Montreal is still the most bike friendly city in North America

[smuler]

That too. Actually, always assume you become invisible when you get on your bike.

Never truer words were said...

Thanks Sidney

Best Regards

Smuler

If I find your helmet, I'll let you know:wave:

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

You should have looked left again.

Indeed, he should have. a) cyclists have equal right to the road, a fact of which many drivers are oblivious and b) a vehicle (and this includes bikes) going straight have the right of way over a turning vehicle.

 

[wasisname]

Whoever said downtown should belong to cyclists is dreaming of two-wheeled utopia.

It is more being so self centered and self serving as to be blind to reality. It would be like us [merb] arguing in favor of medical prostitution.

A car free downtown or even car free city is doable and the later would be desirable but really it is something that needs to be built from the ground up or at least changed over in a long long life span.

And I have said it before, I'll say it again, if you are going to get rid of cars, feet and transit [preferably metro] is the way to go. Bikes just don't play well with peds are cars.

I've liked this http://www.carfree.com/ even read the dudes books.

 

[Merlot]

Hello cyclists,

You should have looked left again. In Montreal drivers should be aware that cyclists often come out of nowhere and look twice rather than once.

I was turning right. Why should I look left again when I was turning right. The biker passed on my right while I was looking there for the second time before I hit the gas, and that's after checking the mirrors. He must have been in my blind spot behind me for a second and coming very fast.

b) a vehicle (and this includes bikes) going straight have the right of way over a turning vehicle.

That would be correct if he was stopped at my side, which I've dealt with many times, except he wasn't on my right either time when I looked. He had been behind me and coming fast. He must have been moving very fast because if he hadn't flown past my bumper so fast he'd be dead. He's very lucky I don't gun my starts leaping from a stop because he either would have gone flying over the car after crashing into it or gone right through my window.

You're correct about equal rights to the road, but I'm not sure what advantage being in the right is after one is DEAD.

As a pedestrian in Montreal I a know I have the right to use the crosswalk at the proper time. Still, after having seen a pedestrian get creamed by a car when I was a kid...despite his RIGHTS, I keep my eyes on what cars are doing, and sometimes I prefer to let them go first because I know my rights don't guarantee my life. So I'd rather not test my rights and my life against a possibly itchy driver in a 3500-4000 lbs vehicle. Like pedestrians, cyclists should remember their huge disadvantage against a fast moving 2-ton object no matter who makes the fatal mistake...like the biker mentioned in a much earlier post who had Rights...right before getting killed.

Cheers,

Merlot