Idiot cyclists.

You know those moron motorists that you encounter out there while you're commuting? Well, put those same people on bikes and you get the moron cyclists you mention above...

sad part is I see less of them then cyclists. well mabye about the same. now when I am walking I see a lot of bad drivers (G)

Quoted post said:

Ok here I am stilling behind three cars at a stoplight. Right behind a cop no less. With the cars parked there is only a little room to go past them. Well what do you know but this guy on a spendy racing bike and matching shorts and jersey scoots down the shoot.

Sorry but I can't back you up on this one. Personally, I typically will go "down the shoot". I'm confident in my abilities to avoid cars so I don't wait in the "car lane" if I think I can get through. Cars making the right turn are supposed to shoulder check (not to mention make a turn signal) so if they fail to do that they are in the wrong, not me. Having said that, knowing how stupid some drivers are, I typically slow down and keep my eye on movements to see if someone is turning.

well the driver had a turn signal on and the biker did not see it or ignored it.
but I am glad you will trust drivers. myself it is a risk I don't see a reward for. I rather wait a little longer to live longer.

This probably all varies somewhat by location and conditions. I will usually pull up on the right of a whole stream of cars to an intersection UNLESS I see a right turn signal ... then I stay behind that one. I do try to notice things like the angle of a cars front wheels ... just in case. I also do usually wear orange or yellow to increase my chances of being seen.

I find that I'll do almost anything once in a while ...
-run a red light on an early Sunday morning ride w/ almost no traffic
-scoot onto a sidewalk to get through an especially tight and high trafficked intersection
-dash one block the wrong way down a one-way street when construction or some situation just trashed the other street I would take
-ride around the block without a helmet if I'm just checking my gear or brake adjustment

However, as a general rule I don't advocate any of these behaviors and would answer a poll that I ALMOST NEVER do them. Nonetheless there are times where they seem/are quite safe.

I think it is one of the greatest pleasures of biking ... being in the moment and making your own ride smoothly down, around and in or out of whatever circumstance is presented.

An Occasional Idiot Cyclist (because I think it's really smarter and definately more fun than being too wedded to the rules!!) in Chicago

Yeah, there are definitely idiot cyclists. I've seen people run red lights at rush hour and expect tired, frustrated motorists to see them and stop and let them through. Not only rude but dangerous. But in my experience, in a very bike friendly part of the world, motoroists are by far worse offenders. I can't even express how many times eager drivers have sped up to pass me and then make a quick right turn, forcing me to brake -- and some times hit the passenger door. They flip me off, honk, swerve wildly, ignore their mirrors, and drive in the bike lane. Most bike commuters are not hard core bike enthusiasts -- at least not in my part of the world -- they're students, underpaid professionals, and fitness lovers. All they -- and I and we -- want is a narrow slice of road and a bit of courtesy: a turn signal, some patience, and the recognition that the street belongs to us, too.

I almost never wait in the car lane, if I can get past the cars. Why wait? I am however very cautious when doing it, and will ride much slower than my usual pace.

Idiot motorists, now they really [censored] me off. The most common annoyance for me is cars than cut me off or do U-turns in front of me, forcing me to brake so I don't have to hit them. Not only is it rude, I have to pedal to get my speed back up. :|