sm1960

Ever see a cyclist doing something bizarre? This morning on 93s, north of Boston I passed a cyclist. This is a major highway so busy during morning and evening rush hour the breakdown lanes are used as travel lanes. All I could do is shake my head. Construction clothes and boots, no helmet. Loss of license maybe, first time cycling to work?

rydabent

Quite possibly the guy has lost his license, and a bike is his only transportation to work. I applaude the fact that he has a job and wants to work. Further the route he is taking is probably the shortest way to his work place.

yugyug

I don't understand what you mean - what's so bizarre about someone cycling in their work clothes? What's wearing a helmet got do with anything? Or is it strange for him to be travelling in the break down lane, is that what you mean?

mr_bill

What's bizarre is cycling on Interstate 93S North of Boston.

(During rush hour, travel is permitted in the break down lane on stretches of I-93.)

-mr. bill

jjankie

Perhaps he is like me where I fight the pro-bike/con-bike thoughts on busy roadways. When I see helmitless bikers I cringe and get really negative on the bike if they are in flip-flops or sandals. It just strikes me as unsafe and stupid. I applaud that they are biking but wish they would do it elsewhere. Thoughts?

yugyug

Ok I'm Australian and I can't really comment on the road issue.

But the comments on what he was wearing... who cares. Lot of people don't care about the whole lycra or jodhpurs shenanigan. A bike can be just for transport.

And what's with the suggestions he's only cycling because he's lost his license? Thats the kind of pejorative attitude motorists have... surely we can just appreciate the fact he's cycling, getting exercise and helping the planet without making backhanded comments about his desire to work for a living... I just don't get it. I know we are enthusiasts because we make the effort to come to a cycling forum, but we don't have to be snobs.

Then there is the helmet thing. Cycling isn't always or even often dangerous enough to need them. If society really cared about safety we would be wearing them in cars. My perspective is if its not law then its none of your business and you should respect his ability as an adult to make up his own mind. And if it is law, then its a stupid law and you should respect him even more for ignoring it.

trailangel

Out here in California, land of the cars, no travel is permitted in the "Emergency Lane"
Bicycles are not permitted on highways such as your 93S... I see that is posted as well.
If you want to wear a helmet, go ahead. It's not a law here. MYOFB.
BTW, anyone is allow to ride a bike without bias on the west coast.

jjankie

IMHO, to ride in heavy traffic without a helmet and in sandals is foolhardy and completely lacking Common Sense. I don't want a law or anything like that, in fact there is nothing to cure Stupid, but it just seems so outrageous. I guess it goes into the Darwin Award category or some sort or weeding out the gene pool. I don't know. Isn't there a website called "What Were They Thinking?" or something like that?

howsteepisit

Yet another thread of do it my way or you are stupid. Must be nice to be so smart that your way is the only approved way. Sheese,

jjankie

So to ride 'unprotected' in heavy traffic is not stupid? Please enlighten me.

I-Like-To-Bike

There is thread for stupid and outrageous comments/posts about helmet wear. Recommend that this post be moved to it.

howsteepisit

A helmet is not protective in auto/bike collisions ( reference the long and bitter debates in the helmet thread, and the general agreement of the lack of protection when cyclist meets auto), and many many riders ride in major metropolitan areas daily, so are they all stupid? Consider yourself enlighten. I consider you elitist and a snob.

jjankie

This is not strictly about helmet wear sir. I beg to differ on your suggestion.

jjankie

Wow, where is this vitriol and anger and name-calling stemming from? Did I miss something on this forum? To lash out like that is uncalled for and you have no basis to call me a snob!

Moderator? Any thoughts on this member's behavior?

wphamilton

I ride on several local roads where the vast majority of bicycles are off to the side on sidewalks. A lot of them counter to the traffic flow. I feel like they're taking unnecessary chances, and I'm sure they look at me and feel the same way. In reality there isn't a serious danger either way; nobody is being stupid.

