I love this sub so much. It's as if confidently incorrect had a weird little clone with just the right mix of sass, poorly thought out arguments, and environmental awareness to vex both cyclists and drivers in equal amounts.
this post was submitted on 04 Nov 2023
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Where have you ever heard car drivers say something like this? Do you guys just make up fake arguments to have with yourselves?
Maybe you should visit Britain, you will hear it there
I've seen people say this here and on Reddit. I guarantee you the dickheads doing close passes and yelling at me to get off the road would say this.
EDIT: There's literally people in this thread saying this...
The issue isn't with cyclists being on the road, it's with them blocking the road while going significantly slower than traffic. Motorbikes aren't a similar problem because they're quick enough not to disrupt everyone else on the road.
Edit: For the benefit of the downvoters - I'm a cyclist, you dopey fucks - I'm just honest about the issue drivers have with us. Making up this bullshit just makes us look like liars that don't understand the people we're sharing the road with, and our reality-based arguments work perfectly well. Be better.
What are we supposed to do? We can't cycle on the sidewalk, and if we get closer to the curb, it gives many drivers the false impression that they can overtake without crossing into the other lane, not to mention all the potholes, drains, and trash that we then have to cycle over.
It seems like a dick move, but I promise you that most cyclists are purposefully being in your way to make sure you notice, slow down, and give us space. We're just as unhappy about being around your car as you are to see us. We'd happily fuck the fuck off to our own little lane if someone gave us one.
Right cuz cyclists are totally paying the road fees to use keep the road maintained just as much as the motorists do. What was it called? Ah yes. Registration
Yes they are, roads are mostly build and maintained with taxpayer dollars.
So cyclist only use a portion of the road, don't generate any wear unlike the other 2 tons vehicles they are sharing the road with but still pay the same amount than car users.
You are right that it is quite unfair.
It would make sense that the ones doing the majority of the damage to the roads (cars) should be the ones paying for it.
Also, cyclists taxes pay for things like public parking even though we never use it.
I won't lie, I'm split on this one. If I'm in a city and the speed limit is 25 and they are going 15, I'm patient behind them. The next traffic light is going to slow me down more than a pair of bikes. If I'm somewhere rural, the speed limit is over 50, and im on a road that sees about 10 cars an hour, yes you have the right of way, but it feels really inconsiderate not to move over for a couple seconds to let someone pass.
If there's only ten cars per hour you should have plenty of options to pass them ...
A significant portion of "10 cars per hour" roads look like this:
Attempting to pass by a pair of cyclists abreast is likely not possible to do in a safe manner on such a road.
a) that road definitely is not with a speed limit over 50 and b) you cannot pass even a single bike here in a safe manner, in Germany for example it would be a misdemeanor to even try.
So people saying the bikes side by side are a dick move are implying that you have more right to the road because you're driving a car?
Generally speaking, to do an overtake, a car needs to leave the lane completely, so it doesn't matter whether it's one or two bikes.
If my vehicle had the ability to change its width when I needed to, I'd agree with you, but my car does not have that option, the two bikes do, it wouldn't take much effort for one to slide behind the other to let the vehicle behind pass, it's a give and take with society, I'll actively make sure to keep you safe from my vehicle, while bikes should actively try to allow larger or faster vehicles to pass safely instead of putting themselves at risk over something that takes no effort to do.
I’ll actively make sure to keep you safe from my vehicle
As someone who cycles on the road, I don't trust you. Not in the slightest. Far too many close calls with cars trying to "sneak" by me because "oh I'm sure there's plenty of room to the right" even in a bike-oriented city. I ride alone the vast majority of the time but having someone ride beside would actually make me feel safer because it means you actually have to perform a legal overtake which involves moving into the passing lane. Also, drivers are distracted all the time and I absolutely do not trust that every driver will actually notice a bike that's off to their side when drivers are prone to straight up miss traffic lights that are right in front of their eyeline.
Ohh and I don't trust the bikes I see riding around, the amount of people on bikes who have crossed In front of me while I'm driving the speed limit while never once looking behind them, causing me to have to slam my brakes on because I don't want to hit someone on a bike.
Both sides of this argument need to show respect to each other on the road, it's not a bikes are the problem or cars are the problem, people are the problem.
Like I said I actively try to ensure you guys are safe on the road when I pass you or see you coming up in front.
You are assuming drivers respect the safety distance from a lone biker...
As a cyclist, two people cycling side by side while other vehicles are waiting to pass is a bit of a dick move tbh.
Not illegal, and nothing compared to the shit that drivers do to cyclists, but still a bit of a dick move.
Cycling two abreast is better for the driver, since they can overtake much quicker.
That image is quite a niche scenario and doesn’t represent the situation in the original image.
Obviously it’s different with a group of eight compared to just two people…
niche scenario
Never been to a country where road cycling is massive then? Try living in anyplace that has Alps in it lol
You’re right. I live in a city and have never seen more than four people cycling together.
It’s almost like cycling in the alps is a niche situation, and cycling in cities happens much more frequently 🤔