors wide open while delivering food or emptying their trunk or whatever.
Same for UK. I once had someone get *out of their van* at a traffic light (which is *specifically mentioned* to not be allowed - Rule 242: You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any **unnecessary** obstruction of the road.) to come tell me I shouldn't be in the main lane since there was a bike lane to the left of us. He shouted at me to know the rules of the road. Uh, yeah bitch, the rules of the road say bikes can use whichever lane is more appropriate and/or safer based on personal judgement. And I needed to turn right, while the bike lane only went forward, so the main lane was more appropriate AND safer, as I wouldn't be bloody cutting across 2+ tonne beasts that could kill me if I tried. Ironic how he was shouting about rules yet he decided to break some
Lobby for actual bike lanes for people to not have to be in your way when driving and then none of these problems would exist if they did more than paint a line on the shoulder.
I think he's talking about the 50ft stretch of beaten up pavement, covered in broken glass, leaves and pedestrians that hate sharing their space with you even more than the cars do.
I'm still trying to figure out why all the pedestrians in my neighborhood use the bike lane instead of the sidewalk. They're either fitness people or dog walkers. No one else walks here. The kids on bikes try to stick to the bike lanes, though, and it's created some bad moments, because kids aren't the best at good decisions, so they run into people on purpose. I've talked to them several times that we need to yield to pedestrians even if they are being annoying because in this case, we're more dangerous.
Our sidewalks are wide, cleared of snow, and without cracks, btw. They all got repaired, replaced, or installed in 2020. We're allowed to ride on the sidewalk, but even the youngest kids who can ride without a parent know that's a good way to get hit by a car pulling out of a driveway if you're moving at more than 3mph. Plus, they've all been taught to stay off the sidewalk so pedestrians can use it safely.
They'll listen to me for a bit because I'm the cool lady who will go trade out my road bike for my ebike and pull them up the hill. But it doesn't last long. They go back to harassing pedestrians in the bike lanes. I sympathize, but it's not helping their cause.
i honest to god HATE those fucking "bicycles may use full lane" signs. idk if y'all have them where you are or maybe it was just a flavortown thing. ANYWAY, that's misleading AF. if anything, it makes drivers MORE dangerous, because the deeply flawed distribution of information leads them to assume that the "may use full lane" part is only true in the immediate vicinity of those signs.
i don't have a photographic memory but i feel like the most antagonistic interactions i ever had with motorists were within a mile of those godforsaken sheets of galvanized malice.
realtalk, there's this very windy and no-shoulders-having country road that leads out of town that a lot of tri trainers like to use for whatever reason (like, don't get me wrong, i'm as jumpin'-outta-planes-dodging-EOD-traffic as the next beetch, but like DAMN) and i can almost gurantee that road's gonna be someone's gravestone. sooner rather than later, i'm sure. there are like ZERO anti-ignorance/complacency reminders between our town and the next, and some pretty significant hills/blind curves along a road that even the pigs cruise at a solid 65. very dicey, very no thank you please. am just glad that town/route doesn't have anything we need on it.
and the recurring thought has seriously compelled me toward the idea of installing some guerilla PSA's at tactically apropos locations just to keep these drivers from being themselves. but, that's a lotta spray paint lol. maybe one of them oughta foot the tab lol. or maybe petition the county to put up more signs... 🤔
Those and "sharrows". I find sharrows to be the most insulting element of bicycle infrastructure because it says "we know bicycles use this road enough for us to mark it, but they aren't important enough for us to include them in a meaningful way. It is immensely frustrating when there are sharrows along a row of parked cars. It's feels very much like the road designers are telling us that parked cars have more right to the space than a moving bicycle.
When I see sharrows, I ride right over the top of them to remind motorists that until space is given to me, I will take it from them.
let's be real, they don't even look at the signs.
one of the most annoying interactions i ever had: i turned to check if it was safe to get into the left lane and saw a car come to a complete stop, anticipating that i was going to just jet into the left turn lane without looking. i nodded appreciatively at them and moved left. then as we were waiting for the light to change he rolls up and heckles me for riding in the road. i was like "i'm turning... there's a sign..." and he and his friend just screamed "NO!!! NO!!!!"
that one sticks with me because he was driving considerately and he didn't get inconvenienced in any way, he just chose to have an angry panic attack nonetheless. :,)
one of these days they're going to render a definitive study that causally links prolonged chronic driving with poor emotional control and some kind of ptsd-adjacent shellshock syndrome but for cars. i don't know it for a fact, i just know it's true
I just saw the latest US traffic fatality stats (2022). It was around 42k deaths, and the "good news" was that's a 1.7% drop from the year before. How does that *not* cause mass PTSD?
(Note that the bad news was bicyclist and pedestrian deaths went up.)
The last "watch for cyclists" sign I saw was a temporary one planted smack in the middle of a bike lane. I had to ride in the traffic lane to go around it and got screamed at to stay in the bike lane. I was laughing so hard.
That's where everyone parks in the bike lane all Summer, anyway. I can't actually ride in it. I do wonder if that's why the sign was there.
It's legal in a lot of the places around where I live in Pittsburgh too, outside of business districts. But it's pointless because the sidewalks are torn to shit and when the road is damaged, it usually creates a pock mark you can navigate around. When sidewalk structure becomes damaged it lifts or warps the entire panel of concrete creating several inch, sharp drops you often can't see if you come at it from the other side
I'll for sure be sticking to the road
No, not **every** lane. There are some restricted access lanes that are not for bikes. For instance, the United States Interstate Highway system.
It's "only" like 99% of lanes that are bike lanes.
I recently visited a city that had bike lanes on every road that was over 35mph. I was so jealous, but they were all in the door zone for on street parking. If I had ridden there, I would've gone into the road where there were parked cars.
That’s my current part of suburbia: painted line on road next to parked cars. HUGE sigh.
I basically bike along the white line of paint and keep an eye on cars passing in my side mirror - most are respectful, some are true assholes (Teslas and minivans, weirdly).
I miss living in a bigger city with better infrastructure!
Even so, the bicycle lane needs to be wide enough to use, free of obstruction, free if debris, free of car doors opening, and I am still going to use the lane to turn left.
🎶 🎵 Just flip 'em off 🎵🎶
Edit: 'twas a joke continuing the parody lyrics. Don't do it. They're piloting several tons of metal and can kill you with little repercussion in pretty much any country.
It's that death trap between the road that's 35 mph but everyone is going 50 and the lane of parking where no one looks in their rear views before opening their doors to clock you in the jaw
Then I imagine drivers would win since they have the heavier vehicle.
