Confession Time

[jppe]

I'm getting worse and worse at stopping at stop signs, traffic signals, etc. I've gotten into a terrible, terrible habit of just not taking enough time at intersections. I've gotten more skilled of going extremely slow unclipped and I suppose I just don't unclip as much. The result is I'm doing some pretty crazy things. I'm even weaving around all over the place just buying time until traffic clears in the path I'm heading.

I'm doing very quick glances and make some pretty hasty decisions about go/no go. After I ride I even find the quick glances and decisions carrying over while I'm driving a car. That's not good!!

Heck, after I get through the intersection on my bike sometimes I'm fussing at myself for not being as safe as I should be.

Today's ride was one of the worst. At one point I was out in the country coming up on a stop sign at a T intersection the end of a road. I could look across the field and see a pickup truck coming down the road. He looked like he was going fairly fast but I felt like I had plenty of time to cross the road (just think "I can beat that train crossing the tracks"). At the intersection was a clump of trees that blocked the truck's view of me coming into the intersection from his right. So, I zoom on out into the intersection and freak the driver of the pickup out of his mind. He slams on his brakes, tires squealing, the smell of rubber etc.

He would not have hit me even if he had not braked but that's just too, too close. If I had someone else with me they could have been put in danger. Fortunately the gentleman driving the truck was a good man and did not invoke a case of road rage. He probably had every right to be extremely upset with me. For that matter, I'm upset with me!!!

Where I work we emphasize safety to the enth degree-both at work and at home. As one of the leaders I've disciplined and even terminated employees for unsafe acts. I preach and preach to my kids about safety awareness.........And here I am doing this stuff.

I'm extremely conscious of the environment I ride in, selecting the right times of the day and the right roads to avoid being a nuisance on the road. And here I go doing stuff like that.

I sure don't want to be the type of cyclist that gives us a bad name but in looking back I suspect I'm not helping the cause.

Sorry for the long winded monologue but I need to change this habit and change it the next time I ride. Hopefully this will raise my own self-awareness to provoke change.

Please-don't get in this habit!!!

[Blackberry]

Ever since a friend's mother died when she was hit by a car while riding a bike, everything changed for me. Now, I put safety first, last, and in between.

[pastorbobnlnh]

jppe,

I already have two funerals this week. I don't want a third. Please be safe--- especially for your family's sake. Just remember that picture of your son at the Viet Nam Vets Memorial. That should slow you down at the stops.

Bob

[cruzMOKS]

My ride this morning I came upon a stop light that is only activated by the weight of a car.
In the past I rolled across the 2 lane street to punch the pedestrian button to get a green
light. Today I couldn’t see any car so I crossed against a red light.

I remember last week coming up to a train crossing, I could of easily gone around the RR
crossing arms because I could see the train down the track inching along. Instead of that I
pulled out my cell phone and called my mom.

I know that haste makes waste but don’t always follow it.

For me the time saved is not worth the added stress. But I have to relearn it at times. In
driving I guess that is what speeding tickets are for.

[GrannyGear]

The temptation to keep your rhythm, not mess up the beautiful time I'm doing on the Cateye, not have to wind back up those tired legs from a dead stop......those are strong temptations to just ride thru the intersection. Hopefully, our maturity and greater sense of mortality will shout in our ear. I'm guilty, too...in hindsight, it always seems stupid and risky-- at the time when the blood is up, not quite so much. Here's to good sense for us all.

[Blackberry]

Along with Big Paulie's good point: One of the best pieces of cycling advice I ever got was, "Think for yourself." For example--when you're riding in a group, and you're at an intersection, always look both ways an verify for yourself when someone yells, "all clear."

I know what I just said seems basic, but it's so easy to follow the herd mentality.

[Digital Gee]

It takes a big person to admit to a mistake, and I'm proud of you for making your confession. Of course you know what we'll all say, but you must have needed us to remind you how important you are to us, and to your loved ones, and the example you set for so many others, some completely unknown to you.

