Troopers say about 15 bicyclists were riding along St. Stephen’s Church Road in Cabarrus County Wednesday when a driver ran into them.
SURVEY
What do you think about cyclists’ use of area roads?
Drivers should share roads.
Cyclists’ road use should be limited to certain roads and areas.
Cyclists’ road use should be limited to certain times of day.
Cyclists should move over and let drivers pass.
As for the poll, I vote D cyclists should move over and let drivers by. Better yet make every effort to ride in places where they do not need to move over to let them by. Maybe I am lucky enough to live where I can essentially never be riding where I need to “take the lane” but it seems that doing so is asking for trouble.
Yes I am well aware that cyclists have every legal right to be on the road and that bikes are vehicles. I am also aware that pedestrians have the right of way in cross walks in NYC, good luck with that one.
Yeah our leaders here in NC made it perfectly clear they don’t care to spend the money to put shoulders on the sides of roads. Must be nice to ride your bike free of traffic.
Yeah our leaders here in NC made it perfectly clear they don’t care to spend the money to put shoulders on the sides of roads. Must be nice to ride your bike free of traffic.
Truer words were never spoken! I have lived in RTP for almost 5 years and I am amazed at the lack of shoulders anywhere in NC!
just because you made the mention there are now empty shelves in all the bread and milk rows of all NC grocery stores.
That is really funny. I lived in DC for a while and could never figure out why there was a run on bottled water and toilet paper when snow was forecast. Especially considering that it usually all melted by noon the next day.
I too wish there were more shoulders on the roads here in Charlotte. Kills me when the pave a road but do not add any width!! On the other hand, one of the beautiful things out in the carolina countryside are the roads with no shoulders. The look so much nicer as thin, winding roads than big, wide ugly things. Overall, such a great state to ride bikes.
Either way, we are seeing a new behavior in road rage that is closer to man slaughter than most judicial cases. Quebec and now this one–until the law changes (possibly make it eligible for man slaughter???), especially here in NC, you will continue to see this behavior by motorist.
Putting all politics aside if I wore a jersey that said “NRA MEMBER” clearly legible from behind and legible if I were sitting up on the front, you think drivers would be more cautious?
Two of my buddies have NRA stickers on their car and said drivers are a lot more polite to them. One is normal, the other says “Keep Honking, I’m Reloading” then the NRA logo.
I saw a two riders riding side by side today taking up half the road in Allentown N.J. guy had a tri bike and spiuk tt helmet on. While I was on my tribike with Limar TT helmet and disc cover. His partner was on the white line and he was 4 fott over into the street. When I passed them which happened to be near a red light which I blew through (big shoulder and traffic coming only from one direction which could not hit me and there were no cars) I was going to say something like that is why people get pissed at us when we hog a road with such a big shoulder. But alas I just passed. Why did I right this well maybe he reads ST he has to know who he is by my description.
I too wish there were more shoulders on the roads here in Charlotte. Kills me when the pave a road but do not add any width!! On the other hand, one of the beautiful things out in the carolina countryside are the roads with no shoulders. The look so much nicer as thin, winding roads than big, wide ugly things. Overall, such a great state to ride bikes.
I would rather have shoulders any day than risk my death over a crazed motorist! …Saying that, I would like to know the idiot who planned the new road configuration on East Blvd–Genius, Genius, Genius …(F’in fat pig in an office)
Yeah, shoulders sure would be nice. I generally ride North of the city, but I often make a hot lap (19 miler) during lunch around the airport area and it can get a little scary. People really have a hard time judging distance.
And you are spot on about East Blvd. What a disaster.
If I am remembering correctly NC has a misdemeanor death by vehicle statute or something like that which would apply to a situation where a traffic infraction – speeding, failure to stay in lane etc - - lead to a death. If they are drunk or similar could be charged more seriously.
Also, wasn’t there a NC drunk driver charged and convicted of capital murder a few years back. I think it was eventually over turned but should have sent a nice message.