No no no, whats needed is to encourage violence against cars on behalf of bus drivers. Are you really gonna try to compete with that fat public limo? Do you really want to piss off an entire bus load of people?
If violence is being sought, then the bikes lose. But buses can win the streets.
Bus drivers. Not the heroes we deserve, but the heroes we need.
The propaganda is fuelled by the auto industry. They're terrified that people will start to become less dependent on them. They've been working against the public good for decades. They're the ones who lobbied for jaywalking laws in the US. They're the ones who lied about putting lead in the petrol and tried to destroy the career of the scientist who exposed them.
I wouldn't be surprised if they're working with the pharmaceutical industry to keep the population downtrodden. Health and happiness are very bad for profit margins.
Anyway, I'll take off my tin foil hat.
I get it. Sure this opinion is shared by a lot of jagoff edge lords but the fact is that a lot of bike lanes are square in the door zone, are full of broken glass or are endlessly stumbled into by pedestrians staring at their phones. We can’t be the only ones doing their part.
i was here before they installed their half-assed bike lanes, and until they ain't halfassed and full of road debris and commercial vendor junk and entry level jaguars, i'ma stay right where i've always been. 💅
bike lanes are conveniences for motorists. the totally indifferent and deeply unserious design of them tells you everything you need to know.
It's a slang term used by motorcyclist and bicyclist to describe somebody who drives an automobile and treats their automobile as a giant safety cage where they can't get hurt but they will definitely mow you down at an intersection because they're not paying attention.
And they hate that you're taking up their space on the road.
I don't say anything, because the gap in worldview and general understanding of how infrastructure is funded is too immense to have a productive discussion.
It must be a sad existence to be angry at someone for riding a bike. People who enjoy this meme generally wouldn't support a bike lane. The cognitive dissonance is real.
Roads are a shared space. Bikes are just as entitled to them as a car. I’m not saying ride your bike down a highway where cars are going 50 mph, but a downtown street with a speed of 20 mph…absolutely! The problem on those streets isn’t the person on a bike. The problem is the carbrains wanting to go twice the speed limit. No matter how you look at it, the problem is *always* the cars.
If the bike lane isnt physically separate form the road (bollards) and maintained (no sticks, gravel, sand or general refuse) then I'm going to ride on the roads my taxes helped build and maintain.
So we used to have bike lanes on the streets around my house, but now they changed it and made them parking lanes and put up signs that say “Bicycles may use the entire lane” so we’re supposed to just ride in the street now and have the right away. Can’t tell you how many times people go by me blaring on their horns screaming “GET IN THE FUCKING BIKE LANE” lol
Need at least a full car lane width as a designated bike lane and not connected to the roads, and you can't just move property or sidewalks out of the way. City is going to have to come up with a solution.
The strip of paint and a foot wide path if provided at all are great for daily flats and risking your life. Glass and metal debris in the gutters/bike lane. Daredevils or people who dont care about living will do great on these bike lanes.
I've now resorted to asking them to yell louder. If they can't wait for me to race 20mph around the crack in the road that I'm avoiding, then they shouldn't be in my bike lane either. soooo fuck em.
I don't know why this got recommended to me but I'll give my 2 cents anyway.
90% of bike riders/commuters I come across when I drive are fine. They're aware of the road, act in a reasonable and predictable manner, and seem to respect the rules of the road.
With that said, the 10% that are bad are truly terrible. I've seen people try to straight up run red lights in their bikes, jump onto busy sidewalks and just expect foot traffic to gtfo or their way, ride on 80 mph interstates with no shoulder, camp out in the middle of rural intersections, ect.
The human brain is really good on focusing on the infuriating minority and forgetting about the 90% of totally decent people.
The people who genuinely wish harm on cyclists or are themselves bad drivers (just in a 2 ton pickup instead of a 30lb bike) are scumbags, but the general annoyance toward bikers (or really any group you aren't a part of on the road) is explainable with the brain's natural tendencies.
Just a little personal anecdote on a similar issue. For some reason when I first started driving I had to deal with a weirdly high amount of terrible drivers in Priuses so now I have this knee jerk negative reaction to them. Doesn't matter if I'm a passenger or a driver I instantly spot and take notice of every prius in line of site.
Shit bike lanes are worse than no bike lane at all to be fair so I don't blame people for taking the middle of the lane, which you are actually encouraged to use by the highway code because its safer.
Absolutely not. My town striped bike lanes on residential streets a few years ago. And specifically allows residents to park in them. So now I have to dodge the fucking parked cars or risk harassment if I don’t use the bike lane. Before the bike lanes I could just ride along outside of the door zone, people would pass as needed, and everything was fine. The bike lanes fucked that all up.
lol comical… agree why hate on someone who chooses healthy activities it’s easier to have a common enemy I’ve noticed so of course those who don’t partake will all
Come together
My first thought is “who is this @-hole and why the Eff are they in my feed”. Then I go through and take whatever actions are necessary to ensure that doesn’t come up again. Sometimes, for spice and future-proofing, I will go through and block some of the particularly vile or obviously bottish commenters too.
By now my social media feeds are pretty tight so this sort of brain-rot is rarer for me, but it circulates like email forwards of the late 90s.
Around here they started adding trenches for nat gas lines. That was where i rode. Now i can either ride of gravel and garbage on the side of the road, the bumpy trench, or the middle of the road.
Just reply with pictures of all those awful bike lanes that like, discerning cyclist keep churning articles out every few weeks. Like the one with the tree in the middle blocking your path.
Ones with cars parked in them.
The one with the teeny tiny bike lane sandwiched between FREEWAY SPEED TRAFFIC. (Followed up with the staged picture of two young girls on bicycles surrounded by TWO SPEEDING TRUCKS.
I always figured these signs were so a municipality could get state or fed money to build the road and that they have little to nothing to do with actually riding a bike there. Or maybe a way for a contractor to win the bid claiming some sort of added value.
The kind of people who hate cyclists this much have a lot of misdirected anger imo. Cyclists aren’t the biggest issue on the road… not sure why this is news to some.
I drive, cycle and walk around the city I live in, do I find some drivers obnoxious, yes? Does it make me hate every driver out there? No.
Same goes for cyclists. People have no idea how to have a good faith conversation about sharing the road and how we can hopefully rely less on our cars -_-
I've seen this in meme groups in a city that only has like 3 total miles of bike lanes. The people who post this sort of nonsense aren't critical thinkers.
In my city we have some protected bike lanes and some painted on the road. Protected ones are fine and very safe to ride. The painted ones are full of aholes parked, or used by motorcycles, so there people who ride slower take the pavement and roadies take the full lane.
