Frankie Fixed

My house is in the middle of a 10% grade, so I start my commute each morning by walking my bike to the top of the hill. Not going to take on that climb with cold legs. Anyway, we had a snow storm on Friday and Monday morning I met a state truck peeling back the snowbanks with his wing plow as I walked my bike up the left-hand side of the road. You could tell he didn't want to slow down even, but he finally slammed on his breaks and came to a complete stop ten feet from me, then pulled out and drove around. There was no place for me to go. There's no sidewalk out here in the Vermont sticks and the snow was two feet deep on the other side of the guardrail. Gave me a feeling of raw power at my command, which is pretty rare when you're pedalling yourself to work amongst the ragin' cagers.

oboeguy

Ytmnd! :d

2manybikes

Did you try and yell "Thank you for being careful" at him?

AndrewP

Keep well clear of snowclearing machines and garbage trucks. They either have real bad sightlines, or the drivers dont care. A young woman was killed in Westmount last night when she slipped and fell as she was crossing the street in front of one. If you see one approaching get over the other side of the road and let it pass.

Gojohnnygo.

I would keep your eyes and ears open to anything that is approaching and get the hell out of their way. They have a lot more things to look out for then an average motorist does. The size of the plow,The wing on the plow, looking for icy spots where they have to spread salt, listening to their dispatcher on the radio, trying to see threw all the snow they throw up and they are working on overtime on very little sleep.

It's a very dicey spot to be in do like I do and get out of the way!

Better safe then sorry.

Stay safe and warm.

Frankie Fixed

The only way to stay out of the way would have been to stay home. On a sunny morning three days after the storm I am going to ride my bike. On my road, as on a lot of roads, there is no accomadation made for bicyclists or pedestrians. We need to train drivers to expect us anywhere they drive short of the interstates and the only way to do that is to get out there and ride.

ken cummings

And why short of the Interstates? Ah yes back east there are more alternate routes. From 120 degrees west to California most Interstates away from cities are open to bicycles when there are no alternate routes. Sometimes even when there are alternates. I've used interstates in Colorado, Wyoming Utah, Nevada, and California. A CHP officer who greeted me between Las Vegas and Baker, CA said all the bikers he had met in the remote areas knew what they were doing. I was doing 40 MPH down the Baker grade. Imaging an eight foot bike lane with constant tailwinds from passing vehicles.

dedhed

Doesn't surprise me he didn't want to stop. When Plowing snow, momentum is king. Especially knocking back frozen recrystalized banks with a wing.