View Full Version : Denver bicyclists
In Capitol Hill and Downtown I regularly see bicyclists with no lights or reflectors at night, not even slowing down for stop signs and redlights, going the wrong way on one way streets, riding on the sidewalks nearly missing pedestrians, and doing lots of stupid shit.
Tonight I nearly faceplanted one into the concrete. I'm walking down the sidewalk near Broadway and 5th, after dark, no other pedestrians anywhere near me, when all of a sudden I see a blur as a bicyclist zips past me from behind at about 30 mph, missing clipping me by less than 3 inches when he would've had plenty of room to pass on the other side and he must've seen me from at least 50 feet back. If I wasn't distracted by something else and my reaction time was a fraction of a second quicker, I'd probably be in jail tonight. This wasn't some punk teenager either -- guy looked to be in his mid 40s and well dressed.
So, hypothetically, as a private citizen, how much trouble would I probably have been in for knocking someone off their bicycle under such circumstances? NOT deliberately, but because I was startled and they got clotheslined by my arm or something. I know it is illegal for them to be on the damn sidewalk in the first place.
[Rant1]
Just defending yourself from an unknown asssailant. ;)
My bicycle has lights and a tail light.
As a rider, fuck those clowns. [Rant1]
Colorado_Outback
10-29-2012, 19:55
Just a coincidence that your elbow happened to contact his throat when he tried to zoom around you, no way you could have seen him coming..
Hmmm, mid 40s and well dressed. This guy?
http://www.seeing-stars.com/museums/HHM/PeeWeeBike(small).jpg
:D
I don't know what the repercussions would be. Bikes are supposed to follow all rules and regs. But if you were startled and reacted...?
AirbornePathogen
10-29-2012, 19:59
I have to go with Denis Leary's philosophy on these. Possibly NSFW, for language.
http://youtu.be/6zHpoHFAPjY
Embedding no work apparently.
Bailey Guns
10-29-2012, 20:07
I feel your pain.
Last week I was driving into Evergreen from Conifer on Hwy 73. Some spandex-clad turd burglar was riding his bike in the middle of the lane through the S-curves. He made no effort to stay to the right...at all. There was a lady in the car ahead of me who was too timid to pass. I wasn't.
When I got the opportunity to pass him I probably came within a few inches of tagging the little douchebag with my mirror. He caught up to me at the light and gave me his best tough-guy look...as tough as a guy can look on a bike dressed in fetish clothing.
I motioned to him he was "number 1" and gave him a loud "FU" through the open window. Then passed him again. He gave me a lot more room the second time.
here maybe this will cheer you up.. not sure if sfw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNgR2qU8ND8&feature=related
also I cycle from time to time and hate it when people are retarded about it.. we don't need to ride 2 abreast ever and especially on a road that the bike lane barely allows 1.. just avoid those roads
too bad you didn't see him park his bike so you could cut his tires.
here maybe this will cheer you up.. not sure if sfw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNgR2qU8ND8&feature=related
also I cycle from time to time and hate it when people are retarded about it.. we don't need to ride 2 abreast ever and especially on a road that the bike lane barely allows 1.. just avoid those roads
I bet that is a fantasy of a lot of drivers around boulder.
I bet that is a fantasy of a lot of drivers around boulder.
probably just the ones that commute from longmont.. or on that back road to lyons
hollohas
10-30-2012, 09:53
Every time I go to Denver, at one particular 4-way stop, I stop in my car and bike after bike blows right through from my left or right. Once, I stopped, looked left/right and preceded to continue through the intersection. A bike going way too fast came from my right, didn't stop at the sign and almost went over my hood. The guy yelled and cursed at me. I just said "you missed that stop sign" and went on my way. A similar incident happened at the very same stop sign with a female cyclist once.
You'll see the same thing happen at every side street in Denver, cyclists running stop signs. All day, everyday.
Or at red lights, with no bike lane, the cyclist you just passed goes up to the front of the line and then you have to pass them AGAIN as soon as the light turns green. I'm sorry, but I thought cyclists had to follow traffic laws. And if people can't lane split in motorcycles to the front of the line, you can't on your bicycle either. Get in line like everyone else.
