Blogger's Forum - Biking it and Liking It

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo017.jpg

I rode seventeen miles yesterday. I am over forty years old and 250 pounds. I have a theory that I get more exercise now, than when I was younger, because I'm pedalling an extra hundred pounds up every hill.

I actually did two rides yesterday, July 21st, 2007.

I first rode a 21 speed MTB , put it on a train, and took the train ten miles. Then I rode home. Sorry , I don't have a picture of the 21 speed MTB, but it has BMX handlebars. Here is a picture of the train that I took my bike on:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/00000015-4.jpg

The railroad surveyed the passengers and asked them what they wanted on the new trains. A whopping 43% said they wanted a fiberglass nose. I wonder if my campaining helped.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo015.jpg

I am considering painting this bike black. I have added even more lights to it. This bike is known as the NFA Vehicles Type 10. The banana seat and it's support are fiberglass. The support on the front is fiberglass and carrries the 12 volt battery and a 1982 Suzuki GS fairing. The new lights added thios past week are directionals (blinkers). Yellow on the front and BLUE bullet tailights on the rear. The front blinkers are mounted on a 2 foot by 6 inch piece of 1/4 inch aircraft plywood, which also serves to reinforce the floor of the battery compartment. The headlights are 50 watts each, the right one is street legal, the left is a halogen track light with a wide beam, excellent for shooting video. That was the bike I rode on a seven mile loop last night.

I also have this recumbent, or semi-recumbent.The"Type 7". I'm not sure if it's a semi recumbent because it's semi upright, or if the fairing is based of a semi truck spoiler:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo003.jpg

This is the Type 9, which my Daughter Mellisa designed. I would describe it as a Fiberglass Ladies Bicycle, or Electric Moped prototype:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/00000024-1.jpg
Because I was offered twelve hundred dollars for this bike , I sold it. The buyer was an automobile detailler and he wanted it unpainted. I let him tap on it with a hammer to show him it was structurally sound.

I also have a pair of Lafree electric bicycles, here's one of them, also rigged with lights:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo013.jpg
I bought this E-Bike in 2004. I love it , but I don't ride it as much now as when I got it. It seems I am getting my stamina back, and I can ride further on a bicycle without a motor. I thank the E-bike for being like a coach, and pacing me, so I learnt not to waste effort pedalling over 20 MPH.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo011.jpg
THE END

I rode 19.5 miles yesterday, here's a map:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2736462

I've been getting some good milage everyday, now that Spring is here.

Here is a map of an almost twelve mile route, that I rode last week:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2699624

Perhaps I will combine these two routes, but I took a side trip yesterday. It's not much longer.

I carried two bottles of water, and two coffee-cans full of popcorn . The panniers are wonderful.

17.8 miles today. I met up with the "C" division of the Long Island Bicycle Club at two miles, and rode with them for five miles. Then they stopped and ate lunch. I watched their bikes .

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2740320

The Route I took. The Club took me on a leg-burner. They went down a private road that led to the water, Long Island Sound. Then we climbed back uphill. They all had 120 pounds of air in their tires, I only had 90. Only me and Charley on the recumbent were wearing shorts. I waited while they ate lunch, but I didn't eat on account I had my own food in my panniers.

I had to leave the group because I wanted to carry out my plan to trim vegetation along Chicken Valley Road. Someone could get poked in the eye by the branches. The LIBC "C" group was not going on Chicken Valley.

I got onto Chicken Valley Road and I was passed by about two hundred other cyclists. Some said yes when I asked if they were with LIBC. (but they were either "A" or "B", not "C") Others said "New York City".

Anyway, I stopped and ate and smoked by a Horse Farm. Altogether, my ride took four hours.

I am riding 26"x2.125" slicks, and I have BMX handlebars on the bike. Combined with the handlebar basket and the rear panniers, I am not being aerodynamic.

Nice report.
The train pic was nice.

In response to the situation in Colorado:

"It's the sheriff's job to keep the road-ragers under control. It's virtual anarchy on the roads.
As for myself, I have a car and five bikes. All of my bikes are insured on the same policy that covers my car. There is no need to register the bikes, since the make, model, color and serial number are already on file with the insurance company. This system saves the Government money, because the DMV doesn't need to hire personnel to keep *duplicate* paperwork."

-------------------

I rode 15 miles today.

I wrote this today also, in response to an article about choosing the right bike:

"Weight of the bike is not the only issue. The author sounds like she got her information from a 'Roadie', who rides lightweight racing bikes.
Choosing the right bike involves more decisions. First, the bike has to be the right size for the rider, and handlebars and seat have to be adjusted for the best fit.
Second, there is no one bike that is right for all uses or rides. I would suggest getting more than one bike, example:
a. Comfort or Hybrid bike
b. Mountain bike
c. Recumbent bike
d. Cargo "utility" bike
e. An Electric Bicycle

This amounts to a "stable" full of bikes (to use horse jargon) . Choose the right one for the job. The bikes I listed are the donkeys, mules and oxen of the bike world. The racing road bikes are the thoroughbreds and are more expensive, perhaps too expensive for the novice."

Todays letter to the Editor:

http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/ci_12253116

"Cars kill more pedestrians than bicyclists, even though the bicyclist spends more time in the road. Why is that?

I think in addition to helmets, the Police should distribute free tail lights and rear view mirrors to bicyclists. These items are much better than they were when I was a kid. The tail lights of today have LED's instead of incandescent bulbs, so they can run up to three hundred hours on two AA batteries.
And there are rear-view mirrors today that attach to the end of the handlebar with a Velcro strap - which is a great thing, because one doesn't need tools to install it, and it can be re-adjusted without tools if it gets bumped. Also, the Velcro strap mirror can be switched from one bike to another, which is good for cyclists who have more than one bike.

