How Was Your Commute Today?

[kimikaw]

I'm a new commuter. Just over 11 miles each way. Combination of multi use path, lightly traveled neighborhood roads and some small sections of trafficked road. Overall a great ride. Generally rolling, but primarily downhill to work, more of a climb back home.

Anyway..... until today ride has been uneventful. Cars seem generally aware of cyclists. Most of my "what are they thinking, oh yeah, they aren't" moments have been on the MUP, usually someone walking their dog.

But today I fell. Due to a driver. Combined with still having to think about getting out of my pedals - versus instinctively unclicking when I brake.

At the very end of my commute there is a fairly steep short climb up an urban neighborhood road. Saw the driver backing out of her driveway. Sure she saw me. She stopped, looked at me, backed a couple more feet, stopped....and then apparently decided that she couldn't wait 15 seconds for me to pass, or that I was going so slow she could beat me or whatever stupid thought was in her head. It was almost like I could see the thought process and knew what she was gonna do. Sure enough she went from stop and wait to back right out.

I yelled, braked hard. And didn't take a foot out. Over I went. Luckily she also slammed on her brakes. I'm fine, bike is fine. Tiny little strawberry on my knee.

Damn. I was so pissed at her. I mean really a few seconds to wait. Yes, it's a hill, yes I'm going slow, but c'mon.

And then almost equally frustrated with myself. Will I ever get that instinct - brake fast=unclick same time. As opposed to thinking about taking my foot out because I anticipate a stop ahead. Same issue is handicapping me in mountain biking now that I'm trying that.

Just had to vent. And really I do know it was the driver at fault - but maybe even madder that I can't help but get on myself at the same time.

[redrhodie]

That really sucks, Kim. Hope you're okay.

[kimikaw]

Thanks. I'm fine. Confidence just a bit shaken. Had a brief mental debate in afternoon to call hubby to bring me home. But then realized I needed to ride home, get over it.

MTB friend thinks the more I ride off road - where I can't anticipate all the stops the more instinctual it will get(the unblocking with sudden braking). As for careless drivers, I just have to continue to ride defensively....

Oh and for the earlier post from 7rider about lack of side visibility on another commuter. That's something I hadn't thought about until reading this forum either. I put the little lightweights stickers on all my spokes over the weekend got em at REI, about $15 for the pack of 86 stickers. A world of difference!

[malkin]

You will learn new habits and skills that will help keep you safe. Still, they're bigger than we are!

Glad you're ok!

[Melalvai]

This reaffirms my reluctance to go clips on a commuter bike. It just doesn't make sense in town. When I get my road bike, it'll have spd pedals and if I am in town, I'll leave my left foot unclipped for safe stopping. Glad you weren't hurt and hope you don't have any more adventures like that!

[colorisnt]

Wow, Kim.

So sorry to hear that. This is why I cannot put clips on my bike. Even without cars, I fall into ditches on the road bike. Too many PEOPLE to worry about with clips on campus. They scare me more than cars here.

[WindingRoad]

Kimi glad you were not hurt, drivers do the stupidest things sometimes. I had an 'encounter' myself this afternoon. Well no wrecking but darn close. I do ride clipped in and I can get out pretty fast but I didn't even have time to think about it today. I'm almost home, riding through the neighborhoods, I see a woman running on the other side and a car coming up toward me. I get over so he can get through and at the last second he turns left right in front of me into his driveway I missed his back fender by a mere foot. What a moron!!!

[Melalvai]

They weren't kidding about that wind advisory. It blew me OFF the road. I tried to get back on the road and here comes another gust. After that I managed to get in the middle of my lane, even a little bit on the left, and the next gust blew me toward the edge instead of off the road.

Coming home I realized that the gusts would want to blow me into traffic instead of off the road. I came up with a strategy: I would assertively take a good chunk of the lane to encourage passing cars to use all of the left lane. Then as they passed I would move toward the right, giving myself plenty of room to be blown into by a gust.

In reality it didn't work that way. Too many cars and it all happens too fast to be constantly moving back and forth. So I just took the lane assertively and scanned frequently so I always knew what traffic was behind me.

Speaking of scanning, in the early afternoon that was difficult because I woke up with a crick in my neck. I had texted our med student who is helping with our rats and asked "Does osteopathic manipulation cure a crick in the neck or do I just have to wait it out?" He replied "Meet me after lunch and I'll work on your neck." WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! I was able to scan comfortably after that. It would have been really hard to be as aware of the traffic behind me, if I'd still had a stiff neck.

That, and the free memberships to the gym and the aquatic center, are benefits to working at an osteopathic medical school!

