Does TAKING THE LANE slow down traffic?
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of Tantra-Hammock
I told him of my campaign to TAKE THE LANE. No way he should be slowed
down when he drives from his job in the boondocks. I think he hates me
now. Probably we would be hated by everyone out there who's been
programmed to drive, never mind the fact they sit for hours in traffic
jams. The fact that ONE MORE BIKE MEANS ONE FEWER CAR escapes their
imagination --if they ever use it. I think they want the cyclists off
the road and on the sidewalk, where they become a problem for
pedestrians.
Anyway I want to go into the science behind it and try to prove that
TAKING THE LANE doesn't slow traffic from the current system in which
the drivers must move somewhat into the next lane not to hit you. This
creates, first of all, a "no man's land" area and a cascading effect
in which he's watching both the cars and the cyclist, where the
cyclist is at risk, and the next car may not even be aware of the
presence of the bike. If the car must exit your lane, however, he
passes in a smooth way --ONLY BEING CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC-- and
leaving the cyclist unaffected and safe.
I understand that asking for mercy and SPACE for those at the bottom
of the food chain --for both cyclists and pedestrians-- is highly
altruistic... but such are the demands of civilization.
-------------------------------------------------------------
THE WISE TIBETAN MONKEY SAYS
"Evolution OR Revolution --that is the question"
http://webspawner.com/users/BIKEFORPEACE
"WE NEED SPACE TO LIVE, YOU KNOW"
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of Tantra-Hammock
On Aug 8, 9:01 am, Connie <conrad.gel...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I bicycle all the time, on rural, suburban, and city roads. At no time
> do I take the lane when any alternative exists. Of course there are
> times, short stretches usually, when no space exists to let cars by,
> but then I always speed up as much as possible until the bottleneck is
> passed. Bicycles generally travel at 12-15 mph, while cars go at above
> 25mph in most conditions. It seems selfish and unnecessarily
> provocative to take the lane (especially in caps).
It seems provocative to start making sense out senseless driving.
Nobody will ever change it because that's the way it has been for the
last 50 years. The result is few people dare ride a bike. And the ones
that do, do it on the sidewalk.
Aren't we provoking pedestrians in their turf?
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of Tantra-Hammock
> On Sun, 08 Aug 2010 10:49:21 -0700, His Highness the TibetanMonkey,
> Creator of the Movement of Tantra-Hammock wrote:
>
>
>
> > A couple of days ago, my good but unintelligent neighbor got mad when
> > I told him of my campaign to TAKE THE LANE.
>
> corner, there will be one less bicyclist on the road as well.
Wrong. When you take the lane you are more visible around blind
curves.
>
> Hey, I ran across a Tercel White Hawk for sale...
I thought they would give them away. ;)
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of Tantra-Hammock
> His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement ofTantra-Hammock wrote:
>
> >
>
> > TAKING THE LANE doesn't slow traffic from the current system in which
> > the drivers must move somewhat into the next lane not to hit you.
>
> If the speed limit is 35 and you are doing 15 then you do in fact slow
> traffic.
>
> If there is more than one lane and if you can move into the other lane
> safely then the other lane might not be impeded but teh lane the bike is in
> will always slow traffic.
>
> Living near a college town I see people granting mercy and space all the
> time.
> Many of the people who ride think they are immune from injury, always
> visible and not subject to the laws of traffic or physics.
> In California when riding a bycycle you are considered a vehicle and must
> obey all traffic laws, a rare sight indeed.
>
> My last close one came when I was making a right turn through a yield sign.
> I glanced back to my right before proceeding and saw a bike, on the
> sidewalk, coming at high speed. He crossed the intersection in front of me
> going the wrong way. Had I not stopped he probably would have run into me.
The same thing just happened to me while driving. The cyclist gave me
a scare, but he must have seen me. WHY DON'T THEY BAN CYCLING ON
SIDEWALKS?
What kind of respect do PEDESTRIANS get that don't deserve protection
from cyclists?
Just like in the Animal Kingdom we have a FOOD CHAIN at work.
But nobody has demonstrated to me that drivers are slowed down by
cyclists taking the lane. The drivers must avoid the cyclist and move
away from him, the more the better. WHY AREN'T DRIVERS HONEST AND TELL
US THEY WANT US OUT OF THEIR WAY, AND PASS THE PROBLEM TO THE
POWERLESS PEDESTRIANS?
Don Klipstein
His Highness TibetanMonkey wrote: (I edit here for space)>> His Highness TibetanMonkey wrote:
>The same thing just happened to me while driving. The cyclist gave me
>a scare, but he must have seen me. WHY DON'T THEY BAN CYCLING ON
>SIDEWALKS?
