Cycling and the City: Driver Confrontations

A regular commuter biker over the last few years I have had more issues with other bikers than I've had with cars. Bikers that pass too closely, erratically or without signaling thereby shocking me to swerve to not hit them. And those idiots that just zoom through red lights weaving around pedestrians and shoving past bikers that actually obey the law -- but are blocking their way to break it.

Over the last few weeks i'll say that about 90% of bikers consistently break traffic laws and they wonder why they aren't respected on the road?

I find bikers, much more than cars, being assholes on the road around me as I bike.

Cyclists detest drivers who detest pedestrians who detest cabbies who detest cyclists who detest politicians who detest... is every city this bad when it comes to the roads?

There is something about minivans. I've been hearing of a lot of close calls and actual collisions involving minivans and cyclists. I suppose it's partly just their bigger size, but I also notice more aggressive behaviour from minivan drivers (especially the ones that belong to construction, landscaping and similar small companies - I'm always extra vigilant around those!)

I've heard the "cyclists can be equally reckless, discourteous and unaware". I don't think this post was talking about the saintlihood of cyclists and cycling. A reckless and unaware cyclist is at most a danger to himself/herself, and while they can still cause serious injury to another cyclist or pedestrian, an equally reckless, discourteous and unaware motor vehicle driver can cause instant death... to cyclists, pedestrians and other drivers.

The fact is.. motor vehicle drivers are operating huge machines that go faster than most cyclists. Distractions on a bike are bad, but distractions in a car can be fatal.

*sigh* This is such a common misconception, Sean...

Public roads are meant for everyone; using them is a right, not a privilege. It's a privilege to have to use them in dangerous, polluting vehicles that beat up the roads a lot more than a light bicycle does. In fact, the extra money drivers pay in insurance and taxes does NOT cover even the cost of road repairs and maintenance, let alone the overall side effects of cars (such as pollution). I, a non-driver, actually subsidize the car drivers with my taxes, so don't give me all this tired nonsense about how car drivers pay for the roads and "own" them as a result.

On the topic of "who owns the road" drivers pay for that little sticker on their license plate, that is specifically for use of the roads. Im not saying it pays for ALL the roads, but the road is not a RIGHT, it is a privilege. The taxes that non-drivers pay that go towards roads is part of living in a democracy. My taxes pay for tons of crap i don't use, like welfare!

As for reckless cyclists. Well I drive a vespa, a motorcycle, a car, and I walk and ride a bicycle. Cabbies, are the most reckless, and they often cut me off on my vespa, of try to change lanes into my lane. This infuriates me so ill stop and block their path just to yell at them. Those contracting minvans are very dangerous too. Bike couriers though, are probably the worst in the city, they have death wishes. I was on my vespa once in my own lane (not the bike lane) it was the left hand lane. and a bike courier was trying to pass me in my own lane, well i was moving all over the lane and no was i wasnt looking at him in my mirror because i wasnt changing lanes or anything and he shouldnt be there, and the traffic was slow moving, going straight on richmond. Anyway, the dude was trying to pass me while we were moving and by going in my lane, and he had the nerve to yell at me for constantly "cutting him off" he would yell "get off the road" "fuck off buddy" etc. makes no sense, its illegal to pass me in my own lane, I have every right to swtich sides of my lane as i please as that is defensive driving because im constantly trying to keep cars from entering my lane where i am.

Also, bikes, constantly bike in the middle of the road as though they were cars, this isnt allowed either. Not to mention running of red lights, biking against traffic, and trying to pass right hand turning cars (they are supposed to go around the left hand side of the car NOT in front of where its turning). when a car turns right, the driver is looking to their left to wait for a gap in traffic, and then, they are looking out for pedestrians trying to cross. they are not looking for, and are mostly unable to, look out for bikes trying to pass them before they turn. Its too much. I also see bikes biking side by side in a bike lane. That makes them too wide and at risk of being clipped, and a danger to the cyclist beside them.

