desert dweller
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Power to the Peaceful...Hate does not create.
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Post by desert dweller on Mar 19, 2019 20:13:41 GMT -8
This well written article breaks down the rationale of how a cyclist handles his reaction to road incidents.
To understand why this is true, put yourself in the mindset of a driver. Drivers almost kill you for one of four reasons, these being:
They’re not paying attention; They don’t understand how to drive around people on bikes; They’re selfish and impatient; They’re actively trying to frighten or hurt you.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Mar 19, 2019 22:12:46 GMT -8
People in cars are why I don't ride a bike anymore.
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Post by msdoolittle on Mar 20, 2019 7:12:37 GMT -8
When I'm training, I'm mostly riding bike paths. Unfortunately, I can't get the speed and watts necessary to really get my blood pumping as I'm usually dodging pedestrians who also have a right to those same paths.
It's really quite frightening riding on roads. I try not to do it if at all necessary, but usually a few weeks before a race, I venture out there.
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desert dweller
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Post by desert dweller on Mar 20, 2019 7:16:04 GMT -8
People in cars are why I don't ride a bike anymore. It's really quite frightening riding on roads. I tell cyclists and bikers I come across that it doesn't matter how well you ride, it's how badly they drive.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Mar 22, 2019 21:39:16 GMT -8
I guess I know all the statistics and the horror stories, but I still bike on the road, lots. I like to ride, and there’s no way to get the kind of riding I want on paths. I know some people switch to mountain bikes just because of the dangers of cars, but since I dislike bikes on trails, and I’m kind of a wimp about rough terrain anyway, it’s not a great plan for me.
Honestly, I don’t feel all that endangered most of the time.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Mar 23, 2019 3:31:44 GMT -8
With more and more bike lanes on the roads around me, I like riding the road. I also have access to some good long distance rail to trails that don't get much use by walkers during the week. I do avoid them on weekends, since I can.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Mar 25, 2019 5:13:16 GMT -8
I bike-commuted about 100x last year. Thankfully, I'm blessed with a roads that have wide shoulders and/or little traffic... and for some reason I don't quite understand... courteous drivers.
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Post by msdoolittle on Mar 25, 2019 7:38:49 GMT -8
You'd think Boulder County would be extremely bicycle friendly. And for the most part it is. But that doesn't stop people from driving distracted.
I now know two people who have been hit by cars here. One being a lady from Boulder who wasn't able to compete in Ironman Boulder 2018 because she was hit a month before (in May). The driver was 100% at fault. The doctors told her she'd be lucky to take her kids trick or treating in Oct. Thankfully, she made a come back and gained a spot through Women for Tri to compete in the World Championships in Kona in October. So, not only did she get to take her kids Trick or Treating, but she became a 3x Ironman finisher in Kona!
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Mar 25, 2019 12:15:49 GMT -8
I admit I’m getting totally spoiled here in Christchurch. One of the things they’ve done since they had to rebuild most of their streets after the earthquake is put in an extensive network of bike lanes (and some paths). Many of the bike lanes are separated from traffic by a 2-foot wide raised curb, and they are wide enough to comfortably pass a slower biker. On both those scores they beat the hell out of the way they did it in Golden Gate Park in SF, where they used the parked cars for a barrier—meaning you have to dodge heedless peds exiting their cars, and the lane is too narrow to get past a slow person (especially if the slow “bike” is one of those surreys they rent there).
Also: completely flat city. Makes me lazy.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Mar 25, 2019 12:55:39 GMT -8
Also: completely flat city. Makes me lazy. I live in a completely flat state, adding to my general laziness. Now you know what I was up against trying to train for our bike ride.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Mar 26, 2019 0:29:59 GMT -8
Also: completely flat city. Makes me lazy. I live in a completely flat state, adding to my general laziness. Now you know what I was up against trying to train for our bike ride. Yup. I keep thinking about you—and there aren’t even any freeway overpasses here! But if I were actually training for something, it’s only a few miles out of the city to the Port Hills, which have plenty of climbing. I kind of want to go ride there, but I know I’m not fit enough to do it, especially as we’d have to start from home (we turned in the RAV4 for a tiny hatchback).
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Apr 11, 2019 6:57:07 GMT -8
The biggest thing I found to keep me safe while riding was to "hold" my spot in the road. It was difficult to do because the natural reaction as a small vulnerable biker is to move away from big vehicles. It's like trying not to blink. When a big vehicle is coming up from behind or towards you, the muscles start to steer away.
But by hold your spot in the road, you make them respect that space which is lawfully yours to hold. People that are trying to hurt you will do so whatever you do. Careless inattentive people are Al's beyond your control. I found I was just as safe asserting my lawful right as I was trying to dodge everyone.
Hold your space, ride in a consistentl line, be predictable, and like every other type of transport be defensively minded.
I never confronted drivers, but I never backed down if confronted. And that that happened several times. When I was bike touring, I knew several people who carried a hand gun. I never did but I understand the feeling of need for it.
Rumi
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desert dweller
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Post by desert dweller on Apr 11, 2019 10:40:07 GMT -8
Hold your space, ride in a consistentl line, be predictable, and like every other type of transport be defensively minded. I tell friends who bike ride that sometimes you have to take control of the road. Usually because drivers don't know what to do when around a bike. This is usually on smaller neighborhood roads. In Arizona, a cyclist can commandeer a complete lane of a road. But, if there is more than one car that is being held up because of the rider, then the rider has to go to the side. If it's just one car then you're not considered holding up traffic.
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Aug 15, 2019 18:22:20 GMT -8
I am driving down the Interstate to another town to go riding with friend on a Tuesday morning we are comping off. I follow a flatbed semi for a few miles and get close because I think he has a smoking brake I should call the HP about. I finally have to pass him and realize what I am looking at is dust coming off a drilling rig skid. It is the junk box. Think catch-all kitchen drawer for a drilling rig. When I see the sign on the door, yep, it is an Alaska hauler bringing more Canadian iron south.
I have two bikes on the roof rack on my little black Focus ST.
I get aways past the semi and pull back into the right. In my mirror I am getting a double bird. Jeez they hate us even when we aren't pedaling.
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