I Got Beacons

On 4/16/2014 9:13 PM, jbeattie wrote:

Somewhat more OT, I went to all the recent tent and warehouse sales at the LBSs
and eves-dropped on the youngsters, which isn't hard because they like
to yell about
their exploits. I was really surprised at all the complaining about
traffic and how
scary it was to ride here or there. You would think they were talking
about base-jumping
and not commuting. These guys and gals appeared fit and looked the part
of serious
cyclists, but they sounded like a bunch of old ladies, and not Frank's
old ladies
who take the lane in defiance of cars, trucks, buses . . . Herkimer
battle jitneys.

I wonder what percentage of young "serious cyclists" ever consider
trying to learn about how to best handle traffic?

My guess is: Zero percent.

See, everybody already knows everything about bicycling, and
particularly about bike safety.


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Thursday, April 17, 2014 7:19:19 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 4/16/2014 9:13 PM, jbeattie wrote:

Somewhat more OT, I went to all the recent tent and warehouse sales at the LBSs and eves-dropped on the youngsters, which isn't hard because they like
to yell about their exploits. I was really surprised at all the complaining about traffic and how scary it was to ride here or there. You would think they were talking about base-jumping and not commuting. These guys and gals appeared fit and looked the part of serious cyclists, but they sounded like a bunch of old ladies, and not Frank's old ladies who take the lane in defiance of cars, trucks, buses . . . Herkimer battle jitneys.


I wonder what percentage of young "serious cyclists" ever consider
trying to learn about how to best handle traffic?

My guess is: Zero percent.

See, everybody already knows everything about bicycling, and
particularly about bike safety.

Thank you, Professor Krygowski, for your expert analysis of
"kids these days".

Shuffle off, already.

(On another note, there's a car stalled on Interstate 5 this
morning. TV news reporter is advising motorists to use Barbur
Blvd.)

On Thursday, April 17, 2014 7:46:57 AM UTC-7, Dan O wrote:

snip

On another note, there's a car stalled on Interstate 5 this
morning. TV news reporter is advising motorists to use Barbur
Blvd.

Update: TV news reports "enormous backups" all over PDX.

On Thursday, April 17, 2014 11:22:09 AM UTC-4, Dan O wrote:
On Thursday, April 17, 2014 7:46:57 AM UTC-7, Dan O wrote:



snip



On another note, there's a car stalled on Interstate 5 this

morning. TV news reporter is advising motorists to use Barbur

Blvd.



Update: TV news reports "enormous backups" all over PDX.

drinking urine causes backups

On 4/17/2014 11:22 AM, Dan O wrote:
On Thursday, April 17, 2014 7:46:57 AM UTC-7, Dan O wrote:

snip

On another note, there's a car stalled on Interstate 5 this
morning. TV news reporter is advising motorists to use Barbur
Blvd.

Update: TV news reports "enormous backups" all over PDX.


This is news chez vous?

On Thursday, April 17, 2014 8:22:09 AM UTC-7, Dan O wrote:
On Thursday, April 17, 2014 7:46:57 AM UTC-7, Dan O wrote:



snip



On another note, there's a car stalled on Interstate 5 this

morning. TV news reporter is advising motorists to use Barbur

Blvd.



Update: TV news reports "enormous backups" all over PDX.

Hmmm. It didn't seem that bad coming in this morning in the rain. I dutifully hit the induction loops and got my flashers going over the death bridges. I had some close-ish passers, but nothing remarkable. EXCEPT -- now I remember (repressed memory) -- I almost got plastered by some guy entering traffic from the right. He launched over the limit line in to the bike lane, and I locked up my brakes for a second or two and yelled at him. Right he https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw2WjH0v5sw Except no left hook, the guy just launched in to the bike lane from the right. It happens a lot through there with the traffic entering from these little sled hills. It's a good reason for riding out in to the lane a bit, which is what I usually do.

Tech content: I love my disc brakes in the rain, and Conti Gatorskins are pretty great, too.

And for Frank, a lot of the young and fit know exactly what has been taught them in spin class. I come across many riders with big engines who are squirrels on bikes. Lately, I've been running into the hyper vigilant who incessantly point things out on the road -- the hand gestures are so frequent that it looks like a dance routine from Saturday Night Fever. It looks like they went to some rider-training class, and that was the only message that stuck -- point things out!

I think my brother (who has a lot of time in the saddle) is too timid. We were riding in the middle of nowhere through a picturesque clear-cut on straight section of Larch Mountain Rd. He hears a truck and dips toward the shoulder. I say f-that, and stay riding out. There is plenty of room to pass. Apparently that ****ed off the guy in the Ram SUX 6000 super-truck with the ATVs in the back. He floored it and passed me with about an inch to spare -- just to make a point. It's a GD road through a national forest with no outlet! It's not like I was blocking his way to McDonalds or Pep Boys.. This all by way of saying that if people want to f*** with you, they will.

-- Jay Beattie.

JB, as we age our reflexes slow faster than our judgment.

On Thursday, April 17, 2014 9:06:50 AM UTC-7, Duane wrote:
On 4/17/2014 11:22 AM, Dan O wrote:

On Thursday, April 17, 2014 7:46:57 AM UTC-7, Dan O wrote:

On another note, there's a car stalled on Interstate 5 this
morning. TV news reporter is advising motorists to use Barbur
Blvd.

Update: TV news reports "enormous backups" all over PDX.

This is news chez vous?

Well, they also told us it's raining.

On 4/17/2014 1:50 PM, Dan O wrote:
On Thursday, April 17, 2014 9:06:50 AM UTC-7, Duane wrote:
On 4/17/2014 11:22 AM, Dan O wrote:

On Thursday, April 17, 2014 7:46:57 AM UTC-7, Dan O wrote:

On another note, there's a car stalled on Interstate 5 this
morning. TV news reporter is advising motorists to use Barbur
Blvd.

Update: TV news reports "enormous backups" all over PDX.

This is news chez vous?

Well, they also told us it's raining.



lol. I just meant that traffic backups here are so normal that it would
be news if they didn't exist. Spring starts construction time and with
the potholes from the winter and the backlogged construction jobs and
the bad planning traffic is bad.

Bikes are a good alternative.

On 4/17/2014 12:26 PM, jbeattie wrote:


And for Frank, a lot of the young and fit know exactly what has been taught
them in spin class.

That's what I figured. But careful, Jay, or Dan will be in your
(virtual) face for demeaning the young and fit.

I come across many riders with big engines who are squirrels
on bikes. Lately, I've been running into the hyper vigilant who incessantly
point things out on the road -- the hand gestures are so frequent that it
looks like a dance routine from Saturday Night Fever. It looks like they
went to some rider-training class, and that was the only message that stuck
-- point things out!

Heh. I went on a club ride this morning - retirement is nice! - and
noticed that nobody was pointing out potholes. That's because after
this winter, there are so many potholes that pointing them would require
using both hands simultaneously. That might make steering through them
even more difficult than usual.

--
- Frank Krygowski