[SDCBC] Pet peeve: cyclists have "no choice" but to be unsafe/crazy

[Pierre La Plant]

On 2/19/08, someone in SanDiegoCoBC wrote:

>  "road worthy machine" pedaling steadily in a straight
>line at a speed of 12-18 MPH vs a beach cruiser toodling along at 5-8
>MPH.

I've found that a cruiser bike pulling a wide trailer (good for 
messenger bags, work clothes, groceries, and leaving the SUV at home) 
with a flag gets more room from cars, when I have to ride in the lane 
- which is most of the time, than when I ride my bike without the 
trailer. With a trailer on narrow roads,  cars can't squeeze by. 
Cars must pass in the opposite lane, as they should for ALL bikes, 
but often don't.

Another solution, if you're not alone, is to ride 2 bikes abreast, 
which is legal on narrow roads, but most drivers don't know that. 
Takes guts.

Even on recreational rides alone on narrow roads, I often take the 
trailer as my "companion".  Not only safer, but more energy burned up 
too.

The idea that a faster bicyclist fits in traffic better is wishful 
thinking.  Even if you're pedaling at 15-20 mph, you're slow compared 
to car traffic that is going at 25-30 mph.

Pierre La Plant

"I'm by no means, King of the Road." - Roger Miller
"I'm not as good a rider as some think they are." - ?
"Things get Worse Before They Get MUCH Worse." - ?
"I've learned the hard way. Good judgment comes from experience. 
Experience comes from bad judgment." - Galen Rowell