Cyclists who don't stop at red lights, and nearly kill pedestrians

[torontogal12]

Disclaimer: there are lots of law abiding cyclists in this world. This rant is not about them.

I am a pedestrian and either walk or take transit everywhere. At least 3 times a week this summer I have nearly been run over by cyclists who refuse to stop when they have a red light. I'm not exaggerating about the amount of times it happens.

These cyclists don't think the lights apply to them, and keep going, even when the cars are all stopped. One time one guy came out of nowhere and clipped me in the arm when I was crossing the street legally. Last week I started getting so pissed off about it that I started yelling "You have a red light!" to people that do this in hopes they'd learn and not do it again. Most of the time they ignore me, and one time a guy actually turned around and apologized.

Today a woman did it and nearly plowed into a bunch of families who were crossing the street legally. So I told her "hey you have a red light." She rode away and gave us all the finger.

People like that should not be allowed to have bikes because they can seriously hurt people. Worst part: there was a cop on the other side of the street of this ***** and he didn't even see anything

[Minou]

Wow, I hope she gets a few tickets!

It drives me crazy when cyclists ride on the sidewalk and blast through intersections. As a driver turning, you don't expect something to come flying off the sidewalk so suddenly after you've just checked for pedestrians!

[hello_kitty]

I HATE THIS. I usually drive downtown and the cyclist there are insane. I see this all the time - i really wish cops here would be more alert and hand out more tickets. grr

[VeeVee]

This drives me batty! It has happened to me as well..almost being plowed down by a cyclist.
They complain that drivers are not careful around cyclist but then they turn around and act like they own the whole street and sidewalk.

I was walking my dog one day and was on the right side of the sidewalk and my dog on my right in the grass peeing...this cyclist was riding and starting ringing her bell at me bc she was on the right side where I was..instead of just turning her wheel to the left a tad she started ringing her bell saying coming thru..wtf WHY DO I HAVE TO MOVE?? You shouldn't even be on the sidewalk!!!

[Tbites]

This drives me batty! It has happened to me as well..almost being plowed down by a cyclist.
They complain that drivers are not careful around cyclist but then they turn around and act like they own the whole street and sidewalk.

I was walking my dog one day and was on the right side of the sidewalk and my dog on my right in the grass peeing...this cyclist was riding and starting ringing her bell at me bc she was on the right side where I was..instead of just turning her wheel to the left a tad she started ringing her bell saying coming thru..wtf WHY DO I HAVE TO MOVE?? You shouldn't even be on the sidewalk!!!

Veevee, let me offer another perspective. She may have rang her bell only to alert you of her presence, (though I can't figure out why she'd be on the sidewalk?) I cycle both on bike paths and in traffic and while cell phones are fear #1, dog leashes are probably #2. Bike + leash = disaster

[xXtiggerXx]

I bike to work and to do errands and I see horrible cyclists everywhere too. I ride on the sidewalk most times, as does everyone else in town since there are no bike lanes and there's hardly anyone around. Anytime there are people I either bike slowly around them if there's room or get off my bike and walk. I cross the road on the cross walk but I'm always very cautious of vehicles and other people.
I see cyclists change constantly from sidewalk to road, so dangerous-pick one or the other! Just last week I was clipped by a bike speeding through a red light to get on the sidewalk, I was nearly knocked off my bike onto the road. His response to my "Dude what he He** are you doing!" was a slurry of swears and the finger. Man I hate tourist season...

[torontogal12]

This happened again today. This time a CAR that ran a red light and then when the woman drove past me she told me to "chill out." Yeah I should be chill when you nearly run me over because you are running a red light and I am in the middle of an intersection.

[Darth Penguin]

i was nearly t-boned by a cyclist today. I was driving through a green light when a "super-powered" cyclist tried turning though his red light into my path...thankfully I had good brakes and the Penguinbrood know hand-signals...

[Evil.Kitten]

I haaaaaaate tagging along with my dad to toronto nowadays for this very reason!

One guy was riding in circles at the red light.. though amusing he was cutting into the driving lane and almost got hit a few times, not paying attention.

Many riders flew thru the yellow and red lights. One actually cut across the road and onto the sidewalk for a green light and almost clipped a bus.
Another one my dad almost took out as we were about to turn left; I glanced behind us and saw her speeding up to the left of us, warned my dad and he put on the breaks otherwise midturn she would have plowed into us.

I hate waiting at the lights with the cyclists in the summer.. they all bunch together in a tight patch and spill over into the driving lanes and sidewalk.

Plus it always freaks me out having a cyclist next to the car.. just worried that one slip and they could hit the car or go under it..gah >.<

Yes I know there's alot of good cyclists out there [especially in Toronto, I've seen them] but still.. lots of the bad cyclists I've seen have those rental bikes.. I think those companies should make people take a test before getting a bike.. lmao.

[torontogal12]

We have one of those bike rental racks next to our building! We get a whole bunch of clueless people. I don't' use that rack even though there is another one right next to work. With crazy cyclists and traffic in this city,you know, I don't want to die and all.

I am dreading that new Joseph Gordon-Levitt movie where he is the bike courier. #1 it sounds like the least suspenseful movie of all time. #2 think of all the tricks and stuff he will do and all the things real life cyclists will want to copy

I haaaaaaate tagging along with my dad to toronto nowadays for this very reason!

One guy was riding in circles at the red light.. though amusing he was cutting into the driving lane and almost got hit a few times, not paying attention.

Many riders flew thru the yellow and red lights. One actually cut across the road and onto the sidewalk for a green light and almost clipped a bus.
Another one my dad almost took out as we were about to turn left; I glanced behind us and saw her speeding up to the left of us, warned my dad and he put on the breaks otherwise midturn she would have plowed into us.

I hate waiting at the lights with the cyclists in the summer.. they all bunch together in a tight patch and spill over into the driving lanes and sidewalk.

Plus it always freaks me out having a cyclist next to the car.. just worried that one slip and they could hit the car or go under it..gah >.<

Yes I know there's alot of good cyclists out there [especially in Toronto, I've seen them] but still.. lots of the bad cyclists I've seen have those rental bikes.. I think those companies should make people take a test before getting a bike.. lmao.

[alicia]

Here's my pet peeve... Halifax actually has a new law in place (in the last two years) about when you pass a cyclist you have to clear them by at least 1 meter. It is not so easy to bike in the city since there aren't bike passes/lanes, but when traffic is slow or stopped, the bikers crawl along the curb to get to the front, well within the 1 meter zone! And if there was an accident you know the driver would be in trouble!

I also dislike how they choose which rules to follow, flipping back and forth between pedestrians and vehicles. So aggravating!

[roseofblack25]

Was almost hit by one today turning right on a red and then I got the dirty look...yeah right lady I had the walk sooo maybe you should pay attention to the fact you have a red light and should actually wait

[krysta lynne]

push them as they go by?

[coupongirl99]

push them as they go by?

Too funny!

But seriously though, how do these people not get hit by cars and killed if they are running red lights??? Talk about stupid and dangerous.

[Sunshyne1]

I find some Cyclists in downtown hamilton to be INSANE. Not only do they not signal and veer across 4 lanes of traffic just assuming the cars are going to stop, but they have no consideration for the lights and stop signs. They want us to respect them and treat them like any vehicle on the road, but then they don't obey the traffic laws!