What have you learned during the isolation?

[aeroperf]

It’s the first time I’ve started a thread, but I’d be interested to hear about what you’ve learned that’s new to you.

I live on a 93 mile bike trail that’s now closed.   The bike trail, being rails-to-trails, had no corners (or real hills).  So for five years I’ve been cranking away in relatively straight lines.

Now that I’m riding 4 laps through a small neighborhood, I’m learning how to take corners at speed without pedal strikes.
My 2015 Sam had no problem.  My 2019 Homer taught me that you had to either open up the corner a little or “outside foot down, inside foot up” coast through it.  They have the same 170mm crank arms, so it is probably both the bottom bracket drop and the smaller wheels - 650 vs 700 - that put me lower.  And 15mph might not be “speed” for others, but it is interesting in tight quarters for me.

So what have you learned?  Riding Zwift is fun?  Riding solo is no fun?  Cleaning clothes is easier without chain grease?

[George Schick]

I'd take this topic in a different direction.  In an e-mail post from Riv today, while hoping for the best in the future for those financially impacted by the public shut-downs, Will discussed the sort of positive effects - lesser vehicle traffic on favorite routes, etc.  My property backs up to a large public park and instead of what I would normally be seeing this time of year - parents standing along the sidelines of soccer fields with their designer stainless coffee mugs filled with Starbucks, their noses planted in their smart phones - what I'm seeing this Spring is some of those same parents out in the park actually playing with their children.  In that regard, it's a refreshing thing to see.

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Things I have learned. Random, but they’ve made an impression.

1. Patience on “my” trails. I’m used to moving about with very few folks in the way. Now that everyone is sick of being home, they have taken to tje trails and are like roving cattle on the MUP. They don’t understand bells. I’ve decided I just can’t ever be mad, and I have to be really careful. We’ll all just have to get along.

2. Kids are learning to bike really late. You can see kids who are 8-9 and really don’t know how to ride a bike yet. I bet I can count on one hand the kids that are on bikes that fit. It makes me so sad. But maybe they will fall in love with biking now that they are out and pedaling!

3. It’s a good time to cheer for your fellow man; we all need some uplifting. I’ve been letting folks know their kids are darling, their dogs are adorable, etc. The gardeners do me a solid every day when I bike up Killer Hill; they’re on their lunch break as I ride up and they cheer and clap and once I got a standing ovation! 😂 It feels so good.

[Patrick Moore]

No field, but live adjacent to many wooded walking roads and paths, and while evening rush hour auto traffic is like 1 pm on an ordinary weekday, weekday trail traffic is like that of a pleasant Sunday morning in mid Spring or mid Fall; and there are indeed more families than usual, even for Sunday mornings in regular times. And dare I say that people seem friendlier than before?

I've learned to take less-traveled roads and trails, though ... Of course, "heavy traffic" here is probably like 2 am on, say, the Venice (CA) beach trail.

On Fri, Apr 10, 2020 at 5:31 PM George Schick <bhi...@gmail.com> wrote:

I'd take this topic in a different direction.  In an e-mail post from Riv today, while hoping for the best in the future for those financially impacted by the public shut-downs, Will discussed the sort of positive effects - lesser vehicle traffic on favorite routes, etc.  My property backs up to a large public park and instead of what I would normally be seeing this time of year - parents standing along the sidelines of soccer fields with their designer stainless coffee mugs filled with Starbucks, their noses planted in their smart phones - what I'm seeing this Spring is some of those same parents out in the park actually playing with their children.  In that regard, it's a refreshing thing to see.

--

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

[Joe Bernard]

I don't have anything bike related - nor particularly uplifting - to add, I've just learned how stunningly fast the world can change into something almost unrecognizable. We're a few weeks into the Stay At Home directives in California and honestly I think I'm still a little in shock by how *different* things are.

But to finish on an uplifting note, I love the story Leah told about the gardeners cheering her up the hill. There's so much hopefulness and joy in that 🙂

[Mike Godwin]

Fellow riders on the road are actually friendly. I think they are slowing down enough (re: not concerned about PBs, or whatever their electronic tracking devices are telling them) to wave and say hi. It is refreshing.

I learned the ocean is more blue today. Rode to Montana de Oro park, the water was stunningly blue. It is perhaps less particulates in the air and less light scattering in lower atmosphere - greens and blues so brilliant.