Cars are terrible at not looking, and many of them are on their cell phone, which should be illegal. They especially suck at opening doors while parked

I just got my first bike in years, and it's my first time biking in a major city. In my 5 times commuting to work, I've already had 1 close call of getting nailed by a guy opening the driver side door.

That being said, I've already also been nailed by a another cyclist doing something reckless.

My route to/from work has me off of 'main city' streets for about 60% of the ride so I can avoid traffic fairly well. The detour through David Belfore park, while adding another 10 or so mins onto my ride, is well worth it.

Soon I'll be taking the 'biking in traffic' course that the city offers to bring my skills a bit more upto par- I think more cyclists should do the same.

Having been a pedestrian, a drive and a cyclist in this city, I can definetly say that it is cyclist who have a terrible record. The main reason: disrespecting the rules of the road. I'm not trying to undermine those that have had run ins with terrible car drivers, but more often than not I have seen cyclists causing said accidents by weaving in and out of sidewalks/road/traffic, ignoring signs, and not paying attention to everything around them. The act that kills me is when I see cyclists weaving in traffic when there is a bike lane provided (not that there are enough).

The key is everyone is not paying enough attention. Drivers are on cell phones, cyclists seem to have blinders on and pedestrians are listening to their I-pods. Just pay attention everyone and follow the rules of the road!

In a sad bit or irony.... the picture you chose for your article rings true.

6 years ago this May 27 a dear friend of mine was run over by a dump truck while riding his bike with another friend of ours in Barrie, Ontario. Strange that the situations are the same at a time when our group remembers who we lost.

I've driven a Vespa in Toronto since 2001. At this point I've lost count to the number of times that I've almost been hit by people who were either not paying attention or simple don't feel that a two wheeled vehicle has rights to the road.

It's a sad situation.

Sorry pat t = you're on the road, you have to obey the rules. They are there to help other people predict what is likely to happen.

I walk, I've been hit by bikes who don't even bother looking to see if something (person/car/truck)is coming across the other way. Why can't bikes stop? To save the extra energy up? Tough. Thems the brakes. Joggers and runners stop as well.

Yes, I drive. I watch for bikes. I've had cabbies yell at me for taking too long getting out of the cab when I check and see a bike coming up behind. Far more often, when I'm trying to make a right turn, I've had to honk at a cyclist more than a bike length into the intersection waiting for the light to change. Or weaving in and out of traffic.

I'd love to learn to ride better - but the couple of times I've been out it's been other cyclists who make the experience excruciating.

Let's all keep in mind that there are two groups of cyclists on the road, too. Those that choose to ride a bike and those that have lost or never earned the privilege of driving. A lot of the extreme infractions (the things that get drivers really riled up and put everyone in a terribly dangerous position) I've seen have been committed by scraggly, belligerent people on non-road worthy bikes. I'd rather not be lumped in with the hard-drinking guy on the stolen girl's walmart special heading into oncoming traffic in the cycling discussion, thank you very much.

On the way to work this morning I had no less than 3 potential accidents at the hands of negligent drivers and sadly this is par for the course. I'll stop short of calling them "close calls" because in each case I was able to anticipate that the drivers weren't paying attention (2/3 on cell phones) and avoid any real danger but this is clearly unacceptable.

I was run down in October causing extensive damage to my bike (had to be replaced) and my shoulder (unfortunately not so easily replaced) and the excuse was simply "I didn't see you." Lady, I'm 6'5" and weigh 215 pounds, if you didn't see me it's because you weren't fucking looking!

