What may annoy you when commuting?
03-20-19, 03:55 PM
#26
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They've changed the local school to a specialty school, and regularly have big 40 foot buses carrying one kid.
When I first moved here, I would regularly get close passes by school buses, but I assume I get passed by the same buses, and they seem to have relaxed some, and usually wait to pass until visibility is clear.
However, a year or so I was doing some local hill repeats, and a school bus passed me, then stopped about 1/2 bus length in front of me. Lights flashing, MUST STOP BY LAW.
Fortunately I was in my 10th or so time up the hill, and not trying for a KOM.
When I first moved here, I would regularly get close passes by school buses, but I assume I get passed by the same buses, and they seem to have relaxed some, and usually wait to pass until visibility is clear.
However, a year or so I was doing some local hill repeats, and a school bus passed me, then stopped about 1/2 bus length in front of me. Lights flashing, MUST STOP BY LAW.
Fortunately I was in my 10th or so time up the hill, and not trying for a KOM.
03-20-19, 04:14 PM
#27
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The latest trend here seems to be putting on their hazard lights before stopping to drop someone off, rather than signaling. It doesn't seem too bad, but most of the streets in the city are one way, so they might be pulling to the right or the left, and you have no clue, because they have all four directionals blinking. And it's reinforcing behavior: some of the clueless idiots see other idiots doing it, so they think it's the right thing to do.
03-20-19, 06:28 PM
#28
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@Wrokkar, welcome to the site, sorry about the circumstances!
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03-20-19, 08:22 PM
#29
Senior Member
Drivers! In far too much of a hurry without regard for laws. That and their park anywhere lights (also known as hazard lights).
03-20-19, 08:34 PM
#30
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Some time this spring I’m gonna have to pass somebody about 2-4 times. You know that guy (girl?) who passes you like their seat is on fire only to fizzle out about two blocks ahead. So you approach, call out “on yer left” and make the pass safely. Five minutes or five blocks later... here we go again.
It happens every spring when the weather gets nice and the tax refund checks find their way into the LBS. Suddenly bicycle commuting seems like a good idea to folks full of good intentions.
Don’t get me wrong, I applaud their interest and effort but really don’t appreciate their unpredictable riding. If traffic is tight and it looks risky to keep swapping I’ll stop for a bit to get a little separation.
Happens every year.
-Kedosto
It happens every spring when the weather gets nice and the tax refund checks find their way into the LBS. Suddenly bicycle commuting seems like a good idea to folks full of good intentions.
Don’t get me wrong, I applaud their interest and effort but really don’t appreciate their unpredictable riding. If traffic is tight and it looks risky to keep swapping I’ll stop for a bit to get a little separation.
Happens every year.
-Kedosto
03-20-19, 08:55 PM
#31
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I am so happy to commute on my bike its tuff to get me down. I will say the worst is rain just above freezing.
03-20-19, 10:17 PM
#32
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What may annoy you when commuting?
The OP posted such an open-ended question, that my best answer was nothing that would make me want to give up cycling, or too trite to enumerate, even after being hit by a car from behind.
However, I have posted to several threads, though not as heatedly as @mjac :
Commuting requires some tolerance, sure. But there are days!
E.g. a scooter idiot not looking when making a turn, crossing your path ... (sigh)
Anything you experienced while commuting that caused some frustration?
E.g. a scooter idiot not looking when making a turn, crossing your path ... (sigh)
Anything you experienced while commuting that caused some frustration?
Nothing really gets to me -- seriously.
There's nothing more futile than struggling against inevitability, in this case the cycling environment. Bad drivers, morons, difficult conditions, etc. are all part of that. Gotta find a way to embrace it.
To do otherwise is like taking up mountaineering and being unhappy because it's too much work, too dangerous, and too cold.
There's nothing more futile than struggling against inevitability, in this case the cycling environment. Bad drivers, morons, difficult conditions, etc. are all part of that. Gotta find a way to embrace it.
To do otherwise is like taking up mountaineering and being unhappy because it's too much work, too dangerous, and too cold.
However, I have posted to several threads, though not as heatedly as @mjac :
Anytime you ride in the street and do not get killed, it is a plus. I do not recommend it.
If you can't commute using dedicated Bike Paths don't do it. It is not worth it. It only takes one Jackass and you are going to lose the battle with a 21/2 Ton Automobile.
Stick to Bike Paths and Parks and ride safely and happily. The number of Ghost Funerals in this City alone is unbelievable. Their ain't nothing Romantic about it. You are Hurt or you are Dead and a Statistic that everyone will forget about.
If you can't commute using dedicated Bike Paths don't do it. It is not worth it. It only takes one Jackass and you are going to lose the battle with a 21/2 Ton Automobile.
