*I don't go to school anymore, but found this when looking at the red light argument.*

One thing (out of a very large list) that always bothered me in my years at NCSU was the traffic. If you want to get anywhere in a timely fashion don't drive through campus. I always hated walking through crosswalks because of assholes. I thought the speed hump idea was stupid (either stop signs or big signs that read "YOU MUST STOP FOR PEDRESTIANS" would have seemed better). Anyhow to get a license supposedly you would have to read the driver's handbook, but we all know that isn't needed. Regardless there are a couple of points that are important and I honestly believe people don't know what the rules are. Others are just assholes..... Moving on.



http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/driver_services/drivershandbook/chapter6/bicycles.html

Quote :

"Bicycle riding is an important means of transportation, particularly for traveling to and from work and school. Because bicycles are vehicles, bicyclists must obey the same traffic laws as other drivers. Bicyclists usually ride on the right side of the lane, but are entitled to the use of a full lane."

Quote :

"A bicyclist staying to the right in their lane is accommodating the following drivers by making it easier to see when it is safe to pass, and easier to execute the pass. Drivers wishing to pass a bicyclist may do so only when there is abundant clearance and no oncoming traffic is in the opposing lane. When passing a bicyclist, always remember the bicyclist is entitled to the use of the full lane."

http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/driver_services/drivershandbook/chapter4/generalDriving.html

Quote :

"When you are driving, always yield right of way to pedestrians. * At intersections without traffic signals, pedestrians have the right-of-way if they are in marked crosswalks, or in unmarked crosswalks formed by imaginary lines extending from the sidewalks across the streets. * At intersections controlled by ordinary traffic signals, pedestrians must obey the same signals as drivers traveling in the same direction - Pedestrians should not start to cross during a red or yellow signal. * When crossing with a green signal, pedestrians have the right-of-way over all vehicles, including those turning across the paths of the pedestrians. * If a traffic signal changes to yellow or red while any pedestrian remains in the street, drivers must allow the pedestrian to complete the crossing safely."

I know some people won't agree with this so flame away. Keep in mind though this is the law. Sometimes I wish the sense of community extended beyond sporting events.

12/8/2005 4:50:58 AM

dude, don't post this

12/8/2005 4:51:53 AM

Doesn't pertain to pedestrians, but don't forget the one car rule. This is a problem on campuses in general.
____


If three cars arrive at a 4-way stop within the same time period, in this order:

1. Car in front of you, heading north
2. Me, heading south
3. You, heading north

and I have to turn left across your lane, DO NOT dart into the intersection just because the car in front of you went already. I don't care if you're following because you don't know where you're going - if the driver in front of you knows this, they'll travel at a reasonable speed until you catch up. I don't know how many times I've had to slam on my brakes to keep from getting hit in this situation because some other car couldn't follow basic stop sign procedure.

12/8/2005 5:17:45 AM

Uhh, No Shit

12/8/2005 6:36:49 AM

I'm pretty sure a skateboard is also considered a vehicle and therefore I have right to skate in the middle of traffic. Actually I should be in the middle of the road insted of the sidewalk.

Awesome

12/8/2005 7:07:55 AM

Quote :

"I thought the speed hump idea was stupid (either stop signs or big signs that read "YOU MUST STOP FOR PEDRESTIANS" would have seemed better)."

Well if people paid attention to the sign, then yes. The problem is that they don't pay attention to the sigh. A speed "hump" (they even call the bumps humps nowadays) pretty much forces the issue. Though I admit that a sign that read "YOU MUST STOP FOR PEDRESTIANS (sic)" would be quite funny.

While I agree that pedestrians (hope I got the sp right) have the right of way I'll take the dissenting point of view for this thread. Pedestrians can be just as much of an idiot as an a**hole driver. Pedestrians have the right of way but that doesn't absolve them from all responsibility when crossing the street. They still have to cross at designated crosswalks, and don't. The still have to wait for a "WALK" signal at the crosswalk, and don't. Those are laws also. Don't complain when you almost get run over when you dart out across Hillsboro any old place without looking in both directions.

On to bicycles. I agree with the laws but you know what drives me crazy? Bicyclists are quick to cite that bicycles are vehicles and entitled to the whole lane deal but they only use it when it is convenient for them and ignore it otherwise.

Think of when there are cars queued up at a light. Does the bicyclist stop right behind the car of wherever they happen to be at the time the light turns red? Like a vehicle that supposedly takes up a full lane (or even a motorcycle) should? No, the weave their way to the front of the line. You know what this does? It means that the same grouping of cars is going to be stuck behind the same 15mph bicyclist when the light turns green. They will have to pass him again and again and again.

