Killed a Bicyclist Lately?

[GOYA]

For the folks in the US, are bicyclists killed on a regular basis in your area? Cause around here, we got 'em dropping like flies. You'd think they'd have enough sense to get the fuck off the road.

[Crusty]

Maybe thats why im still alive..............I get the fuck off the road

[callmeslick]

haven't really heard of a major bike/car accident either here, or in VA in a while. Somewhat related,
though, we had a tractor trailer nail an Amish buggy and kill two people a couple weeks back.

[Yellow77]

The way cyclist ride these days; they deserve any pain they get.

I am a casual rider on the bike trail near me, and I have almost been knocked off of the trail by the packs of cyclists that wear the company logos all over their shirts. They ride 2 or 3 wide, regardless of people coming the other direction. The trail is only 8 or 9 feet wide for the most part, 6 feet wide once you cross to Philadelphia County. The section of trail nearest me goes along the Schuylkill River through a small town. There are 5 roads perpendicular to the trail in this town. All of these roads have the right-of-way for cars, as there are STOP signs on the trail for every road that crosses. These cycling nut jobs just plow through the STOP signs as if they aren't there. I am the only one that stops at the signs and checks the roads for traffic. I have seen quite a few almost become road kill. The one time they cut off a GMC Suburban. The Suburban was driving along, and there is a large bush obscuring the trail. The poor driver had to lock up the brakes to avoid greasing them. When they aren't on the trail, they are on the roads leading to the trail. Again riding 2 or 3 wide, and blocking any cars trying to get down the road. It is a shame the local police don't ticket every one of them. They could make their monthly quota in a day. There are also courtesy sign on the trail asking to warn other cyclists/pedestrians when passing, for safety. Not these corporate logo scum. They act as if they own the trail, and verbally assault you if you slow their pace, or are impeding "their ride."

[Wullie]

Around here, they think the roads are bicycle trails. Traffic laws don't apply to them either.

I nearly ran one down a few weeks back. I was doing a drive by bridge rail inspection. Mainly because I'm not stupid enough to walk on that road. I looked up and some asshole bicyce rider had fallen over in front of me. I stopped and the prick starts cussing me for scaring him. I told him it was a one way road and I shouldn't have to worry about head on collisions with stupidly dressed, middle aged, white guys on expensive bicycles GOING THE WRONG FUCKING DIRECTION! He informed that he was ONLY going just a little ways up that road. I asked him why that made a difference.

He told me to get fucked and rode off.

A short time later I was fixing a loose piece of handrail and the prick came back by riding the right direction on the way back to wherever he came from. He kept his yap shut on the second pass.

I'm surprised more of them aren't killed around here.

No Amish around here to get run down.

[oFZo]

Not completely sticking to the subject, not being American and all:
I have near misses with them on a daily basis. Suicide by semi seems popular.
When taking the number of bicyclist in account there's few serious accidents though.

[JoeA]

Hey OFZo nice to see you. Well at lest in the Netherlands you guys have proper bicycle paths for the most part. I hate that around here, the authorities and the greenies keep promoting bicycles yet most of the paths are poorly planned, laid out, even disappearing only to reappear again.

[oFZo]

Hey JoeA, nice to see you too!
I guess the whole bicyclist issue is very different in The Netherlands compared to most of the world.
I find it funny that the posts above are all about recreational bicyclists.
In The Netherlands bicycles are a major part of traffic, this country is pretty compact and bikes are used for short distances.
Me, I've never even owned a car. No reason to get one as everything I need is so close. There's a very dense grid of all kinds of
public transportation for medium/longer distances and hell, I'm on the road most of the time anyway .
(I'm putting money aside for a Harley though...)
Like Joe said there's seperate lanes in many places and of course those are safe when it comes to encounters with motoriz(s?)ed traffic.
Unfortunately a lot of times the lanes cross (fucking roundabouts!) and that's where it gets difficult when driving vehicles with lengths over 18m
encountering (young) bicyclists not having a clue what they're doing...
It's part of the challenge though and I get great pleasure from getting big machines to (on-road) places people don't expect to be possible .