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What Bicycling Rules do you follow that Experience has taught you?

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What Bicycling Rules do you follow that Experience has taught you?

Old 03-01-21, 02:23 PM
  #101  
Bill in VA
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Originally Posted by trek800
Always keep your bike between you and any dog that is chasing you. Get off and walk away with the bike between you and the dog. Never trust a dog that is chasing you.
Another dog advice is, do NOT try to out run a herding dog, unless you are very, very fast with endurance. Herding dogs have the instinct of a Sidewinder missile to carefully calculate your speed, direction, and acceleration to plot a perfect intercept course. The clearer the line of sight, the better their accuracy.

I know this from experience, where I learned about the bike between you and the dog technique, and also from having a Australian Shepherd and watching him with animals in our yard and with other dogs at dog parks. He was great with humans though.
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Old 03-01-21, 07:23 PM
  #102  
GranSport70
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Try not to look back at every Girl you pass!
I went over a parked car on my way back from Driver's ed class in 1965.
I went over a Large Trash Can, placed out on the street last month, at the ripe age of 70 and many other mishaps in between!
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Old 03-01-21, 07:36 PM
  #103  
Chuck M 
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I don't know that this a rule, but experience has certainly taught me that I'm not 17 any longer. The high speed cornering was only exhilarating up to the point that I realized I don't heal as quickly as I once did.
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Old 03-01-21, 08:04 PM
  #104  
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Ride fast, sleep lots.

When you see someone else drink, have a drink. When you see a water tower, have a drink. When you think about a drink, have a drink. When you think it's been a while since you peed, have a drink.

Don't carry any tools you aren't comfortable using.

Plan for temps 10 degrees colder than forecast, plus rain. Unless it's summer, then it's 10 degrees hotter than forecast, with blazing sun.

As far as mechanicals, flats are inevitable. Anything else is a distant second. Prepare appropriately.

Don't quit an organized ride until you are disqualified on time. Even if you're in the emergency room, your still in it until the clock or an official says you're out.
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Old 03-01-21, 08:11 PM
  #105  
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Originally Posted by John_V
I ride within the rules of the sate I'm riding in. I ride my bike like I would drive my car and I don't assume the right of way without caution (even if I have it). A 3,000 plus pound vehicle will end up victorious every time, regardless of the situation.
You can be dead right or dead wrong... either way you are dead!
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Old 03-01-21, 08:14 PM
  #106  
EVFreewheeler
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In California, riding farther to the left makes you a better target for the drivers.
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Old 03-01-21, 08:15 PM
  #107  
GlennR
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Originally Posted by EVFreewheeler
You can be dead right or dead wrong... either way you are dead!
100%

If I don't see their eyes I don't know if they see me.

I hate dark tinted door windows which are illegal in New York. They need to go after the state licensed inspection stations that pass these cars.
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Old 03-01-21, 08:28 PM
  #108  
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Originally Posted by SkyWave
YES I agree with #1, I tend to move to the middle of the lane particularly when there is approaching traffic on country roads, otherwise following traffic will try to pass your bike without moving over as you suggest.
On some country roads around here, it's good idea to ride toward the center of the lane when there is no traffic. Between roadkill on the pavement and woody vines hanging from trees, the right edge can be dangerous.
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Old 03-01-21, 09:47 PM
  #109  
Rstyle
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I definitely agree with the: expect the second car but particularly the trailer. On two occasions I have looked in my mirror and see an empty road behind me except for one upcoming vehicle.
On the mirror there is nothing as far as I can see behind the vehicle, so when the vehicle passes I start moving left to just be within the car lane and to my surprise find out that they were pulling a trailer
that you could not see on the mirror (one was a landscaping trailer and was a pool guy pulling all his chemicals and equipment). I always assume there is a trailer or a second car.

