If they blow through a red light yell at them, a stop sign, meh, no one is around, slow down and keep your eyes open. I agree passing other riders that are cued up to cross an intersection is a dickhead move so yell at them. If you want I can yell at them for you, at least until you get your wind back. Riding to work is great, good for you!

What's up is that those people are assholes, who are making biking more dangerous for the rest of us by provoking hostility towards cyclists. Follow the rules. Avoid biking near the assholes as much as possible. In the event that they're actually forced to stop, they tend to do really wobbly track stands uncomfortably close to other cyclists instead of just putting a foot down.

These are the grown up versions of the jackasses who "rebelliously" sat backwards in their chairs through the early 90's.

First rule is always bike in the way you are most comfortable with your safety. Don't push yourself to do anything you see others doing. I've been (fair weather) bike commuting for years now and there will always be people faster, in better shape, and with better gear. Just ignore it.

Laws are laws. If you opt to disregard them, then you are responsible for the consequences of your own behavior.

That said, if blowing a stop light or sign doesn't endanger any pedestrians, vehicles, or other bicyclists; who gives a fuck? I wouldn't give 2 shits if someone in a car does the same thing if no traffic is around. It's their choice.

Secondly, if I see other bicyclists queued up at a light and they're loaded down with gear and/or have cruiser style bikes, I won't hesitate to pass them or set up next to them at the starting line. Again, who gives a fuck? I'll be gone long before they realize how pointless it was for them to be upset by it.

If people worried about their own backyards instead of everyone else's, there'd be a lot less acrimony on the roads. Just take a common sense approach and you should be ok.

Just because something is illegal, doesn't make it immoral. It's like those idiots that yell or give you a dirty look when cross the street and don't have the walk sign. It's their choice to waste their time standing there, and it's my choice to cross responsibly when there's an opening.

> That said, if blowing a stop light or sign doesn't endanger any pedestrians, vehicles, or other bicyclists; who gives a fuck? I wouldn't give 2 shits if someone in a car does the same thing if no traffic is around. It's their choice.

Oh Rick, I try so hard to like you but shit like this makes it hard.

Rick

Are you familiar with the crossing at SE 20th & Ankeny? Where there is a cement barrier in the middle of 20th with a gap that only bikes may pass through? Seems like every time I stop at that stop sign to wait for a break in traffic, some asshole comes along right as the break becomes available and blows past me, depriving me of that brief opportunity to cross the street that I waited so patiently for. I am NOT slow, out of shape or loaded down with cargo - I'm just stopping at a stop sign that they ignore so they can pass me. It's incredibly selfish and rude, and there's no fucking excuse for it.

I usually catch up in the next block, call them assholes, then pass them.

Just as every distracted, belligerent, lawbreaking, cyclist-hating driver out there is not indicative of drivers as a whole not all cyclists break the rules or are assholes. There are a few bad examples out there but most of us follow the rules most of the time. Admittedly I roll through stop signs sometimes but only after slowing down and making sure it's completely safe to do so; something drivers do all day long. And the only time I run a red light is when I can't trip the sensor and, again, only when it's completely safe.

The funny thing is that most of the cyclist who blow through lights and stop signs without even slowing down are invariably the ones you eventually catch up with. What was the point of running all those lights and signs if we both arrive at the same place at the exact same time?

Would you stop using your turn signal when you turn because A FUCKING TON of other drivers don't? No?

Then don't pay too much mind to the dipshit cyclists who break the rules, either.

@assisse... Sorry dude, I'm trying to win a popularity contest here. I ask again, if someone's actions (on a bike) don't endanger or inconvenience anyone else, why would anyone possibly care? Read below for additional context.

@FWTBT... That intersection is a shit show for sure. I would never cut in front of someone in a situation like that. There's only room for 1 bike to pass throough at a time. Again, I'm talking common sense here. Those people are pulling dick moves for sure.

But how about coming off the Hawthorne Bridge heading east. There will like 15 cyclists waiting at the light. Maybe 1 or 2 will keep pace or pass me, maybe. Who's to say they wouldn't catch up to other cyclists they would need to pass anyway? Williams and Russell St. is another classic example. The people who bike slow to normal speeds, expecting others who bike quicker to have to wait to pass them is actually quite selfish.

Why do people in the grocery store let people with 1 or 2 items go before them? Because they know they'll be quick. Now I wouldn't expect that sort of favoritism while shopping, but doing that by bike (responsibly) doesn't cost the slow riders a damned thing.

Let's face it, drivers will do stupid things, and so will cyclists. But if someone wants to break some petty traffic law when it doesn't impact anyone else, I just can't understand making an issue of it.

Sorry Rick, lots of people care if people break the rules buy running lights. It is about being predictable and it is about not being an asshole. You are not special, get in line, be considerate and follow the rules of the road.

Whoa! The whole fucking hee-haw gang got mega trolled on this one! Epic responses to boot! Booyah IA! Nice work!

What an original way to troll!*




*not really