3 or 4 times lately, on my morning commute, I've seen a tall, pretty gal on a pale yellow "cruiser" bike. She has a great big messenger bag slung over her shoulder, and she goes pretty slow. Oh - and she has some SWEEET boots!
This morning, she was wearing a thick knit cap and mittens, a coat, etc. (Wow! If she's already cold when it's in the mid-50s, she won't do well over the winter.)
Perched on top of her stocking cap was her helmet. She must've loosened the straps, so it would sit a couple inches higher than normal.
The problem is - the only job that helmet is doing is keeping her cap from flying off. (If she were going 25mph faster, that could happen...)
I s'pose if she was using the top of her head for a battering ram, it might help. But in any realistic crash scenario, it's more likely the front of your head, or the back of your head, or perhaps the side of your head, that's going to need some cushioning protection. Every bit of bike-helmet advice I've ever heard says - SNUG helmet, riding low on the forehead.
A week or so ago I saw a little guy riding on the front of his dad's bike. He had a helmet on - but it was on backwards! With the pointy part in the front! (It looked very stylish, and appeared to be keeping the sun out of his eyes.)
(I wear a balaclava under my helmet on cold winter days, but it's made of thin material and has negligible impact on where the helmet rides on my head.)
Tireless advocate for the most efficient form of
human transportation ever devised - bicycles!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Defusing Road Rage, Part 2
This week, over at the NewWest.net, Bill Schneider lists five ways motorists can defuse road rage for cyclists. He's right on, IMO.
1) Accept it. (That cyclists are legitimately and legally on the road.)
2) Share the road, not the lane. He gives some good common-sense advice about passing cyclists safely, and with a minimum of stress.
3) Understand why cyclists do things. (Like riding away from parallel-parked cars, not riding in the gutter pan, etc.)
4) Cut them some slack.
5) Appreciate the effort.
On its own, this little essay might seem like just another rant from another uppity ten-speed rider... but a week ago he told cyclists what they oughtta be doing to improve the karma out there.
If you have a motorist friend who struggles with the notion of bikes on the roads, this might be a good one to share. Be safe - and courteous!
1) Accept it. (That cyclists are legitimately and legally on the road.)
2) Share the road, not the lane. He gives some good common-sense advice about passing cyclists safely, and with a minimum of stress.
3) Understand why cyclists do things. (Like riding away from parallel-parked cars, not riding in the gutter pan, etc.)
4) Cut them some slack.
5) Appreciate the effort.
On its own, this little essay might seem like just another rant from another uppity ten-speed rider... but a week ago he told cyclists what they oughtta be doing to improve the karma out there.
If you have a motorist friend who struggles with the notion of bikes on the roads, this might be a good one to share. Be safe - and courteous!
When is a bike lane not a bike lane?
A week or so ago, I was pulled over by a cop.
I s'pose I had it coming.
He was in a police vehicle (actually a pickup truck, but with logos and lights), and had drifted over into the "bike lane" in anticipation of a right turn. He was behind two other stopped vehicles, all waiting for a green light. I was approaching from behind, and as I went by, I hollered out "bike lane!" (I sometimes do that when motor vehicles are in a marked bike lane. And it particularly disappointed me that a police officer wouldn't set a better example.)
Since police generally always need to have the last word, I wasn't surprised when the light turned green, he didn't turn but instead turned on his flashers and "pulled me over."
The officer was very polite and professional; I'll give him credit for that.
He explained that he was in the right. According to him, a bike lane that ends with a "dashed stripe" at the intersection is available for use by both bikes and right-turning motor vehicles. He said it's in the book, and that's what they're teaching drivers. Theoretically it will reduce the number of "right hook" accidents.
The current Idaho Driver's Manual (link HERE - PDF, 3+ MB) says on Page 3-10, "The dashed bike lane stripe indicates that drivers turning right can merge to the right and bicyclists turning left can merge to the left."
I was aware of that. However... how far back can the merge take place?
I would contend that once a driver reaches the dashed stripe, he can (carefully!) merge to the right. The officer was behind two stopped vehicles, one being a city bus, and was well back from where the line changed from solid to dashed.
He admonished me to exercise restraint when shouting at drivers (good advice always!), because "they might be right."
I presented several confusing/contradictory/hazardous scenarios.
- What if a car in the real traffic lane is turning right? Can another motorist drive up next to him in the bike lane and turn right? Who goes first?
