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Cyclists Illegally Use L.A. Freeway, Beat Traffic

laist.com — In a city ruled by built for cars, why is it that you can get places faster on bikes? About 30 bicyclists and 3 rollerbladers hit an LA freeway to demonstrate the use of a bicycle. It worked -- they beat traffic on a road where cars should.

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  • sneakeykop, on 05/14/2008, -18/+32WGAF? they've been doign this on the East Coast for years..!
    • itsradBrad, on 05/14/2008, -6/+21The difference is that they are on a FREEWAY. Thats very different and far more impressive that getting around NYC on a bike.
      • brstilson, on 05/14/2008, -7/+23Biking on a road with no intersections and all traffic going one way is more impressive than navigating downtown NYC on a bike through intersections and opposing traffic?
        • jamesLankford, on 05/14/2008, -2/+24yes, and if you had ever driven in LA, you would know that
          LA is not like NYC where everything is practically within walking distance
          LA is built around long distance travel
        • theOster, on 05/14/2008, -1/+5I bike to work (brooklyn into manhattan) and i do pretty good at keeping up with traffic (on a fixed gear track bike). in nyc, it's pretty difficult to get above 30mph in a car - too many obstacles. a freeway OTH...
      • DiggzDE, on 05/14/2008, -2/+17The difference is NYC is much closer together then LA; geographically speaking. The true LA area extends very far out and as it stands most people who work in the downtown LA area don't live anywhere near it. That is why there are so many freeways around the L.A. area. Comparing bicycle use in NYC to LA is just stupid. It is a clear sign that you have only visited or lived in one of the two places if you do so. The primary mode of transportation in LA is car, the primary mode of transportation in NYC is public transportation and cabs. That is one reason you can get away without ever getting a license or learning to drive in NYC. You could never seriously do that in LA.
        • hobbers, on 05/14/2008, -3/+15L.A. is the perfect example of county development plans gone horribly horribly stupid. Let's have dense suburbs sprawl the countryside such that public transit like buses and light rails will not be effective, so everyone will own a car and commute all over the place. Then coat the land with highway after highway. This is exactly why there should be no "medium density residential" zoning. There should be high density urban where public transit works fine. And low density rural where a regular 2 or 3 lane highway is plenty to support the car population.
          • DiggzDE, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Not to forget mentioning that our entire water system is imported from hundreds of miles up north. Lose that. And what are we doing? Thank god I only drink bottled water.
    • sjl127, on 05/14/2008, -38/+22Makes me want to buy a SEMI and run them all down. Elitist pricks.
      • bob10marley, on 05/14/2008, -13/+18I think that you are the elitist here
        • itsthebrod, on 05/14/2008, -2/+5No, the ***** idiots slowing down the freeway and creating a huge safety problem are the "elitists" since they think they're apparently are above the law and can use whatever roadway however they want.
          • Verdanic, on 05/15/2008, -2/+3It's ok, I think, to break the rules (when you're not endangering anybody other than yourself, really) to help prove a point that would only help a city and the environment out. I'm not saying it's legal, just not '***** idiots' for doing it. This is coming from a city cyclist, though, take it how you will.
      • tschau, on 05/14/2008, -8/+13What the hell is elitist about riding a bike? You can get one for like $50 used...
        • sjl127, on 05/14/2008, -4/+11Elitist riding it on a highway. I'm sick of these bikers sneering at me when I try to pass them on a road that's ONLY FOR CARS. Pulling out in front of me...
          • sealbeater, on 05/14/2008, -8/+6Sorry the road is for vehicles, of which the bicycle is one. Share the road.
          • itsthebrod, on 05/15/2008, -2/+9@sealbeater
            ROADS are for vehicles, HIGHWAYS are for *motorized* vehicles ONLY. They're called laws. Perhaps you should learn about them at some point.
          • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -1/+3@Itsthebrod - sealbeater was replying to what sjl127 was saying. From what I can gather, he wasn't referring to a freeway
          • itsthebrod, on 05/15/2008, -1/+2So? This entire story is referring to cyclists on the freeway.
          • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -1/+1SO...This is a comments section you dumb *****.
      • pilesAREbetter, on 05/14/2008, -5/+7What are you talking about? Wouldn't you be the elitist since you would be driving a semi.
      • MWeather, on 05/14/2008, -8/+5Yeah, just like those elitist Chinese peasants.
    • AngeloM3, on 05/14/2008, -0/+6East Coast for years?! I regularly travel anywhere from Maine to Philly and I have yet to see someone on a bike on the highway.... maybe it was a dream you were having.
    • heinleineken, on 05/14/2008, -1/+6As a bike courier in Boston I have: ridden the Ted Williams (before it was opened), ridden the Tobin Bridge outbound and inbound on several occasions, often ridden Storrow Drive, taken the occasional trip down 93 to get back into town from the north, daily taken 99 to get into and out of the city...what makes you think I'm unique...I know I'm not the only one, I know it wasn't a dream
      • sealbeater, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4I was a bike courier too, in DC tho. Bike messengers go places ordinary mortals fear to tread.
        You're not a true badass until you ride though a tunnel freeway.
    • evi1, on 05/15/2008, -2/+3There is always a few hundred when they do this in Austin and they love to block traffic and slow everyone down, damn hippies.
      • heinleineken, on 05/20/2008, -0/+0Okay, I did this in traffic--moving traffic--alone, not as some group of damn hippies--
        I don't block traffic, I weave
  • technomageender, on 05/14/2008, -18/+65thats ballsy, they could have been killed with this stunt.
    • fsweep, on 05/14/2008, -3/+158The cars have to be moving to be dangerous.
      • GunbladeVIII, on 05/14/2008, -1/+29Usually, there's one douchebag driver in a traffic jam who decides to turn the shoulder into his own personal lane, and flies down it at about 60 MPH when everyone else is stopped. I wouldn't want to be a bike in front of him.
      • cptshamrock, on 05/14/2008, -6/+8Car doors are also a bikers enemy
        • wrathbone, on 05/14/2008, -0/+24People open their car doors on the freeway all the time.
      • 48snickers, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4While the cars are doing zero, motorcyclists are often splitting lanes at 40 mph in L.A. Not sure who that presents a greater danger to- the motorcyclists or the bicylists.
        • guyincognitoo, on 05/14/2008, -0/+8Thing is, that is legal in CA.
          • tightscrummy, on 05/14/2008, -1/+3I don't know if it's legal or just allowed by the CHP. I imagine that the CHP would want drivers to be used to a motorcycle zipping in between lanes like they have to do. In any case, it takes balls of steel and amazing concentration with all of the idiotic drivers changing lanes for no reason in traffic.
          • lostarchitect, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1it's not so much "legal" as it is "not illegal". i used to do it quite a lot when i lived out there, but i did know guys who'd been written up for "unsafe lane changes" because they were technically going back and forth between 2 lanes without signaling.
          • BearinG, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1When you're a few bikers though, there's not much the cars can do.. unless they're going to plow 10-15 people.. Send only one of those guys alone.. im sure wont be as easy
      • xkorbin, on 05/14/2008, -1/+2I was waiting for someone to open their door.
    • Asvetic, on 05/14/2008, -6/+38Worse, those balls could have gotten caught in the gears or chain...
      • FlagrantDrugUse, on 05/14/2008, -0/+16lol, only if you're 100 years old and you're wearing short-shorts and no undies.
        • piesforyou, on 05/14/2008, -0/+10Or you're trying to have sex with your bike.
    • AngelBunny, on 05/14/2008, -4/+5can anyone please post a mirror? -thnx
    • tchawla, on 05/14/2008, -1/+12you've never seen nyc bike messengers in action: http://youtube.com/watch?v=nR2ygFn-yR8
      • Abomonog, on 05/14/2008, -1/+2You can do that type of thing there. Try it where I live and you end up roadkill.
        • tightscrummy, on 05/14/2008, -1/+3But that mean visiting Hickville and nobody wants to do that.
    • Duggan360, on 05/14/2008, -0/+2"You got balls, I like that in a woman"
    • yacks, on 05/15/2008, -3/+2could have gotten killed and the driver of car who hit them would be sued for millions of dollars.
      • tightscrummy, on 05/15/2008, -0/+4Good. The world needs fewer cars and more bikes and motorcycles.
  • pb734, on 05/14/2008, -37/+4You Won't Catch Me Dyin'--They'll Have To Kill Me Before I Die!
  • pogfreak, on 05/14/2008, -13/+99Riding on the freeway may been a success, but trying to power the web server with a stationary bike was not :(
  • hayzeus, on 05/14/2008, -3/+153LA during rush hour? You could get there faster standing still.
    • dondara, on 05/14/2008, -0/+19You get passed by old ladies with walkers, I've seen it!
  • bob10marley, on 05/14/2008, -24/+1Dad?
  • TedEaston, on 05/14/2008, -38/+27Kudos to them - critical mass to the max.

