Posted on 11/10/2013 6:57:21 PM PST by nickcarraway
EVERYBODY who knows me knows that I love cycling and that I’m also completely freaked out by it. I got into the sport for middle-aged reasons: fat; creaky knees; the delusional vanity of tight shorts. Registering for a triathlon, I took my first ride in decades. Wind in my hair, smile on my face, I decided instantly that I would bike everywhere like all those beautiful hipster kids on fixies. Within minutes, however, I watched an S.U.V. hit another cyclist, and then I got my own front wheel stuck in a streetcar track, sending me to the pavement.
I made it home alive and bought a stationary bike trainer and workout DVDs with the ex-pro Robbie Ventura guiding virtual rides on Wisconsin farm roads, so that I could sweat safely in my California basement. Then I called my buddy Russ, one of 13,500 daily bike commuters in Washington, D.C. Russ swore cycling was harmless but confessed to awakening recently in a Level 4 trauma center, having been hit by a car he could not remember. Still, Russ insisted I could avoid harm by assuming that every driver was “a mouth-breathing drug addict with a murderous hatred for cyclists.”
The anecdotes mounted: my wife’s childhood friend was cycling with Mom and Dad when a city truck killed her; two of my father’s law partners, maimed. I began noticing “cyclist killed” news articles, like one about Amelie Le Moullac, 24, pedaling inside a bike lane in San Francisco’s SOMA district when a truck turned right and killed her. In these articles, I found a recurring phrase: to quote from The San Francisco Chronicle story about Ms. Le Moullac, “The truck driver stayed at the scene and was not cited.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
No, he’s right. All cyclists should be killed!!!
(yes, I’m being sarcastic. I don’t think cyclists should be killed. . . just maimed)
No, but it should be sometimes.
There was a story in the Milwaukee Sentinel a couple years ago about a cyclist who was killed by a car, after speeding down a steep hill. It was clearly the rider's fault but his cycling buddies insisted that their friend would never speed down a hill and disobey traffic signs, etc. Almost sounds like your quote.
I stick to bike paths in the linear parks. A sign saying that bicyclists can take the whole lane won’t do you much good if you get run over by someone chatting on their cell phone.
I was a cyclist (racer) for about 20 years, and owned a bike shop for 10, worked in the business from ‘75 to ‘96. Three good friends have been killed while riding.
You can’t presume that you have the same rights as cars, maybe by law, but physics doesn’t agree. Ride so that the cagers don’t have to make a conscious effort to avoid you.
When I was in junior high school I was on the 7th grade football team. One day my best friend and I were just riding around on our bikes.
For some reason, (this was around 1958) we were wearing our “Riddells”. My friend was trying to do some stunt and fell off his bike. He landed on his head and cracked the helmet. He was only shaken up but I suspect he would have been killed if not wearing the helmet.
I can’t recall either of us ever wearing our helmets at any other time.
I posted this a few weeks ago..
No, I don’t think it’s open season on bikers, I used to ride a lot myself but there a reputation out there that has been earned. On the road you can easily tell which category the cyclist falls into.
1- Casual bikers usually don’t wear the gear, stay to the right, stay off roads that are known to be dangerous and high risk and yield the right of way to the large steel and plastic vehicles that weighs about three tons more.
2- dedicated bikers wear the gear, understand the dangers, respect the vehicles, respect the rules of the road and ride when traffic is light and try to find safe roads and bike trails.
3- entitled toolbags pay $5000 for a bike, pay $5000 for the outfit, ride in the middle of the road, flip off cars, don’t yield the right of way, blow through stop signs, red lights, ride in heavy traffic, ride on known dangerous roads, zip around cars in traffic and expect everyone else around them to thank them for riding. They expect kids and walkers to get the eff out of their way, while they ride on sidewalks and blame everyone else for the consequences of their actions. They also ride side-by-side in packs so they can force responsible drivers to move as slowly as they do and they all think they are Lance Armstrong and have a collective superiority complex that is until they’re wheels up in a ditch because some redneck didn’t feel like waiting while they tried to duplicate Lance’s Alps climb time.
