Bikers' rights start with giving motor vehicles their rights, too
I had to laugh at all the emails I am getting lately about bikers rights and opening up the waterfront and bike paths for them and so on.I don't think I have ever seen a biker on any bike paths or waterfront, they are usually five deep blocking traffic on most weekends, daring cars to go around them. We all need to share the road, bikers have rights, but so do motor vehicle drivers.
I took this photo the other day and this seems to be the way it should be -- bikers to the right, and room for cars to the left. Below you can see the photos that Harry Emilio Gottlieb took this morning. While very pretty to look at, it's not so pretty when you are trying to drive on the road, too, and they commandeer the road and basically don't care if you can pass or not.
I don't think I ever had the nerve to ride my bike in the center of the street and dare cars to go around me. I keep to the side of the road and allow them access. I guess when you put those tight spandex shorts on, it does more than squash your unmentionables, it goes right to your brain, too.
Can't we all just share the road?
posted by Tom Falco at 12:01 PM
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19 Comments:
The cyclist who is otherwise a very nice person, becomes something different once they are in the cycling mob.
Suddenly they are in command of the roadway. 20 mph is a good speed for them, so therefore it is also a good speed for the thirty cars following, and if the cars don't like it, tough.
im a lifelong biker, but i agree with you that bikes taking up the road, even if perfectly legal, defies common sense.
they only do this in miami, from what i see. evidently, they have a death wish.
miami needs more safe places to bike, but the roads -driven by miami's certifiably insane motorists - are not among them.
Grape, you are correct about this, to some extent. Bikers - and I'm one of them - need to share the road with cars. And they need to obey traffic rules, stop at red lights, even stop signs. There are laws about that, hardly anyone knows, car drivers or bikers.
Most bikers, (as car drivers - I drive too) - are uneducated, obtrusive and abusive on the road, daring cars to hit them. Where there's no Bike path or enough room on the road (as in most sections of South Bayshore Dr. for instance, Bikers need to ride on "Single File" (it's Biker nomenclature, there's a hand sign for that and a call) as close to the right as possible.
Car drivers tend to hate us and sometimes, rightfully so. These groups that take control of an entire street even on weekdays when people in cars are pressed in time to get to work, are just ignorants and pompous asses.
That said, so are many uneducated car drivers who yell at us when we're doing the right thing, in our right to use the road taking as little space as possible (I do that for my own safety too, those who don't are just stupid and eventually get hit)
So both Bikers and Car drivers need to coexist and get educated. I once saw a cop giving a biker a ticket for some stupid thing he did, across traffic. I applauded that and thanked the cop as I passed by on my Bike.
A significant problem is the lack of education on both parties, --laws should be created and enforced on these abusive biker packs, or even small groups or individual bikers abusing their rights.
Finally, the main problem is that Miami is the THIRD WORST city in the Entire USA for Bikers. It's been established. No bike paths (especially in the Grove) no education, no facilities, etc.
You have to get to the City of Key Biscayne, after the Rickenbacker toll plaza, to FINALLY have a Civilized Bike Path all the way to Crandon and Bill Baggs park. And I'm talking from Kendall to Downtown, to South Miami to Homestead, to the other lousy Cause Ways(Mc Carthy were bikers were just hit and killed) and south Beach, etc. 3rd WORST in the nation.
Elsewhere in the city of Miami, there are NO Bike paths or planning for bikes and cars to coexist, as in manmy other cities here in the US and abroad.
So until they fix that, the problem wil only get worse: More people = more cars, more bikes. Every year.
If the Grove was it's own City, Bike paths would be built in 3 months, I reckon. Easy and Cheap, mind you. On Bayshore, Tiger Tail, Main Highway, etc.
But "Cement Manny", who pretends to be a feverish advocate of the cause for making Miami more biker-friendly, (I've got a e-mail directly from him about this) and with that slow "Bike Master" plan for Miami hasn't accomplished anything.
