But anyway, I'd have to imagine that as a group, cars are the victims of "more" road crimes than any other group. I mean I'd just chalk that up to volumes of cars vs. bikes that drive around this area and the various fender benders to more severe accidents that bikes just aren't involved in due to physics/lack of being on roads with higher speeds. Of course I don't have any data on hand to support that but I mean, I can't really remember that last time I heard a bike on bike crime story around town.
I'm sure that data can be found in the road safety report the city put out a few months back, gotta look that up.
The reason you don't hear about all of the bike-on-bike crime is that the media can't sell advertising with it. But if a young white coupe disappears, it's all over the news.
My favorite part of that story is the "fellow cyclist" part of the headline as if all riders get together, link hands, and sing kumbaya every day after work.
I have no empirical data to support this, but the anecdotal evidence from my daily commute supports a similar proportion of jackasses riding bikes as there are in cars that similarly think that it's everyone else that's the bad driver. They just tend to be less dangerous because they don't control two tons of steel and are therefore less scary. They're most easily spotted on Hubway bikes pumping their legs trying to keep in front of other riders and then giving the stink-eye when they're passed by bikes that weigh half as much (which is most bikes) and/or that have 4-times as many gears.
99% of the jackasses are just in a big hurry, like other massholes, and don't get that their hurry isn't the most important hurry in the world.
Unlike jackmasshole motorists with the same attitude, they are mostly a danger to themselves.
I have, on several occasions, had someone try to ride the space that I'm giving the "door zone". I just scold them like the spoiled children they are, and then they invariably put a handlebar into a mirror or make some other stupid mistake due to their first stupid mistake. I've had others try to quickly pass on the right where there are no parked cars ... and seen three or four of them plow or nearly plow the rear end of the next car.
They'll learn ... sometimes the hardest way. I referred one young woman who was riding in an unsafe manner to MassBike courses. She caught up with me some weeks later and thanked me - she didn't realize that banging a right on red at speed and other obnoxious hurry behaviors might get her an ER trip.
But, hey, look at the bright side: young people doing stupid things on bikes most commonly results in sub-fatal, self-inflicted wounds. Young people doing stupid things in cars and trucks causes vastly more collateral damage.
unfortunately, however, roughly 80% of the time, in the event of bicyclist vs. car fatalities, the bicyclist has been at fault.
The guy on the bicycle who the woman passed on the right had no business physically assaulting her, but, as a general precaution, the woman had no business passing the other bicyclist on the right, either.
Would it be wrong for the woman to pass her assailant on the right when she is in the bike lane, or both are in the bike lane, or perhaps he is in the vehicle lane and she is in the bike lane?
Passing on the right [vehicle type irrelevant] is some sort of bizarre, US only [just about] phenomenon that you just won't see in other countries [well except the former Soviet states and the Balkans and Italy where everyone drives like they have terminal cancer and just don't care anymore]. Note I am not counting left driving countries where passing should be on the right.
I can however think of occasions where maybe the only way to pass another cyclist would be on the right rather than going into heavy traffic. But it's better to wait for that slow person to move over for you so you can pass them safely on the outside.
Nonetheless, violent responses to poor driving or riding is not the answer. Just keep doing the right thing yourselves, teach your children [if you have any] the same courtesies. And hopefully that good behavior will seep out into the larger population.
It is far safer to speed up, merge in with car traffic, and then move back over once the slow bike is passed. Passing on the right, which is completely idiotic, should never be attempted.
Sounds like you haven't traveled much. I don't think there's a country I've been to where I haven't seen regular right side passing. I'm talking major countries in Europe and Asia. Definitely not a US only thing, it's a people want to go faster and the left lane is blocked thing.
I just have to facepalm when I read stories like this. Yeah dude, I get it, she passed you illegally, probably scared you a little, I know I get that too when cars/other riders pass too close. It can just catch you off guard, you could lose balance and fall into traffic/the curb/whatever.