- Why do cars on Eagle Road get ticketed for using the bike lane as a right-turn lane?
We shook hands and went our separate ways, after agreeing that the law is ambiguous and mostly not understood. The whole experience reinforced my notion that "cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles." (John Forester) Perhaps bike lanes, particularly at intersections, cause more problems than they solve.
I s'pose I had it coming.
He was in a police vehicle (actually a pickup truck, but with logos and lights), and had drifted over into the "bike lane" in anticipation of a right turn. He was behind two other stopped vehicles, all waiting for a green light. I was approaching from behind, and as I went by, I hollered out "bike lane!" (I sometimes do that when motor vehicles are in a marked bike lane. And it particularly disappointed me that a police officer wouldn't set a better example.)
Since police generally always need to have the last word, I wasn't surprised when the light turned green, he didn't turn but instead turned on his flashers and "pulled me over."
The officer was very polite and professional; I'll give him credit for that.
He explained that he was in the right. According to him, a bike lane that ends with a "dashed stripe" at the intersection is available for use by both bikes and right-turning motor vehicles. He said it's in the book, and that's what they're teaching drivers. Theoretically it will reduce the number of "right hook" accidents.
The current Idaho Driver's Manual (link HERE - PDF, 3+ MB) says on Page 3-10, "The dashed bike lane stripe indicates that drivers turning right can merge to the right and bicyclists turning left can merge to the left."
I was aware of that. However... how far back can the merge take place?
I would contend that once a driver reaches the dashed stripe, he can (carefully!) merge to the right. The officer was behind two stopped vehicles, one being a city bus, and was well back from where the line changed from solid to dashed.
He admonished me to exercise restraint when shouting at drivers (good advice always!), because "they might be right."
I presented several confusing/contradictory/hazardous scenarios.
- What if a car in the real traffic lane is turning right? Can another motorist drive up next to him in the bike lane and turn right? Who goes first?
- Why do cars on Eagle Road get ticketed for using the bike lane as a right-turn lane?
We shook hands and went our separate ways, after agreeing that the law is ambiguous and mostly not understood. The whole experience reinforced my notion that "cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles." (John Forester) Perhaps bike lanes, particularly at intersections, cause more problems than they solve.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Defusing Road Rage
Bill Schneider writes some good cycling-related articles over at the NewWest.Net. I almost always find myself enthusiastically agreeing with his opinions, at least on cycling.
The current fare: Five Ways Cyclists Can Defuse Road Rage.
His suggestions (expanded upon in his article):
1) Attitude Adjustment
2) Obey Traffic Laws
3) Hold Your Line
4) Be Bright
5) Safety in Numbers
Great suggestions all.
Unfortunately, there seem to be a few souls out in their motorcars (and big ol' pickups) who have concluded that cyclists have no business on the roads... and it's their job to properly intimidate cyclists. Almost universally, these are the same folks who resent everybody else on their roads, not just the cyclists. So I try not to take it personally. We may not be able to change their viewpoint... only stay out of their way when possible.
The vast majority of folks, I believe, just want to get to their destination and are willing to share our limited infrastructure. We can do much to leave them with a favorable viewpoint of cyclists... or we can reinforce the uppity-cyclist (or almost as bad, clueless-cyclist) stereotype.
(Schneider is promising a column about ways motorists can defuse road rage. I'm looking forward to reading it.)
The current fare: Five Ways Cyclists Can Defuse Road Rage.
His suggestions (expanded upon in his article):
1) Attitude Adjustment
2) Obey Traffic Laws
3) Hold Your Line
4) Be Bright
5) Safety in Numbers
Great suggestions all.
Unfortunately, there seem to be a few souls out in their motorcars (and big ol' pickups) who have concluded that cyclists have no business on the roads... and it's their job to properly intimidate cyclists. Almost universally, these are the same folks who resent everybody else on their roads, not just the cyclists. So I try not to take it personally. We may not be able to change their viewpoint... only stay out of their way when possible.
The vast majority of folks, I believe, just want to get to their destination and are willing to share our limited infrastructure. We can do much to leave them with a favorable viewpoint of cyclists... or we can reinforce the uppity-cyclist (or almost as bad, clueless-cyclist) stereotype.
(Schneider is promising a column about ways motorists can defuse road rage. I'm looking forward to reading it.)
Friday, September 3, 2010
Labor Day plans?
I thought I might pull the Airstream up to Redfish Lake. (Hope everybody else doesn't have the same plan!!)