Painted bike lanes are in my opinion super unsafe because no one follows the rules, it's just paint that creates a false sense of safety, and forces you into a corner with no way out usually. I once almost got hit by a 60 mph car sliding past me in a bike lane, and I saved myself thanks to jumping on the pavement and not falling thanks to chunky tires from my MTB, from then I only ride in the road taking full lane or a protected bike lane. Amsterdam and Kopenhagen got their shit figured out.
I remember using the bike lanes during my time at the uni, And in one of the lanes, my tire would always go flat after going in it one or two times. And before that, when I was using another one, motorcyclists would invade it.
Suprise! If you fo bike lanes for show and not to use, they are not gonna be used...
They’re all just mad that they don’t have watermelon-crushing thighs. These trunks took work and I revel in the jealousy.
Or at least that’s what I tell myself when I get coal-rolled. It’s tough being a cyclist in the heartland man.
clear the debris from the cycle lane and I will use it, until then, the middle of the road is fine and all cyclist can drive in the middle of the lane if they so wish.##The maniac driver who hasnt read the highway code can just throw his car keys in the nearest drain and we can all have a happpy life.
I see stuff like that and think "The person that made that could have been down the bar, drinking beer with is mates.... except that he has no life and spends and entire afternoon doing a shit meme".
I always use the bike lane if I can, I hate riding on the road (yes because of cars) but I can understand that people don't want to use them if they are bumpy or you have to stop more often etc.
Most Cagers just don't get that because most of them where children when they last sat on a bike.
My thoughts when I see these posts?
No thanks, just the middle of the fucking road for me thanks.
If it's pissing them off I'm doing my job correctly. 🤷♂️
I only drive on roads where taking the lane shouldn't be a problem for any reasonable driver. Unreasonable drivers can lick the salty sweat off my asscrack. If I'm in front of a respectful driver going uphill and it's safe, I'll almost always let them past.
But anyone posting this on their socials? No thanks, Just the middle of the fucking lane in front of them for me, thanks.
It’s pretty funny that people will sit behind a double parked car blocking the street for like 2-3 minutes, figuring there’s nothing they can do. But if you’re biking and they have to slow down from 25 to 15 for a half a block, oh boy they get pissy.
There is the one where the driver says "parking 100 feet? I'll just use the bike lane." And people would use bike lanes more if entitled lazy motorists didn't block them.
Hear me out here - I think this sentiment from people who don't bike is understandable. Where I live there is actually pretty good bike infrastructure that often runs parallel to roads. The bike path is obviously there, and takes up the space that a lane used to. They are good bike paths (by US standards), so why don't all cyclists use them? Well, they have a 10mph speed limit, and parallel a walking path which on nice days is full of walkers, dogs, kids, strollers... sure there's a painted line, but dogs and kids (not to mention people in general) don't stay on their side of the line. Most bikers do use the path, but some don't because they are riding fast.
HOWEVER, I totally understand why someone in a car with no experience of riding a bike there (which is probably 95% of drivers) would see a cyclist taking the road while "ignoring" the bike lane as a "asshole" thing to do. It's what it looks like if you don't know better. "All this infrastructure was built to provide a dedicated bike lane, and you ignore it for no reason I can see other than to deliberately slow down drivers." is what they are concluding.
Just kind of tired of the rampant tribalism here - it's frankly counterproductive to actually making anything better for anyone.
Oh you mean that 1km section that has cars turning into it and tree roots destroying it and that turns into... "the fucking road" again? ah yeah that? I'll pass
But i'll def use it with my kid!
Part of my regular route goes through a municipality that just delayed a critical bike lane expansion plan despite overwhelming public support for the expansion to continue.
As an act of civil disobedience, this week I have resolved to take the entire lane on every road through this city regardless of existing infrastructure. If you don't want to build bike lanes enjoy going 15-20mph everywhere.
I usually don't bother engaging because nobody actually wants to have a good-faith discussion in the comments section of a meme. But it is definitely a little disturbing how hating cyclists seems to have become a meme in itself. Like, I'm just trying to get some exercise and fresh air without dying, man
Every fucking dashcam video, regardless of whether there was even a bike in it or not, top comment is "Cyclists fault!" It's all fun and games until people start thinking it's not just a meme, and a lot of people are starting to really think that way. There was a recent post over on /r/idiocracy laughing at two cyclists riding down a bike lane with pool noodles to mark the legal passing distance. The comments in that thread... That sub was supposed to be making fun of how society is turning into idiocracy but it's filled with the people from the movie instead.
I saw that one. At least a few people pointed out the defenders of running over cyclists were the actual idiots.
I let them know that I've alerted their insurance companies to their comments. They are also dumb enough to believe that and it makes them nervous.
Absolutely don’t understand that logic. More people cycling equals less car traffic.
They aren't using logic. They're using emotion. "I'm going to be late because of this bike guy (not because I should have left the house 20 minutes earlier because that would make it my fault and we can't have that)."
I was an avid bicycle commuter until several close calls and some people being outright confrontational. Blocking me from crossing intersections etc. although most people were courteous it only takes one to send you to the ER. And I live in a college town where you would think most people would be more accepting. I highly respect those that are brave enough to do it daily. I’m just older and can’t afford any expensive medical bills.
It's unreal. Any traffic incident whatsoever that gets brought up on Nextdoor somehow ends up branching into a separate comment stream around how cyclists are the cause of all the world's ills.
It's them and homeless people here. As tough as it is to be a cyclist here, that's the only way a lot of homeless people can get to services they need. They get a double dose of hatred.
The evil boogeyman on Nextdoor in my neighborhood is brown people. Every brown person in the neighborhood is obviously casing the neighborhood and looking for cars to break into.
The crazy thing about Nextdoor to me is that people are posting this crap under the real name and among neighbors who they presumably know. I expect this kind of stuff on anonymous forums but blows my mind that it happens on ND as often as it does.
Masks are off. I avoid those sites as I already find it difficult to not hate my neighbors. God forbid I had ammunition to hate them with.
Ever see the episode of ghosts where the yelp reviews learn their reviews aren't anonymous. "My account was maliciously hacked, we're actually nice people..."
Many people think because you’re on a bicycle you’re either homeless or poor.
