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Complaints About How Bicycles Act On The Roads


heights

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Yep, there's never a time in a car when it takes more than a few seconds to be able to move around a cyclist.

Although couldn't fathom that anyone here is guilty of threatening a cyclist (or anyone else on the road). We all seem to be sensible adults, not hotheaded idiots.

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On neighborhood Heights streets, it will never happen, regardless your attempted stretch of the statute to fit your argument. The cops won't write the ticket, and it wouldn't hold up in court if they did.

But, if it makes you feel better, you can start a thread about it on freerepublic. They'd probably agree with you there.

I know the cops wont ever write the tickets....they are too busy harassing those evils hooligans driving 38 mph over the Shepherd bridge to write a ticket for obstructing traffic...but nonetheless the bicycles are obstructing traffic.

On neighborhood streets I really have no problem sharing the road with bikes...but that is never where they ride. They prefer to ride where they dont have to stop/start too...They routinely, as in every 2-3 days obstruct quite a bit of traffic where Yale/Heights merge as they approach Memorial....when they cross the bridge in the right lane traveling all of 8 mph they block the traffic for about 40 seconds causing quite a minor backup, as cars attempting to enter Memorial are blocked from the entrance and cars attempting to get onto Heights/Yale from Memorial are stuck unable to merge b/c the bicycle has caused a backup around it.

It is a VERY minor complaint, but it happens so frequently as to be frustrating. They are either oblivious to the back up, or they just flat out dont care....I believe its the latter....they have a legal right to do what they are doing so to hell with everyone else....

Im not sure what this freerepublic site is...Ill have to giver er a look.

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I am always amused at how bicyclists gripe about how they are treated by motorists yet they seem to be incapable of following the traffic laws. Lately there have been huge groups of bicyclists riding in the evenings on Heights Blvd and they blow every stop sign and red light they come to. And what good is a bike lane if they don't ride in it?

They need to stay off the road.

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I am always amused at how bicyclists gripe about how they are treated by motorists yet they seem to be incapable of following the traffic laws. Lately there have been huge groups of bicyclists riding in the evenings on Heights Blvd and they blow every stop sign and red light they come to. And what good is a bike lane if they don't ride in it?

Recently, I had one guy blow a light and if I didn't slam on the brakes, he would be been an ornament on my car. I blew my horn at him and had the "gumption" to flip me off.

Never has road rage seemed like a viable option with that jerk.

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I am always amused at how bicyclists gripe about how they are treated by motorists yet they seem to be incapable of following the traffic laws.

Are the ones griping the same ones flouting traffic laws, or are you practicing collective blame of all for the actions of a few?

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No it is not. Running a controlled intersection is not the same as exceeding a speed limit. In their campaign to remind drivers that bikes are vehicles too, they somehow failed to realize that they too must obey the law.

Yes it is. It is entirely the same. There is a law and a person is breaking the law.

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It is a VERY minor complaint, but it happens so frequently as to be frustrating. They are either oblivious to the back up, or they just flat out dont care....I believe its the latter....they have a legal right to do what they are doing so to hell with everyone else....

Houston driving culture is about power and control, with some third world drivers and a current societal fashion for victimhood thrown in.

You’re frustrated because the fact that bikes have a right to the road makes you feel powerless and out of control.

In a Foxworthy vein, you might be an unsafe driver if:

You feel that bikes are nuisances to cars

You are easily frustrated by interacting safely with bicycle riders on the road

You claim to be a victim of bicycles if you have to slow down or yield right of way to them

You site statutes that will justify your anger and frustration with bicycle riders

You are amused that people who ride bikes gripe about how people in 1-2 ton cars drive

You are not smarter than a fifth grader ;)

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I would be willing to bet that more than half of the bikes riding around are on neighborhood streets... and complaining about the Yale Heights merge near memorial... the bikes are going more like 15-20 mph, the speed limit is 35.... and once they are merged there is an entire lane to use to go around them. Get over your caged self entitlement.

