🚴*♂️ Bicyclist shares his terrifying tale of road rage in Luzerne County

[scruff]

Lol that is funny. One time on our way to NJ, we came across a funeral procession. Even the guy on the road bike stopped. When he fell over because he couldn't unclip his foot, even the guy in the casket rolled over laughing. IDK how many people saw this but it was hysterical. Then the guy was laying on the ground, trying to unclip his foot that was now against the ground. Eventually he got both feet out and was able to stand up.

I think it happens to everybody once, and it's embarrassing. I was cycling around Pittsburgh during the G20 protests. It was fun - got to hear an LRAD up close, tasted a little tear gas, saw battalions of State Police marching in formation, saw protesters being arrested, lots of craziness. I rolled up to a couple of cops at the perimeter around the William Penn Hotel to chat, forgetting to unclip as I stopped, and I went over. The wise-ass Philly cop said "Ya know, you're supposed to put your foot down." Soft landing, only damage was to my ego lol.

I ditched the clips a few years ago, after I started riding in the city more and doing more hills. It's hard to unclip when you're powering slowly up a hill, and in an emergency stop. I think they don't add much power, it's a more relaxed ride without them, and I can wear any shoes again.

[RockIsland]

Baskets and hiking shoes for me but that’s on a mountain bike.

[GunLawyer001]

Bicycle riders who use the full lane are like old demented ladies with change purses full of pennies who are ahead of you at the express lane check out.

Who had the video of the 2-wheeled asshole who made a point of blocking traffic at rush hour? It was his hobby, doing 15 MPH in a 45 MPH zone and playing the victim when the motorists took offense.

[scruff]

Bicycle riders who use the full lane are like old demented ladies with change purses full of pennies who are ahead of you at the express lane check out.

Who had the video of the 2-wheeled asshole who made a point of blocking traffic at rush hour? It was his hobby, doing 15 MPH in a 45 MPH zone and playing the victim when the motorists took offense.

Bicycle riders who ride the white line are suicidal. Give a car room to squeeze through and they'll squeeze through. And if they squeeze through at high speed, the cars behind them come barreling through without knowing the cyclist is there. That's how people get killed.

It's much safer to take the lane. I take the lane by riding the right tire track. Cars can't get around until they can cross the yellow line and pass me safely. This has a HUGE benefit. The drivers farther back in line see the cars ahead of them crossing the yellow line. Now they ALL know that I'm there, even if they don't see me.

That guy was just an ass. He was purposely riding busy 2-lane roads to harass people. On the rare occasion that I'm on a 2-lane and traffic is stacking up, I'll roll to the side where I can and let them pass.

[GunLawyer001]

Bicycle riders who ride the white line are suicidal. Give a car room to squeeze through and they'll squeeze through. And if they squeeze through at high speed, the cars behind them come barreling through without knowing the cyclist is there. That's how people get killed.

It's much safer to take the lane. I take the lane by riding the right tire track. Cars can't get around until they can cross the yellow line and pass me safely. This has a HUGE benefit. The drivers farther back in line see the cars ahead of them crossing the yellow line. Now they ALL know that I'm there, even if they don't see me.

That guy was just an ass. He was purposely riding busy 2-lane roads to harass people. On the rare occasion that I'm on a 2-lane and traffic is stacking up, I'll roll to the side where I can and let them pass.

We don't have a road system which can safely accommodate slow-moving traffic, meaning that anyone who chooses to ride slow vehicles on fast roads is taking a risk. Riding a 15-20 MPH bike on a 45-55 MPH road is like asking "what's the best way to store my cash in my mailbox?"

I can't find the video of that guy who was intentionally slowing motor vehicle traffic, but he was just asking to be run over by one of the hundreds of people who he was provoking. I've met attention whores like that, who convince themselves that they are pursuing some higher, noble cause, when in reality they're just attention whores who almost everyone despises. Everyone in MLM and Antifa, for example.

Maybe when the dollar collapses and our economy goes to zero and the oil stops and the cars all stop, we'll see a lot of bicycles on the roads. Not for long, because when the food dries up nobody will have the energy for pointless travel. But there will be that sweet spot of "no cars" plus "still some food left", for a while.

[scruff]

We don't have a road system which can safely accommodate slow-moving traffic, meaning that anyone who chooses to ride slow vehicles on fast roads is taking a risk. Riding a 15-20 MPH bike on a 45-55 MPH road is like asking "what's the best way to store my cash in my mailbox?"

I can't find the video of that guy who was intentionally slowing motor vehicle traffic, but he was just asking to be run over by one of the hundreds of people who he was provoking. I've met attention whores like that, who convince themselves that they are pursuing some higher, noble cause, when in reality they're just attention whores who almost everyone despises. Everyone in MLM and Antifa, for example.

Maybe when the dollar collapses and our economy goes to zero and the oil stops and the cars all stop, we'll see a lot of bicycles on the roads. Not for long, because when the food dries up nobody will have the energy for pointless travel. But there will be that sweet spot of "no cars" plus "still some food left", for a while.

A 55 mph road can be perfectly safe if there is little traffic and long sight lines, while some 35 mph roads can be death traps. There are multiple things I look at - is the road narrow, winding, hilly, and does it have heavy or fast traffic. A road with only one of those conditions is probably safe. The more of those you pile on, the more dangerous it gets. Careful route planning makes for a safe ride. You don't necessarily avoid a road just because it has a higher speed limit.

I also like the challenge of city riding. It takes some skill, some confidence, and knowledge of the streets, terrain, and traffic patterns. Rush hour is particularly fun in some parts of Pittsburgh, when I can take the lane and hold my own with the cars without delaying anyone. Surprisingly, drivers in the city are much better behaved around bikes because they're used to being around them. It's the assholes in the country who are blowing their horns because they have to wait 30 seconds until it's safe to pass.

[heatheroo]

We don't have a road system which can safely accommodate slow-moving traffic, meaning that anyone who chooses to ride slow vehicles on fast roads is taking a risk. Riding a 15-20 MPH bike on a 45-55 MPH road is like asking "what's the best way to store my cash in my mailbox?"

out here in Lanco, its just a way of life. Slow down, pay attention cresting hills and blind curves and remember that you probably don't want to be where you are going anyway.

[streaker69]

out here in Lanco, its just a way of life. Slow down, pay attention cresting hills and blind curves and remember that you probably don't want to be where you are going anyway.

At least buggies leave "buggy sign" on the roads. It's very easy to determine if a buggy is ahead of you if you're paying attention.

[Gman106]

I put a lot of miles on my bicycle. I wear regular clothes and shoes and no helmet. Don't think I've ever actually stopped at a stop sign unless there was cross traffic. I stop at lights but proceed if clear. Definitely a pucker factor on some of these narrow windy roads around here with no shoulder. Never had any real problem with cars or cops, except at the Jersey shore where I was pulled over on a late night ride for not having my lights on.

[scruff]

I put a lot of miles on my bicycle. I wear regular clothes and shoes and no helmet. Don't think I've ever actually stopped at a stop sign unless there was cross traffic. I stop at lights but proceed if clear. Definitely a pucker factor on some of these narrow windy roads around here with no shoulder. Never had any real problem with cars or cops, except at the Jersey shore where I was pulled over on a late night ride for not having my lights on.

Really? I always go out with a helmet, a high-viz jersey, and a bright tail light with a daytime strobe function. I went down once cornering on bricks in the rain, and I'm glad I had the helmet on.