Mon 12 Nov 2012
With So Many Doors To Choose From Today’s Bike Ride Was A Bit Like “Let’s Make A Deal”
Posted by Will under biking, idiots
[3] Comments
What’s Behind Door No. 1?
The prize package emerging from this sweet looking El Camino revealed himself to me on Redondo approaching Washington Boulevard, while the treasure behind Door No. 2 flung herself directly into my ride line later in the afternoon on Sunset Boulevard just past Alvarado (click both images for the bigger pictures):
The wide perspective of my handlebar-mounted GoPro camera can be deceiving, making it look like I’ve got plenty of room and time to evade the invasions. In fact, these two happened with me essentially at the respective vehicles’ rear bumpers, giving me just enough time to call out “Way to look!” to both startled idiots as I steered wide and rolled past.
At least there wasn’t a Door No. 3.
Does seem like today was a door day. I too had many doors opening.
I recommend riding even further to the left. In the place in the lane where the sharrow would be. About 1/3 of the way over. On the left edge of a bike lane, or even further, if it seems like a bad day. That way when it’s door day, you’re out of the door’s reach. And I keep an eye on occupied cars, though I didn’t see them until they opened a few at me today. A bit startling, but easy to avoid from a leftish position.
Wish they was a way to send your pix, and a comment about safety, to those drivers…
won’t matter where you ride—people clueless about others around them will try to ding you, whether driving, walking or riding.
I’m always uber aware of bicyclists around me and give way as I can. The other day, however, I leap-frogged down the road with a guy who just had no clue how to ride. staying in my blind spots, no matter how hard I tried to keep him out of them, weaving despite plenty of room and no visible hazards(yes, I look to try and provide room in case there is glass etc) and coasting when folks were trying to give him the right of way. Not as bad as the guy on the phone the other day…but I digress.
Am glad the doors didn’t bang you. One of the things I’ve taken to is wearing a high visibility vest while out walking or riding. Tired of people not seeing me, this way, they have no excuse (doesn’t stop them, but there are fewer of them making an attempt to run me over).
oh wait, it gets better. Today, as I was dropping the sweetie off at the train, I had an amateur on a motorbike, sit in my right rear blind spot. I moved over, so I could see him, he moved back into the spot. I moved left to see him, he moved left. I tried to swing out around a bicyclist, he tried to keep his line in my blind spot and nearly took out the bicyclist and nearly tipped himself over trying to avoid the bicyclist. As I sat at a light a block ahead, I rolled the window and mentioned he was making it really hard for me to see him when he constantly stayed in my blind spot. I asked him if he actually had a motorcycle license. He flipped me off. What he didn’t notice was the cop in the next lane, listening in to the conversation. I loudly said that his lack of license showed in his riding behavior. When the light changed, the cop followed him and pulled him over.