Anyone who used to road ride who has quit or some other form of cycling now?

[For The World]

How about driving over to the safe riding place? I know it's not as cool, but you are moving onto a different phase of life where people are relying on you in a new and enormously risky way. By shuttling to the safe place to ride, you are at least reciprocating some of the trust

The only problem with this is that we don't own a car at the moment. There's a few reasons for it - mainly we're close enough to the city that we can catch buses and trains everywhere we go, and there's no car spaces available for us to park a car anyway. We might be moving away from the city in a few weeks to a place where we can still use public transit, but there's a lot less traffic in the mornings, so that'd be a bonus.

Otherwise, I would do that. I'll just make sure my next-of-kin benefit details are up to date on my superannuation fund (employer paid 401k to US citizens) and just ride.

 

[oldborn]

And i was thinking that here where every second house hide anti-aircraft gun, or anti-tenk misile, is danger to ride a bike on open road

I am starting to respect my countrymen drivers No Greek truck drivers off course.

 

[nicholas]

Very interesting post ashpelham and some great responses from everyone.

I ride for fun and fitness. I ride both on the road and cycle paths and everywhere in-between. I love to ride and will not let the threat of injury or the less than ideal nature of Sydney’s cycling infrastructure and maniac drivers stop me from riding.

My strategy for making things safer is to plan my route and to take quieter streets as far as possible. I don’t want to be bowled over by a bogan in a Commodore (the equivalent of a redneck in a rusty F150) nor do I like riding in heavier traffic. My usual routes allow me go distances of up to 80 kms (50 miles) where I will be only be riding in heavy traffic for a very short distance. The rest of the time is on quieter streets and cycle paths.

While it may not be the ideal for a rider who trains for racing or likes to ride at tempo for long distances, the occasional stop/start nature of my routes is a good trade off for my safety. Just so you all know I have never been involved in racing.

My philosophy is that I want to keep riding for as long as I can get my legs over a bike – one way is to play it as safe as possible. Like For the World, I live in the inner part of Sydney. One route I have allows me to ride 32 kms (20 miles) and be literally in a country-like environment (the area around Prospect Reservoir), where two-thirds of the 32 kms out there are on bike paths. I could get there quicker on the road but avoid this. I trade off time and a less efficient workout to have some peace and more relative safety on the bike.

Enjoy the ride.

 

[nicholas]

LOL!

Hey Mods, when did I go from a "Junior Member" to "Editor-in-chief"? Where is my salary increase?!? Where is that latte I ordered?

 

[Oldman]

I can't agree. Seattle is supposed to be one of those places that is sooo bike friendly, but I've been hit by a driver who was just tired of getting out of the way of cyclists, hit by water bottles thrown at me by laughing pickup truck passengers, had a horn blasted at me from 50 meters behind me to 50 feet in front of me, cursed at regularly, and scared to death uncounted times because of drivers' total cluelessness to my presence. There was even a minister who while riding was literally pushed off the road and permanently injured by a car passenger who rolled down his window, leaned out, and pushed the rider into the roadside ditch as they were moving. Hardly cycling paradise.

While not an excuse, the feelings toward riders are not helped by the actions of the local urban hipster fixie riders who wear dark clothes, use no lights, and blow stop signs and stop lights at night and just generally ignore the fact that they aren't alone on the roads.

People in cars feel that they invulnerable and king at the same time. They can do what they want regardless of the consequences. That's pretty much the way I've experienced it wherever I've cycled or driven. If drivers are not respectful of other cars why would you expect them to be respectful of cyclists, those arrogent feebs in tight shorts with their junk bulging for all to see, who take up the whole road, and make me late because they ride so slow. While this may be a warped view of cyclists, it sure is one that exists in a lot of drivers.

Wasn't it in San Diego County that the person on a training ride was hit and killed by a sheriff's deputy? It's dangerous wherever you ride. You just either have to ignorant and happy or calculate the risk you're willing to put up with.

