I personally pull over when there’s a line of cars behind me and there is space, even if I have to stop for a moment.
But the general view that cyclists are assholes if they don’t pull over for the convenience of car drivers grinds my gears.
Cyclists aren’t lesser traffic users, they have the exact same right to keep moving and take up the space they need on the road.
Sure, but slower vehicles, may they be cars or farm equipment or whatever else they may be (including bikes), can be dangerous to themselves and others by not letting traffic (that obeys the speed limit) through.
I think you captured best what I was thinking. I have also driven farm machinery quite often on this road, and it just the same. In both cases I will use the lane for as long as needed, but also in both cases I will pull over to allow others to pass. It takes no longer for me but affects them much more if I don’t.
Many states have slow moving vehicle laws that require them pull over and allow othe vehicles to pass if there are 3 or more behind them.
I don’t care if you’re on 2, 4, 6, or 18 wheels. If you are obstructing traffic, get out of the way.
I don’t have the right to arbitrarily close down a road to play tag football, hold a party, or anything else, I have to get special permits to do so. I even have to get permits to move very slow/large loads by semi-truck. But some bikers think that just because there are more than 2 of them, they get to organize a rolling road block. To avoid shitting on just bikers, this happens with farm equipment and many other things too.
In addition, most bikes and farm equipment don’t pay road taxes. The fuel for farm equipment is specifically exempted from pay tax on their fuel and bikes obviously don’t use fuel.
Here is a golden rule I use when riding a bike, a motorcycle, a 4 wheeler, or driving a car, “Don’t be a dick.”
Bikes shouldn’t have to pay road tax because they don’t cause wear on the roads, and the roads aren’t built for them. Road tax doesn’t come close to covering the cost of roads, the rest comes from general tax, so in reality it’s bikes subsidizing cars.
Bikes aren’t riding in the middle of the lane just for the sake of it, there’s nothing worse than having a car riding up your ass. They’re riding in the middle of the lane because of visibility and to prevent unsafe passing. Once it’s safe to pass, they will pull over and let you pass. They aren’t “obstructing traffic” by riding along as fast, safe and courteously as they can, even if why they’re doing it isn’t always obvious to you.
I personally pull over when there’s a line of cars behind me and there is space, even if I have to stop for a moment.
But the general view that cyclists are assholes if they don’t pull over for the convenience of car drivers grinds my gears.
Cyclists aren’t lesser traffic users, they have the exact same right to keep moving and take up the space they need on the road.
Sure, but slower vehicles, may they be cars or farm equipment or whatever else they may be (including bikes), can be dangerous to themselves and others by not letting traffic (that obeys the speed limit) through.
No, I didn’t get this from that comment at all. As a bicyclist attempting to courteously share the road with others …
– I will usually try to leave room for faster traffic to pass
– I will take the whole lane, preventing passing, if necessary for my safety
— I will also pull off when safe, if I find I am being an obstruction to faster traffic
That’s all true, whether I’m cycling, driving a tractor, or there’s something wrong with my car so I’m trying to limp along to a mechanic
I think you captured best what I was thinking. I have also driven farm machinery quite often on this road, and it just the same. In both cases I will use the lane for as long as needed, but also in both cases I will pull over to allow others to pass. It takes no longer for me but affects them much more if I don’t.
Many states have slow moving vehicle laws that require them pull over and allow othe vehicles to pass if there are 3 or more behind them. I don’t care if you’re on 2, 4, 6, or 18 wheels. If you are obstructing traffic, get out of the way. I don’t have the right to arbitrarily close down a road to play tag football, hold a party, or anything else, I have to get special permits to do so. I even have to get permits to move very slow/large loads by semi-truck. But some bikers think that just because there are more than 2 of them, they get to organize a rolling road block. To avoid shitting on just bikers, this happens with farm equipment and many other things too.
In addition, most bikes and farm equipment don’t pay road taxes. The fuel for farm equipment is specifically exempted from pay tax on their fuel and bikes obviously don’t use fuel. Here is a golden rule I use when riding a bike, a motorcycle, a 4 wheeler, or driving a car, “Don’t be a dick.”
Bikes shouldn’t have to pay road tax because they don’t cause wear on the roads, and the roads aren’t built for them. Road tax doesn’t come close to covering the cost of roads, the rest comes from general tax, so in reality it’s bikes subsidizing cars.
Bikes aren’t riding in the middle of the lane just for the sake of it, there’s nothing worse than having a car riding up your ass. They’re riding in the middle of the lane because of visibility and to prevent unsafe passing. Once it’s safe to pass, they will pull over and let you pass. They aren’t “obstructing traffic” by riding along as fast, safe and courteously as they can, even if why they’re doing it isn’t always obvious to you.