Comments on: Lawless Cycling on High St.

By: Jennifer B.

Jennifer B. — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:30:01 +0000

Great post, Jeff. I’m a roadie who spends a lot of time on more endurance-based riding but when my bike and I head throughout the city, it amazes me to watch other riders. I’ve always thought it was my role to show cars that cyclists truly want to share the road in a way that’s responsible and by doing so, I always figured a good experience with me might make a motorist kinder to other riders.

In most cases, cyclists are oblivious. It’s incredibly unsafe to inch alongside a long line of cars to get to the stop sign or light. (Cyclists: You’re a moving vehicle, stop in place.) What’s more, the weaving in and out of traffic to avoid parked cars and just general abuse of traffic laws, as you’ve stated, is why it’s tough to make Cbus more bike friendly.

Might I offer too that riding in the city at slower speeds is not “safer” and therefore unnecessary to wear a helmet? I was cycling over railroad tracks in the Grandview area and my tire got caught. My head slammed on the pavement. Save for my helmet, who knows what my mental state would be today?

Thanks for your thoughts and and commitment to making cycling an accessible way to travel.

By: FBCIoldschool

FBCIoldschool — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:43:52 +0000

Even an old geezer like me knows the trade off between ‘loss of momentum’ and loss of life is pretty straightforward. If you are so flippin’ lazy that you can’t start and stop with traffic, get off your bike and find something with a motor. And while I am ranting–use your hands to indicate where you want to go! I have seen messengers in NYC actually get cabbies to stop and let them into traffic just by pointing where they want to be! As a driver too, I find it extremely obvious to predict the next movement of a real cyclist when they are aware that I am looking at them, and they point out where they want to go—left, right, or way left—into the LH turn lane.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:57:09 +0000

I don’t understand the whole “don’t bike where a car couldn’t fit” rule you have. I’m about 80% sure it is legal for motorcycles to drive between two lanes of traffic (note: not on the median). Why shouldn’t bikers be able to?

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:40:38 +0000

Sorry, disagree. Pedestrians are King, Bicycles are Queen. I want to work towards making that hierarchy law. SAFETY rules — there’s where I do totally agree, and feel the pain of watching careless cyclists. However, why the heck would I (as a bike) want to only go where a car would fit? If I wanted to sit behind a line of stinking cars, I’d be in a car. I have little sympathy for anyone driving down High St. bothered by cyclists. Get out of the car. Get on the bus or on your feet. Concede the road to the Kings and Queens who are there more sustainably.

By: Michael Love

Michael Love — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:54:50 +0000

Jeff,

I heard you state your 95% opinion on WOSU months back, and yelled at my radio in disagreement. I’m glad that the rose-colored glasses have come off. I am a cyclist. I obey the traffic laws 95% of the time. I’ve thought about (but never followed up on) creating a tri-fold to carry with me to give to my fellow cyclists when I see them breaking the law. One day I’ll do it.

Thank you for this post!

Michael Love
Columbus

By: Cycholibrarian

Cycholibrarian — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:22:25 +0000

I feel your frustration. I’ve taken to yelling at cyclists who run the red if I’m on my bike. One time it led to a discussion that lasted from the cap all the way downtown. That person didn’t know that we have to follow the same rules as cars, and even thought he was breaking the law by riding with traffic!

As for “surfing the parking lane,” about two months ago I came up behind two bike cops just as I was crossing the cap heading north, and so was immediately on my best behavior, pulling in behind the inevitable traffic jam in the left lane. Lo and behold, both cops proceeded alongside the stopped traffic in the parking lane all the way to the light on Russell, where at least they stopped for the red.

You’re right: we have a long way to go.

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:43:33 +0000

Amen. As a regular cyclist, I’m dismayed by what amounts to an everything goes attitude amongst many other cyclists. If you want to be treated at the same level as a motor vehicle, you should act like one and obey traffic control devices.

Maybe we need highway patrol for bikes. I’m sure a $150 ticket for running a stop sign would change behavior real quick.

By: tenwatt

tenwatt — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:45:26 +0000

I work on Gay St. and can testify of almost being hit by bicycles when using the cross walks on several occasions. so it’s not just cars they are flying the bird to it’s also pedestrians.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:38:18 +0000

So glad you are aware of this. I don’t live downtown so for me biking there isn’t really possible, I would if I could but I have to drive. I cannot tell you how many times I have almost hit someone on their bike because they ran a red light as I was turning into a parking lot or just making a legal right turn at a red light. Not to mention the time last week where I was almost hit while walking by a guy illegally riding his bike on the sidewalk at high speeds on campus.

I want to support the biking movement and if I lived somewhere that biking to places was plausible (i.e. not a suburb) I’d be part of it myself, but there are times when I find myself getting very angry at bikers for putting themselves and me in danger.

By: big a

big a — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:34:43 +0000

word!