Proper method of passing pedestrians

[paccool]

TJ

I did about the same thing last week. Pulled up to a light in the inside lane. Another car pulled up next to me in the right lane. Behind him came a white lowrider truck with the stereo booming away. He was sitting with my tailpipe pointing right at his open drivers window. The right lane went away just past the light.



The light turned green, I went to WOT, and the white truck dissapeared in a very dark cloud. I had to laugh as I saw him swerve to the right shoulder to get out of the cloud. Don't know if he did that to keep the truck clean or to see the road!



I don't do that very often, don't like the Boom Boom stuff!

 

[Papa Joe]

David, it's obvious you are a GOOD cyclist. I think the guys, including myself, are peeved at the bicycles with a bad 'tude. You (we) can spot 'em a mile away.

Be safe. Joe

 

[BK]

Dave,

Something like a bridge, I would play it save and wait. It's not worth anyone getting hurt.

But around here we can go for 20 miles with two way traffic and narrow winding roads heading out east. Which is very popular for the bike clubs. So on the road I'll give a few toots... from my horn that is... . and go around. . There are some that instead of slowing down and or moving over a bit and watching whats up...

will ignore the horn, keeo looking straight ahead and move further into the road... . thats the cyclist (like the motorcycle riders that ride down the white dotted line between stopped lanes of traffic) that give the good riders the bad name. It's like the (oh ho... flack jacket on if there are any of the better halfs reading this ) woman drivers... ..... not all are as bad as the basic believe would have it...





It's all good, till some idot makes it bad...



Bob

 

[Fireman]

The old firetruck I used to drive had an added on Jake Brake and every time you let off the gas and activated the brake you got a great cloud of black smoke. Where I work all the streets are crooked and narrow and to make this short anyone dumb enough to jog out in the street got gassed



mean old Fireman

 

[joel]

small point...

BK: "others I think just think they own the road and have the right of way and some how I'm supposed to push the other cars out of the way in the oncoming lane, or I'm supposed to stay behind him at 15mph"



I believe, BK, that in most, if not all states, bicycles are considered the same as cars on the roads so technically they DO have the right of way if they are in the lane, just as another car would. And you are supposed to pass when the lane markers allow it.



Having said that - and being a cyclist myself - I do think cyclists should hang out on the shoulder as much as possible to not slow traffic. And a friendly beep to let us know you're there is welcome. But, if there's a section of narrow bridge or narrow road with no shoulder, I'll plant myself squarely in the lane (and peddle my ass off!) until it's safe to move over; which I will do as soon as I possibly can.

 

[Steve M]

I try to be considerate of bike riders. I get fumed enough while riding my Harley. We ride our bikes on the bicycle trails and try to stay out of the way of vehicles on the road. But, when I see some bike riders hogging the road and blocking traffic, of course I'll get riled up and blow 'em some smoke. When I'm on my Harley with straight pipes on it now, I can blip the throttle as I pass them and make their hair stand up. But only if I feel they truly asked for it. Now if it's a lady, time to show some manners and wave as I pass with a light twist on the loud handle.

 

[DieselDoghouse]

Well, what a dilemma I AM a bike rider, got the bed rack for the truck - the whole bit. But I sense some concern over bikes in the middle of the travel lanes so much of the time, or 3 and 4 side-by down the road (by the way you're supposed to have a permit for that - parade or race). When I see a bike ahead keeping to the right I always try to back off the pedal a little and give them space. When I see them directly in front in the middle of the lane I also give them room, and I always wash my windshield - alot! . I've always found a little cooperation from us bikeys gets alot in return. As to the cop down the street, since he knows about the bombing anyway obviously he should get the first ride!!

 

[DHatfield]

The only time I turn on the smoke is if somebody doesn't know the proper distances to be behind someone. My indicator is if I can't see the bottom of there windshield they are way too close so I hammer down, or if a Powerstoke is near by or I accidentally pull out.

 

[BK]

Joel,

As I said in an earlier post, on a bridge or such where it's a short distance to wait and no shoulder... it's not worth hurting someone and I will wait...

but there are minimum speeds to occupy the main lane. The cyclist just cant do that in a 55 zone, haven't seen any around here that can even do that in a 30 zone. I do give the friendly toots to let them know I'm passing. Slower traffic is supposed to yeild to the normal flow as not to cause an accident or imped the flow..... tickets are issued for that. A cyclist (or the two abreast)that ride in the middle of the lane in a 55mph zone, doing 10mph, deserves what he/she gets. Thats like working with live wires in a flooded basement, it's idiotic. I don't intend to run anyone over or hurt anyone, but those idiots are the ones I'm talking about, and they are around, and if they keep it up they are gonna get themselves killed.



For those that are respectfull riders, I give a ton of respect and room to, I used to ride a lot in my twenties, been hit twice by folks seemingly trying to hit me, in both cases I was far onto the shoulder. And than there was the third time, it wasnt a car... ... . it was because of the gals walking on the other side of the road during the summer, walking back from the beach... . and as always I was riding as far over on the shoulder as I could... and than that telephone pole jumped out in front of me... . SMACK... Can we say, large flat spot on the front rim. .





DHatfield ,

I love when the little boom box cars tailgate me when I'm doing 30 in a 30 zone, or slower when I know there's a lot of kids around that street..... They don't expect a large truck to stop as short as it can at stop signs... . that always gets them, that makes them back off.

 

[rich m]

rice-burning boomboxes and anything "slammed"...

I usually reserve the smoke'n'thunder for the "foomp-foomp" cars and the "slammed" suspensions... they're usually the same ones anyway...



I think I need to get a bigger turbine. The 12cm spools up too quick for a really big cloud! (odd--most want a 14 or 16 for heat control )



I was very embarrassed the first time I got it back from the shop (new injectors and BD's #5 plate, and too many funspins on the ol' starwheel ) . . I WOT'd it from a dead (red light) stop. The lady in the Lexus at my right-rear became invisible, and she hadn't even offended me at all!



Sometimes I also use it as kind of a "greeting" for other oilburners, like some sick version of a fart club or something... .



Truck's in body shop now, having a Ford-print removed, and boy, do I miss it! (been driving the '93 B250 van with the 318--- decent enough vehicle, but that thing only gets 16mpg on the highway,and worse in town )

 

['956Wheel]

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM, shaved headed dweebs with a 6" dia tailpipe on 40 bucks worth of car damaging the ears, it is your obligation to SMOKE EM!