Got Beef?

Here is a new segment at the Sandwich Shoppe - Got Beef? Basically a rant that takes on something/someone that is pissing me off.

Bicyclists

With the nice weather the alternate forms of transportation get dusted off and start to show up on the roadways. The bicycle and bicyclists are perhaps the most annoying. There are a couple of ways that they really grind my gears, so to speak.

First, riding on the sidewalk. You are considered a motor vehicle when driving a bike, stay off the sidewalks (kids excepted). If you don't like riding your bike on the street because the cars are too dangerous, we have air conditioned buses for you.

Second, you are riding on the street - congratulations! Now start acting like a motor vehicle. You have to signal, stop at stop signs, you can't weave in and out of traffic, and you have to stay to the right and stay out of the way of the larger vehicles. There is one exception to this rule - as a bike you shouldn't make left turns from the left turn lane. You get in the way of cars that can accelerate faster than you and when you make the turn you end up in the left lane, and need to cut across traffic that is moving much faster than you and might also be merging from the right turn lane.

Third, you want to ride you bike around, I'm all for that, and one of the hazards is getting you pants caught in the chain. Stop being a wuss and rolling up your pant leg or wearing a velcro strap so your pant leg doesn't flap in the wind. You say this wrecks your pants? What about getting a bike that has a chain cover Einstein?

Last but not least, who are the vandals stealing front tires and bike seats from locked up bikes? If I own a bike, my bike has a front tire and seat, I don't need another one. Bike owners need to relax and understand that they look goofy when they carry around bike parts. You don't see motorcyclists carrying around front tires or bike seats, heck some of them even leave their helmet attached to their bikes unattended.

So, bicyclists - I got beef with you until you stop riding around like you are car, act manly on your bike and stop carrying around your bike parts with you.