Comments on: Dear Ottawa Cyclists

By: Your helmet’s too tight maybe? « XUP

Your helmet’s too tight maybe? « XUP — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:46:02 +0000

[...] Ottawa cycling thing has been discussed at length on blogs like David Reevely’s, and I just did a post on the topic just 3 weeks ago, but since then a good friend of mine was knocked down by an Ottawa [...]

By: XUP

XUP — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:02:23 +0000

Tina – Kids are a problem. I don’t like to see them on the road because they’re pretty vulnerable and don’t really belong on a busy street either. But they should have some respect for pedestrians. We need bike paths!!!

By: tina

tina — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:05:28 +0000

What about kids who ride their bikes on the sidewalk? One quiet day, I was walking along on the sidewalk, minding my own business, when suddenly, this kid, a little boy about 8 or 9 yrs old, zoomed right passed me! Not only was I startled, but I was upset too & I yelled at him that he wasn’t allowed to ride his bike on the sidewalk. As I was yelling this to him – zoom! – another kid, this time a little girl about the same age went by, who of course thought that I was yelling at her, which I wasn’t, but the message was the same – do not ride your bikes on the sidewalk!!!

Now, this little girl told her friends that this mean old lady (I’m in my mid 40’s) was yelling at her and now one of her more “vocal” friends harasses me whenever she sees me – calling me “a mean bitch for yelling at a little girl” for riding her bike on the sidewalk!

I hate kids.

By: XUP

XUP — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:29:47 +0000

Meanie – Yes. You need to be really sure you know what you’re doing and have a high degree of confidence in your cycling and defensive cycling abilities before riding in the city. I think most of the problems stem from unskilled, unknowledgable cyclists. And then, of course, some are just plain rude.

By: meanie

meanie — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:52:31 +0000

sometimes i feel like they follow car-rules when it suits them and pedestrian rules when it suits them. i do wish i had the balls to cycle in the city though, but it does scare me – everything seems so unpredictable.

By: XUP

XUP — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:28:20 +0000

Tom – Thanks for your input. You’re right, of course, that pedestrians need to remain alert and follow the rules too as they can cause accidents as well as anyone else. I hope the city will follow through on the cycle plan approved last night and that some major infrastructure changes will occur to make the roads safer for all. I do realize that the current structure is very unpleasant and unsafe for cyclists. I commute by bike myself on occasion and don’t much like it. I’m hopeful though will the ever-rising price of gas that we’ll see more and more bikes on the road and the more users, the more quickly the city has to act to make intra-city cycling a viable, safe and friendly transportation method

By: TomTrottier

TomTrottier — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:54:19 +0000

XUP, Pedestrian assholes usually damage themselves first, but if they step into the road without looking (gee, didn’t hear anything…) and get hit by a cyclist (or hybrid), that cyclist is going to hurt too. The pedestrian will fall, but the cyclist will not only fall, he will skid, losing skin at best, but sometimes her life if she slides into something hard like a curb.

For sure, cyclists should obey the rules of the road and stay off sidewalks. If the road is all broken up, or too narrow, then the cyclist should go down the middle of the lane, so cars will have to switch lanes to pass. Drivers might get irritated, but no one wants an “accident.”

It’s important we all follow the rules of the road and act predictably to avoid collisions.

But those 4-way stops are a pain. We need roundabouts or a fused-grid street pattern to make cycling more pleasant – and to save on all the pollution from cars stopping and starting, stopping and starting, stopping and starting.

tOM Trottier,
VP Citizens for Safe Cycling

By: XUP

XUP — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:05:23 +0000

JC (you’re not not THE JC, by any chance are you? Because if you are I’m real sorry if I offended you). If you’re just a regular JC, then I guess I can’t argue that there are assholes everywhere, but some assholes are more dangerous than others. There’s not a lot of damage an asshole pedestrian can do except to themselves. And yes, of course, you’re right – not all cyclists are assholes. I do believe I tried to make that very clear in my last paragraph.

JB – Who knew when we built our entire infrastructure around cars that oil was ever going to be a scarce resource. Oh ya – LOTS of people. I’m excited to see how this will all play out in the future.

By: JB

JB — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:58:17 +0000

I don’t think there are any more law-abiding cyclists here than on average – but that incident happened in Brantford. I work in Hamilton, but live in Brantford. Pretty soon, with the price of a barrel of oil, all I’ll be able to afford to do is commute by bike.
There.
The price of oil just went up because I said that.

By: JC

JC — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:06:53 +0000

Folks,
it’s not about cyclists or pedestrians or motorists. Assholes are assholes however they’re moving.

I’ve been on my bike and nearly run over by some dough-headed soccer mom talking on her cell phone and trying to drive her urban assault vehicle around a corner (and my daily commute has me on city streets for about 3 blocks, total). Two weeks ago, my partner and I were literally run over by this jerk who cut a blind corner – all of us on our bikes, on the pathway. Also on my bike, I am constantly passed by cyclists who fail to signal their intent to pass you – why do you think your bike comes with a bell? (Interesting side note, I once had someone yell at me for ringing my bell before I passed him! Apparently the “bring, bring” startled him. Read the rules, moron, they’re posted.)

Anyway, long story short, I’m sure we’ve all been motorists, peds, and cyclists who have been annoyed by other motorists, peds and cyclists. Ease up on the cyclists; we’re not all self-righteous envirofreaks hell bent on ruining your day…some of us just like to ride.