I've seen (and been tempted to do it myself) people do the "pinch off manuver". They get tired of passing the same guy every block so they just stop as close to the curb as possible at the next light. That pretty much forces the bicyclist to stop behind cars like they should.

Sometimes they do not even stop for the stop signs and red lights. They want to be protected like a vehicle but they don't want to follow the sames rules.

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 7:48 AM. Reason : -]

12/8/2005 7:46:24 AM

I think if the pedestrians are douches (i.e. walking slowly in front of a green light) then motorists are more than entitled to run them over.

12/8/2005 8:11:57 AM

I had a guy on a bicycle take up the entire right lane of Dan Allen once and when I honked he flipped me off. So I passed him, got in front and slammed on the breaks. It was funny watching whatever he was drinking fall out of his hand and explode on the ground. I drove off waving.

I can't remember anyone besides that guy who was riding a bike who didn't yield to a car around Raleigh/Cary unless they were with a huge bike troupe and even then they still tried to make room. Most bicyclists around here are very polite as far as I've seen so I'm usually patient.

As for pedestrians I don't agree with the law and if you walk in front of me when I'm coming... I'm not going to slow down until the last minute. I think giving a good scare to some idiot is the best route. It's always worked. Now if it's over the hump I slowly move through and people eventually stop. Gunning through there is a sure way of getting keyed.

Just put yourself in their shoes and if they're being dicks... let Darwin solve the problem.

12/8/2005 8:21:14 AM

If it sounded as if I said only drivers are wrong, then that is not how I meant it. There are people from all the camps who do things wrongly.

The speed humps were/are a giant waste. A few overhead pedestrian bridges would have been a lot better.

I can see how drivers can sometimes be annoyed especially at certain times of the day when it seems there is an endless stream of pedestrians.

As far as bikers go, I don't know what the school expects sometimes. Supposedly they are supposed to be on the streets with cars, yet where are all the bike racks? Right in front of the buildings. Are students supposed to walk their bikes when they leave the road?

The whole pedestrian right of way thing brought one area to my mind. Avent Ferry and Western. That has to be the worst intersection if you are walking and with more classes moving to centennial it will probably only get worse. I agree a lot of the pedestrians don't follow the rules either, but in almost every case the driver wins by intimidation whether in the right or wrong.

I've seen plenty of cars run reds and fail to stop as well.

The slow moving pedestrians are a problem too. I can understand if someone is on crutches, but I get annoyed with most people doing what I will call the 'mall stroll' through campus.

12/8/2005 8:25:52 AM

Quote :

"The speed humps were/are a giant waste. A few overhead pedestrian bridges would have been a lot better."

The humps on Dan Allen worked out ok IMO. Even if you built a pedestrian bridge over Dan Allen people would still be lazy and cross the street. Most of the time (years ago) Dan Allen was just a parking lot anyway. Crossing wasn't an issue because it is pretty easy to walk between stopped vehicles. Now was it a parking lot because of the foot traffic?

A pedestrian bridge would be a good idea for Avent Ferry/Western. I could see people actually using that bridge. Especially now that they have you running between both campuses with inadequate wolfline coverage. Seriously when I was there it was quicker just to walk from main to centennial than it was to wait on wolfline (unless they fixed that).

12/8/2005 8:41:39 AM

I drive on campus every day..and I drive through the heart of campus. I'm fine with following these rules if the pedestrians would as well.

A few thoughts...

a) get off or turn down your freaking ipods. Do you really need entertainment every minute of every day?

b) get off your cell phones and pay attention to traffic. Yes, you may be a pedestrian and yes, you may have the right of way while crossing, but being a pedestrian does not entitle you to play in traffic.

12/8/2005 8:50:38 AM

the only thing bicyclists have a right to is being run over by me.

12/8/2005 9:16:27 AM

You would think people in college would know the common sense and basic laws of traffic.

12/8/2005 9:24:21 AM

until good bicylclists get togethor and kick the shit out of the people that ride in the huge groups and slow down traffic im not really going to give them much room on the road

12/8/2005 10:07:03 AM

I will share the roads when you share the sidewalk w/ my car.

12/8/2005 10:12:07 AM

also, Wipers on Lights on

i see (or dont, rather) tons of out of staters driving in the rain with no lights on.

12/8/2005 10:34:20 AM

Quote :

"i see (or dont, rather) tons of out of staters driving in the rain with no lights on."

that's funny cause i always see NC drivers driving with no lights on

12/8/2005 10:37:23 AM

yeah but nc drivers have no excuse. they should know that shit.

im thinkin out of staters might not be aware.

