jfowler85

Yep, and you're still replying

No need to implore; I'm currently at work where the premise of my job is serving those in need. In between clients/customers/people I reply to dumb comments for my own enjoyment. I rode a very well known bike trail this am, took a nice hill and encountered little traffic other than newly-returned college kids on fall training schedules. It was 51f when I left, and it will be about 75f when I leave from work around 4:15pm. Pretty soon I'll need to strap the head and tail lights as the earth tilts into our autumn axis. Just got done purchasing some Conti Top Contact Winter IIs at a steal of a deal so I can keep riding through our nasty winter which will be here in a couple of months.

What I meant by the real world comment was - if your definition of community is in the context of an online forum, then you could use some real social interaction with people in the physical world. You seem to have missed that.

Hypno Toad

Nice tires, I use one on the rear paired with a Nokian Mount and Ground on the front for my winter commuter. There's no good reason to stop enjoying the ride because of snow, ice and cold.

And I'm happy you can get all your curmudgeonly comments out on the anonymous forum, allowing to you to be nice to the clients that pay for you to have a job.

rmfnla

Every now and then my wife and I encounter "the peloton" on our morning rides.

My favorite is when they try to crowd us on the bike path.

Both my wife and I are experienced riders so we not only hold our lines we make it clear that we are not intimidated.

No shortage of a$$holes here in L.A...

jfowler85

Good to hear, I'm looking forward to commuting with said tires.

The people that come here generally don't pay for the services we give them...in a twist of irony, you as a taxpayer are the one who foots their bill. In other words, you're also paying for me to get on here an instigate you into an argument

How's that for hump-day humor, chief?

bmthom.gis

By far the worst riders I see are the people who ride a bike out of necessity. Always on the sidewalk, usually the wrong side of the road, weave from sidewalk to crosswalk and back again, generally following no established traffic patterns or rules. The roadies in lycra might run the occasional light or stop sign, but only once they slow enough to know nobody is coming. The big group around here stops at every red and stop sign (unless the stop sign is clear, which isn't uncommon down here). The accidents cause in the biggest group ride are to each other from either riding too close and overlapping someone's wheel or not paying complete attention. It's mostly in the A group, and I have only had to see the unfortunate aftermath of it once. It put me off riding for a solid week or so.

unterhausen

I merged the thread in commuting with this one, so sorry if anyone posted in both threads.

As far as the OP goes, I feel your pain, I have seen some really stupid roadie behavior. Nothing really to be done about it, but I'm glad you came here to vent

Hypno Toad

Laughing my a$$ off!

Here is my last off-topic post for this thread, bring together many nuggets from this dialog: GoPro, YouTube, winter tires, and laughing:


Pro tip: don't have your winter bike in parts when the first snow hits... summer tires + ice = yep, ugh

LesterOfPuppets

So it wasn't Optum. Musta been those Jelly Belly guys.

Actually the OP says there were 40 riders, so probably 3 teams and a few hangers-on.

jfowler85

Video does not involve fist fight with a driver : (

LesterOfPuppets

I think is was just slight misjudgment on the OP's part coupled with a misjudgment on the peloton's part.

OP probably underestimated the speed of the peloton and didn't move from the shoulder to the left turn position in a timely manner, thus giving the lead riders of the peloton the impression that passing on the left would be the safest route around the OP.

So the OP's underestimation and the peloton's false impression just collided in a perfect storm. Luckily no one was hurt.

Ride on.

kickstart

That's more in line with what I've experienced. Usual MO is a single file with one out rider off to the side of the 2nd or 3rd rider to herd other MUT users out of their way. Very often several riders will be a running strobing lights aimed high. Coupled with their forceful verbal "warnings", the message is clear, move-it-we're-coming-through.

Fortunately most club rides I encounter are a bit more civilized.

GP

We always say "Good Morning!!". We may run your slogging butt off the road but we're polite about it.

kickstart

Being a Clyde on a Dutchie has its advantages, I get to play Moses parting the roadie sea...politely.

Fishguy

Mr IGH....If it had been in the open road then yes...no big deal. I would have pulled over and let them go by...I probably would have jumped on the wagon and gotten pulled home. But this was a busy intersection with lots of cars. There was just disregard for the safety of anyone else and it did smack of arrogance. It does give cyclists a bad image...and I care about cycling. Imagine what kind of opinion this kind of behavior instills in motorists who are looking for a reason to be pissed off at cyclists and call the sheriff, etc (this has happened in both Boulder and Larimer Counties, Colorado). Thanks,

Fishguy

Lester...Nah...they weren't pros...they seemed like a post work group ride.

LesterOfPuppets

Aww bummer. Proximity to the USA Pro Challenge got me all excited for a brush with greatness story.

genec

Does it give any more of a bad image to cyclists than a pack of Asian mini cars racing through the steets, or a bunch of lowriders slowly cruising the boulevards, or the sight of a hyper jacked up truck dominating the street, or a diesel doing the "rolling coal" thing or any two muscle cars drag racing from light to light.

I mean golly gee, seems like there are so many ways to exercise bad behavior that might upset "the public."

kickstart

Yet Asian mini cars, lowriders, jacked up trucks, diesel trucks, and muscle cars came to mind when you thought about negative images of road users. Actions do leave lasting impressions, and shouldn't be dismissed just because others are guilty too.

Fishguy

Ha! Now I can fill up your inbox with witty replies...maybe double or triple replies!

Fishguy

Gotta get my post count up so I can move out of newbie status...OK I'll stop now...

GP

I came across the Rock Racing team a few years ago in the Santa Monicas. They waved and said hi.

jgadamski

What we originally called 'bike paths' are now MUPs.. multi use paths. They are set aside for all human powered activity. I have witnessed all sorts of poor operation on MUPs. My fear is if cyclists push all other users off MUPs by such agro riding, or poor riding skills, poor judgement, whatever the cause, the desire for more MUPs will cease.
Which is somewhat off topic for the current discussion. Sorta. Agro-fred style racing on streets is as unwelcome as cars or motorcycles doing the same stuff, for the same reason.
But I have never been in the situation described. Most peletons I encounter have experienced and polite enough folks to verbally do an 'passing left' or whatever. Sounds like some serious discussion is due on a local level.

scott967

This thread brought a similar experience to mind. Was coasting up to a light that changed (in a jersey/bike shorts -- does that count as "kit"?). The shoulder I was on was fairly wide and I was easing to the right so I could put my right foot on the curb at the stop. Some commuter came up from behind, passed me on the right (just squeezing between me and the curb) and blew the light. This is what gives commuters a bad name and it rubs off on all of us.

scott s.
.

genec

Very good point... somewhat answers the question.

pacificaslim

Personally, I strive to ride, drive, or walk in such a manner that I don't force others to slow down or stop to avoid me. This means I do not change lanes unless I am going faster than the speed of the people in the new lane I'm joining or crossing. And so... If I wanted to cross a lane of traffic to get into a left turn lane like the OP, I certainly wouldn't just cut in front of faster approaching traffic (the "roadies") and expect them to accommodate me. I'd have planned ahead and/or sped up to assure I'd cross their path before they got up to me. It's common courtesy