Have I Mentioned Recently How Much I Hate Bicyclists?

[Jim in Anchorage]

What the hell is The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency? And what do they have to do with the tour de France?

Edited June 14, 2012 by Jim in Anchorage

[Chef Jim]

What the hell is The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency? And what do they have to do with the tour de France?

 

And do our tax dollars fund it?

[KD in CA]

And do our tax dollars fund it?

 

Why, do you have a problem with spending taxpayer dollars on government agencies charging US citizens with maybe taking drugs during a sporting event in France more than ten years ago?

[shrader]

Can we just get past this at this point? Yeah, I just assume he was doping at this point. Why do we even care anymore? As far as I'm concerned, every single pro athlete at that time was dirty. Let's focus on cleaning it up now instead of 10 years ago.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Why, do you have a problem with spending taxpayer dollars on government agencies charging US citizens with maybe taking drugs during a sporting event in France more than ten years ago?

 

You don't think it's worth it to find out if all those ESPYs he won were legit?

[DC Tom]

And do our tax dollars fund it?

 

They're a .org, not a .gov. So...not directly (doesn't mean they don't get grants).

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Can we just get past this at this point? Yeah, I just assume he was doping at this point. Why do we even care anymore? As far as I'm concerned, every single pro athlete at that time was dirty. Let's focus on cleaning it up now instead of 10 years ago.

 

Fans are also incredible hypocrites. While the events are going on, people just want to be entertained and they don't care how. But in retrospect, they need it to be fair. Almost like kids on a playground.

[KD in CA]

Can we just get past this at this point? Yeah, I just assume he was doping at this point. Why do we even care anymore? As far as I'm concerned, every single pro athlete at that time was dirty. Let's focus on cleaning it up now instead of 10 years ago.

 

I wouldn't have cared if he was doping at the time. First, it's a bike race. Second, it's in France. If France doesn't want people doping during their bike race, than they can test the riders during the race (oh wait, they did and Armstrong passed the tests).

Edited June 14, 2012 by KD in CT

[boyst]

Well, joke about it as you may this is a kick in the ball to USA cycling.

[RkFast]

Most "cycling douches", myself being one of them are actually happy this is going on becuase its bringing the doping issue to light and turning the frauds and cheats into outcasts. VERY few of the dudes in the cycling clubs I belong to are 'sad' that Armstrong, who is is known to be a major league !@#$,is getting his who along with his mentor Chris Carmicheal and Johan Brunyeel, who make up the douchelick trifecta in the cycling world. They were/are basically the 1991 Cowboys of Pro Cycling.

 

That aside, this does seem kind of weird and a strange way to spend energy because the Feds closed their case on Lance a while ago. I think the reason they are going after him again is becuase Lance is looking to race triathlons professionally now and Johan Brunyeel is back running a cycling team, Leopard/RadioShack, which is consdered a powerhouse (although they ave injury issues at the moment).

 

Will be interesting to see where this goes...but I doubt they can take any of his Tour titles away unless they dig up a positive test from one of those races or Lance puts forth an admission.

 

One more thing...its not about the Tour de France. Pro Cyclists race all over the world, and the Tour is just one event, albiet the biggest. LA actually gets a bit of an asterisk on his 7 Tour title streak because its the ONLY race he did all those years, save for a few warm up events.

 

Well, joke about it as you may this is a kick in the ball to USA cycling.

 

Really, not at all. As far as Pro Cycling goes, country of origin isnt huge when it comes to who to root for. The most popular rider, even here in the states right now is Jens Voigt, a German. But for the USA, there is a whole new crop of exciting riders like Tejay Van Garderen, Tyler Phinney, Ben King and others that are great. Chris Horner, Levi Leipheimer and Dave Zabriskie are very successful and fun to watch, too. They dontt have the same Q factor as LA with the general public, but with cycling fans they are all hugely popular.

Edited June 14, 2012 by RkFast

[MDH]

Same here in Portland.

 

The crazy ones are the people who ride their bike up in the west hills here. And there are a ton of people who do this. All of the roads are narrow, windy, steep roads with no shoulders on them. Not to mention the steep cliffs they could fall down if they happened to fall of the road.

