waterpolodan wrote:

To the original point of this post, yea, find a group. I had a period of time in my early/mid 20s where I had trouble making new friends and spent too much time online doing stuff like posting on forums or playing games. Then I got a bike and started riding a lot, then I started racing, and I've made some of my best friends in my current city through group rides and races. We don't just ride together, we go out and hang out together all the time, they're good people with similar worldviews and interests.

Another thing that's helped is starting a job at a company with a lot of younger people. I used to work for an insurance company where I (then ~27) was the youngest person in the office by 20 years and I felt isolated. Now I'm at a larger company with around 600 people in our office, most of whom are between 23-28., so I'm the old man at 33. I've developed a nice group of really great friends from just going to work social events and making the effort to be open and communicative with the people that I share a similar sense of humor with. Makes going to work a far better experience when you know you'll be able to spend most of the day with people you truly enjoy.

cpd wrote:

FlyDeltaJetsATL wrote:

cpd wrote:

To the guy above (not the waterpolo person) - never, ever ride close to the kerb.

You’ll get yourself killed that way. Always ride further out from the edge of the road, that way if someone passes you too closely you have room to move.

Years and years of experience here and hardly any hostile interactions with motorists. I’m predictable and deliberate. That’s how you do it.

I’m a car enthusiast too, so if you roll up beside me in a classic sports car - I will almost certainly say hello. Never judge all riders - you never know who they might be...

I'm just saying don't ride right next to the lane line of the next lane then expect vehicles to be able to give you three feet. This is common sense. If you ride near the lane line, and a truck that just fits into the lane is in the next lane, how do you expect it to give you three feet unless it illegally crosses onto the other side of the road? Common sense here.

Jesse

They are allowed to cross to the other side of the road to do an overtake. It is the law here.

I’m not sure what this all has to do with making friends though.

Veigar wrote:

waterpolodan wrote:

To the original point of this post, yea, find a group. I had a period of time in my early/mid 20s where I had trouble making new friends and spent too much time online doing stuff like posting on forums or playing games. Then I got a bike and started riding a lot, then I started racing, and I've made some of my best friends in my current city through group rides and races. We don't just ride together, we go out and hang out together all the time, they're good people with similar worldviews and interests.

Another thing that's helped is starting a job at a company with a lot of younger people. I used to work for an insurance company where I (then ~27) was the youngest person in the office by 20 years and I felt isolated. Now I'm at a larger company with around 600 people in our office, most of whom are between 23-28., so I'm the old man at 33. I've developed a nice group of really great friends from just going to work social events and making the effort to be open and communicative with the people that I share a similar sense of humor with. Makes going to work a far better experience when you know you'll be able to spend most of the day with people you truly enjoy.

Well, another thing I want to know is, how exactly do you find such groups? Good ol' Google?

FlyDeltaJetsATL wrote:

cpd wrote:

FlyDeltaJetsATL wrote:

I'm just saying don't ride right next to the lane line of the next lane then expect vehicles to be able to give you three feet. This is common sense. If you ride near the lane line, and a truck that just fits into the lane is in the next lane, how do you expect it to give you three feet unless it illegally crosses onto the other side of the road? Common sense here.

Jesse

They are allowed to cross to the other side of the road to do an overtake. It is the law here.

I’m not sure what this all has to do with making friends though.

Not in most of the built up areas with double unbroken lines which is where I see most of the rage occur:

""Double white unbroken (continuous) lines - you cannot overtake across these lines.""

https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety ... kings.html

""A driver must always keep left of double continuous lines. Overtaking, turning or entering/leaving the road across such lines is not allowed.""

https://www.racv.com.au/on-the-road/dri ... lines.html

Jesse

aeromoe wrote:

Wow - that whole cyclist bit is definitely an example of how NOT to make friends.

cpd wrote:

aeromoe wrote:

Wow - that whole cyclist bit is definitely an example of how NOT to make friends.

Most people you encounter are friendly. I have very few problems with drivers, people out walking who I have to ride past. You tend to see the same people everyday and more often than not get to know them, particularly the local residents- we all look out for each other. Nice people. That’s what is better about meeting people in real life and making friends in real life. My real job is online/communications related, so all those social media platforms have zero appeal to me.

waterpolodan wrote:

FlyDeltaJetsATL wrote:

cpd wrote:

They are allowed to cross to the other side of the road to do an overtake. It is the law here.

