"I am frightened to go out training": Pro rider’s emotional video after close pass fr

[93KgBike]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhV1cJvH...on_share_sheet

I can relate. I've gotten so restrictive about where I'll train that I rule out 90% of local club rides based on posted speed limits.

We need more bike paths in America.

[pjm]

And of course, when you look at the comments, they’re mostly critical of her.

[R3awak3n]

100%.

10 ****ing seconds of patience to let the car on the other lane go by so they can give us a couple of feet. Its ridiculous, people are such assholes and don't think in the moment. Just have to be on the phone or have to try to get home/whatever as fast as they can.

[redir]

Reading up a bit on her apparently she was hit by a car before too. Hit and run driver.

[SlackMan]

Like her, I wish drivers were more patient and considered the risk they pose to the lives of cyclists and others. But, watching her Instagram video, my first impression was why in the world is she wearing earbuds!?

[Blue Jays]

Sorry to learn she experienced a close call while riding with traffic.
The detail that similarly jumped-out at me was the earbud use, too.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by 93KgBike

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhV1cJvH...on_share_sheet

I can relate. I've gotten so restrictive about where I'll train that I rule out 90% of local club rides based on posted speed limits.

We need more bike paths in America.

I'll disagree with the bike paths part of that vehemently. I see more stupidity on bike paths than pretty well anywhere else.

People seem to turn off their brains because 'it's safe.' That leads to accidents between various path users...

The next bigger problem are intersections. Just Sat I had a classic problem with a separate bike path: driver wasn't looking for a cyclist when they were turning. That was from both my right and my left (left turner across traffic and someone waiting to turn right) where neither of them 'saw me.' The guy turning left stopped in the middle of the oncoming 2 lanes because he wasn't expecting a cyclist to be in that spot. SURPRISE!

I'd much much rather have wider lanes and no paths than a separate path and be considered something other than another road user.

M

[ojingoh]

100% agree- I got hit on a bike path hard this year. Broke my hip. The driver didn't see me at all, I'm not in traffic to her, I'm not even visible.

[redir]

I see bike path and bike lanes as two different things, paths being protected and on their own and lanes just being a white line with a little elbow room.

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by redir

I see bike path and bike lanes as two different things, paths being protected and on their own and lanes just being a white line with a little elbow room.

This.

I'm of mixed opinion on the middle ground of "protected bike lanes," of which a few have been built here. They don't help the intersection issue cited above, and in fact may exacerbate it since turning drivers may be less able to see you emerging from behind the line of parked cars. Also, you have to worry about passengers entering/exiting a parked car, who are less likely to be conscious of checking for oncoming cyclists.

Last week I was riding along one of these and encountered two separate riders going the wrong direction…one of them with a kid in a carrier. There is no protection against stupidity beyond defensive attitude.

[notsew]

Its all about patience. I think I wrote this already this week, but the fact that motorists get angry AF just having to move their foot 6 inches and loose 10 seconds of their day is insane. Especially since they are just hurrying home to watch TV for 6 hours.

Cars make people assholes for some reason.

[kaotic28]

Bike lanes are fine for commuting but they're not practical for training.
As for the comment about earbuds, if you're solo training for 2+ hours it's nice to music. It doesn't mean she can't hear traffic noise around her.
I commute by bike and listen to podcasts and it doesn't detract me from paying attention to what's going on around me.

[ntb1001]

I absolutely detest bike paths...I like them for a leisurely ride by the lake, but that’s it. All sorts of idiots riding full blast on them like they’re winning a yellow jersey. Mix in the joggers and dog walkers...

total chaos!!!!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[quickfeet]

You don’t even lose 10 seconds passing a rider because you have a gas pedal that allows you to speed up again to make up any lost time. Silly

[Spdntrxi]

Headphone use is a big no-no in my book. I don't even want to do group rides with ppl with headphones. Yes I almost have been taken out by one..broke spokes but I saved my front wheel and didn't crash.