Rage on the Bikeway

[rapid cycler]

Wow, cyclists get a pretty bum rap in this story. Nice to know how others view us, but ouch!

"There are cyclists in full-body spandex suits…"

Seriously, folks, it's the clothes that get us in trouble. Noncyclists are very, very threatened by stretchy fabrics.

Yeesh, you'd think we were pedaling around in Hot Dog on a Stick uniforms. (BTW, does anyone else look at this image and think, Hmm, could be just the upper-body work I need…?)

[7rider]

Don't inline skaters wear spandex? How about joggers and their slit-up-to-there shorts? Yeah...everyone likes to pick on the cyclists.

Back in my cyclist advocacy days, my group (part of MassBike, used to be Bicycle Coalition of Massachusetts) was working for a "Border to Boston" bike path through the north shore from the NH border through a bunch of towns along an old railroad bed, ultimately going on-road (after Danvers, I think) to hook up in Boston. I forget the specifics...it's out there somewhere...but the towns we approached abutting the trail used the Minuteman as an illustration of what they did NOT want....crowds, confrontation (and aparently, thieving cyclists breaking into houses to make off with t.v.'s and such)...and this was 10 years ago. Ultimately, they all signed on in support of the project, but funding, final approval, and the maze of everything else all conspire to move things at a slower than snail's pace. Sad...it probably would take some traffic away from the Minuteman. A victim of it's own success....the use tells you there's a need and a demand.

[Eden]

So I've always maintained that the its more probable that you'll get into an accident on a MUP than on the road..... well I've never (knock wood) been hit by a car, but today I got hit head on by another bike!! Thankfully neither one of us was going very fast. I try to avoid MUP's as much as I can, but to come across from the Humane Society (where I volunteer on Thurday mornings) back to Seattle I have to go over I-90 so a few miles of MUP are unavoidable. Coming across the East Channel Bridge, right near the west end, just as I came around the corner there was someone else, on my side of the path, looking down (I think she was trying to clip in or something). Good thing I was just coasting... I barely had time to hit my brakes and yell (swerving wouldn't have done any good, she had a friend on the right side of the path...) Landed mostly on my messenger bag so no injuries further than a little bruise on my right knee and a bigger one on my pride for wallowing around on my back like a turned over turtle - my right leg was pinned under the bike, my left arm pinned to my side by my messenger bag strap, bag pushed up under right arm so I couldn't reach much with that one.....
Poor lady, I think she was pretty embarrassed, but heck if she's more careful about staying to the right the next time, its a good lesson learned without any too terrible consequences. (and I was riding my rain bike too....)

[rapid cycler]

Glad to hear you're not much the worse for wear. And your bike?

[Eden]

I might have been a little more ruffled if I'd been on my race bike, but I was riding my Ti rain/commuter bike so no harm done.

[rapid cycler]

Whew! Our bikes can't heal themselves like we can!

[Irulan]

Time to recirculate this classic Craig'slist rant on the Minuteman...
(not for the easily offended or humor impaired)

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/bos/70245362.html