So I took a nice ride from Walnut Creek to Danville last night, about a 15 mile round trip. I'm riding down the Iron Horse Trail in Walnut Creek in the beginning of the ride, warming up at about 15 mph. There were a decent amount of people out taking a walk before sundown, but I was being very careful to give everyone a wide berth. I come up on this couple that has a dog on a leash, they are tying their shoes or something. I slow down a little and keep my eyes on the dog.
At the last second the woman decides its a good idea to let go of the leash so she can use her other hand to tie her shoes, and of course the dog scampers right in front of me and then sits down. I slam on the front brakes, and pull a terribly executed emergency stop, completely forgetting to brace myself for the coming g forces. The bike starts to stop (painfully slowly), and the whole time I'm watching little poochy getting very close to my front tire. Once it becomes clear I am not going to stop in time I completely lock my front tire up to save fido, thinking to myself how awkward it would be if I run over this poor couple's dog. Of course the bike tilts forward. hard. Rear tire comes up, and I go flying over the handlebars. I land hard on my shoulder and it feels like it partially dislocates pulling my rotator cuff bad. The dog scampers off, and I just lie down in a heap. I couldn't believe it.
Needless to say I am going to stay on the road from now on. Bike/pedestrian trails are overrated, I think I prefer car traffic to clueless evening strollers.
By the way how do you get better at stopping in emergency situations? When I practice I can accomplish the maneuver easily, but when I am surprised and have to make a split second decision to stop, I am never braced well enough, and I have about a 50% chance of flying over the handlebars (which hurts).
uspspro
04-11-08, 01:34 PM
Pull your weight back. Use more front brake than rear.
Also consider avoiding the obstacle. There is nothing wrong with using the grass if necessary.
mtnwalker
04-11-08, 01:39 PM
The very first thing you should do is to start slowing down in trails. 15 mph is way too fast for those areas especially if there are runners, walkers, children, and/or pets around. You just never know when someone or something will get in front of you.
bikingshearer
04-11-08, 03:10 PM
Also, use your voice - let pedestrians know you are there. I use the Lafayette-Moraga MUP regularly, and have developed the habit of saying "passing . . . on your left" to pretty much everyone I overtake. Say it loudly (but not shouting) and early. I have found that if I put a bit of a pause between the "passing" and the "on your left" that it alerts people that someone or something is behind tham, and they can then actually understand the significance of "on your left."
Alternatively, get and use a bell - early and often. I can't quite get behind the bell thing, but it seems to work.
The key is to do these things when people still have time to understand and react to the info you are giving them.
Also, that impulse you had that something bad was going to happen when you were first approaching was a good one. In the future, I suggest going with it - almost everytime I've had the feeling that the person I was approaching was about to do something dumb, they did. It's like driving on the freeway - after a while, you just develop a sixth sense for who is about to pull across three lanes of traffic at the last possible second to make that off ramp, and it works in riding, too. Trust that sixth sense. Much better to slow down or even stop when you don't have to than getting up close and personal with asphalt.
Hope you didn't do anything serious to you or your bike. And I hope you'll back out there soon.
cccorlew
04-11-08, 08:04 PM
You have to program your response to: GET BACK ON THE BIKE right away and then hammer that front brake. You'll stop really fast.
But I like the bail out idea too.
farandaway
04-12-08, 12:59 PM
Excuse me, but I think you have it backwards. A dog almost killed you on Iron Horse Trail yesterday.
farandaway
04-12-08, 01:02 PM
More accurately, an irresponsible dog owner almost killed you on Iron Horse Trail yesterday.
Ty.S
04-12-08, 05:12 PM
Also, use your voice - let pedestrians know you are there. I use the Lafayette-Moraga MUP regularly, and have developed the habit of saying "passing . . . on your left"
That works, but my favorite is just to scream at the top of my lungs
"OH MY GOD!! OH MY GOD!! I CAN'T STOP!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!"
That usually works exceptionally well :roflmao:
**end joke**
jpod
04-12-08, 06:25 PM
I ride that section of trail all the time. Most of the trail users have no proper etiquette. They'll just stop in the middle of the trail with there baby stroller and dogs blocking all traffic.
msincredible
04-12-08, 06:41 PM
A bicycle bell works far better than your voice.
Siu Blue Wind
04-12-08, 11:10 PM
I often ride that trail. I usually have run ins with kids that JUST had their training wheels removed. :eek:
Hope your shoulder is okay and you didn't damage the rotator cuff.
palisades
04-14-08, 11:13 AM
Thanks guys for the good advice, my shoulder was pretty sore for a couple days but it feels a lot better now. I've been thinking about it, and I can't believe I escaped with such little damage. I got real lucky.
I'm proud to say that it didn't stop me from climbing to the junction for the first time on Mount Diablo Saturday. Next weekend I'm hoping to make it to the summit.
jobob
04-14-08, 03:48 PM
I've had a bell on my bike in the past. There were several instances where I'd approach a group walking 3-4-5 abreast, completely blocking the path, and I'd be ringing that bell for all it was worth and it would be ignored.
After a while I just ditched the bell and now I rely on my voice. "Helloo... I'll be passing you soon .... Helll-lloooo, I'd like to pass you ... Helloooooo, bike coming up ... HI THERE!! I'D LIKE TO PASS IF THAT'S OK BY YOU!!" and so on. :p
See link --> http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Airzound-Bike-Horn/dp/B000ACAMJC/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1208209900&sr=8-1
x136
04-14-08, 03:56 PM
I've had a bell on my bike in the past. There were several instances where I'd approach a group walking 3-4-5 abreast, completely blocking the path, and I'd be ringing that bell for all it was worth and it would be ignored.