But if that guy knew enough about road safety to call her out for acting illegally, let her know that by talking to her. I've been doing this alot recently, especially with the rookie riders around town. If I catch up to them I'm like "hey man, look, ya gotta start following the rules, you're giving us all a bad name and you're putting your life at risk. Knock it off." I mean thats mainly directed at the red light runners but I've had a few friendly conversations with riders about getting helmets, strapping on some lights, use those hand signals, etc.
Nevermind that he counters an illegal action with another illegal act by assaulting this woman. I just have to shake my head at self-righteous asshat riders like this, they do nothing but build confirmation-biased examples for anti-cyclists to say "SEE! THEY ALL BREAK THE LAW!"
You need to pass at a safe distance, just like a car needs to pass a cyclist/other cars safely, which might require them to merge into the adjacent lane or yield to oncoming traffic, cross the double line and then merge back in when safe.
I think the only time you could pass another cyclist on the right is the Comm Ave lanes in the Back Bay, which are all the way to the left of the road. I ride this daily and when I need to pass a slower cyclist, I check behind me, signal and merge into the left traffic lane, pass the cyclist and merge back into the bike lane when safe.
Perhaps she did alert him that she was about to pass. No need to blame the victim, swrrly.
You don't know what happened... unless you were there, or one of the cyclists was your cousin's ex-girlfriend's daughter or your uncle's best friend's plumber, or something.
Attacking a woman is fine because she passed a man on a bike on the side he does not prefer? Sorry, not going to shut my mouth, coward. Grow up, suburbanites! Those backing the assailant are disgusting.
By no one in particular on Wed, 12/11/2013 - 10:16am.
How is a discussion by veteran urban cyclist grownups about the proper way for a cyclist to pass another cyclist in any way equivalent to "backing the assailant".
Or are you simply not being bothered to actually read anything here??? Maybe if you paid more attention, your cycling experiences would improve.
Nobody's backing the assailant. I haven't seen a single post in the thread that says that what he did was OK. If you think I'm wrong about that, then please quote the specific words you think were a defense of the assailant.
But just because what that guy did was a criminal act, doesn't mean that the woman was correct to pass on the right. I don't know about this specific case, but in most cases passing on the right is dangerous both to the person passing and to the person being passed. And THAT's what people are criticizing. But even if she was wrong to pass, that's no excuse for physically attacking her, and NOBODY here has said otherwise.
You gotta expect that behavior when out in the masses.Why people just don't leave a tad earlier than they have to, just to relieve some of the self imposed stress and drama of traveling , I can't figure out . Once upon a time , in Cambridge , Harvard Square to be exact, I was tooling along , me and my 18 wheels , and I took a right turn, all legal and by the book, didn't want to jeopardize loosing my Happy Meal reward for millions of accident free miles, and some dude try to pass me on the right, to go straight. Well the tractor was already turned to the right turn, but the trailer wasn't all the way through, and he just drove right under the middle of it . Now , if I wasn't expecting this behavior, crunch and there goes my Happy Meal, but I was going so slow I saw him and stopped in time, and let him back out and continue in his rush. Never had any troubles with cyclists though. Who knew , be safe , anticipate ! Especially in the snow !
With the popularity of rental bicycles and the successful effort to increase cycling as a mode of urban transportation, looks like some of the older generation folks are getting a bit cranky with the up-and-comers crowding 'their' scene. These middle-aged cyclists are no longer the only saviors of the universe they once anointed themselves to be. Move over buddy, that lady is younger and faster than you and she just passed you! (gasp! what a blow to his fragile macho ego!) Pedal faster next time and maybe she won't be outpace you. This probably wasn't his first assault and it likely won't be his last. What a tool.
jack ass 20 something male cyclists that ride like their spandex cycling shorts are on fire? The same ones that ride through crosswalks where the traffic stops for me to cross?
Come on, man. Not all cyclists over 45 are asswipes. Plus, you are making a lot of assumptions in your post. What, did some guy over 50 give you the finger the other day? Cool your pedals and relax.
Those of us who have been riding these routes since about a decade before your mommy cranked you out generally wouldn't be caught dead on Mass Ave, save for the bridge part. We are old enough to remember people getting doored in the bike lane and run down by buses, too. There are many alternative routes though Cambridge.