I hope that when you come to a similar circustance, you will remember your post, and our concern, and it will remind you not to tempt fate. I've done it, hell, we've all probably done it. But it only takes one mishap to really mess things up.

Good post. Sobering, but good.

[jcm]

I find that when I'm running around town on my 520, which has clipless, I will tend to cheat as well. And I'm a major safety-nut (read: hypocrite). Usually, I commute and do errands on my 830, which has platforms. Full stops don't seem so intrusive.

[edp773]

I find myself not stopping for all signs. I try to take a route with as few stops signs as possible, but have been practicing the slow n go stops.Those traffic lights are pesky and I slow down or speed up to try and not stop. If there is too much traffic, I find myself trying to ride in a circle or making a slow right turn through the light. Neither practice is really safe.

[NOS88]

As a general rule I use the following to determine if I will follow the traffic laws.

If there are other people around I always follow the rules so they have little to complain about.

Realistically, there are some places that I have great visibility in all directions, and can tell if there is traffic at an intersection with stop sign or traffic light. When I'm sure there is no one around, I'll blow through these. For example, in my neighborhood there is a four way stop with at least 200 meters of visibility in all directions. The speed limit is posted at 15 MPH. As I approach, I'll look carefully in all directions and if there is no one around, I slow but don't stop. If, however, I have any doubt, I do follow the rules. I figure better safe than sorry. I also tend to use hand signals when there are other around.

[rck]

jppe, When I lived in Door Cty, Wi twenty years ago(or was it thirty?) we used to do what we called DC stops. This occured only at night. It involved approaching an intersection, usually a bit to fast. Rather than stop, we would turn off the headlights, if you didn't see any other lights it meant full speed ahead. This of course assumed that no other driver was approaching from the other direction and doing the same thing. It added an element of excitement to the ride and saved a few seconds of driving time. Since then I've slowed down a bit as the ride is getting shorter and I'm in no particular hurry for it to end.

[mollusk]

Now say three "Hail Marys" to Our Lady of Perpetual Headwinds.:D

[jazzy_cyclist]

Along with Big Paulie's good point: One of the best pieces of cycling advice I ever got was, "Think for yourself." For example--when you're riding in a group, and you're at an intersection, always look both ways an verify for yourself when someone yells, "all clear."
.

+1. On a ride last year with my wife, I got out into an intersection, and yelled "Clear" just as a motorcycle crested a hill coming into the intersection. So then I yelled "Not Clear!" at which point my wife stopped, but couldn't unclip in time and fell over. She just got a few scratches, but I always remind fellow riders now that they should indeed think for themself. And I never yell "Clear" to my wife unless I'm really, really sure...

[stapfam]

The best arguement I ever heard for stopping at all intersections was by a guy who rode up to a red light, saw that there was just one car approaching from a fair distance away, and safely rode through the intersection. Some school kids on the other side of the street saw him crossing, assumed the light had changed, and started meandering across the street. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but it does to show, our behavior out on the road can be influential.

I ride offroad so if we get a red light- it is a low flying aircraft. As I do not ride on the road very often- It makes me aware of the dangers all the time on the road, and that does include Red lights, Intersections and other road users. One thing we have over here are Pedestrian crossings controlled by lights. My co-rider on the Tandem has young kids, and I used to have. Occasionally we have to use them on the cycle trails, to cross roads, and if any youngsters are about and the lights are against us, we always act the correct way- stop at the red light- push the button to cross and wait for the green. Even on our ride on Sunday we were obeying all the traffic light signs. Mind you- Good interval training. To out-accelerate the car next to you to the next red light. Worked very well until the car next to us was a powerful Mercedes, and I think it must have been his engine being a bit fresher. After all we did meet him at the end of the ride. Took 2 sets of lights before he lost us though.

[Monoborracho]

Along with Big Paulie's good point: One of the best pieces of cycling advice I ever got was, "Think for yourself." For example--when you're riding in a group, and you're at an intersection, always look both ways an verify for yourself when someone yells, "all clear."

