How would you feel about being able to legally roll through a stop sign while riding a bike? Your answer to that question probably depends on whether you’re a cyclist or a driver. The New York Times reports San Francisco is considering a controversial ordinance that would allow bicycles to treat all stop signs like yield signs, meaning they don’t have to stop if no other traffic is present. The ordinance, which should be voted on in the coming months, is seen as another skirmish in the ongoing war between cars, bicycles, and pedestrians in the swelling metropolis. “It feels like the Wild West because there are so many people in the city right now,” one pro-bike activist tells the Times.
But people on both sides of the issue agree something needs to be done to ease traffic conflicts in San Francisco, where there are an estimated 70,000 and growing bike trips every weekday.
Last time I was in Frisco, they hate it when you call it that, was hit by a cyclist, on the sidewalk at Fishermans Wharf.
I followed him to the crosswalk where he was waiting on the light to change so he could continue breaking the law riding on the sidewalk.
I gripped his rear tire tightly and stripped several spokes with my foot, smiled and apologized. Assholes should take the damn bus.
Wait, yamean they’re stopping now???
Ahhh, what planet is that happening on?
Frisco it is
70,000? You sure have acquired a lot of friends, BFH.
The city wouldn’t be so crowded if they deported the illegals. That includes the Asians too. Don’t act like we don’t know.
Those sphincter maggots blow through stop lights in groups preventing lawful traffic from moving, ride on sidewalks, the wrong side of the road, and generally act as if they are hell bent on convincing everyone that they are a vermin deserving extermination.
That is why Sanfagdisco wants to give them privileges that people paying road taxes don’t get.
Better would be to require a license to operate a bicycle if you are over 16, and use the fees to create a bicycle enforcement unit to clean the mess up.
This is because the streets were designed for motor vehicle traffic
When bicyclists pay a registration fee, pass a test about road use laws, pay a road tax and actually obey the law then they deserve to share the road.
Until then they are points
What this is all about is inculcating a sense of certain individuals being morally superior to others. That is what allowing hybrid cars to drive SOV in HOV lanes was all about. It is gubmnt rewarding those who fall in line and subscribe to progressivism. The assholes will ride up behind pedestrians in Portland at twenty mph on a sidewalk and yell some shit as they fly past.
What to do about it? There are small spikes shaped like the jacks we played with as kids that can be strewn in the path of bicyclists and will puncture their tires. These are becoming more popular. This is a good start.
Nothing will ease this conflict, it has been going on for decades and the percentage of bad cyclists and bad drivers won’t change.
Changing the law will cause even more problems.
So who’s at fault when the biker gets hit trying to cross traffic? The carbon polluter of course.
Besides political affiliation, my next question for any city council or mayoral candidate is, “Are you now, or have you ever been, an adult bicyclist?”
If the answer is “yes”, my follow-up question is, “Have you ever paid more for a bicycle than a car?”
I still can’t believe some states let motorcycles cruise between car lanes.
Better yet. Pass a law allowing us to simply run them over, or knock them off the road when they break the law.
I hate cyclists. They are pussies. When I was a kid I didn’t wear a stupid-looking helmet to protect my precious widdle head, nor did I wear screaming gay tights. Bike riders today need to pay for a license plate, have insurance, pay a bike tax, and obey the laws, or we the people should be able to enforce the laws by knocking their fucking asses off the road and enjoy their screams as they sail into the nearest ditch.
Cyclists are like any minority group … they claim they want to share the road (equality) and then they go and make all kinds of demands for special treatment.
@ JD. good point
Also, I don’t want them in the car lanes even if they pay the taxes, that’s not the problem. They are not a car.or motorcycle and cannot as such keep out of the way of faster vehicles. Why can’t they stay on the side of the road and use the crosswalks just like most everybody else has done years ?
Exactly right; that’s the reason for the law change. As it stands now, they blow through a stop sign and get hit it’s their own fault.
Hey JD can you get those spikes at the bike shops?
Letting douchecyclists treat stop signs like yield signs?
Oh. This could be so much fun.
Do you get extra points if they are wearing a spandex fruit suit?
I don’t see any problem with a cyclist not stopping for a stop sign as long as there are no cars around. If there are cars coming, you better believe he’s going to stop if he knows what’s good for him.
🙂
Sodom By The Bay.
Why change the law? As far as I know, NO cyclist has EVER gotten a citation for running a stop sign.
Either way, simple Physics is gong to take care of this latest assault on rationality
If they are operating a vehicle in a city street, county , state or federal hiway, then they need to pay for tags and have insurance. After that gets passed, then let them run stop signs and red lights.
Bet the lawyers will have a field day the first time a cyclist runs a light or sign, gets hurt, and tries to sue.
Rolling through a stop sign, hell here in Boise ID they can roll through red lights. Yes these nitwits are allowed to go through a RED light if they feel it is clear. Look it up.
Cruising between cars – OK (I do it)
Going 60-90 mph between cars – NOT OK, it’s crazy (I’ve seen people do it, and that is really where the legitimate complaints derive from.)