 

I live in northern jersey and just about every biker in NYC comes over the GW Bridge and rides up 9W which runs parallel to the Hudson River. This road has a massive shoulder. Does that keep them from riding 3, 4, even 5 wide and taking over a significant portion of the road? Nope, they just don't give a damn.

 

At one point a few years ago I was taking a right on red (a legal turn) and right as I start making the turn a bike passes me on the ride shoulder, takes the turn wide and floats over right in front of me and I almost smash into him. As I pull around I roll the window down and say, "you're going to get killed doing that" at which point the guy tells me (with my then 5 year old in the backseat) "F-off, watch where you're going!"

 

At the end of the day I realize it's just like anything else in life - there are 15-20% A-holes who do whatever they want with no consideration of others and the the other 80% take the bad rap. Given that, I won't go so far as to "hate" bicyclists, but I'd like to run over the 20%...

[RkFast]

I live in northern jersey and just about every biker in NYC comes over the GW Bridge and rides up 9W which runs parallel to the Hudson River. This road has a massive shoulder. Does that keep them from riding 3, 4, even 5 wide and taking over a significant portion of the road? Nope, they just don't give a damn.

 

At one point a few years ago I was taking a right on red (a legal turn) and right as I start making the turn a bike passes me on the ride shoulder, takes the turn wide and floats over right in front of me and I almost smash into him. As I pull around I roll the window down and say, "you're going to get killed doing that" at which point the guy tells me (with my then 5 year old in the backseat) "F-off, watch where you're going!"

 

At the end of the day I realize it's just like anything else in life - there are 15-20% A-holes who do whatever they want with no consideration of others and the the other 80% take the bad rap. Given that, I won't go so far as to "hate" bicyclists, but I'd like to run over the 20%...

 

A) Do you ride your car in the shoulder with all the road debris and other stuff there? Why do I have to ride my bike in the shoulder, especially when on some of those downhills on 9W, I can easily be going 30 to 40 MPH? Its not about "giving a damn" its about riding the road properly, as road cyclists have a right to as much as drivers do. Now if I have some clean shoulder space and Im only trucking along at about 19MPH Ill use it. But if the side of the road is a mess and Im on a downhill moving faster, I need to take a piece of road not in the shoulder.

 

B) If you live in North Jersey you should know damn well 9W is a popular cycling route up to Bear Mountain and back. And if so, you should also know that if youre coming up on a pack of riders, a short toot of the horn when youre about 25-50 yards behind them will signal for them to go single file and let you pass. And by all means if they dont move over after you do your part to kindly let them know you want to pass, then tell them to eff off. Dont get me wrong, I know full well 9W can get packed with bikers and some of them dont pay attention. But like I said, do your part to try and be courteous and if they dont heed way, lay on the horn.

 

C) Riding past cyclists and then making a right turn in front of them puts you SQUARELY in the wrong. Its one of the most dangerous moves you can make as a driver.

Edited June 14, 2012 by RkFast

[shrader]

C) Riding past cyclists and then making a right turn in front of them puts you SQUARELY in the wrong. Its one of the most dangerous moves you can make as a driver.

 

And the biker who apparently wasn't stopping at that red light has more than his share of fault as well.

[RkFast]

And the biker who apparently wasn't stopping at that red light has more than his share of fault as well.

 

Yep. He blew the light with traffic present. Schmuck.

 

m just trying to say that drivers passing cyclists and then making a right in front of them is a dangerous move.

Edited June 14, 2012 by RkFast

[KD in CA]

A) Do you ride your car in the shoulder with all the road debris and other stuff there? Why do I have to ride my bike in the shoulder, especially when on some of those downhills on 9W, I can easily be going 30 to 40 MPH? Its not about "giving a damn" its about riding the road properly, as road cyclists have a right to as much as drivers do. Now if I have some clean shoulder space and Im only trucking along at about 19MPH Ill use it. But if the side of the road is a mess and Im on a downhill moving faster, I need to take a piece of road not in the shoulder.

 

C) Riding past cyclists and then making a right turn in front of them puts you SQUARELY in the wrong. Its one of the most dangerous moves you can make as a driver.

 

So just to clarify, bikes have as much right to the road as cars, but they don't have an obligation to stop at red lights?

