Sad Loss - Ride Carefully

Yesterday the news broke of another cycling fatality, this time quite close by.  Steven Jordan, director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services was killed when he was struck by a tractor trailer (see article).  This is such a sad and avoidable loss.  My prayers are with Mr. Jordan's family and friends.


Of course there are the numerous comments about the incident ranging from "cyclists should stay off of the road" to "cyclists should just always take the lane" to make vehicles wait until there is a clear lane for passing.  At one level, this accident just reflects the reality that, when bikes and motor vehicles share the same roads, there will be tragic encounters.  Before we make sweeping statements we must take some time to live with the sadness of such a big loss for Mr. Jordan's family and friends. And it's a big loss for the driver who did not set out to do anyone harm and now lives with the reality that he has taken a life by his negligent driving.


I have had my own close calls, with drivers buzzing by a foot off of my handle bars and once, while riding just to the right of the white line on a busy road a tractor trailer went by just on the other side of the line less than a foot away.  Terrifying experiences that could have ended very differently.  This prompts me to put down in writing a few things I think reflect some basic wisdom in survival riding.  One can never be totally safe but at least one can work to increase safety!

1. Whenever possible, sacrifice distance for safety.  Pick routes that offer the safest riding conditions even if it means a longer commute or ride.  Some bad roads are unavoidable (trying going north out of downtown Raleigh) but avoid the avoidable ones.
2. Ride defensively.  Think ahead about how you might escape a dangerous situation.  On narrower roads I make sure to leave a foot or two to my right in case a vehicle is passing too closely - it gives me room to change the situation.
3. Take the center of the lane when you know it is not possible for a vehicle to pass you safely AND when you know there is sufficient line of sight behind you for the car to see you and adjust their speed.  Going over blind bridges or around blind curves are such occasions, but only if there is not a blind curve behind you.
4. Take the center of the lane when you are approaching stopped cars.  Make sure to signal to the cars behind you that you are about to slide over into the lane.  Do not pass the line of stopped cars on their right.  Just be patient and wait in the line.  You want drivers to be patient - well we cyclists need to be patient as well.  You don't want to be beside cars when they don't know you are there.  Get in the line and then slide back to the right side when the line is moving faster than you can.
5. Take the center of the lane when you are moving at the same speed as the traffic.  In stop and go traffic, just act like a car.
6. Don't blow through red lights!  Wait for them to turn.  If there is no traffic and the light won't turn because of no "trigger", then I do go through.  But only after waiting a bit to see if a car will come to trigger the light.  I know this removes some of the perceived advantages of biking (passing lines of cars and not waiting at lights) but the greater advantage will be greater safety and less animosity from drivers.
7. Keep your line!  Don't weave in and out of the traffic.  Predictability is key.  Cars behind you need to know where you will be when they reach you.  On the other hand, if a car passes too closely on my left I will often "swerve" a bit to "encourage" the next car give me more clearance.  They don't WANT to hit you.  But when you are changing your line always give a hand signal - you want to be predictable.  And when cars respond by slowing down to let you shift lanes or change lines, always give them a wave of thanks!  It will encourage future good behavior.
8. Expect the dumbest things.  My dad always taught me to drive as if the drivers around me will do stupid and dangerous things.  Like stopping just as they enter a parking lot leaving anyone turning in behind them stranded in the road.  Same goes for biking.  Expect the worst.  Whenever I am approaching an intersection and I hear a car speeding up beside me I always think they might be about to do a right hook.  Don't fight them for the position.  Slow down first and see what they do. I've avoided at least three of four accidents that way.
9. Now, use the comments to add to the list.  Let's help one another out by sharing wisdom.  But be nice and respectful of other cyclists and drivers or I'll remove your comment...nicely.

Two Weeks to Go!

Two Saturdays from now the Tour de Fat returns to Durham.  It will be a fun, zany festival of all things motorless and two-wheeled.  For those who missed last year, the "Tour" can be described as "street theater", vaudeville, and festival all rolled into one.  It is most definitely a bike festival with beer, really good beer, on the side.  Its sponsored by the New Belgium Brewing Company which makes its signature Fat Tire Beer (hence the "Fat" in Tour de Fat).  The TDF raises money for local biking advocacy and development.  All the proceeds stay local.

They've changed things around this year so that the "Car for Bike Trader" (that would be me, last year) receives not a bike, but money to put together a tailor made commuter bike at a local bike store.  That way even more of the money stays local and you can design a commuter to suit your particular needs.  So put your name in the pot to give up the old gas guzzler (they sell it and donate the money locally) and commit to riding for a year on your new leg powered vehicle.

For a bit of fun tune in to NBC17 for My Carolina Today on Tuesday, June 19 at 11am.  I'll be doing a bit of an interview to talk about the Tour and the bike trade.  Fun!

The Big Question

I am often asked these days, "When does your year commitment end?"  The simple answer would be June 25, the anniversary of the car for bike trade.  But there is not a simple answer because I don't plan on purchasing another car.  We'll still have our family vehicle which my wife drives, and perhaps I can once again drive it to fetch 50 lb. bags of lime for the yard, but overall I don't plan on changing my main way of getting around.  Why? Because it is fun, cheap, mostly efficient, and just genuinely good (especially now when the weather is basically perfect).  And on the worst weather days it is still very doable.  Remember, "there is no bad weather, just bag gear."