You want to use the road, then follow the rules of the road. Why don't they have to get a bicycle endorsement on their DV? I get sick and tired of the cyclist holier-than-thou mentality. Well it's either that or they have a death wish since they seemingly TRY to get into accidents.
I feel your pain.
Last week I was driving into Evergreen from Conifer on Hwy 73. Some spandex-clad turd burglar was riding his bike in the middle of the lane through the S-curves. He made no effort to stay to the right...at all. There was a lady in the car ahead of me who was too timid to pass. I wasn't.
When I got the opportunity to pass him I probably came within a few inches of tagging the little douchebag with my mirror. He caught up to me at the light and gave me his best tough-guy look...as tough as a guy can look on a bike dressed in fetish clothing.
I motioned to him he was "number 1" and gave him a loud "FU" through the open window. Then passed him again. He gave me a lot more room the second time.
And I feel your pain... Be extra careful going up SH-65 (Squaw Pass Rd)- the dumb bikers are EVERYWHERE up there... That's why I like my neighbors, they're cyclists, but they found out fast when they first moved to Evergreen that it's dangerous to be on a bike, so they grab their mountain bikes and use trails. [Beer]
Every time I go to Denver, at one particular 4-way stop, I stop in my car and bike after bike blows right through from my left or right. Once, I stopped, looked left/right and preceded to continue through the intersection. A bike going way too fast came from my right, didn't stop at the sign and almost went over my hood. The guy yelled and cursed at me. I just said "you missed that stop sign" and went on my way. A similar incident happened at the very same stop sign with a female cyclist once.
Several times, I've had that happen with bicyclists on the sidewalk, crossing traffic in the crosswalk, fast, against the light and in the opposite direction of traffic. I am nosing out, waiting for a break and just putting my foot on the gas to turn onto Colfax and some asshole on a bicycle nearly gets crushed because they don't know how to ride safely. They all seem to be listening to iPods too.
Several times, I've had that happen with bicyclists on the sidewalk, crossing traffic in the crosswalk, fast, against the light and in the opposite direction of traffic. I am nosing out, waiting for a break and just putting my foot on the gas to turn onto Colfax and some asshole on a bicycle nearly gets crushed because they don't know how to ride safely. They all seem to be listening to iPods too.
I've almost had several collisions with cyclists in Denver... The thing they need to remember is that 2-4 tons vs their little 20lb bike is a very one sided collision. How would that pan out? If it's just you in your car, you stopped at a 4 way stop, you started going, cyclist blasts through a stop sign and meets your quarter panel at full speed and gets severely effed up, no witnesses, your word against theirs...? [Help]
cyclist blasts through a stop sign and meets your quarter panel at full speed and gets severely effed up, no witnesses, your word against theirs...?
so long as there is a dent where they hit you so that can be proved you'd come out of that one ok. Bikes don't accelerate that fast, pretty obvious they didn't stop.
It is where you hit them with the front of the car (or mirror) that you are in deep shit. Sadly even if they blew that stop sign in front of you.
so long as there is a dent where they hit you so that can be proved you'd come out of that one ok. Bikes don't accelerate that fast, pretty obvious they didn't stop.
It is where you hit them with the front of the car (or mirror) that you are in deep shit. Sadly even if they blew that stop sign in front of you.
Ok so to modify my scenario, if your bumper catches them head on you are screwed? That's stupid.
IShouldDoThisAllTheTime
11-02-2012, 14:02
bicyclists with no lights or reflectors at night
Illegal. Front light and rear reflector are required at night.
not even slowing down for stop signs and redlights
Illegal. All vehicles are required to obey traffic signals and signage.
going the wrong way on one way streets
Illegal. All vehicles are required to obey traffic signals and signage.
riding on the sidewalks
Legal. In Colorado cyclists are allowed to use either the street or the sidewalk, unless otherwise posted. But riding on the sidewalk is almost always a terrible idea.
Correction: Denver specifically prohibits riding on sidewalks, superseding Colorado state law.
nearly missing pedestrians
Illegal. All vehicles are required to pass obstacles or other vehicles only under safe conditions and with enough room to spare.
So, hypothetically, as a private citizen, how much trouble would I probably have been in for knocking someone off their bicycle under such circumstances? NOT deliberately, but because I was startled and they got clotheslined by my arm or something.