[RkFast]

So just to clarify, bikes have as much right to the road as cars, but they don't have an obligation to stop at red lights?

 

Cyclists should never be blowing through lights. At worst they should slow to a standing roll and ONLY if no auto or pedestrian traffic is present, proceed on through. If there is any kind of traffic at all they should come to a full stop and wait for the green.

 

Im well aware of the monkeys who call themselves cyclists who dont have a clue.

Edited June 14, 2012 by RkFast

[MDH]

A) Do you ride your car in the shoulder with all the road debris and other stuff there? Why do I have to ride my bike in the shoulder, especially when on some of those downhills on 9W, I can easily be going 30 to 40 MPH? Its not about "giving a damn" its about riding the road properly, as road cyclists have a right to as much as drivers do. Now if I have some clean shoulder space and Im only trucking along at about 19MPH Ill use it. But if the side of the road is a mess and Im on a downhill moving faster, I need to take a piece of road not in the shoulder.

 

B) If you live in North Jersey you should know damn well 9W is a popular cycling route up to Bear Mountain and back. And if so, you should also know that if youre coming up on a pack of riders, a short toot of the horn when youre about 25-50 yards behind them will signal for them to go single file and let you pass. And by all means if they dont move over after you do your part to kindly let them know you want to pass, then tell them to eff off. Dont get me wrong, I know full well 9W can get packed with bikers and some of them dont pay attention. But like I said, do your part to try and be courteous and if they dont heed way, lay on the horn.

 

C) Riding past cyclists and then making a right turn in front of them puts you SQUARELY in the wrong. Its one of the most dangerous moves you can make as a driver.

 

I cycle on 9W too and realize there is debris on the very right hand part of the shoulder. However, DON'T RIDE 4-5 wide! If you ride 1 or even 2 wide there is plenty of space to stay in the shoulder without coming into the road.

 

 

Also, I didn't ride past the cyclist at the light, I was at the light first (and came to a complete stop, like you're supposed to at a red light) and the cyclist came up FROM BEHIND ME AND PASSED AS I WAS MAKING MY TURN. The guy was totally in the wrong then told me to F off when questioned about it.

 

Any other things you want to defend the douche cyclists about?

Edited June 14, 2012 by MDH

[RkFast]

I cycle on 9W too and realize there is debris on the very right hand part of the shoulder. However, DON'T RIDE 4-5 wide! If you ride 1 or even 2 wide there is plenty of space to stay in the shoulder without coming into the road.

 

 

Also, I didn't ride past the cyclist at the light, I was at the light first (and came to a complete stop, like you're supposed to at a red light) and the cyclist came up FROM BEHIND ME AND PASSED AS I WAS MAKING MY TURN. The guy was totally in the wrong then told me to F off when questioned about it.

 

Any other things you want to defend the douche cyclists about?

 

Every one of these items I sided with you. Doublecheck my posts.

[Captain Caveman]

I always look in my side mirror before opening the door just in case. But what if someone opens the door not expecting the cyclist to be right there and boom! I'm thinking the cyclist is at fault but I wonder what the law says?

 

I remember this being brought up in Driver's Ed, but the question was asked with two cars. The parked car is responsible for checking before opening his door.

[boyst]

Why do I honk my horn to get them in the right formation?

 

If this was fair bikes would be required to have mirrors and actually use signals as well as obey signals. It may be different here in NC but bicyclists do not care. I can be going 55 on a country road with a no passing zone and 2 or 3 of them will just be joy riding. I have an F350 and there are lots of big trucks here. I can't stop on a dime because they are not obeying the laws. Me honking 25 yards away going 55 with a trailer and a GVW of 20,000 lbs isn't going to do anything but get my truck dirty.

 

Motorcyclists are just as bad here, fwiw. And ten times more annoying being loud and pathetic.

[RkFast]

Why do I honk my horn to get them in the right formation?

 

If this was fair bikes would be required to have mirrors and actually use signals as well as obey signals. It may be different here in NC but bicyclists do not care. I can be going 55 on a country road with a no passing zone and 2 or 3 of them will just be joy riding. I have an F350 and there are lots of big trucks here. I can't stop on a dime because they are not obeying the laws. Me honking 25 yards away going 55 with a trailer and a GVW of 20,000 lbs isn't going to do anything but get my truck dirty.