Overall this topic is tired, but it should be pointed out, as it never is by the outraged cyclists or the entitled drivers who snipe at each other during this debate, that collisions are not necessarily the product of bad faith by either party, but the inevitable consequence of sharing road space. Few drivers will be able to report that they have never been involved in a collision with another car. All users of the roadway voluntarily assume the risk of collisions when the enter it. This includes cyclists. Both parties have an interest to avoid collisions (although, given the greater harm to cyclists that inevitably result from a collision, their interest is greater). The road rule infractions committed by cyclists commonly observed enrage because of that greater harm - it is not unreasonable of other users of the roadway to expect the party who will suffer the greater loss to take greater steps to protect themselves. I can't quarrel with the observation that some cyclists put themselves into dangerous situations by disobeying road signs, passing turning cars on the right, etc. Earphones on cyclists is also frighteningly common.

The assumption (of the author) that collisions are part of some malicious intent of drivers pollutes the rest of the argument.

The way around this (other than the self-preservation points raised above) is improvements in cycling infrastructure that reduce the interaction between cars and bikes and reduce the risk of a shared roadway. These will never be forthcoming until cyclists get serious and lobby and pay for licencing and registration (with safety courses), submit to following the rules of the road (the idea that stop signs can be ignored on a momentum powered vehicle is terminally stupid) and carry mandatory insurance.

Any cyclist who moves up to a corner and finds him/herself waiting for a light whilst sitting between a big truck and the sidewalk is a fool! I agree with a previous comment about cyclists being oblivious to what is going on around them. I would submit that most car/bike accidents resulted because the car driver and the cyclist were off in their own worlds not paying attention to each other at all. In all such cases, the obligation is on the cyclist to be the aware party, since in a confrontation between car and bike, well, no need to say more. I've been cycling in Toronto for 25 years and I have never been struck, (I am knocking on wood as I write this) although I have been cut off from time to time - once by pedestrians who just stepped out onto the road in front of me because all the cars were stopped for a light and they didn't think to look for a cyclist coming up beside them. Open your eyes cyclists, don't wear headphones and stop for red lights - what is it about being a cyclist that some folks think exempts them from stopping.

@ Pat T

----Why do bikes run stop signs and red lights where there is no oncoming traffic? Simple: Because as a human-powered medium that relies on momentum to conserve energy, it is unrealistic to expect them to stop.-----

You GOTTA be kidding. Its not unrealistic. They are TOO LAZY! I ride a bike too, regularly as a commuter, and although I find it irritating to have to stop I recognize that I'm making a choice to ride on a governed path. If I want the freedom of open riding then I head out on some open road.

I completely disagree with your statement. If all parties obey the "rules of transport" then we have a far more efficient system with less injury all around.

I would also not have to duck and dodge kamakazi bikes that come up on the wrong side of me or zip through red light cutting me off as I'm crossing on a green light. I have ENOUGH to worry about dealing with pedestrians and cars I don't need my fellow bikers to be unnecessary douchebags because "they have momenteum".

I got hit by a car, for the third time, while on my bike and I?ve got say it?s begun to upset me.

What upsets me most is how much I deserved it. A blow to my pride.

I realize I?m a tempting target, resplendent in my plastic helmet, legs pumping like a comely gazelle, just asking to be gunned down by the nearest metal death machine. I realize that bicycles have no place on the road, and that if a 15-tonne truck fails to see me it is completely my fault. Under the ?survival of the fittest? (not athletically fit, but 'he who possesses the most body armour' principle) there is no getting around blaming the victim.

Of course if bicycles dare to enter mixed traffic, they are vehicles under the highway traffic act. Since the Highway Traffic Act was designed by motorists, for motorists, what this means is that bikes are actually cars. They are not, in fact, bikes. What a coup!

While upwardly mobile types may see this as promotion, I fear it is a misclassification. Unfortunately there is something called reality, which makes life and driving very inconvenient. The Highway Traffic Act is right: bikes are no different from a cement mixer, which is why I guess that driver got confused; he thought I was one of his buddies and just wanted to give me a friendly tap. In a similar exercise in reality: when I put my bike helmet in the fridge, it actually becomes a watermelon, so it should come as no surprise if my girlfriend eats my helmet while I?m in the ICU recovering from latest cement-mixer love tap. Once again, it?s completely my fault.