12/8/2005 10:38:43 AM

it's a national law

12/8/2005 10:39:13 AM

oh word? damn thats even worse. i thought it was just nc

12/8/2005 10:40:53 AM

seriously kiss my fucking ass, no matter what happens, my car is bigger then your bike. If you get in my way and I can't move, my car will win every time, and more then likely your going to be hurt.

I always try to move out of the way but there have been a couple times where bikers randomly swerve into the middle of the lane w/o looking, your prob not one of them, but I won't feel bad if I hit someone b/c they can't be bothered to take a look around.

12/8/2005 10:41:13 AM

people are just lazy unfortunately. it's the same thing with blinkers. how fuckin hard is it to use a blinker when turning? i hate people who slow down for a turn but dont signal for it. so i'm like wtf.

12/8/2005 10:42:41 AM

when i see bikes trying to pass me on the right i rub the curb
i care about pissing them off more than i care about my tires

12/8/2005 10:42:56 AM

just don't cut through campus, it's an infinite time waster, go over to gorman. And ditto to what jbtilley said, if cyclists want to be protected by the rules of the road, they need to follow them. None of this passing stopped cars, and biking through a red light just because nobody is coming, if I can't go, neither can you.

12/8/2005 10:51:08 AM

^^ can you explain that?

I cycle about 60% of the time and drive 40%, I think of myself as a good cyclist. I frequently pass cars on the right and would like to know what the problem is.

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 10:58 AM. Reason : .]

12/8/2005 10:58:27 AM

Sometimes going through red lights is appropriate because sensors don't pick up relativly lightweight bikers. Eg. there's a place on Atlantic Ave I have to go treat like a stop sign at night because I will wait 30 minuets if I have to wait for a car to roll up and trigger the light.

12/8/2005 11:00:49 AM

passing on the right is dangerous - you probably wouldn't do it in a car, but remove a ton of metal and 2 wheels and you're ready to pass someone on the right.

12/8/2005 11:01:41 AM

Quote :

"I frequently pass cars on the right and would like to know what the problem is."

its illegal and dangerous
if you want to share the road you have to share the rules

12/8/2005 11:04:58 AM

College campuses are just about the only place I'm aware of where pedestrians are stupid enough to assert their right of way over a car.

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 11:26 AM. Reason : s]

12/8/2005 11:25:26 AM

Quote :

"cyclists want to be protected by the rules of the road, they need to follow them."

/thread

12/8/2005 11:31:52 AM

haha yeah, cars are always going to win. I always wait til there are no cars going through to cross the road because I don't trust anyone driving a car. And hell the idiots riding their bikes on the sidewalks will run your ass over, I think they are more of a hazard than cars. I've seen a lot of cyclists who for some reason think they have a right to go through a red light instead of stopping. Almost plowed a couple people who have done that. If only people would just use common sense.

12/8/2005 12:06:47 PM

Quote :

"I cycle about 60% of the time and drive 40%, I think of myself as a good cyclist. I frequently pass cars on the right and would like to know what the problem is."

Aside from pissing off all the drivers that already sat behind you while you went 10mph up that hill, waited for their moment to gun past you, caught a red light, watched as you went by on the right as they were stopped, then got even more pissed when they discovered they have to pass you again? Once there was this guy on Hillsboro I had to pass like three times.

It is for your safety as well. Take a look at http://bicyclesafe.com/. Look at collision types 3 and 5.

12/8/2005 12:50:04 PM

I like that website, especially

Quote :

"3. Don't ride on the sidewalk in the first place. Crossing between sidewalks can be a fairly dangerous maneuver. If you do it on the left-hand side of the street, you risk getting slammed as per the diagram. If you do it on the right-hand side of the street, you risk getting slammed by a car behind you that's turning right. You also risk getting hit by cars pulling out of parking lots or driveways. These kinds of accidents are hard to avoid, which is a compelling reason to not ride on the sidewalk in the first place. And another reason not to ride on the sidewalk is that you're threatening to pedestrians. Your bike is as threatening to a pedestrian as a car is threatening to you. Finally, riding on the sidewalk is illegal in some places. (In Austin, those places are the Drag, and downtown on 6th St. and on Congress). If you do plan on riding on sidewalks, do it slowly and EXTRA carefully, ESPECIALLY when crossing the street between two sidewalks."

I know a lot of people do and it is probably quicker but it is very dangerous to pedestrians, motorists, and especially the cyclist. If NCSU had more room I think they should put in a bike lane like the ones I've seen in parts of Cary. Unfortunately I don't think that would be possible.