    Whose streets? OUR STREETS.
    • zombiesrwaiting, on 05/14/2008, -7/+2La critical Mass.
      NY's been doing it for a long time.

      Go Fixed
      • floppyparty, on 05/14/2008, -2/+3fixies try to hard to stand out/be cool. You can do so much more with a properly equipped bike, even if its not as "pure".
        • MWeather, on 05/14/2008, -3/+4I can do more with a calculator than an abacus, but the calculator is a wee bit harder/more expensive to repair.
          • floppyparty, on 05/14/2008, -0/+2that's why everyone uses an abacus instead of a calculator.
          • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1I got a front derailleur for (what equates to) $5 and a rear for £15 for my beater. That's not expensive, and you must be a ***** retard to not know how to maintain them yourself.
    • AYork, on 05/14/2008, -5/+54I really get irked at critical mass. They go out once a year and ignore all the traffic laws, running red lights, holding up traffic, yelling at motorists, and basically acting like jerks. They then go home and get up the next morning to ride their cars or the bus to work.
      And then I hop on my bike the next morning and have to deal with all the motorists that are righteously pissed at any and all cyclists. Share the road, sure, but cyclists: WE HAVE TO OBEY THE LAW, TOO. Stop at stop signs. Stop at red lights. Signal. Look before crossing lanes of traffic. Pick the sidewalk or the street and stick to it, stop weaving through driveways to avoid stoplights. Stay off the freeway. Hug the curb & let cars pass when you can.
      Drivers see us as "them", just like we see drivers as "them". When many of the cyclists out there act like jerks, we are all popped into the same category, and drivers start treating us *all* like the jerk that *you* are.
      • smaisch, on 05/14/2008, -1/+15I'm so glad you have some common sense, unlike some that partake in critical mass in the manner you mentioned. Thank you.
      • fsweep, on 05/14/2008, -3/+7Try once a month--- like the last Friday. I bike everywhere... but crit mass is a strange form of advocacy if you ask me. I believe it is more for urban anarchists to act out than to enact some pro-cycling agenda of any value.

        But I highly disagree with hugging the curb--- it is probably one of the most dangerous places to ride.
        • serif69, on 05/14/2008, -3/+11The curb isn't such a dangerous place to ride when I'm bearing down on you in one direction and a car is coming in the opposite direction. I can't tell you how people I've nearly hit because I have to slam on my brakes to avoid an 80+mph closing speed head-on collision because some douchebag in tight shorts won't move two feet to the right.
          • hobbers, on 05/14/2008, -2/+1Physics problem: 2 identical cars traveling towards each other at 40 mph each. If they hit head-on, what is the equivalent speed for one car to hit a brick wall? (Hint: it's not 80 mph.)

            Answer: 40 mph.

            Do the math.
          • MWeather, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4Physics problem: 2 identical cars traveling towards each other at 40 mph each. How fast does the distance between them decrease?

            Answer: 80 mph.

            Do the math, and maybe read what is actually said.
          • mesasone, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1I was nearly run over on my way home tonight because I wasn't practicing proper lane control and was riding (really) close to the curb. People in cars can be real assholes, and if you give them the space to squeak by in the same lane, they will do it with out any regard for your safety. I try to be pragmatic about it, and give enough space that a car can easily get around me, but make sure they have to at least pull around and use part of the next lane to do it.
          • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Us with bikes that we actually want to keep in good condition don't hug the kerb, that's where all the ***** on the road gets pushed to by cars.

            Fair enough, I try to be as considerate as possible, but I definitely do not get the favour returned.
        • strangewill, on 05/14/2008, -2/+5Depends on what you mean by "hugging", I'll stay a few feet near the curb, but I've ridden inches, and while I've been able to do it, it's definitely not safe. I'd rather have the cars that are only going a few MPH faster than me (on the particular road which is too narrow to share safely) slow down a little.
          • floppyparty, on 05/14/2008, -0/+2I do my fair share of cycling on the road with cars, and I agree with you, but I would like to say it's not fair to people driving when they are slowed down more then 5mph for more then 200 yards.
          • masterofshadows, on 05/15/2008, -1/+1I would rather ride on the sidewalk, if more streets here had sidewalks I would never be in the road (yes i know that this isn't legal in all states, in mine its fine)
      • scarroll, on 05/14/2008, -0/+6Actually, cyclists should stay off the sidewalks. Sidewalks are for pedestrians, and little kids on trikes.
        • floppyparty, on 05/14/2008, -0/+3Totally agree. Especially the ones who rocket off the sidewalk into an intersection. Its hard for cars to spot you, they are usually looking on the street.
    • jin13xed, on 05/14/2008, -4/+0HAHA!! I saw one of you morons get CREAMED when he blew a stop sign a couple of years ago here in PA. I hope he's a quadriplegic now and stuck on four wheels for good.
  • MysticMist, on 05/14/2008, -0/+8Insurance doesn't cover.
    • taradisiac, on 05/14/2008, -3/+0Who gives a damn?
      • taradisiac, on 05/14/2008, -1/+1Let me clarify:
        If I crash and die, big deal, I'm dead, I won't care.
        If I crash and get hurt, I have health insurance.
        If my bike is destroyed, well, they're not that expensive.
        • mhender, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1If you crash into someone and they sue you for damages to their Mercedes, well, they're pretty expensive.
          People aren't burying you just 'cause they don't get it.
        • Tweekster, on 05/15/2008, -0/+0Not to mention you will get several tickets for doing so.
          It is not uncommon to some cyclist to get hit by a car and wake up in the hospital with a ticket. (pedestrians for that matter too)
  • itsradBrad, on 05/14/2008, -7/+22Down already? Pathetic.
    • katize, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1yeah..the laist.com site always has issues. too bad.
    • dualla88, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1Looks like it's back up.
  • kalleanka, on 05/14/2008, -43/+4Mirror:
    http://shorl.com/gogrejyvijiry
  • EserVerx, on 05/14/2008, -2/+78 In a city ruled by built for cars.
    • bgrah449, on 05/14/2008, -3/+33... 30 cyclists dared to refuse the rules.
      • Otnehs, on 05/14/2008, -0/+19This Summer in a theater near you comes...
      • dOOBiEx213, on 05/14/2008, -9/+1Yea, well, if I ran over one these retards, I would be super pissed if they left a blood stain in my car... but I wouldn't think twice about stopping. Blind spot ftw.
    • SuperWinner, on 05/14/2008, -1/+31One man, One bike, in a world built for four wheels... Matt Damon is, BIKEATRON
    • bigmac7669, on 05/14/2008, -4/+1Hoocked On Fonicks Wurked Four Me!
  • Nikx, on 05/14/2008, -16/+1050 diggs and down!
    • BryanJK, on 05/14/2008, -4/+21diggs != site traffic
      comments != site traffic
      site traffic = site traffic
      • str1fe, on 05/14/2008, -7/+7diggs = front page of digg
        front page of digg = site traffic
        therefore, diggs = site traffic

        Isn't algebra great?
      • strangewill, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1It's all relative, some servers can handle thousands of diggs, which is typically going to be more traffic than a site that gets like... 50 diggs.
    • Jo9100, on 05/14/2008, -4/+2O RLY
    • afx1, on 05/14/2008, -0/+6everytime you digg something a monkey kicks their server
  • Ryan166, on 05/14/2008, -53/+15I'd run those ***** over.
    • Krosm, on 05/14/2008, -4/+32There, there, now isnt the time to let your latent gay fantasies come out...
      • Ryan166, on 05/14/2008, -20/+6I want to piss in your ass. There, I said it.
      • bgrah449, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1Not the first time I've had to search a website for the text "latent gay fantasies" ...
    • socketman, on 05/14/2008, -9/+3Hey I wouldn't, but I am not going to complain if the death toll of people riding bicycles on the roads goes up dramatically and they outlaw it
      • youjettisonme, on 05/14/2008, -2/+3You don't mind if some people are murdered. Great take you jackass. I'm sure your fat lazy ass has never made it out of your cubicle.
        • Tweekster, on 05/15/2008, -2/+0it wont be murder, it wont be a crime since it will be their fault for causing their own demise.
    • andy314159pi, on 05/14/2008, -3/+6I was once hit by a car while cycling. About 50 cyclists surrounded his car and forced him to stop.
  • Totz83, on 05/14/2008, -3/+16If they claim to be a single organism in motion Im sure it would have the mandatory horsepower for a freeway for it to be legal, but the toll booths will suck ballz
    • ozid, on 05/14/2008, -2/+2only toll booths on a couple freeways, and avoidable
      • drewpost, on 05/14/2008, -2/+11There are no toll booths on California FREEways. That would make them toll roads. Now those have toll booths! :-)
        • mariecordona, on 05/14/2008, -4/+6That is only true in California. Everywhere else in the country it's just another word for a highway or expressway. And just out of curiosity, if California is so literal with their terminology, why isn't it called a parkway instead of a freeway?
          • expert01, on 05/15/2008, -1/+1Not designed for parking? Then again, not designed for freeing either. Why not "Fasterway"?
  • thirdcoastborn, on 05/14/2008, -33/+15here in austin everybody's a lance armstrong wannabe. I can't stand these fools.
    • rotten777, on 05/14/2008, -13/+4here on digg, we don't care. -1
    • Zorkon, on 05/14/2008, -2/+8All cyclists in general, or is there a particular behavior that you find offensive? Just curious.