Clearly, helmets do not belong in the fridge, and cyclists do not belong on the road. We must not allow a light, convenient mode of traffic to infest the asphalt, omitting to pollute and and omitting to destroy the expensive right of way. Bicycles are too fast for downtown traffic, which according to our longstanding traditions ought to function at a crawl. Have you ever seen a cyclist zip through a completely unnecessary traffic signal downtown, as though he had figured out a better way to navigate the road? Not to sit at an intersection and wait for a traffic light - What a horrendous level of efficiency! It?s as though with cyclists, the millions we spend on traffic signals would be completely redundant. This is a mockery! Not to mention we spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year ? repairing our roadways so that cars and trucks may continue to revert them to rubble. Why, my bike?s failure to destroy the roads threatens to put thousands of construction crews out of work. Why should our politicians divert workers to build subways when they can clean up after automobile wreckage? (Enough nonsense -cars can?t drive on subway tracks, not unless we invent some special wheels for them. )

Of course, a car goes fast. Much faster than a bike. Yet somehow, lots of cars put together don?t go so fast. When you put 1.5 million cars in Toronto ? they go very very slow. The more of them there are, the slower they go? How is this possible I must be bad at math! Yet I?ve seen it every time downtown the slower they go, the fast my bike goes in comparison.

And driving in a car makes you feel free! Free to travel across the country, stopping at every mcDonald's along the way. Free to pay thousands in insurance, free to line up at the gas pump, free to be fleeced by your mechanic. So free! Free to go wherever you want to go, as long as there are roads, and as long as you don?t mind being surrounded by thousands of cars, all exercising their freedom to commute 90km a day from the suburbs ? free to give up any alternative to your car! You?re an individual, you don?t share space on the subway. So free! So many millions of motorists All exercising their freedom in exactly the same way on an identical stretch of road! Freedom to drive - that?s what makes the Highway Traffic Act and the hundreds of rules you need to learn to obtain your license so great!

Yes, there is Traffic! Solution? Build more roads, so more cars can rocket aroud to more places! Will the traffic come to the new roads too? I?ve got a hunch it won?t Somehow, traffic will stop getting worse if we keep paving the city! I?m bad at math, so who cares about logic too!

Also, the more I drive your car, the fatter I get. The more I ride my bike, the more fit I become. This is unfair. We need more fat people on bikes. Nobody likes those dumb jocks anyway.

Will we ever give up cars? Likely not. For this involves ignoring another feature of reality, namely history. It was actually the League of American Wheelmen, a cycling interest group, who got American roads paved over, before there were cars everywhere, in the late 19th century. Thankfully we have managed to forget this. We don?t want motorists to feel guilty about dispossessing someone else?s territory, pretending it was theirs all along, and then lay waste to it ? those pesky Indians make us feel guilty enough for stuff like that.

And so a few of us are sacrificed each year, in the name of tunnel vision, denial and a complete lack of common sense. So be it. I managed to survive my last three love taps, but When my number comes up, I?ll fly gleefully off the handles toward the tough but fair arms of that fateful telephone pole. It?s tough love from that cement-mixer, I guess, because it?s love.

This wasn't meant to be an indictment of drivers, it was a singular incident which was not actually major to begin with, I just got the chance that not many cyclists get, to confront somebody who was oblivious on the road.

I wear my helmet, lights, reflectors and ankle bands, follow the rules of the road and pass cars on the left when they are making right turns at intersections, stop at lights and stop signs and these things still happen. I'm inclined to believe many people DON'T follow the rules because in a weird way it makes them (but not others) safer.