One fall was after a light sprinkle, not significant. The pavement looked dry but I turned slightly on an 6 or 8ft yellow painted area on the road for a golf cart crossing and both wheels flew from under me at the same time.
I was not even touching the brakes.Fortunately no injuries but on the ground in 1.83 seconds!! Those yellow painted areas are like soap when slightly (or completely) wet.
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Old 03-02-21, 07:01 AM
  #110  
AVolta
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Carrying both a tube and a patch kit has proven essential for me time and again. Once I ran over a staple which punctured the tube in two adjacent holes, making it impossible to patch. My protocol now is to use the new tube, but patch the flat one to use as a spare for the rest of the ride.

Last edited by AVolta; 03-02-21 at 07:12 AM.
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Old 03-02-21, 07:10 AM
  #111  
AVolta
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Dismounting when a dog comes after you is good advice. Once I had plenty of speed going downhill, enough (I thought) to blow past the dog at the bottom of the hill. That was a mistake. Having learned my lesson, another time two dogs came at me from someone's backyard. The best thing to do was dismount and put the bike between me and them. Yelling "go home" might have helped. They eventually got bored and left me alone.

Last edited by AVolta; 03-02-21 at 07:14 AM.
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Old 03-02-21, 08:40 AM
  #112  
Tim Dunn
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Originally Posted by masonv45
Never ride close to the line on the side of the road. It "encourages" vehicles behind you to attempt to squeeze by without going into the opposing lane to pass.

Ride far enough away that a car passing you will be forced to go into the opposing lane of traffic. Hopefully, it will encourage the driver to make a safer pass - safer for you & safer for them.
Been cycling for 45+ years.

Staying out of the path of vehicles makes sense to me.

Intentionally riding well into the lane is simply asking for some inattentive driver to get really close or hit you.

Riding in a manner that 'forces' a driver into the oncoming lane in no way sounds like a safe way to ride.

Don't forget:

It doesn't matter who has the right of way.
It doesn't matter if you are following all the rules.
It doesn't' matter if you have all the right gear on.
It doesn't matter if you have good lights.

NONE OF THOSE THINGS MATTER IF YOU GET INTO A COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE BECAUSE THE ONLY OUTCOME IS THAT THE CYCLIST LOSES THE ENCOUNTER! (every time)

The only place you will find me is as far right as the pavement reasonably allows.
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Old 03-02-21, 02:05 PM
  #113  
Inusuit
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Originally Posted by AdkMtnMonster
My will to live is as strong as anyone’s. I use my eyes and ears to determine if it’s safe to turn. I don’t live in an area with bike lanes. I ride where the traffic is intermittent and moving @ 55mph or better, on two-lane winding roads. Be predictable, follow the rules of the road. When it’s time to turn onto a different road I rotate my head and actually look to see if there are any cars, log trucks, motorcycles or giant RVs closing on me. It works.

If I was riding on city streets I would keep my head on a swivel and my ears in operation to stay alive. I would not be scanning a set of eleven mini mirrors bolted all over my bike. I would turn my head and look. Why? Because a direct view of traffic works..
I'm 76. My neck doesn't swivel like it did when I was younger. I have one mirror on each bike, not eleven (hyperbole much?). When I'm making that regular left turn off a 65 mph highway to get to my gravel routes, I stop and look behind before crossing traffic.

So my rule is don't criticize others for what they do attempting to be safe and responsible cyclists.
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Old 03-02-21, 02:15 PM
  #114  
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Never ride on the road without the Varia radar, but don't soley depend on it, look over your shoulder to be sure they see you.

Never ride in a paceline with someone on aerobars.

As someone said earlier, always have a ditch plan.
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Old 03-02-21, 03:00 PM
  #115  
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Originally Posted by downtube42
Ride fast, sleep lots.

When you see someone else drink, have a drink. When you see a water tower, have a drink. When you think about a drink, have a drink. When you think it's been a while since you peed, have a drink.

Don't carry any tools you aren't comfortable using.

Plan for temps 10 degrees colder than forecast, plus rain. Unless it's summer, then it's 10 degrees hotter than forecast, with blazing sun.