The ineptitude of the City of Miami is exposed in clear and grotesque light yet again. Look at the Cities of Key Biscayne or Weston. I Often take my car there with the Bike, so I can Bike in peace.
Carlos.
"I don't think I have ever seen a biker on any bike paths or waterfront"
Well, because there are NO Bike paths in Miami, or the Grove, let alone in the so-called "Waterfront"
The only decent Bike path is in Key Biscayne, just improved by that city all the way to Bill Baggs.
If you've ever ridden a ROAD bike, not a mountain Bike, you can't ride on these bogus "bike paths" that some people think even exist.
Just try it. Hop on a Speed/Road Bike and go from the Circle to the Toll Plaza, for instance.
And about the shorts and attire we use for the sport,, instead of making fun of it, why don't you try riding 70 miles on Jeans, tough guy?
I agree 100%, Grape. I just dropped someone off at FLL airport this morning and returned to the Grove only to get stuck behind these a-holes riding 4 bikers across and taking up the whole lane. I blared the horn and eventually they moved over but I still had to cross the yellow line to get around them.
If bikers want to share the road, they need to yield to drivers, period. Anything more than single file does nothing but anger drivers and makes it much more difficult to accept bikers.
Blind Mind, crossing the double yellow line is encouraged as a way to safely pass a bike. I hope that all who read this give bikers at least three feet of clearance, it's the law. We don't have to yield to drivers. We ALL share the road equally. Just because your vehicle of choice weighs more doesn't mean you are entitled to get your way exactly the second that you want it. This is a city filled with selfish motorized vehicle people who should learn a little patience and self-control while navigating the mean streets of Miami, bicycles or not.
Well said GRAPE!! I am always so nervous because I don't want to hit them, but its so hard when they are on both sides. One time I was driving along Main Hwy and one niker ran into my car.
There needs to be more rules or laws because this is ridiculous!!!
Sorry anon 6:35 but there doesn't need to be any more rules or laws.
There's plenty of traffic law out there already. All that is needed is for bikers and motorists alike to follow them consistently.
As Carlos stated above, bikers need to realize that if they are on the road, they are subject to the same rules as cars.
I always use appropriate cyclist hand signals when riding the roads around here, though I really must wonder if anybody recognizes (or cares) what they mean.
Anon @ 6:12, youre wrong. Slower traffic is supposed to keep to the right. In some sections of the country, its the law and is punishable by fine. Since youre all about being equal, this means a person on a bike would obviously be slower traffic and thus must yield to the right. Its also a little thing called common courtesy and consideration for others. Why you would choose to make people in cars wait behind you is beyond me.
Agreed blind mind, on the Bike we usually run at around 17-22 mph. That's too slow for car traffic in many areas. As a courtesy to other vehicles (cars) bikes should stay on the right and let faster cars pass by. And bikes, I don't care how large a peloton may be, they should go on single-file on narrow roads, and double file, tops, on ample roads, even when there's an adecuate Bike path like in the City of Key Biscayne or Weston.
Bike paths need only be 4' wide, could be 8 feet wide, so 2, or 3 bikes tops, per row is enough.
I reiterate that there is a problem of lack of education about the rules and common sense both for bikers and cars. We need to respect each other. Car drivers need to know that Bikes have the same legal right to use any road except highways than cars. and Bikers should be ticketed by Police if they break traffic laws. (I know it's tough, because it's not mandatory that we carry an official ID in the Bike or our drivers licences, but anyway.)
But again, the main problem in Miami is that there are no Bike paths and it's a mess for cars and bikes to co-exist. 3rd worst city in the nation.
In the Grove it's a shame the city of Miami can't even build a half-decent bike path in many heavily transited areas like South Bayshore Drive, Main Highway, etc.
