Almost got into an altercation with an SUV driver...

Yesterday afternoon on the way to work (I work 2nd shift) a dumbass in a black Surburban w/tinted windows beeped at me (hello, you don't have to do that, I already know you're there!) so I got mad and said "*** you". I didn't flip him off, however, since other people will see that and it just makes cyclists look bad. He (it was an old man and his old lady) slowed down and started making aggressive manuevers towards me, moving towards the curb and trying to block my way.

After a couple of seconds of this (I was contemplating my next move) I decided to accelerate hard and proceed to the driver's side of the giant mother ship and the driver accelerated hard and he high-tailed it outta there! I raised my arms ready to fight and he just kept on going!

I think he thought I was going to cower and run away but he didn't expect a real confrontation, especially in the middle of a four-lane highway. I even tried to catch him but to no avail! It could be that his old lady tried to talk some reason into him, i.e. he could be arrested for assault or something. I couldn't see them inside from behind thier SUV because of thier tinted windows.

It seems to me that these SUV owners think they're all tough because they drive a large land ship but they're really just insecure inconsiderate cowards. I believe if we all stand up for ourselves these people will think twice before they mess with us bicyclists.

:beer: Ditto

Anyone who commutes by bike to work 1 day a week, 1 month a year or only 1mi a day is still a real bike commuter. Making any distinction is just snobbery. Those who are only fair weather commuters deserve all the respect and support as year round daily commuters (which I am, so I am not here defending myself)

Al

It's been crazy hot in NYC the past couple of weeks. 100 degrees as I'm leaving at 6:30. I just drink plenty of liquids before, during and after my ride.

As for confronting drivers/pedestrians/cabbies, I've stopped doing it. Or at least I try not to. It just got me worked up and ruined my ride. Unless someone has nearly killed me and are clearly at fault, I let it slide. Why? No amount of screaming is going to wake up an unconsious driver. I've tried reasoning with unreasonable people and gotten nowhere.

Now I just try to ride sensibly and look out for people driving like maniacs.

Ahhhh, it's been a great week for bike commuting. The long way is the norm. I've decided I don't need seasonal changes any more, let's just keep summer.

After biking in Canada on the Women's Forum Biking Adventure, it was good to get back on the commuting circuit. Somehow after bikng Mt. Maxwell, nothing seems too bad.

Was impressed with the Many BC commuters. Watched them as much as I could. Didn't see as single bike run a red light...All seemed to excellent riding skills...must be that $3.50/Gallon gas experience eh?

I did my first train-bike commute today...a comedy of errors! I used my new folding bike, which left me high and dry with a flat only 1.5 miles into my trek to the office. I went back to my LBS and sorted things out, got better equipment, and will try again tomorrow.

All things considered, it was better than sitting in traffic!

Very hot today, had to be atleast 93. Good ride to work and home though. Didn't see much traffic tonight. Overall it was a good ride. Have a good night.

Saw some mallards in a pond by the airport. I wonder if I stopped and *really* searched the area I could see a turtle, perhaps? May the thunderheads stay behind me today on the roll home!

Skijoring I was riding home once last year and there was a massive snapper on the trail. Earlier this year I stopped and escorted a little painter turtle out of the street.

I took it easy this morning. Once again I was waiting at a red light at the bottom of a hill and a guy came up next to me on an MTB, waited til it was clear, then ran the light. I sat there patiently until the light turned green, then I reeled him in like a hooked fish on the climb. :) I love doing that.

Yesterday on my ride home, I was going very slowly, having some water and watching a blue heron in the water. A roadie went by me, all lycra and color. Red Specialized bike of some sort. I put my water away and sped up and stayed with him. I outperformed him on a hill but didn't pass. I'm starting to believe I'm stronger than I think I am. I wonder what I could do with a bike that didn't weigh 40 pounds.

Had to drop my car off at the shop this morning for an alignment, but I rode my bike from the shop to work, a very short 2 mile ride where I averaged over 18mph. Short and sweet.

had a real uncomfortable ride to work yesterday, but after i readjusted the handlebars the ride home was fantastic, new route, great speed and almost made it up all the hills on my fixed. tonight, those hills are going down. ha, well not literally.

