Biking in this city full of nasty and rude drivers

[Tosspot]

Since some of you have made attempts at persuading me to ride on the street rather than the sidewalk, I've been riding on more streets.

So, yesterday biking westbound on Westport Road towards Southwest Trafficway, some queefed-up chode blasted the horn of his Suburban Utility Vehicle at me as I was being passed. I surmise whoever did this was merely thinking he was being cute and funny, but I always think it's interesting how a lot of people turn into aggressified pricks when they're encapsulated by 3000 pounds of metal, when otherwise they are probably the prime exemplars of passive-aggressive pussified chickenshittery.

Do the other cyclists here have stories to share about assholes in cars?

[LenexatoKCMO]

Since some of you have made attempts at persuading me to ride on the street rather than the sidewalk, I've been riding on more streets.

So, yesterday biking westbound on Westport Road towards Southwest Trafficway, some queefed-up chode blasted the horn of his Suburban Utility Vehicle at me as I was being passed. I surmise whoever did this was merely thinking he was being cute and funny, but I always think it's interesting how a lot of people turn into aggressified pricks when they're encapsulated by 3000 pounds of metal, when otherwise they are probably the prime exemplars of passive-aggressive pussified chickenshittery.

Do the other cyclists here have stories to share about assholes in cars?

I had a bumpkin in a truck pull over and give me shit for riding in the left lane of northbound grand as i went to make a left turn on to twentieth.  It was on a weekend so there was no traffic on the road and the guy could easily have passed me in either of the other two northbound lanes but instead the dipshit pulled out to pass me in the oncoming southbound lane.  He actually pulled over at the intersection to tell me what a danger I was riding over there.  He wasn't too happy when i responded that his illegal pass in the oncoming lane was a lot more dangerous.  I would love to know how this guy thinks a person is supposed to turn left if they aren't allowed to ever leave the right lane.  He yelled something about bikes not belonging on downtown streets.  I thought that was very ironic as I looked over at his extended cab, heavy duty truck. 

[lock+load]

So, yesterday biking westbound on Westport Road towards Southwest Trafficway, some queefed-up chode blasted the horn of his Suburban Utility Vehicle

Why are you on Westport Road?  Isn't there another route that would have less traffic you could use? 

[Tosspot]

Why are you on Westport Road?  Isn't there another route that would have less traffic you could use? 

Maybe I could have taken that road north of Westport Rd which I can't remember the name. But that road is too narrow to accommodate both cars and bikes without causing severe congestion -- hence the urge to ride on the sidewalk, again. But that's probably a better idea than riding on the Westport Rd street.

[kcmetro]

I say ride on the sidewalks unless they are packed with pedestrians. Why people are afraid of bikers on the sidewalk is beyond me. It's not like they're flying through at 50 mph.

[Tosspot]

I say ride on the sidewalks unless they are packed with pedestrians. Why people are afraid of bikers on the sidewalk is beyond me. It's not like they're flying through at 50 mph.

My view on the matter as well.

[chrizow]

i didn't know until like 2 months ago that bikes were illegal on city sidewalks. 

ban Segways too! 

[VELO DOOM]

ah the joys of "urban riding."  I've been yelled at, honked at, had cars (even a cop) try and put the squeeze on me into other cars, as I was riding down Broadway I had a bus driver honk at me then pull along side me, open his door and tell me there is a sidewalk I should use, politely been told to get a helmet, and almost t-boned.  However, I don't ride like a normal pannier rack, blinky light commuter...I'm aggressive and fluid.  Anymore it doesn't bother me, just apart of the real life frogger game you're playing while riding around.  Leave the sidewalk riding to college kids in Lawrence.

[dangerboy]

I say ride on the sidewalks unless they are packed with pedestrians. Why people are afraid of bikers on the sidewalk is beyond me. It's not like they're flying through at 50 mph.

The law says to ride on the street with the other vehicles.  It's illegal to ride on the sidewalk in a business district like Westport.

It's counter-intuitive, but statistics show you are safer on the street than the sidewalk.  While you might get yelled at in the street, on the sidewalk you are much more likely to be hit and killed.  On the sidewalk you become invisible to cars, which is bad when you cross the street to the next block.