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I would be willing to bet that more than half of the bikes riding around are on neighborhood streets... and complaining about the Yale Heights merge near memorial... the bikes are going more like 15-20 mph, the speed limit is 35.... and once they are merged there is an entire lane to use to go around them. Get over your caged self entitlement.

But, but, but, but... those bike riders are selfish. Don't they realize that I am in a hurry? What about ME and MY time? My modified truck that violates those pesky EPA rules because I shouldn't have to follow any commie governmental regulations that try and give us things like clean air and waterways shouldn't have to slow down for selfish bike riders. Seriously, selfish bike riders are selfish. I am talking about ME here and how this affects MY life.

Signed,

SMUMark

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No, it's those pedestrians who are being selfish. Don't they know that the sidewalks belong to the bike riders also? At least in the Galleria area they do. Twice this year alone, while standing still at a bus stop in front of Neiman's, I have been almost run over by a cyclist barreling through at a pace that would have been reasonable on the street. I guess Uptown cyclists believe they are in Amsterdam or something, but at least there they ring a bell there before they plow into you.

Then coming into work on a Saturday, I get to wait behind other cyclists meandering down both lanes of Post Oak, weaving back and forth like they in a cul-de-sac on a Sunday stroll. Guess I was being selfish for wanting just one lane of the road.

There is definately a breed of cyclist who is so important and uber-cool that they do not need to follow the rules designed for mere mortals.

Also agree that people can't drive around here. In the Galleria, I see daily occurances of people without any understanding of one-way streets, or parking garages that flow one way only. I guess because it's a destination that draws people in from the burbs who are unfamiliar with non-cul-de-sacs. But that belongs in a different thread. This one is griping about bicyclists.

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I didn't witness the aftermath but my business partner in the 401 Studewood building told me a bicyclist was blown over the side of the Studewood bridge about two weeks ago, messed him up bad. Apparently he tried to ride on that little walkway next to the low rail figuring he was safer than riding in the southbound lane with those important people coming off of the White Oak light testing their 0-60 times into a blind curve. That bridge has to be the most dangerous stretch for bicyclists in the Heights. A much safer route is the bike trail over Studewood and go right on the new sidewalk that parallels south side of I-10 by CBS. I hear all the bravado, but it's not worth it. And some drunk chick killed a motorcyclist (local artist) waiting at the southbound Stude light at I-10 on the same stretch about a month ago.

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No, it's those pedestrians who are being selfish. Don't they know that the sidewalks belong to the bike riders also? At least in the Galleria area they do. Twice this year alone, while standing still at a bus stop in front of Neiman's, I have been almost run over by a cyclist barreling through at a pace that would have been reasonable on the street. I guess Uptown cyclists believe they are in Amsterdam or something, but at least there they ring a bell there before they plow into you.

Then coming into work on a Saturday, I get to wait behind other cyclists meandering down both lanes of Post Oak, weaving back and forth like they in a cul-de-sac on a Sunday stroll. Guess I was being selfish for wanting just one lane of the road.

There is definately a breed of cyclist who is so important and uber-cool that they do not need to follow the rules designed for mere mortals.

Also agree that people can't drive around here. In the Galleria, I see daily occurances of people without any understanding of one-way streets, or parking garages that flow one way only. I guess because it's a destination that draws people in from the burbs who are unfamiliar with non-cul-de-sacs. But that belongs in a different thread. This one is griping about bicyclists.

In Amsterdam the bikes are on the red path. The red path is not a walkway, it's the bike path, and you had best look before you cross the red path. It's rumored the reason they are red paths is not because of paint, but all the blood from the tourists who walk across the bike path without looking both ways.

to your point though, I am in full agreement, militant cyclists (that's what I like to call the 'hardcore guys' who don't pay attention to any of the laws, and take up as much road as they can on their bicycle) need to be ticketed. They need to not be riding a bicycle, and if they act the same way in a car as they do on a bike, they need to not have a car either.

These guys who are going to take up every lane of traffic, rather than riding 2 to a lane and in a file in the same lane, leaving the rest for cars. These guys who when someone honks to let them know they are taking up the entire roadway and not letting the car pass, they slow down even more, or act maliciously. These guys who cork intersections, or just wantonly blow stoplights and stop signs that clearly have cross traffic.

