F&$(k sticks in tights

[BigBo]

I'll give them as much room on the road when they start paying license, registrations, excise taxes, and are subject to penalty for not following the rules of the road like the rest of the drivers and motorcyclists.

[spence]

Originally Posted by BigBo

I'll give them as much room on the road when they start paying license, registrations, excise taxes, and are subject to penalty for not following the rules of the road like the rest of the drivers and motorcyclists.

Excise taxes usually go into the general fund, not necessarily for roads. But regardless, most riders on the roads have cars and certainly do pay excise, license and registration taxes already. I know I sure do.

As for penalties, bikes generally have to follow the same rules as cars and can be hit with the same fines. It's just that the police aren't usually targeting them.

-spence

[BigBo]

And until police do start citing them, I will continue with my current attitude.

[spence]

Originally Posted by BigBo

And until police do start citing them, I will continue with my current attitude.

Perhaps just not enough are breaking the law. It's also possible that your bias is attributing unlawful behavior to perfectly lawful riding just because it annoys you.

Funny story...I was nearly ran off the road by a pickup hauling a trailer a couple of years ago. A few miles up he was parked on the side of the road and I called him on it. Not something I would normally do as it's generally not wise to start confrontations but I was seriously ticked off. Guy chases me down and we get into it. Turns out he was an off duty cop who didn't even have a clue what the bike laws even were...he just didn't like bikes.

-spence

[BigBo]

I would never intentionally try to run anyone off the road or harm anyone at all. I will however voice my opinion very loudly and let them know when they are riding irresponsibly.
Try driving in Boston every day and dealing with these idiots. Just because Mayor Menino implemented bike lanes doesn't give them the freedom to blow right through red lights and veer into traffic haphazardly. If they are in the bike lane and obeying the rules of the road, I don't have a problem with them at all. Very few do though and when one gets hit, or worse, killed by a motorist, the outcry for more bicyclist tolerance is unbelievable. What about the driver that has to live with that on his conscience the rest of his life but knowing he did nothing wrong?

[scottw]

I was stalled behind 10 United Nations Flags on wheels this morning on a long road....there was no opportunity to pass as they were inhabiting the entire lane and I wasn't about to stomp on it and cross the double yellows and create my own nuisance/danger... while they looked like "pros" they weren't going all that fast...so I took Spence's advice and waited and watched....watched them all blow through two consecutive stop signs(20 violations in less than 30 seconds) and out onto an even busier road where they occupied the entire lane on a road that is so narrow that it's dangerous in a car, never mind a bike, watched a woman in front of me swerve into the curb doing 40 the other day on this same road, I pulled along side to see her looking down texting unabated even after whacking the curb....I'm glad these guys are getting their exercise but it's only a matter of time before the folks in the first story meet the twit in the second and spandex is no match for pavement and velocity.....hey...but don't get stopped without you seatbelt fastened because that's dangerous and carries a very heavy fine

[justplugit]

That sounds about right Spence, your staying in good shape.
Can't believe, but it's true, the professionals ride an average flat, up and down in the mid 30's with an average cadence of mid to high 130's.
Rode for 40 years, before spandex and gel seats, , and gave it up because of 3 close calls in the last year.
Way to dangerous, drivers in a hurry, drinking, drugging and worst of all cell phones, texting. Be careful out there, we want you to be around for the conservative sweep.

[spence]

Originally Posted by justplugit

That sounds about right Spence, your staying in good shape.

I'm a fat ass right now, those numbers were from a year or two ago when I wasn't even exactly in great shape cycling wise. Rode for the first time this year just this week, I had to hunt for a cycling top that fit

Can't believe, but it's true, the professionals ride an average flat, up and down in the mid 30's with an average cadence of mid to high 130's.

Pro's can ride incredibly fast when they want. A cadence of 130 would be a high sprint, average for most pro's and fast recs is more around 90-100. In shape or not I usually ride at 100 unless I'm out of the saddle...

It's awesome to see the stages at the Tour where the top teams are cranking the pace up to 40 in the closing KM and guys in the high 40's during the sprints...

-spence