flat woes-Starting to take it personally

[lauraelmore1033]

Ok, I get it: People can't be bothered to dispose of their glass bottles

properly, so the natural thing to do is to smash them in the bike lane. So I

buck up and purchase armadillo tires, and then the next week ramp it up to

tuffy strips inside even though the bike shop guy is sure it is over-kill (what

do I know, I'm only a girl). Only had one glass flat this month, so I'm thinking

it's merely ok. This is a war, and casualties should be expected.

Today, while riding on the Interurban trail in Evertt, I was ambushed by

HUNDREDS of inch and a half long wood screws.

Only in the bike lane.

They were the kind of screws that have a very thin, sharp point, and they

were dark, and impossible to see until a rider was already on top of them and

they were wedged very savagely into her tires.

Am I being paranoid?

I don't think so.

This time last year there was a stretch of trail (bike lane, really) on both

sides of the road that had been liberally sprinkled with hundreds and

hundreds of push pins. I'm pretty sure it was pure and simple vandalism

since they were ONLY on the bike lanes. I

emailed BAW and they contacted someone from the works dept who sent

someone out to clean them up immediately. I emailed BAW again today and I

expect a similar response, but I am fuming!!! I was already fuming about all

the glass. This is an attack!

[KnottedYet]

This happened to a large organized ride I was on, too.

Yup, it's an attack. Screws, push-pins, and carpet tacks don't get into the bike lane by themselves.

Thank you for reporting it, hopefully it will get cleaned up soon. (they can also be a hazard for pedestrians and cars and drivers who park or make turns across the scattered sharps; but folks who put out sharps don't think about that...)

Don't let them succeed in making you stop riding!

[Geonz]

... and don't let the fuming eat at you too 'cause that's what he/ she/ it wants.
I have a big brush I sometimes carry along with me to sweep stuff out of the way.

[kat_h]

I wonder if there's some way to mount a push broom to the front of a bike.

[DebW]

I wonder if there's some way to mount a push broom to the front of a bike.

Now that's an idea! Like a cow-catcher on a train. Or a snowplow on the road. Maybe every morning one person with a push-broom bike rides the trail to clear it. If it's a wide trail, it might take 3 or 4 in formation (like snowplows on a 4-lane highway).

[7rider]

Yeah, but I usually want to push it back into the street....and I can hear my mother's voice inside my head "Two wrongs don't make a right!"
I have a friend who was adept at unclipping his right foot and kicking whatever (I've seen him boot off large tree branches) off the side of the road and then clipping back in without missing much of his cadence. Won't work for the little damaging things like this, tho.
Stinks what some folks will do.....

[mimitabby]

I wish they didn't hate us so much.

[OakLeaf]

This used to happen pretty regularly on TOSRV. What is the matter with people. At least us roadies only have to worry about flats and thrown beer cans - not like the wires people put across trails that have seriously injured some riders.

[lauraelmore1033]

I like the cow catcher idea. That would push the offending items back out into the street, but then, your mother was right: two wrongs don't make a right. I've been thinking about carrying one of those little whisk broom/dust pan dealies, but it wouldn't have been much help. There must have been at least two whole boxes of screws on the path. B*stards!! I'm still so mad!

[NoNo]

That's really frightening! Makes you wonder what goes through people's heads. Obviously, not a whole lot. Glad you're ok.

[bikerchick68]

I hope if you're riding alone you're carrying pepper spray or something. Flatting a single female would be a real good way to make sure she is stopped... I know that's a bad thought but I was married to a cop and believe me... people do some weird and evil stuff.

Be safe. Sorry about the flats. I know how frustrating it is too!

[RoadRaven]

I wish they didn't hate us so much.

I'm sure some do... but sometimes I think its just the same uncaring and thoughtless stupidity that makes people tag, pee in shop doorways, put dog poo on doorsteps... etc etc
It just seemed like a good idea at the time officer - no, I wasn't drunk or wasted... of course not... no I'm not a stupid kid or teenager who hasn't learned about consequences yet... no, not at all...

[Blueberry]

Every year, someone puts boards with nails sticking out on the VA Creeper. Most of those folks rent bikes for a few hours and don't have flat kits. It really sucks.

You're lucky you didn't have more damage. DH ran over a screw a year or so ago (in the road) and it punctured his rim.

Mean people suck

[lauraelmore1033]

I hope if you're riding alone you're carrying pepper spray or something. Flatting a single female would be a real good way to make sure she is stopped... I know that's a bad thought but I was married to a cop and believe me... people do some weird and evil stuff.

Be safe. Sorry about the flats. I know how frustrating it is too!

This was a part of the trail where it empties out onto a very busy intersection full of people racing to get onto I-5. I can think of more secluded areas on that trail and others where that sort of ambush tactic would be a real problem, though. I do ride alone alot, but I've never really been too concerned for my safety since I'm bigger (and stronger) than most men. (I also grew up with two extremely agressive and sadistic brothers and have a whole repitoire of dirty fighting tactics as a result). Never hurts to be careful though.