Mike SLO CA

[Fryfam]

I've experienced, in cycling all over Seattle over the last couple weeks (as well as during a trip last week to LA), a glimpse into a futuristic low carbon economy where an abundance of fresh air exists in the dirtiest of metropolises. Unreal!

( there's a nasa study floating around showing densely populated areas in China with 30% lower levels than usual of nitrogen dioxide )

On Friday, April 10, 2020 at 4:20:52 PM UTC-7, aeroperf wrote:

[masmojo]

I didn't read all if what Will wrote, but I mentioned something similar to a friend of mine weeks earlier.
Reduced traffic is nice and yes I have noticed small gaggles of families out riding; kids on bikes they've grown out of already & their overweight parents squirming around on top of saddles they clearly haven't come to terms with. I refrain from being too snarky, because at least they are "out there" & if bike riding "sticks" for even a small percentage that is a pretty good shot in the arm for cycling in general.
The young couple that lives across the alley from me just got bikes; I saw them out riding the other day together, then just yesterday I saw the girl riding by herself and I thought to myself "ah ha!!!!"
This quarantine/social distancing thing came only a couple weeks after losing my job, so I was already adjusting to my new normal, but it's added new layers. I am very goal oriented and riding to work/ having a destination challenged me, gave me focus. Without that purpose I am somewhat adrift. The idea of riding "in circles" only for exercise or recreation is sort of hollow for me, so I try more to challenge myself which has mostly translated into more miles. Yesterday I ran errands AND cranked out 26 miles! 🙄

[Eric Daume]

I've learned to start riding on the road again. It's less crowded, and now it's a way to avoid the crowds on the bike paths.

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[Patrick Moore]

This reminds me that, while there are more cyclists on the paved roads and dirt paths nowadays, and this includes more riders on more-or-less road bikes -- drop bars, narrowish tires -- I seem to see fewer (sorry if I offend sensibilities) carbon fiber freds than I did pre-coronavirus. Perhaps this is simply that they are riding solo instead of together, and thus get diluted by the family and casual crowd.

Not that I don't have remnants of fredly attitudes myself, but "with age cometh wisdom." (No, wisdom does not require you to relinquish drop bars 4 cm below saddle. I find those comfortable.)

On Fri, Apr 10, 2020 at 7:39 PM Mike Godwin <spoke...@gmail.com> wrote:

Fellow riders on the road are actually friendly. I think they are slowing down enough (re: not concerned about PBs, or whatever their electronic tracking devices are telling them) to wave and say hi. It is refreshing.

...

[tuolumne bikes]

Good topic.

The biggest change in my personal riding has been to ride more directly from home which gives me more time to play (usually poke around and take pictures) on the way. There's a lot of life in between the cracks if you stop and really look.

I've been working with friends to expand the Motherlode Bicycle Coalition to encourage and facilitate biking of all types in our rural counties, and that effort is pretty much 100% on hold. I've had a blog for years describing local rides (Tuolumne Bikes), and while I've heard from many how helpful it was to them, the MLBC had scheduled our first season of pop up rides to build community and encourage folks to get their bikes out of the garage. All cancelled. Thankfully, we hadn't purchased insurance yet.

The point is "Join us for a ride" is a much more compelling message than "Here's some places to ride", and making that transition is a big push out of the comfort zone for me and for many other rural riders that are used to just going. The current situation makes it extra clear how much we depend on each other and our communities to make biking more appealing and approachable for others. The flip side of the reduction in traffic.

>>Fellow riders on the road are actually friendly. I think they are slowing down enough (re: not concerned about PBs, or whatever their electronic tracking devices are telling them) to wave and say hi. It is refreshing.

CalBike is promoting "Waving Wednesdays". With any luck it would catch on and people wouldn't be able to remember what day it is and wave anyway. Don't see this going very far on Market Street in San Francisco. We wave here--hey there's someone else on a bike! Works for cars too.

[John TeRonde]

One positive that we’ve been emphasizing in our house is learning to ride safely on city streets. My 11 year old daughter was a late adopter to cycling.

We live near downtown in Denver and we have always been hesitant to have her ride much on the “real” roads.

Our daily rides on my Sam and her Woom Bike have felt much safer. While I hate not being able to ride trails, that fact that my daughter can ride with me on the streets has been fantastic. She now fully realizes the rules of the road.

I love cars and love driving, but in all honesty I don’t miss them at all.