I used to be a pretty avid cyclist ... a very long time ago ... and would log anywhere from 30-70 miles on a weekend on my Trek 700. Yes, I've seen alot of "jerk" cyclists, even more "jerk" motorcyclists (and yes, I have one of those.)
Here's the thing with me: I frankly don't give a damn' how big a jerk someone is on a bike or a motorcycle. If you pull in front of me while I'm driving my big gas guzzling SUV there's only one thing that's going to happen: Me taking my foot off the gas and covering the brake pedal.
The last thing I want is to be the "bigger jerk" and not leave them room enough to fall off their bicycle/motorcycle without my running them over and killing them.
I just don't want that on my conscience, no matter how big of a jerk someone else is on their bicycle or motorcycle.
Tourists and locals riding bicycles on the sidewalks in West Los Angeles - particularly the beach towns of Venice & Santa Monica has become epidemic. They wreak havoc on the pedestrians while the long established bike paths 25 feet away go empty.
Oh, I agree with that completely. I would say that there are quite a few bicyclists who have not been run over simply because a lot of drivers have done the right thing and hit the brakes when the cyclist did something stupid.
“...the delusional vanity of tight shorts.” For this he should probably be killed.
Just kidding, I know it is a serious article.
I really don’t understand how people bike to work, unless it is a very short distance. Do they have showers at their job? Is their biking attire OK at work?
BTW, the cop who yelled at the people holding a memorial ceremony sounds like a complete jerk.
well,thank you for sharing.
Tell me about it.
I use to ride my ten speed up and down Highway 9 between Bolder Creek and Santa Cruz, when I was in High School.
I was once cocked by a driver who matched my speed ten and declared I was going 37 mph. “Huh? Thanks. No big deal...”
Later, in college, I rode between Scotts Valley to Capitola and north Santa Cruz.
I always assumed automobile drivers couldn’t see me, were annoyed by my presence and just plain scared I might get in their way.
That’s why I always rode hard and fast and looked for opportunities to allow them them to pass, as I hugged the road dangerously close to the side of the road.
If I could ride faster than them then I usually had no problem, except foo. that hair pin turn in Felton which could get slippery wet.
When riding on city streets I assumed I was invisible and rode defensively .
What am I gonna do? Fight a 2,500 # battering ram?
Rather live, in peace and good health.
What goes on up in the city is some neauvo arrogance that seeks it own apogee of self importance and imperils everyone.
To those jack asses I say FU.
I agree with your observations and your POV. I don’t want to hit anybody with my truck but a lot of bicyclists make it a real challenge to avoid hitting them. Especially trying on two lane mountain roads.
Bicycles are dangerous when the cyclist mixes with traffic, and assumes that he is seen.
Take a basketball, and a tennis ball hold them together with the tennis ball on top, and drop them together from about shoulder height. The momentum of the basketball is transferred nearly elastically to the tennis ball. The tennis ball takes off.
Of course when (not if) car strikes cyclist, the collision is not elastic, rather it deforms the cyclist a lot, and in a painful way. Cyclists should be very careful, as they are at risk of death. Drivers should be very careful, as they could kill a loved one, a friend.
I guess on a forum words are all we have to go on, and you only need one case for proof.
You’ve got a valid point, it would seem.
I ride on sidewalks and ALWAYS against traffic when on the street. There are so many brain dead drivers out there I need to look at their faces as they approach me.
Bicycling should not be done as a ‘Caravan’.
Bicycling is not a group sport.
Single or occasional double file only!
Yutes ride bicycles safely.
Adults pretending they are cars, never use crosswalks or jump curbs, and have the same rights as other vehicles are the problem.
Did you insist on riding in car lanes when there was an alternative? I doubt it.
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