Right after this incident occurred, I was at a stop sign at Beverley and Baldwin and the crosswalk guard thanked me for stopping. I said "No problem, it's the law." and he said "Nobody else stops" and as he did, two cyclists literally BLASTED past me and all he did was look wearily with eyebrows raised. It's most DEFINITELY a two way problem, I've had confrontations with other cyclists, next time one is blogTO worthy, maybe I'll write about it as well.

As a cyclist, I find it most annoying trying to pass another cyclist wearing earphones while riding on the street. Sometimes I want to pass this person and alert him by dinging my bell but it's usually not heard anyway.

I can't understand how someone can ride a bike in this city while plugged into an iPod. It's dangerous enough out there. You've got to be aware of your surroundings ? including hearing sirens, other cyclists, etc. End of rant.

Jay- you said "There is nothing in driver training about bicycles on city streets." Maybe not in training, but I was dinged on my G2 Drivers test for driving into a lane created at an intersection just for a left hand turn, because although I checked for a car behind me, I did not "properly check in case there was a cyclist in my blindspot".

I don't drive a car now. I bike. And I RARELY experience bikers who I feel are a threat to me or anyone else. Its people walking in between parked cars (kids in tow and everything). It's drunk people jumping onto the road to hail cabs, and those cabs careless pulling over. Its people who don't look before pulling out of their parking spots, or do not use their signals.

EVERYONE is careless. Cars, Cabs, Pedestrians, Bikers. Accidents happen between any combination of these things, and until people are more aware, it doesn't matter who is the most at fault.

I like to keep up with the news in general. I read and hear of a lot more fatalities by cars driven by reckless drivers. The latest report killed two young people, and put two in critical condition. These are the references I'd cite to back up my arguments above. I'm interested in reading articles or stats about reckless cyclists who've killed or maimed others though.. not just anecdotes.

Roads are not a privelege. They start as paths through the woods and fields and become wider as more people and a larger variety vehicles use them. They are where/how people move from one place to another to engage in the daily goings on of life.
The laws that govern driving, what some drivers seem to want cyclists to adhere to, are for cars. Remove motor vehicles from the road and the law become unnecessary. These laws were not created for cyclists as cyclist are not nearly the threat to others that motor vehicles are.
That being said there are a ton of assholes on bikes who regularly ride like assholes, but try and find the instances where people were seriously injured or killed in accidents only involving cyclists and pedestrians and what you find is a number that is insignificant in comparison to comprable accidents involving motor vehicles. A driver on their phone, eating ther lunch, lighting their smoke, screwing with the radio, is WAY more dangerous than any asshole on a bike wearing head phones.
The bottom line is that for every dick on a bike there are countless more dicks driving in a manner that can kill. Until the city builds the cycling infrastructure that a town like this deserves there will be dicks sharing the road.

Keep in mind that our varying seasons play a huge role in awareness and skill. During the winter, the cars reign. Come spring, the bicycles come out in force. People have had time to forget how to drive around other types of vehicles (bikes, motorcycles, scooters) and are more likely to make mistakes. Similarly, riders of those other vehicles have had the winter off and often forget a lot, their skills have dulled.

I don't ride a bike, but I do ride a motorcycle. Experienced riders always say that it's this time, early in the season, where riding is most dangerous. Also, to back what someone else said, be extra careful around minivans and cabs! All of my close calls involved those vehicles.

"On your left" (or right) is the normal mountain biking thing to say. However, bells or verbal warnings often are a waste of time on Toronto's recreational paths because pedestrians are completely oblivious. Sorry, that is a whole other discussion. My bad.

I was driving downtown this evening - I would have rather rode but circumstances did not permit. I found the whole Queen West situation pretty dangerous. There were a fair number of cars speeding along to pass in the right hand lane, dodging bikes that rightfully were using the lane. My route also took me along Queen's Quay where the right turns across the bike path is the problem (e.g. into parking garages of the wall of condos). A lot of our bike paths just aren't safe because there is no enforcement of the rules of the road.

