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Got in my once a week commute a day early- maybe I'll get two this week. A bit humid for Tucson but relatively cool (high 70's) on the way in. The way back I was trying to beat the rain clouds (really, I was more worried about the potential for outflow winds) and didn't bring my work laptop with me. Great tailwinds for a change, and the last 5 miles I probably averaged 21 mph!! Big raindrops but not too many for the last mile, so it was just pleasantly cool for a desert summer afternoon.
Wow today's commute was absolutely horrifying. As I was coming home this evening I had a whole line of cars buzzing me. One got so close it actually grazed my hand on my handlebar. The light in front of me changed and I caught up to one of the cars that buzzed me way too close. I knocked on their window and I asked the guy driving: "Sir, would please give me a little more room the next time you pass me?" He pops off "would I get on the trail". I say back "where". Because there is no access to it from that road! He is about to get all defensive so I just look at him and say "Please sir, all I'm trying to do is get to work." Looks like his wife and kids were in the car, so I didn't fly off like I really wanted to. I'm glad I didn't lose my cool but dang!
After that guy and the one who grazed my hand went around me so close and fast I jumped out smack in the middle of the lane. I NEVER do that but honestly I felt safer pissing off all the cars behind me and dealing with them that way. When I was off on the edge they were trying to squeeze by me doing 45-50 MPH which was WAY over the speed limit there. I don't know what got in to drivers today but I feel lucky to be alive after today. :mad:
The crappiest part is that there is NO way to avoid this road. I am only on it for at most a quarter of a mile, you'd think I was on there for 10 miles holding up traffic with the way these jerks were acting! :mad::mad::mad:
When I got home I felt like curling up in the fetal position. It didn't help I had another flat today. :(
Take the lane. It's safer. What's more important, a few seconds of their time, or your life? And if they honk, then at least you know they see you.
Yes, take the lane. That's been my experience any time I try to "hide out" on the edge because I'm scared of the road. The road suddenly feels much safer when I take the lane. It is hard to do, it is so counter-intuitive. But once you do, it makes so much difference.
I don't really feel like a lot of people get mad at me either. Oh, maybe someone will honk or yell, but they do that no matter what you do.
I rode in the rain this morning, in all my rain gear. I love riding in the rain--when it's not too hot for the rain gear, but not too cold either!
I was ready for rain today, but it never came. I wore a cycling cap under my helmet, just in case, and I rode my Soma DC. It was pretty cool out, in the 60s when I started this morning. It felt good. Still not cool enough for the arm warmers I brought, but their time will come soon enough. I love this time of year.
I've been trying to own the road on my commute as well. I do feel lots safer, although drivers really are cranky when they have to follow a bike. Especially if it's after work
My whole family commuted by bike together for the first time today! We dropped our older son (age 7) off at camp first, and he rode his own bike and parked it at the rack. He was really proud of himself. I towed son #2 (age 2) in the Burley, and my partner and I dropped him off at daycare next. We both rode off to work from there.
The whole process took about a half hour longer than it usually takes me to get to work, but I think we'll get the process streamlined and it will go faster next time.
I have been commuting by bike 2-3 days per week since May, and this was my partner's very first day bike commuting. I think we all did pretty well! :)
Gillian
lurking a while but I had to register just to vent about this: running late for work, big stupid detour around a park I usually ride through on the edge of downtown. The detour finally gets you back on the trail for about 100yards and then off to the street again. There is a stop sign. 3-way stop. I slow down and look for any traffic, see none and yes, run the stop sign.
What did I get in return? a $100 ticket and a lecture about how "most car/bicycle accidents are the cyclists fault" and "sometimes all that's left of the cyclist is a splat on the road" etc, etc.:(
Could they at least save this for when they see someone doing something actually dangerous!?
ps. I got to watch about a half dozen other cyclists do exactly the same thing while I stood there waiting for the ticket. No cars passed. and I was the only one pulled over. what a morning!
ouch, In Idaho we are fortunate to have the "idaho stop" on a bike we are allowed to do exactly that, slow down, make sure the path is clear and proceed. This becomes a challenge when we are touring in other states as we don't know the rules of the road so when not in Idaho we come to a complete stop. That policeman must have been in a good hiding spot. So sorry for the fine!