These are the guys who really make people like marksmu mad, and I'd say he's in the right of it for being mad.

However, if I rode in the Galleria area, I'd be doing so on the sidewalk as well (although I'd yield to peds), to ride a bicycle on the street in the Galleria area, I'd consider that attempted suicide. Hell, when I rode out on the west side of town (around Dairy Ashford and Westheimer) I rode the sidewalk, rarely there were peds and I'd yield, cause technically, riding on the sidewalk next to, or within 100 feet of a building is illegal, though I doubt a cop is going to stop someone doing it, cause they know it's safer for them too.

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I ride my bike as often as I can to places within 6 mi. I always take neighborhood streets and bike-friendly streets are marked on google maps. What puzzles me are those cyclists that choose to ride on major thoroughfares like W. Alabama and Westheimer (Yale and Heights are bike-friendly).

Another funny thing that happens on 4-way stop intersections is that some drivers tend to be overly cautious when they see me coming. If they are the only car at the stop sign, I adjust my speed accordingly so I can blast my way through the intersection after they've gone, but for some reason they wait at the stop sign longer than they usually would if I were just another car.

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I didn't witness the aftermath but my business partner in the 401 Studewood building told me a bicyclist was blown over the side of the Studewood bridge about two weeks ago, messed him up bad. Apparently he tried to ride on that little walkway next to the low rail figuring he was safer than riding in the southbound lane with those important people coming off of the White Oak light testing their 0-60 times into a blind curve. That bridge has to be the most dangerous stretch for bicyclists in the Heights. A much safer route is the bike trail over Studewood and go right on the new sidewalk that parallels south side of I-10 by CBS. I hear all the bravado, but it's not worth it. And some drunk chick killed a motorcyclist (local artist) waiting at the southbound Stude light at I-10 on the same stretch about a month ago.

Yeah, he (or anyone) had no business being on that stretch of Studewood.

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More collective guilt. Two experiences in a year equates to "Uptown cyclists."

We're all individuals, and we should be responsible for our own actions. Don't blame everyone for the actions of an individual.

Yes, yes. I should feel guilt for standing in front of a bus stop. And two personal actions within a one-year period IS too many when according to the law, there should be zero.

But we have to justify everything for the militant cyclists who do no wrong.

Gee - I didn't see you defending other people who drive large trucks, etc. just because of the the actions of a few.

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In Amsterdam the bikes are on the red path. The red path is not a walkway, it's the bike path, and you had best look before you cross the red path. It's rumored the reason they are red paths is not because of paint, but all the blood from the tourists who walk across the bike path without looking both ways.

Yeah - but they will run you over even if you aren't on the red path, there. Guess they have a militant strain there also. You just learn to keep radar up in all directions. But at least they will ring a bell before they smack into you.

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Yes, yes. I should feel guilt for standing in front of a bus stop.

That isn't what I said.

And two personal actions within a one-year period IS too many when according to the law, there should be zero.

Those were the actions of two individuals, not the actions of all Uptown cyclists.

You said:

I guess Uptown cyclists believe they are in Amsterdam or something, but at least there they ring a bell there before they plow into you.

Maybe what you should have said is that, "I guess those two cyclists believe they are in ..." because your experience doesn't mean all Uptown cyclists are doing this.

Gee - I didn't see you defending other people who drive large trucks, etc. just because of the the actions of a few.

If I see you making an unqualified generalization saying that all Uptown truck drivers don't drive well, I will be happy to call that out as well. Aim for your target, not for every cyclist in Uptown.

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Yeah - but they will run you over even if you aren't on the red path, there. Guess they have a militant strain there also. You just learn to keep radar up in all directions. But at least they will ring a bell before they smack into you.

I've never seen it.

I visit my relatives over there at least once every 2 years for about 2 weeks at a time. up until I was 18 we'd stay for a full month visiting relatives every two years.

