Making a stronger commitment... and other stuff that happened

[quintessence22]

During our mild winter this year, I was commuting on average 2.5 days out of 5 days per week. Winter weather here has a big impact on when I ride. Anyway, the weather has improved substantially in the last month and I'm really enjoying the biking.... with the onset of good weather I finally conquered the manual, which really makes commuting even more fun. I'm now commuting all 5 days of the week.

But the point of this thread is that I've finally cancelled my car insurance. I'm now paying a fraction of the car insurance for bicycle theft (and liability) insurance. I got a specific "rider" on bicycle theft so my deductible is only $25 in the event of theft. Now I am not so afraid of riding my expensive bike around. I hope this lasts and I hope I won't be getting a job in the summer that requires serious automobile travel.

I got really paranoid about theft because my buddy got his $3000 bike stolen less than a week ago. I will post details and a picture if he thinks it'll help him recover it.
Also, cops are useless and waste taxpayers' money and their time by busting my buddy and I for riding on the sidewalk. They should be out looking for my friend's bike or catching lowlife thieves who steal things like bikes.
Say all you want about riding on the sidewalk being illegal, I don't care because I consider myself a professional and will not, have not, hurt a pedestrian while riding, pulling wheelies, manualling or hopping. My buddy got a ticket but I'm sure neither of us will stop riding on the sidewalk; we know our limits. Also, the fine is worth the infraction, since it's neither a criminal offence nor does it have permanent implications.

And since I'm just writing random stuff that happened recently, I'll also add that I inspired my Chem prof. to ride to school. Normally, she's having a smoke outside when I ride up in the morning to lock my bike or unlock it after classes, but last week I saw her locking up her bike. hahaha

[WhiteRabbit]

Where did you get bicycle insurance?

[davidmcowan]

I think bicycles should be covered under your home owners insurance policy. 10 bucks a month here in Denver and then everything you own is protected from theft.

[timmhaan]

i hope you get many more tickets for riding on the sidewalk.

[cerewa]

I hope you get many more tickets for riding on the sidewalk.

Do you feel you have enough information to say that riding on the sidewalk in quintessence's situation is a bad idea?

In some places, riding on the sidewalk is illegal and in others it is not. In some situations, it's unsafe, and in others, ticketing sidewalk cyclists is indeed a waste of time.

[timmhaan]

i'm going by the fact that the cops busted him for doing it. i've ridden my bike my whole life without being on the sidewalk. if i can do it, others can to. it's a pet peeve of mine to see adults riding bikes on the sidewalk.

[attercoppe]

i'm going by the fact that the cops busted him for doing it. i've ridden my bike my whole life without being on the sidewalk. if i can do it, others can to. it's a pet peeve of mine to see adults riding bikes on the sidewalk.

I don't even like to see (high-school age) kids doing it, especially when there are signs every block reminding them that it is illegal.

[CagerTools]

sometimes the road sucks so bad that the sidewalk is inviting. I do it sometimes if I feel like it, but normally don't.

[Artkansas]

i'm going by the fact that the cops busted him for doing it. i've ridden my bike my whole life without being on the sidewalk. if i can do it, others can to. it's a pet peeve of mine to see adults riding bikes on the sidewalk.

I've had a cop bust me for riding on the street and order me to ride on the sidewalk.

[quintessence22]

I think bicycles should be covered under your home owners insurance policy. 10 bucks a month here in Denver and then everything you own is protected from theft.

My bicycle theft insurance is under my tenants (homeowner) policy. However, without the rider on my bike (which added about 80% more to the annual tenant's insurance policy), my bike would've been only covered up to $1000, and I'd still have to pay a $500 deductible. Now my deductible is $25, and would buy me a $2200 bike in the event of theft. Also, if I run someone over on my bike, I'm covered for a million dollar liability, lol.

My friend, whose bike was stolen, said he just bought a new frame and didn't go through insurance because he would've had to pay the $500 deductible and an extra $50 for every $100 over $1000 that his bike was worth. So it wasn't really worth it to him; he's just cannibalizing parts off his other bike and using parts he had lying around.

$57 sidewalk tickets are my least concern; I'm more afraid of getting a $300 "stunting" ticket while riding, and manualling on the road. Our province has this very liberal "stunting" section in the Traffic Safety Act, which basically allows a cop to give you a $300 ticket for doing anything that may be "distracting" to other drivers: having distracting lights on your car, peeling out of a parking lot, spinning tires, accelerating faster than other people do. The cops can even use it for "oversized" muffler tips or loud mufflers (when they don't have a decibel meter and want to pull someone over).