Cycling advocates call for B.C. to adopt Ontarios one meter rule between cars,cyclists

[mpt]

1 hour ago, MoneypuckOverlord said:

driving advocates should try to call B.C to enforce more strict biking rules, such as not riding to lose to the middle of the lane, which is not enough room for the car to drive by, and if they do, forced to driver over the centre line, of on coming traffic.  how bout some being more considerate to cars, that the biker have stalled at least 30 cars behind? not to mention someone that knows how to ride a &^@#ing bike?  Got a biker the other day, who almost lost control of their bike and almost ran into my car.  wtf!

By law don't cyclists have the whole lane?  Cyclists who don't own the road and try to be nice by staying close the side are the ones that get hit.

 

I stopped riding my bike as I didn't want to be the douche riding down the middle, but I try to be as close to the sidewalk to help out the cars and they run me over.

 

Safest way to bike is to own the lane, you get fingered and stuff thrown at you but it's safer than getting smoked by a car who's impatient and won't wait to go around like they legally should.

[Violator]

Spending money integrating bike lanes into existing roads is a stupid idea unless those roads are getting completely revamped.In the future people wont be able to afford vehicles anyhow.

[inane]

3 hours ago, HK Phooey said:

I agree that everyone should endeavor to make the roads safe for everyone.  However, my experience has been that drivers typically obey the rules of the road moreso than cyclists.  Not saying that you specifically are ignoring the rules of the road as a cyclist, but I see on countless occasions cyclists running red lights, blowing through stop signs, riding side by side (often times occupying entire lane) impeding normal flow of car traffic, riding on busy sidewalks, in walking paths along the sea wall when there are bike lanes, etc., etc.  In fact Gregor Robertson was almost hit by a bus when he ran a light back some five years ago (would it have been the bus driver's fault if Robertson was hit?).

 

I've been to Amsterdam and parts of Japan where cyclists and motorists cohabitate in harmony because both drivers and cyclists obey the rules of the road.  Just my opinion, but until cyclists obey the rules of the road, they won't be getting any respect or sympathy from motorists.  Myself, I do my best to accomodate cyclists (probably because a lot of my friends ride their bikes) but for the most part, I get why drivers have a lot of animosity toward cyclists.  I would hate to see a fatality be the cause for "reforms" in how drivers and cyclists and pedestrians share the road and walkways, but I think that is what is going to take for real change in behavior (and even that would probably be short-lived).

I just disagree. Go to any corner and see how many people break laws all the time in cars. Not saying I don't do it or anything, but it's ridiculous to say driver's break the law less than cyclists. We're just used to driver's breaking the law all the time. Speeding, not stopping fully at stop signs, whatever, we're just used to it. We're not used to cyclists so we get pissed when we think they're in our way.

 

 

[inane]

2 hours ago, mpt said:

By law don't cyclists have the whole lane?  Cyclists who don't own the road and try to be nice by staying close the side are the ones that get hit.

 

I stopped riding my bike as I didn't want to be the douche riding down the middle, but I try to be as close to the sidewalk to help out the cars and they run me over.

 

Safest way to bike is to own the lane, you get fingered and stuff thrown at you but it's safer than getting smoked by a car who's impatient and won't wait to go around like they legally should.

Cyclists are under the same laws as motorists. Too bad many driver's don't know that.

[Lancaster]

22 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

All cyclists should come to Japan. Been riding every day for about 15 years in the Kansai area(Osaka, Kyoto, Nara), & I've never had one case of a road-rage argument. People are too polite & sophisticated for that nonsense.

 

Wish we could have another go at this Ind Civ set-up, in general. We've paved over half the world, & 100 yrs of extreme FF usage basically trashed the place.

 

There's the requisite eco-rant for this thread, representing all/any cycling-nuts! :^)

Friday nights in Osaka.... gals wearing minidress and platform heels, while biking... holding an iPhone on one hand and probably a cigarette or umbrella in the other.  Oh, how I miss Japan....

 

 

It's interesting how Japan has pretty much the answer for the transportation problem in Vancouver (transit, bikes, etc).... yet the folks in Vancouver are adamant on reinventing the wheel... only to come up with a square, lol. 

 

[Nuxfanabroad]

2 minutes ago, Lancaster said:

Friday nights in Osaka.... gals wearing minidress and platform heels, while biking... holding an iPhone on one hand and probably a cigarette or umbrella in the other.  Oh, how I miss Japan....