I’m not sure what this all has to do with making friends though.

Not in most of the built up areas with double unbroken lines which is where I see most of the rage occur:

""Double white unbroken (continuous) lines - you cannot overtake across these lines.""

https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety ... kings.html

""A driver must always keep left of double continuous lines. Overtaking, turning or entering/leaving the road across such lines is not allowed.""

https://www.racv.com.au/on-the-road/dri ... lines.html

Jesse

I'm assuming you're in Australia based on the links you provided. This is relevant to you-

https://www.news.com.au/technology/inno ... 3ea99348a0

Summary: You can cross double continuous lines to maintain the required separation from cyclists when it is reasonable and safe to do so, the law backs you up on this.

FlyDeltaJetsATL wrote:

waterpolodan wrote:

FlyDeltaJetsATL wrote:

Not in most of the built up areas with double unbroken lines which is where I see most of the rage occur:

""Double white unbroken (continuous) lines - you cannot overtake across these lines.""

https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety ... kings.html

""A driver must always keep left of double continuous lines. Overtaking, turning or entering/leaving the road across such lines is not allowed.""

https://www.racv.com.au/on-the-road/dri ... lines.html

Jesse

I'm assuming you're in Australia based on the links you provided. This is relevant to you-

https://www.news.com.au/technology/inno ... 3ea99348a0

Summary: You can cross double continuous lines to maintain the required separation from cyclists when it is reasonable and safe to do so, the law backs you up on this.

I spend my time between Mississippi, Sydney and Asia. Right now I'm in Sydney. I believe cpd spends time in Australia, and with my experiences dealing with cyclists in Sydney, that is why I posted Australian links.

Can you provide a link to a regulatory website (eg: RMS) that will back up that article? Until I see the actual law that backs up such overtaking over double unbroken lines I will continue to view the practice as illegal. News.com.au has no weight in court.

Jesse

Which road rule exemptions apply in order to leave a one to 1.5 metre gap?

Drivers will be exempt from the following rules, as long as they have a clear view of approaching traffic and it is safe to pass the bicycle rider to comply with the minimum passing distance rule:

Keep to the left of the centre of the road (two-way road with no dividing line)
Keep to the left of the centre of a dividing line - broken and unbroken lines
Keep off a flat dividing strip i.e. one that is at the same level as the road
Keep off a flat painted island
Driving within a single marked lane or line of traffic, including at roundabouts
Moving from one marked lane to another across a continuous line separating the lanes.

DL717 wrote:

Dieuwer wrote:

If making friends is hard, going on a date is apparently harder.
So I did last night. We went to see art, listened to music and had something to eat. I really had a great time. But in the end I wanted to leave it at that I just go home by myself. Basically, be friends and not lovers. Let's say that didn't go over well. When I got home I got a tirade of text messages accusing me of being nasty, mean, fake, hurtful, "how can you do this", "I thought you found me attractive", etc.
Seems to me that people have become incapable of accepting that not every works out as they thought it would be and have sky high expectations.

She sounds like a real peach.

Dieuwer wrote:

DL717 wrote:

Dieuwer wrote:

If making friends is hard, going on a date is apparently harder.
So I did last night. We went to see art, listened to music and had something to eat. I really had a great time. But in the end I wanted to leave it at that I just go home by myself. Basically, be friends and not lovers. Let's say that didn't go over well. When I got home I got a tirade of text messages accusing me of being nasty, mean, fake, hurtful, "how can you do this", "I thought you found me attractive", etc.
Seems to me that people have become incapable of accepting that not every works out as they thought it would be and have sky high expectations.

She sounds like a real peach.

He

Dieuwer wrote:

DL717 wrote:

Dieuwer wrote:

If making friends is hard, going on a date is apparently harder.
So I did last night. We went to see art, listened to music and had something to eat. I really had a great time. But in the end I wanted to leave it at that I just go home by myself. Basically, be friends and not lovers. Let's say that didn't go over well. When I got home I got a tirade of text messages accusing me of being nasty, mean, fake, hurtful, "how can you do this", "I thought you found me attractive", etc.
Seems to me that people have become incapable of accepting that not every works out as they thought it would be and have sky high expectations.

She sounds like a real peach.

He