I don't even ride Hampshire St. in the morning anymore because of the toxic cocktail of clueless motorists, entitled cab and truck drivers, and cyclenoobz. No thanks ... although having them all where I'm not is an effective use of a cycling lane, too.
Perhaps middle-aged guy was mostly upset for being passed by a young woman while he was trying to be macho and "taking the lane". All those years in the saddle are harmful to male sexual function, prostrate, and sperm production. No wonder he would feel inferior to a woman half his age.
Comments
Uh-oh...
Which side to take in the ongoing UHub Battle of Cars vs. Bikers on this one? Let the Hunger Games begin!
Batten Down the hatches!
I predict a perfect storm of self-righteousness, indignation and disdain.
Tsk tsk
People say that bikes are the victims of more road crimes than any other group, but it's really just a lot of bike-on-bike crime.
Can't tell if sarcastic?
But anyway, I'd have to imagine that as a group, cars are the victims of "more" road crimes than any other group. I mean I'd just chalk that up to volumes of cars vs. bikes that drive around this area and the various fender benders to more severe accidents that bikes just aren't involved in due to physics/lack of being on roads with higher speeds. Of course I don't have any data on hand to support that but I mean, I can't really remember that last time I heard a bike on bike crime story around town.
I'm sure that data can be found in the road safety report the city put out a few months back, gotta look that up.
Not sarcastic...sardonic
The reason you don't hear about all of the bike-on-bike crime is that the media can't sell advertising with it. But if a young white coupe disappears, it's all over the news.
Not only did she pass on the right...
I heard she tried backing her bike into a bike rack. Who's ever heard of backing into a space?!
that headline
My favorite part of that story is the "fellow cyclist" part of the headline as if all riders get together, link hands, and sing kumbaya every day after work.
I have no empirical data to support this, but the anecdotal evidence from my daily commute supports a similar proportion of jackasses riding bikes as there are in cars that similarly think that it's everyone else that's the bad driver. They just tend to be less dangerous because they don't control two tons of steel and are therefore less scary. They're most easily spotted on Hubway bikes pumping their legs trying to keep in front of other riders and then giving the stink-eye when they're passed by bikes that weigh half as much (which is most bikes) and/or that have 4-times as many gears.
They mostly endanger themselves
99% of the jackasses are just in a big hurry, like other massholes, and don't get that their hurry isn't the most important hurry in the world.
Unlike jackmasshole motorists with the same attitude, they are mostly a danger to themselves.
I have, on several occasions, had someone try to ride the space that I'm giving the "door zone". I just scold them like the spoiled children they are, and then they invariably put a handlebar into a mirror or make some other stupid mistake due to their first stupid mistake. I've had others try to quickly pass on the right where there are no parked cars ... and seen three or four of them plow or nearly plow the rear end of the next car.
They'll learn ... sometimes the hardest way. I referred one young woman who was riding in an unsafe manner to MassBike courses. She caught up with me some weeks later and thanked me - she didn't realize that banging a right on red at speed and other obnoxious hurry behaviors might get her an ER trip.
But, hey, look at the bright side: young people doing stupid things on bikes most commonly results in sub-fatal, self-inflicted wounds. Young people doing stupid things in cars and trucks causes vastly more collateral damage.
There's no excuse for bad car drivers' actions/behaviors, but,
unfortunately, however, roughly 80% of the time, in the event of bicyclist vs. car fatalities, the bicyclist has been at fault.
The guy on the bicycle who the woman passed on the right had no business physically assaulting her, but, as a general precaution, the woman had no business passing the other bicyclist on the right, either.
There is a bike lane there
Would it be wrong for the woman to pass her assailant on the right when she is in the bike lane, or both are in the bike lane, or perhaps he is in the vehicle lane and she is in the bike lane?
Actually, not true
Please provide your source for statistics.
And search earlier threads where there are multiple references to studies demonstrating that drivers are at fault about 60-80% of the time.
http://www.bikeradar.com/us/news/article/drivers-at-fault-in-majority-of...
http://road.cc/content/news/12065-report-dft-casualty-stats-says-cyclist...
http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/cyclists-cause-less-than-10-of-bikecar-a...
