Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael A on July 28, 2011 at 4:47pm

I disagree with the whole "on your left" deal. More times then not people will look over their left shoulder and swerve left. I try to just leave plenty of room as I pass, if I see them start to veer off the line they were on I shout out the word "careful", It seems to work better then "hey".  I also try to only use the lfp early in the am. Once summer comes I am off the path more and more. My largest issues is with runners who reach that imaginary turn around point and just do a U turn. Crashes happen, they are kinda like flats, if you never crash or flat, you are just not riding enough.  I am happy to hear that your injuries were minor and that you should fully recover in a reasonable amount of time. Just remember biking is great for rehab.

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Permalink Reply by Christian Branch on July 28, 2011 at 5:53pm

I almost had a horrible crash this week but I'm not gonna quit cyclin'. Just getting a bike that's a bit shorter now and getting back on the road as soon as possible. I am nowhere near parenthood but I can see how cycling may feel like a risk now that you're a dad.

 

Hopefully sometime before your kid gets a big wheel you'll be back out on the roads.

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Permalink Reply by Garth Liebhaber on July 28, 2011 at 7:23pm

Get a bell. Don't go to pass someone until you see they acknowledge your position by physically changing their cadence, moving over. Leave a layer of safety, leave space to stop for when they do swing over in front of you. Or at least be going slow enough you can stop in time.

 

Always leave space to respond with an appropriate action for the "unexpected". Constantly challenge your brain for the "what ifs". Give yourself an "out".

 

I am amazed when I am on the Lakefront Path how many people on very expensive carbon or even whatever bikes are regularly interrupting the cadence of their breathing to mutter in a macho or whatever voice "on your left". People need to get bells. Why? because they are like a sonar ping. You should ring it twice, from a good distance, to allow other people to recognize your distance, speed and location. They are also high pitched, and carry further than a low pitched "on your left, dude".

 

When I ride the Lakefront Path, I find it annoying and rude that most "On your left" people wait until the last second to make their call. Why? because it's harder to hear it from any further away.

 

I hope get a bell and get back on your bike.  : )

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Permalink Reply by John Wirtz on July 29, 2011 at 1:07am

Bye

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 29, 2011 at 2:26am

"On your left" works OK with other riders -but even then some newFreds don't get it either.  The Bell works almost all the time with nearly all people.  It's almost Pavlovian...

 

But what it comes down to in the end is that the passer is in control and the passee doesn't have eyes in the back of their head so the passer has the responsibility to make a safe pass with enough room to leave a safety margin in case the worst happens.  If that means slowing down or waiting for a better place to pass then that is what it going to take to be safe and do the RIGHT thing. 

 

Just because someone is a stronger rider (or in a bigger hurry) doesn't give them the right of way over those in front of them.  They are not "in your way" as much as you are riding too fast.    On a open road or wide bike lane it is safer to ride faster because it isn't as tightly packed and there are safer passing widths available.  But on the LFP or other crowded mixed-used paths people are just going to have to understand that you can't push it that hard and zoom by people so close.  There just isn't enough safety margin to push it like that. 

 

This same advice goes for car-drivers as well.  It's not a race out there or a video game with infinate lives.  Those are real people you are buzzing by -not computer-generated obstacles on the way to a high score or low time.  

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Gregorek on July 29, 2011 at 2:37am

So sorry that this happened to you at this point in your life.  I totally understand where you are coming from.  I am a cautious rider as you are, I have grandchildren I think about.  The rollerblader?  My bet is on that she was wearing headphones and never heard you....the most FRUSTRATING thing ever!  p.s.  in one month, when your shoulder is better, there will still be dirty diapers to change, middle of the night feedings, etc., etc., etc.  If your wife needs help during your recoop time, feel free to contact me through here since I happen to have some free time in August that I can give her.

 

Michelle

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on July 29, 2011 at 2:52am

Well said.

James BlackHeron said:

"[...]

But what it comes down to in the end is that the passer is in control and the passee doesn't have eyes in the back of their head so the passer has the responsibility to make a safe pass with enough room to leave a safety margin in case the worst happens.  If that means slowing down or waiting for a better place to pass then that is what it going to take to be safe and do the RIGHT thing. 

 

Just because someone is a stronger rider (or in a bigger hurry) doesn't give them the right of way over those in front of them.  They are not "in your way" as much as you are riding too fast.    On a open road or wide bike lane it is safer to ride faster because it isn't as tightly packed and there are safer passing widths available.  But on the LFP or other crowded mixed-used paths people are just going to have to understand that you can't push it that hard and zoom by people so close.  There just isn't enough safety margin to push it like that. 

[...]

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Permalink Reply by Ruby Red on July 29, 2011 at 2:53am

Agreed. "On your left means they always seem to dodge to the left." Getting a bell felt so much less aggressive and of course I can still use my voice if needed. 