Would the motorists please be more careful ? Remember, there are certain motorists who "buzz" bicyclists on purpose, trying to run them off the road. You don't want to be mistaken for a road-rager, you might get cussed at. Or you might end up in jail facing Aggravated Vehicular Assault charges. Do you really want to stand in front of a Judge explaining that you were just inattentive or absent minded?"

I rode twelve miles yesterday, but today I did not ride on account of rain. I made a pound cake last night, and slathered the slices with black cherry jelly before eating them. Good source of calories.

It looks like I started this blog two years ago, and forgot about it. Then I got back to it recently. So today I want to spew out a few thoughts.

I have been riding slower than I used to. I think it is a myth that speed will make the problem of passing motorists disappear. I am trying to get back to covering milage, without trying to go to fast. Yes , I was probably going about 40 yesterday when I was going downhill. But the limit was 30MPH. A line of cars started to pass while I was cresting the hill, but I was up-shifting , and the third car was a Harley Davidson. After him , I moved over and took-the-lane. I did hold traffic back , but by the time we reached the bottom of the hill, we caught up with the Harley, which was making a left turn.

But I haven't had any bad experience with motorists lately (15 years). Maybe it's because I weigh 265 pounds now, and they aren't looking for a fight with someone as big as me. Maybe it's because I'm a Gulf War Veteran, and I told one of them I'd kill him if he came close to hitting my bike again...
Maybe it's the reflective vest I wear. Maybe the Blinkies , blinking even in the daytime, gets their attention. Maybe it's on account of the roads being repaved. Maybe it's because I wear a Polo shirt, with a collar, so I look respectable enough. But I haven't had any near miss (or near collision) in years.

What I wanted to say was; we need to promote bicycling as a sport for the wealthy, and not as a means of transportation for the poor. We'd get more respect that way. We need to tell people "I have a Car Too."
Really , it amazes me, I've been dropping the phrase "I have a Car Too" , and people are astonished!
They seem to think we ride bikes , like we don't have a choice?
"I have a Car and Five Bikes" and "All my Bikes are Insured by the same Company that Insures my Car"
Which really knocks them back, because they drive, but they don't have insurance.
Drop a hint.
Let the people know that we have cars. They seem to be laboring under the delusion that we are riding bikes because we don't have cars.

There may be some people who can't afford both. Do I spend $7,000.00 on a new Colnago, or on a used Lexus? I think it's best to have both bikes and cars . I had two cars in the early nineties, I shouldn't have sold the Buick . I kept the Ford F-150. I have a Dodge Caravan now.

Bicycle Racing? I have a stopwatch and a coaches whistle, and I've measured out two "Drag Strips" , 300 feet or a hundred yards long. One's in Sea Cliff, and one's in Locust Valley. But I have no volunteers for the race.
I chose the hundred yard drag race because I was never sucsesful finding riders for the 200 meter sprint. But I doubt I'll find volunteers to race.
So if your in Sea Cliff , NY, and you can find Sea Cliff Beach , hint; the Lamp Posts on the Boardwalk are 70 feet apart, so passing two of them is 140 feet, and four is 280 feet. bring some chalk.

I rode 17.5 miles today. Rode 12 miles on Saturday. Took Sunday off. Monday I had to ride because my van went to get an inspection, but I was cold, wearing shorts and a short-sleeve shirt.

Letter of the Day:

http://voices.kansascity.com/node/4584#comment-24073

darroby85,
There are a few flaws in your logic. One, ninety nine percent of bicyclists in the United States have a car or truck and a license , they already passed the DMV test. Two, many bicyclists already have their bicycles insured. I have my bikes insured on the same policy that covers my van. Three, Bicycle inspections? Bicycles are very simple devices, and if anything was wrong with a bicycle, it would be immediately visible and obvious. Brakes are the only thing I can imagine would need testing.
Four, any requirement for the bicyclist to PAY, would involve a *contract* between the state and the bicyclist. The state would then be liable for any death or injury resulting from anything, including, bad pavement, substandard width lanes, potholes , storm-water grates or death-traps like the one described in the preceding article. This is a well known fact and is why no state requires bicyclists to pay for non-existent or dead-end bicycle lanes.
Finally, I think you just need to accept the fact that bicycle move faster than cars in downtown areas.
You should get a bike and lead by example. YOU show others how to ride by setting a good example. I think you will learn something when the bike lane disappears and leaves you in the middle of a highway cloverleaf.
I'm not saying the bicyclist is free of responsibility. Indeed, bicyclists should have lights on their bikes, rear-view mirrors, a horn or bell and they should wear reflective vests. Eventually, I believe, every car and bike will have a GPS system which will ping or light-up when another vehicle comes within five hundred feet.

Letter of the day:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/explore/chi-bike-tips-090514,0,5613310.story

Good advice, Mr. Williams.
I've only bicycled 140,000 miles in 37 years of riding. I've never been knocked off my bike by a car, though.
One thing I have learned is ; Don't make an effort to go the speed limit. Motorists don't appreciate the effort, and would much rather be speeding than traveling at a mere speed limit.
In addition to your recommendations :
I use my blinking lights in the middle of the day! Often , my bike is in shade, created by trees or multi-story buildings, and cloud cover can come in at any time of the day.
I always wear a reflective vest, so I don't have to wear bright colored shirts.
I ride my Daughter's bike, because at my age, it's easier to dismount. If I'm at a red light, and a car is approaching at 45, I dismount and walk the bike. I've also added BMX handlebars to this ladies mountain bike, so I sit more upright. I don't care about aerodynamics anymore.(If you want to talk about aerodynamics, email me off-list.)
I also have found a rear-view mirror that works! This new mirror attaches to the end of the handlebar with a velcro strap, so it is easy to readjust if it gets bumped. The mirror is convex, which gives a wide angle field of view.
Thanks again for bringing this subject to public attention!

