Death is inches away and can created by a multitude of simple human actions; a sneeze, a glance to the side, dropped phone, simple inattention, a wild card event resulting in a weave or 12" or less into the legally designated bike lane. 2 tons vs 50 lbs. Who's the winner? Does it matter who had the right of way? NO. Unarguable. Dead is dead. Play the odds, take your chances.
Ya, but you’ll be in really good shape until then 🙂
Actually, I’m not seeking death, but at this point in my life there’s worse ways to go.
The biggest downside would be inflicting on someone else the burden of having killed me.
At 62, because of bicycles I can be athletic, every day. And at 62 I can ride a bicycle all the way across West Texas in summer, and then decide to turn right at the NM State Line and go up the Plains instead.
So for me it’s worth the risk.
I have read studies that showed that cycling can extend your life expectancy even when you factor in accidental deaths.
About 900 cyclists a year get killed in the US. Many of those are cyclists who are not allowed to have a driver's license. Many are those who are riding on the wrong side of the road. Many of those are killed at night while riding with no lights. Many of those are impaired. Eliminate those risks and the raw number of cyclists killed probably amounts to one a day.
Identify the other ways that cyclists are killed. Develop mitigation strategies and you find yourself in a relatively safe situation. Unfortunately the mitigation strategies for avoiding certain types of accidents involve positioning yourself in the lane. We see from reading the rants here the issues that causes. Would I rather be alive or be the source of emotional distress for an overweight, angry, middle-aged white male?
When your recreational pastime is to impede traffic by moving a full 50mph under the posted speed limit on a highway with 12 inches of pavement outside the white line, you might be an azzhole. Got a bike lane? Mountain bike? All good.
I have never experienced difficulty going around a cyclist. If you experience difficulty, maybe it's you?
Dude. I pedal. I have never ran a biker off the road while driving, but have come across many idiots that put themselves in grave danger while riding. Pedaling at 15-20mph on a 70mph blacktop with literally 12 inches of pavement out side the white line for recreation is reckless, although legal. What is your opinion on canoeing in major shipping lanes?
You encountered people doing dumb things and you didn't kill them. That sounds pretty simple to me. Are the skills and thought processes you employed in not running over them anything special or do you feel like any licensed driver could pull it off?
What kind of special skills or thinking does it take to go around a bicyclist on a road like this?
I am a kayaker too. You wouldn't believe the level of butthurt motor boaters feel over the presence of paddlers.
I can't tell anyone in this limited space what cycling has done for me. I've rode over 60 miles in the last 2 days. I couldn't even walk a mile last year because of bad knees and back and being over weight. I was on 4 pain pills a day and 4 injections every 3 months. I have no pain now with no meds or injections,and my weight has gone from 330 to 175. I'm 51 and feel better and can do more physically than I have ever been able to do.
Ya, all of that
But now you have a moral obligation to ride it to California 🙂
For starters...........
"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744
....and if that ain’t scary enough ya gotta flip off coal dumpers along the way
"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744
I can't tell anyone in this limited space what cycling has done for me. I've rode over 60 miles in the last 2 days. I couldn't even walk a mile last year because of bad knees and back and being over weight. I was on 4 pain pills a day and 4 injections every 3 months. I have no pain now with no meds or injections,and my weight has gone from 330 to 175. I'm 51 and feel better and can do more physically than I have ever been able to do.
Ya, all of that
But now you have a moral obligation to ride it to California 🙂
For starters...........
I would actually like to ride it to Colorado but I'm afraid of all the distracted haters in automobiles.
I can't tell anyone in this limited space what cycling has done for me. I've rode over 60 miles in the last 2 days. I couldn't even walk a mile last year because of bad knees and back and being over weight. I was on 4 pain pills a day and 4 injections every 3 months. I have no pain now with no meds or injections,and my weight has gone from 330 to 175. I'm 51 and feel better and can do more physically than I have ever been able to do.
Ya, all of that
But now you have a moral obligation to ride it to California 🙂
For starters...........
I would actually like to ride it to Colorado but I'm afraid of all the distracted haters in automobiles.
Good mirrors, no earbuds or music, a place slow enough (~10mph) that you really CAN have your head on a swivel AND bail off the shoulder into the grass at a moment’s notice.
That, and term life insurance.
