The Chainlink

I am normally a courteous biker, but I was in a hurry on my way home today and was going a little too fast on the path near Lawrence. I passed a woman very close. I didn't have time to slow and apologize. If your on the chain link I am sorry.

Thought other may want to share the mistakes they made on their rides.

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In general I try to use the practice I learned from a fellow rider named...well, you guessed it, David.  He would use the slow down signal waving his left hand out and down to keep riders behind him from creeping too close and would then stand up and pedal hard for a few strokes to make sure he put a gap between himself and anybody else before letting fly.  I'm sure his mom would be dismayed as well but at least he had the good manners to issue a warning and try to get away.

T.K. 6.5 mi said:

Haha! Note to self, never ride behind David. 

I've never hit anyone but if you're salmoning, riding a skateboard, rollerblading, valet parking or texting while walking into traffic I'm NOT sorry.

+1. That being said, we have all been that cyclist every now and then. I'd rather dodge the cars and busses on the streets, as they are a tad more predictable. 

Will G - 10mi said:

Based on what I saw on the path on Wednesday afternoon on the commute home from work, what you are describing is standard summer LFT cyclist behavior. I was absolutely appalled at the behavior I witnessed from about half of the cyclists on Wednesday. I actually saw someone t-bone a car because he was behaving in such a ridiculous manner.

I will be avoiding the LFT until it gets cold and all these fair weather cyclists go away again.

Get off my lawn (bikepaths)!

*grumble, grumble*

Bless me, Sheldon*, for I have sinned. Yesterday I was hauling ass southbound on Clark trying to make the light at Wilson. With great momentum, I managed to hit the light as it was turning yellow, meaning it was red as I went through the crosswalk, which some ambitious pedestrians had already started their journey through. A gentleman waiting at the bus stop helpfully informed me that it was a "f***ing red light, a**hole." I responded, as momentum took me away, with a one-finger salute. Which was actually uncharacteristic of me; I don't think I've ever done that as a cyclist before, and I've absorbed plenty of invective. At the time, it seemed much more efficient than turning around and going back to the bus stop to explain the concepts of momentum, yellow lights, and would you have said the same thing to a car going through that light?

I apologize to the pedestrians. I apologize to the gentleman, and for reinforcing multiple negative stereotypes he surely already has about cyclists. I will try to be more circumspect about approaching yellow lights in the future.

*Sheldon Brown, of course

Ok, I'll confess. *looks around sheepishly*

 Last Thursday evening I was late for a meeting and was blasting S bound down Ravenswood during rush hour(s). Just past Bryn Mawr a woman was ever-so-slowly looking to park her car and, in my haste, I attempted to pass and found myself head-on with another car.

 As we all kind of stopped my new head-on friend rolled down her window and said in a pleading voice, "Don't be reckless!"

You were right, lady. My bad.

I was riding on a lonely stretch of limestone in Wisconsin and came up behind a old man out for an afternoon stroll. I hollered out "Onyerleft" as I came up and startled the living daylights out of him. I mean he spasmed so hard he nearly fell down. I should have stopped and apologized, or at least checked to make sure the geezer didn't have a grabber. But no, I was in the zone and just kept going.

So, old guy near Elroy, Wisconsin: I'm sorry.

Just be sure he isn't packing.

You're going way too slow if he gets all that out within your hearing.

Mike Fatout said:

If you hear the words " I know what you're thinking, punk. You're thinking "did he fire six shots or only five?" Now to tell you the truth I forgot myself in all this excitement. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and will blow you head clean off, you've gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?" You better get out of there quick.


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xjr2hnOHiM&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3...
Tricolor said:

Just be sure he isn't packing.

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