I rode 25 miles in the past two days.
But I wrote another editorial opinion today:

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/139275

An official, sanctioned , protest ride , like this one, is a good idea. It's not a race.
I'd participate, but I'm in New York at this moment.
Motorists need to become more aware. There is a law that say cars must leave at least three feet of space between their car and the bike they are passing. That means a bicyclist can't reach your car with an outstretched arm, approximately one yard, or three feet.
Ninety nine percent of bicyclists have a car (including myself). It's easy for the cyclist to see the situation from the motorists point of view. Most truck drivers have a bike, but the average motorist may or may not have a bike. Bicycling is an expensive sport. We cyclists have more money than the average motorist. What I'd like to vent about is those drivers who can't afford to keep a bicycle, had to choose a car OR a bike, but couldn't afford both, and then they treat cyclists like second-class citizens! The state pays millions to build bicycle lanes and put up signs to tell motorists what would be common sense, IF they had a bicycle.
Most roads are wide enough for a car to pass a bicycle safely. If a particular stretch of road is too narrow for a car to pass, it's the fault of the civil engineer who designed the road. It's not the cyclist's fault. Motorists should be patient, and courteous, and NOT harbor a grudge against the cyclists.

I witnessed a road-rage incident on Monday. The driver of a white SUV was driving a little erratically; driving 15 MPH at first, then speeding up in a School Zone. When the SUV got to "downtown", he stopped short, almost hitting a pedestrian in the crosswalk. The pedestrian pointed to the overhead sign, which reads "STATE LAW: DRIVERS MUST YEILD TO PEDESTRIANS IN CROSSWALK" and has flashing yellow lights.
The driver then jumped out of his SUV, went up to the pedestrian and grabbed him, and started shaking him .
I made a left turn at that point in time. My Mother was in the car and we had to get somewhere. I forgot to bring my cell phone, but I would've called the cops. Someone else had also blocked the SUV with a stretch-cab pickup truck, to prevent him from leaving.
That's all I saw.

++++++++++++++++

Yesterday I did some more RVM. (Roadside Vegetation Management). I trimmed some hedges that were intruding over West Shore Road in Oyster Bay. I used hedge trimming shears and was able to trim the hedges about a foot back. I went about thirty feet, drank all my water, and called it quits.
I used the yellow bike, aka the Type 10 (photo above). I have added a second battery to this bike, so the blinkers are on their own battery, and the headlights, tail lights and markers are on the other battery. I had parked the bike with the lights on so drivers would see me as I trimmed the hedges.

Last night, I went grocery shopping with the mountain bike, and I put the new panniers to the test.
I bought: 1 box of salt, a box of saltine cracker, a box of 'sweet&low', a 24 ounce bag of Organic Sugar, a half gallon of milk, a package of 6 English Muffins, a large box of Rice Krispies, and two 8oz cans of Tomato sauce.
I really filled the panniers, and I had to put some items in the handlebar basket.

I had Mozzarella cheese at home, so I made "English Muffin Pizzas". I don't know if anyone knows how to make English Muffin Pizza outside of New York (or Bagel Pizza for that matter).

Check out this route:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2841316

I'm almost finished riding, I'm at my Mother's house, near the 24 mile mark.
Started at noon, it is now 16:00. The Service Road of the Long Island Expressway is a wonderful route for bicycling, wide, has shoulders, very little traffic.

Now, I have an appetite , I could really go for some pizza.

Rumor has it that Yahoo is shutting down Yahoo 360' , the bloggers forum at Yahoo.
So I will now copy and paste my blogs from there over here:

Folks,
I'd like to tell you all about the Fiberglass Ladies Bicycle.
http://mywilson.homestead.com/gallery69.html



The text with the link tells you a little about the styling.
I depended on bikes when I was young because my Mother didn't drive. (She still doesn't.) I thought the bikes I had when I was a kid were inferior products. I saw room for improvement in their design and construction.I set about building a prototype of a new bike in 1986, while I was still in Engineering school.The bike had a Kevlar fairing. I wanted to get to work on a step-thru, or "Ladies" bicycle, but none of the women I was dating were into bicycles, so no one wanted to draw up plans. "I wanna go in a car." was pretty much all they had to say.
Finally, in 1991, Mellisa asked me to adopt her. Mellisa didn't have a dad, she had been living aboard her Uncle's tractor trailer truck from May thru September '91.
Mellisa had a chance to actually drive the Kenworth with a big refrigerated trailer that said "Pork- The Other White Meat".
Mellisa does not believe that 4 wheelers (cars) are very smart. She'd seen a lot of cars wrecked by the side of the road in her travel through 38 of the 48 Contiguous United States. One day she asked her Uncle why the cars get so smushed up but nothing happens to the truck. He let her look under the truck to see where the frame rails meet the front bumper. It's easy to see why a car is a death trap after you've had a look.
Just remember you have to hold the trucks' keys in one hand (so the truck doesn't start up and run you over while you're looking)and a flashlight in the other hand (because it's dark under a truck).
Mellisa designed the fiberglass ladies bicycle with those frame rails in mind, so instead of one inch diameter pipe (tube), we have a fiberglass 4" by 6" with a quarter inch wall thickness. Qarter inch thickness is standard in fiberglass throughout the trucking industry (Mack, Peterbuilt, and Kenworth) It can withstand being sideswiped by another truck.
Mellisa'a Grandfather worked at Grumman building aircraft for the Navy, including the TBA Avenger, and the Hellcat. He taught Mellisa to design fiberglass parts, because she had a few ideas for improving the fiberglass camper attached to the trucks cab.
After trying to find an investor who would beleve me when I said there's a lot of demand for an electric bicycle, I sold the prototype for $1,200.oo in 1999. About a year later electric bicycles went into full scale production in China. To date about 4 million electric bicycles have been produced in China, but most of them are staying in China because Chinese people love them and there aren't enough to fill the worldwide demand.
Electric bicycle prices have acually been increasing in the U.S. because of the law of supply and demand.

For non motorized ladies bicycles, I would suggest a web search under the key words "Women's bicycles"

2.

The Fiberglass Ladies Bicycle is a unique item.
Previously, the only fiberglass bicycle was the Bowden Spacelander.
The Spacelander went into production in 1960. When it became a sucess, Mr. Bowden, the company president, sought to produce a ladies version of the Fiberglass Bicycle.
Every bicycle company builds ladies bikes.Ladies bicycles were introduced to the market in 1886, the same year chain drive appeared. (Before that, all bicycles were high-wheelers. The rider had to straddle the huge front wheel in order to reach the pedals, which were on the front axle.)
1886 was a great year for women's rights. The ladies bicycle was introduced, giving women freedom and mobility they never had before.
Anyway, Mr. Bowden could not get funding to put the fiberglass ladies bicycle into production. Mr. Bowden gave up and stopped making fiberglass bicycles.
So my Daughter and myself built a fiberglass ladies bicycle in 1991. I displayed it as a prototype, but there are still no investors.
Do the math:
Selling price of a fiberglass ladies bicycle= $1200
Cost of materials= $300
That's a 400% profit.
There is no reason for a bank or anyone else to refuse to loan us money. There is plenty of profit to pay the loan back.
I submit this as proof that the bankers are trying to subjugate women.

I wanted to blog again today so I could post this photo of another bike, the Type 7.
The fiberglass fairing is really more of a fiberglass box. What is a fairing? People ask me that all the time. There is a website just to answer that question, www.whatisafairing.com.
Very simply, a fairing is a windshield for a motorcycle. Why is a motorcycle windshield called a fairing? If you ride a motorcycle, you will have a very strong wind blowing in your face, you put a windshield on the motorcycle and the wind is much less, a FAIR wind, that's why it's called a fairing.
I've ridden on bicycle for more than 135,000 miles since 1972. I wanted to get a windshield for my bicycle early on. But nobody made such a thing. I asked around, and people said it was impossible, they said it couldn't be done. I was still in school. I came up with a better question, "If Yamaha can put a windshield on a motorcycle, how can it be impossible to put a windshield on a bicycle?" Everyone got really mad and had hissy fits, but they could NOT answer the question. Someone said the windshield is the motor, but I said "No it's not, you can't make an engine out of plastic", and then he started crying that he wanted his mommy and he left the room.
That was just grammar school. High school was a waste of time, because I went to a Catholic high school, and they didn't believe in using tools, so they had no shop class. (I thought it was Jews who didn't believe in using tools, But it was really Catholics).
I got good grades in science, earth science, chemistry, physics as well as biology, and I went to an Engineering school. Then I went to work. I wanted to build the first electric motorcycle in America. But I really just wanted a dam, I mean air-dam, windshield for my bicycle.
I got opposition everywhere I turned.
While doing math on my Apple Macintosh computer, it became apparent that the Wright Brothers were right. If a bicycle can be turned into an airplane, then an electric motorcycle can become a Nuclear Fueled Aerospace Vehicle. So I named the company "NFA Vehicles".
This was during the Cold War with the USSR, so there was a great deal of interest from the Pentagon. I decided to study aboard an Aircraft Carrier, and I joined the United States Navy .
Then the Soviet Union collapsed.

To be continued...

Entry for July 11, 2008
I'd like to start by pointing out that there are no bicycle "riders".
People on bicycles (bicyclists, cyclists, bikers, whatever you want to call them)either drive their bicycle like it's a car, or they race their bicycle, like they are headed for the Tour de France.

It's important to remember that the racers are practicing a sport which has been around since before the invention of the automobile. The cyclists are still on the same roads, trying to compete against someone who biked ten miles in nineteen minutes, who left a record time, based on the stopwatch back in 1879. Those who race against the clock in such a fasion will look left and right at an intersection, but unless there is a truck coming, they will not stop.

These cyclists have an interesting legal argument; they've been riding these roads since 1879, and the stop signs and traffic lights did not appear until 1917, at the earliest. The traffic lights were intended for automobiles.

Let's now discuss "driving" a bicycle. Suppose I want to drive my bicycle into town to get a quart of milk and a loaf of bread. I have no need to set a record time, this "milk run" will not go down in sports history. I will drive my bike to the end of the driveway and stop. I will look both ways, and let the cars go by. When there is a break in traffic, then I pull out. Likewise, I stop at the stop sign, and I stop again for any lights that are red. I can not cover the ten miles in nineteen minutes, like that bicycle racer did in 1879. It will take longer , chalk it up to "progress". I will even check my rear-view mirror and pull over to let truck-traffic go by.

Make sure you (and your kids) know the difference between racing and driving. Too many amature cyclists are learning by example, doing what the racers do. Stop your bike and yield for traffic, especially trucks. It's better to let the motor vehicle operator go first and live , that for you to go first on your bike and get killed. Don't argue about who has the right-of-way, that's for a Judge to decide after you're dead. Just be courteous. Courtesy is contagious.

