Citizen complaint of the day: Stupid cabs blocking the bike lane at BU

"I think you're over-reacting and being just a tad over defensive"

Way to prove the point.

Maxwell's silver hammer swung down onto the cab!
Bang bang maxwell's silver hammer made sure the mirror's cracked!

Then replace a few of the metered spots with a taxi stand or loading zone.

I followed a Google Street View car on my way to work today. He was driving around Cambridgeport.

Yes, you do have to cross a bike lane to turn.

You must yield to cyclists using the lane when you do so. You don't get to just plow across it in a fit of automotive entitlement.

You have to wait - and stop it you have to - and yield the right of way.

How about just having the RMV test people on the actual rules of driving, rather than a one time quiz about junior operator laws.

There are some city variations, but laws are state and federal - like, outside of Boston people drive and, like, the rules are the same.

wow - think about what you just said - a driver should not cause a biker to need to slow down? or stop? or that parking slowly is an offense? what if he was waiting for a car to pull out? why does that matter? what a perfect example of why people think bikers have a false sense of entitlement. you are a vehicle - act like one.

it is not remotely "cutting them off" if you pass someone (bike or car, doesn't matter) that is moving slowly (as is their right) and then decide to park. think about it what you imply - should the driver have a) followed the biker slowly, so as to not 'intercept' their course or b) driven their normal speed, found the spot, then stopped in the car travel lane to wait for the cyclist to have passed? why on earth do you think that drivers should worry about your momentum?

again, you are a vehicle like all others... act like one. that means slowing, stopping (and perhaps even obeying red lights)

Fair question but no. I actually have Jedi-like parallel parking skills. Did not cut them off either, This was a case of someone being an idiot and wearing his critical-mass-esque chip on his shoulder. Reminds me of the woman - mid jaywalk across boylston - that screamed at me for doing a legal left on red turn. Clueless to laws but they love to yell

Yes, and you know what else is in the past? Women and African Americans not having the right to vote and not having the right to own property. Is that okay with you, dumplings?
Furthermore, I'm sure you wouldn't be annoyed that paved roads make it possible for automobiles such as ambulances and fire engines to speedily arrive to emergencies. Get a grip on reality. It's 2011 and I think autos are here to stay.

roads are for cars. if i felt unsafe on comm ave, i would bike through brookline or cross the bu bridge and bike down memorial or whatever. but ive never felt unsafe on comm ave, never had a near miss or a problem, and am always looking to see if someone is in a car that im approaching so i dont get doored.

i dont see why its a huge deal to have to dodge a small line of cabs one week out of the year. its impractical to make a cab stand there because they were probably just there for the post-exam exodus to take rich kids to the airport (as others mentioned).

the situation at eastern standard is a little bit more annoying. they have a valet stand with 2 spots, but they often understaff the valets (and only pay them 6/hr) so one person has to go park behind hotel comm, run back and park the other car. and people start to double park, and every 20 minutes someone invariably double parks and says "i just have to go to 7eleven/dunkins!" which is pretty annoying for the people coming from brookline ave who have to suddenly merge over into another lane in a busy, curved intersection. bikers and cars alike.

The hotel itself also doesnt have enough spots, the doormen always overfill the spots and essentially force guests to double park until a valet can take their car. on red sox game days all of these problems are magnified tenfold

despite all of this, after driving in this city for a while ive learned to avoid most of these problems (or at least anticipate them). Yeah, New York has a grid-like traffic system with well timed lights but I've also sat at the mouth of the Lincoln Tunnel for 3 hours on the way back from Jersey. San Francisco has good bike and bus lanes but I've been cut off and threatened with violence multiple times having done absolutely nothing wrong. This is just anecdotal evidence but my point is you'll run into problems in every city... it's a city. move to the suburbs with the rest of the whiny white people who have nothing real to complain about if you cant handle even a minor annoyance on your commute the the cafe in cambridge you supplement your weekly allowance with.