I know what I just said seems basic, but it's so easy to follow the herd mentality.


Some years back when I was in intial pilot training the instructor and I were headed back to the airport in a T-41 (Cessna 172 on steroids) with storms near the runway and rain already coming down. Someone whom I did not know had just landed, he knew I was out there behind him from the radio traffice, and kept saying that "well it wasn't too bad...come on in "...the vehicular equivalent of "all clear". My instructor impressed on me then how different that individuals perception (time/type aircraft/rating/) might be from mine and to always make my own decisions. Now, when I'm in a car or whatever and somebody shouts the all clear I never take their word.

As to the gist of this thread, it is easy to sometimes scoot through those stop signs in the middle of nowhere. I ride several times a week on the lights before going to work. Why should I stop at that stop sign at the end of my block at 5:30 AM? The truth is that I don't always. But I do pretty much all the time and it is just a forced habit. If I start running four way stops around my small town the word will travel pretty fast. Plus, someone might decide to run a stop sign themselves and not see me.

[webist]

At least you know about and acknowedge your misbehavior. That's more than those who think there are no rules or that violating them doesn't matter at all. Not only am I extremely cautious when stretching the law, I never assume the other person is going to follow the law either. Thanks for the post.

When approaching an intersection, I generally slow and check both ways twice. If I don't hear myself say "Clear" 4 times, I squeeze the breaks.

[jamesdemien]

Yeah I thought those were for cars...then I crashed...I still don't stop, but I probably should

[megaman]

As a general rule I use the following to determine if I will follow the traffic laws.

If there are other people around I always follow the rules so they have little to complain about.

Realistically, there are some places that I have great visibility in all directions, and can tell if there is traffic at an intersection with stop sign or traffic light. When I'm sure there is no one around, I'll blow through these. If, however, I have any doubt, I do follow the rules. I figure better safe than sorry. I also tend to use hand signals when there are other around.

That's pretty much the standard I follow.

(rant follows) This past weekend, I was in the NW burbs of Chicago on a MUP. There was a fair amount of cycle and pedestrian traffic. I got behind a much slower cyclist, but didn't pass cause a lady with a stroller was coming near on the other side. I was about 6 feet behind the slower cyclist when suddenly a guy on a bike squeezed between me and the guy in front of me(I'm on my trike) and another followed and went by him forcing the lady onto the shoulder with her stroller.:mad: And they went on their merry way. After I got around the guy and lady, I figured I'm going to see what these guys were made of. So I kicked it into high(which for me isn't very) and caught the pair. They were cruising about 18.5 mph and I still had plenty left and as I prepared to yell "Passing on your left" (They were riding side by side), A stop sign appeared and we were in a small park with plenty of other people around. They blew threw the stop sign, but I just couldn't do it. I felt with the small kids near the trail it would be a bad thing to. So I stopped. I was about 100 yards behind now and I failed to gear down before stopping so it took me a bit to get up to speed again. By this time I was starting to chill down and figured they're just canidates for selective reduction.

[John E]

What do you guys do about traffic lights you are unable to trigger with your bike? I can trigger a bit more than 50 percent of the local traffic lights I encounter, and I have had mixed success in getting Traffic Engineering to sensitize some of the others.

[cheeseflavor]

Worst case scenario is get off your bike and use the crosswalk button.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

[cyclezen]

I'm getting worse and worse at stopping at stop signs, traffic signals, etc. I've gotten into a terrible, terrible habit of just not taking enough time at intersections...
SNIP...
Sorry for the long winded monologue but I need to change this habit and change it the next time I ride. Hopefully this will raise my own self-awareness to provoke change.

