Sorry to hear about your accident, DJ. I don't feel so bad now about not having any bike lanes where I live.

I was dreading my commute this morning because the wind was howling and the temperature dropped 10 degrees from 5:30 am to 6:30 am. However, it turned out to be a great ride because the wind was at my back about 80% of the ride. My legs were tired, so I took it easy but still had a faster-than-average commute time.

Not too cold coming in this morning, but windy. It looks like it's shaping up to be even worse tonight; I rode from one site to another around 1pm, and the crosswinds were pretty bad.

On ride home yesterday, I was climbing a hill coming up to an intersection. Oncoming car making a left turn stopped. The sun was glaring off the front windshield so I glanced away. Next thing I saw he had turned in front of me just missing me, I ended up clipping his rear fender. He didn't stop.

No damage here, but I'm sure my studded tires left a mark. First time I actually made contact with a moving vehicle.

This was on what I consider the safest part of my ride. Can't let guard down for a second.

First day I've commuted this year. Also commuted on my new fixed-gear. The Williamsburg bridge wasn't as hard to pedal up as I had expected. Other than that, a relatively peaceful commute except for when traffic gets clogged near the end of Delancey St.

glad to hear you're still with us DJ. Take care of yourself.

Strong headwind in this afternoon for most of my ride so if the wind is still around when I leave late tonight I should have a good tailwind.

Wind
 

No matter which directions I traveled I always seemed to be going against the wind...

N.

http://badhuman.wordpress.com

40F, light rain in the AM, snow squalls and wind in the PM.

The rail trail was an epic adventure today. Snow fields, ice sheets, coal mush, and 6-10" of flowing water in sections.

I was going to complain about my two flats today, but after reading DataJunkies post I think I'm quite fine with changing a flat or two after all. Hope you mend OK and get back in the saddle soon.

Geeze DataJunkie!

Is it the radial head you broke? I broke that riding last May. It took me a coupe of months to regain full range of motion, but even now, I still feel weekness/pain at certain angles and activity levels.

Best of luck on your recovery!

DJ glad you are doing well ... that can be a much more serious situation. Good to also know that you still will ride ... that says alot. Hope you get better soon and back on the roads and trails. Good idea to be more defensive in your riding though. Been trying to get that through to my little brother. He is getting it but it takes time. As far as the commute goes , good weather nice ride not to many complaints. Had to practice my own bit of defensive riding though as along the route I follow there are some tough intersections having to travel over 3 other lanes just to get to the turning lane on a busy road.

Get well soon DJ. That was nasty. It's never nice to hear of someone being in a stack, especially a nasty one involving a car.

Staying out of bike lanes I think is a good idea. I never use them in Sydney; I've yet to see one of the 'painted on the side of the road' type that was safe to use.

I got buzzed very close by an SUV yesterday, so was reminded how vulnerable we are on our bikes out there. It wasn't safe to overtake (narrow 1 lane each way road on a bend), I had the lane, but she just went past me, deliberately moving in towards me as she went. I had to go well into the door zone to avoid being hit, and even then there was inches between my shoulder and her mirror. I screamed out as she went past.

The stupid thing is there is a roundabout about 200 metres further on where thee is always traffic. After she went past I was so mad I decided to catch up and perhaps calmly ask her if she realised her behaviour had put the life of a fellow human being in danger. I started sprinting, and was catching her up. I just reached her at the roundabout, and there was a lot of traffic about so she really needed to stop. She didn't stop though! Just pulled onto the roundabout without pausing, causing other cars to take evasive action. I'm not sure if she was just a very inconsiderate driver, or was so scared of me coming up on her tail she decided not to stop!

Ouch, DJ, that sucks. Heal up fast. Just out of curiosity, what was the reaction of the driver? Was it your standard "I didn't see you?"

As for my commute... windy as hell. And that wind better not change direction by morning...

Damn DataJunkie! I know almost exactly where you got it! I live not two miles from there in Wash Park West...I take lanes whenever but cut thru the park whenever I go out that way. Too many self-centered people in RoadTanks for my comfort...

Glad your okay, kinda...

Good luck with the family thing.

so yeah...

Night commute was nice and in shorts and button down, no jacket. Nice to have a rack back on the bike, no more sweaty back from messenger bag...

headwinds suck...

~40F/4.5C with a sort of cross/headwind quartering into me from my right front. Maybe up to 20mph at times--just made it a bit more work, and distracted me from being distracted by a nearly full moon.