    • whiter3, on 05/14/2008, -4/+12Why is everyone on a bike trying to be Lance Armstrong? They existed before your Chevy
    • youjettisonme, on 05/14/2008, -3/+5Where I'm from, we ride our bike down the streets, and we're surrounded by these Mario Andretti wannabes... I can't stand these fools.
    • logandurand, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2Here in Austin, traffic sucks. Bikes are indispensable if you travel downtown.
  • Soulbow2, on 05/14/2008, -1/+12mirror?
    • kowalzki, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1(looking int the mirror) Look honey! A bicycle! A f*ckin bicycle!
  • imitokay, on 05/14/2008, -1/+15diggers try to use web link, they get beat by traffic
    (sites down already)

    gotta love that digg effect
  • lordkenyon, on 05/14/2008, -8/+3history and info:
    http://www.ibikeu.com/wiki/index.php/The_Freeway_T ...
    • lordkenyon, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4D'oh, cut the full URL. here's a link:
      http://tinyurl.com/3zzgf2
    • expert01, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Picture number eight is wearing a weed gas mask - we had the same model, called it Mosquito Man. A steamroller about 12" long goes in the top hole (which has a one way flap, so you can suck in but not blow out), and the bottom hole has a one way flap allowing you to exhale (but not inhale). You can strap that thing on, hold a lighter to the bowl, and breath in and out normally for the entire bowl.

      Looks really awesome, although it would be cooler if it were lit.
  • Iztikeit, on 05/14/2008, -14/+4But if everyone started cycling then the roads would be clear enough to allow cars to make much better time. Cyclists that take themselves too seriously on the road irk me, and we're watching you.
    • fsweep, on 05/14/2008, -2/+4I disagree--- i am more annoyed by cyclists who don't take themselves seriously enough. If you are on the road, you are a vehicle

      While there are ***** drivers everywhere, speeding, rolling through stop signs, etc. when ONE cyclist commits a minor "infraction", suddenly ALL cyclists are scofflaws in the minds of many motorists.

      • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Couldn't agree more mate - I let any cyclist I see know should they do something stupid and plain dangerous while I'm cycling. They're not just a risk to themselves and motorists, but more importantly to the reputation of cyclists.
  • kahakauai, on 05/14/2008, -33/+20I hate cyclists in Cali... They always ride in the middle of the goddamn lane on coast highway. Makes me want to open my door on em everytime I drive by.
    • moolaismyfriend, on 05/14/2008, -7/+6You are allowed to split lanes in California.
    • stevetron, on 05/14/2008, -5/+17Sometimes the middle of the lane can be the safest place for the cyclist and the motorist. It may cost you an extra ten or thirty seconds to pass a cyclist safely, but it will cost him months or years of rehab if you hit him with your door at speed. Keep it in perspective and be rational when you're operating a motor vehicle. A minor inconvenience to you is not worth a life changing event for both of you.
      • chaosevil, on 05/14/2008, -8/+3If you run with the bull be ready to take it up the ass!
      • serif69, on 05/14/2008, -3/+13Too many cyclists think they own the road and are entitled to slow traffic by riding in the middle of the lane. The sign says share the road. It goes both ways. I yield to cyclists, cyclists yield to me.
        • whatever01, on 05/14/2008, -1/+6Cyclists yield to cars much more than the reverse. You don't notice it because it's second nature to you. If you rode a bike much you'd recognize how little sharing actually goes on.
        • mesasone, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2You mean the middle of the lane? Wait for an opening and pass them like you would any other vehicle on the road. That's what sharing the road means. It doesn't mean ride on the side of the lane so you can scream pass the biker with just 12 inches between the two of you.

          If you actually mean the middle of the road, then... well, I'm not sure what to say.
      • kahakauai, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1I'd never actually hit somebody with my door lol - not that nuts
    • OnlyGirlOnDigg, on 05/14/2008, -6/+9It's their road as well. Plus it's faster, safer, and more comfortable riding in the road rather than the shoulder.
      • stubear, on 05/14/2008, -3/+7If they ignore the rules of the road as casually as cyclists here in Boston do then I say get the f**k off the damn road. And yes, I want motorists who casually ignore traffic rules off the road as well, I'm not prejudiced. I just happen to witness FAR MORE cyclists ignoring red lights because they are too important to stop at an intersection. I've almost been run over a couple times when I have a walk light and am crossing he street. I've come VERY close to clothes-lining a couple of them too.
        • sealbeater, on 05/14/2008, -2/+4I think if you clothes-lined a cyclist who didn't hit you, he would get back up and kick the ***** out of you with his well muscled cyclists legs.

          I love how motorists and pedestrians always say they would kick the ***** out of the guy who works out every time he goes somewhere.
          • stubear, on 05/14/2008, -2/+0Who says I don't work out too? Oh, I forgot, all motorists are lazy people and all cyclists are well-muscled gods and goddesses because "sealbeater" says so.
          • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1@stubear - but we don't have the privilege of paying over-the top gym membership fees to tone up. I bet you drive to the gym as well, yes?
    • socketman, on 05/14/2008, -11/+6You probably should to teach them a lesson. Namely, get the hell off the road if your vehicle doesn't have a motor that can do 70 MPH
      • youjettisonme, on 05/14/2008, -1/+2And everyone should teach you a lesson be digging down your stupid comment.
      • teaguecl, on 05/14/2008, -1/+2You are an idiot
    • WRXFiles, on 05/14/2008, -6/+9It's sad that you contemplate murder so easily.
    • Dipster, on 05/14/2008, -3/+9According to California Vehicle Code, bicyclists are allowed to take the whole lane when necessary. PCH is one of those cases because the lane is too narrow in spots for cars to safely pass.

      http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21202.htm

      See section 3.
    • foomojive, on 05/14/2008, -3/+9if they rode all the way on the side of the road and the right lane was too narrow then people like you would try to pass them in the same lane and might misjudge the passing room and hit them. Look it up, this is how most bike collisions happen outside of intersections. That's why they ride in the middle of the lane, so inpatient selfish jerks like you will be forced to pass them a full lane over instead of trying to squeak by unsafely. how much time are you losing by switching lanes? stop whining.
      • youjettisonme, on 05/14/2008, -1/+3My favorite is watching a motorist speed by, inches from the cyclist, just in time to make the red light that's a few hundred meters up the road. They weren't even inconvenienced. They're just pissed that they're trapped in their stupid death mobiles while some people choose to do something active and positive with their life.
      • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1What's funnier is that I'm faster than most drivers out there on my 25 year old steel road bike.
    • youjettisonme, on 05/14/2008, -3/+3And everytime they see your impatient ass, with murder in your eyes, they're hoping you take a wrong turn and drive off of a cliff you jackass.
    • teaguecl, on 05/14/2008, -3/+4You need to do some self reflection there buddy. You are in the wrong, and your behavior endangers other peoples lives. I don't think most motorists understand how incredibly dangerous it is to be a cyclist. What would be a small fender bender in a car could easily be fatal on a bike.
  • hermslice, on 05/14/2008, -2/+8Still down, Who has one of those mystic diggmirror links??
  • mandrakeRaptor, on 05/14/2008, -2/+20Um...i hope they're wearing gas masks.
  • gincarnated, on 05/14/2008, -2/+27I cycled on a highway once (route17 to be exact) and it was one of the scariest moments of my life. Especially when passing the off ramps. Never again.
    • phuzzy3d, on 05/14/2008, -0/+5Your lucky it wasn't your last moments of life. The highway is scary with just cars.
    • DSPoh, on 05/15/2008, -0/+4Route 17 in New Jersey? If so, that's a scary road even in a car. I couldn't imagine riding a bike on it.
  • moolaismyfriend, on 05/14/2008, -9/+101Don't these hippie bike riders know that the terrorist win if they don't sit idling in their car on the 405 for 3 hours?
  • hermslice, on 05/14/2008, -6/+10OMG i searched for a picture of a bicycle hitting a car door using "bicycle car door" and i found porn...wtf a new fetish??
  • teh_techie, on 05/14/2008, -3/+42Youtube Video of cruising the freeway on a bike, faster than cars.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NLmiuyLa98
  • Mroutrageous, on 05/14/2008, -6/+15I love biking and I'm all for it. But this is just one part of the road. Most people in LA have to travel miles upon miles upon miles and its definitely going to be faster to drive.
    • moolaismyfriend, on 05/14/2008, -11/+3Have you ever lived in LA?

