Do cyclists suck on purpose?

Knock them off their bicycles and report back in this thread about the aftermath

I've had that problem a lot on local trails. Guys that think they on the world cup downhill tour. They're super dangerous. I've seen them scare the heck out of families out hiking, me as a runner, out of control to the point where they crashed into someone riding up the hill.

One day I had stopped during a 4 hour run to whizzinate and as I was standing there I noticed a mother bear teaching it's cub how to climb a tree. It was really cool, then some jackwad mtb comes skidding around the corner and scares the heck out of everyone. He keeps going and the mother bear is starring at me.

I caught him in the parking lot later and almost lost it on him.

Cyclist suck and swimmers blow.

That's why it's always windy when you run. (Except on a treadmill)

You're a better cyclist than a runner because you can compete with triathletes at a non-competitive event? Get a f'n clue. You are not a cyclist. You have virtually no experience with it otherwise you wouldn't be asking this question.

Cyclists often come across as being rude for various reasons, such as coming too close to another person or not waving back or saying hello. The primary reason this happens is because they are often going faster than almost any runner can sprint at absolute top-speed. The wind noise alone means most cyclists are essentially deaf to any approaching person that could be trying to talk with them.

What needs to remembered is this: cyclists are humans just like runners are humans. If all cyclists are jerks what that really means is there is something about being on a bike that makes it difficult for humans to be as courteous as they can be when moving at slower speeds.

That all being said, if you want to get seriously hurt you go right ahead and try to tackle a 200 pound person that's wearing a helmet coming at you at 20+mph. Let us know how that works out for you when you get out of the hospital.

Runners, walkers, hobby joggers, people pushing strollers, roller bladers, roller skiers, and cyclists all on the same multi-use path can some times cause a lot of conflict when they meet on multi-use paths. I ride a bike as well and I use the MUP's a lot. The scariest things are parents with a small child learning to ride a bike or just learned to ride a bike on the MUP. The child doesn't understand what is going on and they will stop, turn around, cross the path without looking. As a parent, I would never bring my child on one of these MUP's as they are not safe. I also never go on the MUP's on summer weekends as they are just too crowded. The other factor is too many people have their phone/ipod device with them and they are plugged into that listening to whatever which hampers their ability to hear what is going on around them.

As a runner, I don't run on the MUP's either for the reasons mentioned above. I'd rather go somewhere less congested like a park or trail that mountain bikers don't use. Cyclists are a big problem due to their speed. Most (90%?) cyclists are riding in the 12-22mph range even if the posted speed limit is 15mph.

Be careful out there!

Yes, where I run most cyclists suck. These Cat-5 Strava KOM losers spent $10k on their dentist bikes, they're damn well going to race them. At least downhill that is. I get a ton of joy running past these losers uphill as they struggle in their granny gear. I wouldn't play a game of chicken with a bike though. I find that if I wear a bright headlamp at night (300 lumens) it really freaks them out. It's really the only way to get them to slow down. You could also try to find out who they are via Strava flybys and contact their cycling club and report their dangerous behavior. If the club sees no problem with aggressive riding then contact the parks dept. You can also mark Strava segments as dangerous; they'll just make new ones though and try again for the CRs, so you might just make the problem worse. Otherwise, the cold weather around this time of year takes care of most of them.

WiredHeart wrote:

I run a lot on a small, paved, two-lane pedestrian commuter path. It annoys me when groups of wannabe Lance Armstrongs time trial on a path full of walkers, runners and small kids - there are stop lights every mile so even for workouts it makes no sense.

Those are the guys that can't ride with the real cyclists who are out on the local race rides. They know they can't keep up so they try and look like rock starts on the pedestrian paths.

moanswers wrote:

Those are the guys that can't ride with the real cyclists who are out on the local race rides. They know they can't keep up so they try and look like rock starts on the pedestrian paths.

Guy's like this one, maybe?

@Think it through

I don’t mind when riders pass me from behind, but when they are riding 3-wide on a two lane trail at night they are jerks. Lance Beergut was coming at me in the center of my lane trying to pass his buddies - he was on a tall frame, his mid section was elbow/shoulder height with me. I had to move to the gravel to avoid him. If I had lifted my elbow three inches he would have taken the worst of it and probably taken out his little pack on the way down.

The idea of finding them on Strava and reporting them is more constructive. I stay to the right of my lane and make every effort to leave as much room as possible for others to enjoy the path safely. I wear a bright lamp and vest so the guy saw me coming, he just chose to push me off the path. The path might actually be officially closed after dark so maybe we were all in the wrong.

There is a reason people say “it’s like riding a bike.” Even pushing it, for anyone mildly athletic, cycling isn't much more effort than walking.

@ Match

That is hilariously similar - maybe it is the season. I need to read that thread.

Sorry. I was venting my frustration with the wannabe racers who use multi-use trails as their personal race tracks. Each year I’m seeing more guys with race bikes and spandex monopolizing the paths and it feels dangerous. I started using the paths more to run because the sidewalks are cracked and drivers are too distracted.