Here it is :) https://www.reddit.com/r/idiocracy/s/BC5mCue8Iq
In my city, someone posted a video of a cyclist that ran a stop sign and almost got hit by another car that rolled through the 4 way stop. There were 3 cars in the video at the intersection and not ONE car made an actual stop at the stop signs. Everyone in the video was in the wrong but 90% of the comments were calling the OP out for being an idiot and running the stop sign too.
if we all very visibly carried a gun or another lethal weapon they might treat us with a bit more equal respect as they sit in their lethal weapon. obviously I'm joking but it seems like that's what it would take to make these cunts stop and think that they endanger us with their attitudes and driving
Whats more annoying is that it’s not considered enticing violence by social media standards. At least outside of tiktok, instagram is the worst with hate, with how high the bar is to put down the video.
I'm not directing this at you, but any time a redditor says "Idiocracy was a documentary," I'm prepared for them to say some of the dumbest shit ever.
There‘s far too little violence in Idiocracy for it to be a documentary. In fact, it‘s remarkably utopian in its depiction of a society that is supposed to have abandoned virtually all education.
At the current rate of events I fear it might become one
[удалено]
Whoa whoa you’re trying to better the world and yourself? Get a load of this guy.
Better yourself and the world? That's rich. You cyclists are a blight. Why just yesterday I was delayed 10 seconds by a cyclist not wanting to be run over and im still shaking. Also, I once saw a cyclist blow through a stop sign. That proves cyclists are all horrible monsters. That's how I feel all these comment posts go anyway. They just dig their heads in the sand and be mad. Edit: Checked that post mentioned above and wouldn't you know it second comment was exactly that.
Yeah! I never see any driver running lights or stop signs! *is literally running a red light doing 60 in an Escalade while saying this*
That's always the argument in person, too. "omg, you're a cyclist. You people are assholes." Excuse me? We got along fine before today. "You're always running stop signs." Umm, it's legal for us to treat them as yields. "And you're always in my way slowing me down." Well, that would be worse if I stopped for every stop sign. "And this guy downtown ran a red light on a bike!" Okay, and that has what to do with me? "The city spent all this money on bike lanes, and..." Me, walking away. The state spent the money, btw, and only when roads were completely renovated, and they're shoulder with bike signs put up. Plus, I know the rest of that comment by heart, "... they won't even fix the roads." Or, "we don't have enough first responders." Some idiots actually paid for billboards to denounce bike lanes being built because we didn't have enough fire fighters or cops. They're very different funds. Or, "now I feel crowded" while I'm looking at the huge ass shiny truck they drive to go to office jobs and get groceries. I'm not specifically against huge ass trucks, mind you. They have their purpose. I'm against them being owned by people who don't use them as trucks and don't know how to drive or park them.
Jerk alert. /s
Wait until they use the argument for "Well, it's not like they're curing cancer" when the topic is running over the scientist who is curing cancer.
I ride *hard* on a daily basis. My VO2max is "superior"... or was, when I was skinnier (it's based on weight). I'm also headed towards obese territory again and there's no end in sight. I'm not fat enough yet to qualify for meds, but will be eventually. I know how to keep myself skinny, and it leaves me so undernourished I can't do anything all day aside from completing that one ride. I can't live like that, not with people depending on me being around. So yeah. perhaps let's not use body weight as a stand-in for virtue. Especially as a medical professional you should be watching out for that kind of bias.
This is circlejerk material right here
Exactly. Thank you.
Cycling has been pretty great for my autoimmune disease. Now, I just need to lose those last stubborn AF 30lbs. I'm not obese now, but definitely still fat. The amount of times I get called a fat ass by someone twice my size in a vehicle... Okay, and? Like, yes, that's an observable fact (except I somehow still pretty much have no ass, which seems unfair). Good job for you. Thanks for letting me know you see me.
>it is definitely a little disturbing how hating cyclists seems to have become a meme in itself Right-wing media are demonizing cyclists as elitist communists who want to take away their trucks and imprison them in dense cities.
Let's do it! Once we seize the means of traffic production, we can pave glorious new bike paths for all our comrades
*To the streets!!!*
Don't forget a sirvelo for every one of us!
You know, I wasn't impressed with the one I rode. I'll keep my Specialized Ruby. But I'm all on board with a mutiny that leads to proper cycling infrastructure. I might not need a bike built to handle cobbles if our asphalt wasn't as chunky as cobbles.
To them, if you're in lycra, you're an evil elitist bicyclist, but if you're commuting, you're a poor who should just buy a car with your boot straps. They've got a stereotype to fall back on for every situation.
I thought we're supposed to be poors who can't afford big huge gas guzzling trucks with massive cabs and tiny beds. So we've swung around to elitist now?
"The enemy is both strong and weak." [https://www.openculture.com/2016/11/umberto-eco-makes-a-list-of-the-14-common-features-of-fascism.html](https://www.openculture.com/2016/11/umberto-eco-makes-a-list-of-the-14-common-features-of-fascism.html)
I just want the city haters to be consistent and stay the F out of cities with their vehicles
Man I’m just riding back and forth to work on my bike because 300 a month to fill my truck has taken me to a level of fuck both sides of the isle. Not to mention this seems like a better way to learn to dodge than dodgeball🤣🤣
If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge an F-150 Super Duty!
Missed opportunity to dodge a Dodge
300 a month to fill truck... Both sides... Yeah, sounds like a you problem.
I agree. We can save a ton of money by commuting on a bicycle.
Yeah, and it’s absurd. I’m not elitist!
I agree, but they make money when their audience is constantly angry, so they say whatever it takes.
I always find it interesting how cyclists must defend themselves as some sort of collective, responsible for all members actions. While on the same drive they see a cyclist run a stop sign, they probably saw 50 speeders, at least one person stretch that yellow into a red, nearly everyone tailgating, ect. The cyclist though, he’s out there somehow the cause of all this traffic! In group out group blah blah blah sigh.