As you relay the story, his fault. No different than if he'd been running on the sidewalk and collided with you. No different than if he ran a red light and hit you.
I know it is illegal for them to be on the damn sidewalk in the first place.
Not correct.
Correction: Denver specifically prohibits riding on sidewalks, superseding Colorado state law.
riding his bike in the middle of the lane through the S-curves. He made no effort to stay to the right...at all
I wasn't there, but tight curves like this tend to not have lanes wide enough to share. Taking the whole lane in these cases usually IS the safe thing to do. Legal, too. Blowing past him to prove a point is neither.
Colorado law requires cyclists -- any slow-moving vehicle -- to ride as far to the right as is *safe*. This does not automatically mean the shoulder, or riding the white line. And the law gives the operator of the slow-moving vehicle great latitude in making that decision.
How about my experience riding from Ft Collins to Loveland, on a clear night at 2am, with the brighest dynohub-powered tailight and headlight combo then available from Busch & Muller (really friggin' bright), and DOT approved red retroflective tape on every vertical member of my bike?. Riding well onto the shoulder on 287, on a straightaway, climbing the hill towards the big flag, and some yokel in an F-250 with a Calvin-pissing-on-something sticker crosses two lanes and comes INTO the shoulder, horn blaring, missing me by a foot or so? I'm *sure* he just didn't see me, because I was being so reckless.
The roadies guys in spandex, despite looking like clowns, tend to have a pretty clear idea what they are doing and what is safe. The all-wool contingent tends to be pretty tuned-in, too. Those cyclists spend a LOT of time on the pavement and somehow manage to not get run over. It's the black-clad-sunglasses-at-night-Converse-wearing-iPod-listening-PBR-in-the-bottle-cage-no-lights-too-cool-for-brakes-gauged-ears hipster douchebag that you can't trust. Broad brush.
There are assholes everywhere and on every kind of vehicle. There are also people who just don't know any better. I do everything I can not to get killed by the former (including lights and avoiding heavily trafficked mountain roads) and I try to talk reason to the latter.
Aggressive drivers scare cyclists onto the sidewalks (where they get hit far more often and far worse) or else make cyclists into U-lock wielding Critical Massholes. Critical Massholes, in turn, piss off drivers and make them more aggressive towards all cyclists. This is the awesomest feedback loop EVAR!!!1!!11!1
All vehicles, hemi or pedal-powered, have equal rights on the road. We all share that space, and we all need to realize that and act accordingly like responsible grown-up citizens. We ALL want to get home alive.
And yes, bicyclists in Denver can really be an arrogant bunch. They are rolling entitlements, and tend to have zero regard for anyone other than themselves. It is quite shocking that they get into so few serious/fatal accidents. And if you think they are rude to YOU, just picture how they act when they get pulled over and given a ticket or, even worse, LECTURED.
[Rant2]
I was thinking about this the other day... I would not want to have your job in that city, you're a better man than I! [Beer] I'm happy with the outdoorsy yuppies up here that are usually pretty good about sharing the road, considering many of our roads up here (SH-65, SH-73, SH-74) don't have much or any shoulder for them to ride on. Sometimes it can get frustrating when one is holding up traffic due to too much oncoming traffic, but I usually forget about it once I'm passed the cyclist.
IShouldDoThisAllTheTime
11-02-2012, 15:28
In Colorado cyclists are allowed to use either the street or the sidewalk, unless otherwise posted. But riding on the sidewalk is almost always a terrible idea.
Actually, it IS ILLEGAL to ride on the sidewalk in Denver. Denver has its own municipal ordinance specifically in regards to this:
I guess that counts as "otherwise posted" then, eh? ;) Having just moved down from the Great Frozen North I'm admittedly not up on all the Denver cycling laws yet.
This one is good news. I hate how Boulder, in its efforts to be cycling-friendly, pushes cyclists onto the sidewalk so they can get J-hooked at driveways. Legal or not, riding on sidewalks is an awful idea.
Legal or not, riding on sidewalks is an awful idea.
agree 110%
I had a bicyclist almost rear end me when I came to a stop at a stop sign. Dumbass started to yell at me and I pointed to the stop sign. What a dick, I would have loved a trunk ornament.
