Is this really how you're supposed to commute?

[7rider]

I thought I recognized this guy.
I saw this posted somewhere recently from him: http://vimeo.com/2626739
He's definitely NOT a bike commuter to emulate.
(The "More" section of his blogs - with other videos - is enough to give you a heart attack!)

[Reesha]

He's probably one of those guys that I see around St. Louis that think that their "mad traffic navigating skillz" make them something special. Constantly trying to look cool... maybe impress some ladies.

[dingster1]

Yeah he's slightly crazy.

[PscyclePath]

http://vimeo.com/4664164

Please tell me this isn't the norm. Please?

Probably the simplest way to say it is that BikeForums isn't the best place to go for sound cycling advice. Over there, the more controversial it is, the better the natives like it. JoeyBike has simply been lucky... so far.

[PamNY]

Here's a blog that I think is done by the same guy.

Some of what he says makes sense. I see a lot of bikers who stay ahead of traffic by blowing through lights and stop signs, and it does work. I don't personally have nerve enough to do it, and I don't advocate it, but I can see the logic.

As far as riding on the yellow line, we don't have many two-way streets, but again I can see his reasoning as far as getting doored or dealing with pedestrians. I'm not endorsing his methods, and I'm certainly not going to emulate him, but if you ride in a urban area, you should know that cyclists do these things.

Pam

[7rider]

I have read of some movements to allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, and red lights as stop signs. That, I can say, has a certain logic. Patently blowing through stop lights, because you are certain you've timed the gap correctly between cars moving at speed....I find that does not have any logic and is a disaster waiting to happen.

[Deborajen]

You wouldn't last long riding like that where I live. There are a handful of homicidal drivers that don't like bicycles, but even worse is that there isn't a lot of cycling traffic and the drivers just don't know to look for idiots like that.

I did notice last year when gas was over $3 per gallon that there were a few bikes blowing through red lights. There were also a few fatalities from cyclists blowing red lights. I guess there are a few who aren't smart enough to figure it out but no, it isn't normal to commute like that.

[bmccasland]

Just thought I'd let you guys know that when that idiot rode through what looked like water (while passing the car on the right) he was actually riding through horse pee! Serves him right.

No, it's water from the troughs for the mules.

Yeah he's slightly crazy.

As is evident if you look at some of his other videos. As I recall he's a pro rider that lives here.

The "King of the Road" video was filmed fairly early in the morning - as evident by minimal pedistrian traffic in the French Quarter, vehciular traffic overall, and the long shadows. Another hour later and he wouldn't be able to pull his weaving through traffic quickly riding stunts. Trust me, his ride home was slower. I try to avoid Canal Street (the one with the buses and all the stop & go traffic) like the plague when I drive down to the Quarter.

But it is a nice video of the city in the early morning. Come visit us! Hurricane season officially starts on Monday June 1st. We could go to Pat O'Brian's on Bourbon Street and have a hurricane to drink.

[FlyingScot]

No, it's water from the troughs for the mules.

True, some of it is but there's a lot of urine mixed in there too...I've smelled it all too many times. Yuck!

I have relatives there and have visited often enough to drive like a native! As for hurricanes they're just God's way of giving the French Quarter a little washing up. No liquid Hurricanes for me...too sweet! My favorite time is in the morning sitting on Yvette's balcony on Ursulines drinking cafe au lait and watching the nuns from the convent across the street rollerblading in the parking lot. Now that's New Orleans.

[PamNY]

But it is a nice video of the city in the early morning.

Hmmm....that's why the roads seemed fairly quiet. I did wonder how this guy would react if he saw three or four delivery bikes bearing down on him.

Seeing this made me want to visit New Orleans -- which I already wanted to do, of course.

Pam

[Lise]

hey Lise! hit the pavement before 6am I'll bet you'll find plenty of city pavement

You are so right, Mimi, and I have done that. It's beautiful. But one down side of all this happiness is that I'd rather be snuggling with J. at 5:30 AM than flying down Elston. Alas. The trials of joy.

[coldfeet]

I don't ride like that where I live, but i have read his description of his area and situation, he does have some points. If i lived there, I might *think* about his tactics to deal with it. On the whole though, it's a very specialized way of dealing with a particular set of circumstances. generally, not recommended.