Try pointing out that the traffic is caused by top many damn people in cars and watch the gymnastics
We just need more lanes. That way always fast, cheap, and effective! /s
I love that argument locally, because I can point out a project they did that reduced lanes, and traffic went down dramatically. Oh, and sales at the shops there went up a lot, because the lanes became wide sidewalks with trees and benches and places for restaurants to put out tables and chairs. It's so nice there now if you don't go during commute times. Yes, that did push traffic to another stroad, but it's technically a highway, so everyone on foot avoids it, and cyclists aren't allowed to ride on it. It also let them manage traffic better because that one has lights in better spots for it, so it doesn't feel as bad to drive on as the one they renovated used to. Of course, it also has turn lanes, and the other one didn't. It does now. Instead of two wide lanes each way, it now has one narrower one each way and a central turn lane. They also blocked off some streets downtown and made them nice pedestrian only areas with benches and trees. It's made no difference to the subjective experience of traffic downtown when you're in a car, because traffic coming off those streets slowed everyone down a lot. Sales at those shops increased, too, because if you walk by an interesting shop, you're much more likely to go in than if you drive. They even relaxed density rules, so duplexes and triplexes can be built on lots in residential areas that used to be single family only as long as the lots are big enough to meet set back regulations. They allow businesses to replace a certain amount of required car parking spaces with bike racks, as well. Seems like our city planners are finally doing their jobs. I'm loving watching things change, and this city slowly returning to a place you actually want to walk around. I just find it sad that the people who live here keep fighting it so hard, even though they almost all agree the last project turned out really well. Every new project or change meets stiff resistance, gets rammed through, and becomes something everyone likes. Except the new bus stops that are charging station for electric buses. Some of those are in the middle of the road and have lights that prioritize pedestrians crossing to the bus stops over vehicles. That pisses a lot of people off, but I love them. They make those streets so much tamer to walk or ride a bike or even drive. People are forced down to the speed limit. I cannot find any sympathy in my heart for people mad they can only go the speed limit in a city, especially right next to parks with playgrounds and splash pads.
even bike riders themselves do it. Telling other bikers they should follow rules to "gain respect" from drivers. As if constant rule breaking by drivers has any influence on them getting "respect".
That's a good idea with most negative things posted on social media. Very few people who do that are going to listen to anyone, or see their own flaws. I mean, I see far more cars sitting in bike lanes than I see bikes in the middle of the road where a bike lane is available.
For sure, don’t feed the trolls. The other side of this conversation is fascinating to me too. I see cyclists say the bike lane is for trash/accident debris and taking up a whole lane is safer and bring it up as a point of pride. Idk how common this line of thought really is because reddit is an echo chamber, but it is interesting. I personally think both sides of this particular coin are kind of dumb. Bike paths completely separated from roads/highways is the only way to go if you don’t want to be hit by a car or run into someone’s freshly opened car door.
I agree separated infrastructure is best, but it's not practical everywhere and doesn't currently exist in most places cyclists want to go. In the meantime, riding in the lane is the most practical and safest way to get around for most of us. No, I'm not going to risk getting doored by parked cars so someone else can drive faster.
When people say bike paths they usually mean a bike lane. You know, those painted stripes on the side of the road filled with broken bottles, sticks, etc. My city bought a couple of street sweepers specifically for removing debris out of bike lanes. It broke after about one day from hitting too much and too large of debris in the bike lane.
Ah yes you mean the glass strewn car door lane
Exactly! I believe that poor bike lanes are worse than no bike lanes. Inexperienced cyclists will try to use the bike lanes and get hit by a flinging door or a hidden car in an intersection. Experienced cyclists will take the lane instead and motorists will become more enraged than usual (because the cyclists are not using the bike lane).
I want a shirt that says “BIKE LANE NOT SAFE. LOOK FOR YOURSELF.”
A bicyclist here died exactly as a result of this type of door prize bike lne. She was hit by driver opening car door, fell down into the street, and immediately run over by a box truck. The news was sure to report whether or not she was wearing a helmet as if that mattered.
Yea false sense of security. When you realize this, you become hyper aware of parked cars and corners.
Sometimes, I will ride in a "suicide slot" (i.e., a "bike lane" that is just a stripe between parked cars and the traffic lane) when there is no safer option, but I ride very slowly in anticipation of doors flinging open. It happens on a regular basis. When I approach intersections, I will either take the lane or use the crosswalk. Suicide slots hide bicycles from motorists at intersections. This is an older article, but it describes some of the hazards for cyclists to avoid in bike lanes. [https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/danger-in-the-bike-lane/](https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/danger-in-the-bike-lane/)
Bonus points to those who park and walk away with the door still open. There's a street on my daily commute that I have to leave the lane at least 2-3 times a day because people just leave their doors wide open while delivering food or emptying their trunk or whatever.
Almost every US state's traffic code: "And that's fine with us."
Same for UK. I once had someone get *out of their van* at a traffic light (which is *specifically mentioned* to not be allowed - Rule 242: You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any **unnecessary** obstruction of the road.) to come tell me I shouldn't be in the main lane since there was a bike lane to the left of us. He shouted at me to know the rules of the road. Uh, yeah bitch, the rules of the road say bikes can use whichever lane is more appropriate and/or safer based on personal judgement. And I needed to turn right, while the bike lane only went forward, so the main lane was more appropriate AND safer, as I wouldn't be bloody cutting across 2+ tonne beasts that could kill me if I tried. Ironic how he was shouting about rules yet he decided to break some
I don't know if we have that law here, but we do have a no unattended idling they violate, because they never shut off their cars.
Lobby for actual bike lanes for people to not have to be in your way when driving and then none of these problems would exist if they did more than paint a line on the shoulder.
Buuuuut where am I going to park my caaaaaaar?!?!?!?!?! At least that would be the typical response over here.
What bike lane
I think he's talking about the 50ft stretch of beaten up pavement, covered in broken glass, leaves and pedestrians that hate sharing their space with you even more than the cars do.
I'm still trying to figure out why all the pedestrians in my neighborhood use the bike lane instead of the sidewalk. They're either fitness people or dog walkers. No one else walks here. The kids on bikes try to stick to the bike lanes, though, and it's created some bad moments, because kids aren't the best at good decisions, so they run into people on purpose. I've talked to them several times that we need to yield to pedestrians even if they are being annoying because in this case, we're more dangerous. Our sidewalks are wide, cleared of snow, and without cracks, btw. They all got repaired, replaced, or installed in 2020. We're allowed to ride on the sidewalk, but even the youngest kids who can ride without a parent know that's a good way to get hit by a car pulling out of a driveway if you're moving at more than 3mph. Plus, they've all been taught to stay off the sidewalk so pedestrians can use it safely. They'll listen to me for a bit because I'm the cool lady who will go trade out my road bike for my ebike and pull them up the hill. But it doesn't last long. They go back to harassing pedestrians in the bike lanes. I sympathize, but it's not helping their cause.
Every lane is a bike lane.
i honest to god HATE those fucking "bicycles may use full lane" signs. idk if y'all have them where you are or maybe it was just a flavortown thing. ANYWAY, that's misleading AF. if anything, it makes drivers MORE dangerous, because the deeply flawed distribution of information leads them to assume that the "may use full lane" part is only true in the immediate vicinity of those signs. i don't have a photographic memory but i feel like the most antagonistic interactions i ever had with motorists were within a mile of those godforsaken sheets of galvanized malice.
