Bicyclist rant

[ETres]

I have learned two expressions from this thread, 'fog lines' and 'sharrows'. I know what the symbol for a sharrow is, and what it means, but I had never heard the term before. I live on a street with sharrows...

Prior to this thread, I thought a "sharrow" was something like your avatar.

 

[Bill]

I have learned two expressions from this thread, 'fog lines' and 'sharrows'. I know what the symbol for a sharrow is, and what it means, but I had never heard the term before. I live on a street with sharrows...

I thought sharrows and sharts were related somehow.

 

[Bill]

Yes; San Francisco is a wonderful city for cycling. On thoroughfares where there aren't protected bike lanes there are sharrows. I lived on Collingwood in the Castro for 22 years and cycled everywhere. As part of preparing for AIDS/LifeCycle every year I spent nearly every spring weekend riding across the bridge to get in some serious climbing in the Marin Headlands.

While I don't live in San Francisco, I do live in a downtown area and bike to work when the weather is good (like today!). My commuter bike is a Public D8i, Public is a SF based bike company.

 

[Sac Arrow]

This is my ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. I started on the Marin County side, headed down Geary to the Skyline, got dumped on the 280, and then rode on the backside of the Presidio on the return because my start route was too steep. It was the highest elevation gain of any ride to date, including mountain rides.
\

 

[PaulS]

This is my ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. I started on the Marin County side, headed down Geary to the Skyline, got dumped on the 280, and then rode on the backside of the Presidio on the return because my start route was too steep. It was the highest elevation gain of any ride to date, including mountain rides.
\View attachment 87353

Nice job, I can't put a consistent string of rides together this summer to get up to 40 or 50 miles. I'm hoping in August at this rate.

 

[SoCal RV Flyer]

[QUOTE="MuseChaser, post: 2941892, member: 36411] " As an aside, folks are welcome to throw beer bottles at me anytime, as long as they are full, sealed and never previously opened, and tossed gently underhand.[/QUOTE]

Yes, preferably a premium imported brand. I'd toss a PBR or Bud back at them.

I nearly got T-boned by a bicyclist, and he would've fared far worse than I. My neighborhood street tees with a road that has a long and significant grade, and it's not uncommon for cyclists to whizz down it at 25-30 mph. So I was pulling out through a green light and the cyclist blows the red light at pretty much Vne. There's a block wall at the intersection that obscures much of the view, so as I was entering the intersection I caught just a flash of movement, enough to stand on the brakes and miss him by just a few feet.

Now I don't mind wiping bugs off the RV after a flight, but cyclist off the side of my Miata?

Could have been sooooo ugly. Of course I chased him down and shouted a few choice things at the top of my lungs, which felt good. I hope the experience not only soiled his fashionable biker shorts but might prevent him from making a terrible decision next time.

I actually did get T-boned by a motorcycle, decades ago. I was driving along Chapman Ave. in Orange, CA in my BMW 1600 and the rider just didn't look both ways...he pulled out of a driveway and hit me square in the passenger door. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt as it was a low speed impact for him as he wasn't able to accelerate much in that short distance, but had he pulled out in front of me.... I was probably doing 35 mph at the time.

 

[weilke]

I nearly got T-boned by a bicyclist, and he would've fared far worse than I. My neighborhood street tees with a road that has a long and significant grade, and it's not uncommon for cyclists to whizz down it at 25-30 mph. So I was pulling out through a green light and the cyclist blows the red light at pretty much Vne. There's a block wall at the intersection that obscures much of the view, so as I was entering the intersection I caught just a flash of movement, enough to stand on the brakes and miss him by just a few feet.

 

[EdFred]

Could have been sooooo ugly. Of course I chased him down and shouted a few choice things at the top of my lungs, which felt good. I hope the experience not only soiled his fashionable biker shorts but might prevent him from making a terrible decision next time.

It won't. Idiots like that keep doing that until they end up hospitalized or dead.

