Dear Cyclists: I’m worried
 

Hello!

I drive a car. I also drive a motorcycle and I also cycle from time to time.

When I got my licence to drive my car, I was required to take a test. I was also required to pay money for insurance and a small amount to renew my licence. If I made mistakes while driving, it would increase my insurance and I also ran the risk of no longer being allowed to drive anymore.

Driving is something that I often take for granted. It’s an extremely difficult thing to do safely and becomes increasingly so as years have gone on with added traffic, and of course our beautiful rain.

Years later I decided to get my motorcycle licence and was required to take a test. In addition to this, which I highly recommend, I took some lessons to learn about road safety since this was advice given to me by other riders.

I never fully appreciated just how important my driving was until the day I started riding a motorcycle. The split second of a mistake as a driver can instantly kill a motorcycle. I also learned from driving a motorcycle that a defensive position was the only way to ride if I wanted to live for any length of time.

While I enjoy riding, I seldom do it. Maybe because I’m old and the logic of fear is on my mind more than it was when I was 20. Maybe it is because I have sadly lost friends to motorcycle accidents over the years. Some were accidents where someone ran a red light or didn’t see a stop sign.

The thing with accidents, for the most part, is that they are genuine accidents. Nobody set out to end a persons life. As much as I feel for those injured or killed, there is also a burden that falls on the driver that caused the accident. I have thankfully been void of both the cause and recipient of even a minor accident thank goodness.

Most of the riders I know also adopt a defensive approach to riding as I’m sure most of us has lost someone to the joys of the open wind.

This brings me to cyclists, and I also cycle from time to time.

As a driver, I have nearly ended a few of your lives. A few of you know it, a few of you may not. A few of you have even fingered me and told me to fuck off when you were clearly in the wrong and failed to follow your rules of the road.

I don’t set out to harm anyone, in fact I’m willing to bet most drivers (as in virtually all) are the same way.

This is extremely unpopular because we tend to view cyclists as sort of this do-gooder group. Those that care about the environment or wish to keep fit etc. I’m not saying this is all of you. This applies to many of you though.

Please also consider that even if you’re right, it’s sort of pointless if a truck smashes into your face. In my motorcycle class a long time ago, we discussed the right of weight, not the right of way. Being right on a bike is like being right if you’re married to a woman. (For clarity, being right often doesn’t count for anything other than more of whatever it is you were arguing about.)

Some of you cyclists make me cringe with terror as you act in ways that are horrifically dangerous while actually believing you are indeed in the right of way.

Education is the first step and while it will likely never happen, and every cyclist would probably have my head on a stick, there is value in a licensing program and enforced rules to keep everyone safe.

I have had cyclist friends get hit and yes, drivers can be at fault too and are also guilty of not knowing all the rules. The issue is that the driver of the car is likely to go home for dinner that night.

Anyway. Perhaps more of a rant but just a message to drivers, be careful as cyclists really are a random object on the road. Cyclists, please for the love of god learn the rules of the road and educate yourself on protocol, your life actually depends on it.

Lots of cyclists seem to have a deathwish.

You mean 'Dear Cyclist' ? Was confused by your title.

I agree with you. Especially some downtown cyclists.

Buncha cyclepaths out there

As a driver that drives most days, cyclists don't really give a damn about traffic rules. Other day, this asshole was at crosswalk with a solid hand sign, still decides to ride right through when I was about to make a right turn. Honked at his stupid ass and he looked at me all confused.

What sucks for the few good cyclists (both pedal and motor powered) is there are so many idiots with a death wish pissing everyone off that people stop having much concern for anyone on two wheels. After all why should a driver show more concern for a riders safety than the rider is showing for their own safety?

I do all, or have done all of the above.

If it were my world, cyclists would be insured. All automobile drivers must learn on a motorcycle. Those without the nerve to attempt the motorcycle, would not drive at all. Those who drive passively would learn quickly it is an active activity. Those who don’t learn would get hurt. Oops.

what’s the law on lane splitting for cyclists? Maybe it’s just me, but what bothers me the most, is a cyclist who cuts the whole left turn lane then holds up the whole lane because they need more time to make the left.

As a cyclist I ride like I would a car. Left turn lane I sit at the back. At a red light I’ll go to the front if it’s wide enough (like a bike lane), otherwise I ride as if I’m a car. But most people are idiots.... so....

LOL, the cyclist is still supposed to slow down and make sure it is safe to cross at a cross walk. You don't just run out there and hope people will stop. If you aren't making direct eye contact with the driver of the car, you should just assume that they don't see you and will run you over. Use some common sense.

I call them 'pedalphiles'

There was also a stop sign that he completely blew through too.

Bruh, look at the cyclists with the white hat looking back at the dumb fuck blowing through the stop sign.

Don't know what were the two drivers were thinking. This could have been totally avoided if the cyclist stops at midway instead of keep riding towards the harzard

whether on a bike or walking, at a designated crosswalk making eye contact with like a block's worth of notice, the motorist are supposed to yield but less and less of them are doing it...either distracted or people are just gettting more impatient these days

You know what, with the Vancouver's attire which is all black everything black: sometimes I just don't see your ass. Make sure I see your ass and have slowed before enter the street, pedestrians and cyclists alike.

more often than not when i'm behind bars i'm wearing a bright red jacket...brighter than a life vest

dunno feel like my driving instructor told me to dart my eyes back and forth when approaching one...and i have seen quite a few flower/memorial next to one so i'm paranoid and getting ready to touch the brakes everytime i come up to one

Try telling people on Twitter/Facebook/social media that pedestrians/cyclists shouldn’t wear all black/dark clothing (or riding bikes without lights, reflectors, helmets) and you’ll have the SJWs jump in claiming victim blaming and equating it to rape. It’s insane.

Nissan was giving away free reflective tape for kids to use for Hallowe’en and, as you’d expect with how fucking retarded people are these days, they got bombarded by SJWs.

Some city councillor in Toronto was giving out fluorescent arm bands to seniors at a pedestrian event and got sh*t. Why does she have to defend this ??!!

‘We have to work together’: Councillor defends giving seniors fluorescent arm bands at pedestrian-safety event
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...ety-event.html

A pedestrian safety event where seniors were outfitted with fluorescent arm bands to protect them from being hit by cars has sparked criticism from safe-streets advocates, who say it’s victim blaming.

In my motorcycle course I was taught that right to live trumps right of way. I agree with this.

I think it also works in reverse. Ability to stay out of years of court proceedings, and having serious injury or death on your conscience, trumps right of way.

I suspect everyone has pressed for their right of way at some point. But it’s strictly a lose/lose proposition on both sides.

I’d rather sit in court than be dead.

Motorcyclists and regular cyclists alike, it’s not worth much being “right” when you’re lying on the concrete.

Plus it's Canada so even if you were piss drunk and admitted you meant to run them over you'd probably get a 6 month driving ban.

Or, use the xyz/somnia defence.