Racers have a legitimate gripe too; there aren't enough velodromes (bicycle race tracks) to practice on to stay in shape. So their racing has to be done on public roads. The paths in the parks are only designed for eighteen miles per hour, and they are crowded with walkers.

Entry for December 11, 2008
I have some Safety Tips to share with the bicyclists:

1) You should have a bell on your bike to warn pedestrians. Shouting 'on your left!' is what the racers do when they leave the bell off to save weight.

2) Buy a rear view mirror for your bike. They have new mirrors now that mount to the handlebars with a Velcro strap, so you don't need to carry a wrench to keep it adjusted. When you see a car in your mirror, move as far right as possible.

3) Wear a reflective vest

4) Buy lights for your bike. Even in daytime, lights add visibility, especially if you are riding in tree shade or if the sky is overcast. Blinking lights are better for daytime use, steady light at night.

5) Buy a basket for your handlebars. Even if you don't carry anything, a basket will absorb impact if you crash. And you shouldn't carry a bag in one hand while riding a bike.

6) Stop and look both ways before crossing any street, even if there is no stop sign.

7) Stop and wait for cars and trucks to go by before pulling out at any intersection or driveway.

8) Do NOT exceed 25MPH. If you go faster than 25MPH, you are racing your bike, and if you still have the owners manual that came with your bike, the warranty says 'warranty void if the bike is raced'.

9) Wear Gloves. Cycling gloves are fingerless gloves to protect your palms if you fall off your bike. If you fall, you can break your fall by putting your palms down on the pavement.

10) Wear a helmet. I don't put wearing a helmet #1 on the list, because it's your last ditch protection after you fall from the bike. These other tips I gave prevent an accident, so you might not have to use your helmet.

11) Make sure the bike is the right size for the rider, and handlebars and seat are adjusted properly.

12) Make sure the bike has working brakes.

Note to motorists: You should give at least three to five feet of room between the side of your car and the bicycle you are passing. If you motorists were more careful, we wouldn't need these bike lanes. Bike lanes cost taxpayers money, and ninety nine plus percent of motorists don't pass close enough to bikes to warrant building bike lanes.

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20090601/OPINION03/906010315

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20090602/NEWS/906029993/1078&ParentProfile=1055&_ic=true

"I don't advocate blowing past stop signs, but there are some reasons why a bicyclist doesn't make a full stop. If a bicycle stops, the cyclist must put one foot on the ground. If the seat is adjusted to the right height, the cyclist can only touch down on on tippy-toes. Unless it's a lowrider, or recumbent bicycle, the cyclist can not put both *heels* on the ground. Okay, buy your kid a lowrider bike, that would be fine.
Also, when a bicycle stops, it can take more than ten seconds to get going again. During this time, the bike is a "sitting duck", which could be creamed by the next car that comes along.
Bicycles are not heavy enough to trip the detectors that activate the traffic lights.
Bicyclists are not confined to a *cage*,their view is not obstructed by roof pillars. Also, a cyclist can hear cars coming.
Yes, cyclists must look both ways, but there is enough time to look both ways, even if the cyclist just slows down-Rolling Stop.
6/2/2009 12:53:07 PM on summitdaily.com"

I'm in the video of the local Saint Patrick's day parade!
At 16:00 into the video, I'm in front of the camera:

http://vimeo.com/3817076

This is the yellow bike with the Suzuki fairing. I'm right behind the motorcycles.

http://www.sunherald.com/local/story/1399636.html?mi_pluck_action=comment_submitted&qwxq=6630111#Comments_Container

I'm an avid bicyclist, and I don't think money should be wasted building bike lanes. Instead, the Police should be handing out tickets to careless and aggressive drivers.
I ride my bike, and 999 out of a thousand motorists pass safely, with five to ten feet of room. It's that one in a thousand who almost sideswipes the bike , that is causing the problem.
Some cyclists have equipped themselves with video cameras on their helmets, so they can get some evidence and a tag number when they report these drivers to the Police. That works, but it's expensive. Maybe the Police could set up a "sting" operation with a camcorder on a bicycle.
Speeding, tailgating, cursing and throwing things at cyclists-all add fuel to the fire. Then when someone suggests that cars should have a tiny, quarter horsepower electric motor and a top speed of twelve MPH, these motorists don't get the point. The idea isn't to save gas, it's to make your car weak and incapable of hurting anyone.
If you do want bike lanes, make sure it's just bike lanes. We don't need "plantings", or trees or bushes or "arborvitae's", the plants create a sight obstruction.

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/06/10/38440/comment-page-1#comment-2178

This is a link to an editorial reply I wrote today. If you'll forgive me, it railroad related:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/locals_rail_against_wilderness.html

Rain. Every day this month it rained.

Video, with volunteers to ride the bike, because I was having the damndest time trying to ride the bike and aim the camera at myself at the same time:

The Type 5:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpET7TIomoA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXCyaSikDeM


The Type 9:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaVxNntUSnU

Note: The kids were rehearsing a play called "Grease" , with John Travolta, Olivia Newton John, and a Motorcycle called "Greased Lightning". So the Type 9 stood in as a prop for a motorcycle. At least that's my understanding.

In case you haven't guessed, I obtained a DVD recorder last week, so I can now transfer my videotape collection to DVD, which in turn fits in the slot on my computer, so I can broadcast the video on YouTube.

