Wednesday Musette
7SEP2005
I’m seeing more commuting cyclists on the roads nearly every day. Too many of them are sidewalk riders or wrong-way riders. But yesterday I saw something that sent a chill up my back.
I turned north onto 145th Street and noticed another cyclist topping the hill just to the south. I slowed so he could catch up. It was Wally (not his real name), a guy I’ve ridden with a few times. He’s done a couple of things that bothered me, like riding in circles at a red light rather than stopping and putting a foot down. He’s a bit of a hothead too, and coming from me, that’s says a lot!
As we approached 66th Street, a pickup was overtaking. It passed safely well away from the intersection and slowed for the stop sign. I had to deliver that letter to Anchor Stone that I wrote about yesterday, so I was going to turn right. Wally was going to turn left.
The truck stopped, his left-turn indicator flashing. Without slowing, Wally moved into the oncoming lane and turned left, turning inside the truck! When he exited the turn, he was in front of it! I’m sure that driver was surprised and maybe a little pissed to see such a maneuver. He certainly wouldn’t have been looking for a cyclist coming up on his blind side like that.
Sometimes, cyclists are the source of conflicts with motorists. It seemed especially ironic in light of the letter I was about to deliver.
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Rod Harwood donated a fixed gear bike to the Community Cycling Project. I freely admit that I’m a little biased in favor of fixies, but I have to wonder if we’ll be able to find a suitable client for this bike. I definitely do not want to put a novice on a fixed gear!
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I received an e-mail from Susan Walker, editor of the Red Dirt Pedaler’s newsletter, “Wheel Issues”. Susan is staffing some rides for ABB this summer. She’s a sweetie and she says ‘dahlink’ like one of the Gabor sisters! I write a column for her and I really appreciate her light touch. If you look on their website, you’ll find links to some of my old columns and a lot of other good stuff. The next issue of Wheel Issues should be out in late October or early November. This is a kind way of saying the deadline is so far off I don’t have to panic….yet.
Here’s the Red Dirt Pedaler’s main site: http://www.reddirtpedalers.com/
Here’s a link to Wheel Issues: http://www.reddirtpedalers.com/WheelIssues/ListReprints.asp
I’m seeing more commuting cyclists on the roads nearly every day. Too many of them are sidewalk riders or wrong-way riders. But yesterday I saw something that sent a chill up my back.
I turned north onto 145th Street and noticed another cyclist topping the hill just to the south. I slowed so he could catch up. It was Wally (not his real name), a guy I’ve ridden with a few times. He’s done a couple of things that bothered me, like riding in circles at a red light rather than stopping and putting a foot down. He’s a bit of a hothead too, and coming from me, that’s says a lot!
As we approached 66th Street, a pickup was overtaking. It passed safely well away from the intersection and slowed for the stop sign. I had to deliver that letter to Anchor Stone that I wrote about yesterday, so I was going to turn right. Wally was going to turn left.
The truck stopped, his left-turn indicator flashing. Without slowing, Wally moved into the oncoming lane and turned left, turning inside the truck! When he exited the turn, he was in front of it! I’m sure that driver was surprised and maybe a little pissed to see such a maneuver. He certainly wouldn’t have been looking for a cyclist coming up on his blind side like that.
Sometimes, cyclists are the source of conflicts with motorists. It seemed especially ironic in light of the letter I was about to deliver.
------------------
Rod Harwood donated a fixed gear bike to the Community Cycling Project. I freely admit that I’m a little biased in favor of fixies, but I have to wonder if we’ll be able to find a suitable client for this bike. I definitely do not want to put a novice on a fixed gear!
------------------
I received an e-mail from Susan Walker, editor of the Red Dirt Pedaler’s newsletter, “Wheel Issues”. Susan is staffing some rides for ABB this summer. She’s a sweetie and she says ‘dahlink’ like one of the Gabor sisters! I write a column for her and I really appreciate her light touch. If you look on their website, you’ll find links to some of my old columns and a lot of other good stuff. The next issue of Wheel Issues should be out in late October or early November. This is a kind way of saying the deadline is so far off I don’t have to panic….yet.
Here’s the Red Dirt Pedaler’s main site: http://www.reddirtpedalers.com/
Here’s a link to Wheel Issues: http://www.reddirtpedalers.com/WheelIssues/ListReprints.asp
posted by Ed W at 7:33 PM
1 Comments:
Yesterday, I nearly clobbered two wrong-way-sidewalk-cyclists on my commute home from work. I had clear right-of-way in both instances.
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