Missed connection

[Drewdane]

@Drewdane 154110 wrote:

I swear, I am this close to a policy of swiveling my headlight up directly into the eyes of oncoming cyclists who don’t cover their effing lights for people coming the other way!

Following up on this, I’m starting to seriously consider carrying a sturdy stick to jam into the spokes of TdF wannabes who don’t call their passes. Grr! Grump! Hrumph!

[Judd]

@Drewdane 158282 wrote:

Following up on this, I’m starting to seriously consider carrying a sturdy stick to jam into the spokes of TdF wannabes who don’t call their passes. Grr! Grump! Hrumph!

My strategy that I employed today was to exchange a pulling Komorebi to work in exchange for her calling “bike back” when people didn’t call passes.

[KLizotte]

@Drewdane 158282 wrote:

Following up on this, I’m starting to seriously consider carrying a sturdy stick to jam into the spokes of TdF wannabes who don’t call their passes. Grr! Grump! Hrumph!

I know they are considered dorky but a helmet mirror works wonders. I am constantly checking mine so I know what is sneaking up behind me (bike and car wise). Highly recommend!

[Drewdane]

@KLizotte 158290 wrote:

I know they are considered dorky but a helmet mirror works wonders. I am constantly checking mine so I know what is sneaking up behind me (bike and car wise). Highly recommend!

Not a bad idea, but it does nothing about the rudeness, and that’s what gets to me.

[KLizotte]

@Drewdane 158295 wrote:

Not a bad idea, but it does nothing about the rudeness, and that’s what gets to me.

True, but I’m just over the moon if I end a ride without hurting anything or anybody. A ride with all of my appendages attached and unbroken is a good ride in my book.

[rcannon100]

My strategy is to not worry about it. It’s amazing how wonderful a bike ride can be.

7 things you should give up to be a happy cyclist, London Cyclist

[Crickey7]

Seriously, the passing-without-calling ratio has gotten much, much worse this year. Not quite sure why. I’ve been riding the slower bike for a few weeks so I get passed more often, and I’ve observed that most days only about 25% of riders call their passes. Then there was the guy yesterday who passed on the right before I could complete a pass . . .

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Crickey7 158312 wrote:

Seriously, the passing-without-calling ratio has gotten much, much worse this year. Not quite sure why. I’ve been riding the slower bike for a few weeks so I get passed more often, and I’ve observed that most days only about 25% of riders call their passes. Then there was the guy yesterday who passed on the right before I could complete a pass . . .

Spring is always rough, but as cycling becomes more popular, I suspect each new spring will be progressively worse.

[creadinger]

I’ll second the mirror. Great for lots of circumstances.

Unfortunately on Monday morning I did not have it with me coming down the CCT from the MD line to Georgetown. Somehow I found myself in a steady stream-like pack of 20 Cat-6 commuters all going varying speeds at different times with someone always passing something. Throw a dozen joggers into the mix and it was chaotic. With all the bells dinging and ringing it sounded like a frickin salvation army bucket parade and I couldn’t tell what the hell was going on. I had to check behind me before passing someone else anyway.

[bobco85]

@TwoWheelsDC 158314 wrote:

Spring is always rough, but as cycling becomes more popular, I suspect each new spring will be progressively worse.

Evergreen post

[TwoWheelsDC]

@creadinger 158318 wrote:

I’ll second the mirror. Great for lots of circumstances.

Unfortunately on Monday morning I did not have it with me coming down the CCT from the MD line to Georgetown. Somehow I found myself in a steady stream-like pack of 20 Cat-6 commuters all going varying speeds at different times with someone always passing something. Throw a dozen joggers into the mix and it was chaotic. With all the bells dinging and ringing it sounded like a frickin salvation army bucket parade and I couldn’t tell what the hell was going on. I had to check behind me before passing someone else anyway.

My commute is the opposite direction on the CCT, so I end up having to dodge these people as they swerve into my “lane”. Also, it means that when I come up on a jogger or whatever, I end up having to stop and wait to pass because there inevitably is a line of like 15 cyclists all riding 2 abreast coming the other way. Gah, why do you people feel the need to ride your bikes to work?? That’s my thing! Although come summer, the heat will surely take its toll and thin their ranks.

[creadinger]

@TwoWheelsDC 158324 wrote:

My commute is the opposite direction on the CCT, so I end up having to dodge these people as they swerve into my “lane”. Also, it means that when I come up on a jogger or whatever, I end up having to stop and wait to pass because there inevitably is a line of like 15 cyclists all riding 2 abreast coming the other way. Gah, why do you people feel the need to ride your bikes to work?? That’s my thing! Although come summer, the heat will surely take its toll and thin their ranks.

Fortunately I rarely do that CCT route and usually on Fridays which are much less busy. On Tuesday evening I did the rare weekday trip from Del Ray up into DC for the FS Happy Hour and experienced the pretty much non-stop wall of cyclists coming southbound as you described. In 30 minutes of riding I saw more bad passes than I’ve seen in all of 2017. I know it sounds like first-world problems, but it really is a hassle.

[consularrider]

@Drewdane 158295 wrote:

Not a bad idea, but it does nothing about the rudeness, and that’s what gets to me.

Come to Europe (you know, that cycling heaven), there are NO called passes and bells seem to be only when someone is annoyed.

[Tania]

Me: on the W&OD crossing Shreve (where there are flashing lights and “must yield to crosswalk” signs

You: the driver of a mini cooper with the top down; you weren’t even close to the intersection and yet you sped up when you saw me and then yelled at me that I had a stop sign.

Bite me.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Me: Casually commuting home on the Custis Trail yesterday evening.
You: Fat tires, motorized vehicle, doing 30mph+, passing on a blind curve.

I have two facts and one opinion for you. Take you’re pick which is which:

+ the most bicycle thing on your vehicle is your tinkly little bell
+ your bicycle helmet won’t do much for you or the pedestrian in your inevitable accident at motorcycle speeds
+ you’re a douche bag

I’ve grown accustomed to the power-assisted bicycles on the trails. Most people blend in fine enough. My instinctive response to get into some sort of John Henry thing with the speedier ones is my own short coming. I’m working on that. But I have my limits. If you have a motor, and your tires are wider than your saddle and you’re going over 30mph you’re riding a motorcycle. Man up and ride that thing in the street.

[Author]

Posts