[sustran] Bicycles - Improving the image

[Obwon]

J.H. Crawford wrote:
> 
> We're treading on contentious turf here, so let me start by
> saying what I think about bicycles PERSONALLY.
> 
[...]

  I've ridden the new electric bikes, they're just a bit heavy enough to
suspect that the riders will become almost totally dependant on the
motor assist.  They are geared wrong for pedaling, probably because of
the motor, they pedal like they're in low gear when you've got it going
on pedal power you've got to pedal very fast in high gear because you
don't have a higher one. 

  It's so annoying, not having a higher gear so you can scale back your
cadence that you fall back to the motor out of sheer exasperation, and
even inspite of the fact that you can pedal the thing much faster than
the motor can push.  So they need quite a bit more work.  

  Still, they're going to cost more money and they're going to need more
service than an ordinary bike and they'll probably be slower as well.
They certainly still provide more pollution than an ordinary bike. But
yes, they'll have little reason not to stop for traffic lights, since
they don't have the momentum loss problems. 

  Still, I've found in my years of riding that all that's really needed
is the 'move when clear/safe rule' to be strickly applied.  If police
gave tickets to bikers who say crossed through an intersection while
people were walking, or while oncomming cars were approaching, I'd not
have a concern about that, if anything I'd welcome it!  

  I'd also, however, want them to ticket pedestrians who stand out
beyond the parked car line, in street waiting for the light to change. 
They block the bike path/lane that I must use, while I have the light. 
I have often just come to a stop rather than go around them when there's
traffic overtaking me on my left.  Often they won't even notice me until
I pull to a stop right next to them, then they get a 'start' as if I
might have hit them, give me a dirty look as if I'm the one making
trouble. 

  The law says they should be on the curb until the light has changed in
their direction.  Instead they often do a 'dance' in the street, walking
backwards while talking and not watching traffic and simply wandering
into my lane without looking.  Usually I've seen them from two or three
blocks away (yes, traffic conditions permitting I scan that far head for
potential problems, even further if traffic is light.) 

 I usually scan the sidewalks up ahead to notice if anything 'strange'
is occuring.  Like people walking backwards towards the curb while
getting the last words in with someone.  Or people running in a hurry to
cross, anything odd, because usually the problem isn't resolved and by
time you get there they've often placed themselves in the worst possible
postions.

  I have to take particular note of cabs coming up from behind, since
they will overtake you and pull to the curb suddenly in front of you,
instead of taking a second to let you go by first.  Double parked cars
must be gotten around before any truck or bus can over take you while
you are in this maneuver.  Trucks, busses and vans seem to delight in
skimming double parked cars, if you're in this space very often when
they overtake you and pass, it's much more likely that you'll eventually
become a 'statistical explaination' -- "Oh I didn't see him"!  while you
lay there crushed in the small space they left or under their wheels.

  I never go around a double parked car unless I can make eye contact
with the drivers of the vehicles overtaking me.  Even then it's risky
business because for some reason drivers of box trucks almost never ever
give way and leave enough space where you could have gotten through
safely.  So usually, if it a box truck or a bus, I'll just stop until
they pass before going around.

  Like you say, the road is dangerous, indeed. I listen to engine
sounds, they give a clue that some wild driver might be on the road. 
That's saved my life a number of times.  If I even hear an engine racing
wildly or even just high rev's, I get off the street immediately without
even taking time to look for the source of the sound.  Once, I jumped a
curb and got onto the sidewalk, upon hearing an engine suddenly start
racing.  I fell and skinned my knee in the process, but happlily a black
mercedes passed by me with three inches to spare on the sidewalk. 

 I later heard on the news that a robbery had occured near that area,
this could well have been the car, if so it would proably have taken my
life had I not reacted so quickly.  Believe me, I felt foolish while I
was falling to the ground.  It occured to me I had needlessly done
something stupid. It took only a second to prove to me that I hadn't
made a bad guess at all.  So I still continue to do this maneuver, even
though most times it proves to be false.  There's only been two times
when it proved true, but they were quite enough for me.

 Obwon