SHARE THE ROAD! Bicycle thread

[del_and_bones]

As a cyclist and car owner I feel obligated to say something. I ride in the bike lane or as far over on the road as is safe if there is no bike lane. I stop at stop signs, I obey all the rules of the road since I am a motor vehicle. That being said, most bicyclists piss me off.

I'd hazard to say 65% of bicyclists in Corvallis don't follow any rules at all. I've seen my fair share pass me when I'm stopped in the bike lane at a stoplight in order to run the red light. It's aggravating to no end. They NEED to be ticketed for being morons and breaking every traffic law in the books.

I'd also like to hold drivers accountable for speeding up to pass me and making a right hand turn in front of me. I'm sorry that I can't grace you with my understanding of physics as to why this is a bad idea. THE BIKE LANE IS AN ACTUAL TRAFFIC LANE, IF YOU CUT OFF A BIKER IT IS YOUR FAULT. Just had to get that off my chest.

Carrying insurance on my bike is a good idea, I'll check in to it. I want to rant more, but it'd be redundant and it's not my place. Ride/drive safe. Semper Vigilans

 

[The B]

I talked to a guy today that had half a windshield on his Honda Goldwing motorcycle.
Seems that a bicycle rider this morning was speeding down a sidewalk on the wrong side of the road, when the motorcycle pulled out of his driveway, looked left, then as he moved forward, he looked right, then a bike slammed into his front end.
The cyclist went to the hospital.
He tried to claim it was the motorcycle's fault, but the cop cited the bicyclist for two infractions.
One question came up was whether the cyclist would pay for the damages, as they don't have collision insurance, so, if he makes a claim on his motorcycle policy would they raise his rates, or be forced to go to small claim court to recoup the damages.

If the cyclist denies he was at fault, it would go to court either way. If he's uninsured, he has the option to pay out of pocket, just like he would if he had insurance. Why does not having insurance equate to a refusal to pay? That's a big assumption.

Although, if the dude was riding in a wrong direction, he's not a "cyclist," he's obviously just a yahoo on a bicycle. "Cyclists" don't go the wrong way in the bike lane- that's completely stupid, and illegal.

I scraped a lady's car door in a parking lot last year. I left a note on her car, and she called me a few days later. She'd already gotten a quote for the repair (it was a nasty scrape), so I called my insurance company and asked them to calculate the price increase in my premium if I filed a claim. It turned out I'd end up paying more in the premium increase than if I just cut her a check- so I just cut her a check.

A person is either an honorable person and will take care of their responsibilities or they won't. Cyclists are no different.

 

[The B]

They NEED to be ticketed for being morons and breaking every traffic law in the books.

And it IS a ticketable offense... what more do you want? If your police aren't enforcing it, and you think it's a problem, why don't you do it? I think everyone knows about citizen-citations, these days. It's not as though those gosh darned bicyclists are unstoppable!

 

[del_and_bones]

And it IS a ticketable offense... what more do you want? If your police aren't enforcing it, and you think it's a problem, why don't you do it? I think everyone knows about citizen-citations, these days. It's not as though those gosh darned bicyclists are unstoppable!

Very true. I chew their asses if I get the chance. Ticketing them would add an interesting element if they ever stepped foot in a class I was teaching. I'm going to crawl back in the NFA Forum, I fear I've lingered here too long.

 

[BBQ Guy]

If the cyclist denies he was at fault, it would go to court either way. If he's uninsured, he has the option to pay out of pocket, just like he would if he had insurance. Why does not having insurance equate to a refusal to pay? That's a big assumption.

Although, if the dude was riding in a wrong direction, he's not a "cyclist," he's obviously just a yahoo on a bicycle. "Cyclists" don't go the wrong way in the bike lane- that's completely stupid, and illegal.

I scraped a lady's car door in a parking lot last year. I left a note on her car, and she called me a few days later. She'd already gotten a quote for the repair (it was a nasty scrape), so I called my insurance company and asked them to calculate the price increase in my premium if I filed a claim. It turned out I'd end up paying more in the premium increase than if I just cut her a check- so I just cut her a check.

A person is either an honorable person and will take care of their responsibilities or they won't. Cyclists are no different.

Bullbubblegum.

 

[jbett98]

He first tried to blame the the motorcyclist, then a witness told the cop that the bicyclist was at fault, so he then tried to say he wasn't traveling that fast, but the cop didn't believe a word of it.
He finally recanted his story and fessed up.
The question of insurance coverage was brought up because of the fact that the motorcycle owner is required to carry liability insurance, but bicyclist don't.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Thank you oldnewbie, she was a hoot.

