General Cycling Discussion - their expressions as you beat cars in traffic

found myself with a couple of free hours today, so I hurried out the door to ride down to this street festival thing about four miles away. no big deal, a quick ride, lunch, looking around, then back.

on the way back, though, traffic was a little tight (home game today) and I found myself beating the same cars to intersections, over and over. they'd pass, get jammed up, then I'd still be the first through.

I loved it.

it's new for me, you know. I really consider myself a pretty new cyclist, but I just couldn't stop grinning as I saw the passengers look at me pacing them for a while until they reached car-road-speed, turning from me to talk to the driver, etc. "I declare, Mabel, that young fool is riding in traffic!" (that was the two little old ladies in the gigantic green Caddy old-person-mobile.)

in the meantime, I'm thinking, ha! I'm gonna getcha! yep, hold on, I think I've got another gear down here!

this stuff is so ****ing great, I don't know why I took so long getting into it.

--alex.

Be careful though. These cars can be dangerous. As one experienced cyclist said: "Never trust a motorist."

In an average city one needs about the same time to get from point A to point B by bike as by car, if measured door-to-door, not just pure riding time.

I was riding downtown the other day, and decided to sprint for a couple blocks. The speed limit is 25, so I passed this SUV driving down the street. Their facial expression as they saw this was priceless.

What do Police think when bicycles surpass the speed limit??

careful? baby, I'm so paranoid, I wouldn't trust my priest if I had one.

I'm Mr. Careful.

--alex.

p.s. a propos of nothing, from The Supreme Beings of Leisure, Strangelove Addiction : http://www.artistdirect.com/cgi-bin/ramstream?file=~fff-475124/0247263_0104_00_0002.ra

from http://www.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGCOVERS/music/cover200/dre000/e002/e002936nt71.jpg
http://www.artistdirect.com/store/artist/album/0,,962903,00.html

Originally posted by goodcatjack


on the way back, though, traffic was a little tight (home game today) and I found myself beating the same cars to intersections, over and over. they'd pass, get jammed up, then I'd still be the first through.

--alex.

Is it just me, but When this happens I find that some cars pass me for a second time and when they approch the next junction they pull alongside the kerb so closely that I'm unable to get through and as a result I'm removed from their equation (a cyclist behind is one less cyclist to worry about).

Sure I can pull out and go around them on the outside, but I figure that if they are that insecure then they are best in front where I can see them.

Or is it just paranoia ?

It's 2 1/2 blocks from the last traffic light before my house to the end of my driveway, the speed limit is 25 MPH. Since autos can accelarate more quickly then I, if I catch and pass them it's usually not until the last half a block. I've been given thumbs up, yells of encouragement (doesn't matter if the yeller means to be encouraging or not, it still compels me), my personal favorite is the "what the ....???" double take of disbelief, and a couple times even a single digit salute.

It's the expression on my face that you have to see when I win the drag race from a dead stop at the light to my house that is priceless, it looks a lot like this :D

Originally posted by Ouch !

Is it just me, but When this happens I find that some cars pass me for a second time and when they approch the next junction they pull alongside the kerb so closely that I'm unable to get through and as a result I'm removed from their equation (a cyclist behind is one less cyclist to worry about).

Ahh yes, the "Block". I get this daily. Lots of times people follow the flock and I'll get a "multiblock".
Even better is the expressions when you're still beating them because you have to take the lane. They look more frustrated than a transvestite with lockjaw on Valentines Day. Whoops - did I just say that?

On the commuter route I travel each day, there is a rail crossing. As it's a main line the crossing is more often than not closed. The traffic piles up on either side and, for drivers I suppose it's a bit of a pain in the butt.
There is , however, a foot bridge over the line. It has two flights of quite steep steps. So steep, in fact, that most pedestrians would rather wait for the trains to pass than cross the bridge.
My old Holdsworth only weighs 23lbs and I take great delight in popping it over my shoulder and going over the footbridge. As I walk over the flat bit over the top, I look down at all the people in their cars and others waiting at the gates, quite often other cyclists. Their faces are a picture. Quite a lot of bored resignation on the car drivers faces mixed with a rather wishful look. But everybody's got their eyes on me tripping over the bridge. I love it.
By the time the trains have passed I'm well on my way again and, by the time the cars have caught me up, I am on a narrow twisty section of road where they all have to wait again for a clearer wider stretch of road in which to pass me.
By this time I have reached my home village ahead of most of them.

I HAVE THE POWER!

Originally posted by Guillermo What do Police think when bicycles surpass the speed limit??

The one that caught me thought it was worth a $65 ticket (40 mph in a 35 mph zone, down hill of course)

Being a regular commuter I always have to smile when I catch up to traffic that has passed me by, especially the ones who gun it when they pass. There was one day when I was in the bike lane passing traffic when a lady pointed at me and said "that's not fair" I laughed for blocks after that. Then there are the times I am on the Interurban trail up here in Snohomish county that parallels the freeway and I am going faster than them, now that really gets me to pick up the pace

:beer:

ps this ispell, spell checking program is the best!

I passed a teen in his hot rod with a chick in front and another friend in back and the music blaring 4 times in a two mile stretch one day. The friend (?) in back started laughing so hard the last 2 times I could hear him over the music. When he finally got clear the last time he literally burned rubber in what I would assume was an attempt to regain his motorist dignity. I hope it wasn't his first date.