 

Regardless, someone needs to strangle that rollerblader. I can't believe someone would just skate off like that. Wow. 

iggi said:

they may think 'on your left' means to go left.  or they think we will stay close to the right as we do on the road so they should move to the left to let us by. (especially since cyclists are notorious for improperly passing on the right).

 

i have changed my tactic.  i slow down. i anticipate an issue.  especially on the lakefront path.

Carly said:

  I have discovered that yelling "on your left" only works with other cyclists.  For some strange phenomenal reason, peds will often step directly in front of you if you give them a warning from behind. I have no idea why.  I have read about this phenomena in a few different bicycling books and it has happened often enough personally to use different tactics.  I either dodge 'em silently if they're moving predictably enough, or I slow down enough to say, "excuse me please, can I get by you?".  If they're wearing headphones or something I yell "HEY!".  As a cyclist, I feel that I should treat peds as gently as I wish for autos to treat me.  

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 29, 2011 at 3:04am

I can believe it, and everone on the LFP or other such mixed used paths better believe it too.  

 

THAT is how rollerbladers sk8.  It's just how it is and they can change direction in a fraction of an instant without slowing down.  Passing a blader should be an exercise in EXTREME caution or this kind of accident can and WILL eventually happen.  

 

It's like saying, "I can't believe that beer glass broke when I dropped it from 3 feet onto the concrete floor..."

 

Really?

Ruby Red said:

 I can't believe someone would just skate off like that. Wow. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on July 29, 2011 at 3:31am

Congratulations on your son! I feel like I lost a fellow pioneer on the roads of velorution:(

 

If I ever end up giving up cycling, I would buy a car with a horn that sounds like WEAK! WEAK! every time I honk at those hipster cyclists =P

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 29, 2011 at 3:37am

I think the Hipsters would already know you were WEAK without you having to audibly advertise the fact as you drove by. 

 

;)

Juan said:

Congratulations on your son! I feel like I lost a fellow pioneer on the roads of velorution:(

 

If I ever end up giving up cycling, I would buy a car with a horn that sounds like WEAK! WEAK! every time I honk at those hipster cyclists =P

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Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on July 29, 2011 at 3:40am

swish!  fully agreed. 

 

too many Chicago commuters/travelers in general have what I call the "Chinese Puzzle Syndrome," they put all of this stress & energy into trying to go faster than circumstances allow & it actually slows them down.  Whereas if they just relaxed they'd get where they're going in about the same time, and would actually enjoy the trip. I'd say I did the same for years btw, it's probably a realization that comes with age.  But I love timing the lights properly and zipping by that goof who keeps running red lights and then gets flustered when they hit an intersection at exactly the wrong time.  By the end of the summer I usually have many of the major intersection "don't walk" signals memorized (or at least categorized) so I know exactly how much time I have once they start blinking.  The eastbound Diversey at Ashland is ridiculous, at last count I think the don't walk flashed about 20 times.

 

and very good idea on the bell, I think I'm going to get one of those while it's fresh in my mind.  I have always gone the "on your left!" method, but I also am cautious and don't try to pass three-wide groups of joggers with maniac rollerbladers approaching at the same time from the other direction.  in extreme moments an air horn has seemed like an attractive option, but I'd likely make myself deaf within a week. or less.

 

off-topic, is that crazy lady who rollerblades in the early mornings (7:30ish) while doing some sort of disco routine still out there?  haven't seen her for a few years, THAT drives me crazy, as even though it's mildly amusing, she's flailing her arms around and doing little twists and spins, I mean WTF, the lakefront is not the place for that (nor to learn how to rollerblade or bike - stick to a parking lot). 

 

James BlackHeron said:

"On your left" works OK with other riders -but even then some newFreds don't get it either.  The Bell works almost all the time with nearly all people.  It's almost Pavlovian...

 

But what it comes down to in the end is that the passer is in control and the passee doesn't have eyes in the back of their head so the passer has the responsibility to make a safe pass with enough room to leave a safety margin in case the worst happens.  If that means slowing down or waiting for a better place to pass then that is what it going to take to be safe and do the RIGHT thing. 

 

Just because someone is a stronger rider (or in a bigger hurry) doesn't give them the right of way over those in front of them.  They are not "in your way" as much as you are riding too fast.    On a open road or wide bike lane it is safer to ride faster because it isn't as tightly packed and there are safer passing widths available.  But on the LFP or other crowded mixed-used paths people are just going to have to understand that you can't push it that hard and zoom by people so close.  There just isn't enough safety margin to push it like that. 

 

This same advice goes for car-drivers as well.  It's not a race out there or a video game with infinate lives.  Those are real people you are buzzing by -not computer-generated obstacles on the way to a high score or low time.  

 

 

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