Cyclist View videos

[bmclaughlin807]

My daugher weighs 50 lbs now, and her trailercycle is another 20 or so. I haul her around with my 25 lbs cyclocross bike in the same manner as depicted in the videos. Not during weekday rush hour - because I typically ride with her on the weekends. But it can get pretty messy in the PB, MB and Sports Arena areas on the weekends, and that's when and where I ride with her, including on the high speed arterials and bridges.

I've ridden with a kiddie trailer once... not a single close pass, no aggression displayed at all... imagine that.

[richardmasoner]

Hey I'd like to see the same videos done with slow riders... maybe one pulling a trailer, or better yet, loaded down with groceries.

It's not a video, but I see this guy doing about 5 mph taking the lane on busy Santa Clara Street in San Jose, California all the time. That's a trike. Click on the photo to see it large.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1072/1443721822_a14a3bcd75_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/1443721822/)

[Helmet Head]

I've ridden with a kiddie trailer once... not a single close pass, no aggression displayed at all... imagine that.
I've ridden dozens if not hundreds of times with both a trailer as well as trailercycle. The reaction of motorists is different. The bright yellow double-wide (2 kid) trailer definitely gets their attention early, and causes them to give signficantly more space, sooner, then when riding solo. The effect is there with the trailercycle too, but not nearly as strong. I have been harassed, once, when riding with the trailercycle, but unbelievably a cop was behind the geezer honking at me, and he pulled him over. There is a thread about that somewhere.

So, have you ever met Dan or Brian?

[bmclaughlin807]

So, have you ever met Dan or Brian?

Nope. You and I went a round about one of their videos before... the guys were grade-A ******bags, and then put it out there on the internet.

They have absolutely 0 credibility with me. Somewhere just slightly below your own credibility in my book, in fact.

I wish to god that cycling advocates had to be voted the position by a majority of cyclists before being able to claim said title. I certainly wish these people (you included) weren't out there claiming to speak on my behalf.

[Helmet Head]

Nope. You and I went a round about one of their videos before... the guys were grade-A ******bags, and then put it out there on the internet.

They have absolutely 0 credibility with me. Somewhere just slightly below your own credibility in my book, in fact.

I wish to god that cycling advocates had to be voted the position by a majority of cyclists before being able to claim said title. I certainly wish these people (you included) weren't out there claiming to speak on my behalf.
Are you angry?

[Helmet Head]

The admins have graciously reopened this poll. Vote if you have not already!

[genec]

My daugher weighs 50 lbs now, and her trailercycle is another 20 or so. I haul her around with my 25 lbs cyclocross bike in the same manner as depicted in the videos. Not during weekday rush hour - because I typically ride with her on the weekends. But it can get pretty messy in the PB, MB and Sports Arena areas on the weekends, and that's when and where I ride with her, including on the high speed arterials and bridges.

Prove it. Log some miles on Miramar road and Clairmont Mesa Blvd... at rush hour, on video, then make a left turn. Should be no problem... Forester touts that VC works at any speed.

Get a grandma out there... heck, get Forester out there. Love to see him on video in say the 35MPH traffic of Clairmont Mesa or Clairmont Drive... while riding outside of the door zone and in heavy traffic. Heck, get him out on your commute route... on LJVD in the morning traffic... and making a left turn.

[genec]

I've ridden dozens if not hundreds of times with both a trailer as well as trailercycle. The reaction of motorists is different. The bright yellow double-wide (2 kid) trailer definitely gets their attention early, and causes them to give signficantly more space, sooner, then when riding solo. The effect is there with the trailercycle too, but not nearly as strong. I have been harassed, once, when riding with the trailercycle, but unbelievably a cop was behind the geezer honking at me, and he pulled him over. There is a thread about that somewhere.

So, have you ever met Dan or Brian?

Yeah in a way I think the trailer brings out sympathy for the kid... so get out there with a bunch of groceries on your bike and try it... and ride slow.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

The admins have graciously reopened this poll. Vote if you have not already!

Why?

[Helmet Head]

Yeah in a way I think the trailer brings out sympathy for the kid... so get out there with a bunch of groceries on your bike and try it... and ride slow.
It's been a while, before I learned about "vehicular cycling", but I've carried about 80 lbs of groceries in my Bob trailer going from PB to La Jolla. But that's pretty tame terrain. I'll have to try it again some time.

[buzzman]

the videos are fine. flat, straight roads with plenty of visibility, bright clear day, good weather, cyclists moving at a nice clip. I'd ride pretty much the same way myself- if I had to ride on those roads and there were no better alternatives. great.