 

[SoCal RV Flyer]

It won't Idiots like that keep doing that until they end up hospitalized or dead.

You're probably right.

 

[weilke]

You're probably right.

Some jurisdictions now exempt bicyclists from a contributory negligence defense in traffic accidents. In other words, no matter how egregious the conduct of the bicyclist, the car is always at fault.

 

[Ghery]

Yeah, bicyclists can be a PITA, especially now that the City Bike thing has taken hold and you get all sorts of folks riding around. I get most annoyed by the ones that ride on the sidewalks and then act all put out by the pedestrians in their way.

There's an easy way to deal with idiots like that. It's called a sideWALK and I don't yield to bicyclists when I'm walking. Besides, the RCW treats them like motor vehicles and you don't see cars and motorcycles on the sidewalk, do you?

I think most cyclists drive cars and/or motorcycles; they ride their bicycles for fresh air exercise and to smell the roses, so it's a completely different motivation. An analogy would be sailors and stinkpotters.

Being a sailor myself (although I hate to admit how long it's been since our boat was out of its slip) the other thing I notice quite often about stinkpotters is the number of times they've got fenders hanging over the side. Some sailboats, too, but far fewer. Sloppy, sloppy.

 

[EdFred]

Some jurisdictions now exempt bicyclists from a contributory negligence defense in traffic accidents. In other words, no matter how egregious the conduct of the bicyclist, the car is always at fault.

List of places so I know where not to visit?
( I did some looking , but it appeared to be that it has changed so that if the biker is 75% at fault, they can only recover 25% damages, where it used to be if you were even 1% at fault, you couldn't get anything)

 

[danhagan]

Just the other day I got stuck behind some riders doing that. It was on a street that didn’t have room for a bicycle lane so the marking was on the street to indicate the entire lane was available for bicycles. Yup, there was a flight of three abreast.

I live fairly rural and they come in PACKS, park at the local strip center and ride in groups of 10, 20 or even 30 hogging the entire road. Speed is 45 on those roads and they reduce it to about 16. There is a HUGE triple wide sidewalk that was placed adjaceng to the Rio Grande in my area for biking and is 20 miles long if you stay on the river, but you CAN take a turn and ride ANOTHER that goes up our mountain. There are never ANY bikes on it and I'm sure it was millions to build Nothing like DRIVING with your bike attached to your car, burning fossil fuel, so you can work out in spandex.

While I don't live in San Francisco, I do live in a downtown area and bike to work when the weather is good (like today!). My commuter bike is a Public D8i, Public is a SF based bike company.

I'm sorry Bill, but that bike is PERFECTLY safe not being locked up

 

[Shepherd]

Not a rant.
A few years ago I was using a "family" pickup truck to get some firewood at a cousin's house.
The truck is parked about 25 feet down the driveway, and we are using a front end loader to move the wood from the back to the truck.

Meanwhile, that afternoon, there is a county bicycle race event going on, and they will be passing in front of my cousin's house. I was hoping to get in and out before getting trapped there, but alas and alack, it was not to be.
So, bowing to the inevitable, we crank up the music, the bbq and drag out some beer and some chairs and we are sitting out front with the intent of cheering people on.
Now, the race course/road makes a left turn about 50 feet further on from my cousin's driveway so we have a great corner on the course from which to spectate.
What will become important a little later, in actual fact, my cousin's drive is wider and in better shape than the road. Confusion and consternation to follow.
The first group of "pro" riders goes past, and we cheer and wave and toast the intrepid cyclists and anxiously await the next group of riders with baited breath.
Sure enough, pedaling furiously, (we find out later) to make up for a multi-bike pile up at the start line, the next group of 4 come roaring over the crest of the hill.
And turn into my cousin's driveway.
The first bike ricochets off the side of the pickup, and the next three go head on into the front end loader. We jump up to go see if everyone is OK, and a 5th bike comes into the yard and crashes into the chairs we have just vacated, except for cousin Donna. It's OK. With the paint transfer from the bike, the truck is in better shape than it was before.