 

Motorcyclists are just as bad here, fwiw. And ten times more annoying being loud and pathetic.

 

 

You, in your big F350 cant give a quick toot of the horn and move over a few feet on a wide open country road.... yet the cyclists are the ones being smug and inconsiderate.

 

Good Lord........

 

By the way...what laws are they not obeying when you roll past them in your hay hauler?

Edited June 14, 2012 by RkFast

[boyst]

You cant give a quick toot of the horn and move over a few feet, yet cyclists are the douchebags.

 

Good Lord........

Ever drive mountain and foothill roads in the country...?

[RkFast]

Ever drive mountain and foothill roads in the country...?

 

Yeah, all the time...on my bike.

[MDH]

I remember this being brought up in Driver's Ed, but the question was asked with two cars. The parked car is responsible for checking before opening his door.

 

This is another pet peeve of mine. It happens in NYC all the time.

 

A very narrow one way street or a pretty narrow 2 way with cars parked on both sides and somebody will open a parked driver side door and take their time (un)loading kids, packages, whatever, while there is no room for oncoming cars to get by. You just have to sit there and wait for the center-of-the-universe to finish lolly-gagging his way through whatever it is they are doing. All the while I'm sitting there asking myself - why can't he load packages, kids, whatever from the passenger side?

 

And yeah, I agree, if someone opens a door and a cyclist is coming its the guy opening the doors obligation to always check in rearview mirror.

[shrader]

This is another pet peeve of mine. It happens in NYC all the time.

 

A very narrow one way street or a pretty narrow 2 way with cars parked on both sides and somebody will open a parked driver side door and take their time (un)loading kids, packages, whatever, while there is no room for oncoming cars to get by. You just have to sit there and wait for the center-of-the-universe to finish lolly-gagging his way through whatever it is they are doing. All the while I'm sitting there asking myself - why can't he load packages, kids, whatever from the passenger side?

 

And yeah, I agree, if someone opens a door and a cyclist is coming its the guy opening the doors obligation to always check in rearview mirror.

 

It's not a bike issue, but my problem on those narrow streets is a little different. People driving in the opposite direction will swerve out into oncoming traffic giving a ridiculous cushion to the parked car. They are so much more concerned about hitting a parked vehicle instead of the one that is actually driving towards them. It makes absolutely no sense to me. First of all, you're not anywhere as close to that parked car as you think you are. Second, you're going to do far more damage hitting that moving vehicle head on.

[DC Tom]

Yeah, all the time...on my bike.

 

Do you tow a trailer and gross 20000lbs when you do?

[boyst]

Yeah, all the time...on my bike.

Its different on a bike, peewee.

I respect the bikers on the road but I can only do so much before I, well, cannot.

[Chef Jim]

Most "cycling douches", myself being one of them are actually happy this is going on becuase its bringing the doping issue to light and turning the frauds and cheats into outcasts. VERY few of the dudes in the cycling clubs I belong to are 'sad' that Armstrong, who is is known to be a major league !@#$,is getting his who along with his mentor Chris Carmicheal and Johan Brunyeel, who make up the douchelick trifecta in the cycling world. They were/are basically the 1991 Cowboys of Pro Cycling.

 

That aside, this does seem kind of weird and a strange way to spend energy because the Feds closed their case on Lance a while ago. I think the reason they are going after him again is becuase Lance is looking to race triathlons professionally now and Johan Brunyeel is back running a cycling team, Leopard/RadioShack, which is consdered a powerhouse (although they ave injury issues at the moment).

 

Will be interesting to see where this goes...but I doubt they can take any of his Tour titles away unless they dig up a positive test from one of those races or Lance puts forth an admission.

 

One more thing...its not about the Tour de France. Pro Cyclists race all over the world, and the Tour is just one event, albiet the biggest. LA actually gets a bit of an asterisk on his 7 Tour title streak because its the ONLY race he did all those years, save for a few warm up events.

