There ARE more adults riding bikes

:: serendipity, epiphany, eureka and easements.
::
:: Riding around to seek out better routes doesn't
:: necessarily have to be dangerous or involve
:: illegalities.
::
::
:: cheers,
:: Tom

The shortest route usually involves at least one of those....

In article ,
"PatTX" writes:

:: Riding around to seek out better routes doesn't
:: necessarily have to be dangerous or involve
:: illegalities.

The shortest route usually involves at least one of those....

But shorter doesn't necessarily mean better,
or even faster. For example, a route via
arterial streets may look shorter on a map,
but those arterials could be heavily encumbered
with traffic lights. A better might be one that
zig-zags diagonally crosstown via minor streets,
residential sidestreets, access lanes (alleys,)
parks, hospital parking lots, undeveloped real
estate fractions, school playgrounds, &c.

Anyway, to get back to your original topic of
adult sidewalk riders, this article might be
of interest to you:
http://www.bicyclepaper.com/articles..._problem__dude

It speaks of riders doing unlawful stuff just to
be some sort of self-styled renegade.

I already submitted the above link in the Cyclists At War
thread, but I think it's also germane here.

It might also be of interest to Ryan 'cuz BicyclePaper
has some CX stuff in it.

It might also be of interest to Claire and Dane 'cuz
it's somewhat PNW-oriented.

Chances are Ryan, Claire & Dane are already aware of
this publication's existance. I just discovered it
today while buying some reflective tape at a LBS.

Sidewalk riders don't grind my gears nearly as much
riders who ride in crosswalks. 'Cuz crosswalks are
supposed to be a sort of sanctuary for pedestrians.
Dis'ing ~that~ is selfish and ugly.

I guess it boils down to: some riders rationalize
themselves as pedestrians when it suits them 'cuz
they aren't driving motor vehicles, and hypocritically
also consider themselves as vehicular traffic when it
suits them. They want it both ways. Have their cake
and eat it, too. At other people's expense.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

In article ,
writes:
On Oct 18, 10:11 am, (Tom Keats) wrote:
Burnaby's big sports arena/hockey rinks ...

I'd like to take a quick second here and thank our neighbors to the
north for spawning the Great Joe Sakic. Burnaby Joe, as he is
sometimes known.

We British Columbians also bask get to
bask in the glory of Chris (Kris?) Holm,
the Xtreem Unicyclist. Check out some of
his online vids if you've got the bandwidth.
That guy is amazing.


To paraphrase John B.L. Soule (misattributed to
Horace Greeley Go north/east/west/south, young man,
and become intimately acquainted with the country.

Silas Soule's dad?

I dunno. Some underling from whom Horace Greeley
took credit. Just like Thos. Edison took credit
from his hirelings.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

In article ,
John Thompson writes:
On 2008-10-12, Jay wrote:

On the city part of my commute, cars or trucks double-parked in the bike
lane is a daily event. (Lawrence Ave between Kedzie and Jeff Park.) But at
least they are not moving. Seeing a bike going the wrong way in a bike lane,
hard to tell what he might do.

I yell out "welcome to America! We ride *with* the traffic here!"

I encountered a wrong-way rider today.
I just aimed at him, geared up and booted it,
forcing him to my left. There wasn't anybody
else on the street to endanger him at the time,
so it was okay. This was on a feeder side street
(St George) onto an arterial (41st Ave, Vancouver.)
I had just hung a right off the arterial, and he was
approaching it (and me,) on the wrong side of the street.
There's a cyclists' traffic light push-button right at
that intersection, but I guess that wasn't convenient
enough for him.

Sometimes (not always) the best way to deal with wrong-way
riders is to aim at them and shoo them outa yer way like
a bunch of barnyard chickens. It's a judgment call.

Sometimes wrong-way riders are on a street they feel
fairly safe on, lining themselves up to hop onto a sidewalk
alongside a road they don't feel safe on, so they can
hurtle down the sidewalk against the traffic.

Somtimes they shouldn't ride on that sidewalk because
they'll endanger a bunch of foot-traffic.

Mind-reading & clairvoyance while riding can be hard work.
But it nevertheless can be done.

And it's not really ESP. It's just a matter of acquiring
the feel of anticipating people's intentions from their
body/car/bike English, and how they're dealing with their
surroundings.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

In article ],
Ryan Cousineau writes:
In article
,
wrote:

On Oct 18, 10:11 am, (Tom Keats) wrote:
Burnaby's big sports arena/hockey rinks ...

I'd like to take a quick second here and thank our neighbors to the
north for spawning the Great Joe Sakic. Burnaby Joe, as he is
sometimes known.

The arena Tom is referring to (8 Rinks) is right beside a sports field
complex, which is accessed via Joe Sakic Way.

And the name of the road behind BCIT, with the horrible
bike lanes is Wayburne Way. I finally remembered it.

Now I've gotta return to that truck-stop, greasy-spoon
burger joint on Norlands to get /it's/ name.

Please don't tell me. I'm just gonna go there, and find out.

Maybe one of these days I'll even check out the Sweetheart
Cafe, on Columbia St in New Westminster. But I intuitively
feel it'll be disappointing. After all, the sign over the
door says: "Burgers / Sushi". That's just plain incongruous.

Maybe I'll just go for the sushi. But there are two or
three good sushi places along Main St, so to heck with
New West.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca