"You're on the wrong side of the road!"

I agree for 99% of the time. But there are stretches of sometimes where there is a sidewalk with no driveways and no dedicated bicycle lanes (e.g. walled communities, industrial areas, etc). I cheat and ride the sidewalk in those instances...don't tell anyone.

 

6 or half dozen?

I agree that sidewalks pose a spot that motorists don't look for people on bikes.

Lately I don't feel like if I get hit by a car again it will matter anyway. the first time I got hit going through a green light by a car making a right hand turn through what was for them a red light. nice a hit and run, me medical bills and a ruined bike. lots of witnesses including an off duty paramedic, and a RN, who stopped to phone the incident in and come to see if I was alright. Big surprise the driver was never found.

Sidewalk: will have a crosswalk with a button for me to push so I can take my turn and not be tempted to run the red light with no traffic present. if there is no traffic odds are I will be riding in the street unless its not safe to do so. like if my light has died, or i'm riding into the sunset or sunrise. other spots where sidewalk is nice are strip malls where the sidewalk is a long strip of of concrete without breaks, and I can look behind for potential cars who will be turning right, and where their right turn leads them into the bike lane. I have no problem stopping for cars to get out of my way and not hit me.

What about when the bike lane disapears and becomes a right turn only lane and traffic is busy, moving over into a lane from the bike lane becomes precarious, while the sidewalk will provide me a safe place to get to the intersection without being in the way of vehicles, I can stop and wait for a safe time to proceed... but its illegal hmm.

Have you noticed everyone in a car is in a hurry, including the lady who rode my ass this morning on the way to have my morning pastry and coffee, the street has some large ripples due to tree roots pushing on the asphalt up. The asphalt is also broken apart from it being pushed up. Car speed is limited to 45mph, but try going less that 50 and you are slowing things down in a vehicle. two lanes each way with an island for a divider. I hate this section its downhill you can easily reach 35-40 mph on a road bike but once you get to the rooted section its a precarious moment if it sneaks up on you The sidewalk is slower for a bike but much safer. so after needing to slow for these street features, this woman is on my ass doesnt have room to pass without going into the next lane and honks her horn.

sweet, bc its all about her right? I understand I'm not going the speed limit, I understand there were cars behind her, i'm sure everyone was in a "hurry" What can I do the sidewalk is illegal.

I make my turn half mile later into shopping center and guess who is parked right in front of deeznuts? The most friendly woman in Upland. I park take my helmet off and step inside. I was polite, but I think she got the point when I asked what the point of blaring the horn was while she tailgated me? She was I bit upset I think to see me again, she didnt say a word but as there was a line to wait in. I asked so you were in a hurry to get here 10 seconds before me? what if I had crashed bc your horn scared me? what if I had flatted on the broken street? Still no response and I could see her face turning red... then remembering her "honor roll" stickers on the vehicle I asked what if I was the father of your childs friend and you had hit and killed me because you were in a hurry to get some food. her jaw dropped. well you shouldnt be in the street she said.

I wonder if she speeds through her neighborhood in the afternoons while on her cell phone? its likely ok her kids are stuck in front of the LCD doing something like training for adult onset diabetes, not playing outside.

No need to argue this point with her, the street is deffinately not where I should ride in this section. but the sidewalk is much slower, very uneven surface, its winding and no cars can ride on my wheel honking at me. As some people so vehemently would like to point out the sidewalk is only for walking so....

All the same I have seen a number of cyclists have incidents with cars at driveways, I fault the cyclist. motorists are turning off the road if they dont keep moving something really bad could happen. most motorists arent looking for anything except their text messages or lipstick, and while they may feel bad for hitting me, they wont visit me in the hospital or even stick around after they hit me.

When was the last time a driver was put away for murder for hitting a cyclist? Unless this last part changes, cyclist will be viewed as an annoyance, and there is nothing more liberating that sitting behind the wheel honking your horn at someone with no defense to your actions

just remember they are screaming AMERICA while they stomp on the gas pedal and complain about gas prices, all while staring at their smart phone trying to get an update on the real housewives of compton twitter account.