Yes, if you enter the bike path, you better make sure there's no cyclists coming, they won't stop. I've never seen this happen on the regular sidewalk though. I'm not saying it doesn't or won't happen, I just find it hard to believe based on my experience.

I don't doubt it though, with more bicycles than people (over 880,000 bicycles in Amsterdam, and 780,000 people living there) that some kind of run-in between a bicycle and a person will happen on a sidewalk. I also can say very confidently that if you saw this occur once, instead of every step of your journey, the incident was singular and the exception rather than the rule.

Next time you're over there and you see it happen, tell the guy on the bike he's a "stom eikel" It's direct translation is 'stupid acorn', but when used as an insult, stom still means stupid, but eikel means something a lot more inflammatory than acorn. PM me if you want to know, cause I'm sure it'll be censured if I write it, and I'm no fan of dodging swear filters.

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You can further break down cyclists into those seeking to exercise, those commuting, and those seeking to prove a point or make a statement.

I would reason that the first two groups are alert and respectful of all that is around them. Problems arise when you want to join the third group. You need to ride assuming that everyone around you is an idiot, rather than riding to prove a point or enforce your lane rights. When my dad was teaching me to drive and explaining right-of-way at an intersection he made the point that "it does not matter who had the right of way if you end up dead. If someone wants to break the law let them. If it bothers you that much, become a cop."

I have respect for cyclists, I have respect for drivers, I don't have respect for "Critical mass" types.

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You can further break down cyclists into those seeking to exercise, those commuting, and those seeking to prove a point or make a statement.

I would reason that the first two groups are alert and respectful of all that is around them. Problems arise when you want to join the third group. You need to ride assuming that everyone around you is an idiot, rather than riding to prove a point or enforce your lane rights. When my dad was teaching me to drive and explaining right-of-way at an intersection he made the point that "it does not matter who had the right of way if you end up dead. If someone wants to break the law let them. If it bothers you that much, become a cop."

I have respect for cyclists, I have respect for drivers, I don't have respect for "Critical mass" types.

Your dad had the right of it.

I have respect for the CM people, not all of them.

I used to do it myself, and the vast majority of people do it because they are excited to be able to ride in a large group of friendly people, and as a means of outreach and a demonstration about the numbers. It bothered me that everyone was okay with corking, but beyond that...

The minority of riders were the militant &$*(s that rode on the wrong side of the street and didn't understand the whole premise of 'share the road is a two way street', even when they were on a two way street.

It was always the same 10 or so guys that would start doing it every time, other riders would just follow suit, and probably wouldn't have done it had they not started doing it.

I cannot speak for now, it's been nearly 2 years at this point since I've participated in a real critical mass, and I anticipate it will be a long while before I join again, but the point is, the minority really spoils it for the whole group, unfortunately.

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This month is the 20th anniversary of Critical Mass. I think it's been in Houston for about ten years.

Yeah, I was going to come and at least start out with the group, and then split off pretty soon after. But prior plans this Friday will keep me from it. Stay safe if you go.

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I've never seen it.

I visit my relatives over there at least once every 2 years for about 2 weeks at a time. up until I was 18 we'd stay for a full month visiting relatives every two years.

Yes, if you enter the bike path, you better make sure there's no cyclists coming, they won't stop. I've never seen this happen on the regular sidewalk though. I'm not saying it doesn't or won't happen, I just find it hard to believe based on my experience.

I don't doubt it though, with more bicycles than people (over 880,000 bicycles in Amsterdam, and 780,000 people living there) that some kind of run-in between a bicycle and a person will happen on a sidewalk. I also can say very confidently that if you saw this occur once, instead of every step of your journey, the incident was singular and the exception rather than the rule.

Next time you're over there and you see it happen, tell the guy on the bike he's a "stom eikel" It's direct translation is 'stupid acorn', but when used as an insult, stom still means stupid, but eikel means something a lot more inflammatory than acorn. PM me if you want to know, cause I'm sure it'll be censured if I write it, and I'm no fan of dodging swear filters.

