Bicycling....

[Rogar]

I’ve been seeing a lot of of stupid and dangerous behavior from cyclists. Part of my commute there is a wide asphalt paved trail parallel to the road. It’s used by cyclists and pedestrians. There are no signs prohibiting bike use. The problem are the bicyclists who decide to ride in the middle of the traffic lane where the vehicle speed limit is 45-50 mph. It’s also hilly. I’ve come over a hill and had to slam on the brakes due to a cyclist in the middle of the road. There’s no room to pass them as they’re smack dab in the middle. Laying on the horn does nothing. I’ve almost been rear ended by other cars when I’ve had to slow to a crawl because of the idiot bicyclist. This happens way to often.

There are bad cyclists and bad car drivers. I'm sorry you've had an anxiety problem and your commute has been delayed. I don't know of a solution, other than to prohibit cycling on those roads.

If it's a big safety problem maybe a local planning authority or law enforcement could help. It's places like that that inspire road rage and cease accidents.

If a car driver came up behind me while I was cycling and a drive layed on a horn, there would be a possibilities of major surprise or scare and loss of control. It's not a safe practice regardless of who is right or wrong and borders on road rage, IMHO.

[frugal-one]

Perhaps there are regional differences in bike lane use. It does bring up the question of how much is minimal and what justifies their use. My home town has bike lanes that don't get much use and it's been an issue, but around here they are popular. One thing, not having safe bike lanes and trails is a pretty big detriment to cycle commuting or recreational use in general. I say build it and they will come. A program I saw on PBS said that having bike access within a mile of a home can increase it's property value. That's PBS, but there is probably something to it.

If bike lanes cause undue congestion of auto traffic I'd say there are engineering design or other problems.

Nope. It is built and a waste of resources. Best use and cost effectiveness is to eliminate the unused bike lanes and devote to vehicular use…. in effect, correct the mistake.

[Rogar]

Nope. It is built and a waste of resources. Best use and cost effectiveness is to eliminate the unused bike lanes and devote to vehicular use…. in effect, correct the mistake.

Perhaps the real problem is vehicle use, in light of climate change, and if people are serious about helping.

I do grant there are people who don't buy into human caused climate change and that cars are not part of the problem anyway.

Mister Money Moustache had a good article, "Curbing Your Clown Like Car Habit"

https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013...ike-car-habit/

[littlebittybobby]

Okay----Biking--road biking---gives you a new perspective. If I ride to Strafford or Marshfield, and back on a Sundy, I cross several highways. While I'm waiting to cross, I wonder: Where is everyone going? Getting out and just DRIVE seems to be the national pastime. I know people who buy nice, clean NEW vehicles, and in 5 years, they've piled up miles, and it's time to "trade"(get screwed). See? Even a number of bicyclists have large vehicles with bike racks on the back, so they can load up and DRIVE to some trail somewhere, that they heard about, and then bike, load up and DRIVE home. See? But yeah---people do it because they can. The wealth of fossil fuels was a remarkeable windfall, in the history of man. Hugely beneficial, in many ways. But guess what? WE have squandered that wealth of fossil fuels, and some have gone so far as to claim that it's presently mankinds' worst enemy! But yeah---that just shows that they don't "get it", either. See? Those People I'm talking about may also be making a mortgage payment on a "Dream Home" miles from town, but they are not actually occupying it, much iof the time. They are DRIVING to other places for something to do, as well as to commute to a job, so they can meet their mortgage payment, every month. See? It's all about the DRIVING. Hope that helps you some. Thankk Mee.

[frugal-one]

Perhaps the real problem is vehicle use, in light of climate change, and if people are serious about helping.

I do grant there are people who don't buy into human caused climate change and that cars are not part of the problem anyway.

Mister Money Moustache had a good article, "Curbing Your Clown Like Car Habit"

https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013...ike-car-habit/

You are missing the point entirely. In this area, it is a waste to have lanes for bikes because they are NOT USED. No denying it would be better if bikes were used but here they are NOT. So it is a mute point about climate change. The bike lanes are a waste of tax payer money here. YLMV

For me, I absolutely HATE riding a bike. I live in a small town and walk when I can. If I need anything though, I need to go to the city which is too far to ride a bike (which I wouldn't do even if I could). Even as a kid, when I was given a bike as a gift, I was bummed. I have never seen the draw. To each their own.

[Rogar]

I assume then you are referring to a specific bike lane or lanes in your town that are virtually unused, rather than bike lanes in general. I can image there are towns like that where people don't ever use bikes or kids don't ride bikes to school.