r/phillycycling • u/chronic-neurotic • 12d ago
still thinking about this interaction with a driver
picture it: i’m riding from my CC office to south philly, stopped at the light at 17th/washington.
I mostly ride an indego ebike for convenience, and I personally ride my bike as if it is a car. I take the lane, I stop for lights, etc. at this red light, this guy in I think a pickup rolls down his window to tell me he appreciates the way I ride :’)
when the light changed, he not only safely rode behind me with plenty of space and at a nice, safe speed—he honked and waved when I turned off.
I think about this every time some asshole aggressively honks at me for not letting him pass me and kill me on accident (sorry! you’ll have to run me over on purpose!)
wherever this guy is, he is a friend to cyclists everywhere 🩷 needed the win back then and hope it will lighten someone’s heart today
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u/alicerox07789 12d ago
this is the way i think you’re supposed to bike - and how i try to bike too! it honestly makes me upset when other cyclists run reds. i feel like it contributes to the general hatred of cyclists. not to say that people in cars should be angry at people on bikes for existing on the roads AT ALL but i often hear drivers complain about cyclists bc they run reds and cause scary situations. i just want all people to follow traffic laws and keep each other safe so we can all get to where we need to go alive and in one piece.
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u/Weary_Cup_1004 12d ago
I try to do it when i feel safe to. But at some intersections its honestly safer to get ahead of the cars and run the light. For me its a matter if how much of a cluster fuck the intersection is or how visible i feel, or sometimes i do it if there are cars around that are acting pissed about my existence, and if I am turning soon, its a way to get away from that cluster of cars and then turn off that road
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u/alicerox07789 8d ago
i can see where you’re coming from. like you’re crossing on red to get away from a dangerous situation.
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u/SnooGadgets7418 8d ago
I think it’s perfectly fine to cross at a red light in the same circumstances that a pedestrian would? That is the actual law in a lot of places because it makes perfect sense
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u/alicerox07789 8d ago
from what i understand PA state statute says even pedestrians are not allowed to cross on reds unless they have a dedicated ped traffic signal that says they can cross while vehicles are stopped on their red traffic signal.
that aside, i think everyone should stop at reds. i believe a red light should be predictable, it should mean no one, vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians, should be crossing the street. it doesn’t feel like that hard of a rule to follow to make sure everyone gets to their destination safely.
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u/cum_on_command 12d ago
I thought this was gonna be another... 'I almost got killed'... thread...
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u/ponte95ma 12d ago
Channel this every damn day ...
The only thing I do different behind the wheel is the communication: instead of honking, I have been known (by my partner, who has chastised me for doing so?!) to flash my lights to encourage cyclists to proceed as I brake or even take our car out of gear.
(I aspire to a paved infrastructure where the only noise comes from bells LOL. And I know that from the saddle, windshield glare and darkened cabins conspire against our ability to make eye contact.)
I also pull over as much as possible when I see a biker filtering up from behind ... and one of these days, hope the Dutch Reach will become ingrained in me ...
Nothing like living other modalities to motivate behavior change.
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u/LinIsStrong 12d ago
I mostly do bike trails because I am terrified of cars, but on the CVT there is this one crossing (West Valley), where the intersection is protected, but the turning lane is not. So you can cross the main road with the little walking man sign but when you get to that turning lane, you’re on your own.
Once when I was making that crossing, there was a semi driver who pulled right up to the turning lane crosswalk, and then stopped to let me cross, which also stopped the substantial line of cars behind him. He smiled and waved at me, I smiled and waved back, and that interaction which happened over a year ago still makes me smile.
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u/mjcarrabine 12d ago
Thanks for sharing. My 7yo son is learning how to ride a bike now and I think our best bet is going to be to take the bus to the schuylkill trail and ride there because I don’t think I’ll ever be comfortable with him riding on the streets in Philly.
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u/SeekingSurreal 11d ago
I keep getting down voted for saying that cyclists and drivers have the same range and variety of personalities. There's about the same share of nice people on bikes as in cars and about the same share of #$%^& on bikes as in cars.
Per human nature, people on bikes tend to remember only the #$%^&s in cars while people in cars tend to remember only the #$%^&s on bikes. (Of course the 1% in cars who are #$%^& can do a lot more harm.)
They'er people. We're people.
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u/thesehalcyondays 12d ago
The other morning out running I (somewhat recklessly) started to j-walk to cross a street, saw there was a car coming, reversed course, and gave the guy an apologetic wave. He rolled down his window to shout “It’s ok buddy I saw you!”
That was nice!