Missed connection

[consularrider]

@Geoff 90215 wrote:

I’m missing something. Why does this only happen when you are on a hybrid? Do jerkfaces show more respect to roadbikes?

Maybe the ASSumptions they are making which may or may not be valid.

[Emm]

@Geoff 90215 wrote:

I’m missing something. Why does this only happen when you are on a hybrid? Do jerkfaces show more respect to roadbikes?

Honestly, it tends to be guys*, on fancy road bikes that shoot the gap most often in my experience. Not the commuter types, but the “I look like I should be racing” types (the commuter types tend to be seriously polite…). I’m guessing when I’m on a road bike, they assume I’m going fast enough that shooting the gap is a bad idea.

And so far it hasn’t happened to me on a road bike, but I’m sure it will. And when it happens, it will be way worse since my hybrid has more stopping power than my road bike and the ability to off-road.

*I admit, there are sampling issues here. I see maybe 2-3 women per bike trip, and 10-15 men. This means, based on pure chance, it’s more likely to be a man than a woman doing ANYTHING, good or bad.

[dbb]

This evening right after the rain.

Me: Cyclist in the right hand side of the center lane on westbound Madison waiting for the light to change so I could cross 14th Street.

You: Minivan with GSA tags in the right turn only lane. Going straight across 14th when the light turns green.

While I initially thought that was just a bone headed move, when I caught up to the minivan at 15th Street I saw driver wearing a white shirt and the shoulder insignia of the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service. Now I think it was a really bone headed move.

[dkel]

Me: on my bike, stopping at the head of the left turn lane, because the light just turned red.
You: in your car, zooming around my left from behind, down the wrong side of the road, through the red light so you could make your left turn instead of waiting behind–horrors!–a bike. Seriously, dude! I know I got in front of you to make the left turn, but the reason I stopped is not because I’m slow on my bike (we were going downhill), but because the light just turned red. It was a busy intersection: you endangered so many people in that self-important, reckless maneuver!

[KLizotte]

@dkel 90241 wrote:

Me: on my bike, stopping at the head of the left turn lane, because the light just turned red.
You: in your car, zooming around my left from behind, down the wrong side of the road, through the red light so you could make your left turn instead of waiting behind–horrors!–a bike. Seriously, dude! I know I got in front of you to make the left turn, but the reason I stopped is not because I’m slow on my bike (we were going downhill), but because the light just turned red. It was a busy intersection: you endangered so many people in that self-important, reckless maneuver!

Whoa. The one time it would have been great to have a GoPro so you could send the video to the police. Glad you are ok.

[dkel]

@KLizotte 90244 wrote:

Whoa. The one time it would have been great to have a GoPro so you could send the video to the police. Glad you are ok.

I thought the same thing!

[jrenaut]

Me: Hot and sweaty cyclist
You: Fountains at Canal Park near USDOT
Why did you not cool me off? WHY???

[mikoglaces]

@dbb 90238 wrote:

Last edited by dbb; Today at 05:44 AM. Reason: speling .

Ha-ha!

[cyclingfool]

@dkel 90241 wrote:

Me: on my bike, stopping at the head of the left turn lane, because the light just turned red.
You: in your car, zooming around my left from behind, down the wrong side of the road, through the red light so you could make your left turn instead of waiting behind–horrors!–a bike. Seriously, dude! I know I got in front of you to make the left turn, but the reason I stopped is not because I’m slow on my bike (we were going downhill), but because the light just turned red. It was a busy intersection: you endangered so many people in that self-important, reckless maneuver!

MY favorite driver to hate – Black Ford Explorer VA plates JFN-5323 – did something similar several weeks ago… except he went around me and a line of stopped cars on the right side and then made a left (from Potomac onto Main Line Blvd at the southern end of Potomac Yard) against a red.

[dplasters]

Me – guy on blue bike heading east bound on 29 between hilltop and gallows

You – guy wearing all black (including your bike) heading east bound on 29… in the west bound lanes.

Stop that. You’re going to kill yourself.

[baiskeli]

Black SUV, Maryland plates (of course) – hang up and drive. You ran a red as a pedestrian was about to cross your path, and you probably didn’t even know you did that. Then you stopped at a green, which isn’t as bad but proves you have no idea what’s going on. If you’re lost, pull over, then talk.

[jrenaut]

Look, guy on 14th St, I don’t mind if you ride slowly. That’s totally your call, and I won’t fault you for it. But stop shoaling me.

Also, you’re really lucky you didn’t get right hooked there at 14th and Euclid. There are two lanes there. Many people turn right. Just because there’s six inches between the car with its turn signal on and the curb doesn’t mean you can filter there when the light’s green. I would have stopped to help if you’d gotten hit, but I would have called you a dumbass.

[dbb]

This morning at the intersection of Jefferson and 14th.

You: The group of four or five runners heading east across 14th with a no walk signal. You didn’t even respond to the honking (horn tapping) from the southbound Mercedes that had the right of way, forcing the driver to stop for you. If I had been driving I would have used the horn.

A really bone-headed move

At least you could have run in a bunch rather than with 5-6 feet between each runner.

[bobco85]

To the 3 trash cans sitting in the new King Street bike lane (uphill segment) today: You know you’re not supposed to be there, but something tells me your owners didn’t seem to care about safety. Don’t worry, I moved you all to a safer spot over at the edge of the sidewalk so you won’t be blocking vehicular, cyclist, or pedestrian traffic.

[Sunyata]

You: The two large trash containers blocking the entire sidewalk at the corner of the Shirlington pedestrian bridge and Quincy Street.

Me: The cyclist that came around the corner from the bridge at a semi-cautious pace that still had to brake ridiculously hard to maneuver around you.

Thanks for the brake check which was good because I needed my brakes to work during my next encounter…

You: The jerkface driver of a gold pickup truck at the corner of Shirlington Road and 4 Mile Run Road that was in too much of a hurry to care that your light was red and the pedestrian signal was green.

Me: The cyclist in a bright green shirt with super bright front and rear blinkies that was already in the crosswalk when you attempted to plow through.

Thank you for hearing my shout (“HEY!!!”) and actually stopping before you hit me! 😡
Luckily, the rest of my morning commute was uneventful and the weather made up for the earlier transgressions!

[Author]

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