 

It's interesting how Japan has pretty much the answer for the transportation problem in Vancouver (transit, bikes, etc).... yet the folks in Vancouver are adamant on reinventing the wheel... only to come up with a square, lol. 

Did you ride much in Kyoto? Must be the best place in the world to cruise about on two wheels.

[Lancaster]

7 minutes ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

Did you ride much in Kyoto? Must be the best place in the world to cruise about on two wheels.

I've only ridden around in Osaka, since that's where my wife's family are at. 

Bike to: ORC200, Aeon, Life Market, Family Mart, Don Quijote, Tempozan, subways, whatever the name of the local shrine, etc. 

The cities in Kansai are real bike-friendly cities.  My wife pretty much says Vancouver is like the worst city for biking... numerous hills, Kingsway that messes up the North-South/East-West of the roads, you can't ride on the sidewalk, drivers/cyclists/pedestrians all erratic. 

[Toni Zamboni]

i would like to see cyclists that want to be on the road in traffic and treated like a car....they should be required to take a test, carry a license and be subject to the same rules and penalties that vehicles and their drivers are. Possibly go as far as having to have some sort of insurance policy.

not all bikes.... just these types of people that try to ride in traffic and pretend they are a car and expect to be treated like one.....yet they role up to a red light and just blaze right through....they are annoying as hell.

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

1 hour ago, Toni Zamboni said:

i would like to see cyclists that want to be on the road in traffic and treated like a car....they should be required to take a test, carry a license and be subject to the same rules and penalties that vehicles and their drivers are. Possibly go as far as having to have some sort of insurance policy.

not all bikes.... just these types of people that try to ride in traffic and pretend they are a car and expect to be treated like one.....yet they role up to a red light and just blaze right through....they are annoying as hell.

That doesn't really make any sense at all.  First off, little kids can ride bicycles.  Secondly, a bicycle is simply not as deadly as a full-sized vehicle, so how can you treat those two things the same?  Do you treat a small car and a full 18-wheeler the same?

[Toni Zamboni]

26 minutes ago, Bob.Loblaw said:

That doesn't really make any sense at all.  First off, little kids can ride bicycles.  Secondly, a bicycle is simply not as deadly as a full-sized vehicle, so how can you treat those two things the same?  Do you treat a small car and a full 18-wheeler the same?

maybe read my post....it says "not all bikes"...just the idiots that ride their bikes on busy streets in with the traffic acting like they are a car, and wanting to be treated like a car.

kids shouldnt be riding their bikes in with traffic on busy streets....thats not what im talking about.

if a bike is in with traffic and causes an accident, he should have insurance to cover it.... as well if he is breaking the laws he should suffer the same penalties as someone driving a car that breaks the law.

 

is this a fantasy, maybe...but there are a ton of idiot cyclists out there and a guys gotta have a dream.

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

5 hours ago, Toni Zamboni said:

maybe read my post....it says "not all bikes"...just the idiots that ride their bikes on busy streets in with the traffic acting like they are a car, and wanting to be treated like a car.

kids shouldnt be riding their bikes in with traffic on busy streets....thats not what im talking about.

if a bike is in with traffic and causes an accident, he should have insurance to cover it.... as well if he is breaking the laws he should suffer the same penalties as someone driving a car that breaks the law.

 

is this a fantasy, maybe...but there are a ton of idiot cyclists out there and a guys gotta have a dream.

If a kid hits a car and gets into an accident then should the parent be held liable?  Does not have to be a busy street for something to happen.  I can say that firsthand.

 

But yeah.  A reckless cyclist simply does not have the same killing power as a reckless driver.  The responsibilities and related penalties can't be the exact same.

[Warhippy]

15 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

Or, cars don't kill cyclists. People WITH cars kill cyclists! :^)

If everyone was armed with a car we wouldn't be here

 

The horror

[Warhippy]

15 hours ago, HK Phooey said:

 

 

  Just my opinion, but until cyclists obey the rules of the road, they won't be getting any respect or sympathy from motorists.  Myself, I do my best to accomodate cyclists (probably because a lot of my friends ride their bikes) but for the most part, I get why drivers have a lot of animosity toward cyclists.  I would hate to see a fatality be the cause for "reforms" in how drivers and cyclists and pedestrians share the road and walkways, but I think that is what is going to take for real change in behavior (and even that would probably be short-lived).