      Seriously?

      I'm not saying what these guys did is right, but your comment is a bit off from my experience when I lived in LA.
      • devaspark, on 05/14/2008, -1/+8Have you lived in LA?

        Seriously?

        I know of 4 other people who average 30 miles one way commute from alhambra to el segundo. Even in average traffic time (7am going to el segundo, 5pm returning), they take roughly 45mins. That on average would be 40 miles/hour.

        I know of two others who commute to school due to taking care of their sick families and does a 20 mile commute and definitely freeway would be the better way to go since you don't have to deal with traffic light stops.

        Promote carpool is the better alternative due to the spaciousness of all the cities that comprises LA.

        Your comment is a bit off when i lived in LA.
        • moolaismyfriend, on 05/14/2008, -8/+1Well Thats not how the commute works on the 405 and the 101 around Hollywood and Studio City.

        • starf, on 05/14/2008, -1/+6Only an idiot would take the highways in LA during rush hour as part of their regular commute for only a few miles. (Although I'm sure there are plenty idiots in LA). There are always other faster routes if you look for them.
          I'm pretty sure most of those people on the freeway at that time are either making a long commute, or are not used to the area (new/visiting).
    • ebzlo, on 05/14/2008, -1/+3it's not the miles and miles that make it take so long. i've made trips that normally take 20 minutes outside traffic, that kick up to an hour or an hour and a half, because of how bad it is.
    • mdraper, on 05/14/2008, -4/+2Seattle has worse traffic than L.A.
      • redelvis, on 05/14/2008, -3/+1Seattle has worse beaches than L.A.
  • ProjectGSX, on 05/14/2008, -1/+20Dug for crashing the server.
  • Emachine, on 05/14/2008, -17/+10But they get tired and sweaty. I like bikes for recreational use, but they make a ***** mode of transportation...
    • andy314159pi, on 05/14/2008, -4/+12yeah unless you are in shape
      • Emachine, on 05/14/2008, -4/+11So would you really would choose a bike over a car which has a/c, music, and a proper seat?
        • AYork, on 05/14/2008, -0/+7I do. I love cycling to work, and greatly prefer it to driving. No gas, no parking hassles, minimal traffic hassles. Headphones for music, wind in my face for A/C (ok, that part does suck), and I've got a nice bike seat (important investment). I cycle 5 miles each way, and although I do get kind of sweaty during the peak of summer, it's not that bad as long as I take it slow.
        • davewashere, on 05/14/2008, -5/+5And perhaps an enclosure to protect the rider from the elements, an easy-to-grip wheel for easier steering, a more robust suspension system to smooth out those bumps, an extra pair of wheels for stability, a few more seats for passengers, an engine for those grueling hill climbs... damnit, I just re-invented the car.
        • dougmc, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4Of course, that car costs $0.20/mile just in gas.

          And to be fair, iPods work on bikes (bad idea, but they do work) and a good saddle isn't uncomfortable, even for long rides. You've got me on the A/C though, unless you count squirting water on yourself.
          • sealbeater, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4I'll see your AC and raise you a nice pair of legs.
        • whatever01, on 05/14/2008, -1/+59 days out of 10 I do. 38 miles a day. No stressing about traffic snarls, no bitching about gas prices, no going to the gym for a workout.
          A car seat is proper for driving a car. A bike seat is proper for riding a bike. Different jobs, different tools.
          I like cars for recreational use, but they make a ***** basis for a transportation infrastructure. Horribly inefficient in terms of energy and space utilization. They only work until traffic gets bad enough. It isn't bad enough in LA yet.
        • MattB123, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4I do too. I have a car and occasionally I use it, but my primary around town vehicle is an old beater bike with a basket. I also have a Tag-a-long (converts regular bike to a tandem) for my five year old cone to come along too. When the weather is good enough (most days) that's how we get around. Cheap, efficient, and good for me. My son prefers taking the bike to driving when I take him to school too (this will probably change once he gets older, but I'll enjoy it while I can).
        • simonn, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4I do. I have just started cycling 25KM (~16 miles) each way to work. Did 8KM (5 miles) before then (office moved). Takes me about 10-15 minutes longer than by car at peak times, but I'll probably get that down to 0 over the next month or so.

          Although there is no way you would get me listening to an ipod while riding in peak traffic.

          Luckily, we have these things in Australia called showers.
        • teaguecl, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4Yes, I do. I love being a bike commuter, it keeps me in shape and is loads of fun. Of course I have to deal with close minded and dangerous motorists, but there's more good people than evil out there - as the comments here suggest a few bad apples spoil the bunch.
        • strangewill, on 05/14/2008, -0/+3Considering I'd save a good deal of money, live longer, and enjoy life more, yeah I'd cycle to work... actually I'm going to quite soon.
        • mesasone, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1I started commuting to work this spring. I find that for my, admittedly short (2.5 miles each way), commute, it does not take much longer to bike than it does to drive. As I get into better shape and ride faster, it may actually be faster. It took around 15 minutes door to door by car, and it takes about 18 minutes (16 tonight, actually) by bike. I take almost the same route either way.

          For me, a significant amount of the time savings involved is actually getting into the car. Since I keep my bike in my living room, or locked up by the rack outside the door at work, I can just grab it and go, where as I would have to park/retrieve my car when driving. It's surprising how much time that actually saves. All of my other short trips are the same, actually.
    • nesagwa, on 05/14/2008, -5/+4Yes, ***** physical labor!
    • mrweasel, on 05/14/2008, -3/+5I never had a job where you could not take a shower.
      The US cities should look into getting more bike lanes built though, bikes don't belong on freeways and other major roads.


      • itsthebrod, on 05/14/2008, -2/+4Well when you choose to work at a place a little higher up than a gym, you realize most jobs don't have showers in America.
        • dougmc, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1The grocery store where I had my first job was the only job that didn't have a shower.
          Every job since has had a shower available.

          And no, I've never worked at a gym. Most medium to large office buildings have a shower available. Does that mean that most jobs have showers available? I don't know, but it certainly suggests that you don't have to work at a gym to have a shower available.
        • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Basically, what we have ascertained here is that itsthebrod stinks of BO
    • tschau, on 05/14/2008, -2/+9dude... get in shape and it's not so bad. As a bonus, the riding helps with that. I never get to work sweaty or tired.
      • mesasone, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1I do, but it doesn't bother me. I clean up easily, and can wear whatever to work. I usually just wear a t-shirt and open meshed basketball shorts. I realize not everybody has that luxury, though.
    • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Seriously my commute by bike is the highlight of my day. ***** boring job. I love pushing myself everyday a little bit harder. I WANT to sweat.

      Tired and sweaty? By a cycling Jersey - Sorted
  • hightime2211, on 05/14/2008, -24/+5*****' hippies.
  • foomojive, on 05/14/2008, -1/+5mirror?
  • socketman, on 05/14/2008, -29/+20There is little I hate more than when people ride bicycles where cars drive. It is just super arrogant and selfish, and it pisses me off.
    I wish they'd pass laws making bikes on roads illegal.
    • spdorsey, on 05/14/2008, -6/+18Wow. You're a real dick.
    • Clepensky, on 05/14/2008, -5/+15What is arrogant about something that is perfectly legal? They should make something illegal since you don't like it?
    • dootisterhans, on 05/14/2008, -5/+12I bet you're fat.
    • andy314159pi, on 05/14/2008, -5/+16I hope you're kidding. Cars are the problem, not bicycles.
      • itsthebrod, on 05/14/2008, -1/+2Bikes aren't the problem? Are you ***** kidding me? If I had a dollar for every time I've seen bicyclists blatantly break road violations regarding red lights and stop signs, I'd be a rich man. Bicyclists who think they own the road or think the traffic laws don't apply to them are the problem.
      • kahakauai, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Totally agree with itsthebrod - How the ***** is it the cars problem that these assholes in particular are riding around on the freeway causing a distraction for everyone? Freeways are not made for biycles hence why it is ILLEGAL... But all you cycling ***** digg everyone down who doesn't agree with you, just like you don't give a ***** about the rules of the road - ***** you all

        But I deffinitely don't agree with making bikes illegal on roads... thats just stupid - All I'm saying is that as bicyclists, you should be held to the same rules as we are and not interfere with traffic flows
    • tschau, on 05/14/2008, -3/+9dude... it's illegal in a lot places to ride on the sidewalk, you realize that, right? You're supposed to ride in the road. If you're saying they should make bikes illegal in cities.... then ***** you.

