Author Topic: Bicycle vs Porsche  (Read 3613 times)

Bicycle_B

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1809
  • Mustachian-ish in Live Music Capital of the World
Bicycle vs Porsche
« on: June 22, 2017, 09:49:22 AM »
Mustachians, where does this fit in?

https://www.outsideonline.com/2193266/my-own-bike-obituary

I'm putting it in "Mustachianism around the web" because he bikes 20 miles to work, loves it, does 8000 miles per year and wrote his own obituary after a hit and run to make sure people remembered he loved biking.  But...

I once was almost hit by a car when walking across a four lane road at an intersection, and it was the only car on the street.  The car swerved, apparently on purpose, to hit me and my date.  We jumped out of the way to avoid impact, me by perhaps a millimeter and her by less; her jeans pocket was torn.  It was a low slung car and we curved like C's as the edge of the trunk passed between our shoulders and feet, leaving us to falling to the pavement afterward.  The car spun to a stop, then as we rose from the pavement, turned and left before we thought to look for a license plate.

More close calls are probably unintentional, like the Porsche.  Are there other hit and run survivors on this board?  Should we just proceed about our business, walking and pedaling?  Is simple persistence the badass Stoic action, or should we be doing something else (this guy wrote this article...)?

I had put such questions aside since I don't yet bike enough anyway.  When running or walking, I'm usually on sidewalk, so I haven't thought about it in a long time.  The visceral nature of the article made me remember, and suddenly wonder what this community thinks.  Thoughts (or stories), anyone?
« Last Edit: June 22, 2017, 09:59:15 AM by Bicycle_B »

FrugalFisherman10

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 390
    • Fly Fishing Photo Project
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2017, 12:45:03 PM »
Damn that was good. Very cool idea and great article

To your comment about being on the side walk, I too bike on the sidewalk quite a bit (because I live in Atlanta, and well...), But I remember that it's in actuality the least safe place for me to be.

SisterX

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3035
  • Location: 2nd Star on the Right and Straight On 'Til Morning
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2017, 01:36:19 PM »
That was amazing, and pretty much how I feel about biking. Even when I have close calls, and they happen frequently here, it doesn't dim my enjoyment of biking. I'm going to do it until the day I absolutely can't anymore.

*Sits back and waits for the "this is why biking is dangerous and you should never do it!" crowd of drivers who, of course, won't ever blame shitty driving for the fact that both driving and biking are dangerous to pipe up. Any guesses on how many of them won't actually read the article before commenting?*

moof

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 809
  • Location: Beaver Town Orygun
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2017, 04:33:55 PM »
No hit and runs so far for me, thank FSM.  I've had cars swerve at me when I commuted by bike in Virginia, and in a spot where there are minimal shoulder to begin with.

I'm riding about 3-4k miles a year lately, 95% bike commuting to work.  I have a bad experience about weekly.  I put my odds of a collision at about a few percent per year.  It varies from illegal passing on the right from a turn only lane (twice in the same spot), getting cutoff by city buses, unsafe way less than 3' clearance passes on bike lane free sections, red light runners, and lots of bad interactions where the bike lane crosses over a turn only lane (horrible re-design).

Having visited Germany recently I came to realize just how cautious and defensive I am.  I reflexively cringed watching folks there ride their bikes in ways that would result in my death inside of a month if I rode that way here.

BlueMR2

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2313
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2017, 04:50:35 PM »
Are there other hit and run survivors on this board?  Should we just proceed about our business, walking and pedaling?  Is simple persistence the badass Stoic action, or should we be doing something else (this guy wrote this article...)?

Yeah.  Hit by a young girl who was eating a sandwich while driving an SUV.  I had the light and she right turned on red into the back of me after looking me right in the eye.  Luckily it was fairly wet out, so it just spun the bike around from underneath me and I stayed upright.  Bent the back wheel so bad I had to carry the bike home.

I also had a really close call when a middle-aged woman with a car full of kids blew a VERY red light (on her side) as I was starting to cross at a crosswalk (with my light).

Doesn't begin to compare with the number of close calls I've had while driving though!  Earlier today while driving home I *almost* got clipped by a clown in a big ol' delivery truck that decided to try and pass slow traffic on the expressway by taking to the shoulder...  On a bridge...  You know, where the shoulder is only half normal width.  Did I mention it was a big ol' truck and not even a normal car?  Sigh.

meghan88

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 834
  • Location: Montreal
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2017, 05:45:31 PM »
I was "doored" once, about 25 years ago when I was working as a bicycle messenger.  Close calls since then have been very few because I ride very defensively.  If the sidewalk feels safer at a particular moment, I take the sidewalk, taking extra case and keeping a good distance from pedestrians, blind corners, watching out for driveways, etc.

The drivers are so shitty around here that the cops never bother me - they are probably happy enough to see me on the sidewalk so that I don't turn into road pizza for them to clean up later.  I trust no one, even after I've made eye contact.

They just put in an idiotic LRT line along the main street here in Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario and there are no bike lanes.  Brilliant planning.

If I get flattened one day, anyone who knows me will understand that I'd be happier to kick off that way than most other ways.  I do have the odd morbid night-sweat when I'm visualizing a big old truck grille in my face.  That helps to keep me ever-vigilant.

ObviouslyNotAGolfer

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 518
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2017, 11:08:27 PM »
I have two artificial plates in my head from a bicycling accident in 1991 when I was an undergraduate. I am fine now, but I lost a year out of school (still graduated in four years anyway, then on to a Ph.D., etc)

Years later, I loved riding my bike through Pacific Spirit Park on my daily commute to UBC when I was a postdoc in Vancouver years ago, and I miss it. Still, despite all the fanatical devotion to biking around here I would NOT ride my bike ANYWHERE within 250 miles of the irredeemable hellhole of SoCal, where I currently live. SoCal is NOT the place to be on a bike. Drivers are distracted and stupid everywhere, but--as with EVERYTHING else--it's worse, much worse in SoCal.

Helmet or not, you are no match for a SUX 6000 SUV  driven by suburban soccer mom, checking the facebook, drinking the latte, catching Pokemon, petting the dog on her lap, screaming at the kids, etc.

I don't care how much money it would save me (is not practical for my route, profession, or the HOT weather here anyway), it is NOT worth the risk. One slight miscalculation on the part of some retard driver and you're dead...So much for FIRE
« Last Edit: June 23, 2017, 11:12:46 PM by ObviouslyNotAGolfer »

ObviouslyNotAGolfer

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 518
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2017, 11:09:02 PM »
And PUH-LEASE don't pronounce it "Porsh" or I will have to come over there! :-)

stashgrower

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 343
  • Location: Australia
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2017, 10:44:33 PM »
That is a great piece. Chilling though.

Icecreamarsenal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 600
  • Location: New Jersey
  • Burnt
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2017, 05:15:44 PM »
Great read.  I'm starting to get back into cycling myself.  Looking to source something for next year's 40 mile 5 borough NYC tour.

letired

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 824
  • Location: Texas
    • Needs More Glitter
Re: Bicycle vs Porsche
« Reply #10 on: June 28, 2017, 06:48:18 PM »
I haven't stopped riding, but I've significantly changed my routes and also not ridden as much. The stressful encounters were pretty much undoing any relaxation benefit I was getting from the ride.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!