Regardless, if someone accidentally kills you – doesn’t see you and runs you over, falls asleep and hits you etc. – there is just not going to be a serious criminal charge. Same is true if you fall asleep or have a stroke and hit another car. Will not make you any less dead however.
The falling asleep driver is only slightly more dangerous to cyclists than cars as roads tend to be crowned to the right. That senario is really more like getting hit by lightning than due to any intentional criminal conduct. Again, it will not make you any less dead.
As for the poll, I vote D cyclists should move over and let drivers by. Better yet make every effort to ride in places where they do not need to move over to let them by. Maybe I am lucky enough to live where I can essentially never be riding where I need to “take the lane” but it seems that doing so is asking for trouble.
Yes I am well aware that cyclists have every legal right to be on the road and that bikes are vehicles. I am also aware that pedestrians have the right of way in cross walks in NYC, good luck with that one.
While I think that the levels of responsibility and blame are highly disproportionate (to cyclists’ detriment) I totally agree with this position. I also select my routes in order to minimize interaction with motorized vehicle traffic. Give me wide shoulders and the fewest possible intersections to cross and I’ll ride all day long. The simple fact is that justice for cyclists is little consolation when you’re toe-up in a pine box.
Right of way is undeniable, but it’s irritating to see cyclists on the main drags in my area. The bypass roads are better-maintained, substantially safer, and in most cases faster. To ride on the cobbled streets in heavy traffic with 1/4-mile intersections and no shoulders is to do so for either pleasure or attention. That’s the exact behavior that incenses the driving public. Why further invite that which is already an unfortunate aspect of road riding!?
…When I passed them which happened to be near a red light which I blew through (big shoulder and traffic coming only from one direction which could not hit me and there were no cars) I was going to say something like that is why people get pissed at us when we hog a road with such a big shoulder. …
Were you casting some bait with that comment? No matter, it’s Friday and I’ve had to listen to co-workers talk yet again at lunch about cyclists acting like they own the road, so I’ll bite. When you blow through a red light, you realize you are contributing to the problem of non-cyclists being angry at cyclists, right? It doesn’t matter that the intersection was clear, what matters is you demonstrated to anyone watching that you don’t have to abide by the rules of the road. When my non-cyclist friends and co-workers talk about the arrogance of cyclists, this is a common complaint. Ride your bike like law-abiding drivers drive their cars and you won’t be part of the problem.
I just moved to Georgia from Colorado last week and have been amazed at the lack of shoulders, I just never thought to much about having great roads with shoulders. Unfortunately I’ve noticed it’s a trend around here as far as a total lack of consideration for fitness as part of residents’ lifestyle.
I’m sure this approach to fitness (cycling, running or whatever) has nothing to do with all the fat asses down here.
…When I passed them which happened to be near a red light which I blew through (big shoulder and traffic coming only from one direction which could not hit me and there were no cars) I was going to say something like that is why people get pissed at us when we hog a road with such a big shoulder. …
Were you casting some bait with that comment? No matter, it’s Friday and I’ve had to listen to co-workers talk yet again at lunch about cyclists acting like they own the road, so I’ll bite. When you blow through a red light, you realize you are contributing to the problem of non-cyclists being angry at cyclists, right? It doesn’t matter that the intersection was clear, what matters is you demonstrated to anyone watching that you don’t have to abide by the rules of the road. When my non-cyclist friends and co-workers talk about the arrogance of cyclists, this is a common complaint. Ride your bike like law-abiding drivers drive their cars and you won’t be part of the problem.
(big shoulder and traffic coming only from one direction which could not hit me and there were no cars)
You forgot that part it was wide open and safe to go through with a wide shoulder and the cars could only make a left . Again and there were no cars that were turnng.
which happened to be near a red light which I blew through (big shoulder and traffic coming only from one direction which could not hit me and there were no cars) I was going to say something like that is why people get pissed at us when we hog a road with such a big shoulder. But alas I just passed. Why did I right this well maybe he reads ST he has to know who he is by my description.