I was nabbed by the police today while driving my ATV on the trails. (1 Viewer)

[StephenA]

The police got me today for driving my ATV on the offroad trails without a driver's license. Luckily I only got a warning. Next time I'll get a 106 dollar ticket.

 

[Mike Lenthol]

On a similar subject, is the liscense needed when riding a bike? (2 pedals)

I probably break a few laws every mile when riding inside the city, like riding across bridges, intersections and the like.

If stopped, I always wanted to say "Here Officer, take away my bike riding liscence!", but afraid they'd take the bike.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

No bike license needed, you are expected to obey traffic laws

Since I got hit by a car, I ALWAYS ride against traffic. Too many shitheads would come up behind you and honk

 

[Don Black]

Aren't you required by law to ride against traffic? Or is that walk against traffic...

 

[JeffTodd]

Sort of related.....while in college I was riding across campus and didn't necessarily come to a complete stop at a stop sign. I sort of followed the whole crowd that was already crossing the street. Ms. Bike Cop pulled me over and gave me a ticket and asked for my driver's liscense. I had it on me, but I wonder what would have happened if I wouldn't have had it??:b

 

[Jay H]

You need a driver's license for ATVs? I guess that means there must be a minimum age for riding ATVs which I find odd? What if you're not of legal driving age and can't get a license?


As far a bike, you are required to ride with traffic. It's the joggers and walkers that are recommended to walk against traffic. I believe less than 4% of all bike related accidents is from cars behind you, WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY more accidents occur from drivers pulling out into you or making a left from the opposite direction into you...The most problem from riding against traffic is that cars pulling out do not expect to see anybody coming from the wrong direction. The only times I've been involved in an accident is from somebody cutting me off as he was making a right. But I was going slow enough that all I did was grab his passenger side rear door and steered into his turn.

Some of the drivers don't realize that you can hear them or see them with a mirror and sometimes will honk at you... but I use a mirror to see people behind me so I'm usually quite aware of cars coming up on me...

Jay

 

[StephenA]

You either need a certificate or driver's license to drive an ATV on the trails. I have neither. If you're under a certain age, you don't need either as long as you're with an adult who has one or the other.

On another note about yesterday, some ATV riders I met on the trails yesterday were nabbed by both the police and Fish and Game officers.

 

[Travis Olson]

I think ATV laws are way to harsh in some places. Here for example, we have two major ATV manufacturers about 50 miles apart, Arctic Cat and Polaris, which I work for Arctic. Anyway, the laws around are pretty strict as to where you can and cannot ride them. There are some trails setup for you to ride on but they are not street legal unless they are used for farm use.

 

[Eric Alderson]

Here is something that I wonder about from time to time. Why do early morning joggers (ie 5:30 am) run in the bike lane when there is a perfectly good sidewalk next to them. What's wrong with the sidewalk? It just seems a little dangerous with the way people drive sometimes.

 

[Karl_Luph]

I don't know Eric why they would jog out in the streets if the sidewalks are there, but you are from California right? Maybe the joggers think they'll be noticed more by someone wanting to hook up?LOL!

 

[Patrick_S]

Why do early morning joggers (ie 5:30 am) run in the bike lane when there is a perfectly good sidewalk next to them.

I think the main reason most joggers prefer to run on the street over sidewalks is that the concrete is harder on the body then asphalt.

Sure it doesn't seem like it but asphalt does give a little more then concrete.

 

[Bob Graz]

Joggers running in bike lanes instead of on the sidewalk makes me crazy too and I don't live in California.

 

[Bill Harada]

I think most joggers prefer the street vs sidewalk because you don't have to keep running up/down the curbs.

 

[Tim Morton]

Since I got hit by a car, I ALWAYS ride against traffic. Too many shitheads would come up behind you and honk

Would you prefer we just run your ass over like we are all thinking as we risk our lives by swerving into oncoming traffic to avoid hitting you?

 

[Jay H]

I think joggers (and cyclists) do not prefer the sidewalk because it is way more easy to get hit by cars going in or out of sidestreets if you're on the sidewalk and not on the street.
This is even more evident if there are parked cars on the sidewalks that cars may not care to look over or be able to see. As a jogger and especially as a cyclist, you are going faster than a walk so the opportunity to get blindsided by some driver is greater so that just makes sidewalks even more dangerous. Parked cars just make it even more dangerous as if you are on the sidewalk, then you are definitely more blind to turning cars. I am 1000 times more scared of turning cars than any car behind me. This morning some bozo almost turned left into me (not even using a signal) after I was about to pass a stopped garbage truck. He literally stopped dead in the oncoming lane, no signal, then started to turn left... by this time I assumed him being some bozo who doesn't signal and slowed down. And just when he realized I was there, he stopped but by this time I'm having nothing of it and turned left into his lane (no traffic behind him) and went around him... This was on a road with no sidewalks and very very few parked cars.

Plus, after awhile, you get used to running/biking on the streets so perhaps even in the early morning when there aren't that many pedestrians on the sidewalk, you get conditioned to run on the street (or bikelane) and don't even think of it.

Not many bike lanes over here in NJ and frankly, don't need them, there are cases where the bike lane can be more dangerous than roads without them.

Jay

 

[Mike__D]

Since I got hit by a car, I ALWAYS ride against traffic. Too many shitheads would come up behind you and honk

Sorry to hear you got hit by a car, but you should NEVER ride against traffic. First off all, if you ever do get into an accident again, it would be far worse getting hit head on. Second, if the road is heavily traveled, it's easier for the driver to avoid you and give you room by slowing to your speed, then passing when oncoming traffic passes by.

Most of the roads I ride on have little to no shoulder, so I ride about 2 to 3 feet from the shoulder and move closer in when I hear cars approaching. Works just fine.

Mike D.

 

[KyleS]

Here in Oregon they just passed a law requiring anyone under the age of 28 to have a special boating liscence to drive a motorized boat. WTF? 28?

It just doesnt make sense what is the reason behind the age of 28. I could understand maybe 21 and getting people to understand the dangers of drinking and boating. So you have to take a weekend class and then pass a test. I am sure that soon they will pass something in regards to ATV's in Oregon too.

KyleS

 

[Ryan Wright]

Would you prefer we just run your ass over like we are all thinking as we risk our lives by swerving into oncoming traffic to avoid hitting you?

Ah, you're one of those drivers...

In case you didn't know, bicyclists are allowed BY LAW to ride in the road. Right smack in the middle of it. You, driving a vehicle, are required BY LAW to yield to bicyclists. That means you SLOW YOUR ASS DOWN and WAIT to pass. If you have to drive at 15 miles per hour for several miles because the guy on the bike can't pedal faster than that, TOUGH. The law is the law.

If you have to "swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid hitting" a bicyclist, then you obviously don't pay enough attention while driving. Some day, you may hit one with this aggressive attitude, and if he dies you'll spend a couple dozen years in jail for manslaughter. I highly suggest you pay more attention to your driving and start yielding to cyclists.

 

[StephenA]

It's funny how this thread turned into one about joggers and bicyclists being in the street. I don't care though, I just find it funny.

 

[Craig S]

Ryan, that was more than a little too harsh. The guy you responded to was responding to a poster who stated he always rides AGAINST the traffic. In other words, Tim was talking about swerving to avoid hitting a rider who is breaking the law. I've had to do it too. It has nothing to do with being over-aggressive or not paying attention.

Yes, auto drivers should obey the law as regards cyclists, but I see WAY too many cyclists completely disregard the traffic laws THEY are required to follow (riding against traffic, running stop signs, not signalling turns, etc.).