Northern California - More idiocy in Woodside

http://holierthanyou.blogspot.com/2009/07/more-from-san-mateo-county-sheriffs.html

You know.. bicycle Sunday must really drive them nutz...

You know.. bicycle Sunday must really drive them nutz...

Bicycle Sunday is only north of Woodside.

True, but it generates traffic in their 'hood'. Judging by their reactions to all things human powered I would venture to say anything in the same area code is reason enough for them to cycle through their speed dial settings:

1. Lawyer
2. Council Member
3. Sheriffs Hotline
4. Lawyer

I just want to say that while there is a lot of anti-wealth sentiment in this thread, we all should remember that correlation does not equal causation.

I think we cyclists go there because it's scenic and removed from the surface traffic, but also near to the cities/population/amenities. Those are the exact reasons that the housing there is so valuable/there are lots of wealthy homeowners.

So while some wealthy people do have inflated senses of entitlement (I work with stanford students, trust me...), it's not fair to say "All of Woodside this, all of Woodside that..."

I'd bet that the police are as tired as everyone about stupid nuisance complaints, and that those complaints emanate from the same 5% of people that ruin just about everything. They talk on their cell phones in movies, they text message while driving, they abuse customer service agents so much that we're all subjected to VR phone-tree screening.

I guess my point is that instead of getting into an un-winnable us vs. them mindset, we should try to remember that there are a$%&oles everywhere. Some unapologetic jerk cyclist takes the lane on the flats and delays traffic somewhere, sometime, and some unapologetic jerk driver makes it his or her mission to call the police and harass all cyclists everywhere.

I think the only thing we can do is lead by example. Let cars pass when possible, ask Team Milosh members to let cars pass if you see them obstructing, and try not to run stop signs in front of the police or when you'll obstruct traffic. ;)


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I still don't know what Team Milosh is man... please enlighten me.

I still don't know what Team Milosh is man... please enlighten me.

I think Ramon should take the origin of the word, but the example I saw was an entire group of guys kitted out in these death-metal looking black/grey/skulls/chains kits that were sponsored by tattoo parlors and smoke shops. They all had fancy bikes, 1 bottle, etc.

We passed them at the start of OLH. They got to the top, huffing and puffing, 5-6 minutes after us and proceeded to head to 84 on Skyline. It was super foggy, they had 0 lights, dark black/grey kits, and rode 15mph the whole way IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

We were stuck behind them, grinding the brakes the whole way when an SUV got within like 2' of one of them as we screaming "CAR BACK CAR BACK CAR BACK". I thought I was about to watch an idiot get thoroughly creamed.

Anyway, that's my understanding of the Team Milosh concept.

I still don't know what Team Milosh is man... please enlighten me.

Ramon, Chris and I have come across Team Milosh many times now. In a nutshell these guys appeared to be total poseurs.

1) They were kitted-out in bad-ass Rock Racing-style outfits (all black & gothic)

2) Most of them were sporting some serious looking tattoos

3) They were riding fancy, Italian bikes

After all was said and done they proceeded to set a blistering pace, up OLH, around 4-5 mph. Seriously.

So think of those guys as a combo of:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUaMzsNKR7Q

and this...

http://sweatngears.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/rock-racing-team-poster.jpg

:lol:

I must not be riding enough. Still haven't seen these dudes.

I'll be moving back to the Peninsula (from Santa Cruz) next week and historically have done a lot of my training in Woodside/Portola Valley. Just how bad is it? If a cop catches me rolling through a stop sign at 2mph, with no traffic at the intersection, after looking both ways, am I liable to receive a ticket? If so, that's a total buzzkill...

Ehhh... just look out for them.

I ride there all the time, haven't been cited yet.

They are only likely to nab you at obvious spots. Canada, Alpine (in PV), Sand Hill, Portola.

I would just say to keep it cool in those areas. You shouldn't have to worry on all the good climbs and descents.

I just want to say that while there is a lot of anti-wealth sentiment in this thread, we all should remember that correlation does not equal causation.

I think we cyclists go there because it's scenic and removed from the surface traffic, but also near to the cities/population/amenities. Those are the exact reasons that the housing there is so valuable/there are lots of wealthy homeowners.

So while some wealthy people do have inflated senses of entitlement (I work with stanford students, trust me...), it's not fair to say "All of Woodside this, all of Woodside that..."

I'd bet that the police are as tired as everyone about stupid nuisance complaints, and that those complaints emanate from the same 5% of people that ruin just about everything. They talk on their cell phones in movies, they text message while driving, they abuse customer service agents so much that we're all subjected to VR phone-tree screening.

I guess my point is that instead of getting into an un-winnable us vs. them mindset, we should try to remember that there are a$%&oles everywhere. Some unapologetic jerk cyclist takes the lane on the flats and delays traffic somewhere, sometime, and some unapologetic jerk driver makes it his or her mission to call the police and harass all cyclists everywhere.

I think the only thing we can do is lead by example. Let cars pass when possible, ask Team Milosh members to let cars pass if you see them obstructing, and try not to run stop signs in front of the police or when you'll obstruct traffic. ;)


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Why you gotta be all reasonable and making sense and stuff? :D

We passed them at the start of OLH. They got to the top, huffing and puffing, 5-6 minutes after us and proceeded to head to 84 on Skyline. It was super foggy, they had 0 lights, dark black/grey kits, and rode 15mph the whole way IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

We were stuck behind them, grinding the brakes the whole way when an SUV got within like 2' of one of them as we screaming "CAR BACK CAR BACK CAR BACK". I thought I was about to watch an idiot get thoroughly creamed.

Anyway, that's my understanding of the Team Milosh concept.

Well isn't that special. :notamused:

If anyone here knows anyone in this jackazz group, mind giving him a slap upside the head for me?

I think Ramon should take the origin of the word, but the example I saw was an entire group of guys kitted out in these death-metal looking black/grey/skulls/chains kits that were sponsored by tattoo parlors and smoke shops. They all had fancy bikes, 1 bottle, etc.

We passed them at the start of OLH. They got to the top, huffing and puffing, 5-6 minutes after us and proceeded to head to 84 on Skyline. It was super foggy, they had 0 lights, dark black/grey kits, and rode 15mph the whole way IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

We were stuck behind them, grinding the brakes the whole way when an SUV got within like 2' of one of them as we screaming "CAR BACK CAR BACK CAR BACK". I thought I was about to watch an idiot get thoroughly creamed.

Anyway, that's my understanding of the Team Milosh concept.

I've gotten stuck behind those guys before. :rolleyes:

Noon ride was forced to go single file on Portola (on the descent before OLH). I'm not sure that we were taking that much of a road. We were not stopped though, just yelled at over PA.

Good initial post Ygduf.
As for the cops pulling people over who don't ride within the bike lane.....seriously, most of us are drivers too, so why would we want to be mega annoying and not be extremely conscious of where cars are trying to drive? After all, they are much heavier. ;)
Those Milosh bike guys ... jeez. I'll wack one upside the head for ya, jobob. ;)