Yes dirt is much safer, sidewalks are a great place to be sometimes provided you exercise defensive riding and stay out of the way of cars. When in doubt let a car go first.
When will AMERICA start respecting cyclists more than their need for some sort of food fried in hydrogenated oil and cheap gas and their entitlement of everything in this world is here for "me."

Small towns seem to have this problem less because there is a sense of community? Socal on the other hand has a sense of get out of my way I'm late to pick my kids up from school or to get to work, you are in my way, i'm in a hurry because I failed to get off my huge ass and watch my novela 5 more min instead of letting the dvr do the work... wow rant over

 

+10 for confronting the lady.

 

I'm pretty sure you were picked on in school.

 

Yes. Don't ride the wrong way up bike lanes.

Have you ever had that moment where you both zip the same way when you're walking and coming up to another person? And then do it again? You really want to do that on bikes when there are cars zipping by on the one side?

I don't move over for salmon-you better learn to hop the curb or swerve into traffic. It's only fair, of course, since you're the one that can see the cars coming, not me...

On a lighter note, here's a NSFW cartoon (language, no nudity) that highlights what happens to human beings when they get into cars:

http://theoatmeal.com/pl/minor_differences/cutting_off

 

Im a big dude.....i didnt have any problems

 

Maybe you didn't have problems with being picked on but to say you didn't have problems might be a stretch.

 

For a big dude you sound pretty scared of riding in the street...jk

 

ill bomb down any trail But im scared sh!tless of riding on the streets... i guess im just a pu$$

 

I am scared to ride in the street......im 6'4 250 lbs and am smart enough to know I wont win against any car. Thats why I stick to the dirt. Feel free to keep playing in the lions den but dont be suprised when the lion bites you

Most likely true

 

:beer:

 

That's like my co workers who don't ride at all saying they don't mountain bike cause they're scared to crash and get hurt, scared of snakes, mountain lions, bears, poison oak. Don't be surprise if any of these encounter happens ; )

 

You cant really do anything fun if you only look at what could happen. I also think I probably have the best chances of dying driving home from work than riding any kind of bicycle.

"Obviously with 630 deaths per year, there are risks associated with riding a bicycle. Bicycle fatalities represent just fewer than two percent of all traffic fatalities, and yet bicycle trips account for one percent of all trips in the United States. However, bicycling remains a healthful, inherently safe activity for tens of millions of people every year." from bicycleinfo.com

You probably have a higher risk of death from choking on junk food...

 

I think the fully loop "lion" reared its head recently and "bit" you did it not?

maybe you should stay off the trails too.

 

Don't mean to derail but...
I remember Barnes, he gave me a ticket in the Heights too. -mid 80's?

 

As a former 300 mi/week roadie:

Riding on the road can get you killed... riding on the dirt, you can only kill yourself.

 

That explains it...

 

You have a way better chance of living if get bit by a snake, poison oak, deal with wildlife etc. when you get hit by a car the chances are probably slim

Funny.....i wasnt riding on the dirt/trail when I broke my collar bone at fully loop...it was on the road/parking lot lol

Road riding is dangerous

 

Just making a point that those who won't go out and ride dirt cause they are convince they'll get attacked by a mtn lion or bear are the same reasons you won't ride road or ride alone..., fear that something bad will happen.

Those who ride either mtn or road or ride solo know the inherent dangers of each and will continue to do so no matter what others think.

I respect YOUR choice to not ride road and that's ok.

 

"Feel free to keep playing in the lions den but don't be surprised when the lion bites you"
I know this is a repeat:
When playing in lion country it is important to bring protection. You should carry a whistle, a bell, and pepper spray. Always be alert in lion country because here on the So Cal bight we have two kinds of lions, Bob cats about 90 lbs are a lion, and Puma's aka Mtn lions which are 200-250 lbs. You rarely get visual confirmation of a local lion so we recommend that you be aware of lion signs. Scratching in sandy areas and the identification of lion scat. Bob cat scat has beetle parts, mouse and squirrel fur and berries. Mtn Lion scat has plastic whistles, bells, and smells like pepper.
Happy trails