Northern California - Confessions: Father Pete is in the Confessional

We all have done stupid stuff concerning our bikes, be it a a broken law or something you've said or done...Now is a time to come clean and get this guilt removed from your soul...
It is time to confess here to your brethren...remove that horrible stain from your life.

Monsignor Pete...(the Popes hatchet man)
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/confession1234997684.jpg

I have sinned : (

Today I had an appointment at San Francisco General.
I really needed to make this appointment and in my haste to get out the door I forgot my bike lock! I remembered about a block from the hospital. No time to go back. In a panic I looked around in the surrounding wooded areas, but seemed like too much foot traffic and homeless encampments. I found an auxiliary building near the rear parking lot with a dumpster somewhat isolated. I decided to hide the bike behind the dumpster knowing full well how stupid this idea was. I needed to make this appointment and really didn't have much of a choice. I couldn't stop thinking about it while inside. When I came out I was sure it would be gone, but Lo and behold it was still there waiting for me!
Yes you're right...I'm a dummy, but a very lucky one.:o

Haha, for a second I was sure you were going to say that you hid it in the dumpster.

I would have just walked in with it like it was nothing. "This is my seeing-eye wheelchair."

I was afraid of dumster divers!

I rarely wear my helmet on my shortish daily bike commute. There, I said it. This wouldn't be a problem if the initial downhill wasn't screaming fast and twisty.

I had just rebuilt my Bianchi with sweet Ultegra 6600 parts acquired from kster and was heading out for a shakedown ride. I was just about to close the garage door and ride off when I realized I left the water bottles on the toolbox just inside the garage door. They were literally three feet from me. I leaned the bike on my car which was parked in the driveway; it was unsteady but the bottles were only three feet away I thought. I turned around to grab the bottles and crash, dropped on the drivetrain side. Scratched shifter and rear derailer, but luckily nothing bent and it still shifts fine.

Stupid thing was I just needed to shift the bike a little bit to steady it; stupid, stupid, stupid.

Ok...Doing a Photo shoot with my brand new SE PremiumBrew bike at the Golden gate bridge. I leaned the bike up with the pedal on the curb, then the wind came along and blew it over. Scratched the paint and Brookes saddle : (
2 hours old...people were laughing at me!

I rode up Kings Mountain road last Tuesday. It was evening - still light enough to see but I had my blinkie on the whole way to be seen. There was more car traffic going uphill than downhill and they were mostly careful when passing me. I only saw one other bike. The rider was wearing a webcor kit and descending as I was about 3/4 of the way to the top.

Shortly after I saw him, I heard another car approaching from behind me. I was approaching a sharp right handed hairpin turn (the last one before the top I think) and the car passed me just barely getting back into the proper lane in time. Then a *second* car, a Miata with the top down, passed me in the turn! I couldn't believe it and screamed out "@#*)!*ing idiot" at the top of my lungs. I'm pretty sure driver and passenger heard me but they kept on going.

Anyway I felt stupid immediately afterward for essentially instigating a confrontation on an isolated road with just me and my bike vs. two people in a car.

The rest of the way up the hill I kept thinking if the other cyclist had lingered at the top for another 30 seconds or a minute. He might have become another statistic :( But still I regret how I handled the situation.

Bless me Father, for I am a geek.

I thought I'd tighten that soft aluminum chain ring bolt just a little more....
Bought bib knickers on eBay for $24. Great Deal! Until MyLilPony pointed out people did not want to be viewing my butt crack through that thin material.
Put MyLilPony's bike on the roof rack in the dark and tightened the rear wheel holder down. What are the odds of it aligning perfectly with the valve stem? Pop!

Last Sunday, as I was coming down the hill by Aragon HS in San Mateo at 40 mph, I looked ahead and saw the light at the bottom was red (across the top of a T intersection). I figured if I just slowed down enough, by the time I hit the intersection, it would turn green just as I entered the intersection.

It didn't.

It still hadn't when I left the intersection.

Mea culpa, mea culpa (*thwap, thwap*)

I routinely run red left turn lights, but only after waiting for a cycle or two on the main light. I'm sorry, best I can do.