There must be something in Spandex, maybe it restricts the flow of blood to the brain, and other parts of the body, because somehow it's our fault that people are coming into the yard and crashing into, chairs, cars, heavy equipment, and my cousin Donna, though I suspect that was the best action she had had in years.
We had local, county and state police. We had EMTs and ambulances. We had town, county and racing federation people all over the yard.
Everyone is shouting and waving arms and accusations are flying thick and fast. I decide to back out of the fracas and protect the cooler with the beer. Someone has to do it.
Eventually, everyone calms down and is taken away to be treated, or picked up by their team cars, or just sits and has a beer. All is as nature intended.
Except for Donna. I think she is still pining for the guy in spandex, that knocked her axx over tea kettle.
They changed the race route the next year.

 

[Stan Cooper]

Being a sailor myself (although I hate to admit how long it's been since our boat was out of its slip) the other thing I notice quite often about stinkpotters is the number of times they've got fenders hanging over the side. Some sailboats, too, but far fewer. Sloppy, sloppy.

I've noticed the same thing. The minute I leave the dock the fenders get stowed in a cockpit seat locker.

 

[PaulS]

Not a rant.
A few years ago I was using a "family" pickup truck to get some firewood at a cousin's house.
The truck is parked about 25 feet down the driveway, and we are using a front end loader to move the wood from the back to the truck.

Meanwhile, that afternoon, there is a county bicycle race event going on, and they will be passing in front of my cousin's house. I was hoping to get in and out before getting trapped there, but alas and alack, it was not to be.
So, bowing to the inevitable, we crank up the music, the bbq and drag out some beer and some chairs and we are sitting out front with the intent of cheering people on.
Now, the race course/road makes a left turn about 50 feet further on from my cousin's driveway so we have a great corner on the course from which to spectate.
What will become important a little later, in actual fact, my cousin's drive is wider and in better shape than the road. Confusion and consternation to follow.
The first group of "pro" riders goes past, and we cheer and wave and toast the intrepid cyclists and anxiously await the next group of riders with baited breath.
Sure enough, pedaling furiously, (we find out later) to make up for a multi-bike pile up at the start line, the next group of 4 come roaring over the crest of the hill.
And turn into my cousin's driveway.
The first bike ricochets off the side of the pickup, and the next three go head on into the front end loader. We jump up to go see if everyone is OK, and a 5th bike comes into the yard and crashes into the chairs we have just vacated, except for cousin Donna. It's OK. With the paint transfer from the bike, the truck is in better shape than it was before.

There must be something in Spandex, maybe it restricts the flow of blood to the brain, and other parts of the body, because somehow it's our fault that people are coming into the yard and crashing into, chairs, cars, heavy equipment, and my cousin Donna, though I suspect that was the best action she had had in years.
We had local, county and state police. We had EMTs and ambulances. We had town, county and racing federation people all over the yard.
Everyone is shouting and waving arms and accusations are flying thick and fast. I decide to back out of the fracas and protect the cooler with the beer. Someone has to do it.
Eventually, everyone calms down and is taken away to be treated, or picked up by their team cars, or just sits and has a beer. All is as nature intended.
Except for Donna. I think she is still pining for the guy in spandex, that knocked her axx over tea kettle.
They changed the race route the next year.

Lot's of roid rage with some of those guys, they are trying to clamp down on the cheating, but I suspect that might have been some of the problem with the ranters.

 

[ETres]

Not a rant.
A few years ago I was using a "family" pickup truck to get some firewood at a cousin's house.
The truck is parked about 25 feet down the driveway, and we are using a front end loader to move the wood from the back to the truck.