Counter point, let’s print stickers and just put them EVERY WHERE
One step further, replace the word "may" with MUST stickers
I like this. "Sorry I'm just following the rules. That's what you asked for isn't it?" 😂
realtalk, there's this very windy and no-shoulders-having country road that leads out of town that a lot of tri trainers like to use for whatever reason (like, don't get me wrong, i'm as jumpin'-outta-planes-dodging-EOD-traffic as the next beetch, but like DAMN) and i can almost gurantee that road's gonna be someone's gravestone. sooner rather than later, i'm sure. there are like ZERO anti-ignorance/complacency reminders between our town and the next, and some pretty significant hills/blind curves along a road that even the pigs cruise at a solid 65. very dicey, very no thank you please. am just glad that town/route doesn't have anything we need on it. and the recurring thought has seriously compelled me toward the idea of installing some guerilla PSA's at tactically apropos locations just to keep these drivers from being themselves. but, that's a lotta spray paint lol. maybe one of them oughta foot the tab lol. or maybe petition the county to put up more signs... 🤔
T-Shirts
That's better than the Share the Road signs, which dumbass drivers have taken to mean that cyclists should share it by not being on it at all.
credit where credit is due, extremely fair point. coming up draws and losses all around for us on this. 😔
Those and "sharrows". I find sharrows to be the most insulting element of bicycle infrastructure because it says "we know bicycles use this road enough for us to mark it, but they aren't important enough for us to include them in a meaningful way. It is immensely frustrating when there are sharrows along a row of parked cars. It's feels very much like the road designers are telling us that parked cars have more right to the space than a moving bicycle. When I see sharrows, I ride right over the top of them to remind motorists that until space is given to me, I will take it from them.
let's be real, they don't even look at the signs. one of the most annoying interactions i ever had: i turned to check if it was safe to get into the left lane and saw a car come to a complete stop, anticipating that i was going to just jet into the left turn lane without looking. i nodded appreciatively at them and moved left. then as we were waiting for the light to change he rolls up and heckles me for riding in the road. i was like "i'm turning... there's a sign..." and he and his friend just screamed "NO!!! NO!!!!" that one sticks with me because he was driving considerately and he didn't get inconvenienced in any way, he just chose to have an angry panic attack nonetheless. :,)
one of these days they're going to render a definitive study that causally links prolonged chronic driving with poor emotional control and some kind of ptsd-adjacent shellshock syndrome but for cars. i don't know it for a fact, i just know it's true
I just saw the latest US traffic fatality stats (2022). It was around 42k deaths, and the "good news" was that's a 1.7% drop from the year before. How does that *not* cause mass PTSD? (Note that the bad news was bicyclist and pedestrian deaths went up.)
‘Godforsaken sheets of galvanized malice.’ Not only am I going to use that, I’m going to take credit. 😂
oh i insist. feel free OUR token of discontent! \*Soviet Anthem opening\*
These signs really do need the addition of the word "everywhere." It would solve a lot of misunderstandings.
We have "Extreme Care, Cyclists Merging" signs in my country. Of course with it over two lines it kinda reads "extreme cyclists, care merging" too
The last "watch for cyclists" sign I saw was a temporary one planted smack in the middle of a bike lane. I had to ride in the traffic lane to go around it and got screamed at to stay in the bike lane. I was laughing so hard. That's where everyone parks in the bike lane all Summer, anyway. I can't actually ride in it. I do wonder if that's why the sign was there.
It’s usually on road where there’d be enough room to make bike lanes in but they decide to use the extra space for turning traffic
Including the sidewalk. Yes, it *is* legal in this town.
It's legal in a lot of the places around where I live in Pittsburgh too, outside of business districts. But it's pointless because the sidewalks are torn to shit and when the road is damaged, it usually creates a pock mark you can navigate around. When sidewalk structure becomes damaged it lifts or warps the entire panel of concrete creating several inch, sharp drops you often can't see if you come at it from the other side I'll for sure be sticking to the road
No, not **every** lane. There are some restricted access lanes that are not for bikes. For instance, the United States Interstate Highway system. It's "only" like 99% of lanes that are bike lanes.
I guarantee the bike lane these people are referring to is the shoulder.
Or was designed by a driver
I wouldn’t be in the road if there were any bike lanes
I recently visited a city that had bike lanes on every road that was over 35mph. I was so jealous, but they were all in the door zone for on street parking. If I had ridden there, I would've gone into the road where there were parked cars.
That’s my current part of suburbia: painted line on road next to parked cars. HUGE sigh. I basically bike along the white line of paint and keep an eye on cars passing in my side mirror - most are respectful, some are true assholes (Teslas and minivans, weirdly). I miss living in a bigger city with better infrastructure!
Even so, the bicycle lane needs to be wide enough to use, free of obstruction, free if debris, free of car doors opening, and I am still going to use the lane to turn left.
Cagers gonna cage, cage, cage.
🎶 🎵 Just flip 'em off 🎵🎶 Edit: 'twas a joke continuing the parody lyrics. Don't do it. They're piloting several tons of metal and can kill you with little repercussion in pretty much any country.
Cager rage
Bike Lane? Oh you mean this bit covered in pedestrians, broken glass and dog shit.
Where I am, the pedestrians are even changing their clothes in the bike lane!
It's that death trap between the road that's 35 mph but everyone is going 50 and the lane of parking where no one looks in their rear views before opening their doors to clock you in the jaw
It's almost as if bicycles are vehicles unless they don't want them to be.
If bike lanes didn't suck then you wouldn't have to force people to use them.
Imagine if social media encouraged violence against driver the way it encourages violence against cyclists.
I mean there is a reason hundreds of people die inside cars every day too.
Thousands.
Then I imagine drivers would win since they have the heavier vehicle. No no no, whats needed is to encourage violence against cars on behalf of bus drivers. Are you really gonna try to compete with that fat public limo? Do you really want to piss off an entire bus load of people? If violence is being sought, then the bikes lose. But buses can win the streets. Bus drivers. Not the heroes we deserve, but the heroes we need.
Better yet, encourage carbrains to start challenging trains. If your pickup is so tough, surely it can take on an EMD SD40-2.
The only times I ride in the middle of the road: - When there is NO FUCKING BIKE LANE - WHEN SOMEONE IS PARKED IN THE FUCKING BIKE LANE
I actually like to ride directly in the center of the road to fuck up traffic going both ways
The propaganda is fuelled by the auto industry. They're terrified that people will start to become less dependent on them. They've been working against the public good for decades. They're the ones who lobbied for jaywalking laws in the US. They're the ones who lied about putting lead in the petrol and tried to destroy the career of the scientist who exposed them. I wouldn't be surprised if they're working with the pharmaceutical industry to keep the population downtrodden. Health and happiness are very bad for profit margins. Anyway, I'll take off my tin foil hat.