Originally posted by Guillermo
What do Police think when bicycles surpass the speed limit??

Well... depends on the area I guess. I live up on a plateau. Almost all the roads going up it are close to 10% climbs... or descents depending on which way you're going. And because there have been so many accidents around here they've kept the speed limits down at 35MPH although this usually doesn't stop people from going much faster. I was descending one of the main roads one day and all the cars were bunched up doing about 30-35MPH with a very large gap in front. There was enough room for me to pass so and took the middle of the lane in front of the group of bunched up cars. As I got to the front and tucked in I was doing about 50MPH. Suddenly I realised why everyone was going so slow and why there was such a huge gap up the front... It turns out they were all pacing a cop car who was in the left lane. I didn't dare look back otherwise I would have seen the lights but I did hear the siren. I pulled over at the bottom of the hill into the parking lot of a Krispy Kreme (never speed by a KK |8^). The cop was asking me if I knew what the speed limit was. I said I did but also tried to make the excuse that riding my brakes would have caused my rims to overheat and my brakes to dangerously fade to uselessness by the bottom of the hill where there's an intersection. He touched my front rim and quickly pulled his finger back (I had been sort of riding my brakes before I caught that group of cars). I don't know if he actually got burnt. He was pretty nice about it. He gave me a warning and suggested I take a slightly less crowded route next time.

Ahh...

"...the agony of defeat."

One more thing we should always remember as cyclists in traffic: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Act like, "one of them."

:eek:

At least, to a point. :rolleyes:

its been my experience that the best motorist is the on that you only have to pass (or be passed by) once.

How are cyclists supposed to know at what speed they are travelling? Cars and motorbikes have regulated speedometers. At best we have our little ol' computers, calibrated (I'd suggest by most of us) purely by wheel size and not taking account of different tyre sizes. So what are we going to be charged with?
In the UK there are very occasional cases of 'riding recklessly' - but you'd have to be really unlucky to meet a Mr Plod who'd bother with the paperwork on that one.
;)

I live in London - where the average speed of a car is 11mph - So for me it is a normal daily event to pass and repass many cars.

London car drivers long ago accepted the fastest way of commuting in London is the bike and therefore expect to be overtaken by every two thing on the road

Originally posted by two wheels good
How are cyclists supposed to know at what speed they are travelling? Cars and motorbikes have regulated speedometers. At best we have our little ol' computers, calibrated (I'd suggest by most of us) purely by wheel size and not taking account of different tyre sizes.

I would fully expect to be told it's my problem to know my speed. Not knowing how fast you rode when you broke the limit should be no excuse.

Having said that, I have to admit that quite often when I've got a chance to speed, I do it. Just because I can. And I would probably proudly hang any speeding ticket on the wall for display. :beer:

--J

well, i know what you mean... i definitely enjoy the feel of beating cars at a light --- and yeah, i think i've really surprised some people who think a bicycle must be "slow" and a car inherentyl fast -- when i am downtown or areas where cars are not allowed to drive particularly fast and there are lots of lights i usually hang with traffic speed and pass people frequently... the surprise factor is high --- and i enjoy that too!

or flying by at 20-25mph while all the cars are stuck in traffic is beautiful (i just hate the fumes)... it always makes me smile at how lucky i am to be riding and not stuck in a car wasting my time, but "outside" in (hopefully) fresh air getting exercise and enjoying my time... and then i laugh b/c i realize that all those people could be enjoying themselves too but they think cycling is "too hard" or "too difficult"... man, i'm glad i'm not so lazy and content sitting on my butt wasting my life away in traffic...

except for the few ecxeptions where the speed limit is super low (like 15mph) i don't exceed the speed limit too frequently or by too much -- it's pretty hard to exceed 30 or 35mph by a whole lot...

except for downhills... and here i've done that a lot.

i used to have a particularly fun time descending the serpentine downhill in Portland OR after a ride up on Skyline Dr ---- the speed limit is something like 30mph i think and i would fly down the hill and lean heavy into the corners... quite a few times i would either closely "tail" or even overtake sporty cars and REALLY upset the driver's manhood b/c they were being outcornered by a bicycle (i used to ride fast motorcycles in the curves a lot so i can still corner pretty agressively on a bicycle)... i passed a corvette one time and then he tried to keep up and was squealling the tires in every corner and still got dropped!!

I caught up to a motorcycle the other day after he passed me. We waited at the light and he turns to me (big bearded biker guy) and says "Heh, heh, Looks like bikes are getting faster than cars again, I used to ride one in 77' and would beat the traffic easily. Looks like you are still faster than the buses!" and then the light turned green. This happened to have been the same day the bus came and had a fully loaded rack so I had to race him until a stop where I knew one of the bikers would get off. I managed to get a 3 minute lead on him with dead legs (I ride home sometimes but not on days when my quads feel dead). Speed being wonderful, I strictly follow the speed limits in school zones. I came up along side some traffic the other day stopped at a T intersection. I make it a habit of stopping for red lights and was glad I did this day bacause right as I stopped two little kids came into view from in front of the car at my left. I would have nailed them if I hadn't stopped. I thought to myself, Ahh, so thats why I stop at red lights.

Originally posted by Guillermo
I
What do Police think when bicycles surpass the speed limit??
out here in T.O., you'll surely get a traffic ticket, as for their facial expression, I have no Idea coz' I just ride my bike and mind my own bussiness