I'd like to see the same techniques on a winding, pot-holed, frost heaved, New England road with a 35 mph speed limit but cars actually moving at closer to 50 mph on average and some modest uphills on a nice rainy day with limited visibility at rush hour heading home from Boston.

And not with Dan and Brian on their bikes but that guy on the trike from San Jose.

Now that would be entertaining and instructional.;)

[Helmet Head]

the videos are fine. flat, straight roads with plenty of visibility, bright clear day, good weather, cyclists moving at a nice clip. I'd ride pretty much the same way myself- if I had to ride on those roads and there were no better alternatives. great.

I'd like to see the same techniques on a winding, pot-holed, frost heaved, New England road with a 35 mph speed limit but cars actually moving at closer to 50 mph on average and some modest uphills on a nice rainy day with limited visibility at rush hour heading home from Boston.

And not with Dan and Brian on their bikes but that guy on the trike from San Jose.

Now that would be entertaining and instructional.;)
Interesting. Months go by between encounters that I have with cyclists that ride in the manner depicted in these videos on the same types of roads. Months. In fact, I can't remember the last time I saw another cyclist ride like that. For a short segment here or there, maybe, but consistently for a long stretch? I just don't see it.

[buzzman]

Interesting. Months go by between encounters that I have with cyclists that ride in the manner depicted in these videos on the same types of roads. Months. In fact, I can't remember the last time I saw another cyclist ride like that. For a short segment here or there, maybe, but consistently for a long stretch? I just don't see it.


huh? and your point is what? I don't always follow the logic of your posts. are you saying you never see cyclists just take the lane and ride in a straight line? if the conditions warrant it I do it, I see other cyclists do it, it's not brain surgery. Maybe some of us are a bit more selective about where and when we do it that's all. As I said in my post, if that were the only road I could ride to get somewhere- and believe me I'd look for an alternative to the busiest of them- but if it were the only road I had to ride to get from point A to B I'd get out in that lane and hammer and get it over with. I can't say I'd do it with a big smile on my face and want to do it everyday but I'd do it.

I've had to ride that way when I was in Florida. didn't particularly like it. But I wanted to ride and it got me where I was going. I don't see all that much special skill required but I do see that it requires a desire on the part of the cyclist that maybe not everyone has. So are these guys looking develop that desire in other cyclists or are they actually saying that riding in a straight line, further to the left into the lane is a special skill? Because I think anyone who can ride a straight line can do what these guys are doing but the question is, "do they want to do it on a 6 lane arterial with a speed limit of 45 mph +?"

[glowingrod]

woah! looks like .0002 percent of bikeforums voted on your poll sometime in the last 9 months...that might be as many as .01 percent of the people that loook as A&S

something yo're doing must be working...not

[Helmet Head]

huh? and your point is what? I don't always follow the logic of your posts. are you saying you never see cyclists just take the lane and ride in a straight line?
No, that's not what I said. What I don't see is "cyclists that ride in the manner depicted in these videos on the same types of roads." Specifically, cyclists clearly taking the lane (as depicted in the video) on high speed multi-lane arterials with outside lanes not quite wide enough to safely share.


if the conditions warrant it I do it, I see other cyclists do it, it's not brain surgery. Maybe some of us are a bit more selective about where and when we do it that's all. As I said in my post, if that were the only road I could ride to get somewhere- and believe me I'd look for an alternative to the busiest of them- but if it were the only road I had to ride to get from point A to B I'd get out in that lane and hammer and get it over with. I can't say I'd do it with a big smile on my face and want to do it everyday but I'd do it.

Why the need to "get it over with"? Why do you seem to liken riding a bike in traffic to something like getting root canal (something that is universally wanted to "get it over with").

I too did not always enjoy riding in such conditions, but I have learned how to do it now. Wouldn't you like to learn this as well?


I've had to ride that way when I was in Florida. didn't particularly like it. But I wanted to ride and it got me where I was going. I don't see all that much special skill required but I do see that it requires a desire on the part of the cyclist that maybe not everyone has. So are these guys looking develop that desire in other cyclists or are they actually saying that riding in a straight line, further to the left into the lane is a special skill? Because I think anyone who can ride a straight line can do what these guys are doing but the question is, "do they want to do it on a 6 lane arterial with a speed limit of 45 mph +?"
Why not want to ride on such roads? These roads typically have long non-stop stretches. Once you learn how to enjoy managing the traffic around you, it is a joy to ride on such roads.

[Helmet Head]

woah! looks like .0002 percent of bikeforums voted on your poll sometime in the last 9 months...that might be as many as .01 percent of the people that loook as A&S

something yo're doing must be working...not
It is not my polll.
The original poll closed a long time ago. It was reopened yesterday.

