My Morning Commute

[mstone]

@jabberwocky 63897 wrote:

I offered to call the police several times, but he balked. Once we determined I and my bike was ok we both went on our way.

you should have called the police

[jabberwocky]

@mstone 63903 wrote:

you should have called the police

Probably. I’ve had good experience with Fairfax, but I always consider calling the police a bit of a crapshoot; I might get the officer who hates cyclists and end up getting a ticket that I have to fight or something. I was fine, my bike was fine, his car had some scratches on the side and probably needed a new mirror but that was his problem, he declined a police call once I had my phone out, so I headed to work.

Set a PR on the next strava segment I came across, too. Getting hit always pisses me off.

[dasgeh]

@jabberwocky 63897 wrote:

Then, of course, he started yelling at me for “passing him on the right”, and that it was my fault because “he had his turn signal on”. I was yelling back that the only reason I was on his right was that he had tried (and failed) to pass me, and that I was going the speed limit in a school zone, so I don’t know why he was trying to pass anyway. I offered to call the police several times, but he balked. Once we determined I and my bike was ok we both went on our way.

You may want to call the school as well.

[dasgeh]

@jabberwocky 63908 wrote:

Probably. I’ve had good experience with Fairfax, but I always consider calling the police a bit of a crapshoot; I might get the officer who hates cyclists and end up getting a ticket that I have to fight or something. I was fine, my bike was fine, his car had some scratches on the side and probably needed a new mirror but that was his problem, he declined a police call once I had my phone out, so I headed to work.

Set a PR on the next strava segment I came across, too. Getting hit always pisses me off.

Yes, but:
1) you may not feel fine once the adrenaline wears off; and
2) the police keep stats on dangerous drivers and dangers locations. This incident will not be in their db. What if this guy does this all the time, and was one ticket away from losing his license (or insurance)?

There are people in the position to prevent this from happening again, to you or to others, but only if they know.

More importantly: glad you’re ok

[ronwalf]

Good idea: Biking your kid to school.
Bad idea: blood donation and a 75% mileage boost in the same week.
Worse idea: Heading out the door for said trip dehydrated

[Dickie]

@jabberwocky 63897 wrote:

Got right hooked on my way in this morning. My commute crosses wiehle on north shore drive in Reston. From wiehle, I sprint up the hill towards ring road. There is a school on the right that a lot of people turn into, so I tend to be out pretty far (plus I’m generally going the 25mph speed limit up the hill). This morning, I was first at the light and was going up the hill at 24-25 mph. Right as I got to the school, the guy behind me tried to gun it around and then hang into his right turn. I went into the side of his car.

Then, of course, he started yelling at me for “passing him on the right”, and that it was my fault because “he had his turn signal on”. I was yelling back that the only reason I was on his right was that he had tried (and failed) to pass me, and that I was going the speed limit in a school zone, so I don’t know why he was trying to pass anyway. I offered to call the police several times, but he balked. Once we determined I and my bike was ok we both went on our way.

Errr, 25 mph up a hill in 100% humidity on this stupid hot morning? You sir are a machine, I could barely do 25 down a hill this morning! BTW, sorry you had to deal with an asshat today!

[cyclingfool]

@Dickie 63948 wrote:

Errr, 25 mph up a hill in 100% humidity on this stupid hot morning? You sir are a machine, I could barely do 25 down a hill this morning! […]

This.

Glad you’re OK, jabberwocky. Next time this happens to you, may I suggest you gyre and gimble in the wabe?

[jabberwocky]

@Dickie 63948 wrote:

Errr, 25 mph up a hill in 100% humidity on this stupid hot morning? You sir are a machine, I could barely do 25 down a hill this morning! BTW, sorry you had to deal with a asshat today!

Its not a steep hill, maybe 4-5%, and pretty short. I almost always sprint it from the light. My commute is short (7 miles) but hilly (~450 ft of climbing), so its basically coast downhill, sprint uphill, coast downhill, sprint uphill….

[cyclingfool]

@ebubar 63862 wrote:

This is what i’ve had to do on all my flats. Turn the tire more or less inside out wherever there looks to be any kind of crack or tiny cut and pry out glass with some tweezers.

I’ve had to to do that before as well. In this case I was 99.9999% sure that this wasn’t the issue b/c the punctures in the tube were on the inside circumference of the tube, i.e., where it sits along rim, rim tape, spoke holes, etc. That and the tire is new and had less than 50 miles on it when this all started

I thoroughly cleaned up the rim yesterday afternoon with a rag before leaving work, swapped out the rim strip for the Velox tape I had picked up earlier in the day, and put tube and tire back on. Between PM commute yesterday, class last night, and AM commute this AM, I am up to almost 20 miles on the new rim tape, and, knock on wood, no issues so far.

I really think the issue had to do with the plastic rim strip I had on there, and the fact that it theoretically could shift around and pinch the tube against the rim. Assuming the issue really is solved, which time will tell, then lesson learned: Always use Velox. Always. Accept no compromises.

[vvill]

I love Velox too. I had horrible issues with the stock plastic rim strip on my hybrid’s wheels.

Lowlight of my commute this AM:
I was here, and there were cars on both sides (which have stop signs). Car on the right waited for me, the car on the left didn’t and gunned a left turn. And then stopped suddenly (what, 30 ft later?) to make an immediate left into the 7-Eleven without signalling across a double yellow. I had to swerve last second to the right, fortunately there wasn’t another car on the right. I spent quite a few seconds afterwards deliberating whether or not to turn back around to address the driver but a mix of apathy and *something else* let me proceed on my journey.

Highlight: the rest of it!

[americancyclo]

@dasgeh 63759 wrote:

Any recommendations for things to help random debilitating mid-back pain?

Acupuncture. PM me for a rec if you need one.

[DismalScientist]

@vvill 63983 wrote:

7-Eleven

Serves you right for getting between a man and his morning coffee.:rolleyes:

[Subby]

@vvill 63983 wrote:

Lowlight of my commute this AM:
I was here, and there were cars on both sides (which have stop signs). Car on the right waited for me, the car on the left didn’t and gunned a left turn. And then stopped suddenly (what, 30 ft later?) to make an immediate left into the 7-Eleven without signalling across a double yellow. I had to swerve last second to the right, fortunately there wasn’t another car on the right. I spent quite a few seconds afterwards deliberating whether or not to turn back around to address the driver but a mix of apathy and *something else* let me proceed on my journey.

Highlight: the rest of it!

That area is terrible to drive through, too. It’s on my regular car commute and you have to wade through there to turn on to Lorcom (no left turn from Old Dominion/Lee).

[Bilsko]

@DismalScientist 63996 wrote:

Serves you right for getting between a man and his morning coffee.:rolleyes:

[IMG]http://i1.cpcache.com/product/753124751/what_do_we_want_coffee_mug.jpg?side=Back&height=460&width=460&qv=90[/IMG]

[consularrider]

@vvill 63983 wrote:

… 7-Eleven without signalling …

Highlight: the rest of it!

Was it Eric Heiden thinking he was battling Greg Lemond? :p

[Author]

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