All of these articles link to the original studies.
Passing Rules
Passing on the right [vehicle type irrelevant] is some sort of bizarre, US only [just about] phenomenon that you just won't see in other countries [well except the former Soviet states and the Balkans and Italy where everyone drives like they have terminal cancer and just don't care anymore]. Note I am not counting left driving countries where passing should be on the right.
I can however think of occasions where maybe the only way to pass another cyclist would be on the right rather than going into heavy traffic. But it's better to wait for that slow person to move over for you so you can pass them safely on the outside.
Nonetheless, violent responses to poor driving or riding is not the answer. Just keep doing the right thing yourselves, teach your children [if you have any] the same courtesies. And hopefully that good behavior will seep out into the larger population.
For bikes, the safe pass is also on the left
It is far safer to speed up, merge in with car traffic, and then move back over once the slow bike is passed. Passing on the right, which is completely idiotic, should never be attempted.
Sounds like you haven't
Sounds like you haven't traveled much. I don't think there's a country I've been to where I haven't seen regular right side passing. I'm talking major countries in Europe and Asia. Definitely not a US only thing, it's a people want to go faster and the left lane is blocked thing.
Funny--
Agreed!
Its like some cyclists just WANT us to have a bad name
I just have to facepalm when I read stories like this. Yeah dude, I get it, she passed you illegally, probably scared you a little, I know I get that too when cars/other riders pass too close. It can just catch you off guard, you could lose balance and fall into traffic/the curb/whatever.
But if that guy knew enough about road safety to call her out for acting illegally, let her know that by talking to her. I've been doing this alot recently, especially with the rookie riders around town. If I catch up to them I'm like "hey man, look, ya gotta start following the rules, you're giving us all a bad name and you're putting your life at risk. Knock it off." I mean thats mainly directed at the red light runners but I've had a few friendly conversations with riders about getting helmets, strapping on some lights, use those hand signals, etc.
Nevermind that he counters an illegal action with another illegal act by assaulting this woman. I just have to shake my head at self-righteous asshat riders like this, they do nothing but build confirmation-biased examples for anti-cyclists to say "SEE! THEY ALL BREAK THE LAW!"
What is the correct side?
Should a biker pass another biker on the left or right? I assume left.
I think its like any other vehicle with regards to passing
You need to pass at a safe distance, just like a car needs to pass a cyclist/other cars safely, which might require them to merge into the adjacent lane or yield to oncoming traffic, cross the double line and then merge back in when safe.
I think the only time you could pass another cyclist on the right is the Comm Ave lanes in the Back Bay, which are all the way to the left of the road. I ride this daily and when I need to pass a slower cyclist, I check behind me, signal and merge into the left traffic lane, pass the cyclist and merge back into the bike lane when safe.
Use your bell or voice
Let somebody know that you are there and are passing. Just in case they pop out to pass another cyclist as you are overtaking them.
Also, think two or three moves ahead. Otherwise, you may pop out to pass what you think is one cyclist, only it turns out to be a long line.
Perhaps she did alert him
Perhaps she did alert him that she was about to pass. No need to blame the victim, swrrly.
You don't know what happened... unless you were there, or one of the cyclists was your cousin's ex-girlfriend's daughter or your uncle's best friend's plumber, or something.
Where's that ignore button?
... again?
Shh. Be quiet
The grown ups are talking. If you don't understand what they are talking about, you can ask questions later. Shush.
Attacking a woman is fine
Attacking a woman is fine because she passed a man on a bike on the side he does not prefer? Sorry, not going to shut my mouth, coward. Grow up, suburbanites! Those backing the assailant are disgusting.
Please Explain
How is a discussion by veteran urban cyclist grownups about the proper way for a cyclist to pass another cyclist in any way equivalent to "backing the assailant".
Or are you simply not being bothered to actually read anything here??? Maybe if you paid more attention, your cycling experiences would improve.
Nobody's backing the assailant
Nobody's backing the assailant. I haven't seen a single post in the thread that says that what he did was OK. If you think I'm wrong about that, then please quote the specific words you think were a defense of the assailant.