12/8/2005 12:59:14 PM

I think bicycle laws should be revised. Bikes are not cars, and bikes are not pedestrians. They shouldn't be pigeon-holed into either category. Bikes are not nearly so much of an issue in rural areas. Stoplights at every intersection and narrow city streets are what mess things up for all parties involved.

I still don't understand the superiority complex that many drivers seem to feel over other forms of transportation. I have a car. I drive sometimes, but biking is preferable when possible for many reasons. Get over yourselves.

12/8/2005 1:38:33 PM

How about rollerblades or skateboards?

12/8/2005 1:43:24 PM

Quote :

"The Door Prize: A driver opens his door right in front of you. You run right into it if you can't stop in time. If you're lucky, the motorist will exit the car before you hit the door, so you'll at least have the pleasure of smashing them too when you crash, and their soft flesh will cushion your impact. One advocate has compiled a list of cyclists killed by running into open car doors."

Haha. Teh winz.

^I'd consider rollerbladers pedestrians. I don't notice that being much of an issue in this area. They have the same size berth as someone walking. Skateboarders are probably closer to bikes, but I think skateboards on the sidewalk are even more dangerous, as they have no brakes.


[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 1:46 PM. Reason : ]

12/8/2005 1:43:42 PM

Quote :

"Bicycle riding is an important means of transportation, particularly for traveling to and from work and school. Because bicycles are vehicles, bicyclists must obey the same traffic laws as other drivers. Bicyclists usually ride on the right side of the lane, but are entitled to the use of a full lane."

If bicyclists expect me to share the road with them then I think they should be required to register their bike and pay the same taxes I have to pay to operate my vehicle on the road. Otherwise, i pay for the upkeep for the road so get off of it. That is why they have bike trails for.

Also why do people insist on bicycling on busy roads. there are plenty of neighborhoods and back streets in the city to go ride on with not a lot of traffic.

12/8/2005 5:26:06 PM

Quote :

"think they should be required to register their bike and pay the same taxes I have to pay to operate my vehicle on the road. Otherwise, i pay for the upkeep for the road so get off of it. That is why they have bike trails for."

you mean the roads that cars damage and bikes dont?

Quote :

"Also why do people insist on bicycling on busy roads. there are plenty of neighborhoods and back streets in the city to go ride on with not a lot of traffic."

while not as common here as in more urban areas, some people actually do commute on their bikes! if i lived at ivy chase and had classes at COT, i'd probably ride a bike there. what do you know...that involved avent ferry.

get over it.

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 5:28 PM. Reason :

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 5:29 PM. Reason : hypothetical situation]

12/8/2005 5:27:35 PM

Quote :

"That is why they have bike trails for."

Bike trails are for recreational use, and are not nearly widespread enough to serve a functional purpose.

Quote :

"Also why do people insist on bicycling on busy roads. there are plenty of neighborhoods and back streets in the city to go ride on with not a lot of traffic."

As a means for getting to class, pea brain. Most people on campus are not out for a recreational ride. They are trying to get somewhere.

12/8/2005 5:32:32 PM

ambrosia biking
haha yeah right

12/8/2005 5:39:24 PM

Quote :

"hypothetical situation"

guth reading well
haha yeah right

12/8/2005 5:44:50 PM

whenever i'm crossing the road and the driver doesn't stop, i think "fuckin asshole. i have the right of way".

whenever i'm driving and people are taking their sweet time to cross, i think "fuckin hurry up asshole"..or i just don't stop because i'm more important.

12/8/2005 6:06:08 PM

uh

today i was stopped at a red light. it turned green and i proceeded straight. RIGHT BEFORE i was to get on the next street (through the light) a bicyclist ran in front of me.....i had to slam on the fucking brakes, then he started yelling at me for not "yeilding".....i wasn't happy

12/8/2005 6:11:51 PM

you all should be lucky you didnt have to grow up driving in alamance county

12/8/2005 7:05:36 PM

damn right I payed a lot for my car you assholes didn't pay shit for your feet

when pedestrians pay gas taxes to pay for our roads, then they can walk on em

12/8/2005 7:20:20 PM

If you're going to ride in the middle of the road, I hope you are going the speed limit.

12/8/2005 7:24:52 PM

It is a LIMIT, an upper limit at that. Unless there is a sign that says minimnum speed limit I think the biker is fine going 10 mph

12/8/2005 7:31:24 PM

He'd also be an awesome traffic hazard too.

12/8/2005 7:37:13 PM

it is too bad he has right to be in the road.

12/8/2005 7:42:08 PM

I'm so glad I have plastic bumpers.

If they get dented, a heat gun brings them to like new condition again

12/8/2005 8:04:35 PM