The problem isn't the CYCLIST
Thread started by
Coe coe buttaa at 11.7.09 - 8:35 pm
It's the road infrastructure.
DO IT BETTER!~!!!!!! ! ! ! !!!!!
"The other thing to think about is that cyclists typically have no natural place on the road. Pedestrians have sidewalks and cars have their lanes, and a cyclist must navigate his way between the two, which isn’t easy or comfortable. For a pedestrian to complain about cyclists is to misunderstand all the main sources of imbalance in the sharing of the road — cars are the most dangerous and take up the bulk of the space, and it’s only because pedestrians and cyclists are jockeying for the small area of relative safety at the edge of the road that conflicts between them arise. Cyclists simply aren’t the problem. Undue deference to cars on city streets is the problem." ^^LIKE
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People complain about cyclists not following the rules of the road, but what they don't realize is that those rules are designed to regulate motorized traffic. Cyclists have to do what we can to get around and not get hit. I disagree that we have no natural place on the road. Bikes belong in the street with the other traffic even if some people don't respect your right to be there. Ride as far out in the lane as you can get away with. People can see you better, the road is generally better away from the gutter, and you decrease your chances of getting doored. You have to be aggressive sometimes and take the space you need, act like you belong there because you do. For example, I have to take Highland for a few blocks on my way to work. If I maintain about 20mph, I can take the right lane just like a motorcycle and 99% of people will just get over and pass without conflict. Don't hold your breath waiting for the infrastructure to change you just have to adapt. A cool thing about cycling is that we exist in a vehicular grey area. We aren't pedestrians and we aren't motorists. I think we are actually closer to horses! We have to make up our rules of the road as we go along.
Velocipede11.8.09 - 4:21 am
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Please like cyclists are the only ones not following the rules of the road.
When is the last time a pedestrian only crossed the street when they had a walk signal?
When is the last time that a car drove the speed limit, or actually stopped fully at a stop sign. (and lets not talk about texting or talking on phones)
Or my favorite is when motorcyclists lane split going above the speedlimit when traffic is at a stand still.
That said, I see some uneducated cyclsits on the streets doing stupid shit too.
There is no real effort by LAPD to actually control the the streets.
I do agree though. The conflict on our streets are due to a lack of infrastructure and little to no enforcement. Other cities are putting down 50-100 miles of bike infrastructure this year, Los Angeles Has maybe 10. If NYC can put bikes in Manhattan, we can put bikes on Wilshire.
thegodofthor11.8.09 - 10:44 am
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Cyclists are being asked to follow infrastructure that wasn't designed for us. Stoplights were designed for cars. It makes sense. Build infrastructure for cyclists and they will come. Build us some crosstown routes and shoo the cars away on fountain, 4th street and charleville... Exposition and Crenshaw....
I've said before but Maybe there should be a cyclists licensing progrAm that, if when you get hit, provides extra legal protection and even injury insurance becuase it will show that you have been trained in riding the streets.
Roadblock11.8.09 - 12:01 pm
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"I've said before but Maybe there should be a cyclists licensing progrAm that, if when you get hit, provides extra legal protection and even injury insurance becuase it will show that you have been trained in riding the streets."
Didn't the drivers that are speeding and talking on their cell phone get trained on how to drive? I really don't have any faith that the government will be able to train bicycle riders any better.
CrazyPenis responding to a
comment by Roadblock
11.8.09 - 11:03 pm
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Drivers in general are not that bad. It's just the ones who are bad are really bad. I think the DMV does an adequate job of churning out competent drivers. I think a lot of cyclists have no real clue how to ride. I wouldn't mind having some sort of opt in system that in return fir passing the written test and skills test plus an additional optional $25 yearly fee that gets you bicycle riders insurance and added protection legally in the case of an accident. It would have to be a national perhaps even international group.
Roadblock responding to a
comment by CrazyPenis
11.8.09 - 11:52 pm
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I think this is genius.
If this doesn't already exist, it needs to.
TheDude responding to a
comment by Roadblock
11.9.09 - 12:08 am
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When you have a system that only requires you to get a 70% to pass, and an offer to just get back in line to take the test over and over again, you setup a system of turning out mediocre drivers. Some might not be too bad, but a large majority would be mediocre. The system needs to fall inline with other industrialized nations when it comes to licensing the drivers for the public road. I passed my test the first time, and I thought it was waaaaay too easy.
I like the idea of getting some kind of bicycle insurance. I've never read articles on what that would cost, but I'm thinking it'd be a bit more than $25 a year. Unless you're just talking about collision. Even that I would kind of doubt that $25 would cover it.
CrazyPenis responding to a
comment by Roadblock
11.9.09 - 1:31 am
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In an ideal world the bicycle insurance would be subsidized by a gas tax funded trust :)
As for the driving test... Yeah I guess they could make it more difficult to pass... But I think the real problem is in the enforcement area. There aren't enough traffic cops handing out tickets for speeding and so forth.
Roadblock responding to a
comment by CrazyPenis
11.9.09 - 8:09 am
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"I think this is genius.
If this doesn't already exist, it needs to."
+1
Coe coe buttaa responding to a
comment by TheDude
11.9.09 - 11:09 am
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Or my favorite is when motorcyclists lane split going above the speedlimit when traffic is at a stand still.
this is legal. not going above the speed limit, but motorcycles splitting lanes. if youre in traffic not moving, how can you tell how fast the motorcycle is going without a radar gun?
ruinedbyidiots responding to a
comment by thegodofthor
11.9.09 - 11:11 am
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And when you think about getting doored, no one has ever got a ticket for opening a door without looking first. they only get in trouble when an injury occurs.
buckchin11.9.09 - 2:45 pm
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I'm not sure about you, but I would rather have those marginal drivers not on the road and studying to improves their skills. Rather than out on the road hoping one of the officers ticket them enough to where they learn some skills. This is assuming they don't get into an accident before they reach the skill level desired.
CrazyPenis responding to a
comment by Roadblock
11.9.09 - 6:29 pm
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build infrastructure in LA for cyclists?
hahaha, pipe dream, sadly.
coldcut11.9.09 - 7:51 pm
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Yeah. I thought it over... I agree, the test should be Harder to pass.
Roadblock responding to a
comment by CrazyPenis
11.9.09 - 8:20 pm
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