[kimikaw]

Thanks everyone for the kind thoughts. I intend to continue riding with clip less. My commute is so rolling - Garmin says nearly 1000 ft ascent / 500 ft descent in my 11 ish ride home (and the much easier inverse on trip to work). Really like having the upward stroke pull. But will probably keep one foot out in key spots. And continue to work on the unanticipated stops/quick feet out. Know that the more MTB/WI single track I do, they better that will get. (best place to practice - hitting the dirt much softer than the pavement!)

WindingRoad - Yikes! Glad you're okay! And was able to maneuver around him!

Melavai - Gotta hand it to you riding in this wind. Know I don't have the guts to do it. Both from fear of bike handling, and from my tendency to curse headwinds!

[redrhodie]

Yesterday the forecast was for 75º and sunny, but to my surprise, the roads were still wet from the rain the day before. Add the fallen leaves to the mix, and it was the messiest commute ever. I looked like I'd done a 'cross race when I got to work, my back and legs (and bike!) were covered in mud. There was crud everywhere, even little sticks between my chain rings.

It never warmed to anywhere near 75, and I was worried I'd be cold since I wore a ss jersey, so I kept a good pace for the ride back to stay warm. The roads were still wet at 5pm, despite being mostly sunny all day! I managed a new record for that route, but I had a tailwind, so there you go.

[pfunk12]

This made me laugh because I also looked like I did a 'cross race yesterday. Wet roads/bikepath and lots of wet leaves. My front brake was sticking during the a.m. commute so I had to adjust it. I didn't realize that my hand was very dirty so I was wiping the sweat off my face on the way to work (it was very balmy and humid). When I got to work, I had black dirt all over my face. I didn't know it was there until I saw the horrified look on the face of one of my co-workers. I looked like an NFL linebacker - black marks under my eyes.

Yesterday the forecast was for 75º and sunny, but to my surprise, the roads were still wet from the rain the day before. Add the fallen leaves to the mix, and it was the messiest commute ever. I looked like I'd done a 'cross race when I got to work, my back and legs (and bike!) were covered in mud. There was crud everywhere, even little sticks between my chain rings.

[7rider]

I was so happy to leave early this a.m. I always strive to get out of the house early, but it never seems to happen. This morning. I actually did.
But, before I got out of the neighborhood, I realized that my flashing light on front - even tho' it does have a low-beam steady on - was not sufficient for the dark morning. So, I pulled over to switch the light from flashing to steady. Now... I love this light, but switching from flashing to steady is not an easy task and since I don't do it regularly, I have to stop and think about it...and it went something like this:
"Okay, I think it's 'Hold the button for 2-seconds to shut it off. Then press and hold for 6- seconds to switch modes.' Then...what? Another 2 seconds to turn it on to steady? How come it's not working?? Drat it! How do I get this thing to turn back on at all?"
So, with much puttering, I finally got the light on steady. But by the time I got 2 miles away, on the darkest part of the road, I realized that the battery was nearly dead. So at the top of the hill, I pulled over onto a lit side street and swapped out the batteries (rechargeable AA's).
Whoa! Light and dark difference! Night and day! Aaaaaaa (imagine a host of angels singing on high).....let there be light!!!!
But....so much for my early start. All that puttering on the side of the road ate up all that early start. Regular time at my desk (actually...late, cuz I ended up talking with folks in the fitness center).
So....love the light, but I think the Knog is going on when I get home, instead.

[HillSlugger]

I knew they were forecasting for a windy day but I REALLY wanted to ride today. Morning wasn't bad, but it was crazy windy on the way home

[7rider]

I knew they were forecasting for a windy day but I REALLY wanted to ride today. Morning wasn't bad, but it was crazy windy on the way home

Yeah...
And Murphy's Law of the Bike was in force: You shall always have a head wind!
Brutal, eh?

[Melalvai]

It is that time of year when the lighting problems come to, er, light. Well, I've been using my lights for a few weeks, but generally the one light that has to have batteries changed, my rear cateye blinkie, goes out shortly after I start using it again. It took me several days to get new batteries in it and get it back on my bike.

Day 1, I couldn't get the panel off. Finally I took the blinkie completely off my bike. I STILL couldn't get the panel off. It required a screwdriver and a man. (Maybe just the screwdriver, if I'd thought of that before he did.)

Day 2-3, we didn't have AAA batteries. Bought rechargeable (even though they won't last as long).

Day 4, charged up the rechargeables.

Day 5, first attempt to get the light mounted. Determined I needed either a 3rd hand or electrical tape to hold the rubber shim in place. Ran out of time.

Day 6, couldn't find the electrical tape where I'd last left it. DH said "probably with the electronic tools." Huh?

Day 7, DH reveals that the electronic tools are in his desk drawer. "Which drawer?" One of the left ones. Yes! The tape is there! At last I get the stupid light in place!

All this would have happened much more quickly if I didn't also have realights and a downlow glow.