3 ms·

It's not possible to ride defensively against a person popping out of a car. There is also no safe speed which is reasonable for actually using the road where t

It's not possible to ride defensively against a person popping out of a car. There is also no safe speed which is reasonable for actually using the road where this doesn't happen. I'm also not going to slow down to 12km/h on protected bike paths because people want to walk there. I think being noticed is part of driving defensively in those situations. >So, get off the bike and walk I am not supposed to and I frankly just don't have the time to walk every time there is an underpass, and there are 6 on the way to my university. I think I'm very different from those car drivers because I'm not endangering or pushing away anyone, or being aggressive.

hammyhavoc 5y ago
So people who "don't have time" and jaywalk = bad, but cyclists who "don't have time" and don't do what is expected of them = good. Hmm.
- sudosysgen 5y ago
  What do you mean? I am doing exactly what is expected of me. I am allowed to cycle on sidewalks when it's an underpass, that's the law in my city, because many cyclists were killed. There are even signs on the entrance of every underpass where there is no protected bike lane indicating that bicycles should go on the sidewalks. I haven't made any judgments of value, mind you. I'm just saying that this is the only way I have of averting this issue.
  - rglullis 5y ago
    "Bicycles going on sidewalks" != "supposed to cycle along pedestrians"
    - sudosysgen 5y ago
      That's the compromise in my city. I am allowed and expected to cycle in the sidewalk along an underpass. That means inevitably that I'm going to pass pedestrians. There are signs before warning pedestrians that there will be cyclists, but many seem not to get the memo.
      - rglullis 5y ago
        It's not about what you are legally allowed to do, it's about the basic traffic principle that those inside bigger/heavier vehicles are responsible for the safety of those outside. The same principle that applies to cars -> cyclists applies to cyclists -> pedestrians. You can try to justify reckless behavior however you want, but saying "I had the speaker blasting on high to warn pedestrians" is never going to be a valid excuse if you get to run over an elderly person with hearing problems or a distracted child.

hammyhavoc 5y ago

So people who "don't have time" and jaywalk = bad, but cyclists who "don't have time" and don't do what is expected of them = good. Hmm.

sudosysgen 5y ago
What do you mean? I am doing exactly what is expected of me. I am allowed to cycle on sidewalks when it's an underpass, that's the law in my city, because many cyclists were killed. There are even signs on the entrance of every underpass where there is no protected bike lane indicating that bicycles should go on the sidewalks. I haven't made any judgments of value, mind you. I'm just saying that this is the only way I have of averting this issue.
- rglullis 5y ago
  "Bicycles going on sidewalks" != "supposed to cycle along pedestrians"
  - sudosysgen 5y ago
    That's the compromise in my city. I am allowed and expected to cycle in the sidewalk along an underpass. That means inevitably that I'm going to pass pedestrians. There are signs before warning pedestrians that there will be cyclists, but many seem not to get the memo.
    - rglullis 5y ago
      It's not about what you are legally allowed to do, it's about the basic traffic principle that those inside bigger/heavier vehicles are responsible for the safety of those outside. The same principle that applies to cars -> cyclists applies to cyclists -> pedestrians. You can try to justify reckless behavior however you want, but saying "I had the speaker blasting on high to warn pedestrians" is never going to be a valid excuse if you get to run over an elderly person with hearing problems or a distracted child.