# Full of themselves? Long.



## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Part rant, Part lecture..pontifical post.

This fall season has brought a big influx of cyclists out to one of my favorite riding areas. The riders showing up around here, riders who are acting so "full of themselves" when on their 'country' bike rides, aren't making many friends for our sport. They are pissing off everyone..

I seem to be encountering (recently) a lot of riders who think THEY are the only important thing around. What's up with that? I guess since they've plunked down a few grand for a fancy bike and are all dressed up in Assos, and have come out to do their 30 mile loop, they think they are 'special' now...or something.

Some of the 'wonderful me' behavior I've been encountering lately? 

Vehicles parked blocking access gates to the farmer's fields, houses, or left right in the road..("hey, it's only dirt, it's not even a real road")

Groups riding 2, 3, even 6 abreast and not watching behind for vehicles. Delaying their move to let vehicles pass (if they even bother) and then saying.."Well, shoot, it was only the one car we saw all day...he can wait a minute to get past us.." or "Well, there's 5 of us and only one of him, he can wait for US, till WE decide to let him past..." I've even seen people flipping-off some residents because they dared to honk after being held back for a mile or two...

Oncoming riders, steering out in front of you as they approach, waving you down, blocking your path, asking for directions, asking "how far is_____?" etc...and then just saddling back up and pedaling off without even a "thank you"...Like they 'deserve' to be taken care of, and another rider is just their servant, like your ride is "unimportant" when measured against thier need to chat.

Riders stopping right in the road to chat, drink, put on a shell, whatever..They don't even blink when a wheat truck or some other riders come along...they just stand there, staring with a challenging, stupid, look, expecting everyone to go around THEM....Many times, this happens at the blind crest of a hill (where they stand, panting from a climb) on a very narrow shoulder-less farm road...Too arrogant, I guess, to step aside, off the pavement, for others who use that road, too.

Now, maybe it is just a "city" thing: Get them onto a road without much traffic, unlike where they usually ride, and they decide..."Sheesh, this is great...nobody around...I can do anything at all...." No curbs, no driveways...park anywhere.... Haven't see a car in 35 minutes, I can just stop right in the middle of the road....Hey, here is another rider, he has to tell ME how to find my way around out here...

A sad comment on some sad behavior..The unfortunate thing is that many of the formerly friendly ranchers and farmers living out here, people who I've been getting along with for half a dozen years, now scowl at me..don't wave when I do, "brush me back" by buzzing..and when I see em face to face tell me how they hate cyclists now...

Please, bring along your brain and your manners when you come out to the country..Just because you ride a bike, you aren't magically transformed into a superior being...

Don Hanson


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## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

Not sure what to say except that we can't be responsible for the actions of others. I understand your frustration when you get thrown in the same bucket even when your actual behavior is fine. 

It would appear that the growing frustration between motorists and cyclists is growing, particularly around Portland/Vancouver where I am. The fixie crowd downtown plus the critical mass deals only inflame things.


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## danielc (Oct 24, 2002)

It is unfortunate to be lumped together with irresponsible riders. I guess I would still stop and help and maybe mention some of the etiquette concerns that you have. Most likely they have no idea that they are doing anything wrong. That's one of the reasons why I don't ride large organized rides like the Bridge Pedal anymore.
I have similar feelings towards critical mass. I feel that most of the participants don't wear helmets or follow traffic laws when they are riding, and usually ride aggressively.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

*Unfortunate?*

When the subject of selfish arrogant pricks on bikes comes up...everyone seems to make excuses for the jerks..But rather than being Politically Correct, excusing dummies on bikes anti-social behavior is kinda silly. We are all going to suffer the consequences if we continue to "wink-wink" at the growing number of 'superior' riders who've obviously recently began cycling and have never been told to 'behave'

I enjoy the peace and solitude, the Zen, the meditative quality of my bike riding, but if I am going to get yelled at, honked at, buzzed by irate bike haters, have coffee tossed on me and generally be put at risk because some dick-wads have never learned, or don't give a crap about others on the roads.. then.I'm no longer enjoying the peace and solitude ...THAT is hard to ignore, hard to excuse these new riders with poor attitudes or social skills..