So she learned road safety, but more importantly, how you can use you bike for both utility and fun!

We are looking forward to a time in the future where we have the choice of streets or trails.

John and Julia

[Nathan Mattia]

I’ve been thinking about this for over a week, and finally collected my thoughts enough to write about it. ‘

It’s complicated, but here it is.

https://pipesbikesandleather.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=218&action=edit

On Friday, April 10, 2020 at 6:20:52 PM UTC-5, aeroperf wrote:

[somervillebikes]

One thing I've learned, living in an urban environment (Boston) that has very aggressively built bicycle and ped infrastructure over the years, and reduced vehicle speed by lowering speed limits (25 mph limit in Somerville, 20mph limit in Cambridge), installing traffic calming devices, etc, is that with far fewer drivers on the roads, they're all DRIVING MUCH FASTER and more carelessly. So while the streets seems safer and quieter with reduced traffic, the traffic that there is is more dangerous. Seems counter-intuitive, but that's what I'm noticing as I bike around the city.

That's what I've learned.

Anton

velolumino.com

[ted]

Even pre covid I noticed that drivers accustomed to driving slower than they would like due to traffic seem to drive as possible. Absent traffic the foot goes to the floor.

[Joe Bernard]

I've noticed the freeways here are heavily patrolled lately. The Highway Patrol has less wrecks to attend to and plenty of speeders to catch. Fish in a barrel!

[Dave Johnston]

Yesterday (Sunday) there was a lot of cars out unlike last week, I think people packed the kids in the cars and just drove them around aimlessly. (Dang Sunday Drivers)

[Nathan Mattia]

Yes, the increase in crazy and faster driving was almost instant in St. Louis.  I usually drive 10 over, and I was getting passed on city streets that aren’t passing types of streets.

I think part of it may be that some of our good driving habits are really us reacting to what’s going on.  For instance, I’ve ran waaaaay more red lights in-intentionally in the middle of the night when no traffic was around than I have in normal daytime traffic.

On Friday, April 10, 2020 at 6:20:52 PM UTC-5, aeroperf wrote:

[Joe Bernard]

"I think people packed the kids in the cars and just drove them around aimlessly."

I do this, I drive more now than I did in the before time. Just to be somewhere not in the house.

[David Johnston]

Monday eve 5-7:30 went for walk in woods and drove into our small town
and it was dead in the park on the trails and in town, and the weather
was just as good.

So I guess it really was just Sunday drivers I should avoid. I will
have to take that into account, by the weekend people are too cooped
up to stay in the house with the kids. Maybe need to shift my
telecommute and ride more in the week and avoid the weekends.

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[Garth]

Everything... by Self-Nature of Existence Existing,  is Wonder-Full . 

Enjoy your Ride today , it's never the same twice ! 

[aeroperf]

Cobb and Paulding counties, GA, re-opened the Silver Comet Trail today.

I’ll avoid talking about the wisdom of re-opening Georgia, but re-opening the Comet was definitely interesting.

I suddenly understand the comments about trails being crowded.
Leah’s comment about “roving cattle” who “don’t understand bells” suddenly makes a LOT of sense.
There were a LOT of new bikers out.  People with new shiny bikes and no clue how to ride them - and that’s kind of OK because the more people that come out with bikes, even badly, the better chance of more bike trails.  But… whew.

On the other hand, Atlanta is so bike-unfriendly on the roads… my chances of getting hit by a car on the roads dropped from 50% to 49% during the shelter-in-place.  I have some interesting new scars, and I’m glad the Comet is open again.
So what I learned is that, in Atlanta, ride on the paths/sidewalks, not on the roads, and appreciate the trails.

While the shelter-in-place was in effect, I’ve been building up a new bike with help from my LBS.  This week they told me to do it myself because they were getting swamped with building new orders.  This is a good thing, too, because If even a few percent stick with it, that, too, increases the user base.

[Deacon Patrick]

I see people discovering they can move in normal clothes: hiking, running, biking in non-athletic apparel. That is a delight to see!

With abandon,

Patrick

[LBleriot]

Having participated in another online memorial for a friend lost to the pandemic, I’ve learned to appreciate every day I get to spend with my family.  I work for a healthcare system in the middle of the crisis, and I’ve learned from doctors and nurses what brave really means.  I’ve learned that riding my bike is both meaningless and means everything right now.