Robby30-06
11-03-2012, 09:08
As a cyclist I have to admit there are alot of arrogant cyclists in CO. When I'm in or on a motorized vehicle I do my level best to share the road but that's not enough for some of em.
Another problem is the fixie craze (direct drive bikes, no freewheel). It takes skill to ride these bikes properly, some of the downtown curriers have it down to a science. Too many people though are in the city streets trying to ride a fixed gear bike with only a front brake (maybe) who have no business doing so.
IShouldDoThisAllTheTime
11-03-2012, 11:09
Oddly enough, whenever I ride my bike, I do try to stay on the sidewalks. I just value my life more than some obscure ordinance, and I know that I would get killed if I rode in the street. The roads are flooded with careless morons, and I decided that if/when I DO get killed, I don't want it to be getting creamed by some texting tween dingleberry that couldn't wait until the next stoplight to send that urgent "OMG LOL" message. There's just no honor in that kind of senseless death!
Those same careless morons are at least casually aware that there are other vehicles on the road. However they are pretty well guaranteed to *not* be looking for anything moving that fast on a sidewalk or crosswalk. Far, far more cyclists get seriously killed or injured while riding on sidewalks than in the street. Sidewalks are for walking.
This is not wild speculation, either. The League of American Bicyclists puts a lot of effort into studying this issue. If you are serious about not dying on someone's windshield then I recommend John Allen's bike safety guides. He does not publish a Colorado-specific one, but the basics are universal. http://bikemaps.com/bss.htm
And yes, bicyclists in Denver can really be an arrogant bunch. They are rolling entitlements, and tend to have zero regard for anyone other than themselves. It is quite shocking that they get into so few serious/fatal accidents. And if you think they are rude to YOU, just picture how they act when they get pulled over and given a ticket or, even worse, LECTURED.
[Rant2]
Just remember, cite OR lecture, but not both. [LOL]
I had a bicyclist almost rear end me when I came to a stop at a stop sign. Dumbass started to yell at me and I pointed to the stop sign. What a dick, I would have loved a trunk ornament.
Once while Downtown, I was parallel parking when a fucking bicyclist dressed in a spandex bodysuit with one of those misshapen helmets came zipping up behind me and tried to pass on my right side, with my blinker and reverse lights on, as I was backing into the parking space. Then "he" did a powerslide on "his" bike (without dropping it) and started yelling at me.
I think that if a DPD officer catches a bicyclist on his dash cam running red lights, riding the wrong way on one way streets, or riding on the sidewalk, he should be allowed to impound the bike to be sold at auction or destroyed. That would be a great policy.
bigun1962
11-03-2012, 16:40
Most bicyclers are cool, but you have a few retarded ones that think a 30 pound bike is equivalent to a 4000 pound vehicle. Clean the gene pool and be rid of the retards! As long an you can articulate you are fine.
Most bicyclers are cool, but you have a few retarded ones that think a 30 pound bike is equivalent to a 4000 pound vehicle. Clean the gene pool and be rid of the retards! As long an you can articulate you are fine.
I've had them yell, "BICYCLES HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY!" as they cut me off in traffic.
IShouldDoThisAllTheTime
11-04-2012, 17:03
As long an you can articulate you are fine.
Being able to articulate your justification is only worthwhile if you are in fact, justified. And comments such as this one:
Clean the gene pool and be rid of the retards!
...will not help you in court.
There have been a few comments in this thread which brush awfully close to gleefully wishing violent death upon fellow citizens. Surely most of the people on this site are aware of the "mantle of innocence" concept?
Oddly enough, whenever I ride my bike, I do try to stay on the sidewalks. I just value my life more than some obscure ordinance
It must be quite a luxury to deem which ordinances are obscure and which are worthy of abiding by :mad:
It must be quite a luxury to deem which ordinances are obscure and which are worthy of abiding by :mad:
It is. I do it. Try not stopping at the red light on an on-ramp sometime. It will set you free.
It is. I do it. Try not stopping at the red light on an on-ramp sometime. It will set you free.
This ^^
When there are no other cars present. I'm sorry, but I know how to merge into traffic unlike 90% of the doofus drivers out there.
I stop for cars, but not the light. When the car in front of me goes, I go as well. It is funny to see people get angry when they realize there is a third car, and they can't just putt along at 35 mph and actually have to start driving like an adult again.
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