Stupid Cyclist Move of the Day???

SteveyD - 2009-05-04 4:00 PM its a confidence thing in my opinion. I've been cycling since i was about 5 and i know my limits etc. I am also quite comfortable cycling down the middle of the lane if it means i'm safer. Most people will go along the edge to let cars overtake but ot always the best idea

wwlani - 2009-05-04 6:00 PM Cyclist should always be in the right most lane that SAFELY gets them where they are going. So if 3 lanes turning left, they should be in the right most lane turning left.

robertp1024 - 2009-05-04 6:15 PM I agree, I think in most cases, light changes and you can get off the line faster than a cement vehicle.

wbmstrmjb - 2009-05-04 7:32 PM Yeah, assuming cement truck stays in his lane, where is the potential carnage? Maybe we are missing something.

Tri2improve - 2009-05-04 6:26 PM

Two problems I see in this situation, one is that after they make the turn they are in the middle of three lanes, which is not where cyclists should be, so when/how do they get back in the right lane? They would have to hold up traffic behind them until the right lane clears for them to move over, and that's just rude!!

Second of all, what would happen if someone in the right lane behind the cement truck decided to go around the truck and didn't know there were cyclists next to the truck? When a car is in a hurry wants to go around a slow moving truck, they gun it to get past the truck, and it wouldn't take but a few seconds for that car to run over the cyclists, because the guy in the car is watching the truck, and his rear view mirror....not necessarily in front of him. He would see that their is no vehicle  in that lane, but he wouldn't be able to see the cyclists from behind the truck!!

I'm with COSki Girl on this.....stupidity, arrogance, or a boatload of confidence in their cycling skills to be able to power past the truck and get back into the right lane ahead of him, either way it's a recipe for disaster....IMO!!

dave699 - 2009-05-04 8:33 PM

200 pounds of cyclist can beat pretty much any car from a dead stop off the line, let alone a cement truck.  Easy day.  It's not stupidiy, arrogance, or overconfidence necessarily.  Again, it's not entirely clear from the OP.

I don't deny that you do have valid points regarding the literal and figurative tunnel vision of most car drivers.

Everyone has their comfort zone.  To each their own.

I can hit about 30 mph in about 10 seconds in my pickup truck, I'm not so sure 200 pounds of cyclist could blow me off the line from a dead stop before I would mow him over. As a matter of fact, I'd take any cyclist up on that bet anyday.....even Lance!!

dave699 - 2009-05-04 9:38 PM

Wait a minute... it was YOU stuck behind the two cyclists!  Let them live!  Let them live!

Tri2improve - 2009-05-04 7:44 PM

No, definately not me......I never turn left!!

dave699 - 2009-05-04 9:13 PM


"I'm not an ambiturner."

aneal000 - 2009-05-05 7:59 AM Slightly off topic, but potentially stupid cyclist move - done by, uh hemh, me.

So when running I have always ran against traffic - like to see 'em comming at me in the event I need to dive into the ditch as they are texting.  When riding the bike with traffic I have always rode with traffic, figured at 15-25mph I was better off going with the flow and the cars could pass when they found it safe to pass (not that that always happens).  So I have this new route that takes me about 5 miles on a busy 5 lane highway with lots of stoplights and businesses along the route.  My route usually involves making a left onto the highway and a left off the highway - so instead of crossing the 5 lanes of traffic I have opted to ride up the shoulder (very wide shoulder) toward oncomming traffic, in much the same fashion I would do if I was running.

I've done this route a few times over the last week and have had MULTIPLE close calls!  People are not looking my direction as they turn across traffic into a business parking lot, they take to the shoulder (not a turn lane) to get out of the highway traffic and don't see me comming at them, the ones on my side are always looking left at oncomming traffic as I approach from the right.  I obviously answered my own question here, but wonder if anyone else has experienced this kind of craizness while riding against traffic?