Heard a guy at the gas station complain about cyclists and I couldn't stay quiet

Was filling up my truck this morning and this man in a work van starts going off about how cyclists don't belong on the road, called them entitled. He said he nearly hit one last week because the guy took the full lane. I get the frustration, but I told him respectfully that in most states cyclists have a legal right to take the lane if it's too narrow to share safely. I ride my bike to the station sometimes when weather's nice, and I've had drivers yell at me for following the exact same rules he ignores when he's behind the wheel. Has anyone else found a way to have these talks without starting a fight?

3 comments

3 Comments

susanm5618d ago

So you're saying a guy who nearly hits a cyclist is just supposed to accept that and move on? Look, I drive for a living and I've seen cyclists blow through stop signs, weave between cars at red lights, and act like traffic laws don't apply to them. It's dangerous for everyone when they take the full lane on a busy road where I can't safely pass them. I get that the law might say they can do it, but common sense says get on the sidewalk or use a bike path if you want to stay alive. The real problem is some of these riders think the road belongs to them and ignore the rules everyone else has to follow. If they want respect on the road, they need to earn it by actually following the same laws they expect drivers to follow.

grantp2818d ago

The last time I saw a driver mad about a cyclist taking the lane, he was also the guy who parks in the fire lane at the grocery store because "it's just for a minute." @susanm56 you're basically asking for a two-way street where everyone follows the rules perfectly, but that's not how people work in any part of life, from checkout lines to bike lanes. We all pick and choose which rules matter to us based on convenience, and getting mad at one group for doing it while ignoring your own blind spots is just how most of us roll.

johnson.faith17d ago

Start by checking your mirrors before you merge into a bike lane. That's the simplest fix. I drive too, and I've seen cyclists do dumb stuff, sure, but I've also watched drivers nearly clip someone because they didn't shoulder check. We all need to give each other a few extra feet. Honestly, if a cyclist is taking the full lane on a busy road, they're probably doing it because the shoulder is full of debris or parked cars. Pick your battles and just wait the 10 seconds to pass them safe instead of honking. That's how you actually survive the commute.