Please don't delay! Enough riders gettin wacked recently, lets not add ourselves to that awful tally.
I'm hardly the guy to be staunchly observant of the law; but being on roads with many distracted, unthinking cagers means I not gonna push the risk envelope. Even on those early morning Sunday rides when roads are clear and most people are barely rollin out of the rack; I still stop for ALL red and will slow to a crawl when proceeding thru stop signs. Its easier to not even stress out and look for the opening. Better to do the simple thing and proceed when its obviously clear and signaled.
It may be just me, but I can't believe how often, over the years, that a cop or trooper was sittin somewhat concealed, but with a clear view of the intersection.
We're particularly lucky, out here, to have a long standing Saturday spirited ride (I 1st rode it when I moved out here in '89) with a strong tradition of stopping for All lights and choosin to procede with caution at the few stop signs that the ride encounters. Often while at race pace, we will brake hard for yellow to red lights, then piss and moan alot while we wait for the green. Then we're quickly off again when the light becomes green. Its a long tradition of doin the right thing that helps keep some riders in the group from putting themselves at great risk. And it also fosters the right thinking that blowin thru a light proves nothing.
As I see it, as cycling continues to build, the best thing riders with lots of years of riding experience can do is foster sensible street riding techniques, pass on the skills to include riding a predicitable line in a group, fostering and constantly using obvious hand signals to communicate rather than confusing vocalizations. As I see it, its our obligation to pass on what we were shown by the experienced oldtimers when we were noobs.
Nothing speaks to me of higher 'class' than a rider who gives extra clearance for more leisurely paced riders, especially youngsters and families. Riders who enthusiastically welcome noobs and visiting riders. Riders who, by their well prepared and foresightful riding show they can still think with their heads rather than their legs, under the pressure of a brisk pace.
The oppposite also speaks clearly to me.

[sandlapper]

Thanks for reminding me of this. I need to be a lot more careful also. I do stop many times at stop signs but I am guilty of not stopping sometimes when I should. I need to make it a habit to always stop.

:p

[jppe]

Please don't delay! Enough riders gettin wacked recently, lets not add ourselves to that awful tally.
I'm hardly the guy to be staunchly observant of the law; but being on roads with many distracted, unthinking cagers means I not gonna push the risk envelope. Even on those early morning Sunday rides when roads are clear and most people are barely rollin out of the rack; I still stop for ALL red and will slow to a crawl when proceeding thru stop signs. Its easier to not even stress out and look for the opening. Better to do the simple thing and proceed when its obviously clear and signaled.
It may be just me, but I can't believe how often, over the years, that a cop or trooper was sittin somewhat concealed, but with a clear view of the intersection.
We're particularly lucky, out here, to have a long standing Saturday spirited ride (I 1st rode it when I moved out here in '89) with a strong tradition of stopping for All lights and choosin to procede with caution at the few stop signs that the ride encounters. Often while at race pace, we will brake hard for yellow to red lights, then piss and moan alot while we wait for the green. Then we're quickly off again when the light becomes green. Its a long tradition of doin the right thing that helps keep some riders in the group from putting themselves at great risk. And it also fosters the right thinking that blowin thru a light proves nothing.
As I see it, as cycling continues to build, the best thing riders with lots of years of riding experience can do is foster sensible street riding techniques, pass on the skills to include riding a predicitable line in a group, fostering and constantly using obvious hand signals to communicate rather than confusing vocalizations. As I see it, its our obligation to pass on what we were shown by the experienced oldtimers when we were noobs.
Nothing speaks to me of higher 'class' than a rider who gives extra clearance for more leisurely paced riders, especially youngsters and families. Riders who enthusiastically welcome noobs and visiting riders. Riders who, by their well prepared and foresightful riding show they can still think with their heads rather than their legs, under the pressure of a brisk pace.
The oppposite also speaks clearly to me.


Excellent feedback. It's exactly the right prescription and message for the sick patient.

We have a number of newer riders locally that are joining our ranks and I need to think of how this reflects on developing excellent habits that we all can pass along. I still observe the habits of riders I respect and consciously/subconciously adopt them as appropriate.

The last thing I want is for someone to get hurt because of things I've done. I want to be viewed as promoting cycling in a positive way and an asset to the cause.

[shokhead]

I stop at signs but dont unclip and of course always stop at lights except early sat rides,if its red i just go somewhere i can cross without a light,it adds abit to my mileage.