      It's arrogant of you to be so certain that cars are the "right" mode of transportation, and selfish to be unwilling to share the lane.
    • rryanhayes, on 05/14/2008, -9/+6I agree with socketman. When a bicyclist can keep up with the pace of traffic, or when I can choose to drive my car on the sidewalk, or do illegal turns at an intersection to avoid traffic signals then I will have no problem with a bike on the road. But when I am on my way to work, and I'm going to be late because of the guy riding his bicycle in the road, rather than 2 feet to the right where there is a bike lane especially for him, I have a bit of a problem with that.
      • MattB123, on 05/14/2008, -2/+5Yeah, so let's punish them all because one pissed you off!
        Drivers also piss us cyclists off regularly, yet most of us are still willing to share the road with cars (albeit reluctantly in some cases).
        • rryanhayes, on 05/15/2008, -2/+3you cant share something that never belonged to you in the first place. Drivers allowing/putting up with bikes in the road is something that cyclists should graciously accept and be thankful for. A guy on a bike in the road is like an old woman driving a car in the road, theyre both slow, they both hold things up, and neither one of them have any real business being there.
          • MattB123, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Then lobby to get the laws changed and until then, deal with it.
          • rryanhayes, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1ha ha, i dont have to deal with it, i can just run your little bike off the road =) I take it back, i guess we can consider it dealt with.
    • h37s3m, on 05/14/2008, -3/+6too late, it's already illegal to ride a bike anywhere but the street, you lose
    • Pstmann, on 05/14/2008, -4/+9Fat, Lazy and Stupid is no way to go through life son.
      • kahakauai, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Wow you are good... I didn't realize you could see somebody's body type through txt. ***** jackass
    • sereth, on 05/14/2008, -5/+6I wish they would pass laws making it illegal for you to use a computer. Let's just call it even.
    • tdogg241, on 05/14/2008, -4/+8Know what I find arrogant? People who think that just because they're in a car, they own the road. Prick.
    • whatever01, on 05/14/2008, -0/+5If they make riding bikes on the road a crime, only criminals will ride bikes on the road!!
      • socketman, on 05/14/2008, -3/+3Then could we make it legal to hit them as punishment?
        • sealbeater, on 05/14/2008, -1/+2Only if we can hit you back. A New York lock hurled though your back window is going to make your day worse than mine.
          • rryanhayes, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2you would think that until i run your slow ass over, stop, back up, and run you over again. Oh and dont worry, ill leave your lock in your pocket where youre wallet used to be. Im going to need to borrow it so that you can donate to the cost of my new back window. Thanks.
        • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2A cleat you your shiny car door is gonna piss you off big time. I hope I get the privilege one day.
        • socketman, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Hey I am only joking of course! I don't want to risk the damage to my car.
    • MattB123, on 05/14/2008, -3/+7There is little I hate more than when people drive cars where bicycles are ridden. It is just super arrogant and selfish, and it pisses me off.
      I wish they'd pass laws making cars on roads illegal.
      • kahakauai, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2Because so many people spend their days driving through the bike lane huh? Traffic lanes are made for MOTOR VEHICLES. Until you have a motor on yours, please stay to the right hand side as to not interfere with the flow of traffic. WTF is so hard to understand about that?
        • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2For those of us who are actually quite good at cycling and don't use fisher price toys to get around, there's nothing I hate more than a slow prick on a full suspension wallmart bicycle slowing me down.
    • socketman, on 05/14/2008, -6/+7Ok let me just reply to everyone. I am not against bikes. If I didn't have to ride on roads, I'd ride my bike to work myself.
      I do think though that it is retarded to allow bikes on regular roads.
      If you have a bike lane, ok. But not on 50mph, two lane roads with no shoulder.

      They're arrogant because they feel they are being more healthy and better for the environment so they think their rights should trump car driver's rights.
      They are selfish, because they can't possibly keep pace with traffic, and ALWAYS hold things up.

      So one cyclist thinks they are in the right, will frustrate and hold up 100+ other people on their way to work.
      There are probably 300X more drivers in this area than cyclists. Yet those 20 cyclists are majorly inconveniencing the rest of the world.
      If that isn't arrogant and selfish I don't know what is.

      Furthermore, I know that it is currently illegal for bikes to ride on most sidewalks. This in my opinion is just as retarded. Why?
      Lets see.... Car vs. Bike, or Bike vs. Human ?
      I guarantee the car is going to do more damage to the bike rider, than the bike rider would do to walkers.
      Secondly, a bike is a lot lighter, more agile, and traveling at a slower relative speed, thus would be able to avoid colliding with someone on the sidewalk a lot easier than a car would be able to avoid the cyclist.

      When the day comes, when superhuman cyclists can accelerate and keep pace with traffic, I won't care. Until that day comes, please stay off the road. It was built for motorized vehicles, not bicycles. And every mile you travel in the middle of the road, or even to the side of a road with no shoulder, you are putting yourself ahead of at least 20-50 other people. You're saying that your wanting to ride a bicycle is more important than all of the people you inconvenience.

      Don't worry though, I have basically the same complaint about vespa scooters and slow drivers (10 under the speed limit for no reason? Common!).

      So I am sorry that you all think I am a fat jerk because of my opinion, but I think anyone who drives (or rides) in a way that holds up 98% of the other people on the road, is a jerk.

      If you don't agree, then please, come try to go somewhere while "Ride the Rockies" is going on.

      Nice windy mountain roads aren't so nice when hundreds of cyclists take over the roads. Oh and it is uphill, so of course they go even slower. Oh and these are mountain roads with no shoulder and lots of drop offs, so they are all in the middle of the street.
      Not so fun when you're going 5mph or less and a 20 minuet drive takes you 3 hours.

      Seriously I don't think these guys could be more of a pain in the ass if they wanted to!
      • teaguecl, on 05/14/2008, -3/+4I'm really glad you clarified your points, so now I don't have to assume you are an uneducated asshat - you've proven it yourself. How dare you assume what is going through the minds of the cyclists, and then have the balls to call them arrogant!
        • socketman, on 05/15/2008, -1/+1Sorry, but maybe you could explain it to me then why the want (almost never "need" - at least around here) of someone to ride their bike in traffic should trump everyone else who is on the road.
          I don't mean to generalize too much, but that is a lot of what I have heard from cyclists.
          "Cars are the problem, not bikes!"
          "we are getting exercise and saving the environment"
          etc.
          You don't think it is somewhat arrogant when you're inconveniencing other people because you think you're "in the right" more than they are?
      • MattB123, on 05/14/2008, -1/+4You seem to be reading a lot into what the cyclist is thinking.
        I'll admit there are some bad cyclists who give us all a tarnished image. But there are plenty of ***** drivers out there too, so generalizations aren't always accurate about either group.

        But here are some things you may not realize (or maybe you just don't care):
        The cyclists have as much right to the road, including the whole lane as you do. You may not like it but that's the law.
        If there is a minimum speed and a vehicle can't maintain it, they shouldn't be there. But most roads don't have a minimum.
        The shoulder is often full of broken glass, bits of tire and other hazards someone in a car may not be able to see. If the shoulder is no good, we ride in the lane and you can pass when it's safe and legal like with any other slower vehicle. This is also the case when there is no shoulder.
        Cyclists in the lane often take one of two approaches. One is to hug the white line, encouraging cars to pass. Sometimes this works well and sometimes this encourages bad (too close) passes where you get brushed by a mirror. If the road, drivers, or other factors make it so encouraging cars to pass is dangerous, the cyclist can move into the lane so cars have to wait to pass for a passing lane and a clear shot. I try and avoid this, but I'll take it over being squeezed off the road or hit by a mirror.

        If you don't like these things you can lobby your representatives in government to change the laws, but until then we have as much right as you do to be in traffic. That also means we should be held just as accountable for infractions, like running stop signs.
        • socketman, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Good points and I agree - those are just my beefs with the cyclists. Like I said, any slow vehicle may apply.

          There are roads, that are 50 MPH. Going slower than that when the majority of cars are going 55 is dangerous if you're on a bike or in a car.

          So maybe I should just restate that - they shouldn't make riding a bike on the road illegal, they should make it illegal to ride on the road if you can't maintain the speed limit.

          And I am not trying to read a lot into what they are thinking...

          I know it is legal for them to ride the in the road. It is legal for me to drive 20 under the speed limit if there is not a minimum. That doesn't mean that me doing so, doesn't inconvenience lots of other people.

          So what is the justification there? No matter what "reasons" I can think of, it basically comes down to the bike rider is putting their want of riding a bike to work above everyone else's want to go the speed limit and get to work on time (and not have to worry about hitting cyclists at that).

