[dplasters]

thinking about picking up one of these and one of thesehttp://www.thule.com/en-us/us/products/luggage-and-bags/bike-bags-and-racks/pannier-bags/thule-pack-n-pedal-trunk-bag-_-pp_100055

Because I’m a silly person who rides a bike without eyelets and for some reason just really likes that rack despite the existence of p clamps.

[dplasters]

Get some sun/solar sleeves. With the wind created on a bike and the fact they block the sun I find them cooler than riding in short sleeves.

Get a bucket hat/wide brimmed hat (my personal choice at the moment) For golf… bit harder when riding a bike…

put sunblock on your hands and face

wear sunglasses

If you aren’t doing anything requiring lots of exertion/stretching wear pants. They make some really light weight pants these days.

I burn like its my job and have had no issues since getting smarter about what I wear going outside.

[dplasters]

Big thumbs up to the several cyclists I have seen on lee highway between Nutley and Gallows and through to Fairview Park Dr the last few days. A two mile stretch of road that could sorely use some traffic calming, narrower lanes (is it weird when the lane is so wide me and an F150 can share it?) and a bike lane or two to connect two very close metro stations and several large shopping areas.

If we use it, they will improve it.

[dplasters]

@dbb 92570 wrote:

50 miles of carriage trail in Acadia NP

The trails were hard packed sand. I had glow in the fog rims and had no problems.

Fixed that last bit for you.

[dplasters]

speed limit of 30, red lights everywhere, a second lane that can be used for cars to pass you, generally narrow lanes so its easier to “take”… I’ve rather enjoyed my rides along Maple…. Most of the stores have bike racks too…

[dplasters]

@hozn 92269 wrote:

Yeah, Dickie’s flask is mounted like this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]6397[/ATTACH]

I was thinking I should get a saddle bag. I’ve changed my mind.

[dplasters]

@DismalScientist 92240 wrote:

:confused::confused::confused:

You have a flask. What else would one need?

But is it easily available?

[dplasters]

For all the issues we have here, the Atlanta area has been dealing with some pretty serious ones this summer http://www.ajc.com/news/news/cyclist-struck-by-hit-and-run-driver-in-atlanta/ngHdD/

[dplasters]

You skip 20 hours in a thread and you miss so much! I am open to the idea that drunk driving and speeding are very much different. I said it mostly cause I was hoping someone would throw down a scientific study that showed that only after doing 50 mph over the posted speed-limit is your ability to control your vehicle impaired to the point of a drunk person (given the distance covered per second, human reaction time, ability to react to those entering/exiting road etc). Surely someone has done a study of this?

I don’t think anyone here is anti-car. There is clearly room for debate on if it is appropriate to send someone to jail for a single speeding offence. You won’t get as much sympathy on bike forums though because users are likely well aware of the number of fatalities that cars cause every year in the US.

I started doing the speed limit (even on interstates *gasp*) after getting a ticket for 8 over on I-81 in Staunton. In the class you take (so they don’t add points to your license) they nudge you to do the math and see how much actual time you’re saving by speeding. Its really just not worth it. Plus I’m cheap as hell and I love getting 50+ mpg in my car. Don’t even get me started on the Fairfax County Parkway. A friend of mine had to drive up from Harrisonburg to renew his Visa paperwork. His first question was “That road.. 286 .. why does everyone race between the redlights? They don’t get anywhere faster.”

The puppies are too damn cute.

[dplasters]

Ran into a pedestrian on my commute home last night on the North side of the Vienna Metro. Kinda like this. Except no one fell. And he was really big. And I probably took the worst of it (me+bike < his weight). So really nothing like that. Other than we both made sure everyone was ok and went about our merry ways. The person in the car waiting to turn right probably thought we were crazy. He was running to make the pedestrian countdown light. I was swinging into the crosswalk after going around the mid curb to avoid other pedestrians. He took up the whole curb cut (was expecting him to run to either side of it since I’m essentially required to use the curb cut. Hit the brakes but skidded out as there is still a ton of gravel/sand still at that location from he winter. Basically speared him in the chest with my helmet. Good times. May I suggest a wider curb cut there/pedestrian crossing? Although Metro seems to actually be policing the no-riding across the bridge thing.. so maybe I’ll just take Vaden…. But mostly I just wanted to post that video.

[dplasters]

@DismalScientist 92089 wrote:

Ummm… It wasn’t a single lane road. Have you ever driven out west on perfectly straight roads with excellent sight lines? Speeding isn’t like drunk driving.

Given the number of accidents where speed is a factor or cause, I consider them very similar. Of course there is a place where going 90 is less dangerous than other places, that doesn’t make it safe. Just safer.

The flat geography of the western plains has little to due with the hill country of Virginia but yes, they are different places and I have driven on both.

I have corrected my original post about the road width. Thank you for bringing it up.

[dplasters]

@Subby 92084 wrote:

So does losing a day of freedom.

so a fine of 1/365 (up for debate on the denominator) of your net wealth or a day in jail. Lawbreaker gets to choose. Wealth was chosen deliberately. If you own a home, you should understand how important it is to you for people not to drive that fast near your house. Or whatever you get for DUI these days… what is the punishment for that?

I’m all for making the penalty for speeding like that harsh. I don’t see much difference in the odds of you being in an accident going 90+mph on a single lane road (whoops, road in question is not a single lane road) vs you being drunk and driving on a single lane road.

I am now so far off topic I can’t even see my trail back….

[dplasters]

@n18 92073 wrote:

Unfortunately, that will not prevent thieves from tossing the whole thing in a van, then break the lock later.

But then you wouldn’t have a handle bar for the bike you just stole, and assuming you locked the bike to something throwing it into a van would seem difficult… so i’m confused.

I didn’t vote for this bike because of the (presumed) cost. Its going to be stupid expensive. Drop the e-assist and the minimal fender and try to get it in under 1k and it could really be something.

[dplasters]

@creadinger 92072 wrote:

Sooooo……… n18 has disliked every single post in this thread.

So now you have to explain what your problem with this is.

My guess is this has nothing to do with cycling? He disliked comments both pro and negative to the driver in question… so its all I got.

[dplasters]

My favorite is from the comments

but not going faster than 80 on 495 or 95 is down right impossible most places.

Yep.. you just can’t possibly do less than 80 on 495. I’m thinking to myself, you’re lucky if you can do 30 on 495 during large parts of the day…

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