Meanwhile, that afternoon, there is a county bicycle race event going on, and they will be passing in front of my cousin's house. I was hoping to get in and out before getting trapped there, but alas and alack, it was not to be.
So, bowing to the inevitable, we crank up the music, the bbq and drag out some beer and some chairs and we are sitting out front with the intent of cheering people on.
Now, the race course/road makes a left turn about 50 feet further on from my cousin's driveway so we have a great corner on the course from which to spectate.
What will become important a little later, in actual fact, my cousin's drive is wider and in better shape than the road. Confusion and consternation to follow.
The first group of "pro" riders goes past, and we cheer and wave and toast the intrepid cyclists and anxiously await the next group of riders with baited breath.
Sure enough, pedaling furiously, (we find out later) to make up for a multi-bike pile up at the start line, the next group of 4 come roaring over the crest of the hill.
And turn into my cousin's driveway.
The first bike ricochets off the side of the pickup, and the next three go head on into the front end loader. We jump up to go see if everyone is OK, and a 5th bike comes into the yard and crashes into the chairs we have just vacated, except for cousin Donna. It's OK. With the paint transfer from the bike, the truck is in better shape than it was before.

There must be something in Spandex, maybe it restricts the flow of blood to the brain, and other parts of the body, because somehow it's our fault that people are coming into the yard and crashing into, chairs, cars, heavy equipment, and my cousin Donna, though I suspect that was the best action she had had in years.
We had local, county and state police. We had EMTs and ambulances. We had town, county and racing federation people all over the yard.
Everyone is shouting and waving arms and accusations are flying thick and fast. I decide to back out of the fracas and protect the cooler with the beer. Someone has to do it.
Eventually, everyone calms down and is taken away to be treated, or picked up by their team cars, or just sits and has a beer. All is as nature intended.
Except for Donna. I think she is still pining for the guy in spandex, that knocked her axx over tea kettle.
They changed the race route the next year.

A pace line of hard-driving racers can be like a bunch of lemmings if they aren't paying attention. Each rider's focus is on the wheel of the rider only a few inches in front of them. Not saying it's excusable, but that's the only thing that can explain why a gaggle of cyclists careened into the driveway as they did.

 

[Bob Noel]

Not a rant.
...
Sure enough, pedaling furiously, (we find out later) to make up for a multi-bike pile up at the start line, the next group of 4 come roaring over the crest of the hill.
And turn into my cousin's driveway.
The first bike ricochets off the side of the pickup, and the next three go head on into the front end loader. We jump up to go see if everyone is OK, and a 5th bike comes into the yard and crashes into the chairs we have just vacated, except for cousin Donna. It's OK. With the paint transfer from the bike, the truck is in better shape than it was before.
...

for some reason I thought about Jeff Dunham and the "that'd be funny as hell" line

 

[FormerHangie]

There's an easy way to deal with idiots like that. It's called a sideWALK and I don't yield to bicyclists when I'm walking. Besides, the RCW treats them like motor vehicles and you don't see cars and motorcycles on the sidewalk, do you?



Being a sailor myself (although I hate to admit how long it's been since our boat was out of its slip) the other thing I notice quite often about stinkpotters is the number of times they've got fenders hanging over the side. Some sailboats, too, but far fewer. Sloppy, sloppy.

I went up to the lake for a waverunner ride on Friday. I found a nice big fender floating in the water. I'm going to use it to cushion the dock where the waverunner is stored.

 

[Everskyward]

This is my ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. I started on the Marin County side, headed down Geary to the Skyline, got dumped on the 280, and then rode on the backside of the Presidio on the return because my start route was too steep. It was the highest elevation gain of any ride to date, including mountain rides.
\View attachment 87353

That looks familiar. I've done it in a car numerous times.

I took my first ride following the sharrows to GG Park today. Determined exercisers zipping past, but no problem. Even before the lockdown there were more avid runners and cyclists here than I have seen anywhere else, even in Colorado.

 

[Bill]

I'm sorry Bill, but that bike is PERFECTLY safe not being locked up

Not every bike can be a Bonanza, this one is an Aztec. If it fits, it rides!

It's sole purpose in life is to be a workhorse commuter, and that it's done for six years so far with zero issues. Nothing broken, no adjustments, nothing but fixing the occasional flat, and I'm not real concerned about rough roads. Like the honey badger, it don't care.