Stick to Bike Paths and Parks and ride safely and happily. The number of Ghost Funerals in this City alone is unbelievable. Their ain't nothing Romantic about it. You are Hurt or you are Dead and a Statistic that everyone will forget about.
Frankly, I have posted that I would not be inclined to encourage, unless by example (nor discourage) someone to cycle-commute, but if they so chose, I would freely and gladly give any advice...
Public exhortations to cycle-commute, or utility cycle are well and good with no individual responsibility for bad outcomes, but I would not want the recriminations of a personal endorsement if something bad happened...
FWW, I’m not advocatin’ against, just sayin’
Public exhortations to cycle-commute, or utility cycle are well and good with no individual responsibility for bad outcomes, but I would not want the recriminations of a personal endorsement if something bad happened...
FWW, I’m not advocatin’ against, just sayin’
03-20-19, 11:07 PM
#33
Senior Member
What may annoy you when commuting?The OP posted such an open-ended question, that my best answer was nothing that would make me want to give up cycling, or too trite to enumerate, even after being hit by a car from behind.
However, I have posted to several threads, though not as heatedly as @mjac :
However, I have posted to several threads, though not as heatedly as @mjac :
I did not mean to sound heated. I merely wanted to introduce some reality into the situation. These Ghost Bike Funerals are happening all the time around here. Each one of these represents a dead cicylist. Recently two cicylist were killed at the same time by a drunk driver. That is reality. Nobody seems to want to acknowledge that. You either find a solution to this,whatever your personal solution is or tempt the same fate. I do not want to see this happen to anyone and it is happening too often.
suffer the consequences.
03-20-19, 11:17 PM
#34
Full Member
Thread Starter
03-21-19, 07:04 AM
#35
Banned
We have heat maps off collision with cars (40) and near collisions that result in an cycle-cycle, cycle-ped or cycle-auto altercation (400) for the last six months.
Our local users group keeps the maps and suggestions that it's very under reported.
9mi2 island ... about 300k people during the working day.
Our local users group keeps the maps and suggestions that it's very under reported.
9mi2 island ... about 300k people during the working day.
03-21-19, 07:07 AM
#36
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Squirrels!
03-21-19, 07:08 AM
#37
Portland Fred
I did not mean to sound heated. I merely wanted to introduce some reality into the situation. These Ghost Bike Funerals are happening all the time around here. Each one of these represents a dead cicylist. Recently two cicylist were killed at the same time by a drunk driver. That is reality. Nobody seems to want to acknowledge that. You either find a solution to this,whatever your personal solution is or tempt the same fate. I do not want to see this happen to anyone and it is happening too often.
It does happen too often. Many things can be done about it, but very little is.
Road safety affects everyone. For example, drivers get killed all the time. If we had ghost cars, there'd probably be so much wreckage that it would be hard to get around.
03-21-19, 07:22 AM
#38
Virgo
Catching myself thinking very much about work on my ride in, before I even get to work - that there is something that annoys me while commuting. Sometimes I’ll start getting frustrated about what I know I’m gonna have to deal with when I get there, and I tend to take my frustrations out on my knees when I’m on the bike. It’s counterproductive because the frustration gets me there faster. I try to keep my saddle time stress free, but a long monotonous commute sometimes inspires the mind to wander.
03-21-19, 07:24 AM
#39
Senior Member
We have heat maps off collision with cars (40) and near collisions that result in an cycle-cycle, cycle-ped or cycle-auto altercation (400) for the last six months.
Our local users group keeps the maps and suggestions that it's very under reported.
9mi2 island ... about 300k people during the working day.
Our local users group keeps the maps and suggestions that it's very under reported.
9mi2 island ... about 300k people during the working day.
03-21-19, 07:34 AM
#40
Senior Member
Catching myself thinking very much about work on my ride in, before I even get to work - that there is something that annoys me while commuting. Sometimes I’ll start getting frustrated about what I know I’m gonna have to deal with when I get there, and I tend to take my frustrations out on my knees when I’m on the bike. It’s counterproductive because the frustration gets me there faster. I try to keep my saddle time stress free, but a long monotonous commute sometimes inspires the mind to wander.
03-21-19, 07:42 AM
#41
Senior Member
Look at the Heat Map below your post. This is just for one area and it is acknowledged that it is very under reported. Multiply this around the country and you get the idea. Nobody is going to do anything about it and nothing is going to get done. That is why every individual cicylist has to take individual responsibility for themselves and decide what is their best personal way to deal with it. I can't tell you how to deal with it and you probably can't tell me how to deal with it. But you have to deal with it. Acknowledge it and face it and do not take it for granted.