But just because what that guy did was a criminal act, doesn't mean that the woman was correct to pass on the right. I don't know about this specific case, but in most cases passing on the right is dangerous both to the person passing and to the person being passed. And THAT's what people are criticizing. But even if she was wrong to pass, that's no excuse for physically attacking her, and NOBODY here has said otherwise.
Forget the bike. Should have
Forget the bike. Should have taken the Subaru. Carries more granola bars.
GRANOLA!
that's pure gold. You must be a professional comedy writer, huh?
Like marionettes on a string
so are the days of our click baiting life...
You gotta expect that
You gotta expect that behavior when out in the masses.Why people just don't leave a tad earlier than they have to, just to relieve some of the self imposed stress and drama of traveling , I can't figure out . Once upon a time , in Cambridge , Harvard Square to be exact, I was tooling along , me and my 18 wheels , and I took a right turn, all legal and by the book, didn't want to jeopardize loosing my Happy Meal reward for millions of accident free miles, and some dude try to pass me on the right, to go straight. Well the tractor was already turned to the right turn, but the trailer wasn't all the way through, and he just drove right under the middle of it . Now , if I wasn't expecting this behavior, crunch and there goes my Happy Meal, but I was going so slow I saw him and stopped in time, and let him back out and continue in his rush. Never had any troubles with cyclists though. Who knew , be safe , anticipate ! Especially in the snow !
guy is a douchebag and a menace
With the popularity of rental bicycles and the successful effort to increase cycling as a mode of urban transportation, looks like some of the older generation folks are getting a bit cranky with the up-and-comers crowding 'their' scene. These middle-aged cyclists are no longer the only saviors of the universe they once anointed themselves to be. Move over buddy, that lady is younger and faster than you and she just passed you! (gasp! what a blow to his fragile macho ego!) Pedal faster next time and maybe she won't be outpace you. This probably wasn't his first assault and it likely won't be his last. What a tool.
Oh, as opposed to the
jack ass 20 something male cyclists that ride like their spandex cycling shorts are on fire? The same ones that ride through crosswalks where the traffic stops for me to cross?
Come on, man. Not all cyclists over 45 are asswipes. Plus, you are making a lot of assumptions in your post. What, did some guy over 50 give you the finger the other day? Cool your pedals and relax.
Whoa!
Spandex bike shorts catch fire? Cool.
Damn Kids!
Now they got movie special effects. Can't you even be original? /cranky
So, you would speed up to a
So, you would speed up to a female cyclist and shove her off of her bike if she passed you? Damn! That's pathetic.
Oh, so it's an age thing....
Makes perfect sense now - he did it because he was older. Why didn't I see that?
I'm not excusing the guy for being a total dickhead, but the younger, faster rider did do something stupid. But, she was young, so we can expect that.
Us cranky geezers
Those of us who have been riding these routes since about a decade before your mommy cranked you out generally wouldn't be caught dead on Mass Ave, save for the bridge part. We are old enough to remember people getting doored in the bike lane and run down by buses, too. There are many alternative routes though Cambridge.
I don't even ride Hampshire St. in the morning anymore because of the toxic cocktail of clueless motorists, entitled cab and truck drivers, and cyclenoobz. No thanks ... although having them all where I'm not is an effective use of a cycling lane, too.
check your attitude
I don't condone men punching women. I don't care if he's an avid cyclist. Sorry, but I 100% disagree with your point of view.
Reading comprehension
I don't see where anyone said it was OK for this guy to assault her. Could you please point out to my where anyone said what this jerk did was OK?
Passed by a girl? -->Sexual insecurity
Perhaps middle-aged guy was mostly upset for being passed by a young woman while he was trying to be macho and "taking the lane". All those years in the saddle are harmful to male sexual function, prostrate, and sperm production. No wonder he would feel inferior to a woman half his age.
Prostrate?
That's what happens to people who don't get enough exercise.
Cycling and all exercise improve sexual function - the idea that bikes emasculate is your fantasy.
You are seriously creepy today, dude.