 

 

 

Really, not at all. As far as Pro Cycling goes, country of origin isnt huge when it comes to who to root for. The most popular rider, even here in the states right now is Jens Voigt, a German. But for the USA, there is a whole new crop of exciting riders like Tejay Van Garderen, Tyler Phinney, Ben King and others that are great. Chris Horner, Levi Leipheimer and Dave Zabriskie are very successful and fun to watch, too. They dontt have the same Q factor as LA with the general public, but with cycling fans they are all hugely popular.

 

Wait a minute. Many in cycling circles are major !@#$ing douches?? Well who would have thunk it?

 

 

C) Riding past cyclists and then making a right turn in front of them puts you SQUARELY in the wrong. Its one of the most dangerous moves you can make as a driver.

 

WRONG!! The rule is if you go past the bikers you are to move over into the bike lane (if there is one) in front of the bikers and turn right. If I'm in front of you in my car with my right turn signal on and you decide to pass me on the right, you my friend, are 100% in the wrong. You do NOT pass on the right. See that's what really !@#$ing pisses me off. Most of you cyclist feel that the rules do not apply to you.

[Fan in San Diego]

Wait a minute. Many in cycling circles are major !@#$ing douches?? Well who would have thunk it?

 

 

 

WRONG!! The rule is if you go past the bikers you are to move over into the bike lane (if there is one) in front of the bikers and turn right. If I'm in front of you in my car with my right turn signal on and you decide to pass me on the right, you my friend, are 100% in the wrong. You do NOT pass on the right. See that's what really !@#$ing pisses me off. Most of you cyclist feel that the rules do not apply to you.

 

I proudly made the correct right hand turn in front of a gaggle of cyclists that constantly monopolize a country road I'm on frequently. It made me proud to see them all come to a complete stop and have to wait to turn right.

[Chef Jim]

I was floored the other day to see a woman actually give a hand signal before she made a right turn at an intersection. I wonder how many cyclists even KNOW the proper hand signals. I've seen two. A guy jumping in front of me as I was in a traffic circle (and of course the person in the circle has the right of way) with his hand down point to the ground meaning "look out, coming through!" and the ubiquitous extended middle finger hand signal.

[DC Tom]

I was floored the other day to see a woman actually give a hand signal before she made a right turn at an intersection. I wonder how many cyclists even KNOW the proper hand signals. I've seen two. A guy jumping in front of me as I was in a traffic circle (and of course the person in the circle has the right of way) with his hand down point to the ground meaning "look out, coming through!" and the ubiquitous extended middle finger hand signal.

 

I actually rolled down my window and thanked a cyclist last week for stopping at a red light...

 

...as three others blew through it (and one almost got killed.) I believe my exact words were "Hey, thanks for not being one of those !@#$s!"

[RkFast]

Do you tow a trailer and gross 20000lbs when you do?

 

No, but Im going about 45 MPH on a carbon fibre pice of machinery with two contact patches about an inch square keeping me planted to the pavement.

 

So there.

 

WRONG!! The rule is if you go past the bikers you are to move over into the bike lane (if there is one) in front of the bikers and turn right. If I'm in front of you in my car with my right turn signal on and you decide to pass me on the right, you my friend, are 100% in the wrong. You do NOT pass on the right. See that's what really !@#$ing pisses me off. Most of you cyclist feel that the rules do not apply to you.

 

No, you do not pass on the right. Correct.

 

Its different on a bike, peewee.

I respect the bikers on the road but I can only do so much before I, well, cannot.

 

Hey, PeeWee's Big Adventure is one of my favorite films.

[Chef Jim]

 

No, you do not pass on the right. Correct.

 

 

So you were either lying or ignorant of the rules of the road in your point © above.

[Smears]

I hate them for many reasons but one that really pisses me off is when they dress in full bike gear (spandex). This isn't the tour de France there lance, you're riding to the store.

I live in wine country in NY, and I was about to post this.

I work with a company owned vehicle that sets up work zones when needed. One afternoon when I pulled off to the shoulder and turned on the beacons and stepped from the vehicle. I was yelled at by 2 of those yuppies in their worthless gear, telling me to watch for them. These people need to understand that many motorist are about 2 seconds from running your yuppie ass off the road. They look ridiculous, theyre not cute and no one is impressed other than the tool bags that ride with them. Get a real hobby.