[buzzman]

No, that's not what I said. What I don't see is "cyclists that ride in the manner depicted in these videos on the same types of roads." Specifically, cyclists clearly taking the lane (as depicted in the video) on high speed multi-lane arterials with outside lanes not quite wide enough to safely share.


Why the need to "get it over with"? Why do you seem to liken riding a bike in traffic to something like getting root canal (something that is universally wanted to "get it over with").

I too did not always enjoy riding in such conditions, but I have learned how to do it now. Wouldn't you like to learn this as well?


Why not want to ride on such roads? These roads typically have long non-stop stretches. Once you learn how to enjoy managing the traffic around you, it is a joy to ride on such roads.

I ride my bike "in traffic" on a daily basis and if I did not enjoy it I wouldn't do it. But riding 6 lane arterials surrounded by high speed traffic is something I do not enjoy- I don't enjoy it in my car either- even with the comfort of the seats, the I-pod playing on the stereo speakers and so I don't do it every day and I only do it when absolutely necessary. As I mentioned in my analogy about MTBiking I wish I could do what my "daredevil" friends do. I admire what they can do and I would enjoy having those skills. There is no real skill involved in moving further left into a lane and holding a straight line. As I've said, I've done it it doesn't require the kind of skills I see a mountain biker do as they descend a gnarly, rock and root strewn single track in New England- that's skill and technique. It's the desire to ride on that particular kind of road that I do not have. Why do you waste your time desperately trying to convince us that we should share your desire to take the lane on a busy highway. I'm so happy for you that you have mastered the skills necessary to ride in a straight line with 3,000 lb autos moving by you at three times your speed- if, for you, that is an enjoyable past time then so be it. For me, I'll do it with the same capacity to ride in a straight line that you have but I'll admit I'd just rather get those kinds of roads over with- and in that case you're right- it's like "route canal".

I ride across my state (Massachusetts) with some frequency during the summer months. If I take Route 20 the entire ride is about 124 miles from point A-B. Route 20 is fine in some sections but much of it is a narrow, no shouldered, high traffic volumed, arterial with heavy truck and commuting traffic. A friend of mine in western MA had a friend who was a "serious cyclist"- rides VC all the time- a real "advocate" and he wanted to do the ride out to her house as an early season training ride and he called me about route choices. I pointed out the flaws in Route 20 but said he'd never have to look at a map till the last 4 miles to her house he could just point his bike in a straight line and go. I also offered him my latest alternative route which adds 11 miles overall, is on much quieter roads, considerably hillier and would require some more map reading. He wanted nothing to do with that route, he looked at a topo and felt it was too much climbing and he said he didn't mind "traffic" he wanted to get there "quick".

He did the ride on Route 20 and loved it, said the road was great. It took him 12 hours of riding 14 hours total time. I thought,"Gee, he's a "serious" cyclist. I haven't taken the Route 20 route in probably 15 years maybe it's better!?" I did it on my next ride out there. I LOATHED IT! not every mile but there were sections I HATED. My cycling journal has written in it in large block letters "ROUTE 20 SUCKS!!!!". For those long sections I put down the hammer and got them over with ("route canal" time) it took me 8 hours of riding 8:45 total. The next time I did the ride I took my longer hillier route and still did it 2 1/2 hours faster than this "serious" cyclist who wanted the most direct route so he could make time and not be slowed down by the hills.

What we might call a "faster" or more direct route in a car may be that in general because most cars travel at roughly the same speeds provided they are obeying (or closely obeying) the speed limit. But on a bike it's the capacity and desire of our bodies to go at speed that makes the difference making the whole "direct", "quickest" route thing kind of moot in cases like this. Also, I'm one of those wierdos that actually likes hills! This other cyclist evidently likes traffic more than he likes hills. But I don't say he didn't dare ride the hilly route- the fact is he didn't want to and he enjoyed himself- more power to him! Do I say to a cyclist like that, "What are you?- chicken of a little elevation gain?" If he had 12 hours of fun, fun, fun with trucks and cars rattling all around him on Route 20 and I had 9 1/2 hours of fun on my long, winding ride puffing up hills and watching for road signs to figure out where the heck I was every 20 minutes we both had our fun and we should be happy. I'd no more insist he ride the route I take than I expect him to belittle me for not riding the one he took.

[buzzman]

It is not my polll.
The original poll closed a long time ago. It was reopened yesterday.

and it was reopened at whose request? The OP or you?

[Helmet Head]

and it was reopened at whose request? The OP or you?
Back in March, the OP wrote to me: " I hope that it wasn't a mistake, but I gave the poll an ending date of late next Sunday."

I'm quite confident that Bruce would not object to it being reopened, which was done at my request.

[Bruce Rosar]

I'm quite confident that Bruce would not object to it being reopened...I don't object.