One recent experience gives you a taste of the good part. I wa riding on Hillsborough Street on my way home when I saw a young man yelling at the bus that was picking up across the street.  Of course the driver did not see him or wait (or saw him and didn't wait).  Our eyes caught, I yelled "bummer" we both laughed and I pedaled along my way.  That connection never happens in a car.  If I am behind the wheel, that person barely exists.  On my bike we are fellow travelers.  Those connections are precious and they are humanizing.

May is National Bike Month.  So be nice to the bikers you encounter on the road, or better yet, join them!

June 23rd is the next Durham Tour de Fat.  Join the parade, bring the kids, take in the festival.  And, just maybe, trade you car for a bike.  You won't regret it.

Cycling with Patience

Most cyclists have experienced it.  The driver in a rush who brushes too close, or who zooms around you only to make a right turn right in front of you causing you to hit the brakes, HARD.  And most of us have yelled at said drivers, either some expletive or a gentler rebuke (my favorite, "You Idiot!").  Impatient drivers are a danger to cyclists.

But we have a call to be patient cyclists as well.  Are we so inconvenienced if we have to use our brakes?  Do we need to get to the front of the traffic at a light by riding on the right of cars?  We have the option to practice Patient Cycling, and we'll be safer, and happier, if we do.

Impatience!  What is it anyway?  My best definition is that it is the irritation/anger that arises in us when others are not operating in a way that suits us best.  In cars it is the frustration with the person driving too slowly in front of us. In relationships it is the constant irritation with others who don't pay attention to our preferences.  In cycling it is the rush to judge, and condemn the way others are operating their vehicles.  If that is impatience, than patience is my decision to pay attention to, and adjust to, the preferences of those around me. It is not just to let perceived offences go, but to actively accommodate to the ways others might prefer.

In cycling, patience can mean slowing down, helping cars know when to pass, pulling to the left of the lane at a light so drivers can turn right on red, watching out for pedestrians, stopping at lights, not passing traffic on the right.  But the internal bit is to let go of our demand that everyone else around us adjust to our needs and ways.  And it might mean getting somewhere more slowly.  But we won't be as irritated, and drivers won't be as irritated and the world will be a bit more at peace.  Try it today.  I'm pretty bad at it myself, but hopefully getting better.

Commuting Does Note Equal Training

I've am now over 5 months into my year without a car.  Every day involves 12-25 miles of commuting around town on a heavy bike.  Its a great way to get in some exercise and an even better way to get around town!  But without some serious attention commuting can hurt serious training.
My legs are often tired from the commute and my motivation to get out on the road bike has been lacking.  A rigorous 60+ mile ride was a weekly routine 6 months ago but not even a possibility at my current state of conditioning.  The struggle is in finding the best times to get in longer, or even shorter/intense rides.  At one level it is also an issue of discipline.
So here is the thought - keep on commuting (not a choice) but add in one long ride on the weekend (building back up to 60+ miles) and one hour-long ride at a high tempo during the week.  I'll post later with any updates!

Check in at Seven Stars Cycling

After a productive few hours at the Blue Coffee Cafe I swung by Seven Stars Cycling to visit a bit with Adrian, the owner.  It was exciting to see the growth in his inventory of bikes.  More exciting was the fact that he was able to fix an ongoing issue with the Black Sheep Bike.
I highly recommend his shop which is located in the Motorco building across from Full Steam Brewery.  Be sure to check to hours of operation before going.  Adrian knows his way around bikes, even the 11 speed internal geared Alfine on my commuter.  And he's just fun to talk with about all things biking and Durham.  Its worth the trip if you don't live in the downtown area.

Downtown in Durham

I've been doing some computer work from the comfortable confines of the Blue Coffee Cafe in downtown Durham.  Downtown is so easy by bike.  Its a short ride from Duke campus and there are no parking worries.  Blue Coffee has free wireless and great coffee which makes for a fine Monday morning.  And when I leave I always ride around first.  You can see more of a city in 20 minutes on a bike than you can see in 2 hours in a car (plus no one thinks you are cruising the streets looking for drugs!)  Who knows?  I might just see that perfect house that might pull us out of the periphery into the heart of the city.

Downtown also allows you to experience the best of Durham.  At the cafe there are lawyers, jurors on break, folks from Self Help, folks needing self help, and a mish-mash of interesting folks just enjoying pulse of the city.  Durham is friendly, convenient and fascinating.  And best enjoyed on two wheels.

Welcome to "Durham on 2 Wheels"

On June 20, 2011 my life took a big turn!  At the Durham "Tour de Fat" I traded in my tired old Toyota Corolla for a luscious new Black Sheep commuter bike and committed to a year of not driving for my personal transportation.   Life has been 2-wheeled ever since!  I am now completing my 5th month of Durham on 2 Wheels and am enjoying it more than ever.  I'll be posting here with stories of what Durham life can be like without the wall of steel and glass between me and the rest of the world!  Thanks for checking in!