Sooooo much of this

 

take my +1

[Warhippy]

11 hours ago, inane said:

Cyclists are under the same laws as motorists. Too bad many driver's Cyclists don't know that.

ftfy

[Warhippy]

I live in penticton.  This city has near year round athletes training for cycling competitions triathlons and health.  Everywhere.  We have 3 world class events in and around town as well.  The Axel Merrick, the Challenge Triathlon and the Apple Triathlon.

 

This is a town that has had athletes and numerous officials pushing endlessly to have peoples "share the road" "Cyclists have the same rules" and so on and so forth

 

Athletes from penticton have actually headlined major ad campaigns to ensure that cyclists have the same rights on the road AS Cars.  World wide.

 

Now, the issue with this is the same as equality.  Everyone wants it, until such time as it is time to be equal.  Then it's a problem.

 

Cyclists in numerous cities have recently been stopped and fined for riding out of lane, dodging through traffic, blowing lights and stop signs, riding on sidewalks and more.  And the outcry has been horrific.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/23/cyclists-bear-brunt-of-new-road-fines-as-coalition-accused-of-dash-for-cash

 

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/nearly-600-cyclists-fined-under-new-penalty-regime-1.2631593

 

http://road.cc/content/news/182150-sydney-cyclists-reportedly-fined-£225-trackstanding

 

Mostly this has happened in the UK, ireland and Australia but has also recently popped up in US cities as well.  With cries of it being nothing mroe thana  tax grab, I am not a car why do I have to share traffic rules and more.

 

People always want the same treatment, they want to be respected until money is involved.

 

HKPhooey said it best with  this " but until cyclists obey the rules of the road, they won't be getting any respect or sympathy from motorists "

 

And it's true.  Until such time as they start sharing the road in the same manner they will not get respect.  Cyclists cannot cause the same damage as cars.  But that is until such time as a cyclists darts out in front of you doing 60 without warning.  

 

We SHARE the road, I was an avid cyclist before my accident and I agree we needed/need protection.  but so many people do not respect the rules of the road when cycling as to be laughable.  This new law stinks of entrapment honestly as cars can keep the distance.

 

But will cyclists?

[Grapefruits]

Just another form of revenue generation for the City. But hey, we need all these laws to keep us "safe"

[inane]

5 hours ago, Warhippy said:

ftfy

As I said before, everyone needs to know more and be safe and responsible. 

[inane]

12 hours ago, Toni Zamboni said:

maybe read my post....it says "not all bikes"...just the idiots that ride their bikes on busy streets in with the traffic acting like they are a car, and wanting to be treated like a car.

kids shouldnt be riding their bikes in with traffic on busy streets....thats not what im talking about.

if a bike is in with traffic and causes an accident, he should have insurance to cover it.... as well if he is breaking the laws he should suffer the same penalties as someone driving a car that breaks the law.

 

is this a fantasy, maybe...but there are a ton of idiot cyclists out there and a guys gotta have a dream.

The implied thought here is that streets aren't safe places. That's a problem. Why are we ok with our streets being unsafe places?

 

Highways are meant to be fast places where only vehicles can go, that's why there are those signs that say if you can't go 60km/h, you can't use it. All other streets however are for all people and users. 

[Alflives]

5 hours ago, Warhippy said:

ftfy

Saw a beauty of a collision today between a cyclist and a car.  The car turned left, after the light turned red.  The cyclist timed coming through the intersection to coincide with the light changing to green.  He hit the car going really fast.  His bike exploded into pieces, and he flew over the car's hood.  Who's fault was the accident?  I don't really know.  I believe there is a delay in the lights, so there is a moment when both are red.  I guess they were both wrong.  

What I do know is the car won the collision.  I'll be back at that same spot tomorrow: sitting and waiting for the inevitable crash.  

[Stihlman65]

I for one don't need a rule to give cyclists ample safe distance when I go by them at 90-100 km/h on the highway.I always pull left and give the cyclist at least 10 feet between me and them. If I see a cyclist on the other side of the highway and a car is coming towards them,I'll pull a little on the shoulder to give space for that car to have room to safely pass the cyclist.

This got instilled in me once when we where going down the highway driving by a group a cyclists(I wasn`t driving btw),when suddenly a huge german shepard  came out of a driveway and attempted to pounce on one of the cyclists just as we were driving by him,he had no choice then to swerve towards the middle of the highway to avoid the dog. The driver barely missed the cyclist thanks to his reflex.

This is why I will give a good buffer between me and a cyclist,especially on a highway.