Works fer me
"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744
I can't tell anyone in this limited space what cycling has done for me. I've rode over 60 miles in the last 2 days. I couldn't even walk a mile last year because of bad knees and back and being over weight. I was on 4 pain pills a day and 4 injections every 3 months. I have no pain now with no meds or injections,and my weight has gone from 330 to 175. I'm 51 and feel better and can do more physically than I have ever been able to do.
Ya, all of that
But now you have a moral obligation to ride it to California 🙂
For starters...........
I would actually like to ride it to Colorado but I'm afraid of all the distracted haters in automobiles.
I may have mentioned this over on Bike Forums. Read a book titled "The Art of Cycling."
I can't tell anyone in this limited space what cycling has done for me. I've rode over 60 miles in the last 2 days. I couldn't even walk a mile last year because of bad knees and back and being over weight. I was on 4 pain pills a day and 4 injections every 3 months. I have no pain now with no meds or injections,and my weight has gone from 330 to 175. I'm 51 and feel better and can do more physically than I have ever been able to do.
Ya, all of that
But now you have a moral obligation to ride it to California 🙂
For starters...........
Get in the swimming pool. It's the best exercise there is, and easier on the joints. Much safer too, obviously, with less dorks on the road.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
My comments were not in jest or derogotory. A skinny az 2 wheeler stands no chance against the 2 ton and more 4 wheeler driven by a distracted, obnoxious, or aggressive pilot. Literally, ride the asphalt if that is your desire but take your chances without complaint when confronted by those described. They are there. Waiting. Some interaction unintentional but some quite intentional. The dimensional separation between life and death is measured in inches and right of way is of no benefit in the final measure. In my area of existence bike lanes are common and I for one make way for the spandex brigade. Speaking only for myself and definitely not for skinny wheeled bikers I value life more than a share of a congested 4 lane. Ride where you wish with my blessing if at all relevant. But when fate meets opportunity and the flat spot on the asphat is you none of this will matter in the least.
Colossians 3:17 (New King James Version) "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
My comments were not in jest or derogotory. A skinny az 2 wheeler stands no chance against the 2 ton and more 4 wheeler driven by a distracted, obnoxious, or aggressive pilot. Literally, ride the asphalt if that is your desire but take your chances without complaint when confronted by those described. They are there. Waiting. Some interaction unintentional but some quite intentional. The dimensional separation between life and death is measured in inches and right of way is of no benefit in the final measure. In my area of existence bike lanes are common and I for one make way for the spandex brigade. Speaking only for myself and definitely not for skinny wheeled bikers I value life more than a share of a congested 4 lane. Ride where you wish with my blessing if at all relevant. But when fate meets opportunity and the flat spot on the asphat is you none of this will matter in the least.
The rule of gross tonnage again. Are we consistent with the way we apply it?
When you read the comments following an auto vs pedestrian crash news article, do people celebrate the death of the pedestrian and aggressively assert pedestrians don't belong on the road with 2 ton vehicles? You know, about 5 times as many pedestrians are killed each year than cyclists.
When you read the comments following an auto vs motorcycle crash news article, do people celebrate the death of the motorcyclist and aggressively assert motorcyclists don't belong on the road with 2 ton vehicles? Motorcyclist have the same vulnerability as cyclists with much more speed added to the impact.
When you read the comments following a tractor trailer vs passenger car crash news article, do people celebrate the death of the motorist and aggressively assert passenger cars don't belong on the road with 20 ton vehicles? Tractor trailer owners pay FAR more taxes.
A few days ago I was driving my wife's little car. A great big 4WD pick up drifted over into my lane. The rule of gross tonnage says I shouldn't have been there just like it does when a motorist drifts into the bicycle lane.
We are consistent in our thoughts about gross tonnage, right?
Bicyclists pay for the road only if they are buying gas or diesel.
In my State, unless the voters approve a special tax to fund roads, zero ad vsloreum or general taxes are used to fund road construction or maintenance.
I learned something Arizona is not yet using other tax monies for county and city roads. Unless they accept state monies to help with funding, which almost always happens. Just remember if you ever drive through a city where you haven't paid for gas you are stealing the use of that road!
The State monies you are referring to are the HURF or gas taxes dispersed by the State to fund transportation projects. So still, gas taxes pay for that bike lane.
"Successful is leaving something in better shape than you inherited it in. Keep that in mind, son." Dad
Bicyclists pay for the road only if they are buying gas or diesel.