>
>What kind of respect do PEDESTRIANS get that don't deserve protection
>from cyclists?
How about laws that prohibit cycling on sidewalks?
Such as 1 PA law that says that bikes are restricted to bike lanes where
bike lanes are available?
And a 2nd PA law that prohibits cycling on sidewalks in "business
districts"?
How about at least 1 Philadelphia against persons older than 12 years
of age cycling on sidewalks?
I like how I occaisionally see *police officers* cycling in non-
emergency manner on sidewalks where it is illegal to do so.
So, I sometimes ride on sidewalks. And when I do so, I yield to
pedestrians.
Every bike that I ride has a horn and a siren, thanks to my willingness
to use a loud falsetto voice. However, when I am cycling on a sidewalk, I
like to merely request pedestrians to get out of my way. I think that I
have a high rate of doing that well!
And failing that, I do "My Usual" - making my bike a road vehicle
recognized by PA's "vehicle code"!
However, "making nice" goes a long way! And when on a road where
vehicle code enforcement is lacking, "Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you"!
That may explain why truckers in Mexico respect those traveling along
Mexican roads by riding a mule (or a donkey?).
>Just like in the Animal Kingdom we have a FOOD CHAIN at work.
>
>But nobody has demonstrated to me that drivers are slowed down by
>cyclists taking the lane. The drivers must avoid the cyclist and move
>away from him, the more the better. WHY AREN'T DRIVERS HONEST AND TELL
>US THEY WANT US OUT OF THEIR WAY,
I have had some motor vehicle drivers spew such "honest vitriol" against
cyclists...
>AND PASS THE PROBLEM TO THE POWERLESS PEDESTRIANS?
In Philadelphia, pedestrians are close to opposite of powerless. It
appears to me that Philadelphia's "legal culture" favors a jaywalker
having an obvious red light over road users that have a green light.
For that matter, many Philadelphians flout PA law by dropping litter
when a sidewalk-deployed trash can is deployed 6-10 meters ahead of
such "Philadelphian litterbugs".
I sometimes cycle on sidewalks in Philadelphia, though I usually cycle
in the street where "vehicles" belong. When I cycle on sidewalks, I ride
slowly enough to be able to yield to 100% of pedestrians. And I don't
"bully my way through".
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of Tantra-Hammock
> "dbu," <nos...@nobama.com.invalid> wrote in message
>
> news:PP6dne74m8AzvMLR...@giganews.com...
>
>
>
> > In article
> > <02ded251-e9a8-4688-bab7-65cecb208...@y12g2000prb.googlegroups.com>,
> > Spartakus <sparta...@my-deja.com> wrote:
>
> >> edspyhill01 <edspyhil...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> > Cyclists that block a lane should be run over. Nothing worse than
> >> > some ass-wipe in gay spandex blocking a traffic lane. If you can't
> >> > pedal at least 45 mph get off the road. If there is no bike lane than
> >> > the road is for motor vehicles only. Move to China.
>
> >> Right on! Why should a motorist slow down for anything? Those
> >> pedestrians stepping off the curb? They expect you to yield?
>
> >> Target practice!
>
> > You must be joking, ha-hah, yes.
>
> > Cyclists have rights of way. Brush up on your state laws regarding
> > other forms of transportations besides gas powered vehicles.
>
> So, HOW many cyclists fork out for insurance in case they damage someone's
> sheet metal? How much do cyclists pay for registration? How many cyclists
> pay even a fraction of the cost of the average new car for their flimsy
> bike?
>
> > --
So now we are talking about damn money... How about sparing that money
going into war for bike facilities? How about using the same
facilities we already have (TAKING THE LANE)?
What option looks better to you?
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of Tantra-Hammock
> In <8cfa013c-a348-4fe8-892d-9d845b991...@w30g2000yqw.googlegroups.com>,
>
> His Highness TibetanMonkey wrote: (I edit here for space)
> >On Aug 8, 12:37 pm, "Mike Painter" <md.pain...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> >> His Highness TibetanMonkey wrote:
> >The same thing just happened to me while driving. The cyclist gave me
> >a scare, but he must have seen me. WHY DON'T THEY BAN CYCLING ON
> >SIDEWALKS?
>
> >What kind of respect do PEDESTRIANS get that don't deserve protection
> >from cyclists?
>
> How about laws that prohibit cycling on sidewalks?