It was cool this morning, I bet around 61, with a nice ocean overcast. The ride to work came in at 1.8 miles, I was able to take off .3 miles by going straight. I managed a high speed of 21 mph, as I took a different turn at another point in the ride. As i will not attend work tomorrow, this is another week of 100% bike commuting, I think its been a month straight now.

Absolutely perfect morning for a bike ride this morning. I just wish mine didn't end at the office....

Beautiful day today, and no no irate drivers. The only problem was...

I forgot my pants!

Luckily, my office is near a TJ Max, so I stopped there first, and bought a pair of jeans.

[QUOTE=vtjim]Skijoring I was riding home once last year and there was a massive snapper on the trail. Earlier this year I stopped and escorted a little painter turtle out of the street.

(snip)

Coming back from Acadia in June... We stopped along a Mass. Turnpike and I hustled a wayward turtle right back into the shrubbery from whence it came. I believe it was a common pond turtle, but there was no doubting what it was as we were flying along at 65 mph...Its neck was sticking out, smelling 4 lanes of traffic. :)

Rain here yesterday and today. Haven't seen rain around here in so long that it took me a while to figure out what it was! ;) Riding in it is quite cathartic, really...

Chewed through what was left of my brake pads on the way home yesterday afternoon. Ah well, they were up for replacement soon anyway :). New ones on today, so am experiencing stopping power rather than just a slight *********** effect.

Had a motorist make a rude comment on the way in - "you're riding your bike in the fast lane". We were at an intersection with one lane turning left, one going straight, one turning right. I was in the middle lane, of course. I guess he thought I should be in the right turn lane, or on the sidewalk. I told him that this was the only lane going straight. He flipped me the bird, thus declining serious discourse regarding the matter.

On reflection, I was pretty happy about it. Why? Because, in one full year of bicycle commuting and vehicular cycling, that was the first rude comment from a motorist. Thousand Oaks is a great town for cycling.

I've been using my Bianchi Axis 2004 with fenders as my commuter, but I think I'll switch to my new Madone SL 5.2 until it starts raining again. The weather's been so perfect lately. I'm just dreading the beginning of school in a few weeks when a lot of streets on my route become clogged with parents ferrying their students. Hardly any kids were driven to school by their parents when I grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago in the 70s and 80s. What's up with the lack of school buses out here?

Another hot day today. Still a good ride to work and home. Didn't see too many cars tonight, traffic was light. Have a good night.

In our neck of the woods, it's lack of money. Routes are consolidated to the extent that kids may spend up to an hour and a half on the bus! We live in a rural suburb of Austin and my kids were lucky to be at the front end of their route so they could get home in about 40 minutes (ten minutes by car) but getting them up that early was a pain so we took them, especially after I started teaching in the district. No way could they have ridden bikes -- the only route into town is a four-lane U.S. highway with speed limits up to 70 mph and no shoulders.

Before I left work yesterday, I checked my tires and discovered(!) a front flat. Fixed that and had a hot, humid ride home. Today I rolled in ahead of some ominous clouds (cue Wagner). Supposed to clear out by this afternoon.

Had a nice ride to work this morning. This has been the first week I have been able to ride all 5 days :) Last night on my way home, I saw a cyclist without a helmet on with a red shirt that said on the back, stay back 500 feet. Got a chuckle out of me, but I then watched him run a red light :mad:

How is it that people can be that stupid? :rolleyes:

My commute was one of my fastest. I was reeling in another roadie who was pretty far ahead and seemed to have roughly the same performance characteristics as I do. :p I guess you could say I eventually caught him because he stayed on the trail through Burlington's Waterfront Park and I went up the street that runs next to the park. I had a straight line and smooth pavement. He had curves and some bumps. (Which is why I don't stay on the trail there.)

It's humid, too. 78 right now, dewpoint 69. Yucky.

I too had a faster ride in this morning. Didn't have another rider to catch but I beat my previous best time. This has gotten to the point that I come to work just for the ride. :D