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Thread started by strgazermel at 06.24.08 - 7:57 pm
April I drove to work 10 days.
May I drove to work 9 days.
This month I have only drove to work 4 days and plan to keep it that way.
As rewarding it has been thus far to bike to work I had probably the closest call I have ever had on Monday. I was at Valley and Marengo (Alhambra) at about 7:00 a.m. I had the green light and was going along my way like I always do when suddenly this ass-hat turned was turning left (from the opposing side of traffic).
Realize I had my white LED light on, was wearing a bright orange jersey (with gray shorts) and I am not a stick on a bike. You would think NOBODY could miss me?
Nope, I was in the middle of the intersection when he started to go and HE DIDN'T STOP. It happened really quickly but all I remember is looking to my left, seeing a big maroon hood, and hearing breaks squealing. Maybe I was blending in with the horizon. Don't know.
I think seriously, if I was going like a MPH less, I would have got side swiped. I know too many people that have been hit and just thank my lucky stars (I'd like to think my mom watches over me) that I didn't get hit.
Pretend you are invisible.
Some drives don't see bikes. No rhyme or reason, they just don't see us.
Pretend you are invisible and carry a whistle to get their dumbass attention.
A dorky looking mirror helps too.
When I got my first motorcycle a decade ago, my neighbor at the time (a guy who only had a motorcycle for 18 years, no car) told me to ride like everyone is trying to kill you with there vehicle.
That advice worked great for the motorcycle, and it applies the same for urban cycling (or any type of cycling for that matter)
Just remember to always be careful, and be aware that no matter how careful you are, you are still at risk if you leave your house.
The other day, Some old lady ran a red light while making a left. Even though I looked her DEAD IN HER EYES, she still kept coming. I did a gnar skid and thought I was safe but even after I WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER, she kept coming. She hit my back tire and did a nice tuck and roll on the asphalt. Lucky for me, I was able to get up. I was wearing my helmet. I felt my head hit the ground at least three times. I got some nice scrapes but that was about it.
I guess the nice thing about getting his is that you have to by new shit. I got a new wheel set. It was about time.
Glad to hear you escaped the screeching halt! Be safe out THAR brothers and sisters!
Hey guys, thanks for the good words of advice. As for the German Ride (posted on the calendar) yes, we are going from the German Consulate to the Alpine Village.
The Red Lion is having a Lithuanian thing going on (the owners are Lithuanian) that night so the manager told me that we will probably have a slim chance of getting in.
The Alpine Village has a huge parking lot and I asked if it's okay if a "few" of us stop in. They probably forgot by now and if several of us show up in German garb I'm sure we'll get a few raised eyebrows considering Wednesday night is like, rock and roll doo-wap night. :)
I have no idea how many people are coming so I got 21 bracelets to hand out. If you have no idea what I am talking about the ride is a precursor to a bike trip I am participating in the next day in Germany and Austria. The tour benefits sarcoma research, a form of cancer my mom died from a year and a half ago. Suggested donation for the bracelet is 5 dollars (or more if you'd like). All donations benefit the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative. If you want more information, go to www.ts2007mel.com
The ride is on Wednesday July 9th, 2008
Meet up at 6:30 p.m., starts at 7:00 p.m.
The worst one I've had was almost a year ago when I really started riding my bike when I was nearly sideswiped by some teenage chick in her camaro trying to go to McDonalds on Carson and Denker.
She didn't pay attention too much til I sped up to cut in front of her hood and she just stopped. But by then, we were matching identical speeds so I had to stop and nearly flipped to her hood. I gave her a cold stare but she looked like she was nearly having a heart-attack and breathing heavily while on her cell phone.
Luckily nothing happened so I just pedaled home, called her a twat but regretted getting her phone number.
I've hardly had problems in intersections, but always by McDonalds :(
p.s. I'll probrably ride to Alpine Village on that day for the doo-wap thingy. My mom's friend owns the joint. My only thing is when My mom meets with Auntie Terri, I constantly bug her and Hans to sell Club Mate. I need Club Mate. I miss Club Mate. Mmmm... I'll probrably have a Club Mate in August when I roll to Berlin, Dusseldorf and Wien again :)
Granted I choose pretty ugly streets putting directness above safety and comfort ... but last monday I saw all kinds of stupidity. La Brea at rush hour is a doozy with jackasses always trying to use the "anti-gridlock lane" to pass on the right then making crazy lane changes to get from behind the inevitable person who is slowing down to make a right. I saw one asshole on Monday that had 3 near accidents.
about 15 minutes later on redondo i had a different kind of surprise ... some lady rolled down the window of her hoopty and said
"if I had a rope i'd pull you" ... what a sweety... I ended up catching up to her about a mile later and gave her the ol' ding ding of the bike bell.
On the way home is when I had my closest call though.
Some total jack ass on Hollywood made a left right in front of me, then had to stop for peds that were crossing.
It was one of those things ... a few more seconds here or there and i would have been doing the superman over her hood.
I have a story about a blonde chick on a cell phone and a dude that was at least 124 yrs old. The blonde broad was heading turning left into my lane of traffic off Broadway, the most bike-friendly street in Santa Monica. I yelled at the top of my lungs and she kept on going, I yelled again and she then decides to avoid me at the last possible second. The old dude, well, I had a feeling he was blind as a bat, but he could've also turned right into me, he didn't even see me until I touched his side view mirror.
This is probably the worst advice that anyone's ever posted so far. BUT:
- if you're okay, and you can get to the driver's side door easily, tried to open it, it usually is open; you can do whatever you feel comfortable from that point on
- if door(s) are locked, but the window is halfway rolled down, you can easily apply enough lateral pressure to shatter it (gloves recommended, but not necessary)
- if you're on the passenger's side, take a nice kick or slap at the side-view mirror, they break easily (gloves always recommended)
Let me be the first to state that intentionally damaging a car or injuring a driver because they nearly collided with ou is asinine. It is road rage, pure and simple. People make mistakes. As a bicyclist, if you aren't riding defensively enough to account for the mistakes of others then it is only a matter of time before you get hit. That's just the way it works. It would be great if it weren't so, but that's the reality of the roads we ride on today. If riders start antagonizing drivers, the situation will only get worse. If cyclists gain a reputation for breaking windows or denting doors of cars that almost hit them, drivers will start aiming for them. Quite frankly, you'll likely be better off hitting the bicycle than stopping and letting them by - the damage will be less.
Riding around with my baby daughter in front has me so scared shitless these days about psycho-oblivious drivers. I truly do ride like I am invisible. I don't give a fuck about anyone and their rush hour panic to get where they are going.
The only problem with riding like this, is that you are on high alert the whole time you ride and it is hard to actually enjoy yourself unless you stick to side streets which inevitably added buckets of time to your commute.
For the most part I do have fun riding around. Despite riding on pretty major roads (i.e. Valley, Atlantic, California) this was the first time I really had a close call. It was bound to happen, I guess....just always thought it would be in the dark and me doing something stupid. Oh well.
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