Article: Slow Down! And Four Other Ways to Make People Love Cyclists

[GovernorSilver]

I agree at least with the part about slowing down.

I was hit today by a cyclist who plunged into a crowded sidewalk at high speed. He made the common mistake of assuming that all pedestrians are going to be predictable. Luckily, his handlebar barely grazed my hand instead of something worse. Then there’s nearly being run over by the oblivious cyclist who ran a stop sign that I mentioned earlier this week. And there’s the elderly woman who was struck and killed by a speeding cyclist on Four Mile Run a few years back.

I’ve seen too many cyclists speeding where there are lots of pedestrians. I’m in favor of anything that can get cyclists to slow down where there’s lots of people on foot. The couriers who zip around downtown on bikes to deliver whatever are particularly guilty of risky speeding behavior, but there are others out there.

Helping people on foot not fear for their lives when a cyclist appears would go a long way towards earning their love for cyclists.

[PotomacCyclist]

The cyclist who struck the elderly woman on the trail was also elderly. He lost control of his bike and his speed on a short downhill, which led to the collision. He wouldn’t really qualify as a “Cyclist” or performance-minded cyclist. From what I recall, he was a casual cyclist who didn’t push his limits on trails.

[GovernorSilver]

I stand corrected.

Regarding the “helmets optional” point, helmets are optional in DC or VA (just checked the VDOT site) for anyone over 14 anyway, so I don’t understand why the article emphasizes that.

[dplasters]

@GovernorSilver 118537 wrote:

I stand corrected.

Regarding the “helmets optional” point, helmets are optional in DC or VA (just checked the VDOT site) for anyone over 14 anyway, so I don’t understand why the article emphasizes that.

Because you could get hit by an 18 wheeler going 50mph over the speed limit that is running a red light and the next line in the article would state if you were or weren’t wearing a helmet. Like it would make a difference. If you didn’t have the helmet on “you had it coming” and “were riding recklessly”.

On the article:

Lets be quip too, upwards of $1,000 on a bike? That is what the wheelset costs. Don’t low-ball them like that.

There is a real issue of using public infrastructure that is meant as a means of transportation as your personal training ground. Feeling like you’re entitled to a good workout, other users, be they motorized, or human powered be damned is something I have witnessed. This isn’t an appropriate way of addressing that issue. The article says if I use curvy bars and have brake hoods I’m a jerk. Solid.

I’m dismissive and I don’t even own bib shorts.

[peterw_diy]

Quote:

Modacity is partnering with BikeArlington on a project that you’ll hear more about later in the summer.

Ugh.

[rcannon100]

@PotomacCyclist 118535 wrote:

The cyclist who struck the elderly woman on the trail was also elderly. He lost control of his bike and his speed on a short downhill, which led to the collision. He wouldn’t really qualify as a “Cyclist” or performance-minded cyclist. From what I recall, he was a casual cyclist who didn’t push his limits on trails.

This is correct (and tragic – I remember this every time I go through that spot)

[Vicegrip]

Why poke at any positive aspect of cycling? The true goal is well informed well equipped cyclists. There is not two Americas. There is one America and many at the same time. The multi faceted and diverse nature of the US is it’s foundation and in many ways cycling is the same. There is not good or bad cycling. There is ill informed or bad behaviour in any activity. This is where the energy should be focused.

[Vicegrip]

@urbanish 118504 wrote:

The two americas line wasn’t meant to be offensive or evocative of recent tragedies. Kind of shocked it was taken that way.

What is it meant to say? Considering the wording it could be taken many ways with few being positive it would be worth explaining its intent. Some might be inclined to consider it clickbait. Something cycling advocation does not need considering the content of comment sections under most mainstream articles concerning cycling.

[dbb]

@Dirt 118522 wrote:

2) I love that cruiser bikes exist. I find them completely useless for every kind of cycling that I do.

That is a bit disturbing to hear as it is my understanding you are the person who is closest to doing every kind of cycling that there is!

