How Was Your Commute Today?

[blackhillsbiker]

Today's commute was great both ways!
Pretty much just misery between the rides though.

Where is that resume...

Ditto. Amen!

[JennK13]

Riding in was great - around 65 degrees, beautiful and clear Colorado skies.
And after my glowing report about how Denver is great about bikes, on my way home, on a street with a bike lane, in front of a "Share the Road" sign, some jerk yells out his window (after he's past me, of course) "You're not a car"! I yelled back "And you're not nice!" Of course he was too far away to hear.
Now there are some streets I refuse to drive on at any time of day, some I won't drive on during "rush hours", and some I can ride at any time. This was an any time street, one I ride almost every day I commute. It's a 30 mph speed limit, and almost all down hill from the highway - I routinely reach 25-30 mph on this particular stretch of road, and since it was rush hour, vehicle traffic was only moving at about 25. It's a two lane street, and I'm in the bike lane except at intersections where I move over into the line of stopped traffic (at my place in line - I don't race by the cars to the front) so cars turning right can go into the right turn only lane without worry, when the light turns green, I start going with traffic and move back into the bike lane when it appears again on the other side of the intersection - I am ALWAYS going the speed of traffic (or faster in the bike lane) because it IS rush hour and the cars can only go so fast.
There is one place I have to make a left turn - there is one lane going straight and two left turn lanes. I was coming up to the intersection, the light was red, so cars were slowing; the car behind me was WAY behind me not giving any indication to pass me since the traffic ahead was stopped. So I signaled and took my place in the left turn lane. The lanes are kind of long before the intersection, and as I started up the lane, the signal turned green so the cars going straight started going. I am NOWHERE in the through traffic lane, and since there are two left turn lanes, I'm not hindering any traffic behind me - the other cars just went into the far left turn lane. As I got to the intersection, it was clear (it's not a protected left so you can go any time if clear), so I proceeded to turn left with the cars in the other turn lane also going. The "yell" came from some jerkwad going STRAIGHT! I was nowhere near him, nor was I slowing traffic down. In fact, since the majority of the cars were going straight and only had one lane, me and my bike along with the other left turning vehicles were all going faster than then through traffic. Maybe he was ticked that I was passing him on a bike while he sat in traffic. Not like I wasn't in that same taffic all the way up to that intersection. Just a total hater!

[HillSlugger]

Today was my first bike commute since my crash back on August 5th. I can't believe how much morning light we lost over these weeks! I had to break out the lights again

Uneventful rides each way but I had little zip in my legs and the ride home was possibly my slowest ever.

[Groundhog]

Today was my first bike commute since my crash back on August 5th. I can't believe how much morning light we lost over these weeks! I had to break out the lights again

Uneventful rides each way but I had little zip in my legs and the ride home was possibly my slowest ever.

That's great that you're back riding! And you cant possibly be slower than I am. But I'm sure you'll be back up to your speed in no time!

[Groundhog]

Afterward, I'm out in the parking lot (waiting for my Garmin to lock on to satellites), and I see an unusual site come up the hill towards me. It's my friend, Chandler, and he's on the most unusual contraption I have ever seen. It's a Ellipti-Go - an elliptical trainer + bike hybrid. Truly a bizarre contraption. He was giddy with it and has been using it as his commuter all week. He saw some folks out in Seattle doing the STP ride on them, struck up a conversation with them, investigated the product, and bought one. (Chandler is a big guy and has a habit of breaking bikes - he was hoping he could climb his hill to his house without breaking this....good luck to him!). He claims its great for "frustrated runners". He also has gotten more calls/yells/shouts from folks on his ride than ever. Mostly thumbs up and "that is the coolest thing EVER!" kind of comments.

I saw one of these on my last commute home, which is on the Burke-Gilman trail (MUP). I laughed out loud! Looked cool! On that commute, I saw bikers, skaters, that thing, recumbants, walkers, joggers and a uni-cycle! Plus a recumbant that is all-enclosed in a plastic pod-like thing. About all the ways human beings can propel themselves!

[blackhillsbiker]

I didn't commute this morning because of very high winds. They calmed down by this evening, so I rode my bike to knit night. Had to break out my lights for the ride home. The first dark ride since last winter. It was a nice evening.

Deb

[lph]

Nothing special on my latest commutes, just the usual tiny city riding situations. The usual hordes of dedicated commuters have settled down a little and stopped trying to kill themselves now that the Big Bike Race is over.

Everybody wants to pass me now that I have a rack on my mtb commuter. It's still the same bike with the same engine though. I had one morning where I started counting people I pass and people who passed me - bad idea, I got way too het up

A roadie who seemed quite bemused that I came up to say hi and thanks after having drafted on him for a while. Many more road bikes out, actually, and old ones too, looks like people have been digging them out from attics and garages and finding out that they're better than mtbs for summer commuting.