After a while I just ditched the bell and now I rely on my voice. "Helloo... I'll be passing you soon .... Helll-lloooo, I'd like to pass you ... Helloooooo, bike coming up ... HI THERE!! I'D LIKE TO PASS IF THAT'S OK BY YOU!!" and so on. :p
Hee hee, both suggestions have been considered. :D
msincredible
04-14-08, 05:17 PM
Unfortunately neither bike bells nor voice can be heard over the ubiquitous ipods. :rolleyes:
On my hybrid I had a nice traditional bell, with the full "ring-ring" (like in the Queen song). This worked a lot better than the bell that came on my Birdy, which has a single "ting".
mtnwalker
04-14-08, 06:03 PM
Unfortunately neither bike bells nor voice can be heard over the ubiquitous ipods. :rolleyes:
On my hybrid I had a nice traditional bell, with the full "ring-ring" (like in the Queen song). This worked a lot better than the bell that came on my Birdy, which has a single "ting".
So, that was you "ting"ing along that path on our way back to Market st. I thought it was Pete's better half all this time.
msincredible
04-14-08, 10:10 PM
So, that was you "ting"ing along that path on our way back to Market st. I thought it was Pete's better half all this time.
guilty as charged! :D
x136
04-14-08, 10:15 PM
I think I'm going to have to throw a bell into my cart the next time I order from Velo Orange or somewhere. Just for fun. :)
BlastRadius
04-14-08, 11:25 PM
I've got bells on my bikes for the part of my rides that hit Sawyer Camp Trail. I usually only use it when there's lots of people, otherwise just calling out "passing" is sufficient.
farandaway
04-15-08, 04:26 PM
I may be missing something, but I strongly doubt that a dog would respond to any of the above-mentioned warnings by politely moving out of the way.
msincredible
04-15-08, 08:48 PM
When I am walking my dogs on the trail and a bicyclist gives warning, I move us all over and keep the dogs on a really short leash.
kudude
04-17-08, 09:28 AM
15 mph is fine on that trail.
+1 on getting your weight back. If you lock your brakes but push your butt back over the saddle you can stop quickly w/o going over the handlebars. As far as getting better -- ride more. You'll be surprised how much more comfortable you are on a bike after a couple of thousand miles.
jonathanb715
04-17-08, 10:45 AM
I would tend to agree that 15mph is fine - most of the time. However, just like with driving, it is the responsibility of the person passing to make sure it's safe to do so! Part of that is calling out (or using a bell).
And in crowded sections there's no way you can do 15mph, especially if it's around the time schools get in or out. I can think of a dozen schools on or very close to the trail between Dublin, San Ramon and Danville. My kids cross the trail on the way to their school - I had to work hard to get them used to the idea that it was like a road, and they really needed to look both ways before crossing.
Personally, I find the Iron Horse trail frustrating to ride on (not just all the other users, but all the stop signs, crossings, etc.), especially in San Ramon and Danville. I mostly stick to the streets unless I'm riding with my kids. In Walnut Creek, I can understand using the trail more - some streets just are not bike friendly (Ygnacio, anyone?), but the trails are mostly very frustrating places to put in your miles.
JB
kudude
04-17-08, 11:39 AM
I would tend to agree that 15mph is fine - most of the time. However, just like with driving, it is the responsibility of the person passing to make sure it's safe to do so! Part of that is calling out (or using a bell).
And in crowded sections there's no way you can do 15mph, especially if it's around the time schools get in or out. I can think of a dozen schools on or very close to the trail between Dublin, San Ramon and Danville. My kids cross the trail on the way to their school - I had to work hard to get them used to the idea that it was like a road, and they really needed to look both ways before crossing.
Personally, I find the Iron Horse trail frustrating to ride on (not just all the other users, but all the stop signs, crossings, etc.), especially in San Ramon and Danville. I mostly stick to the streets unless I'm riding with my kids. In Walnut Creek, I can understand using the trail more - some streets just are not bike friendly (Ygnacio, anyone?), but the trails are mostly very frustrating places to put in your miles.
JB
fair enough.
palisades
04-17-08, 12:47 PM
I agree with the comment about parts of the Iron Horse trail being frustrating to ride on, I usually just take the trail from Treat Blvd to Danville Blvd, and then get off and onto the road. Does anyone have any alternative routes that are cyclist friendly? I live near the Pleasant Hill Bart, and I like to go on 10-15 mile rides on the weeknights after work. I used to take the trail north through Concord to the airport for a quick weeknight ride, that route has much less stop signs and traffic, but since the weather has warmed up there is an obscene amount of insects flying around near the arroyo. Makes it hard to breath.
jonathanb715
04-17-08, 01:32 PM
We started a Morgan Territory ride at the Pleasant Hill Bart a while back (the same day Ms. Incredible led a BF ride), and my friend mapped out a route into Clayton using mostly back roads. Not flat like Danville Blvd, though - lots of rolling hills but no major climbs. I'll look and see if I can find the route somewhere - the part into Clayton would make for a very nice out and back ride.
JB
paxtonm
04-17-08, 01:55 PM
Lots of peds are pretty clueless. Last summer, my wife and I (both cyclists) were walking with our two teenage daughters along the path paralleling the Willamette in Portland. As we ambled along, I heard "on your left" and stepped to the right hand verge. Daughters continued to dawdle along, ignoring my suggestion that they move and become aware of their surroundings. Finally I gently directed one to the side with my hands on her shoulders, lest she be knocked to the ground. I was given a tongue-lashing for my trouble.
CJ_Clyde
04-24-08, 02:22 PM
On multi-use trails, cyclists have to yield to everyone. I ride, walk, and walk my dog on that trail, and sometimes people just get in each other's way unintentionally. As a cyclist, my responsibility is to ride slowly enough to handle any situation. If I want to ride fast, I ride on SRV Blvd.