I saw it a couple of times - pretty sure it was by BUI practititoners. Wonder if they can get a ticket for that there? Probably wouldn't want to insult them either - never a good idea to get into a kerfuffle when you are not a local. :P

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If I see you making an unqualified generalization saying that all Uptown truck drivers don't drive well, I will be happy to call that out as well. Aim for your target, not for every cyclist in Uptown.

Agreed. Maybe it was an overbroad generalization.

I also will look forward to you policing all the other threads for everybody else's overly broad generalizations that crop up with alarming frequency.

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I've been on a few Moonlight Rambles and one year (can remember which one) the route took us through Midtown right when the drunks were leaving the bars. To make matters worse the coppers were responding to an incident on Fannin near the old Fu Kim ( always loved that name...) and all the nervous drunkies were freaking out behind their wheels at the site of sirens. I had some drunk diva turn her car into me in a panicked effort to get out of being surrounded by cyclists. No blood, no foul, but I was still blown away of how close I came to a major injury. Needless to say, several witnesses gave her a reason to call Maaco as she crawled out of there.

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But, but, but, but... those bike riders are selfish. Don't they realize that I am in a hurry? What about ME and MY time? My modified truck that violates those pesky EPA rules because I shouldn't have to follow any commie governmental regulations that try and give us things like clean air and waterways shouldn't have to slow down for selfish bike riders. Seriously, selfish bike riders are selfish. I am talking about ME here and how this affects MY life.

Signed,

SMUMark

Those pesky bike riders are not just inconveniencing me - they are inconveniencing the other 25-30 cars that they around, and they are doing it on a continual basis until they reach their destination...once I am past them its over for me - but they are just another cars problem 100 feet further down the road...They inconvenience far more than just me -they inconvenience more people than not...Its not about me...Im not the selfish one, the bike rider is the selfish one. I inconvenience nobody as I drive politely and with the speed of traffic - the bike rider inconveniences every single person that he encounters.

As to modifying my truck, your dang right I did, and I have no guilt about it at all....The EPA mandates on diesel engines remains one of the dumbest regulations to ever come through that absolutely worthless political hack Agency. By removing an exhaust gas recirculator [EGR valve] (which literally takes extremely hot exhaust gas and funnels it back into the engine to be burned again to remove carbon] you reduce the efficiency of the engine by about 20%...

In order for the engine to be able to burn the exhaust gas (instead of fresh air) the engine requires more fuel to combust the diesel because much of the air is now devoid of oxygen (diesel does not use a spark plug like gas)...the increase in fuel burned actually creates more pollution than the engine did prior to the EGR....Not only that, but the EGR causes the engine to operate at a much higher temperature causing premature failure of a number of engine components....EGR came about in 2005 and by 2011 only Dodge still uses it. All commercial trucks, light duty diesel trucks, tractors, etc have all discontinued its use and now use SCR technology, which introuduces UREA to the exhaust to do the same thing....EGR Valves contributed far more pollution than they ever saved, not only through increased fuel usage for the vehicle, increased refinery emissions from increased usage, but also through the scrapping and remanufacturing of a litany of engine components, as well as about 15% of the vehicles that met the scrap pile because the engine overheated and through a rod or cracked the block....So do I feel bad/guilty or special or cool for removing the EGR valve? Nope. I did the environment a favor....I reduced both emissions and fuel consumption.

Policies written by the government and then shoved down manufacturers throats are rarely good from a consumer or engineering standpoint....But hey continue on with your ignorant soapbox preaching...if you say something enough times more idiots will believe you.

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There's nothing inconvenient about safely piloting your vehicle around obstacles that have a legitimate right to be there: it is your duty as a motorist. If you feel your duties are inconvenient, perhaps another form of transportation would be more to your liking?

Nobody is questioning their legitimate right to be there, but when they cause backups and 40-50 cars are sitting around not going anywhere changing lanes, playing bumper cars trying to avoid bikes that are slowing an entire roadway - then ya, they are inconveniencing people. Its not a big inconvenience but its an inconvenience. Stopping at red lights in the middle of the night when there is no traffic in any direction in sight is an inconvenience too...nobody questions the fact that they have to stop at the light - but it sure does seem stupid.

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