4 ms·

This. I don’t understand why the spandex wearing guys want to hold up dozens of people in traffic behind them so they can bike on vacation. It’s a real sense of

This. I don’t understand why the spandex wearing guys want to hold up dozens of people in traffic behind them so they can bike on vacation. It’s a real sense of entitlement that is just beyond me. If someone is riding a bike to get somewhere they need to go, and the road is the only choice then fine. But if you’re leisure riding on a road where the speed limit is 55 and sitting in the middle of the lane you’re an ass.

mulmen 3y ago
>I don’t understand why the spandex wearing guys want to hold up dozens of people in traffic behind them so they can bike on vacation. I can't speak for all spandex wearing cyclists but when I do that it is because I enjoy the scenery and the challenge. Are you equally frustrated with RVs? > It’s a real sense of entitlement that is just beyond me. You are the entitled one here. You have no right to a minimum speed on a road that allows cyclists. > But if you’re leisure riding on a road where the speed limit is 55 and sitting in the middle of the lane you’re an ass. I do this in all cases. If you can't get your vehicle fully into another lane to pass me then it's not a safe place to pass. If the speed limit is 55 that's a narrow highway and you have no exclusive right as a car. If you want that then stick to the freeways.
- dang 3y ago
  Please don't respond to a bad comment by breaking the site guidelines yourself. That only makes things worse. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
throw9away6 3y ago
[flagged]
- mulmen 3y ago
  This is both a safe assumption and a scary reality. I have had cars deliberately place themselves in a situation where I had to take evasive action on my motorcycle. Think about using a 6000lb object to physically intimidate a 400lb object for the perceived slight of being safely passed. This is on top of all the inattentive drivers.
- dang 3y ago
  Could you please stop posting unsubstantive comments and flamebait? You've unfortunately been doing it repeatedly. It's not what this site is for, and destroys what it is for. If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and taking the intended spirit of the site more to heart, we'd be grateful.
  - throw9away6 3y ago
    It’s not intended to be inflammatory. It’s the reality that many people operating vehicles are not aware of your (bike) presence and that their careless actions could easily result in your death or serious injuries. Often times people fail to follow traffic rules and create situations that pose little danger to them but a lot of danger to pedestrians and bike riders.
    - dang 3y ago
      I believe you about your intent but we have to moderate these things by effect—or rather by likely effect, based on past experience—and I can tell you from past experience that a comment like "car users are always trying to kill you" is guaranteed to land as inflammatory with a lot of readers. Keep in mind that when you post here, you're broadcasting to thousands of people. Even if most read your intent correctly, that still leaves a lot of people who won't. Therefore the burden is on you to disambiguate your intent. Past explanations in case helpful: https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=burden%20disambiguate%20by%3Adang&sort=byDate&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que....
jackmott42 3y ago
Maybe since you don't understand it, you should quit asserting why they do it, maybe you should talk to them sometime. I'd be happy to talk to you about it.
- partitioned 3y ago
  Alright, why do you think it’s not rude to leisure ride in the middle of a 55 mph road blocking dozens of cars?
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
pfheatwole 3y ago
Speaking specifically to riding in the center of a lane: if there's not a bike lane or wide shoulder then it's not entitlement, it's a safety issue. If a cyclist hugs the edge of the road then drivers frequently squeeze between the cyclist and oncoming traffic. If the cyclist stays in the middle of the lane then drivers recognize they need to wait for a clear passing opportunity.
dang 3y ago
Please let's not have driver vs. cyclist flamewars. They're surprisingly nasty and always the same. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
Velofellow 3y ago
You and many others seem to be hell bent on the lycra/ spandex outfits. I really don't get it... What's with this? Consider that wearing tight fitting sports attire makes most of your body's surface area into a highly effective radiator. Try it, you may just like it.
RankingMember 3y ago
This is one of those things you might not get unless you've been in the situation yourself- if the shoulder is small or dangerous (e.g. debris), taking the lane is the safer option. If you don't, you end up getting close-passed/buzzed as people trying to squeeze between you and the opposing lane. Some particularly bad humans will even get close on purpose (known as a "punish pass").

mulmen 3y ago

>I don’t understand why the spandex wearing guys want to hold up dozens of people in traffic behind them so they can bike on vacation. I can't speak for all spandex wearing cyclists but when I do that it is because I enjoy the scenery and the challenge. Are you equally frustrated with RVs? > It’s a real sense of entitlement that is just beyond me. You are the entitled one here. You have no right to a minimum speed on a road that allows cyclists. > But if you’re leisure riding on a road where the speed limit is 55 and sitting in the middle of the lane you’re an ass. I do this in all cases. If you can't get your vehicle fully into another lane to pass me then it's not a safe place to pass. If the speed limit is 55 that's a narrow highway and you have no exclusive right as a car. If you want that then stick to the freeways.

dang 3y ago
Please don't respond to a bad comment by breaking the site guidelines yourself. That only makes things worse. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

throw9away6 3y ago

[flagged]

mulmen 3y ago
This is both a safe assumption and a scary reality. I have had cars deliberately place themselves in a situation where I had to take evasive action on my motorcycle. Think about using a 6000lb object to physically intimidate a 400lb object for the perceived slight of being safely passed. This is on top of all the inattentive drivers.
dang 3y ago
Could you please stop posting unsubstantive comments and flamebait? You've unfortunately been doing it repeatedly. It's not what this site is for, and destroys what it is for. If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and taking the intended spirit of the site more to heart, we'd be grateful.
- throw9away6 3y ago
  It’s not intended to be inflammatory. It’s the reality that many people operating vehicles are not aware of your (bike) presence and that their careless actions could easily result in your death or serious injuries. Often times people fail to follow traffic rules and create situations that pose little danger to them but a lot of danger to pedestrians and bike riders.
  - dang 3y ago
    I believe you about your intent but we have to moderate these things by effect—or rather by likely effect, based on past experience—and I can tell you from past experience that a comment like "car users are always trying to kill you" is guaranteed to land as inflammatory with a lot of readers. Keep in mind that when you post here, you're broadcasting to thousands of people. Even if most read your intent correctly, that still leaves a lot of people who won't. Therefore the burden is on you to disambiguate your intent. Past explanations in case helpful: https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=burden%20disambiguate%20by%3Adang&sort=byDate&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que....

jackmott42 3y ago

Maybe since you don't understand it, you should quit asserting why they do it, maybe you should talk to them sometime. I'd be happy to talk to you about it.

partitioned 3y ago
Alright, why do you think it’s not rude to leisure ride in the middle of a 55 mph road blocking dozens of cars?

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

pfheatwole 3y ago

Speaking specifically to riding in the center of a lane: if there's not a bike lane or wide shoulder then it's not entitlement, it's a safety issue. If a cyclist hugs the edge of the road then drivers frequently squeeze between the cyclist and oncoming traffic. If the cyclist stays in the middle of the lane then drivers recognize they need to wait for a clear passing opportunity.

dang 3y ago

Please let's not have driver vs. cyclist flamewars. They're surprisingly nasty and always the same. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Velofellow 3y ago

You and many others seem to be hell bent on the lycra/ spandex outfits. I really don't get it... What's with this? Consider that wearing tight fitting sports attire makes most of your body's surface area into a highly effective radiator. Try it, you may just like it.

RankingMember 3y ago

This is one of those things you might not get unless you've been in the situation yourself- if the shoulder is small or dangerous (e.g. debris), taking the lane is the safer option. If you don't, you end up getting close-passed/buzzed as people trying to squeeze between you and the opposing lane. Some particularly bad humans will even get close on purpose (known as a "punish pass").