So, since my rides include confrontational episodes with surly drivers more often, I've began 'dissing' dummy riders that I see behaving poorly...Makes me feel like a jerk sometimes, but so be it. At least I am not gonna just Wink and nudge and say..."Oh, well, maybe they never learned about that"...They know after WE tell em...and that, while unpleasant for all, will maybe teach the arrogant dorks how to behave so that the motorists we share the road with won't lobby to get us banned, or run us over, or throw things at us..I't is hard to tell a smug self-important "athelete" he or she isn't doing it right...but we must. They may listen to other cyclists...
Don Hanson


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## borregokid (Jun 9, 2005)

Hey Don, technically in Washington riders can ride two abreast. Most people dont know that but its perfectly legal. If you read into the road rules they dont have to go single file and pull over until they have 5 cars behind them. It would probably make a lot of drivers mad but it wouldnt really be much different than following a piece of farm machinery. 

My guess is you have club riders coming out of Portland who want to have a social type ride. I have been guilty slightly of some of that behavior at Ramrod and STP. In this case running in a group of 40-50 cyclists running two abreast. I dont think however more than 2-3 vehicles ever got behind us. A couple of the drivers when they did pass in my opinion came in as close as they could forcing bikes almost off the road. I also think the behavior of motorist in rural areas is different than in cities. Urban motorists in higher percentages will put up with a lot of stuff from cyclists. People in rural areas that were born and raised in the area they drive dont like outsiders for the most part anyways. Riding two abreast probably makes them mad and now they figure anyone on a bike is from the city and is one of those jerks that likes to ride 2-3 abreast. 

I am going to have to knock on wood but this year I have had fewer incident of drivers coming in at high speeds trying to get as close as they can without hitting you. The one thing that has made me mad in the past couple of years is drivers still continue to pass vehicles coming from the opposite direction when I am on the shoulder. Several times a year a vehicle will pass and the closing speed will be close to 100 mph with maybe 5 feet separating you and the passing vehicle. Its illegal in Washington yet nothing can be done about it unless someone is hit.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

*Interesting about that law, but (long)*

....the law is one of the last things we need to get involved in our cycling lives. If motorists complain often enough due to being impeded by thoughtless cyclists, who do you think the "authorities" will listen to? A 'few' snobby bike riders? or thousands of 'working folk, just trying to earn a living-trying to get to work, etc?

I've even encountered 'agressive driver behavior' from law enforcment people...You probably have been buzzed by that 'P.O.S.' Sherrif's deputy in the Ford Explorer cop truck down around Borrego Springs, right? He HATES bikes, for some reason...maybe they keep getting in his way....And a few cities have odd-ball Cheifs who've decided to "get" those "lawless cyclists"...Not only do they have 6000 lb Cop-trucks, but they also have guns...

It just makes sense not to piss off motor vehicle operators needlessly.. Who can really think it is of paramount importance to finish telling your lame-o personal anectdote and then let the waiting vehicle by? Who thinks nothing about spending an hour turning some expensive cycle cranks but is too lame and lazy to step off the pavement for a minute or two to pull on some golves? 

I'd like to see experienced, realistic riders always "calling" the jerks on their poor citizenship when they see lame and offensive behavior by other cyclists.. We, as riders, should try to control our own. If we leave it up to the law...we'll soon see all kinds of restrictions, and we will be legislated for the "lowest common denominator'...by politicians, lawyers, highway workers, and others without a clue about cycling..

Yeah, when there is a big event, riding a couple abreast makes some sense and motorists are usually OK with that..

.But if you lived on a rural road that's recently attracted arrogant and ignorant cyclists and now your commute sometimes often involves being slowed needlessly to 12mph while "Lance finishes telling Iban Basso how he'd almost won the race over the weekend" or while Mommy One told Mommy two the best place to buy baby food, and Mommy three weaved around trying to fish out her cell phone...You might be prompted to go by the Sherrif's department and file a complaint...and when that happens often enough, the county will take notice...to our 'bad', you can just bet..Or if your 'real country' you'll just take care of the problem yourownself...by chasing off all those ****** bikers...Seen that?

Speak out when you see the dummies...It's that, or suffer later on..
Don Hanson


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## burntbizzkit (Jul 12, 2007)

I understand the need to be kind to fellow citizens, but I do not understand the need to spend every second on your bike worshipping automobiles. Bikes are vehicles and allowed to be on the road. I would be more frustrated with the honking car than the 2-abreast bikers. How many times has a biker killed a driver? ...

Why is it so important that we travel at 50 mph every second of the day? Why is everyone always in such a rush? People need to demolish their cars and make this stuff end. :thumbsup:


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