Commuting - Just can't let your guard down...

The first 20 minutes of my trip home are in traffic. I'm constantly watching side roads, checking my rear view mirror, trying to stay alert for trouble. But after 20 minutes, I spend the rest of my ride on residential streets that are usually quiet and peaceful, even during rush hour. Tuesday night, I was in this area riding downhill on a curvey road with houses on one side and a golf course on the other. I saw a car coming up the hill and, as I rode into the curve, realized he was on my side of the road. I went into the gutter and he just barely missed me. I could have slapped his windshield with my left hand. I stayed upright and my mind started racing with dumb ideas like turning around and chasing him or I should have put my water bottle in his windshield. I'm learning...can't let your guard down.

I'm still thinking I could mount a small rocket launcher on my handlebars next to my bike computer...or maybe a handy little zip-lock bag of doggie-do??

Quiet and peaceful streets can be more dangerous than busy highways some times. Usually on the highway, everyone using it is going somewhere, so they don't often think to "target" a cyclist. That isn't always the case on the back streets.

People backing out of driveways on side streets can be a danger, too. And some side streets are used as shortcuts by people wishing to avoid nearby controlled intersections: since they're in a hurry anyway, the danger of their speeding presence is compounded by their distracted minds. So side streets offer a lot of possibilities for trouble. I really prefer a fairly well travelled street, myself.

No, you can't let your guard down.

But think of this: if this Bozo had crossed into your lane while you were driving a car, you might have had a head-on collision. This almost happened to me while driving many years ago in my 1974 Plymouth Valiant.

I ended up in someone's yard (no collision, however.)

Expect the unexpected. :thumbup:

I've had a number of occasions where some oncoming idiot will pass another car with no regard to me. Very scary.

Yep, a full waterbottle through his windsheild would serve him/her right, but it all happens too quickly and I'm too busy saving my own @ss.

Also, I'm working on curbing my road rage.

Louis

Originally posted by Louis
Yep, a full waterbottle through his windsheild would serve him/her right, but it all happens too quickly and I'm too busy saving my own @ss.

Also, I'm working on curbing my road rage.


Not to mention the fact that it's a waste of perfectly good water (and the bottle as well).

Probably be that redneck's first tase of plain water.

On a similar note, I was going south on Rt.58 here in Ohio a few years ago when a redneck threw an unopened can of beer at me from the car he was riding in as it passed from behind.

It caught me right in the back. Luckily I didn't swerve or crash.

Louis

Originally posted by Louis
Probably be that redneck's first tase of plain water.

On a similar note, I was going south on Rt.58 here in Ohio a few years ago when a redneck threw an unopened can of beer at me from the car he was riding in as it passed from behind.

It caught me right in the back. Luckily I didn't swerve or crash.

Louis
If I ever appear to be prejudiced against motorists, this is why (this, and the lady on her cellphone who stops just in time to avoid killing me, with a look of suprise that says, "Oh! Hang on, dear, while I avoid this bicyclist...")

That said, I also drive a car, but I don't prefer it on good riding days. :)

Lets not forget the mistakes we've all made, both on the bike and in our cars.

Spanners. Not sure about Israel. Often in the US cyclists are resented and some 'mistakes' are not mistakes. Motorists don't accidentially throw soda cans at someone. Do you ever experience this resentment in the rest of the world.? I think the ocassional redneck just resents fact, some do all they can to not be a fat slob and not taken in by the sancity of the motor vehicle.
But yes, you are mostly right we all make mistakes.

Originally posted by cyclezealot
Spanners. Not sure about Israel. Often in the US cyclists are resented and some 'mistakes' are not mistakes. Motorists don't accidentially throw soda cans at someone. Do you ever experience this resentment in the rest of the world.?

Yes I do. Almost everyday. It also annoys me that any mistake a cyclist ever makes will be multiplied by motoring primates and the media by about 50 times, while the lardbutts can make all the 'mistakes' they like and not a word is ever said.

I had a moment, where a VW van cut me off making a turn. I saw him in his mirror looking to the parking lot, and instinct said watch out. He cut right, in front of me, and I went to a full lock skid (instinct took over, so I wasn't with it enough to modulate front and back brakes). I missed him, but I had turned right, and ended up laying it down, vice hitting the curb.

I got up, very angry, and several people saw what happened. I walked up to the van. A very nice, elderly man came out and looked at me with some what fright (I guess 6 foot two, 190 lbs in spandex can look scary, I don't know). I told him, after two or three seconds of deep breath, what happened.

He shrugged and said, he was sorry, and that he noticed me when he went by, but just didn't think about it.

At that point, what can you do? I wasn't hurt. The bike was ok. And it got my heart rate up.

There are two bike accesories that you can carry to helpy out. Large pepper spray, or the canned air horn like used at ball games.

Pepper spray works good for the bad side of town (and also, in the vents of the intake for a car with the AC on), or, on dogs.

An air horn, on the other hand.. may be bulky, but hey. I tell you what. It sure opens the eyes of some little kid in a wannabe race car honda who gets stuck in the bike lane after some stupid passing manuver :D

Maybe I am not being objective. Just I have toured in California, France, Italy, Spain, Florida. In Europe, going into town centers or stores the local population treated cyclists with awe. I got applauded at stop lights, Really. Heah, I look like no pro. It is just the national sport. When the Giro or the Tour in on the whole country is glued to the TV set for the entire three weeks. it was great.
Going up hills on narrow roads, cars would slow down and make room for cyclists without any sign of impatience. Even on a steep grade, I recall high school looking girls, extending hands out of car windows and applauding your progress.That was my experience. The U.S. West coast is somewhat more accepting of cycling that the urban eastern U.S. I think. In Florida, the older drivers would as well mow you down as look at you.
My point. Mabye the Australian mind is somewhat like the American mindset, in many ways. So many Americans think?
I say it is that our two countries has the highest consumption of beer.? Blame it on the beer. But unfortunately, your beer is better than ours.

Originally posted by William Karsten
At that point, what can you do?

Go and see the cops. You mightn't always be able to press charges, but they usually give people like this a phone call to "remind them about road safety". Heck there's always a way to make a pain in the @$$ of yourself.


Originally posted by William Karsten
My point. Mabye the Australian mind is somewhat like the American mindset, in many ways. So many Americans think?

I have found my experiences with traffic while touring (and even on long single day rides) to be markedly different. I think in urban areas, people are just looking for a scapegoat on which to blame for the futility of auto travel.

Yeap. No matter where you are, you are treated better out in rural areas, than in urban. almost anywhere in the world. Anyone heard about how bike/car relations are going in Paris,France?
I once read the new Mayor of Paris is an avid cyclist. He is taking out car lanes and converting their useage to cyclists. Even on some of the expressways. That might really fray some auto primates nerves.
Like to think the People of Paris are behind this move. The new mayor claimed, cars are destroying his city. Choking it to death. He is right. Paris has an excellant subway system. It is far more rewarding than fighting oneself on the Perriferique. Good luck to the new mayor.

Originally posted by Chris L
[B]

Go and see the cops. You mightn't always be able to press charges, but they usually give people like this a phone call to "remind them about road safety". Heck there's always a way to make a pain in the @$$ of yourself.

Chris,

The point (that you missed) is that he made a mistake, he was admitted it, and was sorry. At that point, calling the police, and making it even more miserable for him, would have been counterproductive.

I would like to hope for the next few days, he looked out more for the cyclist. Of course, that probably only last a few days.