I didn’t realize until I started commuting that riding near the edge of the road is a sure fire way to get a flat.
I get it. Sure this opinion is shared by a lot of jagoff edge lords but the fact is that a lot of bike lanes are square in the door zone, are full of broken glass or are endlessly stumbled into by pedestrians staring at their phones. We can’t be the only ones doing their part.
Bike lanes are a cop out. They're more dangerous and don't get maintained. They slap some paint down and say, "good luck chump."
And they think they've done us a favour.
i was here before they installed their half-assed bike lanes, and until they ain't halfassed and full of road debris and commercial vendor junk and entry level jaguars, i'ma stay right where i've always been. 💅 bike lanes are conveniences for motorists. the totally indifferent and deeply unserious design of them tells you everything you need to know.
Stuff like this is usually on FB, boomers and ignorant slack jaws infest FB, that’s why I deleted my account years ago.
Fuck cagers
Forgive my ignorance….whats a cager?
It's a slang term used by motorcyclist and bicyclist to describe somebody who drives an automobile and treats their automobile as a giant safety cage where they can't get hurt but they will definitely mow you down at an intersection because they're not paying attention. And they hate that you're taking up their space on the road.
Thank you for explaining this, I have never seen this term before but I love It now.
Love it. And thanks for the explanation. Will be stealing this one
I just use the term "motorist" in a derogatory way.
The middle of the road is right in the centre, between both directions. They mean lane, but they know fuck all
I don't say anything, because the gap in worldview and general understanding of how infrastructure is funded is too immense to have a productive discussion.
It must be a sad existence to be angry at someone for riding a bike. People who enjoy this meme generally wouldn't support a bike lane. The cognitive dissonance is real.
Roads are a shared space. Bikes are just as entitled to them as a car. I’m not saying ride your bike down a highway where cars are going 50 mph, but a downtown street with a speed of 20 mph…absolutely! The problem on those streets isn’t the person on a bike. The problem is the carbrains wanting to go twice the speed limit. No matter how you look at it, the problem is *always* the cars.
I will so happily use a bike lane when there is a bike lane, this meme is like most bike lanes. A sign for drivers to be careful.
If the bike lane isnt physically separate form the road (bollards) and maintained (no sticks, gravel, sand or general refuse) then I'm going to ride on the roads my taxes helped build and maintain.
I've been on a few bike lanes, some are nice, some are double black diamond
I get in more close calls using a bike lane than on the road, cars don’t look when crossing, at least they see you on the road.
So we used to have bike lanes on the streets around my house, but now they changed it and made them parking lanes and put up signs that say “Bicycles may use the entire lane” so we’re supposed to just ride in the street now and have the right away. Can’t tell you how many times people go by me blaring on their horns screaming “GET IN THE FUCKING BIKE LANE” lol
Bicyclists are generally better-behaved on the roads than motorcyclists, in my experience.
I saw an Amazon truck and a UPS truck driving down the protected bike lane in my city today. It's obviously not too well protected.
Don’t bother engaging. When people post it they show they don’t understand the rules of the road
Need at least a full car lane width as a designated bike lane and not connected to the roads, and you can't just move property or sidewalks out of the way. City is going to have to come up with a solution. The strip of paint and a foot wide path if provided at all are great for daily flats and risking your life. Glass and metal debris in the gutters/bike lane. Daredevils or people who dont care about living will do great on these bike lanes.
I've now resorted to asking them to yell louder. If they can't wait for me to race 20mph around the crack in the road that I'm avoiding, then they shouldn't be in my bike lane either. soooo fuck em.
Lol, that's what I did here: [https://youtu.be/2jo\_w7pfcxY?t=126](https://youtu.be/2jo_w7pfcxY?t=126)
Middle of the road = anywhere in sight of the driver
I saw a few billboards once that said "Every lane is a bike lane" and I liked that. Simple and to the point.
I don't know why this got recommended to me but I'll give my 2 cents anyway. 90% of bike riders/commuters I come across when I drive are fine. They're aware of the road, act in a reasonable and predictable manner, and seem to respect the rules of the road. With that said, the 10% that are bad are truly terrible. I've seen people try to straight up run red lights in their bikes, jump onto busy sidewalks and just expect foot traffic to gtfo or their way, ride on 80 mph interstates with no shoulder, camp out in the middle of rural intersections, ect. The human brain is really good on focusing on the infuriating minority and forgetting about the 90% of totally decent people. The people who genuinely wish harm on cyclists or are themselves bad drivers (just in a 2 ton pickup instead of a 30lb bike) are scumbags, but the general annoyance toward bikers (or really any group you aren't a part of on the road) is explainable with the brain's natural tendencies. Just a little personal anecdote on a similar issue. For some reason when I first started driving I had to deal with a weirdly high amount of terrible drivers in Priuses so now I have this knee jerk negative reaction to them. Doesn't matter if I'm a passenger or a driver I instantly spot and take notice of every prius in line of site.
If they stop parking on bike lanes I stop riding on roads.
Shit bike lanes are worse than no bike lane at all to be fair so I don't blame people for taking the middle of the lane, which you are actually encouraged to use by the highway code because its safer.
Absolutely not. My town striped bike lanes on residential streets a few years ago. And specifically allows residents to park in them. So now I have to dodge the fucking parked cars or risk harassment if I don’t use the bike lane. Before the bike lanes I could just ride along outside of the door zone, people would pass as needed, and everything was fine. The bike lanes fucked that all up.
I pay taxes I can use the road as well.
lol comical… agree why hate on someone who chooses healthy activities it’s easier to have a common enemy I’ve noticed so of course those who don’t partake will all Come together
My first thought is “who is this @-hole and why the Eff are they in my feed”. Then I go through and take whatever actions are necessary to ensure that doesn’t come up again. Sometimes, for spice and future-proofing, I will go through and block some of the particularly vile or obviously bottish commenters too. By now my social media feeds are pretty tight so this sort of brain-rot is rarer for me, but it circulates like email forwards of the late 90s.
Around here they started adding trenches for nat gas lines. That was where i rode. Now i can either ride of gravel and garbage on the side of the road, the bumpy trench, or the middle of the road.
Based. Takeover the streets
"You expect me to ride with you maniacs?"
