Spandex Cycling Assholes

Nearly every time I get on my bike to commute around this city, I have some sort of encounter with a spandex asshole. You know the type; riding a bike more expensive than some peoples cars, decked out in branded spandex garb. I feel like every time I see a cyclist doing something rude or dangerous to other commuters, it's always one of these people. Am I just noticing them because they stand out more than the average cyclist? I can't count the amount of times I've been passed on the right, passed by aggressively on a bridge without a courteous "on your left!" or almost hit as a pedestrian crossing the road (because why stop at a stop sign?) Don't even get me started on how they love to ride 2 or more abreast on major roads when doing their "training" rides. I don't think that any commuter (whether in cars, on bikes or walking) is perfect, but this group seems to stand out to me as being rude and inconsiderate to others on the road.

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YUUUP!

May 20, 2015 at 6:11am

Ya one of these spandex morons got me yesterday when I was going in to work just before 8pm. I'm in the left turn lane waiting for a safe opportunity to turn left when the light goes yellow and since I'm in the intersection already I'm going to make my turn just before the light goes red. Like normal. Except this spandex biker decides he is going to run the red, and he does. But it puts me in an awkward position when he should of stopped since he was part of the traffic. Which is it bikers?? are you a part of the road or not?

Share the road

May 20, 2015 at 11:38am

Painting all of a particular demographic with one very wide ignorant brush does not make a valid argument. Now the weather has turned nice, many more cyclists of all types are using the roads. The science says for every 'bad' act witnessed, it takes five good ones to overcome that bias.
Riding all year round (my primary mode of transportation), I see the annual proliferation of 'morons', but try to cut them all some slack, knowing that a hundred dumb cyclists are still better than any single dumb automobile (self) lover is.
This morning on my commute (all of 15 minutes) I was dangerously cut off by cars four different times. This is the norm, not an outlier. Does that make 'all' car drivers morons? Suck it up and show some courtesy, whether it's deserved or not.
The CBC program Ideas ran a great piece recently about car culture, parking and the burden on cities single passenger vehicles create. Check it out, and look in the mirror. (both figuratively and literally)

cyclists

May 20, 2015 at 4:27pm

Yeah, that must really suck when a cyclist passes you on the right. Now you know how car drivers feel.

Tolerating cyclists would be a lot easier if they had to sit in their place in traffic just like everyone else instead of flying up on the right side every time the cars have to stop for some reason.

I find it rude

May 20, 2015 at 7:03pm

when they cycle 3 or 4 abreast so that you can't pass or go any faster and there is a long lineup of cars behind.

spandex wearing cyclists

May 21, 2015 at 8:41pm

Feel the same way about pannier and yellow MEC jacket commuters.

Take a look in the mirror (the one you don't use, mounted to your handlebar)

Another reason

May 22, 2015 at 12:55am

I'm glad I left Vancouver: the insidious winging, like the OP. Who cares. Thanks for your anecdotal impressions on a "phenomena" that you just made up. Put on some spandex, and move on. Notice other things.

No love here

May 22, 2015 at 9:33am

3-year-old son was clipped by one of those spandex-jersey-wearing cyclists, on the sidewalk along Grandview Hwy in front of De Serres. 4-way stop, nope, not for the cyclists. They just go on through. Didn't stop for one at a PEDESTRIAN crosswalk. Got the finger. Sorry, not your right of way.

There should be regulations, permits, some kind of training to be on the road. If drivers have to have insurance and driver training, same should be for these cyclists.

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