Here are the Type 5 AND Type 6, together at the same time. Volunteers are doing the pedaling, so I can stand by and run the Camcorder:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFpejO0GTqw

Here is the Type 5 on a downhill run:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXctogS9qxc

Two More Downhill Runs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SIiCAewo48

This video shows how to install the handlebar clamps of the Type 7A, which serves as a handlebar basket:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGt8Rdy6gvQ

Barrier Impact Test- The Type 4 was used for a barrier impact test. The car companies crash test their cars, so I figured I should crash test a Human Powered Vehicle. There is a 70 pound piece of lead (boat ballast) in the fairing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2VL7wow_tk

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20090713/ARCHIVES01/907129982/1055&_ic=true

More Safety Tips:

Let's not forget; Stay on the right side of the road.

Wear a reflective vest.

Install lights on your bike and use them at night, or even on cloudy days, or if there is shade.

Get a rear view mirror, so you can see cars coming up behind you.

DON'T wear headphones, you want to hear cars coming.

I may be criticized for saying this, but DON'T always try to ride (race) at maximum speed. Take it easy, ride a little slower. You will have more time to react and can stop sooner. It is often better to pull over to the curb, stop, and let traffic go by, than to try to maintain the speed limit. Even if you can go 30mph, there are motorists who speed, so you can still get hit from behind. Keep an eye on the rear view mirror, and pull over to let Trucks and Busses go by.

Wear gloves in case you fall.

Make sure your shoe-laces don't get wrapped around the pedal spindle. Stop to tie your shoes.
7/13/2009 10:09:16 AM on summitdaily.com

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1606418.html?mi_pluck_action=comment_submitted&qwxq=1988274#Comments_Container

Okay, more facts are coming in. Disregard my previous comment. It was a left turn from south Salem onto Apex peakway. could they have been going up there to inspect the road construction? (Which I could see in the satellite photo on Google maps). I figure that's what Rosar was doing, since he's an expert in those matters.
I've bicycled 140,000 miles since 1972, never been hit by a car. I've tried all kinds of bicycles- one speeds, three speeds,six speeds, seven speeds, ten speeds, twelve speeds, eighteen speeds, twenty one speeds, Mountain bikes, touring bikes, racing bikes, recumbents, velomobiles, utility bikes, and even electric mopeds.
I like to ride alone. I realize some people feel safety in numbers, but I weigh 265 and can defend myself.
I would rather yield the R.O.W. to a car ; than risk my life trying to prove a point, or be a human road cone for some other idiot.

I'm not against wearing a helmet, I wear one when I ride my bicycle.
But there are other safety devices which actually PREVENT accidents, whereas helmets only protect an individual after the fact.
Install lights on your bike. Lights help you be seen even in daytime, under tree-shade, shade from tall buildings, or on cloudy days. Most new tail lights have a flashing mode for daytime use.
Rear view mirror will enable the cyclist to see cars coming up from behind-could save your life.
Wear a reflective vest! Highway dept workers aren't allowed to work in the road without one!

And tell your kids to ride on the right side of the road. That's what we where told as kids. There were no helmets in those days. Today, moms say to the kids "Wear a helmet!", but in our youth, moms would say "Stay on the right side of the road!".

Ride to the right of the fog-line, or take a back street.

If you are not cycling any faster than 20mph, and you use the same precautions as a pedestrian, do you need a helmet?
Will pedestrians ever be required to wear helmets? Eight times more pedestrians get hit than bicyclists.

The key word is "Racing". If you bicycle faster than 25mph, wear a helmet.

http://www.whas11.com/news/local/stories/whas11-090717-localnews-big-four.4d9f5d31.html

We have seen $4.00 a gallon gasoline, and many people are buying bikes. Last year, Americans bought more bikes that cars for the first time in sixty years.
Bicyclists do have the right to use the roads, and although we think of driving as a right, it is actually a privilege; you can lose your drivers license if you are a bad driver.
Rush Hour traffic is dangerous no matter what you're driving. Drivers should expect traffic jams at rush hour.
I don't agree that bicycles are a "menace". If there is an accident, it's the cyclist who gets killed. Speeders, on the other hand, are a menace, because they kill innocent people.
My advice to cyclists is "Take it easy", pull over and let traffic go by, then start up again. You may be able to keep up with the speed limit, but many drivers ignore the limit, and accuse the cyclist of blocking traffic anyway. And I know there are a lot of cyclists who can't keep up with the speed limit.

http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters/story/1620332.html?mi_pluck_action=comment_submitted&qwxq=8628418#Comments_Container

I've bicycled 140,000 miles since 1972. I've never had any collision with a car, and lately, for the past twelve years or so, there haven't even been any cars coming close to hitting my bike.
I don't race any bicycles anymore. I have found that motorists are bloody liars, when it come to the speed limit. I had so much trouble with speeders/tailgaters, while I was going between 37 and 47MPH on a 30MPH speed limit road, I decided to ride slower, like around 15MPH. It's easier to move over at a slow speed. One tailgater got ticketed for going 47 in a 30, and he accused ME of "holding up traffic". I was glad a Police car showed up that day, but It's not enough. Police enforcement of speed limits is what's needed.
So remember, you can ride a bicycle fast, faster than a man can run; or you can ride a bicycle slowly, but further than a man can walk.
So I don't "race" my bike anymore. I don't go "touring" either. I don't do stunts. I would describe my bicycling as "Patrolling" . I carry a note pad and a pen, and I write down license plate numbers. I started my own bicycle club and named myself "Course Marshall" .
But what I wanted to say is, children under ten shouldn't be riding bicycles on main roads.
Thank you for reading my comment.