Yeah, he was actually parked on the grass in the park behind some trees! He didn't pull out, just hit the lights and siren. I have a feeling he plans to sit there all day, hmm, maybe a different route home is in order. :mad: grr.
I finally rode my commute yesterday, but it was the afternoon and the intent was just to familiarize myself with my route. It wasn't too bad. Rather bumpy for my road bike, or maybe I am too cautious with it? I did fall for the first time, it was hilarious. Just one of those instances where you don't clip out fast enough. Lightly scraped my elbow and the left end of my handlebar. But I was laughing too hard to really notice. I almost did it again when I got home because I clipped out with my right leg instead of the left like usual. Oh well. I am excited to have completed the 24 mile route and even more excited that it is totally doable even with some good hills. Now if my work schedule would only stay consistent I could plan my cycling commute days!
Wow, library, that bites!
Where were you? The cop will probably move too, so don't count on a different route keeping you ticketless.
I FINALLY rode my new commute this week. I haven't quite got the bugs worked out yet. It's twice as long now, and that combined with not riding for a couple months has rendered me tired. It will be a good sleep tonight.
Today's commute was "sub-optimal". This morning I left the house 5 minutes earlier than usual to get to work in time for a meeting, but the head wind was enough to erase my head start and I ended up 2 minutes late anyway.
Temps in the afternoon were higher than I expected. We've had record-breaking heat all week in Arizona, but I thought it was going to be a little cooler today. The high was 107, so I stayed late grading papers. It was still over 100 when I headed home- right into another head wind! It's downhill on the way home, but it didn't seem like it for most of the way.
My first commute (on the tandem, with my boyfriend who is also my coworker) was last Friday. We did it again this Weds and then today. We ride to the train, then take the train to another city and then ride from that city over a mountain (seriously, 1700 feet) to work...30 miles each way. Today we actually rode the WHOLE way home (about 54 miles, 3600 feet of climbing) and I am exhausted. All the riding, though it's hard, isn't that bad. It's the as*hole drivers who make me want to start carrying a pistol in my jersey pocket.
Seriously, what the F is wrong with people? All of the stories I read on here, and now experiencing it myself - why do people feel the need to go out of the way to harass cyclists? I've never encountered so many rude drivers in the last 6 months of cycling as I have on my six commute rides. My boyfriend suggested we get a "huge rubber **** and put it on a stick and hold it out" to keep people from driving too close. I don't think it will help with the drivers who make a point to flip us off, or drive up next to us and roll down the window to scream at us for making them need to pay attention and not drive 70 mph on country roads with a posted 45 mph speed limit. Mind you, we are not doing anything rude or unsafe ourselves, and are trying to keep as far to the right as we can on the narrow and shoulderless roads. I've also noticed that the entitled as*hole drivers who seem to feel the most inconvenienced by having to slow down for a minute and then pass us are driving either a) Mercedes Benz, b) SUV, or c) some monstrous, gas-guzzling American made truck. Seriously, the encounters I've had commuting just the past week have made me hate people. :mad:
Not completely related to my commute, but a rant.
So yesterday, I did my shopping at lunch. Picked up a box of Gas-X (DH and I go thru a lot of that :rolleyes:). $5 for a box of 18. Ouch. So I ride home - all my groceries tucked in my panniers (there's the link...see?), and I unload said groceries in my kitchen. Pick up the box of Gas-X. Flap is open. 18, huh? $5? Ouch.
Wait just a cotton-pickin' minute. :eek:
Instead of TWO sleeves of 9-pills each, there is only ONE sleeve.
Someone opened the box in the grocery store and helped him/herself to one of the sleeves and left the half-empty box on the shelf!!
Dirty no-good thief!
So I paid $5 for 9 stupid pills :eek::mad::mad::mad::mad:
Never occurred to me to check the box. Boy, will I next time.