Oh, wait, I didn't stop and help the cyclist with a flat while on the way to the hospital the other day.... oh, wait, that was me with the flat and the hipsters wouldn't stop and even ask if i needed anything.....

boy, I'm batting 1000 here aren't I? ok, i give, how many feet do i have to climb in penance?

Yes my children you have sinned...
Now for your penance...

First you must go directly to your LBS kneel before a Steel hand built frame and repeat aloud three times Angelo-Fausto Coppi is my Lord and Savior

Sencondly thou shalt find a young hipster on a tricked out TARK bike and say to him...
"Nice Pants"

Thirdly...Eat a choclate power bar and wash it down with lemon gatorade.

You are forgiven...

Father Peter O'perv

A couple of weeks ago I was on that screaming descent on 1 from Stage to Tunitas Creek. There was a car stopped in a narrow part of the shoulder, and was sticking out slightly into the lane. Luckily there was no traffic going by and I swung out into the lane (where cars sometimes go 90-100 mph, don't ask how I know :rolleyes:).

As I went by, a woman stuck her head out with a camera to take a picture. I yelled, "Bad place to stop!" at her and she was totally startled. I did feel a bit bad about it afterward (although it was a bad place to stop).

Forgive me father Pete for I have sinned.:rolleyes:

In a moment of weakness, I bought another frame. It's Italian steel, so I am sure the Pope will forgive me...my wife on the other hand, may not...:cry:

Forgive me father Pete for I have sinned.:rolleyes:

In a moment of weakness, I bought another frame. It's Italian steel, so I am sure the Pope will forgive me...my wife on the other hand, may not...:cry:

Only a Venial sin my son....

First you must go directly to your LBS kneel before a Steel hand built frame and repeat aloud three times Angelo-Fausto Coppi is my Lord and Savior

I bought a car today. But it's to get my bike around the bay area better.

I bought a car today. But it's to get my bike around the bay area better.

There is a place for you in Heaven..;)

I bought a car today. But it's to get my bike around the bay area better.

http://www.limo-hirelondon.co.uk/images/hummer_tripe_axle.jpg :p

Forgive me Father Pete for I have sinned... although I feel that the other guy shares the blame as well!

I was in a turn only lane in my car (Yaris 2dr) and the light just turned red as the idiot driver in front of me tried to go straight and held everyone else up (again, in a turn only lane). So I decided I was impatient and made the turn before the cars came across the instersection. As I did a hipster ran into the side of my car. Now here's the "share the blame" part of my story. Since it was a turn only lane and the light was red, per the vehicle code, the fellow cyclist, is a "vehicle" and must adhere to the same vehicle codes I am supposed to as a driver. So I should have stayed put and he should have been stopped behind me. The bike lane ends right before the turn lane.

Instead, as I made a turn on the red the cyclist went on the right of my car and ran into me as I turned in the turn only lane. (and yes, I did have my blinker on.)

Now, he shouldn't have been on the right side of the lane I was in. But I should have waited for a green light. And I did stop to see if he was okay and apologize to him. However, he should also share some blame for making an illegal move like that. We as cyclists shouldn't assume drivers such as myself are aware of cyclists.

So forgive me for being impatient. But I feel I should share the blame with my fellow cyclist since both of us broke the law.

Bows head down...

Thy Hipster is a numbnuts...Purgatory for him!

I used to hate on people who did this move to avoid stopping on red, now I do it all the time...

http://eric.explosive.net/misc/fakey.png

I used to hate on people who did this move to avoid stopping on red, now I do it all the time...

http://eric.explosive.net/misc/fakey.png

Does this move have a name? I do it all the time and I have wondered.

1988, I bought my first Italian road bike, Colnago Superi....something. Built it with full Shimano Dura-Ace. Bought the parts NIB on blow-out sale, 75% off which had some custom engravings.

After 20 years, I'm still gathering Campy parts.

Does this move have a name? I do it all the time and I have wondered.

It's called the "ahpook shuffle"!! ;)

San Tomas (and Lawrence) has those annoying 17 minute red lights.

Does this move have a name? I do it all the time and I have wondered.

I describe it as "Double Right on Red".

It neglects the U turn, but people seem to get it.