http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=31&a=408003#comment

Current standards for lane width call for 14 foot wide lanes. That would not leave much space for a shoulder, but on the other hand, 14 foot wide lanes are considered wide enough for cars and bicycles to share, side-by-side. Remember, you car is only 5.5 feet wide.
Many cyclists refuse to use the road shoulder, citing it as unsafe. Legally, there is no law in any state requiring cyclists to use the shoulder. In addition, auto traffic blows away road debris, so most cyclists ride in the same path as the right tires of the cars. Car tires also grind broken bottle glass to dust. The road shoulder is full of garbage, and it causes many flat tires to cyclists.
I favor the installation of "SHARE THE ROAD" signs, with a pictogram of a bicycle.
I've bicycled 140,000 miles since 1972 and I've never been knocked off my bike by a car. I may have been grazed by a few cars, but the drivers did nothing more than scrape some of their precious paint off their autos. ( I have rocks in my panniers).
I have a rear view mirror on my bicycle(s), and I haven't had any trouble with motorists in more than ten years.
Also, since I've gotten fat, motorists give me more room.
"Sub-Standard Lane Width" is a term which means there is not enough room for a car to pass a bicycle. If the lanes are 14 feet wide, then it's wide enough that a car can pass without coming within three feet of the bike. Share the road.

http://maplewood.patch.com/articles/bicycle-network-questions-raised-in-millburn

Yesterday I rode 12.28 miles(twelve and a quarter), from Glen Cove to Cold Spring Harbor. It took two hours and five minutes. Then I took a train back. I had to change trains, and the first train was scheduled to arrive in Mineola at 7:03PM, but it was three minutes late, arriving at 7:06PM. The second train, was scheduled to leave Mineola at 7:06PM, so I missed my connection and had to wait an hour for the next train. I took advantage of the wasted hour by doing some trainspotting, and I saw Locomotive number 160 headed eastbound without a train.
The trains on the Huntington line run half-hourly on the weekends, but the trains on the Oyster Bay line run at 1:06, 3:06, 5:06, 6:06, 7:06, 8:06, 10:06 and 12:00 midnight.
There is a Bike Route that runs from Cold Spring Harbor RR station to Smithtown, called "bicycle route 25A: but it is not actually on 25A (a.k.a. Northern Boulevard), due to heavy traffic and a high speed limit ( and piecemeal road shoulders).
I started with two 23 ounce bottles of water, and I bought two more bottles of water at the Dunkin' Donuts in Syosset . I drank all that water!
Anyway, I had gotten of to a late start at four something PM, so I did not ride the bike route, but maybe I will some other time.

I met another cyclist on the train on the way back, and he had taken the train to Port Jefferson and rode his bike to Riverhead and back to Port Jeff. Riverhead is like seventy miles from New York City.

No incidents to report, all motorists passed with at least five feet of room. I haven't seen a road-rager in years. I think it's a good idea to mention the fact that 99.99% of motorists are good drivers. Let's give credit where credit is due.

reply to MLive:

It's a good thing that this bike trail network is being expanded. All kinds of people ride bikes; young and old, middle age and middle income too.
A rail trail might help keep bicycles off the streets, which is good if the bikes are going to slow or too fast. Bicycle racers sometimes exceed the speed limits, going forty or almost fifty in a thirty zone, which makes it difficult for motorists to pass. Recumbent bikes can exceed fifty five, so if a motorist passers a recumbent, and gets caught by the cops, it's the end of his driving days.
The Pere Marquette was known for it's fast trains, going back to the age of steam locomotives. The gentle slopes and wide curves should make a safe route for even the fastest bicycles. A lot of digging, with picks and shovels. went into the construction of the Pere Marquette roadbed. It's good that it's still being used and not going to waste.

http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2009/08/midland_wants_to_become_more_b.html

There are two things that don't make sense together. Bike Lanes AND Street Parking?
As a cyclist myself, I'd rather have it the way it is, without street parking. Build a Municipal Parking lot if you want parking.
Do we really need bike lanes? If motorists were more courteous, there would be no demand for bike lanes, it's called "sharing the road". Treat bikes like any slow-moving vehicle; if there's a tractor on a 4 lane road, motorists would use the left lane to pass. Same with bikes. Let the bikes have the right lane. There is not a constant flow of bicycle traffic, the current four lane striping would be fine. Road-ragers trying to prove the need for 'Jersey Barriers, and other bad drivers are digging a hole for themselves.
I drive a car too, and I never have a problem with other bicycle-riders.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090811/NEWS/908110375&s=d&page=1

FOUND pictures of my bikes on another site:

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread4037-57.html

That's London Fixed Gear and Single Speed dot com.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090822/OPINION04/908220305/-1/NEWS04

As for myself, I have a car and five bikes. All of my bikes are insured on the same policy that covers my car. There is no need to register the bikes, since the make, model, color and serial number are already on file with the insurance company. This system saves the Government money, because the DMV doesn't need to hire personnel to keep *duplicate* paperwork."


What?

What?

Whadaya mean; "what?". I've had my bicycles insured since 1986, when I first built a prototype of an Electric Moped, but it was classed as an "Experimental Vehicle". Haven't you ever been to Engineering School?

I rode seventeen and a half miles yesterday. A lap and a half around the Loop in Central Park, and back down to 34th Street on the Hudson River Greenway. There is a nice new bike lane on 106th Street.

Today I wrote this:

"The Bicycle is a wonderful invention. One can ride a bicycle four times further, in a day, than one can walk. And the Bicycle is powered by the same legs one would use to walk, no engine required.
The Bicycle (with properly inflated tires) is the most efficient form of transportation in the world.

Everyone should have a bicycle. One doesn't have to choose between a Bicycle and a Car, most people have both. Ride a Bicycle on the weekends and save the gas in the Car's gas tank for the Monday morning commute. "

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_13230675#article_comments

Whadaya mean; "what?". I've had my bicycles insured since 1986, when I first built a prototype of an Electric Moped, but it was classed as an "Experimental Vehicle". Haven't you ever been to Engineering School?