Did you notice the pathetic little patching job they just did in front of Kennedy Park? What a joke. Small, uneven blotches of asphalt just thrown here or there to fill in some holes on the side, they do that kind of CRAP work better in Third-World poor countries. Every time I run through there, I still have to be careful not to twist an ankle badly, as has happened before. It's rough terrain, good for mountain bikes.. Have you seen the deplorable state of Tiger Tail from beginning to end? Looks and feels like a a freaking Mine Field, holes and uneven pavement, gravel, obstacles everywhere.
But the City of Miami can't build a decent bike path like they built in the city of Key Biscayne or Weston, in South Bayshore AND Tiger tail... Pathetic. Just look at those roads, it's feasible, there's space and it would be relatively cheap to do.
Talk to Sarnoff or Manny about that.. I've tried. I guess they prefer to build concrete buildings elsewhere or whatever it is they do with our Grove Tax money.
Carlos.
I regularly use mountain bikes, not road bikes, and I find the pelotons to be as aggressive and abusive as they complain that cars are towards them. Countless times I've had road bikers pass me and cut so close in front of me as to almost take me off the road.
Most road bikers are complete assholes with no desire to share anything except their petty little attitudes.
They can't stand traffic, they can't stand mountain bikers going happily alone at 10 mph, they don't like the bike paths because they don't look "macho" using them... complete and utter assholes 90% of them
anon at 8:20am.
Can you make a special effort to try and understand the following 2 simple concepts?
1. There are NO viable Bike paths for Road Bikes in the City of Miami. NONE, ZILCH. The closest on is in the City of Key Biscayne, where we all go, on Rickenbacker causeway down to Crandon Park.
We LOVE bike paths, so stop talking crap about "macho" nonsense and insulting mostly good people.
If you try the sidewalk or the Mountain Bike Pseudo-"bike-paths" that are all messed up with bumps, tree roots, debris, glass, gravel and holes in some places, you'll destroy an expensive Road Bike in 5minutes, get flat tires ot just crash and get injured.
Did you undertand point #1?
2. MOST Road Bikers are not "assholes". Some are, sure, as I pointed out above. But most do stick to the right inasmuch as they can and get the Hell out of Coconut Grove as soon as possible to be safer in Key Biscayne or roads with less traffic.
Again the problem is one of education for those bikers that abuse their legal right to be on the road and car drivers alike, you could use some yourself.
Plus Miami being a MESS for bicycles and cars to coexist.
Blame that on the City of Miami's brilliant planning for the Grove and other caotic areas.
"Cement Manny Diaz" is supposedly working on a "Bike Master plan", but you just watch, it will take longer to even begin than the infamous "Waterfront Master Plan", another decade, probably.
Carlos.
"Impeding the normal flow of traffic" is a traffic violation. So is "Failure to maintain lane." If bike riders were held to the same standards as other drivers, many of the problems would be solved.
BTW, a stop sign does not mean "Look both ways before barreling through."
This situation is an arogant disregard of the law some bikers adhear to. These people think one they get in the bike seat they can do anything they want. Once again our police do not enforce slower trafic yeild to legal trafic behind them. succed from Miami and form a new city of coconut grove with local minded police.
Carlos.
Maybe let me put this in terms that are simple so you also understand: "In my experience, about 80% of all road bikers I've ever met, seen or run across are assholes" They have a complete and utter disregard not only for traffic laws (which is fine with me, by the way) but also of anyone who is not in their pack.
I have not run across 100% of all road bikers in the world. For sure. And, who knows, you might be a great citizen, for all I know.
However, in biking back and forth between Cocoplum and the end of Key Biscayne for years on my mountain bike, 80% of the spandexed and colorful road bikers have turned out to be real assholes.
Most of the comments seem to talk about rules of the road and sharing the road civilly between bikers and drivers. Not enough emphasis though on why the cyclists do not obey traffic signals, or stop signs, and why they are NEVER ticketed for totally disregarding same. Any ideas?
anon at 7:57pm:
Obviously you are not very bright, totally biased and obtuse-minded and really a waste of time. I gave it a shot, though, at educating you a bit. Thankfully, many other people read this blog.
anon at 11:01 am:
Well, like I said, Cyclists should be reprimanded and ticketed by the Police when they abuse their Road Rights. I've seen a few instances,
but yes, most of it goes unnoticed.