As far as mechanicals, flats are inevitable. Anything else is a distant second. Prepare appropriately.

Don't quit an organized ride until you are disqualified on time. Even if you're in the emergency room, your still in it until the clock or an official says you're out.
After the trip, drink 0.5 liters of vodka, because you are tired drink water ...
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Old 03-02-21, 04:04 PM
  #116  
Sal Bandini
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If it looks like wet cement, it IS wet cement.
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Old 03-02-21, 06:50 PM
  #117  
justkeepspinnin
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Big Apple Rules

Three special urban rules I learned a long time ago for riding the avenues of New York City:


1. Watch the right front tire of every car that is abreast of and/or passing you. As soon as that tire starts to turn to the right, hit the brakes or escape to the right.


2. Watch the sidewalks not just the street. (a) Pedestrians jaywalking can kill you or themselves by stepping in front of you. Either they didn't see you because they were looking for cars or they saw you but assumed you were going at the speed they go when twiddling on their bike. (b) If you see a person standing on the curb with their hand up, immediately check to your left and behind for that cab that is about to go right through you to pick up that fare. It's nothing personal, they just have the same specific image targeting as the jaywalkers.


3. Ride like you were driving a car in that environment. In NYC, that means riding as fast or faster than the motorized traffic, up to even diving into every opening in the traffic to advance your position. If you act like a car (on NYC avenues more cabs than anything else) you are less likely to slow drivers down and you are in the flow of drivers' traffic expectations. Except for the mythical psychopath, drivers just don't want to be delayed by your slower moving vehicle, so your hesitation infuriates them.
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Old 03-02-21, 08:47 PM
  #118  
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From today’s ride!

Be especially alert when riding on a street or neighborhood with partially visible driveways, Drivers backing up will have to go into the road before they can see from the drivers seat cars or bicycles approaching on the street. Expect a vehicle to come out into your path at anytime

( fortunately they back up slowly, but had a near miss today from a long pick up truck backing up out of a driveway. He never saw me.
I was fortunate that there were not any cars coming behind me and was able to make a wide turn around him in the car lane)
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Old 03-03-21, 01:39 AM
  #119  
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Someone is going to try and hit you. Then trade you in for the giant stuffed panda.
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Old 03-03-21, 07:53 AM
  #120  
y0x8
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Don't open beer lids with your teeth. Use a special bottle opener.
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Old 03-08-21, 06:55 PM
  #121  
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1. Always have a Plan B, C and D (see my "signature")
2. Assume that car with the driver is about to do something stupid because they most likely will. As such, have a strategy that will help you avoid becoming an unfortunate "object of their affliction(s)"
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Old 03-08-21, 07:48 PM
  #122  
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Ride 99 percent on paved bile trails and stay off the roads.
Never assume a driver sees you when crossing the street.
Very bright bike lights.
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Old 03-08-21, 09:18 PM
  #123  
big john
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Originally Posted by drsmoooth
Ride 99 percent on paved bile trails and stay off the roads.
Never assume a driver sees you when crossing the street.
Very bright bike lights.
We don't have any bile trails out here.
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Old 03-09-21, 10:41 AM
  #124  
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Here's a few random rules
  • Treat that puddle of water as if it's hiding something, no matter how innocent it appears.​​​​​
  • Don't look at the top of the hill, it's trying to psyche you out.
  • Don't give chase to roadies when you're riding fixed
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Old 03-09-21, 06:46 PM
  #125  
Flip Flop Rider
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Originally Posted by wphamilton
Here's a few random rules
  • Treat that puddle of water as if it's hiding something, no matter how innocent it appears.​​​​​
  • Don't look at the top of the hill, it's trying to psyche you out.
  • Don't give chase to roadies when you're riding fixed
agree 100% about those puddles

you know this is a thread that new cyclist could learn a ton in one place. Great thread whomever started it (forgot to look
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