Engineering school has nothing to do with insuring bicycles under an auto policy. You make some pretty far-fetched claims, and that's one of them.

Engineering school has nothing to do with insuring bicycles under an auto policy. You make some pretty far-fetched claims, and that's one of them.

When I built the first prototype, my Insurance Agent insured it as an "Experimental Vehicle". As for simply adding a bicycle to an existing auto insurance policy, I guess that can be done. I have a couple of Electric Bicycles and they are also insured- the Law requires E-Bikes to be insured.

We should work together to get the word out that bicycles CAN and SHOULD be Insured. When an insurance claim is filed, the Insurance Companies do a better job of keeping track of how may accidents each motorist has had, than the Police. (Perhaps because there's Money involved).

Vehicular Homicide (Murder by Automobile), Aggravated Vehicular Assault, Harassment, Speeding and Defamation- These are a few of the things cyclists have to put up with. You can't have a fast lane without a slow lane. Bike lanes aren't for bicyclists to stay in, Bike Lanes are for motorists to stay out-of. If the road-ragers were put in prison, there would be no need for Bike Lanes. If one or two speeders were jailed, it would be a deterrent, and others would clean up their acts.
Read more: http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/story/1475408.html#ixzz0PmLtRuQK

The Bicycle is a wonderful invention. One can ride a bicycle four times further, in a day, than one can walk. And the Bicycle is powered by the same legs one would use to walk, no engine required. The Bicycle (with properly inflated tires) is the most efficient form of transportation in the world.

Everyone should have a bicycle. One doesn't have to choose between a Bicycle and a Car, most people have both. Ride a Bicycle on the weekends and save the gas in the Car's gas tank for the Monday morning commute.

http://forums.mercurynews.com/topic/san-francisco-asks-judge-to-lift-ban-on-bike-plan?source=article

Airbags won't be feasible on bicycles; however, there is a pedal powered vehicle known as a Velomobile, and it might be possible to install airbags on a Velomobile.
Let me back-pedal for a moment; a bicycle could have an airbag if the bike has a "Fairing", (windshield) to mount the airbag in.
I have recommended in the past, that if one wishes to experiment with the idea of a bicycle airbag, first try putting a large plastic bag full of styrofoam packing peanuts in a bicycles handlebar basket. This way one could get an idea of what to expect.

Here is a crash test of a faired bicycle hitting a concrete wall:
youtube.com/watch?v=-2VL7wow_tk

Here is another video, of a Velomobile and a second bicycle with the front-end of a Velomobile (copy and paste):

youtube.com/watch?v=HFpejO0GTqw

Such vehicles exist, but they are very rare. Velomobiles can get extremely hot inside, so they are not practical in Southern climates.
Consider that the automobile went through stages in it's development; Bumpers came first, then dashboards, then seatbelts, and lastly airbags. Don't forget Frame-Rails and the Crumple-Zone.

The video is of bikes (Velomobiles) built by an Engineering Student some twenty years ago, and the vehicles are not commercially available.

http://www.examiner.com/x-14111-Twin-Falls-Bicycle-Transportation-Examiner~y2009m9d1-Are-airbags-coming-to-bicycles--motorycles-have-airbags-so-why-not-bikes?#comments

I drive a car, but I like bicycling too. I have ridden my bicycle in Tennessee while I was stationed at a Military Base in TN. I live on Long Island, and sometimes I ride my bicycle in New York City.
Of the two, I have to say that I feel it is safer to ride a bike in New York City, than on the country roads in Tennessee. New York City has bicycle lanes. Tennessee has narrow roads with too much vegetation growing along the sides of the roads.
When I drive my car, I give bicyclists the same respect I would expect. If I come up behind a bicycle, I Check My Speed! That's why my car has a speedometer, and brakes. If I have to, I will wait, staying 200 feet behind the bike, until it is safe to pass, or I come to an intersection and have an opportunity to take a different road. You'd be surprised how many cyclists can do the speed limit, or at least twenty-something in a 30MPH zone.
My opinion is that Tennessee DOT needs to clear roadside vegetation, and the Police need to issue more speeding tickets.

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=97743&provider=top

http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2009/09/06/opinion/letters/04.txt#blogcomments

" The bicycle is supposed to be ridden in the road. However, there are motorists who yell "Get on the Sidewalk!" to bicyclists. Just ignore them, they don't know the rules.
I don't want to say anything about Bike Lanes, but there is an issue with Road Shoulders, a.k.a. Lane Margins. Not all roads have shoulders, there is no standardization. I would ride my bicycle to the right of the fog-line, on the shoulder, all the time if all roads had shoulders. Sometimes the fog-line is at the very edge of the pavement.
I finally made a concession to install a rear-view mirror on my bicycle, keep an eye out for cars (and trucks) coming from behind, and pull over to let traffic go by when necessary- I mean I pull to the edge, put my foot on the curb, and lean so the handlebar doesn't stick out. Only my tires are in the road, touching the curb, and they are only an inch or two wide (depending on which of my bicycles I happen to be riding). Most drivers are far enough left that I don't have to take such an extreme measure, but I do have to look at every car in my rear-view mirror.
Also, if I come to a parked car, I check my mirror, and if there is traffic coming, I wait for them to go by before passing the parked car. Again , this is a concession that I made, out of concern for my safety, and as a courtesy to motorists. There is no law saying I have to resort to such an extreme measure. Other cyclists will be furious if you tell them to do what I do. It is after all, the motorists obligation to watch where he or she is going. "