Bike boxes - a failed experiment

On 10/19/2012 12:48 PM, Dan O wrote:
On Oct 19, 9:28 am, "(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
Per Dan O:

But a few drivers have issues that manifest.

The one that almost nailed me a few years back was a pickup truck
towing one of those trailers used by lawn service providers full
of lawn equipment.

He had not tied down the walk-behind mowers and they had rolled
to one side of the trailer so that their handles protruded out a
couple of feet wider then the 8-trailer.

I'm pretty sure I felt the handle that almost got me graze my
neck.

I got right-hooked by a rig exactly like that - I was in the gravel
dodging the handle.

We were riding through some rural farm land (lot of that around Quebec)
and down a winding 2 lane road. A pickup was coming toward us but there
was no problem, we were in our lane, he was in his. No shoulders
whatsoever. He slowed when he came abreast of us to turn into his
driveway and one of the horses that we was trailing behind the truck was
too loosely tethered and walked into our path. Was a near miss.

Wasn't the only hook that I've had but one of the more interesting ones.

On Oct 19, 12:28*pm, "(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
Per Dan O:

But a few drivers have issues that manifest.

The one that almost nailed me a few years back was a pickup truck
towing one of those trailers used by lawn service providers full
of lawn equipment.

He had not tied down the walk-behind mowers and they had rolled
to one side of the trailer so that their handles protruded out a
couple of feet wider then the 8-trailer.

I'm pretty sure I felt the handle that almost got me graze my
neck.

I watch those guys very carefully, including when I see one in my
mirror. IME, their trailers are often wider than their trucks, and
their driving standards are nowhere near those of most pro truckers.

- Frank Krygowski

On 10-19-2012 10:51, Dan O wrote:
paved shoulder (all well and fine so far). Most drivers go well
around (many leaving their lane completely) - all well and fine so

Not always "well and fine." I'm content with three or four feet of
clearance. When a motorist goes to the far side of the road to give me
fifteen feet of clearance when he can't see over the hill, I begin to
wonder about my risk of encountering airborne car parts.

--
Wes Groleau

Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest thou also be like unto him.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise according to his own conceit.
— Solomon
Are you saying there's no good way to answer a fool?
— Groleau

On Oct 19, 10:24 pm, Wes Groleau wrote:
On 10-19-2012 10:51, Dan O wrote:

paved shoulder (all well and fine so far). Most drivers go well
around (many leaving their lane completely) - all well and fine so

Not always "well and fine." I'm content with three or four feet of
clearance. When a motorist goes to the far side of the road to give me
fifteen feet of clearance when he can't see over the hill, I begin to
wonder about my risk of encountering airborne car parts.


Idiot

On Oct 19, 10:25 pm, Dan O wrote:
On Oct 19, 10:24 pm, Wes Groleau wrote:

On 10-19-2012 10:51, Dan O wrote:

paved shoulder (all well and fine so far). Most drivers go well
around (many leaving their lane completely) - all well and fine so

Not always "well and fine." I'm content with three or four feet of
clearance. When a motorist goes to the far side of the road to give me
fifteen feet of clearance when he can't see over the hill, I begin to
wonder about my risk of encountering airborne car parts.

Idiot

I'm really sorry; that was inappropriate response;

but I'm not so idiotic that I want such circumstances to develop. Did
you read the part where I said I ride miles uphill smack dab on the
fog line? I *want* cars to pass me (carefully) with a few feet of
clearance - to get on their way so I am not subject to the slow moving
vehicle law which would require me to use a turnout, and then have to
make an uphill standing start again.

On 10-20-2012 12:49, Dan O wrote:
On Oct 19, 10:25 pm, Dan O wrote:
On Oct 19, 10:24 pm, Wes Groleau wrote:

On 10-19-2012 10:51, Dan O wrote:

paved shoulder (all well and fine so far). Most drivers go well
around (many leaving their lane completely) - all well and fine so

Not always "well and fine." I'm content with three or four feet of
clearance. When a motorist goes to the far side of the road to give me
fifteen feet of clearance when he can't see over the hill, I begin to
wonder about my risk of encountering airborne car parts.