          Cause honestly I wouldn't really have an issue if they went with the flow of traffic. Usually though they are far slower, and do unpredictable things that are dangerous and making driving around them never wracking.
    • ZOMBIESTOPPER, on 05/14/2008, -1/+5I'm not going to read all of that fatty
      • socketman, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1and you think I am the lazy one? pfft
  • OnlyGirlOnDigg, on 05/14/2008, -11/+3http://www.duggmirror.com
    • OnlyGirlOnDigg, on 05/14/2008, -3/+7Sorry, I fail; dead link.
      • dwtd, on 05/14/2008, -2/+6The important thing is, you tried. And that's more than I would have done.
  • Kenzan, on 05/14/2008, -0/+23This is good for awareness, but I really hope no one thinks that this is the solution.
    My vote?
    Skytubes for Bikes FTW.

    • KingGorilla, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1***** the bikes just skytubes like in Futurama
  • chaosevil, on 05/14/2008, -20/+10I hate people who bike in the road and act like jerks slowing traffic.
    "This is the grave of Mike O’Day
    Who died maintaining his right of way.
    His right was clear, his will was strong,
    But he’s just as dead as if he’d been wrong."

    If you cant maintain the minimum speed get off the road.
    • chaosevil, on 05/14/2008, -7/+3Got dug down? Looks like I will have to hit a few cyclists today.
      • whatever01, on 05/14/2008, -0/+3All I can say is I hope you don't have any bad accidents today. If you do hit someone, and this comment was tied to you, you're looking at some jail time. Drive safe!
    • h37s3m, on 05/14/2008, -1/+4most streets dont' have a posted/technical minimum speed
      • chaosevil, on 05/14/2008, -2/+3I think this digg was about a highway, which most are mim 45mph. Mite as well let people walk on it too...
        • Alexandru25, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1Actually this is about the L.A. Freeways where the speed limit is 65.
        • strangewill, on 05/14/2008, -0/+2Ban all gridlocked cars at 5
      • s0nicfreak, on 05/14/2008, -1/+1I have been pulled over for going too slow before.
    • orxor, on 05/14/2008, -0/+5Seems like those cyclists are closer to the minimum speed than the cars they're passing.
    • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Just to let you know - I make a note of the licence plate of any driver that harrases me (I don't respond to them, it's only make them feel like they "won"...like an internet troll). Hopefully they're already got a tarnished record and my action will be what it takes to get the ***** off the road for good.
  • stephenjames716, on 05/14/2008, -6/+7after living in LA for 4 years this is not surprising at all. at first I hated the traffic as my commute was 8 miles and I gave myself 45 min- 1 hour to drive it. then I got used to it and actually looked forward to the time. I made use of the time by making phone calls, listening to podcasts...it wasn't that bad after a while.
    • kurtergad87, on 05/14/2008, -0/+3In Copenhagen I drive 25 km in 55-65 minutes. Having bicycle-lanes gives a significant improvement in speed. =)
    • heystoopid, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2Oh just another drunk driver no wonder the freeway traffic was bad , you had to spend half the time avoiding happy wanderers oblivious to all but themselves !
      • kahakauai, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Its scientifically proven that smoking weed doesn't effect your driving skills. Where did you get "drunk" from?
    • jericho1ne, on 05/16/2008, -0/+0Yup, keep telling yourself it's okay to burn fuel while stopped in traffic, blowing your A/C, listening to podcasts. I've been in LA for about the same amount of time (4 yrs), and after driving about 10 or 20 times total, I made up my mind to always cycle and bus everywhere. But of course, never take bus unless you have a Gameboy or laptop, because that would be a huge waste of time.
  • andy314159pi, on 05/14/2008, -3/+71The car of the future is a bicycle.
    • spdorsey, on 05/14/2008, -1/+8I tend to agree - or some derivative thereof.
    • atbnet, on 05/14/2008, -1/+11If we all lived in southern California maybe. Good luck driving your bike in the snow.
      • fuzzlog, on 05/14/2008, -2/+9it's done all the time where I live. You can actually get snow tires for your bike.
        • LonesomeFighter, on 05/14/2008, -1/+6ya it's done where I live too, but it's still cold and isn't helpful when you have to go shopping for lots of stuff.
        • Pilot85, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4it gets too cold where I live to do this in many of the winter months. Really, really cold. not practical.
        • MattB123, on 05/14/2008, -0/+3And tire chains too, but I just use mountain bike tires because the snow on the road is usually cold enough not to ice up. If it was icier here I might get some studded bike tires, but it's usually too cold to melt and refreeze in winter.
          A long commute in the cold would be a drag, but I have a pretty short one. I still bike commute down to about -20 F (when solo - I wouldn't subject my kid to that) but any colder than that and it's too painful and the bike doesn't work right because the grease gets too viscous.
      • dougmc, on 05/14/2008, -0/+6Bikes actually work in the winter pretty well. I rode my bicycle year round when I lived in Anchorage, AK. (Granted, I was a kid, so I didn't have much choice, but it sure beat walking!) The only times it was really a problem was when you had melting ice -- but cars can't safely drive on that either. Packed snow? No problem!

        And if you're really serious about it, you can make studded bicycle tires, though I never needed to do that.
      • teaguecl, on 05/14/2008, -0/+8I do live in southern California, and I ride my bike to work every day. But make no mistake about it, SoCal is not a cycling paradise. We have decent bike lanes in many places (better than in my old home Chicago) but motorists here are very dangerous, and in many cases deliberately malevolent.
      • gelgels, on 05/15/2008, -3/+1That's because whenever I'm driving and I see I cyclist, I imagine how points I would get if I knocked them out.
        It's fun.
      • jericho1ne, on 05/16/2008, -0/+0Winter tires. These look awesome, I wonder how popular they are in the Scandinavian countries:

        http://www.suomityres.fi/winter.html

        (Nokian, the parent company primarily makes car tires)
    • spdorsey, on 05/14/2008, -1/+7I rode my bike as my primary mode of transportation until I was 26 and got my first car. After I got the car, I immediately started driving it everywhere in stead of using the bike and I gained 50 pounds that I have had with me ever since. I turn 39 this week. Cars are easier, but I'm convinced that they are a necessary EVIL.
      • itsthebrod, on 05/15/2008, -2/+4There are plenty of ways you can get exercise and still own a car. Stop blaming cars for your laziness.
      • jericho1ne, on 05/16/2008, -0/+0Yes, there are other ways, but riding a bike on a regular basis enables me to do a 5K or triathlon without much extra training. I used to waste a lot of time weightlifiting, now the workout is incorporated into my day. It's a different lifestyle, that's for sure. Let me put it this way - compared to other workouts, cycling is rarely if never, not fun.

        It also made it possible for me to see the city in ways other locals wouldn't even dream of.
    • gincarnated, on 05/14/2008, -0/+2http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAOHhV1EFe4
    • BradMW, on 05/14/2008, -10/+1I didn't mean to digg your hippie ass up, so anyone reading this should subtract 2 from the total.
    • itsthebrod, on 05/14/2008, -3/+1Dumbest thing I've read today. Congrats!
    • Tweekster, on 05/15/2008, -1/+0we call that a motorcycle.
  • KeirGordon, on 05/14/2008, -29/+17How about we arrest them for putting people in danger and causing a distraction on the highway. I'm sick and tired of this bizzare mentality bikers have that somehow they own the roads. How stupid would you have to be to actually believe the roads were made for something other than cars. You know with the speed limits and lanes just the right width and all that...? I'm tired of bikers putting my life in danger both by causing distractions on the road, and by potentially pulling in front of me and making me deal with a manslaughter charge. Stay in the ***** bike path, or take public transit -- Biking is a sport, not the answer to ***** world peace.
    • msmayhew, on 05/14/2008, -2/+5bitter?
    • vocalyouth, on 05/14/2008, -4/+5what a self centered ass!
    • sereth, on 05/14/2008, -2/+3Your life in danger? while I don't agree with what they do in the video and I obey every single traffic law even when I'm on a bike. I really think both the bikers in the video and asshats like you don't belong on the road.
      Roads were built for transportation. They accommodate a lot more than cars and equal use rights allow any tax paying citizen to use the roads any way they please as long as they follow the traffic laws.

      How is a biker any different than a motorcycle or another motorist when they could potentially pull in front of you? How about a cell phone? you use one? How about the kid playing ball in his yard and the ball rolls out? Distracting? Prepared for a ball slaughter charge? There are so many things more dangerous than a cyclist on the road following the law....
    • gharding, on 05/14/2008, -1/+7We try to stay in the bike lane. But all you ***** ***** park in it.
    • whatever01, on 05/14/2008, -1/+6Actually, the League of American Wheelmen (now League of American Bicyclists) was instrumental in getting the first paved roads in the US. So it's a bit ignorant to say the roads are built only for cars.
      Most cyclists would be perfectly happy to stay in the bike lanes if they weren't treated as waste dumps and littered with glass and broken bits of cars that are pushed off to the side because the tow truck driver has to clear the lane of traffic and get on his way. Or they're crapped out by bad patch jobs or missing patch jobs, or parked cars, or joggers or baby strollers...
    • teaguecl, on 05/14/2008, -2/+4The roads are for bikes as well my friend, check the vehicle code. You are not endangered in any way by a cyclist, if an accident were to occur what would happen? You would have some scratches in your paint - the cyclist would have broken arms/legs and probably a concussion. Your concern about a vehicular manslaughter charge is valid - which is exactly why you should be more careful. About your ignorant "sport" comment: I believe the same is true of motorists. To paraphrase your stupid comment "Driving is a sport, not the answer to your personal transportation problems. If you're not driving 200 MPH on an oval track, you have no business behind the wheel". Idiot.
    • KeirGordon, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1lol
    • mesasone, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1What, you can't maintain control of your car with a biker on the road? Maybe it's you who does not belong on the road.
  • InspectorGadget, on 05/14/2008, -29/+40I ride my bike everywhere I don't walk and even I'm sick of douchebags like these guys. ***** spandex wearing toe-clipped idiots riding bikes with drop handlebars dressed up as bike messengers on their way to a boring office job. Always riding on the sidewalk or cutting in and out of traffic, refusing to obey red lights and stop signs, and generally being a major pain in the ass. ***** them.
    • blackgt93, on 05/14/2008, -6/+30I know you're gonna get dugg down into oblivion (and probably me too), but yes, I hate that *****. Those spandex clad pansies always give me a dirty looks because I'm riding an MTB in jeans (shocker!) and regular shoes (oh n0es!).
      • whatever01, on 05/14/2008, -6/+3Do they ALWAYS give you dirty looks, or do you just think they do, or are you exaggerating? Assholes are assholes, no matter how they dress, ride or whatever. I've met some very cool spandex clad people, and some absolute self aggrandizing pricks on mountain bikes (sometimes one and the same). But your implication that they always treat you poorly speaks more of your attitude than reality.
        FWIW I wear wool.
      • teaguecl, on 05/14/2008, -3/+8Being a "spandex clad pansy" myself, I think your crazy. Most cyclists are ecstatic to see other cyclists on the road - the more of us there are the more awareness is generated, and the safer we all are. And assuming I'm a pansy just because I'm dressed head to toe in spandex is a big mistake :)
      • buildbyflying, on 05/14/2008, -2/+3I think that it's the general cyclist snobbery that blackgt is tapping into. I personally find LA bikers to be a friendly bunch, perhaps a bit exclusive, but welcoming.
      • strangewill, on 05/14/2008, -1/+2Meh, I ride like that, I always get waves and "hello" nods, so it's probably more of riding unsafely.
      • mesasone, on 05/15/2008, -1/+2Apparently, the "cycling world" is very cliquey, I guess. "Roadies" (fast, light bikes with drop bars... most often the guys in spandex) are supposedly assholes with a chip on their sholders, while the "fixies" riding their reliable single speed bikes are allegedly just a bunch of hipsters, and if you ride a highly practical and durable mountain bike or hybrid then you just don't "get it". If you ride a recumbent, you get mucho respect from everybody.

        If you visit a biking enthusiast forum, each group of bikers thinks the rest has an attitude against the other. In my experience, they're just imagining it and it's really like teaguecl said. A cyclist - especially a commuter, is just happy to see another cyclist.
      • BassJunkie, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2I actually dug your's and the guys above comments up as I fully agree. I commute to work by bike in London and despise the idiots who jumps red lights, just on my commute home last night I saw 3 motor vehicles and countless cyclists go through red lights!

        In regards to clothing I don't have a problem with what people want to wear except the few women I've seen who cycle in any kind of shoes with heels! I say where what your comfortable with, I have cycle shorts on under my regular shorts as it provides that bit of extra comfort for my ride and the only time I wonder why people wear jeans is when is pissing down with rain (which happens a lot in england!) as I know from past experience wet jeans are hell to cycle in!
      • blackgt93, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Yes, I was basically referring to cyclist elitism. I know most cyclists are nice, and are courteous to others. It's just that handful of jerk-offs that insist on being snobby AND ignoring basic traffic laws because they don't feel like they have to follow them. So yeah, I was just talking about a small, but annoying, subset of cyclists. I apologize for throwing all those who wear spandex under the bus with them.
    • cptshamrock, on 05/14/2008, -1/+18I agree. A lot of bikers in Chicago do the same thing. They want to be treated as traffic like cars and trucks but do not want to obey the same laws that they do like stopping at red lights and stop signs, you know just basic laws that EVERYONE, including pedestrians, must follow.
      • GarySe7en, on 05/14/2008, -6/+1You guys are jumping to a lot of conclusions without even knowing anything about who these people are. I'm somewhat biased knowing these people personally, but they are not spandex clad aggro people who weave into and out of the sidewalk. A couple of the guys on this ride were riding beach cruisers for goodness sake, and they still beat the cars. There were 3 rollerbladers as well, also beating the cars, going at an upward incline against the wind.
        • Tweekster, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2they broke the law getting on the freeway to begin with.
    • mdraper, on 05/14/2008, -12/+4DOWN WITH BIKE RIDING FAGS!
    • UltraDavid, on 05/14/2008, -7/+5What does toe-clipped mean? Am I better for not knowing what that is?
      • Nevarius, on 05/15/2008, -0/+4Its a special mechanism that hooks your shoe to the peddle.
    • teaguecl, on 05/14/2008, -3/+6You've got some stereotype issues here. Cycling without obeying traffic laws does make you a douchebag, point granted. Wearing spandex, using clipless pedals, and having dropped handlebars does not. I ride my time trial triathlon bike to my "boring office job", and I follow traffic laws while I do it. You seem to know a lot about the equipment these roadies are using - jealous much?
    • mllawso, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4It's no that they "biker people", it's that they're "LA people." (and thus 'better' than you.)
    • delvach, on 05/14/2008, -4/+3Ditto as well. Here in Pennsylvania, there's nothing like going 20mph below the speed limit because there's a group of bikers peddling uphill on a heavily forested main road. Exercise inside, or drive your bike to a nearby park. Roads are designed for death machines, and bikers who don't hold themselves to the laws (or common sense) are putting motorists are risk with their presumption and superior way of life. It's great that people enjoy riding their bikes, but it's like masturbation; just because it's fun and good for you doesn't mean you should do it in the middle of a highway, TRUST ME.
      • jericho1ne, on 05/16/2008, -1/+0"Exercise inside, or drive your bike to a nearby park."

        Sorry, we're not all robots.
    • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -1/+1Um, we use clipless pedals and drop handlebars so we're more efficient and can go faster. Isn't that want you want, you ***** contradictory driving wankers!
    • Radiohead84, on 05/16/2008, -1/+1Why is it wrong for them to wear and ride what they like? Ok you have a MTB and ride in jeans. Have you ever been on your bike for more than 20-40 miles? Have you ever been on a road bike with dropped handle bars, clipped shoes, and wore spandex? No? Maybe we/them look pretentious but did you ever think that A. Road bikes go faster, are more fun to ride on the street, and use less energy? B. Dropped handle bars give you several different riding positions so you can switch things up when your hands/arms get tired or you want to change riding stances? C. Clipped shoes give you an upstroke that makes your cadence more smooth..again making you get to work faster? D. After riding 40+ miles, Spandex is your very close friend?

      Going from a road bike on the road with clipless shoes, to a MTB is like running in the sand on the beach and then trying to run through the water.
    • jericho1ne, on 05/16/2008, -1/+0Dear intelligent people above who have explained the efficiency of drop bars and clip-ins, thank you, otherwise I would've had to type all that :)

      And just to make InspectorGadget jealous, I would like to let him know that even I look forward to my job every single day at one of the most beautiful college campuses in North America.
  • LiveWire530, on 05/14/2008, -7/+47Rain is their kryptonite
    • hermslice, on 05/14/2008, -2/+9sorry but i have to disagree with you. i live in Seattle, Wa and it rains ALL THE TIME. and there are still a crap load of bicyclists on the road
      • leerayIG88, on 05/14/2008, -0/+12omg, I live in Seattle, Wa. I know who you are. I know where you live too.
        >_>-------+
      • whatever01, on 05/14/2008, -0/+6Funny how Portland, Seattle, Madison Wisconsin are hotbeds of cycling. Maybe rain is a cyclists nutrient?
    • h37s3m, on 05/14/2008, -1/+16broken legs are their kryptonite
    • megarobotguy, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1At least with a car you can drive over a pothole. With a bicycle you will either have to swerve really quick or faceplate trying to avoid the big ass potholes on some highways these days. Speaking from experience as a Boston commuter.
      • DailyWail, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1Or you could just OPEN YOUR EYES and look ahead, then go round it.
      • heinleineken, on 05/14/2008, -1/+4or learn to handle your bike and AVOID said pothole...you could always hop it...
        • sealbeater, on 05/14/2008, -0/+3I've seen guys on road bikes jump potholes at speed. Just gotta learn how to ride your bike.
    • DailyWail, on 05/14/2008, -1/+7It's easy to cycle in the rain. . . . . if you've ever ridden a bike you know that WIND is kryptonite.
    • mesasone, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Get a pair of fenders and don't be a pansy. A little rain isn't going to kill you.
    • jericho1ne, on 05/16/2008, -0/+0I
  • Mier, on 05/14/2008, -1/+7Send Niko Bellic. He can solve that problem.
  • gharding, on 05/14/2008, -3/+32Less dangerous than my bike commute, by far. Kudos to these guys though. It'd be kind of a bummer to be sitting in your $30,000 car idling away the gas money that keeps going up and watching people fly by you on an $800 bike.

