Southern California - Fun notes from todays ride

So today I had plans to do hill repeats (oh joy). Since at the moment I only have HR monitor (jury rigged with duct tape in true broke student fashion) and I was feeling lazy I went for a three and a half our LSD ride. I don't know why I even bother checking weather report. The "sunny weather with temperatures in 70's" translated to freezing my ass off on PCH with fog blocking out the sun. I had flash backs to Mist, I saw few weeks back, on some sections of PCH. The sun did come out around Sunset Beach, and on the way back fog was burned off. So I guess they did get it somewhat right.

Anyway I saw more cyclists today then in the last three weeks. I guess those New Year resolutions are starting to kick in. I also saw many on a side of the road looking kind of clueless fixing flats. Coincidence? Probably. The common scene was a guy or a woman, fumbling with stuff with buddies standing around looking lost. Saw a bunch of cyclists (and motorists) doing some stupid stuff. Including one guy on a bike ride to the divide on PCH, get off his bike and walk across it and other side of the PCH. There was a light he could have used 200 feet ahead. :rolleyes: I saw another roadie, when I was riding to the lab in the afternoon, going the wrong side of the road on University. The dude merged in to traffic (heading for him), to pass me. :eek:

Of course a ride won't be complete without some demonstration by a motorist that they have no clue what the rules of the road are. I was making a left turn from New Port Coast to San Joaquin, looking over my shoulder, signaling. Generally trying not to become a pancake (I am allergic to dying). On final merge to the left turn lane there was this huge tank err I mean Escalade behind me. Of course driver hit the horn. Even thought I signaled, and she was making the same left turn. As we were waiting for green, I asked what a heck is her problem.
Response: "You swerved across the lanes, you are on a bike."
Me: Umm I didn't "swerve" I carefully merged each time looking over my shoulder and signaling my intention.
Response "You are on a bike"
Me: So, I have every right to be on the road
Response: You are no a car, you are on a bike. You need to use crosswalk.
Me, trying to remain calm since I am wearing a team kit: Learn the laws bikes have every right to be on the road.
Anyway, it ended up with her telling me that she knows the laws, and I don't, and me telling her that she doesn't, as she rolled up the window. The whole time her mother, was agreeing with her. I guess stupidity runs in the family. By the way this wasn't some teenager, woman was in her late 30's.

Interesting day it's like some institution released all the idiots on to the roads today.

Of course a ride won't be complete without some demonstration by a motorist that they have no clue what the rules of the road are.

I feel your pain. I was commuting home last night trying to make a left turn. I look over my shoulder and notice a MB (not Mr Beanz but a Mercedes Benz) about 50 ft behind. I signal with my left hand, indicating I'm taking the lane to make a left. Next thing I know, the MB is on my rear wheel, honking it's horn, the driver (older lady) looking flabergasted. My guess was that she didn't either see me (which is innane, the street lights provided enough illumination and I have my lights in fully eye searing blink mode (Planet Bike Super Flash)... well maybe not eye searing but very noticeble... not to mention but I have a very bright orange jacket OR she didn't know what hand signals are used for (I'm leaning toward this guess).

The look on the lady's face was laughable... my first reaction was to stop the bike in front of her car and give her a verbal thrashing. However, I thought about how this must be someone's mom or grandmother... and I wouldn't want anyone doing that to my mom due to ignorance. I just laughed it off and went on my way.

Sometimes, it's just better to laugh it off. :p

Yeah, but she was in Newport driving her Escalade, she must be better than you and know more than you :rolleyes:

Mr Beanz, Mercedes Benz, Samething. Except one's Mexican and one's German!:D

A lot of people feel they way that driver does. In today's "road rage" climate and "have to get somewhere/nowhere fast" attitude, consider yourself lucky the driver didn't decide to tailgate or bump/nudge you out of the way...and some will do it just for laughs or are looking for confrontation. Seen a few that will lay on the horn and then try to get around you. In some areas/intersections, I use the crosswalks and just add a few minutes to my commute/ride just to be on the safe side. But it's something one has to decide what is the best course of action.

M'eh! I don't pay attention to 'cyclist/driver' debate anymore. I've seen cyclist driving with bikes racked on the back of the vehicle flying around turns in the center of a town covered with heavy pedestrian traffic. Not long ago, I saw an Incycle SUV with Incycle decals driving right through stops signs in the Claremont College area. Not one but several! But would prolly be the first to go complain on bike forums about the treatment drivers display towards cyclists.

Face it, most people suck! :D

M'eh! I don't pay attention to 'cyclist/driver' debate anymore. I've seen cyclist driving with bikes racked on the back of the vehicle flying around turns in the center of a town covered with heavy pedestrian traffic. Not long ago, I saw an Incycle SUV with Incycle decals driving right through stops signs in the Claremont College area. Not one but several! But would prolly be the first to go complain on bike forums about the treatment drivers display towards cyclists.