One of the most common accidents is a car hitting a bicyclist in a crosswalk or intersection.

[kard]

I say ride on the sidewalks unless they are packed with pedestrians. Why people are afraid of bikers on the sidewalk is beyond me. It's not like they're flying through at 50 mph.

I'm going to put on my Concerned Parent hat for a minute.

Riding your bicycle on the sidewalk is dangerous and illegal.

When riding on the sidewalk you come to many intersections and driveways and enter them where drivers are not looking for you.  You're moving too quickly--much faster then a pedestrian--for the driver to stop as they approach the intersection.  Many accidents happen this way.  You go right in to side of the car.  Also, cars turn in to driveways and streets from the street you are traveling and ARE NOT LOOKING FOR YOU.  You will, at some point, get nailed by a car in this way.  Especially now since it's dark by 5:30.  You are very hard to see.

There are also a lot more obstacles on the sidewalk, like pedestrians, hydrants, signs, newspaper boxes, trash, etc.  There isn't enough movement on most sidewalks to keep them clear of trash and the like as there is on most streets.

Yeah, I'm trying to scare you.  Don't do it.

A bicycle has every right to be on the road.  It's annoying in KC because a lot of drivers don't appreciate it.  But that's just their perception.  Please try to educate folks and be nice and patient with them so that the cycling community as a whole benefits.  Educating one driver at a time is slow but we all benefit from it.  Learn the rules, be polite.

[LenexatoKCMO]

There are also a lot more obstacles on the sidewalk, like pedestrians, hydrants, signs, newspaper boxes, trash, etc.  There isn't enough movement on most sidewalks to keep them clear of trash and the like as there is on most streets.

Not to mention low hanging tree limbs or overgrown shruberies in the path of the sidewalk- its a lot easier to avoid those on foot than it is when you are moving fast on a bike. 

[Highlander]

You guys should try riding on the extremely narrow streets of urban UK with cars parked on either sides and cars passing in opposite directions on these same narrow roads.  When this happens, I just ride in the center of the road so cars cannot get around me.  I do this because there is only dubious clearance for them to pass.  Having said that, I have never had anyone act even slightly annoyed at me while riding.  It is taken for granted that there will be bikes on the streets here and nobody seems to mind the momentary delays.  By the way, riding on the sidewalks here is illegal too.  

[kcmetro]

Leave the sidewalk riding to college kids in Lawrence.

I think the sidewalks in Lawrence are meant for urinating and drunken make-out sessions between members of the Greek community.  :)

[Highlander]

I think the sidewalks in Lawrence are meant for urinating and drunken make-out sessions between members of the Greek community.  :)

Yech....simultaneously???

[LenexatoKCMO]

You guys should try riding on the extremely narrow streets of urban UK with cars parked on either sides and cars passing in opposite directions on these same narrow roads.  

I spent a year getting around Oxford exclusively on bike or bus and those streets were easily ten times more comfortable for cyclists than DT KC.  Of course being a college town, the streets after midnight were almost exclusively populated with drunken students on bikes.  

[kcmetro]

Yech....simultaneously???

It's the Greek way. 

[MidWestSider]

This would be nuts!! NYC!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR2ygFn-yR8

[kard]

That was relaxing.

[Marreekarr]

Somebody threw icewater at me when I was riding across the Heart of America bridge.  Was hit by an elderly driver who had a perfect driving record until his front end sent me airborne through the intersection of 36th and Gillham.  Other than those two incidents riding in and around KC has been awesome.

[Stockton]

Since some of you have made attempts at persuading me to ride on the street rather than the sidewalk, I've been riding on more streets.

So, yesterday biking westbound on Westport Road towards Southwest Trafficway, some queefed-up chode blasted the horn of his Suburban Utility Vehicle at me as I was being passed. I surmise whoever did this was merely thinking he was being cute and funny, but I always think it's interesting how a lot of people turn into aggressified pricks when they're encapsulated by 3000 pounds of metal, when otherwise they are probably the prime exemplars of passive-aggressive pussified chickenshittery.

We might as well call them white-trash.

Do the other cyclists here have stories to share about assholes in cars?

We might as well call them white-trash.