When I commute home from work I ride on the sidewalk ... going the wrong direction too.

It's only for a tenth of a mile and the alternative would be waiting at a traffic light to make a left turn, riding the 0.1 miles, and then making another left turn onto my street. It's just much quicker and easier to take the sidewalk although I feel guilty each time I do it.

Forgive me father Pete for I have sinned.:rolleyes:

In a moment of weakness, I bought another frame. It's Italian steel, so I am sure the Pope will forgive me...my wife on the other hand, may not...:cry:

Pictures?

Forgive me father Pete for I have sinned.:rolleyes:

In a moment of weakness, I bought another frame. It's Italian steel, so I am sure the Pope will forgive me...my wife on the other hand, may not...:cry:

You're praying to the wrong deity, son.......

JB

I can imitate the sound of a bulb bicycle horn. And sometimes I will do it rather than say "on your left!" when passing others. It's so much easier.

Well this one guy was jogging and I was coming up on him. He started to move out in my path and I did the horn thing so he wouldn't run into me...

Oh HELL. How was I supposed to know the guy was so frikken sensitive? When I 'honked' he became startled and kinda.....well I would say "jumped" into the side ravine type area and tumbled down it. :eek:

I turned back to go find him and he was getting up so I asked if he was okay. Boy did he tell me off!! I think every word he said was a cuss word! :mad: I apologized, got back on my bike and left real quick before he got too close to me. :o

Pictures?

I don't have the frame yet but here are two pictures from the seller.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w119/steelblue99/nago1a.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w119/steelblue99/nago2.jpg



You're praying to the wrong deity, son.......

JB

I know. :notamused:

Wow! This is a nice one.

That's on the fringe of lust though! Will Monsignor Pete grant you an absolution?

I am sorry to say...Even the Monsignor would fall from grace if tempted with the lusty steel! : (

:roflmao2::lol:

Siu, I have to hear that!

Haha, for a second I was sure you were going to say that you hid it in the dumpster.

I would have just walked in with it like it was nothing. "This is my seeing-eye wheelchair."

you have a luxury that many of us do not. You could hide your bike in your amazing wonder beard.

Does this move have a name? I do it all the time and I have wondered.

I called it a 'right turn fakey' when I ranted about it in the Commuting forum lo these many years ago.

There's a 'right turn half-fakey' that is a more legitimate move, like a box turn except you go further down the right hand street before u-turning and ending up 90 degrees left of your original direction of travel.

Oh HELL. How was I supposed to know the guy was so frikken sensitive? When I 'honked' he became startled and kinda.....well I would say "jumped" into the side ravine type area and tumbled down it. :eek:

Oh, that reminds me of another recent one. I was descending Alpine, which has a lot of blind corners. Well, I came around a right, only to find someone on a recumbent, climbing, well onto my side of the road.

I swerved left around him, there was actually plenty of room, but he also swerved to his left and it caused him to fall over into the ditch. I asked him if he was ok, which he said he was, but I didn't stop to help (mostly because I was a bit miffed with him being on the wrong side of the road). I think he was also a bit embarrassed about it. I did feel bad about it afterward though. :o

I don't think helping a recumbent rider into ditch is a sin, is it?

It's not like you jammed a bicyclist or something....

I don't think helping a recumbent rider into ditch is a sin, is it?

It's not like you jammed a bicyclist or something....

:eek:

Pray you do not meet the divine retribution of the recumbent community. You know Ezekiel 25:17 dont you ? :)

PG17 rating on the link BTW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czb4jn5y94g

Well, I came around a right, only to find someone on a recumbent, climbing, well onto my side of the road.Lucky. It always seems to be cars for me. Oh, and cars don't swerve into a ditch. :P


Pray you do not meet the divine retribution of the recumbent community. You know Ezekiel 25:17 dont you ? :)I knew exactly what that link was going to be, but did that stop me from clicking? Not a chance.

You guys crack me up! :roflmao2:

you have a luxury that many of us do not. You could hide your bike in your amazing wonder beard.
Yeah! Right now I'm thinking how hard it's going to be to not call Alex WONDERBEARD the next time I see him... :roflmao2: