I think my biggest gripe about cyclists is that I am afraid I will accidentally hurt one of them. This is always my issue with motorcycles too. I don't like sharing the road with people who are not protected. I can't promise I won't do something stupid at some point (because let's face it, even the best drivers can't be perfect) and I just hope that if I hit someone it is someone protected by a sturdy vehicle.
Thankfully (depending on how you look at it) I live in an area where bike commuting isn't the norm and most cyclists are out as a hobby, so I don't run into huge problems. I do not like that people cycle on a twisty road nearby because it is really hard to see them before you are right upon them and it is hard to swerve around them with confidence that you're not swerving into oncoming traffic. It is a rural road so I think anyone who cycles there is stupid as they are very unlikely to be going anywhere they *need* to go and probably just ride there because it is a pretty road.
I also think anyone who doesn't wear a helmet when biking is an idiot.
I think my biggest gripe about cyclists is that I am afraid I will accidentally hurt one of them. This is always my issue with motorcycles too. I don't like sharing the road with people who are not protected. I can't promise I won't do something stupid at some point (because let's face it, even the best drivers can't be perfect) and I just hope that if I hit someone it is someone protected by a sturdy vehicle.
Thankfully (depending on how you look at it) I live in an area where bike commuting isn't the norm and most cyclists are out as a hobby, so I don't run into huge problems. I do not like that people cycle on a twisty road nearby because it is really hard to see them before you are right upon them and it is hard to swerve around them with confidence that you're not swerving into oncoming traffic. It is a rural road so I think anyone who cycles there is stupid as they are very unlikely to be going anywhere they *need* to go and probably just ride there because it is a pretty road.
I also think anyone who doesn't wear a helmet when biking is an idiot.
This. The main road I take to work every day is a rural road, it is EXTREMELY windy, with a lot of blind curves, there are no sidewalks, bike lanes, shoulders, nothing. Yet, some cyclists choose to bike (hobby bikers, not commuters, not the norm in my area either) on this road and it makes me angry, it basically puts me in danger because some drivers who are in too big of a hurry to wait to pass these guys will cross the center line around one of these curves. So I'm always very anxious and keeping my eyes on the road without even blinking, because I think some moron (driver) is going to hit me head on, trying to go around a biker.
You have to look down the right before turning right. Check your blind spot too. There could be a walker, cyclist, anything. I agree that all people suck. People are in too much of a hurry, are selfish (dont think about what other people might be up to, just where they are headed) and are stupid.
Overall, I am surprised more people dont get in accidents.
Do you seriously check your blind spot every time you turn right, even if there is no bike lane?
I look for cross traffic, pedestrians that might cross ahead of me, etc. But my driver's ed instructor never advised us to look back before turning right!
I don't check every time, but pretty regularly. I've hit a biker before, and it was terrifying. He was riding on the sidewalk and in between the sidewalk and the road there were some very tall shrubs (I'm pretty sure they aren't even legal) and I turned into a driveway and there was a biker. He was fine, and my car only got a couple of scratches, but I'm pretty diligent about keeping an eye out for peds and bikers.