Bikes are OVER! CARS RIGHTS!

"Soloburrito" (Soloburrito) 04/24/2014 at 18:17 • Filed to: None

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

ttyymmnn > Soloburrito 04/24/2014 at 18:35

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I hate driving near the UT-Austin campus because the people on bikes ride like they own the fucking road. Stop sign? Not for me! Traffic signal? Uh-uh! If I'm at a 4-way, I'm going on my turn, whether there's a bike coming or not.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Soloburrito 04/24/2014 at 18:36

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OH HELL NO

Anon > Soloburrito 04/24/2014 at 18:39

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Say WOT M8?!

Soloburrito > ttyymmnn 04/24/2014 at 18:47

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At least on campus, the kids are usually in a hurry trying to get somewhere. Ever get stuck behind a group ride in Hyde Park? Ugh.

I understand group rides are fun social events, but I think hogging the roads on bicycles is a dick move.

Soloburrito > Anon 04/24/2014 at 18:49

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Soloburrito > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 04/24/2014 at 18:53

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In Texas, we share the road 4 ways amongst nameless bald men and their horses, giants with tiny legs on bicycles, cars and bigfoot.

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > Soloburrito 04/24/2014 at 19:01

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As a cyclist, I'll be the first to admit, fuck cyclists, seriously. Last night I was driving home late and this guy biked diagonally across the intersection when I had a protected left. Bout killed his ass.

ttyymmnn > Soloburrito 04/24/2014 at 19:10

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No Hyde Park group rides, but I've had to deal with those Critical Mass assholes. And the pedicab drivers downtown are a menace.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Soloburrito 04/24/2014 at 19:11

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My sister actually goes to UChicago, and I know how shitty traffic could be in Hyde Park (if there ever would be). But Hyde Park streets aren't really fit for riding in...

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > ttyymmnn 04/24/2014 at 19:13

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critical mass? Catholic Nuns on emergency via bikes?

ttyymmnn > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 04/24/2014 at 19:19

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It was a loosely organized "rally" to promote bicyclist's rights. What it really was, was a bunch of grungy punks and hipsters running riot on their bikes, blocking traffic, and generally being a public nuisance. They did more harm than good.

http://bicycleaustin.info/forum/viewtopi…

George McNally > Soloburrito 04/24/2014 at 20:01

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Yeah, that kinda sucks.....I own (and ride) 4 different bicycles and while bike riders can be assholes, so is everyone else at times.

For me, the main difference is that when I'm riding a bike...I will *always* lose any car/bicycle interaction-so I keep that in mind whenever I am on my bike.

Having said that, I carry a large canister of bear mace on my person, so if you're in a car and pull a dick move on me...whatever you do- don't stop or let me catch up to you at the next light because your gonna have a bad time.

Racescort666 > George McNally 04/24/2014 at 20:34

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I surprised more people don't think about car/truck interactions the same way you think about car/bike interaction.

Say you and your bike combined weight is 200 lbs, (sorry if this is unreasonable to you but it makes my numbers work out) and the average car is 4000 lbs (this is a number I have checked but am too lazy to cite). The average car weighs 20 times what you and your bike weigh.

Now, say you're in that same 4000 lb car and you come up against an 18 wheeler. Maximum non-permit GWVR is 80,000 lbs for tractor-trailers. That is again 20 times your vehicle weight. The order of magnitude difference from truck to car is the same as car to bicycle.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > ttyymmnn 04/24/2014 at 20:57

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Yeah.....they usually go incredibly slow and go in peoples way instead getting out of the way...I feel you. It's scary at times.

George McNally > Racescort666 04/24/2014 at 22:11

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The orders of magnitude work out, but consider this....in a modern 4000 pound car-there are numerous airbags and high strength steel surrounding you.

I'll take a car/ semi collision over a bicycle/car collision any day of the week. A car will crumple up a good bit before it starts to affect the driver compartment.

On a bicycle...*you* are the crumple zone. I've had several close calls and a few minor brushups in my 50 years of riding bicycles (I'm 55). I'm used to riding bicycles in heavy urban traffic, but it still scares the hell out of me-all it takes is for me to be daydreaming at the wrong moment and I can be seriously dead.

Racescort666 > George McNally 04/25/2014 at 01:26

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all of this is true. But if a truck hits you, you are in a world of hurt. Cars are meant t absorb their own energy through crumple zones and "crash cells" where the airbags protect the occupants. However, a truck has enough energy to crush the safety cell. Also, trailers have insufficient rear crash structure, IIHS has demonstrated this and they have videos on YouTube showing it. Basically, the floor of the trailer decapitates car passengers because the bumpers can't hold up.