Is Critical Manners Compatible with Vehicular Cycling?
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Linda Atkins
Dec 7, 2007, 4:48:41 PM12/7/07
to Critical Manners Ride SF
I love the idea of the Critical Manners ride and plan to attend
December's. It's fantastic that it's gotten so much press and is
already taking off in other cities. I am a vehicular cyclist, meaning
that I do stop at stop signs and red lights, and, to be as safe as
possible, I do take any lane that isn't wide enough to allow for three
to five feet between myself and parked cars, as well as three feet
between myself and passing cars, which means I almost always take the
lane, since many streets in San Francisco don't mean that standard.
(Taking the Road I class, offered free through the SFBC, convinced me
of the necessity for doing this. Prior to that, while I generally
avoided the door zone, I did often skulk along too far to the right
and then wonder why cars were passing me so closely. Now that I take
the lane as a matter of course, I have many fewer near misses and many
fewer occasions for conflict or confrontation. In fact,
paradoxically, I feel calmer and more confident cycling than ever
before.)
However, I was curious to know if those who participate in Critical
Manners rides frown on taking the lane. Thanks in advance for any
thoughts.
December's. It's fantastic that it's gotten so much press and is
already taking off in other cities. I am a vehicular cyclist, meaning
that I do stop at stop signs and red lights, and, to be as safe as
possible, I do take any lane that isn't wide enough to allow for three
to five feet between myself and parked cars, as well as three feet
between myself and passing cars, which means I almost always take the
lane, since many streets in San Francisco don't mean that standard.
(Taking the Road I class, offered free through the SFBC, convinced me
of the necessity for doing this. Prior to that, while I generally
avoided the door zone, I did often skulk along too far to the right
and then wonder why cars were passing me so closely. Now that I take
the lane as a matter of course, I have many fewer near misses and many
fewer occasions for conflict or confrontation. In fact,
paradoxically, I feel calmer and more confident cycling than ever
before.)
However, I was curious to know if those who participate in Critical
Manners rides frown on taking the lane. Thanks in advance for any
thoughts.
Critical...@gmail.com
Dec 10, 2007, 6:23:26 PM12/10/07
to Critical Manners Ride SF
I fully support taking the lane and practice that when I ride on my
own as well as during Critical Manners rides. I'm not going to put
myself in danger of being doored so that someone can arrive at their
destination 15 seconds earlier.
own as well as during Critical Manners rides. I'm not going to put
myself in danger of being doored so that someone can arrive at their
destination 15 seconds earlier.
jcitrak
Dec 10, 2007, 10:50:47 PM12/10/07
to Critical Manners Ride SF
i'll echo that sentiment. i have no problem taking a lane, although i
know many who'd rather
a. ride on the sidewalk (not a good idea)
b. take the long way to get to a bikeable road
just so they don't have to hear the jerks honking and yelling crap out
of their miserable cars. (although some of these drivers are simply
assholes, other's have probably been scared by psychotic riders and
don't know any other way to react except fear and anger.)
SFBC + City Hall should do more to address this problem, which not a
new one, and hopefully we can all exist on the road cohesively.
know many who'd rather
a. ride on the sidewalk (not a good idea)
b. take the long way to get to a bikeable road
just so they don't have to hear the jerks honking and yelling crap out
of their miserable cars. (although some of these drivers are simply
assholes, other's have probably been scared by psychotic riders and
don't know any other way to react except fear and anger.)
SFBC + City Hall should do more to address this problem, which not a
new one, and hopefully we can all exist on the road cohesively.
Jessica
Dec 11, 2007, 8:09:06 PM12/11/07
to Critical Manners Ride SF
I agree. There needs to be more emphasis around the Co-exist
campaigns, or new campaigns. Think I read in the SFBC Tube Times that
some billboards were going up about not parking in the bike lanes, but
it's more about educating drivers who honestly believe that the best
place for a bike is on the sidewalk!
I had a guy yelling at me the other day on Divisadero (I try not to
ride further than the 2 blocks between my house and the bike lanes on
Fulton) because he thought I shouldn't be in the road. I had to tell
him it's the law that bikes can use the full lane, if needed. He
rolled his eyes at me!
I get this all the time; we all do. What can we do about this? PSAs?
More billboards/bus ads?
> > thoughts.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
campaigns, or new campaigns. Think I read in the SFBC Tube Times that
some billboards were going up about not parking in the bike lanes, but
it's more about educating drivers who honestly believe that the best
place for a bike is on the sidewalk!
I had a guy yelling at me the other day on Divisadero (I try not to
ride further than the 2 blocks between my house and the bike lanes on
Fulton) because he thought I shouldn't be in the road. I had to tell
him it's the law that bikes can use the full lane, if needed. He
rolled his eyes at me!
I get this all the time; we all do. What can we do about this? PSAs?
More billboards/bus ads?
>
> - Show quoted text -
Critical...@gmail.com
Dec 11, 2007, 9:19:55 PM12/11/07
to Critical Manners Ride SF
I can relate to all of your stories! I have recently had a slew of
drivers make a right turn around me as I was trying to turn right, AND
signaling my intention to do so.This is part of the reason I have an
air horn on my bike.
I have also been told to "get on the sidewalk."
Sheesh. Anyhow, I hope to see some of you at the ride this month. It's
usually a great time, and when we ride together, we're a lot more
noticeable.
Remember, though, that helmets and lights are mandatory on this ride.
drivers make a right turn around me as I was trying to turn right, AND
signaling my intention to do so.This is part of the reason I have an
air horn on my bike.
I have also been told to "get on the sidewalk."
Sheesh. Anyhow, I hope to see some of you at the ride this month. It's
usually a great time, and when we ride together, we're a lot more
noticeable.
Remember, though, that helmets and lights are mandatory on this ride.
Ian Scott
Dec 13, 2007, 2:55:26 PM12/13/07
to critical-man...@googlegroups.com
I think more of these signs will do the job nicely: http://flickr.com/photos/jym/355367802/
Official signs carry a lot more weight than advertisements.
Official signs carry a lot more weight than advertisements.
Critical...@gmail.com
Dec 14, 2007, 1:53:57 PM12/14/07
to Critical Manners Ride SF
Yeah, I'd love to see more of those signs. I had a UCSF vanpool driver
honk at me this morning because I was using the full lane on 14th
Street between Folsom & Harrison, which doesn't have a bike lane.
I wrote his boss. His boss was actually on my side and replied very
quickly to my email.
On Dec 13, 11:55 am, "Ian Scott" <irsc...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I think more of these signs will do the job nicely:http://flickr.com/photos/jym/355367802/
> Official signs carry a lot more weight than advertisements.
>
honk at me this morning because I was using the full lane on 14th
Street between Folsom & Harrison, which doesn't have a bike lane.
I wrote his boss. His boss was actually on my side and replied very
quickly to my email.
On Dec 13, 11:55 am, "Ian Scott" <irsc...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I think more of these signs will do the job nicely:http://flickr.com/photos/jym/355367802/
> Official signs carry a lot more weight than advertisements.
>
Linda Atkins
Dec 14, 2007, 1:55:55 PM12/14/07
to Critical Manners Ride SF
Thanks for all the great answers. See you tonight!
I don't want to sound like I believe in magical thinking, but I swear,
ever since I started taking the lane and believing that I have every
right to do so (thanks to the Road I class), I have gotten amazingly
little static from drivers. I used to ride along thinking, "Gosh, I'm
sorry I'm in front of you. Uh oh, are you mad?" And if I got too
freaked out, I'd go over to the right side of the lane, and then of
course some car would pass me with inches to spare and I'd be furious
and possibly catch them at the light and scream at them.
Now I think, "Yep, I'm riding right here, in the middle of the lane,
and I'm staying here, because it's the safest place to be, and I'm
enjoying being on my bike, la la la." Most cars pass me with plenty
of room to spare, but I know that this is partly because of the
enormous number of cyclists on the road in SF these days--most
motorists have gotten plenty of practice by now. And the pictures of
bikes on the road don't hurt, either, and the signs mentioned by Ian
are excellent, too. I also wish we had more of those.
In case I haven't belabored it enough, I cannot too highly recommend
taking the Road I class, offered free through the SFBC. :-) After 20
years of getting around by bike, I didn't think I'd learn a thing, but
I learned a huge amount!
Linda
I don't want to sound like I believe in magical thinking, but I swear,
ever since I started taking the lane and believing that I have every
right to do so (thanks to the Road I class), I have gotten amazingly
little static from drivers. I used to ride along thinking, "Gosh, I'm
sorry I'm in front of you. Uh oh, are you mad?" And if I got too
freaked out, I'd go over to the right side of the lane, and then of
course some car would pass me with inches to spare and I'd be furious
and possibly catch them at the light and scream at them.
Now I think, "Yep, I'm riding right here, in the middle of the lane,
and I'm staying here, because it's the safest place to be, and I'm
enjoying being on my bike, la la la." Most cars pass me with plenty
of room to spare, but I know that this is partly because of the
enormous number of cyclists on the road in SF these days--most
motorists have gotten plenty of practice by now. And the pictures of
bikes on the road don't hurt, either, and the signs mentioned by Ian
are excellent, too. I also wish we had more of those.
In case I haven't belabored it enough, I cannot too highly recommend
taking the Road I class, offered free through the SFBC. :-) After 20
years of getting around by bike, I didn't think I'd learn a thing, but
I learned a huge amount!
Linda
Tom Ezell
Dec 22, 2007, 5:13:03 PM12/22/07
to Critical Manners Ride SF
We started doing monthly Critical Manners rides here in Little Rock
(Arkansas) after seeing the article in the San Francisco Chronicle a
couple of months ago, and maybe having a little too much refreshment
at the local establishment where our bike advocacy groups has its
meetings ;-)
Both current ride leaders are LAB instructors, and we use the rides to
help reinforce vehicular concepts. ALL of the lanes in the old
downtown area of Little Rock where we hold the rides are what would be
defined as "narrow lanes," and we do take the lane... riding single
file, doubling up at the stop lights and stop signs.
So far, we've gotten a good bit of favorable coverage, both in the
local media as well as the word-on-the-street in our little cycling
community.
Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas (BACA, http://www.bacar.org)
rides on the first Wednesday of each month at 4:30 p.m., from the
parking lot in front of the Arkansas Arts Center at the intersection
of 10th and Commerce Streets in Little Rock, Arkansas. Open to riders
of all ages and skill levels, must wear a bike helmet; and at least
for the next couple of months, lights (In Arkansas, that means a white
front headlight and a red rear taillight -- both active lighting
systems).
Tom Ezell
(Arkansas) after seeing the article in the San Francisco Chronicle a
couple of months ago, and maybe having a little too much refreshment
at the local establishment where our bike advocacy groups has its
meetings ;-)
Both current ride leaders are LAB instructors, and we use the rides to
help reinforce vehicular concepts. ALL of the lanes in the old
downtown area of Little Rock where we hold the rides are what would be
defined as "narrow lanes," and we do take the lane... riding single
file, doubling up at the stop lights and stop signs.
So far, we've gotten a good bit of favorable coverage, both in the
local media as well as the word-on-the-street in our little cycling
community.
Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas (BACA, http://www.bacar.org)
rides on the first Wednesday of each month at 4:30 p.m., from the
parking lot in front of the Arkansas Arts Center at the intersection
of 10th and Commerce Streets in Little Rock, Arkansas. Open to riders
of all ages and skill levels, must wear a bike helmet; and at least
for the next couple of months, lights (In Arkansas, that means a white
front headlight and a red rear taillight -- both active lighting
systems).
Tom Ezell
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