[boyst]

Hey, PeeWee's Big Adventure is one of my favorite films.

Somewhere, in a dark lit room, you in full attire of spandex, lance armstrong bracelets, lathered in chain oil I am sure you enjoy this movie.

 

If it pleases you any, I did once stop a guy who near about hit a bicyclist. The bicyclist stopped and said something to the guy at a stop light but the guy sped off. Eventually I ended up next to him and got his attention and told him he doesn't need to be a narrow minded redneck a-hole and needs to learn to respect other people. Many friends think I am likely going to be shot one day because I will confront anyone over issues similar to this - especially smoking at gas stations.

 

I live in wine country in NY, and I was about to post this.

I work with a company owned vehicle that sets up work zones when needed. One afternoon when I pulled off to the shoulder and turned on the beacons and stepped from the vehicle. I was yelled at by 2 of those yuppies in their worthless gear, telling me to watch for them. These people need to understand that many motorist are about 2 seconds from running your yuppie ass off the road. They look ridiculous, theyre not cute and no one is impressed other than the tool bags that ride with them. Get a real hobby.

Try seeing the same thing in the middle of the country where rebel flags hang outside trailers in middle of no where NC. Speaking of not paying attention to markers, etc. They go thru railroad barriers here all the time.

[DC Tom]

No, but Im going about 45 MPH on a carbon fibre pice of machinery with two contact patches about an inch square keeping me planted to the pavement.

 

So there.

 

So you admit that, when you compared to biking on winding country roads to jboyst pulling a trailer full of **** (probably literally), you were being totally retarded?

[Fan in San Diego]

Why do I honk my horn to get them in the right formation?

 

If this was fair bikes would be required to have mirrors and actually use signals as well as obey signals. It may be different here in NC but bicyclists do not care. I can be going 55 on a country road with a no passing zone and 2 or 3 of them will just be joy riding. I have an F350 and there are lots of big trucks here. I can't stop on a dime because they are not obeying the laws. Me honking 25 yards away going 55 with a trailer and a GVW of 20,000 lbs isn't going to do anything but get my truck dirty.

 

Motorcyclists are just as bad here, fwiw. And ten times more annoying being loud and pathetic.

 

Can't you just run them over if they don't get out of the way?

[boyst]

Can't you just run them over if they don't get out of the way?

Ground up and in the freezer. I dont just sell beef

[Captain Caveman]

I live in wine country in NY, and I was about to post this.

I work with a company owned vehicle that sets up work zones when needed. One afternoon when I pulled off to the shoulder and turned on the beacons and stepped from the vehicle. I was yelled at by 2 of those yuppies in their worthless gear, telling me to watch for them. These people need to understand that many motorist are about 2 seconds from running your yuppie ass off the road. They look ridiculous, theyre not cute and no one is impressed other than the tool bags that ride with them. Get a real hobby.

 

They're not wearing it to impress you. They're wearing it for comfort, many people ride around the finger lakes on bicycles (my father will regularly take 40+ mile rides up there), and it would be extremely uncomfortable wearing normal civilian clothes. I agree it looks ridiculous, but live and let live. As for getting a real hobby, you mean something akin to posting on a message board?

[RkFast]

Get a real hobby.

 

Like guzzling a case of cheap beer and eating a buckettful of cheetos while watching men in colorful spandex knickers every Sunday at one and then whining about what you saw, pretending you know better then the head coach, on an internet message board ? A hobby like that?

 

So you admit that, when you compared to biking on winding country roads to jboyst pulling a trailer full of **** (probably literally), you were being totally retarded?

 

Its called physics, you IDIOT.

 

And what the !@#$ is that shithauling hick doing driving a truckload full of cowshit around so fast that he can barely control his vehicle?

 

Nah...its NOT Farmer Ted in his shitbox Ford with his shitbox overweight trailer with brakes at their wear limits, doing 45 in a 30 while he checks his cellphone for text messages who is the reckless one. Its the two guys on bicycles riding towards the side of the road and had the audacity to blow a stopsign at an empty intersection who are the "dangerous" ones. Give me a !@#$ing break.

Edited June 15, 2012 by RkFast