Originally Posted by
ptempel
I see a bunch of e-bike users in the city. But most of them are the food delivery guys. At least its one less car. I also see some speeding on the GWB sidewalk and think that is reckless behaviour. The sidewalk can be a little tighter than the Hudson Greenway MUP and it also has two areas that have four 90 degree turns to go around the bridge supports. Its easy to hit or "brush against" someone going in the opposite direction in those areas if you don't take a line far enough right to give them room. I once brushed up against a jogger in that area and apologized to her. So I learned my lesson on that a while ago.
Just had another ebike run-in last night. Was starting to head over the bridge, when I notice a guy coming up quickly behind me (and crossing over into the oncoming bike lane to pass another rider, in a spot that is VERY bad for that kind of move). As I keep going on the uphill, I look back again and see that he is pretty close behind me, barely pedaling, bolt upright and not looking particularly like a rider making an effort. So I try to wave him by but he doesn't do anything, just sitting right behind me. Eventually, when the bridge flattens out at mid span, I sit up and slow down a little, waving him by again with my left hand. Sure enough the doughnut hits the gas (or whatever you would call it), and decides to squeeze past me on the right.
So of course I decide to say to him that if he is going to ride that thing on the path, he needs to know what he is doing otherwise he is going to kill somebody (hyperbole, yes). Naturally he takes offense to this, and starts asking me what my problem is, and saying random nonsense like, "now I'm your problem." When the bridge started to go downhill, though, he dropped pretty far off behind me, so I'm thinking it must have been governed to 20mph or something, and that was the end of it. Just another clown.
Originally Posted by Zacster
I'm so hooked on cycling though that going out after work has become an interruption to my riding routine.
Ha, I'm the same way sometimes. If I'm going someplace just a few blocks away after work, I get there thinking, "what a tease." Or sometimes I ride farther to meet my GF, and I have to try and go super slow so that I'm not all sweaty (rarely works though, see below...)
Originally Posted by surak
Even when I set out making a mental note that I can take it easy if I'm not feeling 100%, once I'm out there, that goes out the ears and I just go for it.
Exactly! Sometimes I'll keep telling myself before a commute/ride, 'just take it easy, you aren't in a hurry and you need to save your energy...' Yet I always end up pushing at least a little bit. Just last night was headed to a soccer game that I knew would be pretty intense, so I wanted to stress my legs as little as possible. Didn't happen.
I'm not sure if the frenetic nature of NY streets has anything to do with it. No matter what the situation, there are always countless cars whizzing by you at some point, making you feel slow.