I wonder why bicycle riders take over streets?

We ride on the streets for many, many reasons. #1 being "It's The Law!" A bicycle is defined "by law" in all 50 states to be a "vehicle". Vehicles belong on the streets. Pedestrians belong on the sidewalk. Riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, in a business district in my part of the country will earn the rider a quick ticket. #2 - Bicycle paths don't go everywhere. There is no bicycle path that leads to every destination I need to go. Streets do. #3 - Bicycles are allowed to use as much of the lane as needed to do so "safely". If the cyclist needs to make a left turn, we have EVERY RIGHT to be in the left turn lane. Again...we ride on vehicles. #4 - Lycra (tight colorful outfits) provide at least two advantages. A) It wicks away moisture - sweat - better than cotton. B) You said it yourself - they are BRIGHT colored - they get the cyclist noticed & seen!

In many, many states there is now a "3 Feet Please Law" or something similar. You, the motorist MUST give us at least 3 feet of space when over-taking or passing us. If you can't do so safely, you MUST wait until it is safe. Again - a bicycle is a vehicle. Why are you in such a big rush? By the time you get up to the next light, it'll be red anyway. In rush hour traffic, I'm just as fast, if not faster than cars. Last...some of us have NO car. Our sole means of transport is a bicycle.

Bicyclists riding in the middle of the lane are almost never hit by cars. The most common collisions between bicyclists and motorists occur at intersections and driveways, usually due to drivers turning without noticing bicyclists, and then usually because they weren't looking. The reason why bicyclists are not hit when they are in the middle of the lane is because they are highly visible there and there is no ambiguity about the fact that there is no room to pass within the lane. This causes almost all motorists to change lanes to pass, which is extremely safe. This is the same reason that people don't run into buses or garbage trucks or people parallel parking, even though these also go slow in the slow lane.

If you really want to understand bicycle safety, then you should read Bicycling Street Smarts or Effective Cycling or Cyclecraft or take the Traffic Skills 101 course from the League of American Bicyclists.

Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities in the roads as motorists, except where otherwise stated in the law or where the law cannot be reasonably be applied to bicyclists (CVC 21200(a)).

Bicyclists are required to use the bike lane by CVC 21208, however it has quite a few exceptions including when they are moving at or above the normal speed of traffic, when passing anyone or anything in the bike lane, when preparing for a left turn, when necessary to avoid debris or other hazardous conditions or when approaching a place where a right turn is authorized. It's very possible, even common, for hazardous debris to be visible to a bicyclist going 15-25mph and not to a driver in the next lane going 35-45mph. A common example of such debris would be broken glass.

I just looked at Topanga Canyon Blvd in Google Maps Street View and in the area I was looking it doesn't have bike lanes. It has a variable width shoulder. Bike lanes have bike lane signs along the side of the road way and bike lane markers in the lane every so often. Bicyclists are not required to ride on shoulders on most roads and on roads with shoulders that are narrow (as this one is in some places) it's actually pretty dangerous. Under the law, shoulders are not part of the road way.

When they flip you off:

Did you honk at them first? If so then you violated CVC 27001(b).

Did you tail gate them first? If so then you violated CVC 21703 and you intentionally and unnecessarily endangered them.

Did you first pass dangerously close or swerve at them or pull in front and slam on the brakes? If so then you violated CVC 21750, and possibly California Penal Code 245, assault with a deadly weapon. These things can easily be bad enough to be considered a violent crime.

If you did any of those things or yelled at them or otherwise harassed or threatened them, then why would you be surprised to be flipped off by someone that you harassed or threatened?

What is so difficult about moving over to pass them safely? What makes you think you shouldn't have to?

Didn't you ask this this a few days ago?

A cyclist is a vehicle operator, just like you. The law doesn't discriminate based on what vehicle we choose to use on the road. Most states don't require cyclists to use bike lanes - why? Because bike lanes tend to be more dangerous than the road, especially at intersections. In California, the cyclist can leave a bike lane and use the traffic lane if he's traveling at the normal speed of traffic, or:

(1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle, vehicle, or pedestrian within the lane or about to enter the lane if the overtaking and passing cannot be done safely within the lane.

(2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

(3) When reasonably necessary to leave the bicycle lane to avoid debris or other hazardous conditions.

(4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.

If a bike lane or bike path does not exist beside a certain road, a cyclist can (of course) use the road unless access to bicycles is specifically restricted.

If a cyclist has the right of way, he DOES own the road - like any other vehicle operator he doesn't have to yield his right of way to anyone other than a first responder. He keeps it until the rules of the road say he doesn't have it any longer. Anyone who gives up his right of way is behaving dangerously. The road is not a place to practice courtesy. The rules are clear and straightforward, and if you have the right of way, you have to use it, otherwise people can die.

The fact that you don't know any of this makes me wonder how you passed your driving test. Maybe it's time to take a refresher course. No wonder the cyclists are flipping you off. Maybe if you were not endangering them by behaving as if THEIR right of way was yours, they'd not feel as if you were trying to kill them.

A cyclist's default place is in the traffic lane - to be specific, the proper lane position is just to the right of the center of the right hand traffic lane. A bicycle is a road vehicle and a cyclist has the exact same right to the road that you have. If more motorists knew this, they would kill fewer cyclists and the roads would be a safer place for everyone.

Don't just learn how to drive. Learn how to drive well! Know and practice the rules of the road. Most importantly, understand the rights of other road users. If you don't, you could end up in jail. The road is not a forgiving place to practice ignorance of its rules.

hawaiian

Well, to begin with... you do not know the laws of california. Cyclists are supposed to be on the streets and not on sidewalks. They were vehicles well before cars were even on the road! Secondly, they have the perfect right to take up a lane. They will take up the lane, when there is a bike path, because the width of the bike path is to narrow and too unsafe to allow cars to pass on the left.

As a driver you should slow, put on your signal, and go around when it is safe to do so. You pass a bicycle just like you would pass a slow moving car. It is obvious by the cyclists 'flipping you off' that you are not respecting their rights to the road or their personal safety.

Slow down and treat us like a slow moving vehicle.... BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE LEGALLY ARE! Your treating us with safety will cause you a 10 second delay in your trip. You can make it up when you are going 85 on the freeway! :-)

Soccerref

I'll admit I don't understand why a cyclist would opt not to use available bicycle lanes. However, drivers tend to be entirely too aggressive when it comes to sharing the road with cyclists.

I bike frequently, and in order to reach the trail nearest my home I'm forced to use the roads as there are no sidewalks (and even if there were, riding a road bike on sidewalks may damage the bike and can be quite dangerous!). Unfortunately, drivers routinely buzz by me at speed, half-in/half-out of the lane and/or follow extremely close (presumably to convince me to pull over and walk my bike on the shoulder?).

It's uncalled for and cyclists shouldn't have to put up with it. So if you're one of those people who refuses to share the road, then I'd have to say it's really no wonder you find them flipping you off!

Also, cyclists are often forced to take up the entire lane by riding close to the center because if they ride close to the side drivers believe it's okay to fly by them at speed!

Learn the rules of the road and learn to share. I know it's inconvenient, but cyclists have a right to ride on the roads. Not only that, but we often have no choice!

if you're complaining about bikes on roads then that's stupid

bikes are vehicles, so therefore have the right and should be on the road

Also if they're taking primary position on a road then it's their right as a vehicle

not that they are OWNING the road

the same way cars aren't allowed to OWN the road over any other kind of vehicle

The problem is impatient car drivers who have to wait behind a bike and suddenly decide they automatically have right to overtake them.

They have the right to use the road just like a car. You're probably getting flipped off because you are passing at an unsafe distance and speed. Be careful, getting somewhere 2 minutes faster is not worth endangering someone's life.

I always use the bicycle lanes but i have had driver flick me off even if im in the lane but i guess its backwards here in FL.

hehe i don't get it either!

Maybe they think they are able to go as fast as cars or something and they dont realize how slow they are moving.