Idiot

I think I'd just say he was unwise.

I'm really sorry; that was inappropriate response;

Yes, it was.

but I'm not so idiotic that I want such circumstances to develop. Did

Are you suggesting that I do?


--
Wes Groleau

Guidelines for judging others:
1. Don't attribute to malice that which
can be adequately explained by stupidity.
2. Don't attribute to stupidity that which
can be adequately explained by ignorance.
3. Don't attribute to ignorance that which
can be adequately explained by misunderstanding.
4. Don't attribute to misunderstanding that which
can be adequately explained by alcohol.

On Oct 20, 5:33*pm, Wes Groleau wrote:

* Guidelines for judging others:
* 1. Don't attribute to malice that which
* * *can be adequately explained by stupidity.
* 2. Don't attribute to stupidity that which
* * *can be adequately explained by ignorance.
* 3. Don't attribute to ignorance that which
* * *can be adequately explained by misunderstanding.
* 4. Don't attribute to misunderstanding that which
* * *can be adequately explained by alcohol.

Good advice!

- Frank Krygowski

On Oct 20, 2:33 pm, Wes Groleau wrote:
On 10-20-2012 12:49, Dan O wrote:

On Oct 19, 10:25 pm, Dan O wrote:
On Oct 19, 10:24 pm, Wes Groleau wrote:

On 10-19-2012 10:51, Dan O wrote:

paved shoulder (all well and fine so far). Most drivers go well
around (many leaving their lane completely) - all well and fine so

Not always "well and fine." I'm content with three or four feet of
clearance. When a motorist goes to the far side of the road to give me
fifteen feet of clearance when he can't see over the hill, I begin to
wonder about my risk of encountering airborne car parts.

Idiot

I think I'd just say he was unwise.

I'm really sorry; that was inappropriate response;

Yes, it was.

but I'm not so idiotic that I want such circumstances to develop. Did

Are you suggesting that I do?


It seemed that by disagreeing with my "(all well and fine so far)",
which was part of my story about my experience with cars passing me
with ample visibility ahead and "both lanes... empty", you seemed to
be implying that maybe *I* do, which would be idiocy.


Guidelines for judging others:
1. Don't attribute to malice that which
can be adequately explained by stupidity.
2. Don't attribute to stupidity that which
can be adequately explained by ignorance.
3. Don't attribute to ignorance that which
can be adequately explained by misunderstanding.
4. Don't attribute to misunderstanding that which
can be adequately explained by alcohol.

~Good joke.

On Thursday, October 18, 2012 6:32:19 PM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:

Hans Monderman showed pretty conclusively that when people are made to
figure things out for themselves, traffic gets both safer and more
efficient.


This is related to another documented effect of bike lanes: closer
passing by motorists. They seem to think the stripe guarantees the
bicyclist will never leave the bike lane, even if it's filled with
broken glass, potholes, car junk.

We have very few bike lanes where I live, but on highways with fog
lines, I often make a point of riding a bit left, then a bit right of
the fog line, so motorists know that it's not an impermeable barrier.

I'm convinced they give me more room as a result.

- Frank Krygowski

Frank, I think in areas of cross and merging traffic that indeed it is best to have no bicycle lane markings.

But I find them usually better in traffic areas in straight lines since otherwise traffic weaves back and forth filling the entire available space as if car doors won't open nor bicycles exist.

Of course as you point out you sometimes have to jump out into traffic at the last minute as you come up on a pothole, broken glass or someone's girlfriend tossed recklessly from a moving vehicle but that's why you have to always maintain knowledge of what's going on around you.

=v= It's really misguided to point to one (1 -- count 'em! -- 1)
blog entry about one (1 -- count 'em! -- 1) year's data from one
(1 -- count 'em! -- 1) locale and draw conclusions from it.
_Jym_