[SolarBikeCar]

An e-bike that can do 20mph uphill probably does 25mph on the level and downhill. If an e-bike that does 20 on the level is likely doing 15mph on the hills. There are different types of e-bikes and different hill grades, but typical e-bikes don’t have enough spare power to maintain constant speed up a hill. For playing well in traffic one needs to maintain constant speed as motorist’s safety calculations during passing and turns is based on a projection of other vehicle location based on the last observed speed.

[SolarBikeCar]

if you want e-bikes to play in traffic you have to allow an increase in speed. Legal e-bikes flatten hills but otherwise are pretty much the same as bikes in performance and mix as well as bikes on MUPs. However, increasing an e-bike’s speed limit from 20 to 25mph and bumping the motor from 750 to 1500 allows an e-bike to keep up with auto traffic in an urban setting and in suburbia allows commuters to equal or exceed average car speeds. Besting car commute times is what it takes to get long distance bike commuters.

[SolarBikeCar]

In 24 months I’ve logged in excess of 10,000 miles by commuting 30 miles each day 3.5 days a week from Sterling to Tysons in an ELF. Fortunately I met my goal without injury or incident and consuming roughly the same amount of time as commuting by car in rush hour traffic.

Twice I’ve crossed the river and each time it was a metric century effort. (Yes the ELF fits through the Memorial Bridge tunnel!)

This experiment worked so well I plan to continue to combine exercise with commuting.

Fair warning: I’m building my own pedaling contraption which when it debuts on the W&OD is sure to horrify some and amuse others because it won’t look like a bicycle or a car (or a pizza cutter).

[SolarBikeCar]

@Emm 161197 wrote:

Except sometimes there is a truth behind the fact that some groups are both more at fault, and (therefor) more able to enact change that can fix a problem. So it makes sense to target messaging to that group.

When you have a demographics that is the primary source of a social ill you definitely target them.

What I hear with “Men don’t yell” is not an attempt to target the message to a demographic to reach the few that cause the social ill, but an attempt to demonize the whole demographic.

The reluctance to accept that feedback as legitimate is telling.

[SolarBikeCar]

Generally, it is not helpful to pit one group against another when the desire is to fix a social ill.

I agree it is not good when people yell rude things and when it occurs it affects us all even if I am a man and this most often happens to women.

Changing the tone from “Men don’t yell” to “Don’t Be Rude” would make me more receptive to helping fix the problem.

[SolarBikeCar]

@lordofthemark 161106 wrote:

One of the reasons, AFAICT, that women are particularly creeped out by being followed, is that sometimes women get raped.

Rape is really bad. Fortunately rape by strangers is also really rare. It is even rarer in daylight in public places like a bike path. Men who shout rude things at woman or follow too close are not a whisker length away from attempted rape.

[SolarBikeCar]

If this thread were about wheel suckers I’d join in complaining. I dislike tailgaters too. I dislike when couples and groups ride side by side and take up more than half the trail. I worry about how rude behavior impacts rider safety. All good stuff worth discussing without mentioning the sex of the perps.

But it isn’t. It is instead exploring the premise that it is men’s fault that women are unable to use and enjoy the bike paths.

[SolarBikeCar]

@TwoWheelsDC 161083 wrote:

Not sure how it’s 2017 and there are still guys who seem to have no awareness that this could, at the very least, be perceived as creepy, regardless of what was actually going through his head at the time. One doesn’t have to intend to create a hostile or threatening environment to actually do so. It takes like 0.5% extra brain power to consider these things as you go about your day guys…I think we can do it!

The world seems pretty hostile to men if every choice is wrong. If he passes it is a dangerous pass and all men are sexists jerks for needing to show women their place. If he hangs back to let a more experienced biker set the pace he is creepy. So what to do? A segregated society with paths just for women isn’t the right approach. A culture that claims the mere presence of a man is a hostile threatening environment for women makes the environment a hostile one for men.

When driving cars we often have people follow us for miles because by focusing on just the vehicle ahead one can zone out. If the vehicle slows the follower slows because they are relying on the leader to scan ahead for dangers and set the speed. it is not intimidating until it becomes aggressive which requires active communication like horn blowing and reckless actions. Leaders who hate to be leaders either slow down or passive-aggressively use their windshield wiper spray to force followers to concentrate on driving.