Bike lanes. They are few and intermittent in the area where I live and ride most. I think I prefer being out amongst the heathen when I have to be. Even if they're honking and yelling, at least I know they see me and have to account for me (all the while hoping, of course, that their accounting doesn't include putting me underwheel).

Ouch! DJ, rest and recover.

Man.. what a ride home just now. Happily speeding in the mid-20's due to the nice tailwind, in the right lane tire-track of a two lane arterial (Coney Is. Avenue) when all of sudden I head a LOUD air-brakes-screeching sound right behind me. Giant gas truck almost hit a van in the left lane and came to a halt within a foot or two of my rear tire, and this is while I was moving at around 25mph (on a 30mph limit road). "He almost hit me because of YOU," yells the guy in the van while the guy in the truck is pointing fingers at me.

I shrugged it off and went on my way, only to realize a few minutes later just how close I came to being taken out. Still kinda shaking now. I pretty much expect to be right hooked and such and usually take precautions, but this came as quite the unpleasant surprise.

Even with 20+ mph winds, I made decent time (all is relative, of course). 20 miles in 2 hours 5 minutes.

My feet were cold, even with wool socks over polyester ones. I need to get better socks (or better shoes).

The first thing out of her mouth was "you should have known what I was going to do!" "why where you there?" or something to that effect. The whole thing is a blur despite not having hit my head.
Basically, she was blaming me for it rather than checking if I was fine.
The other motorist, cyclist, and denver works were concerned. She never did a damn thing.

I don't care if I was culpable or not. I would try to help the other person.

I didn't bike commute today since I'm headed to Moab directly from work for a week of MTB'ing but I had my fastest commute to date yesterday when going home: 22:30 for 8.53 miles.

Holy crap! Glad you are in a state to post!

Hey have you read this book?

http://www.amazon.com/Today-Will-Fly.../dp/1423102959

My own ride today was uneventful, except for the *snow*. Happy freaking spring.

The forecast here in Cleveland is calling for 4" - 8" of snow tonight. I rode to work today and figured I would make it home ahead of the storm. WRONG! It started snowing heavy about an hour before I got off of work.
I was able to keep the bike stable. It was slow going though. I think I'm going to invest in a set of those studded snow tires before next winter. Can't wait to ride in nice weather. Whenever it arrives!

DataJunkie- So sorry to hear of your crash. A frightening experience for sure and as bad as it was I'm glad it was no worse. Your family will want some reassurance before you get back to commuting again but people have auto accidents of varied severities and most of them drive again. I hope you can confidently ride again and your family supports you in your decision to continue to ride.

I don't know what it is for some people about bike riders and how we become invisible.

I was riding into work in Boston yesterday coming through Kenmore Square on Commonwealth Ave.. As I cross the intersection a cop is directing traffic past some construction site surrounded by orange cones. Three lanes of traffic are moving towards him and another lane moving in from his left. He waves all three lanes of cars past him and the cones and lets two cars ahead of me go right through- I'm taking the full right lane at the same speed as the traffic and a safe distance behind the second car, I'm wearing a bright orange jacket, yellow helmet and I'm 6'3 and really visible. The cop looks right at me and then turns to his left and waves the merging traffic right into my path!

I couldn't believe it- I veer hard to the left, around the other side of the cones but man! I really think there's something called "bike blindness".

Wow Dj sorry to here about your crash.

As far as today's commute. Excellent as usual; passed 4 cars in traffic, no cars passed me. ABout 39F, no wind. On the way home, saw no cars at all, about 50F, no wind.

Sorry. I missed your message.
It is a radial head break. I have limited range of motion and a fair amount of pain but no cast.
I sure hope it heals fast. I have riding to get back to! :p

DJ - I hope that you recover quickly and get yourself back on the bike as soon as possible.

I've been laid up since the end of January with a back injury and have been taking short rides when the roads have been clear and I've felt up to it... had to reconfigure some bikes to give me a more forward position as sitting upright is out off the question.

Managed to log 20 km a day nearly every day last week and rode another 20 km today although I am not back at work but have just been popping in at the bike co-op to lend a hand and dispense repair advice.

I've been riding my Twenty folders a lot since they have a step through design and are really adjustable as far as position goes and they handle the 20 km round trip as well as any of my other bikes and are really comfortable.

Here's to all of us staying safe.