One woman on a real upright city cruiser, with handlebars so astonishingly high that when she stood up to pedal up a hill she almost fell over. To each their own, but that didn't look very comfortable to me.

Went through the centre of town yesterday, following one jerk with a fear of putting his foot down, who consistently weaved through crossing pedestrians and ran 3 red lights in a row, right through traffic. I was feeling righteous and muttered loudly about it, the polite young woman behind me agreed. This guy just ignored the whole concept and zigzagged through like a squirrel.

Our bike parking at work is overflowing. We're about 300 employees, we have 70 or so spaces, and there were over 90 bikes there the other day! And two of my closest co-workers, sturdy guys both, have started biking regularly. One of them has lost 17 kg since spring, the other has just started. I feel happy for and a bit proud of them

[redrhodie]

I had good commutes this week, even with record breaking heat. One thing to remember when it's over 90º out, bring a water bottle. I knew I was forgetting something. Luckily, it's only 10 miles to the lbs.

Guess I punctured last night, because my front tire is now flat. Glad I didn't have to change it on the road, because I was in a hurry to make an appointment. I hope the ones who throw the bottles onto the roads get it back at them somehow.

Off today. Rode my other bike this morning, out early before Hurricane Earl.

[blackhillsbiker]

We had a nice cold front go through. This morning was the coldest it has been since early spring. It was cool this evening. Great riding weather.

Deb

[malkin]

Maybe it's just the work irritation leaking out, but I blurted out "Stupid!" at a rider who crossed the street against a red light into oncoming left turn traffic (that had a left arrow) I was one of the left turners who had to wait for her to get out of the way.

Later another cyclist blew through a 4-way stop rattling me and the auto traffic. I called him another name, one that questioned the circumstances of his birth. One of the drivers heard me and smiled and waved.

I need to formulate a simple statement that will convey the idea that "Ignoring traffic conventions endangers us all" but only contains 2 or 3 syllables.

[bunny_ninja]

HAHAHHAHAH! LOVE it! LOVE it!
I fully support your work with the English language.

Maybe it's just the work irritation leaking out, but I blurted out "Stupid!" at a rider who crossed the street against a red light into oncoming left turn traffic (that had a left arrow) I was one of the left turners who had to wait for her to get out of the way.

Later another cyclist blew through a 4-way stop rattling me and the auto traffic. I called him another name, one that questioned the circumstances of his birth. One of the drivers heard me and smiled and waved.

I need to formulate a simple statement that will convey the idea that "Ignoring traffic conventions endangers us all" but only contains 2 or 3 syllables.

[redrhodie]

I need to formulate a simple statement that will convey the idea that "Ignoring traffic conventions endangers us all" but only contains 2 or 3 syllables.

I don't think there's one thing you can say that will work universally, but you can say "use your turn signal" or "pay attention" or "3 ft please".

Not quite as satisfying, perhaps, as calling someone a ^%$#@, but maybe better in the long run.

[bunny_ninja]

btw - my universal, that I do say, not that loudly is

'Dou**eb*g'

It fits everything, but the problem is that it doesn't convey the error. If you can find short terms, especially without cussing, that convey the error -- I would be ever so grateful

[colorisnt]

I had a GREAT ride in today. Best hill climbing ever. As a newbie I am always learning. I went on a ride with some more accomplished riders in town and one named Bob explained that I was having a TON of issues getting up hill because I wasn't even getting to my smaller gear. I had a great lesson and am finally getting good at these hills. Got there in under 20 minutes. Not bad for 5 miles with hills.

Coming back, I had issues with cars. Stupid undergrads who just want to get home! Learn to drive! Killing a cyclist DEFINITELY won't get you there faster.

I had a guy pull out right in front of me. I swerved and was able to avoid him, but he just FLEW out of a congested parking lot without looking. We were stopped in a LONG line of traffic, so I walked up and waved at him. He rolled down the window and I politely explained that you need to look both ways before pulling out and that he could have killed or seriously injured me.

He said he figured he would be able to get out then and only then and he didn't think about a cyclist being there.

So, I count that as good. Not getting angry probably scared someone and will make them look next time (I hope).

Going home was fast but hot. Oye. I did a good job of navigating and picking the best route. So much better now that I can hill climb. and I will stop if necessary to take some water and slow my breathing down because my asthma can be a real issue if I don't control it, but I am doing much, much better.

[tzvia]

I need to formulate a simple statement that will convey the idea that "Ignoring traffic conventions endangers us all" but only contains 2 or 3 syllables.

I use "Yep, bottom of the gene pool." No, it does not contain 2 or 3 syllables or have anything to do with bike safety, but it's how I feel about jerks, in cars or on bikes. So I just yell that out.

I had my first cool weather commute in several months. Even though we have had our mildest summer in ages, it was still in the 90s for most rides home (and a few times, at 100f or above). Today it was a glorious 70f to 72f with overcast skys. A bit muggy, but not hot so was quite nice. Temps are expected to rise though, back into the 90s in time for the weekend.