This video was cut presumably to only show the close encounters, which were short. The guy was zoned out and didn’t wish to think about or expend the effort to pass. The leader who doesn’t want to be leader either stops, forcing the follower to the front, or as in this case outruns the follower.

[SolarBikeCar]

The world is in gender balance. Every jerk comment on the trail is balanced by the gossip and snarky commentary on this forum.

[SolarBikeCar]

Sorry mr black snake all stretched out on the path in a straight line. I thought you were a stick and at the last moment could only steer so I missed your head and tail with the front tires but got you right in the middle with the rear one. You twisted up and then exited the path so I didn’t kill you outright. That part of the w&od west of Vienna has a lot of walkers so take care. Not everyone is is going to appreciate a 3ft snake using it to sun yourself. Apologies for going to fast to stop. My bad.

[SolarBikeCar]

@kcb203 158698 wrote:

Yes, it was a couple months ago. But you’ve got insanely bright lights and it’s impossible to tell what’s coming at me–whether it’s your electric car, a regular car with a crazy driver on the path, a park maintenance vehicle driving slowly, or two bikes side by side. I rode into the gravel because I literally had no clue what was coming at me in time to protect myself. Please consider others when driving your electric car on the bike trail where it’s not supposed to be anyway (but I won’t rehash why your arguments are wrong).

Again, I love the idea of your ELF, but not on a bike or multi-use trail.

I’m not sure if this is an attempt to pick last year’s scab and I should ignore you or if you have a valid point that I can do something about. I’ll assume the latter for now and see where this goes.

I have the lowest watt lights on the ELF. There is a brighter light option. So I think “insanely bright lights” is hyperbole. I don’t think riding in the dark is a reasonable option so suggesting one should turn off the lights when encountering others is crazy talk. More light is generally better than less. I’m also not sure why cyclists are looking at an approaching light instead of where they are going. Auto drivers learn this. Deer never did.

I could try designing a reflective housing that reshapes the beam by trimming off the top of the light cone. The fact the my lights are already much lower to the ground than a typical cyclist lights and lower powered should make them friendlier.

I often leave a light on inside the vehicle to illuminate the shell to provide some context for those who want to know what they are approaching. Does that help?

Did you have cataract or laser eye surgery that gives you poor night vision? I have stood 10, 15, 25 feet in front of my bike with the lights on and have not seen the problem you are describing.

[SolarBikeCar]

@kcb203 158663 wrote:

I try to ignore yours but it’s hard to do it when you’re blazing down the trail in your car in the dark with two insanely bright headlights that can’t be dimmed by hand like many conscientious cyclists do, and I ended up in the gravel along the trail because I couldn’t see where I was going.

The trail patrol asked me to run my lights during the day because approaching riders might not see me. (Go figure!) I haven’t ridden in the dark for at least a month so perhaps this comment is about trips last January and February. I find those who dim their lights with their fingers until a dozen feet in front and then bam full light to be unappreciative at how dangerous that is to oncoming traffic. Better to have a steady light that illuminates the trail consistently so one can train the eyes not to look into it like a deer but to focus on the edge of the trail so one doesn’t drive off the path. But I realize this is the place to vent and hopefully you’ll appreciate not having to worry about my lights until next November.

[SolarBikeCar]

@vern 158378 wrote:

And now you know how the rest of us feel …..

Good to know. I was feeling curious. Did he blindly follow gps directions? Was it a new car and he wanted to try out 4-wheel drive? Was he having a senior moment. Really didn’t seem drunk or dangerous…just different. I stopped my vehicle thinking I’d get some answers by engaging in a conversation, but he continued on and so did I. I’m guessing from the snarky tone that your mind is more judgemental and less curious, Vern. But life has all types. Enjoy yours and ignore mine.

[SolarBikeCar]

About 5:30 between sunrise valley and sunset hills (under the toll road) I encountered a bluish Honda CR-V sized car headed my way on the gravel path. He was driving slow and smiling and waving.

[SolarBikeCar]

I drive through Tysons daily. The cars are pretty tolerant of me taking the lane and I keep up with the flow pretty well. I rarely get passive aggressive passing. Some of this is because drivers are more passive in the morning. After a day of stress and caffeine, the evening commute is more aggressive. I don’t mix with cars in the evening in Tysons so I don’t know how that aggression plays out. I’ve been on 123 to McLean and back for lunch. Downhill was okay but the return uphill was tricky with all the merge lanes. My experiences are with an e-bike so my speed is a bit higher than a traditional cycle so ymmv.

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