03-21-19, 07:49 AM
#42
Banned
Look at this folks. This is just one area. Multiply this around the entire country and you get the idea. This also acknowledges it is very under reported. Get it? You have to ride safe. If an area is dangerous and/or at peak traffic hours try and avoid it. Don't try and deal with it. Being struck by a car can be lethal. Don't think you can ride anywhere you want at any time just because you believe you have just as much right to use the streets as cars do. There is not some magical bicycle God that is going to protect you. Use common sense and enjoy your avocation. Cars and drivers don't care. Don't be a victim of their carelessness. It is not worth it. You are not proving anything.
I saw the exact same thing happen to a student at the same intersection.
We are victims of badly channeled infrastructure and population density (most densely populated city in Western Europe and more building going on every day due to the current city-wide economic boom). My local ward on that map, centre and near the seafront, has 17000+ people living in about 1km2.
https://www.citypopulation.de/php/uk...m2id=E05002442
Gotta say that I love it though and won't move again unless something very interesting comes along.
03-21-19, 07:59 AM
#44
Banned
A near miss is something that results in an altercation (usually verbal interaction) between people. It's split about into half auto people (cyclists can be ******** and damage cars) or cyclists (ped/auto people/other cyclists can be ********). Third parties report as well.
It's a list of choke points that need be improved.
The "hits" is when the police/ambulatory services get involved. So, about 80-100 times/year.
example: Someone passing a bike close and the bike catching up and breaking the mirror off would be a near miss and would usually get reported by one party or a third party.
It's a list of choke points that need be improved.
The "hits" is when the police/ambulatory services get involved. So, about 80-100 times/year.
example: Someone passing a bike close and the bike catching up and breaking the mirror off would be a near miss and would usually get reported by one party or a third party.
03-21-19, 08:03 AM
#45
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Mechanicals...
... 1/2 block from home in the morning. Have to turn around and go to Plan B, which might be a different bike, or taking the car.
Another one might be flatting in the dark in the rain...which seems to be the most common mode.
Another one might be flatting in the dark in the rain...which seems to be the most common mode.
03-21-19, 08:12 AM
#46
Senior Member
I was hit once already and I'm very a conscious rider. Bright sun, bad windscreen and they didn't see me stopped at the light. And, I didn't report it, so I didn't make it into the dataset. Next time, I will report it.
I saw the exact same thing happen to a student at the same intersection.
We are victims of badly channeled infrastructure and population density (most densely populated city in Western Europe and more building going on every day due to the current city-wide economic boom). My local ward on that map, centre and near the seafront, has 17000+ people living in about 1km2.
https://www.citypopulation.de/php/uk...m2id=E05002442
Gotta say that I love it though and won't move again unless something very interesting comes along.
I saw the exact same thing happen to a student at the same intersection.
We are victims of badly channeled infrastructure and population density (most densely populated city in Western Europe and more building going on every day due to the current city-wide economic boom). My local ward on that map, centre and near the seafront, has 17000+ people living in about 1km2.
https://www.citypopulation.de/php/uk...m2id=E05002442
Gotta say that I love it though and won't move again unless something very interesting comes along.
Cities and Metropolitan areas develop the way they develop. Very difficult, nay impossible, to control. I thought you were in the U.S.
03-21-19, 08:35 AM
#47
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Look at the Heat Map below your post. This is just for one area and it is acknowledged that it is very under reported. Multiply this around the country and you get the idea. Nobody is going to do anything about it and nothing is going to get done. That is why every individual cicylist has to take individual responsibility for themselves and decide what is their best personal way to deal with it. I can't tell you how to deal with it and you probably can't tell me how to deal with it. But you have to deal with it. Acknowledge it and face it and do not take it for granted.
03-21-19, 08:44 AM
#48
Senior Member
Tell that to the families of the people who have been killed in this city alone.The problem has to be recognized and dealt with and it is not. Not joked about and made light of. Hyperventilating indeed.
03-21-19, 08:46 AM
#49
Senior Member
03-21-19, 08:51 AM
#50
Senior Member
A near miss is something that results in an altercation (usually verbal interaction) between people. It's split about into half auto people (cyclists can be ******** and damage cars) or cyclists (ped/auto people/other cyclists can be ********). Third parties report as well.
It's a list of choke points that need be improved.
The "hits" is when the police/ambulatory services get involved. So, about 80-100 times/year.
example: Someone passing a bike close and the bike catching up and breaking the mirror off would be a near miss and would usually get reported by one party or a third party.
It's a list of choke points that need be improved.
The "hits" is when the police/ambulatory services get involved. So, about 80-100 times/year.
example: Someone passing a bike close and the bike catching up and breaking the mirror off would be a near miss and would usually get reported by one party or a third party.