The rules of the road
Over the weekend I was on Main Highway driving north, waiting to turn onto McFarlane, I was in the turning lane and there was another lane of traffic next to me, going north onto Grand Avenue.
A cyclist starts banging on my car window. I opened the window and he starts yelling at me that I don't know the rules of the road! I asked him what he meant and he said I needed to leave him three feet. Now picture Main Highway, where would I have three feet to give him?
He was behind me so I may have been blocking him from the rear, but so was every car on Main Highway. We didn't cut him off in traffic or anything. When I told him I knew the rules of the road, he called me a "MF" and we all rode off when the light changed.
At the next light, which was at SW 27th Avenue and S. Bayshore, he proceeded to bang on my window again! I opened the window and he started yelling more choice words. And I think we had it out again at Aviation and S. Bayshore. I didn't use any bad language with him. And I didn't lose my temper. I was writing this article in my head at the time as it was happening.
I told him I write about cyclists often. I know so many cyclists and I think I know the rules of the road, I promote bike paths, Bike Coconut Grove, the Gran Fondo races, Bike Day, Bike to Work Day, promoted the weekend riders, and that in a perfect world, there would be a separate bike path for him, but he wasn't having it. He called me some more choice words and rode off. He's lucky I'm not a nut who has road rage in a one ton vehicle against his flimsy bicycle. I wonder how many times he accosts drivers, banging on their windows, trying to teach them the rules of the road and one day a nut in a car is not going to take it so calmly. Wasn't a cyclist recently shot on the Rickenbacker Causeway by a driver?
We played this game until I reached my street and turned off. He and his friend were weaving in and out of the lanes of traffic, so maybe I didn't see him and that upset him, but I often wonder why cyclists don't feel the need to follow the rules of the road, but they insist that people in vehicles must. I think we all should follow the rules of the road.
He did pose for the photo without grabbing my phone, so I'll give him credit for that. In this instance he was in the center of traffic lanes on the drivers's side of my car. The first time he approached me on Main Highway, he was on the passenger side and at 27th Avenue he was also on the passenger side. According to his methods, he personally has no rules, he can ride anywhere he pleases, weaving in and out.
posted by Tom Falco at 4:00 AM
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12 Comments:
The 3 foot rule only applies when a motorized vehicle is PASSING a bicycle. Not when stopped at an intersection. When at intersection, bikers are supposed to obey same rules as motorized vehicles. Fl s316.083
It's not just bicyclist. Many social media platforms are modifying due to all the hate.
The entire Philippines are in a quandary over interpersonal conflict. All the nations of the world are experiencing social unrest.Each human innately require three feet of space around them to feel secure. Jobie Steppe
Malthusian Theory of Population explains as population rises sharing of resources will result in conflicts particularly so under bad and corrupt governance consequently adjusting the population.
The signs say "Share the Road" but oddly, many cyclists don't share the road. Too arrogant.
We build bike paths... and they still ride slowly in the streets. I don't mind the packs doing so at 25 mph; but grandpa out for a leisurely ride really needs to exercise some courtesy to the driving public as well. I think we need to ticket the biker who uses the roads when a bike path exists!
I am bike enthusiast and its jerks like this that ruin it for everyone. Sharing the road does not mean you can obstruct traffic or otherwise violate the law. How about the bikers that drives down the middle of a lane so cars cannot pass with a bunch of cars backed up. Just outrageous and selfish and may I add a violation of the law.
A hand full of thumbtacks - problem solved.
Maybe some asshole capable of intense South Florida road-rage takes him and himself out of the gene-pool together...Wouldn't that be nice...?
I ride my bike to work everyday, in normal clothes not the Tour de France skin tight outfits, lol. I looked into the rules of the road for cyclist. Oddly enough we have to follow the same rules as a car. Yes a car must pass and leave 3 feet, which occasionally occurs in my case. As far as intersections, cyclists are supposed to stop at stop signs and obey all other traffic signs and rules. I have a lot of people that see me coming on my bicycle to a 4 way stop sign and even though they are there 1st, they will waive me on before them, very nice people. I have a lot of motorists that take time out of their busy day to roll down their window and verbally accost me because I took a stop sign when there were no vehicles around. Regardless, a cyclist is on a 20 pound open vehicle and a car is a 2 ton enclosed vehicle. Bicycles lose every time. Bottom line, whether you are on a cycle, in a car, or even on foot, SLOW it down and be kind on the roads. We all have families and friends we want to get home to see, alive. It’s nice to be nice. Toast
It is incredible how few motorist know the rules of the road. A cyclist, whether 25 or 70, has the same rights to the road (the entire lane) as motorists. A bicycle is a vehicle (just like a car) under Florida Law). When cyclist ride to the right, it's a courtesy to motorists.
You need to take your 'obnoxious' cyclist at his word. He was complaining about your failure to properly pass him on Main Highway (in a no passing zone) in your rush to get to the red light first. The cyclist placed his safety over your reckless behavior. He caught up to you at the red light. Where he spoke to you (at the light) has nothing to do with the transgression.
Learn to listen, and to respect the rights of others. What was your hurry? Show the courtesy you demand.
Peter since you were not on the scene, you have the whole thing wrong. The guy was rude and aggressive banging on the car window three times. I was not aggressive and I was patient and polite enough to open the window to hear him out - all three times at three traffic lights.
I was not rushing to get to the light. It was raining, there must have been 10 cars on Main Highway backed up at the light, so there was no reason or way to rush. Traffic was at a standstill. I was thinking to myself at the time how crowded Main Highway was, I hadn't seen it like that for years - there were people in cars, people walking, people crossing the street. And that's another thing, I stopped for people at the crosswalk. I WAS NOT RUSHING OR SPEEDING THAT DAY.
The guy was overwhelmed by the traffic and got rude about it. I was polite to him, I understood what he was saying, but again, traffic was at a standstill so no one was rushing anywhere. And if he kept approaching me at each red light, I obviously was not speeding or he would not have been able to do that.
Also, he was on my right, he was on my left, he was all over the place - NOT OBEYING TRAFFIC LAWS.
Tom, Here are the applicable parts of the 2019 Florida Statutes; 316.2065 Bicycle Regulations:
"(5)(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride in the lane marked for bicycle use or, if no lane is marked for bicycle use, as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:
1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
3. When reasonably necessary to avoid any condition or potential conflict, including, but not limited to, a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, animal, surface hazard, turn lane, or substandard-width lane, which makes it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge or within a bicycle lane. For the purposes of this subsection, a “substandard-width lane” is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
(b) Any person operating a bicycle upon a one-way highway with two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as practicable.
(6) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway may not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast may not impede traffic when traveling at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing and shall ride within a single lane."
So PETER, you need to READ the current Florida Bicycle Statues and stop your creative writing since you do obviously have made up the rules as you want them, not as they exist because you do not have the right to the width of entire lane.
Tom, I am proud of your for not lowering yourself to his language level while holding your ground regarding the law.
Kathy
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