>
> Such as 1 PA law that says that bikes are restricted to bike lanes where
> bike lanes are available?
>
> And a 2nd PA law that prohibits cycling on sidewalks in "business
> districts"?
>
> How about at least 1 Philadelphia against persons older than 12 years
> of age cycling on sidewalks?
All those laws are senseless and chaotic. There's one district around
here that prohibits riding on sidewalk, but only because the residents
are wealthy. The law also tells you to walk bike across bridges, even
when sidewalks can't accommodate you and the bike.
>
> I like how I occaisionally see *police officers* cycling in non-
> emergency manner on sidewalks where it is illegal to do so.
Banana Republic.
>
> So, I sometimes ride on sidewalks. And when I do so, I yield to
> pedestrians.
Bad boy. ;)
I don't blame those who do so in order to survive, but don't respect
those who don't demand more respect on the roads.
>
> Every bike that I ride has a horn and a siren, thanks to my willingness
> to use a loud falsetto voice. However, when I am cycling on a sidewalk, I
> like to merely request pedestrians to get out of my way. I think that I
> have a high rate of doing that well!
I bet your speed is next to the usual walking pace, which renders the
bicycle nearly useless.
>
> And failing that, I do "My Usual" - making my bike a road vehicle
> recognized by PA's "vehicle code"!
>
> However, "making nice" goes a long way! And when on a road where
> vehicle code enforcement is lacking, "Do unto others as you would have
> them do unto you"!
>
> That may explain why truckers in Mexico respect those traveling along
> Mexican roads by riding a mule (or a donkey?).
Really? That makes Mexico highly civilized. Afghanistan too! I think
they respect people WALKING A HERD in the middle of Kabul, judging by
a video I saw.
>
> >Just like in the Animal Kingdom we have a FOOD CHAIN at work.
>
> >But nobody has demonstrated to me that drivers are slowed down by
> >cyclists taking the lane. The drivers must avoid the cyclist and move
> >away from him, the more the better. WHY AREN'T DRIVERS HONEST AND TELL
> >US THEY WANT US OUT OF THEIR WAY,
>
> I have had some motor vehicle drivers spew such "honest vitriol" against
> cyclists...
They know they can get away with it and they harass cyclists trying to
chase them away onto the sidewalks.
>
> >AND PASS THE PROBLEM TO THE POWERLESS PEDESTRIANS?
>
> In Philadelphia, pedestrians are close to opposite of powerless. It
> appears to me that Philadelphia's "legal culture" favors a jaywalker
> having an obvious red light over road users that have a green light.
>
> For that matter, many Philadelphians flout PA law by dropping litter
> when a sidewalk-deployed trash can is deployed 6-10 meters ahead of
> such "Philadelphian litterbugs".
>
> I sometimes cycle on sidewalks in Philadelphia, though I usually cycle
> in the street where "vehicles" belong. When I cycle on sidewalks, I ride
> slowly enough to be able to yield to 100% of pedestrians. And I don't
> "bully my way through".
>
> - Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)
In Miami proper (except downtown) and suburbs pedestrians are
"endangered species," hardly seen going around. I think that's the
culture of the sprawl and the car, present in most cities in the
South. Los Angeles is like that too. Miami Beach is the exception a
little bit, but pedestrians seem to be "fair game" according to some
recent close calls.
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of Tantra-Hammock & the Stationary Bicycle to burn the calories
official title. This is in response to my neighbor denying my space on
the road, and his refusal to give me more sweets. Yeah, his wife works
in a bakery, and I would get the scraps, which together with my
sedentary life in the cage was bound to kill me.
The responses here are no less hostile. Nobody has demonstrated I slow
down traffic, but no one offers a solution where I should be riding
with peace of mind... ENTER THE STATIONARY BIKE! Fuck the neighbor,
the sweets and the BS. I WILL BURN THE CALORIES until September 15th
(mark that date) when 1,000 bicycle will stampede into the local
streets (that's a mental image) via the local Velib program, whatever
its name is.
If the riders are clumsy enough (I expect them to be) they will TAKE
THE LANE and save the BS. Many will be tourists, which is not the
average MONKEY out there either. Them riding on sidewalks would be
stupid. They are the milking cow of the local enemy and we need the
cash. And then I can sell my stationary bike on Craigslist for people
who won't as lucky as we will be.
TO BE CONTINUED.
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of Tantra-Hammock & the Stationary Bicycle to burn the calories
Movement of Tantra-Hammock & the Stationary Bicycle to burn the
"local economy" not "local enemy"
Cycling can be a big boost for tourism anywhere.