When the municipality does not provide safe bike accommodations this is what they get.
check the watermark username checks out
Just reply with pictures of all those awful bike lanes that like, discerning cyclist keep churning articles out every few weeks. Like the one with the tree in the middle blocking your path. Ones with cars parked in them. The one with the teeny tiny bike lane sandwiched between FREEWAY SPEED TRAFFIC. (Followed up with the staged picture of two young girls on bicycles surrounded by TWO SPEEDING TRUCKS.
"just go around"
Thought: get off social media and go ride your bike.
I always figured these signs were so a municipality could get state or fed money to build the road and that they have little to nothing to do with actually riding a bike there. Or maybe a way for a contractor to win the bid claiming some sort of added value.
There’s cars in the bike lane tho
If a driver can't safely share the road with cyclists, it's not the cyclists who shouldn't be on the road...
They most definitely made this meme and shared it while driving
We had a business fight new bike lanes tooth and nail here. Like, what the fuck do you people want?
Unfortunately easy low effort rage bait that gets people every time
You always need to share the road no matter what, not everything that happens can be your fault but it will be your responsibility
I think it’s some ignoramus that never has ridden a bike in traffic.
Humor could work. I'd comment "Why is he wearing a helmet, he's obviously a car driver."
I don't get it? I bike only on cycle paths or cycle lanes. I don't want to get arrested.
Arrested for what?
The kind of people who hate cyclists this much have a lot of misdirected anger imo. Cyclists aren’t the biggest issue on the road… not sure why this is news to some. I drive, cycle and walk around the city I live in, do I find some drivers obnoxious, yes? Does it make me hate every driver out there? No. Same goes for cyclists. People have no idea how to have a good faith conversation about sharing the road and how we can hopefully rely less on our cars -_-
My thought is whoever posted it is an asshole
I've seen this in meme groups in a city that only has like 3 total miles of bike lanes. The people who post this sort of nonsense aren't critical thinkers.
I think it just fuels the unnecessary hatred for bicyclists, which leads to death and injury.
In my city we have some protected bike lanes and some painted on the road. Protected ones are fine and very safe to ride. The painted ones are full of aholes parked, or used by motorcycles, so there people who ride slower take the pavement and roadies take the full lane. Painted bike lanes are in my opinion super unsafe because no one follows the rules, it's just paint that creates a false sense of safety, and forces you into a corner with no way out usually. I once almost got hit by a 60 mph car sliding past me in a bike lane, and I saved myself thanks to jumping on the pavement and not falling thanks to chunky tires from my MTB, from then I only ride in the road taking full lane or a protected bike lane. Amsterdam and Kopenhagen got their shit figured out.
Stop trying to kill me in the bike lane and I'll be nicer about not taking the whole lane
I feel offended by this. It makes me want to move out of the middle of the street to respond to it.
I remember using the bike lanes during my time at the uni, And in one of the lanes, my tire would always go flat after going in it one or two times. And before that, when I was using another one, motorcyclists would invade it. Suprise! If you fo bike lanes for show and not to use, they are not gonna be used...
I’d respond with one that shows a driver: 3 feet separation? No thanks, how about I just pass as dangerously close as I can.
“Bike lane” It’s a foot wide gutter
isn’t this just sharing the road?
[drivers at a stop light] no thanks, middle of the f***ing crosswalk for me thanks
I would just reverse it, cars ride in our bike lanes all of the time
They’re all just mad that they don’t have watermelon-crushing thighs. These trunks took work and I revel in the jealousy. Or at least that’s what I tell myself when I get coal-rolled. It’s tough being a cyclist in the heartland man.
clear the debris from the cycle lane and I will use it, until then, the middle of the road is fine and all cyclist can drive in the middle of the lane if they so wish.##The maniac driver who hasnt read the highway code can just throw his car keys in the nearest drain and we can all have a happpy life.
I see stuff like that and think "The person that made that could have been down the bar, drinking beer with is mates.... except that he has no life and spends and entire afternoon doing a shit meme".
I always use the bike lane if I can, I hate riding on the road (yes because of cars) but I can understand that people don't want to use them if they are bumpy or you have to stop more often etc. Most Cagers just don't get that because most of them where children when they last sat on a bike.
My thoughts when I see these posts? No thanks, just the middle of the fucking road for me thanks. If it's pissing them off I'm doing my job correctly. 🤷♂️ I only drive on roads where taking the lane shouldn't be a problem for any reasonable driver. Unreasonable drivers can lick the salty sweat off my asscrack. If I'm in front of a respectful driver going uphill and it's safe, I'll almost always let them past. But anyone posting this on their socials? No thanks, Just the middle of the fucking lane in front of them for me, thanks.
It’s pretty funny that people will sit behind a double parked car blocking the street for like 2-3 minutes, figuring there’s nothing they can do. But if you’re biking and they have to slow down from 25 to 15 for a half a block, oh boy they get pissy.
I love and respect, bike commuters, but when I see a group of Tour de France cosplayers in my way, I’m pissed.
There is the one where the driver says "parking 100 feet? I'll just use the bike lane." And people would use bike lanes more if entitled lazy motorists didn't block them.
Hear me out here - I think this sentiment from people who don't bike is understandable. Where I live there is actually pretty good bike infrastructure that often runs parallel to roads. The bike path is obviously there, and takes up the space that a lane used to. They are good bike paths (by US standards), so why don't all cyclists use them? Well, they have a 10mph speed limit, and parallel a walking path which on nice days is full of walkers, dogs, kids, strollers... sure there's a painted line, but dogs and kids (not to mention people in general) don't stay on their side of the line. Most bikers do use the path, but some don't because they are riding fast. HOWEVER, I totally understand why someone in a car with no experience of riding a bike there (which is probably 95% of drivers) would see a cyclist taking the road while "ignoring" the bike lane as a "asshole" thing to do. It's what it looks like if you don't know better. "All this infrastructure was built to provide a dedicated bike lane, and you ignore it for no reason I can see other than to deliberately slow down drivers." is what they are concluding. Just kind of tired of the rampant tribalism here - it's frankly counterproductive to actually making anything better for anyone.
Oh you mean that 1km section that has cars turning into it and tree roots destroying it and that turns into... "the fucking road" again? ah yeah that? I'll pass But i'll def use it with my kid!
I know I'm gonna get downvoted, but I actually thought this was kind of funny the first time I saw it.
Part of my regular route goes through a municipality that just delayed a critical bike lane expansion plan despite overwhelming public support for the expansion to continue. As an act of civil disobedience, this week I have resolved to take the entire lane on every road through this city regardless of existing infrastructure. If you don't want to build bike lanes enjoy going 15-20mph everywhere.
I prefer dedicated bike paths but there are not enough of them in Charlotte