Bullshit!
All I ever hear about when they want to build bike lanes is whiny assholes saying "nobody rides their bike in this city, why do we waste money on bike lanes?".
So if that is the case then where are all these reckless bikers coming from? I ride to work almost every day and I don't see many people screwing around on their bikes. Bike couriers are crazy but they are a different breed.
I used to obey every single rule and have been sideswiped and hit on many occasions and avoided many more because I knew the morons behind the wheel were going to do something stupid. If the drivers don't obey the rules, why should I? I still do but screw it, you can get killed that way.
Anyone who says it is the bicyclist's fault more times than naught is such a fucking idiot I can't even think of how to begin telling them how wrong they are. How many incidents have I caused or been in that were my fault as a cyclist or the fault of another cyclist? Zero. How many incidents due to motorists? Seven and avoided many more.
And passing on the left of a right turning car? Yeah, try that and see how soon it is until some jerk behind that turning car smashes you as he tries to swing around the car in front and pass it in the same lane before that car makes its turn. Or you get squished by the dude in the next lane figuring he just got some room to make his lane change in the intersection.
Also, motorists, stop parking in the bike lane! Stop talking on your damn phones! Stop playing kissy-kissy with your girl and pay attention! Stop looking at addresses or stores as you saunter along the road unpredictably changing speeds and orientation! Start using signals and when you do, put them on before you get to the intersection or well before you want to change lanes! Putting on a signal after or during your lateral move doesn't help! I could go on but I will spare you.
I have owned a car in the past and I drive a motorcycle now. I always check my blindspots, how friggin hard is that? No excuse based on changing seasons, that is hogwash. Your obligation to PAY MUTHAF%^$ING attention is year-round!

I love how the majority of cyclists have this holier than thou attitude, they disregard the rules anytime the mood strikes yet want cars to obey everything. I also am amazed at the idea of following a car that has "done a wrong" and confronting them, are cyclists the fucking police now? Won't be long until one of the cyclists ends up in the ICU after confronting the wrong person.

It amazes me to hear some people defend car culture here. I've lived in car culture, I grew up in it. Most of us from Ontario did.

I ride a bike to work now, why, because I don't want to grow up to be a fat ass. I know what it is like to feel rage behind the wheel. I know what it is like to feel like you own the road. (I don't agree with the douche who said bikes don't belong there though because they don't pay insurance. FU because I pay insurance on my car and municipal taxes you POS, I pay much more than you).

The point I'm getting at is everyone needs to get out on the streets of Toronto, on a bike, with the cars, whether a driver or not. Switch places. You'll see then, riding a bike has become a matter of life and death. That means we aren't talking about who owns the road, we are talking about people's lives. Let's make Toronto bike friendly to save lives, promote the environment and a healthy sustainable lifestyle. Anyone who doesn't think this is a good idea is basically a selfish dickhead.

If it has wheels, it belongs on the road. So all you car drivers, accept it and share the road. Sidewalks are for walking. Any biker on the sidewalk should be scolded and ticketed.

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/429141 And watch where you open your car doors, thanks.

In response to katiec about the phrase "on the left", just keep your eyes open if using this - I once used it on a trail while passing someone on their left, only to see them misinterpret the phrase and veer to the left, requiring me to slam on my brakes and nearly lose control.

I definitely disagree with Jay's comparison between bikes and car horns though - they are not really analagous. As a matter of fact, in many countries with much denser traffic flows, cabs use their horns even more than cyclists here use bells. It's about awareness for other road users, not just an audible middle finger.

Bicycling in this city consists of trying to stay on the side of the road until a cab veers for you with no intention of stopping, forcing you onto the sidewalk. Then once you're on the sidewalk all the pedestrians give you the look of contempt. When you are able to drive on the street, you're constantly sandwitched when you need to pass parked cars on the curb. Then once you're passing they will often swing their door open without looking behind them. I have had 3 doors swung in my face and narrowly missed getting corpseified in the last few days. Its crap. I hate this city.

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