[Leah Peterson]

Interesting new scars?! Did you get hit by a car???

I’ve been wanting to chime back in here again about more new things I’m learning.

1. I despise vehicles. I thought I disliked them before but I despise them now. It’s been quieter on the roads and I’ve been enjoying audiobooks with my air pods, and you know what? Cars go screaming by me so loudly that I can’t hear my books. And my Apple Watch alerts me that the decibels I’m experiencing will cause eventual hearing loss. I wonder how many of us have or will have some damage to our hearing from the noise of traffic.

2. While I’d never hurt a pedestrian, I am in favor of making them uncomfortable when they deserve it. Now, I am sure some of you will want to chastise me, but don’t bother because it will fall on my increasingly deaf ears.

I usually have the paths to myself, but in quarantine people are out in droves. Initially, I’d smooth over all the situations where pedestrians were wildly out of etiquette. I was out there apologizing when they were in the wrong lane and I was approaching, more apologizing when they didn’t understand the bell, apologizing when their off-leash dog lunged for me in passing, apologizing if they startled as I passed by... Now I’m getting tougher out there, because I’ve had enough.

Last night, I’m on a paved MUP and the couple in front of me (and their dog) are taking up the ENTIRE path. This path is WIDE, meant for two-way traffic, and the couple’s roving was extreme. He’s one one side, she and the dog are on the other and all 3 of them are weaving. Though this MUP is a 2-way, I cannot pass by. I’m riding uphill and hate to break momentum, but I slow waaaayyyy down and wait for them to notice me. The husband darts off to the right and the wife looks irritated with me and freezes. I ride by silently and slowly, refusing to diffuse the situation with words or a smile. I’m sure they felt caught off-guard. I’m sure it was uncomfortable. Good. They are on a shared path and they aren’t sharing. After being startled maybe they’ll pay attention and be courteous.

Now, if you are a child, anything goes. Those little buggers are out there with their scooters, bikes, plasma cars, strollers, wagons and Power Wheels. They’re careening all over and veering and swerving and causing mayhem.

And I will smile and wave at them all. 🥰 Go wild, munchkins!
Leah

Sent from my iPad

> On Apr 25, 2020, at 5:57 PM, aeroperf <dore...@comcast.net> wrote:

Sent from my iPad

> On Apr 25, 2020, at 5:57 PM, aeroperf <dore...@comcast.net> wrote:
>

[Andrew Erman]

I am finding people walking in the middle of the streets of residential neighborhoods (even ones that are all apartment buildings) - not to avoid anyone, just walking in the middle of the street. I am presented with the dilemma of how to get by them and keep social distance. I am frankly at a loss why people are doing this. I presume they are afraid of contracting the virus, but not of getting hit by a car? The big bike bell from RBW gets people’s attention.

I am trying not to get too irritated because it ruins my ride.

Andy

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[Ray Varella]

I encounter walkers taking up entire paths quite frequently.
Some ignore bells.
So far, none of them have ignored a skidding tire.
I lock up my rear brake when I’m way behind them, they always turn around and then move to the side.
I think it’s the impending possibility that someone is about to crash into them that alerts them.

Bells are friendly and they work with civilized people.

Ray

[Ian A]

LBleriot wrote: "Having participated in another online memorial for a friend lost to the pandemic, I’ve learned to appreciate every day I get to spend with my family. I work for a healthcare system in the middle of the crisis, and I’ve learned from doctors and nurses what brave really means. I’ve learned that riding my bike is both meaningless and means everything right now."

Healthcare workers are taking such risks and paying the price of those risks. I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Thank you for all you do.

IanA

[Garth]

I too thought I was offended .... by what....by whom ?   Yes ..... whatever was convenient !  And so I played along with "I'm so offended" offensive .... and I took offense to being so offended !  And so began a chain reaction of "I'm so offended" ... it seemed the whole world was "I'm so offended" and everyone took offense to their own offensiveness with "I'm so offended". Well that's quite a quandary, huh ?  A no-win situation. It reminds me of that song "Signs" ... "Sign sign everywhere a sign .... do this don't do that can't you read the sign ?"  Yeah .... every sign sez "I'm so offended.... do not enter... ride here ... no, the other here ....do this ... no, don't do that, do this instead .... and when you get there ... I'll be offended and tell you where to go.... and of course when you arrive I'll greet you with another sign... you guessed it .... I'm so offended.... what are you doing here anyways ? Don't listen to me ... you shouldn't have followed that sign back there .... do you hear me .... I'm so offended you're listening ... oh how could you .... oh how could you not  ! "

It's like a role reversal of a Zoo ... now the animals are all free to roam around by nature ... and all the "helpers" have imprisoned themselves wondering why the animals aren't listening to them.

Ahahahahahaaaaaaa ....... I know your Heart is laughing with all of this !

So Sing A Song . . . . . It'll make you dance .  .  .  .   and the dance will make you Sing  . . .  Forever Self-Affirming .  .  . See  . . .  there is no wrong way to turn as Music fills All Space .

An Earth Wind & Fire Song :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTMSj7gDEGs

I can honestly say that I have never "learned" anything , because under the Light of Truth it's obvious that Intelligence is Indivisible. There was never anything to teach or learn as Intelligence never forget Itself.

[Deborah Coffin]

I’ve been hiking more, and I’m finding tons more trail riders than previously. I’ve noticed that those riders expect me to move off the trail into the weeds to make space and that I can smell their “slipstream” for several minutes after they pass. Just sayin.

[Patrick Moore]

Bells are friendly, but don't work with too many walkers I encounter. Two instances:

First, was riding along a ditch bank road, saw a couple ahead taking the width of the path, started ringing my Spurcycle bell 100' in advance of passing; no reaction, so I passed. Man said, peevishly, "You should ring your bell." I, already peeved myself, skidded to a stop and said, "I started ringing it 50 yards back" -- a bit of an exaggeration, but not grossly so. He replied, "Thanks for ringing." I, mollified, got back on the bike, at which point the woman, standing next to him, said, peevisly, "You should have a bell!" I pushed her into the ditch.

A week or 2 later, I was riding north (fast, admittedly, with strong tailwind) along a ditch road and saw a small crowd walking south, stretched out across the width of the road. Rang Spurcycle like the dickens from well in advance of passing; no reaction! I got within 30 feet and deliberately skidded my rear tire, at which point all looked up in panic and scattered. I continued on my way with a triumphant and scornful laugh.

I replaced my brass striker bells with Spurcycles at great cost (the black anodized one was 60 bucks), but sweet and piercing as they are, they don't have the loud commanding RRRRIIIINNNGGG of the large-size strikers. (Confession: Long, long ago, I used to enjoy using a Zounds! air horn on clueless pedestrians; tho' only after tiring out my bell thumb. They jumped!)

Seriously, I try to rein in my temper; after all, so many people aren't used to shared routes. What is annoying is not so much the obstruction as the cluelessness; and I remind myself that I too am too often not mindful in other respects -- though I try to be. Mindfulness! It gets you so much more out of life!

Or I could obey Garth. But there's no fun in that!

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[Andrew Erman]

Patrick, 

Great story!  Did you really push the lady in the ditch?

I have an electric bike I used to ride to work (till a few weeks ago, when I switched to riding solely human powered bikes) - I have Zound horn on that bike to use with cars - it will definitely get people’s attention!

Best,

Andy

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[Leah Peterson]

I laughed out loud. “I pushed her into the ditch.”

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 26, 2020, at 4:40 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Patrick Moore]

Kicked her into the ditch, actually. But only in my sinful thoughts.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/DA26FEE2-8692-428D-AE06-2C2385EE4C35%40ucla.edu.

[Andrew Erman]

Too funny

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[Deacon Patrick]

Spurcycles bell does not carry in the silence of back trails, so I find it hard to imagine it working anywhere. I returned it and switched to Rivendell's big loud bell: that carries, sounds like a friendly trolly and is heard 2/3rd of the time on remote trails. The other 1/3rd? Either hard of hearing due to biology or music, or their brain's can't process the incongruity of a trolly on a remote trail, so they inexplicably ignore it (pretty sure this is 10% of the population). Grin. From the 2/3rd who hear it I get profound gratitude as though I'd handed them water after three days in the desert.

With abandon,

Patrick

Too funny

Andy

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Sky Coulter]

My riding has dropped to almost zero for April; i think i managed to commute to work at the start of the month once, but my shifts are 12hrs long And i’ve worked almost every calendar day since mid-march so didn’t want to risk further compromising my immune system. My next day off is May 7th and i’m very much looking forward to a bike ride.

I’ve found people hereabouts - metrovancouver - are very responsive to the crane bell chime when i ring it on bike paths. Maybe its because the note hangs in the air and as i quickly approach they hear it getting closer,, but often they almost scramble to get out of the way. Sometimes i won’t ring it and i’ll just wait for an opportunity to go off the path to get around pedestrians if i don’t feel rushed and don’t want to startle them.  

In general people here abide by the animal>pedestrian>human-powered>motor-powered hierarchy on shared access paths. The annoying exception is the electric bicycle and scooter crowd. 

There is a narrow shared pedestrian cyclist path on the Patullo bridge i commute to work across where there isn’t room for two cyclists to pass each other. The signs actually request cyclists to dismount and walk their bicycles, although given its 800m long or so, that seems a bit unreasonable. But certainly most prudent cyclists, if traveling downhill, will pull over and hug the rail for the uphill cyclist when passing. Not so the e-biker.

Generally i find they continue at full speed without moving over much at all, expecting the uphill cyclist to either stop and get out of their way, or to continue on, along the razor edge of the path with large trucks passing within a foot of the handlebar.  And they do it with a blissfully ignorant smile and not one whiff of bad intention. 

It’s really turned me off e-bikes a bit, although part of me would still like to put a copenhagen wheel on my clementine so i could commute even on the days i feel too worn out. But then i wonder how long it would be before i’d become exactly the rider that i loath when i’m sweatily peddling up that bridge.

Sky in new west

On Apr 26, 2020, at 4:48 PM, Andrew Erman <aer...@ucla.edu> wrote:

Too funny

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[ANDREW ERMAN]

Sky, my heart goes out to you with your challenging work.  I presume you are in healthcare.   I wish you safety, lots of energy and good quality sleep when you can get it.  Andy

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[George Schick]

Regarding MUP's and trails, you all may enjoy this recumbent rider's rant at those who use/abuse the paths:  http://www.bentrideronline.com/?p=4132

On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 6:40:11 PM UTC-5, Patrick Moore wrote:

Bells are friendly, but don't work with too many walkers I encounter. Two instances:

First, was riding along a ditch bank road, saw a couple ahead taking the width of the path, started ringing my Spurcycle bell 100' in advance of passing; no reaction, so I passed. Man said, peevishly, "You should ring your bell." I, already peeved myself, skidded to a stop and said, "I started ringing it 50 yards back" -- a bit of an exaggeration, but not grossly so. He replied, "Thanks for ringing." I, mollified, got back on the bike, at which point the woman, standing next to him, said, peevisly, "You should have a bell!" I pushed her into the ditch.

A week or 2 later, I was riding north (fast, admittedly, with strong tailwind) along a ditch road and saw a small crowd walking south, stretched out across the width of the road. Rang Spurcycle like the dickens from well in advance of passing; no reaction! I got within 30 feet and deliberately skidded my rear tire, at which point all looked up in panic and scattered. I continued on my way with a triumphant and scornful laugh.

I replaced my brass striker bells with Spurcycles at great cost (the black anodized one was 60 bucks), but sweet and piercing as they are, they don't have the loud commanding RRRRIIIINNNGGG of the large-size strikers. (Confession: Long, long ago, I used to enjoy using a Zounds! air horn on clueless pedestrians; tho' only after tiring out my bell thumb. They jumped!)

Seriously, I try to rein in my temper; after all, so many people aren't used to shared routes. What is annoying is not so much the obstruction as the cluelessness; and I remind myself that I too am too often not mindful in other respects -- though I try to be. Mindfulness! It gets you so much more out of life!

Or I could obey Garth. But there's no fun in that!

On Sat, Apr 25, 2020 at 9:15 PM Ray Varella <rayvar...@gmail.com> wrote:

I encounter walkers taking up entire paths quite frequently.
Some ignore bells.
So far, none of them have ignored a skidding tire.
I lock up my rear brake when I’m way behind them, they always turn around and then move to the side.
I think it’s the impending possibility that someone is about to crash into them that alerts them.

Bells are friendly and they work with civilized people.

Ray

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[E. Ricky Creek]

I grew up with a multi use path at the end of my street. I started using it at 5-6 when I learned to ride a bicycle. The etiquette of the trail was so ingrained in the culture of childhood for my peers and I that even in our punky middle school BMX years, we were still "on your left" conscious. I still get annoyed when folks don't respond to the bell, clicking levers, or on-your-lefts. Now with the paths flooded with folks just trying to get out of their houses, I am more aware that the inherent social contract of MUP etiquette isn't something that others know or were taught, and I am accepting of it more now than ever. While some signage exists, I'm sure, I don't expect a family with two dogs, a couple of kids on Razors, another on rollerblades, and a stroller to be on edge in case a middle-aged weirdo on a lugged bicycle and a wool cardigan rings his bell. 

What this traffic has done for me is make me get out my local maps and come up with new rides, which has been fun. I moved to Elgin, IL a year and a half ago and have been working on riding all of the streets in town and admiring all of the brilliant old houses, flowers, learning all of the street names, etc.   

[Eric Floden]

Sky, Thank you for your good work. I am ringing my cowbell every 7pm for you...

Me, no riding for over a month. Sure do miss it!

EricF

Vancouver

[Patrick Moore]

I wonder if an electric bike would be what you need, even if other users ride foolishly. I'd certainly think of one if I were in your situation; nothing more horrible IME than 2 daily commutes on crowded roads in a car.

I tend to move left when an oncoming rider seems to be encroaching on my right of way, which seems to encourage them to move back into their lane; OTOH, I scrupulously refrain from doing the same to others -- if am to come abreast of a pedestrian ahead at the same time an oncoming cyclist reaches the spot, I will slow to walking speed rather than dart into the oncoming cyclist's path.

Good luck and thank you for your work

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[ANDREW ERMAN]

Excellent 

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[Patrick Moore]

I once accidentally hooked up with a sort-of-wannabee roadie type and rode circa 20 miles with him on the city's major Paseo del Bosque bike path one weekday morning. We were maintaining a good clip, probably close to 20 mph, and this fellow would yell at pedestrians we passed, "Walk on the GRAVEL" -- the paved trail has a wide gravel shoulder. So the gits aren't only in one category.

But I've had mothers walking side by side with strollers toward me and not hear my bell or yells until I was on top of them and skidding to a stop, at which point they froze in panic. Again, not so much bad will or even selfishness in the usual sense as plain old cluelessness.

On Mon, Apr 27, 2020 at 7:45 AM George Schick <bhi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Regarding MUP's and trails, you all may enjoy this recumbent rider's rant at those who use/abuse the paths:  http://www.bentrideronline.com/?p=4132

[Eric Norris]

Patrick:

Cluelessness is in ample supply here in Sacramento as well. I’m seeing a lot of people on bikes that 1) look like they’ve been in the garage since the 1990s or 2) look brand-new. In either case, they’re piloted by people who are too often sadly lacking in the skills that are needed on the very busy bike trail on the American River. This includes basics like being aware of what’s happening around you and checking before wobbling onto the trail. I had to brake and swerve to avoid a guy who was steering with one hand while he was looking at a cell phone held in the other. He did not look at all before veering toward the middle of a narrow pedestrian bridge.

Add to this the children who probably haven’t been on the bike trail before and you have the makings of a very stress-inducing day on the bike. 

Another local cyclist described the situation in San Francisco, where the popular cycling spots are overrun, but many roads otherwise clogged with cars are now almost car-free and quite enjoyable. He recommended heading for the latter while the cars are still gone.

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com
www.campyonly.com
campyonlyguy.blogspot.com

On Apr 27, 2020, at 10:29 AM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

plain old cluelessness

[tuolumne bikes]

This thread has drifted a bit from my perception of the Rivendell ethos. We all have frustrations whether with vehicles or other road and trail users, and I appreciate that the shelter in place measures are affecting more urban people in very different ways than they are affecting me.

The Golden Gate Bridge is my ultimate model of MUP conflict. We stay in the city fairly often during better times, and I follow the migration across to Marin to ride the Headlands. For me, negotiating the bridge is time to relax and let it flow. Being patient and being kind to the other users on the bridge is very much akin to stopping for red lights on the city streets--it slows you down so not every bike rider does it. Efforts to promote bike riding as a happy and healthy way to travel suffer from our impatience.

When I'm working my way across the bridge among the throngs of tourists on rented bikes (also mixed with the pedestrians on weekdays), I treat it like people watching time. Most of those people probably haven't ridden a bike in ten years or more, and though many of them come from freezing winter climates, I enjoy seeing them bundled up in the mid-60s fog and wind. They've made the choice to try one of the more challenging and immersive activities available on their visit. Yes, they can be clueless to the needs of locals trying to travel. Well meaning attempts to communicate and share the space can easily fail at that density, but sometimes they way they are treated by rushed bikers can be downright horrible. How much goodwill for biking is lost when we can't bring ourselves to slow down, smile, wave, and be kind to others. I've always found a cheerful "Hello!" from an adequate distance and speed for a response to be the most effective way to let folks know I'm coming.

Sorry for the Pollyanna-ish rant. Go ahead and vent a bit if it helps you to be kind in person. I expect that is the case.

[ascpgh]

We're far enough into this now that the end of pandemic, or at least "opening"  is even a topic. I've sure had some collected thoughts. 

It's quiet. Air travel has clearly diminished to the point that I look up at every plane that's on its long approach to the airport, 20 miles to the west. Traffic is sparse and I can't help but see those out driving and wonder what essential function they represent with their travel or if they don't care and are just doing what they want. I'm amazed by the large numbers resoundingly represented by the emptiness of the streets. 

Like other social norms, degrees of individual adoption of instructions and information are visible. Being in healthcare I realize my professional practice make me a critic of degrees of protective preparation for public tasks if not to standard. The open display of waste using disposable PPE incorrectly, without it having a chance of providing the benefit potential to users who wear them, is maddening. Worse are those who appear to elevate PPE like a spiritual protective icon and display such poor discipline in public that they must believe in supernatural powers of their nitrile gloves, face shield masks and (i'm not kidding) ponchos. People want to believe in something and this situation has made it visible in public. Brand names or branded items had been a way people differentiated themselves, now it seems to be the procurement and display of PPE. 

I learned and used closed loop communication in critical moments in the military and healthcare. It gives closure and verification that what you said was heard, acknowledged, responded to in act and completed. It's ingrained enough in me that I think the public health posture at all levels needs to look at what they see on the street as their feedback because they won't see much of their message being acknowledged intact. I hope the quiet majority who are out of sight, at home, not touching things, not flaunting disposable PPE but rather preserving them for the moments when its precious use is necessary or using alternatives like bandannas suffice. Makes me think of Hopi Kachina dolls that are given to those who will be respectful and care for them responsibly. 

I ride my bike to and from work because it provides opportunity to connect with the world while separating from both home and work while en route. Most people at the end of a hard day have a little black cloud over their head that goes right into their car with them to go home, little chance for separation. I enjoy what the dark, the cold and the wet contribute to those ends. Even more so these days. I have found a much more clear appreciation of cycling these days and to my observation, so have many others. they are doing it in pursuit of the act itself, in normal clothes, going places. The performance riders in their kit and spacebikes seem to have reverted to Peloton in their basements. 

We've "quarranteamed" with our young friend in her last semester of nursing school. As the pandemic got foothold in the US and local actions were imminent we reached out and invited to her to spend it with us at our house for a number of practical and psychological reasons. It's been very helpful for all of us to have a bit bigger table set for for meals and daily life. She did insist on bringing her bike and we have been on many rides to maintain perspective. 

I have had a lot of thoughts on cycling for myself these weeks and I hope as things resolve and open up I'll be able to realize them, with great value. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[Andrew Erman]

Dear all,

First, I appreciate being part of this discussion group and reading your thoughts on one of the favorite parts of my life (bikes).

My psychology of riding has been heavily influenced by Grant’s Just Ride, that he gave me when I purchased my Roadini.  I started to feel less need to meet the “shoulds” in my mind - I should ride fast, I should get my heart rate up, I should have an aggressive riding posture, I should only go for a ride if it will be long enough, etc.

My belief about riding was further influence by the TED Talk How Bicycling Connects Us At the Speed of Discovery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDubr-RjlCE

I shifted my speed expectation to 10 mph, give or take a couple miles - I started to notice more stuff - shapes of trees, garbage on the ground, and I started to make more contact with other people - pedestrians, bike riders, even people in vehicles.  

I still struggle with getting irritated by walkers, riders and drivers whose behaviors interfere with where I want to get and how fast I want to get there.  When this happens, and if I am on top of my game, I let the movement of others and myself play out, like some kind of disorganized dance, and then I am on my way again, enjoying the turn of the cranks, my feet on the pedals, feeling the wind in my face, looking at all the stuff around me.

Best,

Andy

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