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ODT Gun Show this Saturday! - Click here for info and tickets!
Any Bicyclists in the house? Road? Mountain? Hybrid?
- Thread starter 10thmountain
- Start date
When passing cyclists that are "taking up the whole road"....let me give you the part of my personal thought process....and give you maybe another way of looking at it from OUR (cyclist) side....
I have been riding on the road for over 30 years. I am a husband, a father, and a business owner. Many people count on me to A) stay alive and B) not have to breathe out of a tube....So other motorist DO FACTOR into how I ride....but not often like they perceive it.
I have been hit 4 times by a car...one was serious. I have had a friend killed as a result of a crash with a car (cars fault) and this summer I witnessed a lady killed on BRAG in Downtown Savannah....I was the first one too her and it was Tragic....she was a wife and a mother. I say all this bc I can absolutely tell you that as a cyclist I DO THINK ABOUT MOTORIST and look out for them...even when they don't understand my rational. So let me address a few situations:
1. A group of cyclist taking up the whole road:
Granted this can be inconsiderate....or at least appear that way. But ask yourself is it easier (and safer) to pass a bunch of riders that may be in a single file line for 20 riders......or easier to pass them in a group (much like you would a car).... personally I contend that it is safer to pass a shorter line of riders riding 2 or 3 abreast than to pass a single file line of 20 riders.... it is definitely safer for the cyclist bc cars tend to have to be MORE patient and give a wider berth. Many motorist feel like they can "Share" the lane and tend to push bikes off the road when met unexpectedly with on coming traffic.
2. Blind Hills and Blind Turns:
Whether I am riding solo or with a group, when I am navigating a blind hill or turn I take as much road as I feel like I need to navigate safely....that means that if you come up behind me on a blind turn I will be riding on the Oil line...yep...thats right...right SMACK IN THE MIDDLE of the road...same for a blind hill.....and this makes people irate...But let me tell you why....
I can't tell you how many times people have tried to "squeeze by me" on blind turns/hills when I am riding the fog line and get pushed into the ditch when they meet oncoming traffic.....so, to protect the safety of all involved (motorist, on coming traffic, and myself) I take as much road as I am lawfully permitted to....does this slow down traffic behind me? Yes.... Is it an inconvenience?....Yes....but it forces riders behind me slow down and treat me with the same respect that they would a slow moving vehicle....which is untimely MORE SAFE FOR EVERYONE....
Hope this helps give a glimpse into some of the rational of a life long cyclist!
I have been riding on the road for over 30 years. I am a husband, a father, and a business owner. Many people count on me to A) stay alive and B) not have to breathe out of a tube....So other motorist DO FACTOR into how I ride....but not often like they perceive it.
I have been hit 4 times by a car...one was serious. I have had a friend killed as a result of a crash with a car (cars fault) and this summer I witnessed a lady killed on BRAG in Downtown Savannah....I was the first one too her and it was Tragic....she was a wife and a mother. I say all this bc I can absolutely tell you that as a cyclist I DO THINK ABOUT MOTORIST and look out for them...even when they don't understand my rational. So let me address a few situations:
1. A group of cyclist taking up the whole road:
Granted this can be inconsiderate....or at least appear that way. But ask yourself is it easier (and safer) to pass a bunch of riders that may be in a single file line for 20 riders......or easier to pass them in a group (much like you would a car).... personally I contend that it is safer to pass a shorter line of riders riding 2 or 3 abreast than to pass a single file line of 20 riders.... it is definitely safer for the cyclist bc cars tend to have to be MORE patient and give a wider berth. Many motorist feel like they can "Share" the lane and tend to push bikes off the road when met unexpectedly with on coming traffic.
2. Blind Hills and Blind Turns:
Whether I am riding solo or with a group, when I am navigating a blind hill or turn I take as much road as I feel like I need to navigate safely....that means that if you come up behind me on a blind turn I will be riding on the Oil line...yep...thats right...right SMACK IN THE MIDDLE of the road...same for a blind hill.....and this makes people irate...But let me tell you why....
I can't tell you how many times people have tried to "squeeze by me" on blind turns/hills when I am riding the fog line and get pushed into the ditch when they meet oncoming traffic.....so, to protect the safety of all involved (motorist, on coming traffic, and myself) I take as much road as I am lawfully permitted to....does this slow down traffic behind me? Yes.... Is it an inconvenience?....Yes....but it forces riders behind me slow down and treat me with the same respect that they would a slow moving vehicle....which is untimely MORE SAFE FOR EVERYONE....
Hope this helps give a glimpse into some of the rational of a life long cyclist!
An now some pics of my new hunting rig for some of my Cohutta hunts......
The sad funny thing is that everything you say about bikes you can say about cars and their drivers....
Cars/drivers that blow stop signs and street lights,
don't signal turns (or turn the opposite)
going uphill with a heavy trailer - going slow (or an RV, or bus, or truck)
that cross the center line into your lane
Fail to yield the right of way
Don't have working lights
Drive slow without cause
get in the way
It's all about courtesy AND safety. Just because someone is an inconsiderate idiot doesn't give you any rights or expectations. Road rage is road rage.
Take a breath, relax, and enjoy the rest of your day.
By the way.... the day a bicyclist has to pay for a tag is the day they stop riding on the right hand side of the road. Since they pay for it then they get to take up the WHOLE road.
I no longer ride. I was riding on the side of the road (right of the fog line and 4" from the grass) and a young lady decided that she was more afraid of the car coming the other way that was over/too close to the center line. Her mirror, my arm and an entire evening that I don't remember much of anything about. Tried a couple times after that to ride, but the anxiety is just too great when a car comes up behind me.
It won't kill you to wait and pass safely, the same is not true for the cyclist if you don't.
Cars/drivers that blow stop signs and street lights,
don't signal turns (or turn the opposite)
going uphill with a heavy trailer - going slow (or an RV, or bus, or truck)
that cross the center line into your lane
Fail to yield the right of way
Don't have working lights
Drive slow without cause
get in the way
It's all about courtesy AND safety. Just because someone is an inconsiderate idiot doesn't give you any rights or expectations. Road rage is road rage.
Take a breath, relax, and enjoy the rest of your day.
By the way.... the day a bicyclist has to pay for a tag is the day they stop riding on the right hand side of the road. Since they pay for it then they get to take up the WHOLE road.
I no longer ride. I was riding on the side of the road (right of the fog line and 4" from the grass) and a young lady decided that she was more afraid of the car coming the other way that was over/too close to the center line. Her mirror, my arm and an entire evening that I don't remember much of anything about. Tried a couple times after that to ride, but the anxiety is just too great when a car comes up behind me.
It won't kill you to wait and pass safely, the same is not true for the cyclist if you don't.
Big ride this saturday am starting at budweiser brewery cartersville
Over thousand riders
Drink beer afterwards
Over thousand riders
Drink beer afterwards
My wife and I bought this Fuji Sportif 1.5 for my son. He prefers mountain biking and wants to sell this. Size XL, good for someone over 6 feet tall. I have it listed on CL for 650 but he said his bottom dollar is $500.00 if anyone is interested or knows anyone interested. I am in Athens/Oconee area and may travel some to meet.
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So do y'all carry when bicycling? If yes, what and how?
Wow. What event is this? never even heard of it....
It's called Beautiful back roads bike ride. Happened every year around this time