    Oh, and there are also highways in CA where biking is legal.
    • taradisiac, on 05/14/2008, -2/+10$800?? Debauchery much?
    • chsonNU, on 05/14/2008, -0/+10More like $75 off Craigslist!
    • mllawso, on 05/14/2008, -1/+5More like $0 out of the dumpster. I got a $200 mountain bike out of a dumpster. All it needed was a new front wheel and some tires.
      • Providence, on 05/15/2008, -1/+4Mountain bikes suck on roads. Too much rotational friction on the wheels, and the gear ratios are too low.
        • mesasone, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2Jesus, just get a pair of slicks - and if really needed, pick up a crankset with more appropriate gearing on sale.
          • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1Or just buy yourself an entry level road bike, hybrid bike, or a second hand bike for the same price, but with far, far better performance.
        • mllawso, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1The fastest route to most the places I go are off-road.
    • Nevarius, on 05/15/2008, -0/+5Well if you only shop wal-mart or good-will for a cheap piece of crap that may kill you, i can understand why one would think $800 is a lot of money for a bike. But for a decent entry level mountain bike it's around $800.
      • Tweekster, on 05/15/2008, -1/+4You got ripped off if you think entry level is just under a grand.
      • mesasone, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1You can get a pretty decent bike, brand new, for half that. It may not have all the high end components, but they will still be decent quality. Much better than something from a department store costing 200 dollars, that's for sure.
  • crimson117, on 05/14/2008, -5/+23Kind of pointless imo... yes, you can ride a bike through traffic. You could also jog through traffic, or ride a motorcycle or moped through traffic. It be best (safest, too) if they just added bike lanes to more roads.
    ============

    Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NLmiuyLa98

    "In a city made for cars, why are bicycles getting places faster?"

    Los Angeles, CA (May 12, 2008) — Beginning in April, as commuters were mired in the typical Friday rush-hour traffic logjam, members of an organization calling itself CRIMANIMALZ [krim-an-i-muhlz] have taken to two of Los Angeles' busiest freeways on bicycles in a flash mob-type protest aimed at raising questions about transportation. Weaving in and out of choked traffic, cyclists surprised frustrated motorists with a spirited sprint on the region's most clogged and polluted arteries. More rides are planned.

    Friday, April 18th, 2008
    The time (5:30 p.m.) and day (April 19) were carefully chosen after considerable research and scouting over a two-week planning stage. Based on unverified data and rider speculation, motor vehicles were moving at a speed between 5 and 10 mph. There was no strategy on what to do when actually on the freeway, as the group's riders agreed to an "every rider for themselves" approach in regards to possible police retaliation.

    Starting in Santa Monica, 15 bicyclists boarded the Cloverfield on-ramp (Santa Monica Fwy/I-10) and rode 0.87 miles to the Centinela off-ramp. They re-entered the 1-10 Fwy at Bundy and rode 0.44 miles to the I-405 N on-ramp and rode another 1.56 miles to the Santa Monica Blvd. exit. The ramp to the I-405 N was a steep grade and 0.65 miles in length. Riders spanned a total of 2.87 freeway miles.

    Media Information
    ____________________

    YouTube
    CRIMANIMALZ - If You Rode A Bicycle You'd Be Home By Now
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=4NLmiuyLa98

    Website
    http://www.crimanimalz.com

    • jamesLankford, on 05/14/2008, -1/+7"Kind of pointless imo.."
      right, use less gas, save more money, help the enviroment, stay in shape
      totall pointless
      • crimson117, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1The idea of biking as an alternative to gas-powered vehicles isn't pointless, but their demonstration didn't really promote that. It promoted the idea that weaving through traffic or traveling on the shoulder will get you through traffic faster.

        Hopefully it leads to real change like more bike lanes being implemented, but the demonstration itself just seemed like it missed the mark.
    • jer2eydevil88, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1They need a new webmaster cuz that site is UGLY.
  • helloiambrad, on 05/14/2008, -4/+36In other news, Cars illegally use sidewalk without helmets.
  • nexus37, on 05/14/2008, -22/+20Roads were built for cars. There was no need for paved roads before cars as bikes used bike paths, not bike roads. Pay a fee to get a license and tag like a car and you can share in the paved goodness, otherwise, get back on the path.
    • tushyd, on 05/14/2008, -4/+12Many cities don't have bike paths.
    • andy314159pi, on 05/14/2008, -4/+9In almost every municipality in America, it is against the law to ride a bicycle on a sidewalk. The law 100% supports the use of city streets by cyclists. In fact, in some cities riding 2x is within the confines of the law.
      • dougmc, on 05/14/2008, -2/+2Um, no it's not. In most places it's legal to ride on the sidewalk. Yes, there are plenty of exceptions, but more often than not, you're allowed to ride on the sidewalk.

        Now, if you're a good cyclist, it's usually safer riding in the street than the sidewalk, but that's another matter.
        • sealbeater, on 05/14/2008, -1/+4It's illegal in Washington DC, Virginia, NYC and California. Can only speak for places I've been.
          • dougmc, on 05/14/2008, -1/+1It's legal in Texas in most cases (the exception is in a `business district'.)

            As for other places I haven't been, it's easy to look it up.
            http://www.massbike.org/bikelaw/statelaws.htm

            Looks like you're wrong about DC --
            1201.9 There shall be no prohibition against any person riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk within the District, so long as the rider does not create a hazard; Provided, that no person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within the Centra1 Business District except on those sidewalks expressly designated by Order of the Mayor, nor shall any person ride e bicycle upon a sidewalk in any area outside of the Central Business District if it is expressly prohibited by Order of the Mayor and appropriate signs to such effect are posted.

            I believe you're right about VA and NYC. As for California, *some* cities and counties prohibit it, but not all. (Citation: http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/bicycleriding.html)

            So far, you're not doing a very good job of speaking of the places you've been, or you're taking it being prohibited in one place and extrapolating that to mean it must be prohibited in the entire state/district/city.



      • Tweekster, on 05/15/2008, -1/+2Bikes are also required to act like vehicles and stop for stop signs, lights and properly signal.

        Too bad 99% of bikers dont do that.
        • FuckThaMeme, on 05/15/2008, -0/+199% of statistics are made up.

          You're exaggerating you ignorant fool. This is why I hate idiot cyclists - They give those of us who actually follow the highway code, more rigorously than car drivers, a bad name as shown in your comment.
    • helloiambrad, on 05/14/2008, -4/+7There are plenty of cities that don't have the luxury of bike paths. Therefore, the street is the next best thing. Sidewalks are not for bikes. I've had quite a few friends that have been wrongfully hit by ***** drivers who think cyclists are merely "in the way" and have no rights as commuters. It seems you might be one of these drivers.
    • gharding, on 05/14/2008, -2/+7Because there's such a great infrastructure of bike paths across the US. Jackass. Hope you're enjoying $4/gal.
    • fsweep, on 05/14/2008, -3/+3Roads existed long before cars. Are you seriously this stupid? Bike paths are a modern phenomenon.
    • vocalyouth, on 05/14/2008, -2/+4it's called a road bike, douchebag.
    • kurtergad87, on 05/14/2008, -1/+1Paved lanes for bicycles are so much more pleasant than merely driving on a path of dirt or gravel.
    • juarezj, on 05/14/2008, -1/+6Actually, roads in America were first paved for the use of bicycles. The automobile came later.
      http://curbstone.com/_macadam.htm
    • employeeno5, on 05/14/2008, -0/+4Bikes have always been used on the same roads as larger vehicles. Paved roads have been around since 5000BC. Bikes have been around since 1818. They were used on paved roads long before the automobile.

      If bikes weren't welcome on our paved roads, there wouldn't be laws allowing for and governing the use of bikes on them. Just as like there are laws governing the behavior of pedestrians and automobiles all other kinds of vehicles. You can get a ticket just like anyone else for not obeying traffic laws on a bike.

      So pedestrians shouldn't get to cross the streets that they pay for with their property taxes even though there are guidelines and laws allowing for their use?
      And all those police officers on bikes need to get off the road?

      If you really think you're being taken advantage of tax-wise, that's not the fault of a cyclist, that's the fault of your local government. Tell them they need to get registration fees from cyclists. Until th