Now, when I retire, I plan to augment this one with some super sleek super light super fast carbon bike and join some local bike clubs. As it is now, too many hobbies, too little time[1].

[1] Aka, @Ted DuPuis syndrome, although my case is admittedly a mild one.

 

[Ted]

Now, when I retire, I plan to augment this one with some super sleek super light super fast carbon bike and join some local bike clubs. As it is now, too many hobbies, too little time[1].

[1] Aka, @Ted DuPuis syndrome, although my case is admittedly a mild one.

So if I have a syndrome named after me does that mean I have to report it on my next medical, or am I exempt if I was #bornthisway ? Asking for a friend.

For me, while I have a nice bicycle (one that I bought 13 or 14 years ago, so old tech by now) I have no desire to get a new/better bicycle or upgrade the one I have. Earlier this week I did buy a stationary bike adapter for it because I do like to do biking for my leg exercise and the rowing machine we have just isn't cutting it for me. But of all the things I want to do, getting more heavily into bicycling is not one of them. Spent my years doing that. However if circumstances caused us to move to a situation like yours, I might change my tune a bit, but it'd be about convenience.

 

[Bill]

if circumstances caused us to move to a situation like yours, I might change my tune a bit, but it'd be about convenience.

Exactly why I have the bicycle that I do, commuter workhorse. Put my clothes, lunch, whatever in the slide on saddle bags and bike to work.

 

[EdFred]

I live about 3 miles to work, but would only ride to work if I wanted to die. 55mph speed limit, no shoulder, hills (mostly a climb), college campus and dorms down the road (texting and driving anyone?), and gravel/sand pit trucks. That's just to get off my road. Then I have to ride on a divided state highway either the wrong way, or perform two jug-handle/Michigan lefts.

 

[Bill]

I live about 3 miles to work, but would only ride to work if I wanted to die. 55mph speed limit, no shoulder, hills (mostly a climb), college campus and dorms down the road (texting and driving anyone?), and gravel/sand pit trucks. That's just to get off my road. Then I have to ride on a divided state highway either the wrong way, or perform two jug-handle/Michigan lefts.

Whiner

 

[Sac Arrow]

So if I have a syndrome named after me does that mean I have to report it on my next medical, or am I exempt if I was #bornthisway ? Asking for a friend.

For me, while I have a nice bicycle (one that I bought 13 or 14 years ago, so old tech by now) I have no desire to get a new/better bicycle or upgrade the one I have. Earlier this week I did buy a stationary bike adapter for it because I do like to do biking for my leg exercise and the rowing machine we have just isn't cutting it for me. But of all the things I want to do, getting more heavily into bicycling is not one of them. Spent my years doing that. However if circumstances caused us to move to a situation like yours, I might change my tune a bit, but it'd be about convenience.

I would think that buying a used frame and then ordering all the components, piece by piece, slowly assembling them and reworking them in front of a video camera would be the Ted way of doing it.

 

[EdFred]

Whiner

Oh, and it's the only place to cross the river for 2 miles in one direction and 2-1/2 miles the other direction, so quite a bit of traffic. I mean, I could ride right down the middle of the lane, at 12mph on the climb and **** everyone off...

 

[Ted]

I would think that buying a used frame and then ordering all the components, piece by piece, slowly assembling them and reworking them in front of a video camera would be the Ted way of doing it.

Fair point, although the camera thing is a pretty recent addition to that formula for how I do things. I can't imagine doing a video on a bicycle thing.

 

[steingar]

While I was in grad school in La Jolla I and a number of my colleagues rode bicycles to our laboratories. The getting hit by a car rate was 100% including yours truly. My friend Ellen got sued by the guy who hit her. Haven't had quite the enthusiasm for them that I did before that.

 

[Stan Cooper]

Now, when I retire, I plan to augment this one with some super sleek super light super fast carbon bike and join some local bike clubs.