Sandals, or anything else they or we wear, who cares. The only real danger there IMO is something getting caught in the chain - other than that it's a matter of fashion and preference. Sure you'll wish you had boots, leathers and body pads if you fall and slide across the pavement, but the likelihood is slim enough that we generally don't bother.

I-Like-To-Bike

See your own post:https://www.bikeforums.net/advocacy-s...l#post17047480

"IMHO, to ride in heavy traffic without a helmet and in sandals is foolhardy and completely lacking Common Sense. I don't want a law or anything like that, in fact there is nothing to cure Stupid, but it just seems so outrageous. I guess it goes into the Darwin Award category or some sort or weeding out the gene pool. I don't know. "

howsteepisit

No virtol, just an observation that anyone would judge someone who rides helmetless and in sandals is foolhardy and lacking in common sense, and a candidate for a Darwin award is exactly what I said. I have been known to ride exactly that way many a time. I choose not to ride on interstate shoulders, but sure have ridden on a lot of high speed highway shoulders.

As far a name calling, your description of a guy you do not know, with unknown motivation, doing something you do not like was exactly that, as well as presumptive as to the riders intellect.

No further discussion necessary as I am done with this one. You will not change my mind. Of course you can feel free to defend you own harsh judgements of those who differ.

jjankie

I give up on you guys. I state "IMHO" that biking with sandals is Stupid Behavior, not necessarily that you are a Stupid Person, and I get flamed. So lets bike barefoot, who cares.

All I was trying to get across is sharing my amazement on what some bikers wear or don't wear that goes against what little common sense I think I have.

Everyone judges and I didn't imply that I wanted anything enforced (for many reasons) - I was just sharing my thoughts on something that just doesn't make any sense to me, like the biker who I passed on a busy road last Saturday about midnight in the dark with no lights, no helmet (ok OK! it's all good!), etc.

howsteepisit

As you said, there is nothing to cure Stupid.

mr_bill

FWIW:

"Section 11B. Every person operating a bicycle upon a way, as defined in section one of chapter ninety, shall have the right to use all public ways in the commonwealth except limited access or express state highways where signs specifically prohibiting bicycles have been posted...."

I-93 South is a limited access highway where signs specifically prohibiting bicycles (and pedestrians, and horses) have been posted.

-mr. bill

noisebeam

I put in tens of thousand of miles on busy roads wearing these. Highly recommended.

I-Like-To-Bike

ALL BF posts and responses are by default prefaced with an understood qualifier of "IMO" whether spelled out or not. Some are not so humble though.

Booger1

You'll get tired of shaking your head after awhile...

B. Carfree

After all the silliness, we finally get to the crux of the matter.

wphamilton

Is it really the crux? Prohibited doesn't necessarily mean stupid and unreasonably dangerous. I know that it seems so to our common sense, but if we're to use "common sense" what if we put some numbers to it based on common sense assumptions?

I don't know I-93 South in Boston, but I have GA-400 here in Atlanta. It is high-speed limited access with a high frequency of accidents. I've commuted on it in a car, many times.

While driving on GA400 I've never seen a vehicle drift over to the area where a cyclist would be, over hundreds of trips. I think the odds against it happening, over say a 4 mile stretch in a 15 minute time frame, would be more than 1000 to 1, but let's be cautious and say 100 to 1. If we allow for one second in that area band, before he corrects, stops or slides off the road, at their typical rush hour driving speed coming to 50 feet, and plugging all that into a probability calculation I get a 0.5% chance of getting hit during the course of a year, commuting daily. That's way too high for me, but I'm also being generous (on the side of caution) with both the odds and the time potentially in the impact zone so that's an upper bound. The most dangerous that it might be.

I don't know that it's stupidly dangerous at those odds, and that's at one of the most stupid places in Georgia to be on a bike. I'd be more afraid of the bus lanes, and crossing the ramps so it's never going to happen but on I-93? If perhaps he's riding only between an on-ramp and off-ramp? Is there traffic in the break-down lane? I honestly don't know, but I see at least the possibility that it isn't so dangerous as it may seem, and I can't impugn him for simply being on a restricted access highway.