Missed connection

[baiskeli]

@dkel 116973 wrote:

If you’re strong/fast enough to pass me on the climb, do it; if not, stay back.

Sometimes you have to test yourself and find out the hard way.

[wheelswings]

To the brunette pony-tailed 50-something woman driving the large black SUV that barreled through her left turn going west from 15th St. N across Glebe… I beg you to look where you’re going when you get the Green, not just at the cars that stop for you on your right. I’d been waiting for my Walk signal on the other side of Glebe, at the crosswalk, and there was absolutely no excuse for you not to see me in my hi-viz shirt, freakishly bright reflective new rain cover, and Bike Arlington yellow ankle bands. You had my life in your hands as you finally slowed your vehicle, barely a foot or two from my bicycle. If you’d killed me you would have been even later to wherever you were blindly rushing.

I just read a NYC report that found that cars’ left-hand turns are three times more likely to cause a deadly crash than right-hand turns, and that driver inattention is the main cause of accidents. Both apply here.

These sorts of experiences remind me that following the rules is sometimes the most dangerous course of action if you’re on a bicycle or on foot. And they make me extra grateful for drivers who are conscientious, like the smiling young blonde who blocked traffic turning onto Whitehurst Freeway this morning so that I could cross safely.

[AFHokie]

Me: eastbound on Jefferson Dr this morning

You: Male mallard duck headed north near the Air & Space Museum at face level

I’ve had multiple near misses with birds over the years, but damn you came out of nowhere…

[Drewdane]

Two kitted-out roadietude dudes ninja drafting me for about half a mile on the WOD this morning then passing w/out warning or thanking me for the (involuntary) pull.

Geeez…

[dkel]

Found out that the chain tool in my pack is so tiny that there isn’t enough surface area to grip the thing and get leverage enough to push the pin out of the chain link. So despite being a good samaritan and stopping to help a cyclist in need, I was totally useless! 😡

[pfunkallstar]

@Drewdane 117789 wrote:

Two kitted-out roadietude dudes ninja drafting me for about half a mile on the WOD this morning then passing w/out warning or thanking me for the (involuntary) pull.

Geeez…

Methinks we ran into the same dudes – they broke off right after the Custis turn then somehow reappeared down near the Ed Center (I obliged and took the pull until Rosslyn). They are clearly wizards and need to be reported for the misuse of muggle artifacts.

[pfunkallstar]

Drill a hole in the plastic heel of your bike shoe 11/32 – boom mechanical advantage. I’m going to go science the shit out of my coffeemaker now.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]8861[/ATTACH]

[dkel]

@pfunkallstar 117909 wrote:

Drill a hole in the plastic heel of your bike shoe 11/32 – boom mechanical advantage. I’m going to go science the shit out of my coffeemaker now.

Unfortunately, no part of that chain tool is going to fit into a hole in the heel of my shoe. I have a different chain tool at home that is super small, but is not attached to the rest of a clunky multi-tool, and I think it will work much better in similar situations, as it has a relatively long, sliding handle-thingy that can give much better leverage for turning.

[vvill]

Yeah, I don’t own a dedicated chain tool, but just use my multitool’s chain breaker at home, with an adjustable wrench for leverage. I haven’t yet had to break my own chain on a ride (the one time I snapped a chain, tuba_transport helped me fix it).

[pfunkallstar]

When I’m doing trail rides I tend to carry around a SRAM Power Link just for good measure.

[GovernorSilver]

Me: Pedestrian crossing intersection of 5th St NW and M St NW towards Mt. Vernon Metro station.

You: Woman on bike with long grey/white hair.

Last I checked, you’re supposed to yield right of way to pedestrians, instead of running the stop sign and nearly hitting me. You’re lucky I also enjoy riding my bike. If I wasn’t into riding bikes, I’d be one of those citizen pedestrians voting against spending money on making the area more bike friendly.

[Crickey7]

@GovernorSilver 118144 wrote:

If I wasn’t into riding bikes, I’d be one of those citizen pedestrians voting against spending money on making the area more bike friendly.

Well, this morning I watched a young woman walk halfway across an intersection with a red light at 24th and L before she ever glanced up from texting. She inadvertently relied on all of us watching incredulously to wait for her.

[GovernorSilver]

@Crickey7 118148 wrote:

Well, this morning I watched a young woman walk halfway across an intersection with a red light at 24th and L before she ever glanced up from texting. She inadvertently relied on all of us watching incredulously to wait for her.

What a coincidence. It was also this morning that I saw a woman obliviously walk in front of a car careening towards her. She didn’t even appear to be looking at anything in her hand.

I also barely struck two cyclists yesterday because it was an intersection with stop signs all 4 directions. I’d stopped my car, then started moving when the two cyclists ran right through – silly me for thinking they’d actually stop at a stop sign on a street that has both vehicular and bicycle traffic. I get why cyclists don’t like to stop at stop signs, but man if you see there’s a car already moving in front of you, it might not be the best time run the stop sign. Especially if the driver was engrossed in mobile phone conversation or something (luckily for them I wasn’t!)

[Tania]

Just got almost bowled over TWICE in a half a block by two different cyclists on the @*#&#$ sidewalk. Next one to come anywhere NEAR me is getting pushed.

Yes, I’m cranky.

[consularrider]

@Tania 118263 wrote:

Just got almost bowled over TWICE in a half a block by two different cyclists on the @*#&#$ sidewalk. Next one to come anywhere NEAR me is getting pushed.

Yes, I’m cranky.

You’re cranky ’cause it’s not you on the bike, right?

[Author]

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