There was no intent to lump daily commute riders, or the average fitness riders in with the Tour DeBikeTrail racers. I stay aware when I run and have no objections to “on your left” or the little ding-ding bells. If anyone is riding 17-20+ mph they should be on the road with cars, plain and simple.

oh yeah, uh-huh, you can look up the data on this... literally hundreds of people get killed by cyclists on paths every year, so the risk that you perceive and use to justify your resentments is *definitely totally real.*

None of the guys I ride w/bike on those bike paths along w/other peds, etc - for the reasons cited: too many things in their way, too many interruptions. Every one that I know that puts in higher mileage is on the roads.

This is just another 'flamer' thread. Lame attempt to lump ALL cyclists in w/recreational sorts/heroes.

Nothing more, nothing to see. Move on.

ex_d1_now_cat1 wrote:

oh yeah, uh-huh, you can look up the data on this... literally hundreds of people get killed by cyclists on paths every year, so the risk that you perceive and use to justify your resentments is *definitely totally real.*

this thread sounds familiar...

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=9105508

DarkSideCyclist wrote:

This is just another 'flamer' thread. Lame attempt to lump ALL cyclists in w/recreational sorts/heroes.

Nothing more, nothing to see. Move on.

Meh, nobody is lumping all cyclist together. I will say that in the large metropolitan area that I run in, there are a fair amount (probably not percentage-wise) of cyclists who feel entitled to ride in the parks at speeds well beyond their bike handling skills. Riding in pace lines in a crowded park in the middle of a weekend day is unacceptable in these parks. Beyond this, many of them feel they have the right to veer into the pedestrian lane instead of actually slowing down. I realize that we're all fighting for limited space, which is why mutual respect is even more important. The basic rules that most cyclist impose upon those who are new to the sport are just not enforced. You'll see guys in group rides on tri bikes or guys "bombing" down a 3% gradient laying on their top tube blowing a whistle or yelling at people to get out of the way. Maybe it's because they don't have any real cyclists amongst them that they don't know basic etiquette. I've seen riders collide with children and then just ride off. I think mostly the statistics are skewed because people don't realize bicycle collisions are supposed to be treated the same as a car collisions. I'm glad you don't know anyone like this, but they're out there and they're giving cyclists a bad image. Maybe if they just stopped making Sky kit in XXL these guys would disappear.

yes but it's mtb wrote:

I've had that problem a lot on local trails. Guys that think they on the world cup downhill tour. They're super dangerous. I've seen them scare the heck out of families out hiking, me as a runner, out of control to the point where they crashed into someone riding up the hill.

One day I had stopped during a 4 hour run to whizzinate and as I was standing there I noticed a mother bear teaching it's cub how to climb a tree. It was really cool, then some jackwad mtb comes skidding around the corner and scares the heck out of everyone. He keeps going and the mother bear is starring at me.

I caught him in the parking lot later and almost lost it on him.

You’re dumb for sticking around a mother bear with cub(s).

They all suck, yes. Especially the tools on mountain bikes that blow by me on the downhill trails in groups as if these jerk offs have the right of way, but 1/2 mile further they are all pushing their bikes up the hill. Expensive dog to be walking, fuckers? Fun to blow by them as I’m running . Must be a great workout to only ride your bike DOWN the hills ....even funnier how groups of them camp out at the top of a steep hill, then the second I approach and start running down, one of these punks says “ we’re coming down soon”.. yeah really?? Today, jerk offs??

moanswers wrote:

Those are the guys that can't ride with the real cyclists who are out on the local race rides. They know they can't keep up so they try and look like rock starts on the pedestrian paths.

This, 100%.

All the serious cyclists I know do the weekly group rides. The couple guys I know that make use of a popular multi-use trail in my area are just casual cyclists (I can't attest to their behavior on the trail, but they have $1K bikes, not $10K kit).

Jimmy Chonga wrote:

moanswers wrote:

Those are the guys that can't ride with the real cyclists who are out on the local race rides. They know they can't keep up so they try and look like rock starts on the pedestrian paths.

This, 100%.

All the serious cyclists I know do the weekly group rides. The couple guys I know that make use of a popular multi-use trail in my area are just casual cyclists (I can't attest to their behavior on the trail, but they have $1K bikes, not $10K kit).

Yeah, it's not really possible to do real training on a multi-use path. If legit cyclists are on those paths, it's because they are getting to or back from a ride on the road, or are really crunched for time.

Proper training would include significant periods over 25mph or even 30-35+ mph on flat ground, which is insanity to do on a multi-use trail where a pedestrian could pop out of nowhere at any time.

That said, everyone on a bike is entitled to their workout. If you're going to call them out just for being recreational, you might as well call out anyone running slower than 6 minute pace.

Most runners/joggers/walkers on the multi-use paths are absolutely idiotic about how they move. I've seen many accidents happen where someone on an incredibly busy trail just decides to do a U-turn without looking back. Mind-boggling. Or someone will just cross straight into the path of some bikes and take photos of the surrounding area with their phone. About 80% of the time it's an Asian grandmother, and if it's not then it's usually a fat woman with 2 kids. Just my observation, with large sample size. Actually, I've seen cyclists crash because of people like that and need to be put on a stretcher. The pedestrians who cause the accidents usually don't even show the slightest hint of awareness of the suffering and damage they cause.