One reason is Cops are trained to watch out for car traffic violations, not Bike violations. The City of Miami is so FAR behind most other half-civilized Cities in the world that EVEN the Police hardly have a clue or official training as to how to deal with abusive Cyclists.
Again, a lack of education, this time on the part of the Authorities themselves. The Bikers are uneducated, SO are car drivers, AND even the police is largely clueless about current existing Laws.
Also, it's kind of tough to ticket a Biker, we are not mandated by law to carry a proper ID or Driver's licence while riding a bike, so how are they going to ticket the dumb asses who don't know how to ride a Bike properly? We have no tags. That could be changed, perhaps.
But again, MOST Bikers try to do the right thing, if you notice with an open mind. Most of us try, (f0R OUR OWN SAFETY - if not for courtesy or knowledge of the rules )- to stick to the right, single-file, lights all over at night, and stay the HELL away from cars which can easily kill you or severely injure you with the slightest impact. (2-3Ton cars vs. a 300lb bike with just a Helmet? Ouch..)
TODAY, a 16 year old student was killed on his Bike in Broward, hit by a car.
Most of us ride in single lines in dangerous places like S,Bayshore drive IF you notice. Of course, what will stick to your memory is the minority who don't, real uneducated dumb asses. And the big groups, who think they own the road. I just don't join those here, only and occasionally maybe just to Race where it's safer in Key Biscayne, Virginia Key or Weston but NEVER on Coconut Grove's and City of Miami narrow roads. That's just Stupid on their behalf, and there are serious accidents all the time, if not with Cars who normally manage to avoid them, amongst themselves! Because they don't know how to ride in groups, some of them.
And I'll say one last time, the root of the problem between bikes and cars, besides ignorance by all parties involved, including the Police, is that Miami is the 3rd WORST City in the USA for Bikes AND Cars to Coexist in harmony.
Just a freaking MESS, no Bike paths etc, etc. In Key Biscayne, Weston, Portland Oregon, Colorado, most Cities in the USA, not to mention Europe, Amsterdam, etc, Canada or even Bogota, there are no such problems, people in Bikes, Cars, teh Authorities are educated, there is planning for everyone to SHARE THE ROAD.
So be my guest and try to talk to "Cement Manny" or Comm. Sarnoff of the City of Miami, see what they say or DO.
Good luck and be very patient.
Carlos
Actually, there is one SIMPLE thing the Police could do Right Now, cheap and very effective in the Short Term:
Instead of having all those Police Cars having their picnics on litle shaded corners in Tiger Tail listening to the Radio just waiting to nail a driver going by a stop sign for hours, have those cops and many other idle ones patrol places like Main Highway and South Bayshore with those lights and Loud Speakers:
Everytime they see one of the large Pelotons of reckless Bikers (I know most of them, The Don Pan Group, The Circle Group, The Bike Tech group, etc, and their exact Daily schedules..) The Cop just light up them lights "Stick to the right! Single Line!" Siren and all.
The bikers are mostly the same most days. I know most of their faces by now. Not that I'll "rat" any of my friends,, but I think in the end it's a favor.
THIS would teach REAL QUICK many of us Bikers to stick to the right, single-lane and obey the Laws, stop at red lights and all.
Just a few police cars at the right times scaring the Hell out of abusive Bikers, and teaching them the Law, or else..
Up to Sarnooff and Manny, etc, of course, but that would be real effective, because the word spreads VERY fast amongst our cycling community.
Carlos
This is a real threat to the wellbeing of our community. We need to make sure that heavy traffic can move at 30mph or faster through the center of the grove. These bikers are denying my freedoms!
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