Cycling is Dangerous, Not Diving, I have Concluded

[Al Mialkovsky]

Nutter Haole in the ditch, sport of champions

We're considering not bringing out bikes over when we move next year.

Or taking them diving, that looks like a workout.

 

[DennisS]

Diving is a lot safer than bicycling. If you're more than 10ft below the surface your safe from the boating morons.

When you're biking the odds are against you. Will it be the drunk, or the soccer mom on the phone turning around to tell the kids to be quiet, or the testosterone loaded teen ager going double the speed limit while he's groping his girlfriend, possibly the 85 year old swerving down the road, 20 miles an hour below the speed limit with her hands clenched on the wheel? We're not even going into the people who go into road rage when bikes are on their road. (I know one, every time she sees bikes in her lane she starts a tirade, otherwise a very calm and nice person). Biking on the road is a sport for the foolhardy. You're playing the odds. I commuted by bike for years and the small part of the commute I had to drive on the road always rattled me.

Florida recently passed a law where bikes are supposed to get 3 feet when they are being passed. I saw a cop pass a bike the other day, neck and neck with the car next to him and about a foot between him and the bike. I don't think there will be much enforcement. The "Share the road" program is a joke, its just a slogan to keep from spending money on bike paths.

Don't get me started on bicyclists that ride in the road when there is a bike path next to the road.

 

[Cacia]

yea....I am thinking it is a bad idea. Besides, it is really making me hateful. Seriously...everyone is my enemy now. Walkers, city buses, cars, motor scooters--I hate them all. Dogs..I even hate dogs now. I fantasize about hurting people.

It has however made me a more consciencious driver. On the bike forum, every day there is some new post about somebody killed or hit....recently some kid text messaging hit and killed a guy.

I wish I lived near a decent route. I think the Marine base will be good, it's twenty minutes away.

Al---you will have it better on Maui. The Big Island is better too.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Have a link to the bike forum, is it hawaii based?

 

[Cacia]

The Bike Forums...they lump us with the Pacific Northwest. The political forum is fun,

somebody sent me another Hawaii forum but said it is not too active...I will send it to you.

 

[ItsBruce]

I used to ride with a pack of about 20 riders. There is safety in numbers, especially when some of them are 250 pounds of muscle. In any event, I was able to remove the air pump from the frame, smack a walker or runner who was in the bike land and replace the pump with but a glitch in my spin. With so many of us, the walker or runner had no recourse, though I did break a number of pumps.

As for what to do when the road is narrow -- ride right in the middle of it. The law gives you the same rights as a motorcycle or car. Being in the middle makes you more visible and forces drivers to change lanes to pass you. When you are at the edge, they will try to squeeze by. (Sorry Dennis.)

BTW: One of the 250 pounders demonstrated his ability to get off his bike, grab the door of a car, wrench it off its hinges and then put it back in the car. That driver will NEVER again open the door when a group of bikes is approaching.

ALSO: I almost went OOA laughing over the smiley and the photo.

 

[Cacia]

oh yea...take the middle thats what they are telling me. I am still too tenative sometimes.

But ...see..you think about hurting people all the time. That cannot be good.
Riding in a big group is probably safer, coordinating schedules makes me nuts.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Well I goggled up bike forums in Hawaii and came up with a bunch of gay leather dudes forum and and another forum with estrogen in the title so maybe it'd be good for you Catherine. Many bike shops have regular scheduled bike rides for groups.

This forum has a lot of current posts so it's pretty active

Chick Forum

 

[DennisS]

I used to ride with a pack of about 20 riders. There is safety in numbers, especially when some of them are 250 pounds of muscle. In any event, I was able to remove the air pump from the frame, smack a walker or runner who was in the bike land and replace the pump with but a glitch in my spin. With so many of us, the walker or runner had no recourse, though I did break a number of pumps.

Kind of like bicycle polo, where one of the kids in the car has a mop. Maybe that's where they got the idea.

 

[ItsBruce]

We never had a problem coordinating schedules. Rides were 8:00 a.m. every day of the week. Be there and ready to ride or miss the ride. We always had a bunch of people, though not always the same ones. BTW: 20 riders can easily turn a car over when it is stopped for a light. (Don't ask.)