An old friend called me today. He looked up my phone number by entering my name and the word "cycling" in Google. He was shocked. "There's a bunch of cycling-Nazis out there!" he said, in amazement.
I got home, placed some Brad Mehldau on the stereo, poured myself a big iced tea, and found the following message in my Cycle*Dallas inbox:
Ron has left a new comment on your post "The Dallas Run: a seven-fold revelation":
Thank you for posting these videos. I'm a schoolteacher, today was my first day back to work, and I cycled the 20-mile round trip from home to school and back following the model of the cyclists in the video (as well as the advice you give on this blog). In case you're curious: I live in Houston and work in Katy. My route takes me on Westheimer Road, Westheimer Parkway, and Fry Road. I've ridden the route before, but I've always hung pretty close to the curb on Westheimer Parkway and road. Today, I took the lane, and every car moved into the other lane before passing. Granted, a couple of them laid on the horn, but I can deal with that. I don't remember how I found your blog in the first place, but I'm happy I found it, and I'm delighted to have had such a good ride on busy streets today!
Posted by Ron to C y c l e * D a l l a s at 6:35 PM
It's really that simple, and that's why I do this. Another person set free from the dangerous self-imprisonment of fear-governed cycling.
Encouraging people to discover the freedom and safety that vehicular cycling affords, in the face of the pervasive Cycling Inferiority campaign currently masquerading as "advocacy", is something I believe is important.
Plus, I get to fight segregationists, fascists, and fear-mongers... just like the old days. ;-)
12 comments:
Your poster isn't alone; I'm riding alot happier thanks the VCers like you too. Keep it up, an.
I hope that was some sweet tea.
You can count me as another. This blog has really challenged my thinking over the past year. I've changed my ways and am looking forward to many years of cycling.
I received Effective Cycling in the mail today. Looking forward to spending some time with it this autumn.
Ron -
As a long term cyclist on public roads, two comments: The League of American Bicyclists Traffic Skills 101 course is worth the time and money. I have been cycling in Dallas for 20 years, and I learned things. I know it is taught in Houston. The other, simply, use a mirror -- helmet, glasses, whatever. Mine has saved me many times over many years.
Warren,thanks for the advice.
I've wanted to do the course for over a year, but I've had a conflict every time it's been scheduled (so far). I'll keep trying.
I started using a mirror after I got rear-ended last November (long story). That's part of what helped me feel like I could take the lane on Westheimer!
Eliot, I just received my copy, too! I plan on starting it this weekend.
There was something about cycling at WRL on Channel 5 tonight. More discord over courtesy, but it all centered on the trail, and entering/exiting the trail at E. Lawther, right after the footbridge.
Hmmmm. Perhaps if these cyclists acted like vehicles and stayed off the trail, and took to the roads, they wouldn't have these issues? Nah, too easy.
whareagle,
nice point about taking the roads instead of riding on the trail alone.
i ride the WRL trail from hillcrest to WR lake. i probably will not use this route once i figure out a better route on the streets. i wonder if riding the trail(s) is any less dangerous than riding the roads.
of course, one could argue about which will be worse: an automobile hitting a traffic-law abiding cyclist on the road or a ill-mannered cyclist (sometimes, i refer to this kind as "armstrong-wanna-be's") hitting a traffic-law-abiding cyclist on the trail, till the cows come home.
my point is simply that trail riding ill-mannered cyclists are something to be on the lookout for!
Rich, here's your News 5 story. Fairly evenhanded. Imagine what it would have sounded like had they interviewed runners instead of other cyclists.
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local-beat/White-Rock-Lake-Cyclists-Get-Earful-From-Fellow-Biker-53003817.html
Again, this story points out the disingenuous hypocrisy of the "3ft Safe Passing Law' that excludes cyclists from obeying it.
@Warren
"The other, simply, use a mirror -- helmet, glasses, whatever. Mine has saved me many times over many years."
I hope those reading this statement will recognize it to be personal opinion, not fact. Having ridden on Dallas streets for just about the same period of time without ever making use of a mirror has had no effect on my safety. In fact I fail to see how it could "save" anyone. Does a mirror somehow exude a protective force field, like Magic Paint in bike lanes?
My experience indicates accidents appear on paths dispropotionally. Considering trail surfaces and users, this should not be a surprise.
Steve A said...
"My experience indicates accidents appear on paths dispropotionally. Considering trail surfaces and users, this should not be a surprise."
According to the Cross study (IIRC), you have a 3X greater likelihood of injury on a shared path as on a local street. Surface conditions, sight-lines, unpredictable users, and oncoming traffic all play a role. in that increase in danger.
Civility.
We need it even more than advocacy...
Good iced tea helps.
My own experience suggests that Cross was dramatically understating the relative dangers of paths.
Since arriving in Texas, roughly 3% of my mileage has been on paths. 100% of my falls have been within 20 feet of a path and 75% have been ON paths. That's a lot more than a 3X factor any way I figure it.
I guess the other theory is that I just somehow get crazy whenever I get near a bike path...
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