(-;
Nah - just funnin'. I hate "getting away from it all" with everybody else. We're planning a little field trip down to Cleo's Ferry Museum, and I'm sure I'll do a couple nice long bike rides, but other than that, we'll lay low this weekend.
Have a lovely Labor Day - and BE SAFE!
Nah - just funnin'. I hate "getting away from it all" with everybody else. We're planning a little field trip down to Cleo's Ferry Museum, and I'm sure I'll do a couple nice long bike rides, but other than that, we'll lay low this weekend.
Have a lovely Labor Day - and BE SAFE!
Powered by Spin Bike
I confess I've always harbored a bit of disdain for "exercise bikes." You know - the kind that are stationary, in a room.
My attitude is because of personal experience... one winter I decided to join the "company gym" and ride the exercise bikes on cold winter days. For me, it was the equivalent of "hamster on a treadmill." I just couldn't do it more than a few times; I sorely missed the scenery going by and the weat
her in my face.
But lo and behold, suddenly stationary bikes have become useful!
A new gym opened in San Diego, with spin-bike-powered dynamos. The power generated by those toned, sweaty bodies is put back on the grid.
Story HERE.
They plan on adding elliptical generator bikes... as well as doing "green" projects like cleaning up the beach, to achieve a "carbon neutral" footprint. No word on whether they'll be able to neutralize all the environmental damage done, as the spin people drive to the gym in their Volvos and Subarus.
(-;
My attitude is because of personal experience... one winter I decided to join the "company gym" and ride the exercise bikes on cold winter days. For me, it was the equivalent of "hamster on a treadmill." I just couldn't do it more than a few times; I sorely missed the scenery going by and the weat
her in my face.But lo and behold, suddenly stationary bikes have become useful!
A new gym opened in San Diego, with spin-bike-powered dynamos. The power generated by those toned, sweaty bodies is put back on the grid.
Story HERE.
They plan on adding elliptical generator bikes... as well as doing "green" projects like cleaning up the beach, to achieve a "carbon neutral" footprint. No word on whether they'll be able to neutralize all the environmental damage done, as the spin people drive to the gym in their Volvos and Subarus.
(-;
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Car Report Card
The Obama administration is redesigning the EPA stickers on new cars. Based on their fuel economy and environmental impact, they will have a grade letter assigned, from A-plus to D.
Story HERE.
From a transportation cyclist's viewpoint... that is so wrong!!!
Seems to me, the grades should run between, say, C-minus and F, if the grade is on fuel economy and environmental impact. The very best car - say, a Prius or the new Chevy Volt - is PATHETIC when compared with a bicycle! 50mpg? I scoff at such horrible mileage!
A couple other points:
Apparently the environmental impact is measured only by the "tailpipe emissions." That is bogus. To be realistic, it should include the greenhouse gases emitted by the power source. (If it's a plug-in car, someplace a dynamo is spinning to generate that power, even if it isn't onboard the car.) Also, it should take into account the projected life of the car, and how much it will impact the environment at the end of that life. (Is it loaded with poisonous, highly-polluting compounds in the batteries, the plastic, etc?)
If carmakers can get an "A" strictly on the tailpipe emissions, that is what they will focus on. They can afford to ignore everything else.
In a similar way, if kids are tested to gauge the performance of the Educational Industry, their instruction can be limited to what's on the test, rather than a well-rounded education.
Story HERE.
From a transportation cyclist's viewpoint... that is so wrong!!!
Seems to me, the grades should run between, say, C-minus and F, if the grade is on fuel economy and environmental impact. The very best car - say, a Prius or the new Chevy Volt - is PATHETIC when compared with a bicycle! 50mpg? I scoff at such horrible mileage!
A couple other points:
Apparently the environmental impact is measured only by the "tailpipe emissions." That is bogus. To be realistic, it should include the greenhouse gases emitted by the power source. (If it's a plug-in car, someplace a dynamo is spinning to generate that power, even if it isn't onboard the car.) Also, it should take into account the projected life of the car, and how much it will impact the environment at the end of that life. (Is it loaded with poisonous, highly-polluting compounds in the batteries, the plastic, etc?)
If carmakers can get an "A" strictly on the tailpipe emissions, that is what they will focus on. They can afford to ignore everything else.
In a similar way, if kids are tested to gauge the performance of the Educational Industry, their instruction can be limited to what's on the test, rather than a well-rounded education.
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