I bought my "forever bike" as a retirement gift to myself in 2006. Since then I've put around 70k miles on it and it still looks brand new. It's a custom Waterford RS-22 polished Reynolds 953 stainless steel 61cm frame with full Campagnolo Record and weighs just under 20 pounds without the tool bag and rear rack. It was expensive, but is an absolute joy to ride.

No wisecracks about my SMP saddle having ED.

 

[Bill]

I bought my "forever bike" as a retirement gift to myself in 2006.
View attachment 87410
View attachment 87411

Great looking bike, I've heard good things about the custom Waterfords. The more I think about it, the more I think I'll look for a nice steel bike as a road bike, like the Waterford or the Hampsten Strada Bianca.

http://www.hampsten.com/bike/strada-bianca/

 

[Sac Arrow]

I'm looking to get the current Specialized Tarmac with some decent carbon rims. Disc brakes have come a long way on road bikes, and even the pros are riding them in competition. What I want is probably going to run me about $6-$7K. My current Tarmac is nice but fairly low end and on the heavy side for a carbon frame.

 

[Ted]

This is my bicycle, a Univega Modo Vincere:

You biking nuts probably know better than I do what any of that means. Not my exct bike but it looks just like it.

 

[Everskyward]

Went a little further today; out to the Great Highway, or now the Great Bike/Walk/Run Way. Closed to vehicular traffic. Who knows how long; maybe forever. I was initially unhappy, since this is the way I usually travel south, but it often has problems with sand blowing onto the road so it gets closed often anyway. Ocean Beach is on the other side of the dunes. Weird that the traffic lights still work, since those are pedestrian, not vehicle crossings.

 

[Stan Cooper]

Weird that the traffic lights still work, since those are pedestrian, not vehicle crossings.

Well, we wouldn't want pedestrians walking to the beach getting hit by crazed speeding cyclists.

 

[Everskyward]

Well, we wouldn't want pedestrians walking to the beach getting hit by crazed speeding cyclists.

I should have added, "traffic lights that are totally ignored by all parties".

 

[Sac Arrow]

Went a little further today; out to the Great Highway, or now the Great Bike/Walk/Run Way. Closed to vehicular traffic. Who knows how long; maybe forever. I was initially unhappy, since this is the way I usually travel south, but it often has problems with sand blowing onto the road so it gets closed often anyway. Ocean Beach is on the other side of the dunes. Weird that the traffic lights still work, since those are pedestrian, not vehicle crossings.

View attachment 87416

Huh, when did that happen?

 

[Everskyward]

Huh, when did that happen?

The southbound lanes were occasionally closed because of sand blowing on to the road. All of it was closed to vehicular traffic at some point after the lockdown so people would have a place to exercise with a lot of distance. I think it happened the same time as when they closed some of the streets in GG Park; a couple months ago? It's closed from Lincoln to Sloat.

 

[Stan Cooper]

Huh, when did that happen?

May 17.
https://sf.streetsblog.org/2020/05/18/great-highway-vs-great-walkway/

 

[Bill]

Went a little further today; out to the Great Highway, or now the Great Bike/Walk/Run Way. Closed to vehicular traffic. Who knows how long; maybe forever. I was initially unhappy, since this is the way I usually travel south, but it often has problems with sand blowing onto the road so it gets closed often anyway. Ocean Beach is on the other side of the dunes. Weird that the traffic lights still work, since those are pedestrian, not vehicle crossings.

View attachment 87416

Interesting, last time I motorcycled in CA I came up 1 from Avilla beach to San Rafael, then Skyline and Great Highway, I liked the views. Then took 25th or something like that up to the bridge to scoot north.

 

[Everskyward]

Interesting, last time I motorcycled in CA I came up 1 from Avilla beach to San Rafael, then Skyline and Great Highway, I liked the views. Then took 25th or something like that up to the bridge to scoot north.

Yeah, if you took 25th, that's the more scenic back way to the bridge.