[Dirt]

@dbb 118549 wrote:

That is a bit disturbing to hear as it is my understanding you are the person who is closest to doing every kind of cycling that there is!

I often times ride as though I was on a cruiser bike. I just do so on a drop-bar fixie. I’m more comfortable that way. My pedal-powered hovercraft will likely have drop bars on it.

[Dirt]

The “dress for the destination” thing is interesting. I find it somewhat in conflict with the “Enjoy the journey” part. My journey is usually at least 15 miles. I realize that is not the norm for urban riding. It is a bit more prevalent in suburban riding. I find that there are between 20 and 30 days per year when I can reasonably dress for the destination and arrive looking as socially acceptable as a scruffy Sasquatch is capable of. Dressing for the destination for me usually means having clothes in my bag that can easily be changed into to make me look a little more like a human.

Footwear is always a problem. On a fixie (my chosen ride most days) I tend to consider clipless pedals a safety feature. It is difficult for me to do good emergency leg braking when I’m not held into the pedals fairly securely. It is also a health issue for me. I have foot issues that are aggravated by riding in street shoes.

[GovernorSilver]

@dplasters 118541 wrote:

There is a real issue of using public infrastructure that is meant as a means of transportation as your personal training ground. Feeling like you’re entitled to a good workout, other users, be they motorized, or human powered be damned is something I have witnessed. This isn’t an appropriate way of addressing that issue. The article says if I use curvy bars and have brake hoods I’m a jerk. Solid.

I’m dismissive and I don’t even own bib shorts.

Ironically, the most annoying/scary encounters I’ve had as a pedestrian with cyclists, were with cyclists dressed in non-cyclist gear. I got the feeling that their behavior would have been just as reckless/aggressive regardless of whether they had helmets on.

[Steve O]

@GovernorSilver 118534 wrote:

And there’s the elderly woman who was struck and killed by a speeding cyclist on Four Mile Run a few years back.

The best accounts tell us that the cyclist, in his 60’s, signaled by saying, “on your left” and ringing his bell. He was passing at an unknown speed. We do not know if the person on the bike was speeding as you claim. It was a mountain bike. I am familiar with that section of trail, and because of the upcoming blind curve it is unlikely a person riding a bike will zoom down it; it is far more likely he was riding his brakes at that point. The elderly woman turned directly into his path, at exactly the wrong moment. Due to the confluence of numerous bad coincidences–particularly the topography at that point–the woman suffered a fatal head injury (she was not wearing a helmet). The cyclist may have been traveling at only 8 mph; we don’t know. I did not see the reports that he lost control of his bike as others have suggested, although that may be true.

I don’t want to start a new discussion about this incident; there’s an old thread here. I do want to make sure the record is clear that there is no evidence the bicycle rider was traveling at an unsafe speed nor did anything whatsoever wrong other than ride into a horrible piece of bad luck.

[mstone]

@Dirt 118553 wrote:

Footwear is always a problem. On a fixie (my chosen ride most days) I tend to consider clipless pedals a safety feature. It is difficult for me to do good emergency leg braking when I’m not held into the pedals fairly securely. It is also a health issue for me. I have foot issues that are aggravated by riding in street shoes.

^^^ This. If I ride for extended distances on flats in street shoes my knees regret it the next day. It works to go a mile to the pool or the library or the grocery store, but not the 20 miles to work. I usually wear sneaker-like MTB SPDs for longer distances. If that makes me too “bikey”, well, FU.

[rcannon100]

Oh sorry, I didnt catch that first read. I will echo what steve said. There is NO evidence the cyclists was speeding or did anything wrong. Evidence does suggestion that its possible she may have been unfamiliar with trail etiquette, that the cyclists signaled multiple times, and that she finally turned around to see what was going.

What we do know is that it was a tragedy.

What we also know is that anyone who uses that tragedy as a plank in their political agenda is an ass.

[Author]

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