 

[The B]

He first tried to blame the the motorcyclist, then a witness told the cop that the bicyclist was at fault, so he then tried to say he wasn't traveling that fast, but the cop didn't believe a word of it.
He finally recanted his story and fessed up.
The question of insurance coverage was brought up because of the fact that the motorcycle owner is required to carry liability insurance, but bicyclist don't.

So what's the solution? Make bicyclists carry insurance? Should my 10 year old carry insurance on his bike? What about my 8 and 6 year olds? You said this guy was not only going the wrong direction, but was riding on the sidewalk- once again, that's not a "cyclist," that's just some tweeker or DUII-having dude out doing who knows what. Good luck getting him to insure his bike.

 

[jbett98]

OK, it's a dude going the wrong way at high speed on a sidewalk that hits an insured motorcyclist entering a public roadway.
The statement about the damages to his Honda was whether it would be worth pursuing a claim through his insurance company (which would then go after the bike riding dude, and, maybe raise his rates in the process), or, just pay out of pocket to avoid any rate increase.

 

[jluck]

So what's the solution? Make bicyclists carry insurance? Should my 10 year old carry insurance on his bike? What about my 8 and 6 year olds? You said this guy was not only going the wrong direction, but was riding on the sidewalk- once again, that's not a "cyclist," that's just some tweeker or DUII-having dude out doing who knows what. Good luck getting him to insure his bike.

You should consider making taffy or instructing yoga(?) (Stretch). If your kids damage property of someone else's your homeowners insurance will cover it. If you operate something that does, can and will cause damage to others property (As a big boy/girl) you should be insured to cover it or prepared to pay damages, No?

And the second half of that drivel is speculation at the very best but it does convey the "cyclist" elite attitude well, Points for that .

 

[Certaindeaf]

If the cyclist denies he was at fault, it would go to court either way. If he's uninsured, he has the option to pay out of pocket, just like he would if he had insurance. Why does not having insurance equate to a refusal to pay? That's a big assumption.

Although, if the dude was riding in a wrong direction, he's not a "cyclist," he's obviously just a yahoo on a bicycle. "Cyclists" don't go the wrong way in the bike lane- that's completely stupid, and illegal.

I scraped a lady's car door in a parking lot last year. I left a note on her car, and she called me a few days later. She'd already gotten a quote for the repair (it was a nasty scrape), so I called my insurance company and asked them to calculate the price increase in my premium if I filed a claim. It turned out I'd end up paying more in the premium increase than if I just cut her a check- so I just cut her a check.

A person is either an honorable person and will take care of their responsibilities or they won't. Cyclists are no different.

I heard long ago (Clark Howard) that if you simply query, it is essentially equivalent to a claim.

 

[The B]

I heard long ago (Clark Howard) that if you simply query, it is essentially equivalent to a claim.

My rates did not rise, so that's incorrect.

 

[The B]

You should consider making taffy or instructing yoga(?) (Stretch). If your kids damage property of someone else's your homeowners insurance will cover it. If you operate something that does, can and will cause damage to others property (As a big boy/girl) you should be insured to cover it or prepared to pay damages, No?

And the second half of that drivel is speculation at the very best but it does convey the "cyclist" elite attitude well, Points for that .

What if I rent? I don't think most people own homes, and I bet most renters don't carry renters insurance. And I'm only speculating here, because I don't know- but I'm pretty sure the only way your homeowners insurance is going to cover you is if you get sued.

I hit a guy's fender with my skateboard when I was a kid. My mother certainly didn't have any homehowners insurance, nor renters. Fortunately for me, he was so impressed that I'd come and knocked on his door to admit doing damage to his property, that he told me not to worry about it. Obviously skateboards can, and do, damage to peoples property (one could argue a lot more than bikes - see city curbs, barriers, railings, stairs, etc). Should skateboarders carry insurance?

What about shopping carts?
What about boots?

As to the "elitist attitude"- oh boy... weren't you the one who mentioned "stretch" above? You describe a guy going the wrong way on a sidewalk on a bike, and you're going to call me an elitist for saying he doesn't represent cyclists?

What if I said a congressman with an R next to his name who's pro-abortion, pro- gun-control, and wants to socialize the healthcare system isn't really a republican? I guess that would make me an elitist.

 

[The B]

People don't understand why anti-gun folks want gun owners to be made to carry gun liability insurance. I do. And really, that's all regulation and control is about: people you don't like. What's the two worst ways to screw over people you don't like?? Take their liberty and their money.

Bunch of bubblegumin hypocrites up in here. Except Jamie- I've seen that dude post similar asinine stuff before. He likes regulation.

 

[deadeye]

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