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Found a New Way to Fall (almost)

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Old 08-06-14, 01:36 PM
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Found a New Way to Fall (almost)

On my way to work this morning,somebody right hooked me and I had to brake hard.I slammed on the brakes and the front wheel skidded sideways,causing me to swerve into morning commute traffic (not fun).

Luckily I managed to control the bike somewhat and didn't fall.After regaining my composure,I went back to see what happened,why my front wheel washed out.

I figured oil,water,grease....Nope.

Instead it was the plastic top from somebodys coffee cup.My front wheel was on top of the lid when I hit my brakes......What's next.
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Old 08-06-14, 01:46 PM
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Great, something else to worry about.

Seriously, glad you didn't hit the street or end up in front of traffic.

At certain times of the year, I fear wet leaves when cornering, especially in the morning when it is dark.
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Old 08-06-14, 02:01 PM
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This is your first encounter with plastic trash? That stuff is right up there with wet leaf snot and loose gravel in the navigation hazard department...
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Old 08-06-14, 02:06 PM
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Glad you are OK!

You know what terrifies me, is the reflective plastic they've been using instead of paint for road lines. That stuff has NO GRIP in the wet. Includes the paint they put on curbs in places (usually yellow). Every time i ride, i avoid the thick bit of it on crosswalks & try to never ever ride parallel on a line for more than a few feet.

I think for crosswalks, inlaying blocks of concrete or having textured asphalt would work better, and you wouldn't have to constantly re-apply the slippy plastic or paint.

As for debris on road, i think street sweepers need to be more frequently used. How much crap ends up on roads these days is astonishing.

- Andy
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Old 08-06-14, 02:51 PM
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No-spill lid slide - that's scary, and even more because I never considered it. Some Big Gulp addict could have emptied his litter bag at random, and you'd never see it coming.

It almost sounds like a fixie trick though.
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Old 08-06-14, 03:04 PM
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I don't commute clipped in, just for those reasons. Front wash out happens too quick. Hey, nice save!
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Old 08-06-14, 05:36 PM
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Originally Posted by TransitBiker
Glad you are OK!

You know what terrifies me, is the reflective plastic they've been using instead of paint for road lines. That stuff has NO GRIP in the wet. Includes the paint they put on curbs in places (usually yellow). Every time i ride, i avoid the thick bit of it on crosswalks & try to never ever ride parallel on a line for more than a few feet.

I think for crosswalks, inlaying blocks of concrete or having textured asphalt would work better, and you wouldn't have to constantly re-apply the slippy plastic or paint.

As for debris on road, i think street sweepers need to be more frequently used. How much crap ends up on roads these days is astonishing.

- Andy
The stuff they use in Florida is awful. It is thick and slick. Anytime I ride over a crosswalk, I feel like I am going over a cattle guard.
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Old 08-07-14, 07:16 AM
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What are the odds? More crap to look out for.
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Old 08-07-14, 09:12 AM
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Originally Posted by wphamilton
No-spill lid slide - that's scary, and even more because I never considered it. Some Big Gulp addict could have emptied his litter bag at random, and you'd never see it coming.

It almost sounds like a fixie trick though.
If it was a no spill lid, it would have been fine. After all spill is cyclist lingo for falling. The lid would have saved him.
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Old 08-07-14, 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by curbtender
I don't commute clipped in, just for those reasons. Front wash out happens too quick. Hey, nice save!
So.... on the one in 10,000 mile chance of nailing a sippie cup spout at the apex of your arc through an intersection you are going to give up on the groovy goodness of foot retention while riding? Over react much? Besides, what made it a nice save is precisely because the o.p. pulled the fat out without "dabbing". Any fool can paddle their way out of a tight spot, a master learns how to save the day using all the tools modern science has equipped wheelmen (and wheelwomen) of the 21st Century with. Sadly that isn't all that much more than compared to the last one but... that's for another thread.

H
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Old 08-07-14, 02:55 PM
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I've had issues on rail tracks, to the point that I don't like being clipped in. I'm loose caged, if that makes any difference. Never did the sippy cup drop, but I deal with roadside debris all the time. Just my experience, I'm a rider with experience in early morning rides, by headlight. It's not always the perfect situation. If you do clip, set it real loose. I only "paddle" in a kayak...
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Old 08-08-14, 10:00 AM
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Glad you're OK! I've never recovered from a front-wheel skid. Usually road rash, but once a hematoma on my hip the size of a grapefruit. Not fun.
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Old 08-08-14, 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted by curbtender
I've had issues on rail tracks, to the point that I don't like being clipped in. I'm loose caged, if that makes any difference. Never did the sippy cup drop, but I deal with roadside debris all the time. Just my experience, I'm a rider with experience in early morning rides, by headlight. It's not always the perfect situation. If you do clip, set it real loose. I only "paddle" in a kayak...
This happened to me on my way home today. My commute takes me over [Glenmore] dam and my wheel got caught on a track. Was going ~30 km/h at the time and ended up with a nice facial road rash (amongst others) for my troubles.
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