Face it, most people suck! :D

When did Incycle start manufacturing SUVs? I know the car you are referring to and trust me the owner would not come on bikeforums in his spare time to complain about the treatment drivers display towards cyclists. Instead he'd probably be doing something like he is this weekend. Trying to grow the sport by organizing a junior development camp. I know no one on here is a perfect driver but it's kind of funny when you directly call somebody out. Didn't your lovely Gina recently get a ticket for going through flashing lights at the train tracks? Flashing lights mean the same thing as a stop sign. STOP!

When did Incycle start manufacturing SUVs? I know the car you are referring to and trust me the owner would not come on bikeforums in his spare time to complain about the treatment drivers display towards cyclists. Instead he'd probably be doing something like he is this weekend. Trying to grow the sport by organizing a junior development camp. I know no one on here is a perfect driver but it's kind of funny when you directly call somebody out. Didn't your lovely Gina recently get a ticket for going through flashing lights at the train tracks? Flashing lights mean the same thing as a stop sign. STOP!


Yes, and I did mention that I balled her out knowing that it was wrong. She could have gotten herself killed and nobody should drive unsafely, didn't I? I don't think the guy is any better than Gina and doesn't deserve better or any different treatment either! Stop means stop.

Plus the markings on the road are a little different than stop sign. They can be confusing don't you think? DO I stop at this line or that line? A stop sign is clearly posted as a "stop right here"!

I don't know who it was, all I know is he reflects the bahavior and attitude of cyclists. Not stopping at stopsigns shows the general population that if we don't care and don't obey the law, then why should they!

Steve, when it comes to cyclists' rights ignorance reigns supreme. After 10am I rarely venture into heavily trafficked areas here in S Barb, seeking out back roads and climbs that have very few cars.

If I lived in a densely populated area I'd stop riding, period, as the typical driver just has no clue. The only way this is going to get better is if cyclists's rights are a core part of drivers ed.

At the same time the police need to protect cyclists, and cite drivers who are in clear violation of the law. If you really want to get your blood boiling read Bob Mionske's recent columns on VeloNews.com regarding incidents in Portland, Oregon where obvious driver misconduct has gone unpunished.

Even when negligent drivers are cited the punishment is meager at best. Remember Kendra Payne, UCSB triathlete? The semi driver who ran her down on a mountain road barely wide enough for one semi let alone a semi and a cyclist was given a 3 year suspended sentence. For taking a life!

At the same time cyclists do themselves NO favors, running stop signs, and antagonizing drivers by not staying to the right when cars want to pass. On our Sunday Worlds ride we run a stop sign into a 90 degree blind right hand turn coming down a descent at 25+ mph, while the traffic we are merging with comes down another hill at 40+!!! Good gawd!! I sent an email to the racing community in SB looking suggesting we slow down, look and then proceed, at that stop sign, and three or so people wrote back and said that I shouldn't do the ride. I guess its going to take someone getting killed for us to change our behavior. I now stop there, even if it means I lose the break and go OTB.

It's ugly out there, and its why I will NEVER encourage my kids to get into cycling. Glad you're ok.

gene r

:lol:that's funny, the owner of the incycle van is a friend of mine. i'll tell him how evil he is!

:lol:that's funny, the owner of the incycle van is a friend of mine. i'll tell him how evil he is!


It wasn't a van, it was an SUV.:rolleyes:

It's ugly out there, and its why I will NEVER encourage my kids to get into cycling.
I agree with a lot of your other points - but if I applied a similar standard as this to other activities (http://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/comparat.html), I wouldn't let my kid travel in the back seat of my car, or even let him leave the house for that matter.

Yeah, there are drivers ignorant about cyclists rights out there. Ignorant drivers may honk or dish out verbal abuse (and BTW, I see this a lot more in wealthy areas!), but as long as they see you they will not hit you - hitting you when they know you're there requires much more than ignorance. The trick is not to let an encounter with them escalate into a road rage situation - because we'll be on the losing end if it does. When they honk or roll down the window, I try to avoid verbal contact with the driver if possible - if I don't ignore it, I give a wave of acknowledgment, but not one that can be mistaken for a one fingered salute! If I am in a situation where I'm talking to a driver, I try to be polite but firm - much like the OP. Then it gets to the point where the light turns green and driver doesn't want to waste any more time and just takes off.

Speaking of Mionske's columns, I've started reading his book "Bicycling and the Law". He doesn't just talk about the law, but also common car/bike crash types and how to avoid them, liability on organized rides, etc. I'm only halfway through but I'd still highly recommend it.

There is certainly room for improvement out on the roads, and riding is not 100% safe (but what is?), but even with the current state of affairs I feel the risks of riding out there are low enough compared to the benefits. That's why I'm out on the road and not on a stationary bike in the gym.

...but if I applied a similar standard as this to other activities

Point well taken Brian, and I am most likely erring on the extreme side of caution, but I know I couldn't live with myself if one of my kids was seriously hurt because they became hooked on cycling based on my pushing them into it. I guess I'd rather see them take their risk on the basketball court or baseball diamond. I'm not saying I'm right to have this kind of attitude, it's just my perspective at this point.

gr