In my State, unless the voters approve a special tax to fund roads, zero ad vsloreum or general taxes are used to fund road construction or maintenance.
I learned something Arizona is not yet using other tax monies for county and city roads. Unless they accept state monies to help with funding, which almost always happens. Just remember if you ever drive through a city where you haven't paid for gas you are stealing the use of that road!
The State monies you are referring to are the HURF or gas taxes dispersed by the State to fund transportation projects. So still, gas taxes pay for that bike lane.
Well hell, I'll never ride a bike on an Arizona road then. I don't want to feel guilty about stealing. Am I allowed to drive on them if I have never purchased gas in Arizona?
Most ragers check multiple boxes in the following demographics.
Middle age White Male Out of shape Lower intellect
Originally Posted by PaulBarnard
Today I looked behind me and saw another rider coming. When he was several hundred yards back, I pulled in ahead of my wife. He passed about a minute after I did and said "ride single file." Not sure I heard him right I asked "what did you say?" He said "ride single file." I laid into him. "I was single file you dumb mother ffuukker." He snarked back "you weren't" I said "I singled up well before you got here you goddam dumb mother ffuukker."
Meh, it wasn't any skin off my back telling him what I thought. I asked my wife if that embarrassed her when I said stuff like that. She said not when you say it to an idiot mother ffuukker.
Most ragers check multiple boxes in the following demographics.
Middle age White Male Out of shape Lower intellect
Originally Posted by PaulBarnard
Today I looked behind me and saw another rider coming. When he was several hundred yards back, I pulled in ahead of my wife. He passed about a minute after I did and said "ride single file." Not sure I heard him right I asked "what did you say?" He said "ride single file." I laid into him. "I was single file you dumb mother ffuukker." He snarked back "you weren't" I said "I singled up well before you got here you goddam dumb mother ffuukker."
Meh, it wasn't any skin off my back telling him what I thought. I asked my wife if that embarrassed her when I said stuff like that. She said not when you say it to an idiot mother ffuukker.
Bicyclists pay for the road only if they are buying gas or diesel.
In my State, unless the voters approve a special tax to fund roads, zero ad vsloreum or general taxes are used to fund road construction or maintenance.
I learned something Arizona is not yet using other tax monies for county and city roads. Unless they accept state monies to help with funding, which almost always happens. Just remember if you ever drive through a city where you haven't paid for gas you are stealing the use of that road!
The State monies you are referring to are the HURF or gas taxes dispersed by the State to fund transportation projects. So still, gas taxes pay for that bike lane.
Well hell, I'll never ride a bike on an Arizona road then. I don't want to feel guilty about stealing. Am I allowed to drive on them if I have never purchased gas in Arizona?
Ride your bike wherever you want. The weather here in AZ is often conducive to flying, sitting by a pool, hiking, or about anything outside.
But maybe you’ll now better understand the funding for those bike paths and shoulders you ride your bike on wherever you are from, because the State you live probably is wrestling with the same funding issue I have explained.
Again, my experience with the bicycling community is the act like they are owed or entitled to ride that bike and are very vocal about their expectations. And they ain’t paying for that shoulder or path. If there was say a user fee or tax to pay for that shoulder or oath, then I’d say that got a legit bitch. If that fee was say $20 per day for using it, then they would’ve correct in bitching about it. They are getting it for free now though. And bitching about it’s condition.
That’s messed up. Like I said all along.
"Successful is leaving something in better shape than you inherited it in. Keep that in mind, son." Dad
Today I looked behind me and saw another rider coming. When he was several hundred yards back, I pulled in ahead of my wife. He passed about a minute after I did and said "ride single file." Not sure I heard him right I asked "what did you say?" He said "ride single file." I laid into him. "I was single file you dumb mother ffuukker." He snarked back "you weren't" I said "I singled up well before you got here you goddam dumb mother ffuukker."
Meh, it wasn't any skin off my back telling him what I thought. I asked my wife if that embarrassed her when I said stuff like that. She said not when you say it to an idiot mother ffuukker.
Given the fact you look all of 130 skinny lbs, and you wear a clown suit, I find it highly unlikely you said anything close to that unless you were talking to a woman or little kid. Otherwise you likely spent the next 15 minutes picking your teeth up off the highway.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
God bless Texas----------------------- Old 300 I will remain what i am until the day I die- A HUNTER......Sitting Bull Its not how you pick the booger.. but where you put it !! Roger V Hunter
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