I don't doubt your experiences but I also don't attempt to ride the busy arterials that much of the hipsters and "entitled cyclists" gum up. Bad riders p*ss off drivers regularly. There are always less-travelled avenues but urban areas in general can be tough and a defensive posture is important. I'm not a commuter so I can make choices that avoid the ultra-high risk drive areas. Having said that I've also been abused by the one driver that passed me on a four-hour drive East of Napa. Idiots abound and I can only sit on an indoor trainer so much. Dying a fat person also isn't the way I want to go out.

 

[Rip:30]

We gotta fight back, people. Respect.

 

[oldborn]

Or Swiss Army Velo formation, is there any problem with drivers?

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[Oldman]

Or Swiss Army Velo formation, is there any problem with drivers?

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The second guy looks big enough to break a car in half.

 

[Autobus]

Oldman, I know there are great places to ride around Seattle. I had some really fantastic rides in the Mt. Rainier area (real TdF stage material there--240 K rides with 3,000 meters of climbing) and I know there are plenty of roads where there should be no problems with drivers. But I was hit by the driver on a road that had a 25 mph speed limit in Medina, the home of Bill Gates. The road where I had the bottle thrown at me and where the clown laid on his horn forever was Green Valley Rd., between Auburn and Flaming Gyser State Park, probably the road most used by cyclists in south King County. It's rural, winding, and a great place to practice a TTT.

I completely understand your actions and why you keep riding. I also understand that there isn't a great likelyhood that I would be hit again or even if I was that I would be hurt badly. What keeps me off the bike is the way I reacted to cars when I rode after the last accident. It happens without thinking. It even affects me when I drive. Like I said, I think I'm now a greater danger to myself than anything.

The great PNW can be a great place to ride, but I don't think it's really any safer than lots of other places. I'm real glad that you enjoy it and hope you do as long as want to.

 

[oldborn]

The second guy looks big enough to break a car in half.

Well this maybe his lead out

 

[ElChingon]

Wow, I can't imagine not riding, I take my bike when I visit far off relatives, they know I'm going to ride and make room for that/take it into account.

Giving it up for fear of a car or other accident is like living in a cave for fear of the sky falling on you. What will kill you, you will never know. Riding a bike is not a death sentence. Sure you must use some of that brain to not put yourself in the wrong position when you can. Then again the same thing goes for driving a car, can you predict when that car or truck isn't going to stop and ram right into you without notice? Nope. Odds better? Not from what I've seen. I consider driving on the freeway an increase in chance of being seriously injured, more so than riding a bike.

You must pick your battles, or roads in this case wisely and ride without causing a traffic jam. Whether it be in a group ride or a solo ride, I find it that some riders will always crash or attract the wrong element, they seem to seek it in some odd way, I can't explain it. Then there's the others who you know exactly why a car is trying to run them over, don't ever ride near them.

In the end you must enjoy your life, if cycling is your enjoyment then that's what it is. I mean I have friends who love skydiving, I won't go but they don't care about the risk its their enjoyment, what keeps them going and happy. If you end up worrying a lot about how your death will affect others then you should have had your Will made out yesterday not just stop riding to prevent any side effects of riding, get life insurance or whatever and then to ride till you can't.

 

[craig1985]

Hey, thanks for the responses folks. I get the feeling that many people have to let their cycling take a hiatus, though it's sometimes a break for good. I love cycling. Absolutely love it, and probably like it even more on the road than anywhere.

Like many places, we've had a long tough winter, for Alabama standards. It's been grey and way too cold for the enjoyment of the outdoors for most of us cyclists. Tough winter for the whole eastern USA I think. We had a nice break for a couple weeks late in February, with highs in 70s and sunny, which only spoiled us. The last 5 days have been back in the grey and 40's again, which is totally unseasonable for us. But, it IS still winter.

The last poster was right: it's the OTHER issues that keep me from enjoying the sport to the fullest. And, to top that, I'm changing jobs again next week, and I'll be on the road pretty much non stop for the foreseeable future. Waaaaahh, waaaahhh...So many issues, and yet, there are people who would KILL to find a job like I just got, or one like I'm leaving.

That is the one advantage of running, all you need is a good pair of running shoes, socks, running shorts and shirt and you can fit it all in your suitcase/backpack (I'm assuming you will be flying heaps)?

I think it's important to actually ask yourself 'why you ride'. I know it's a simple question but it's easy to loose site of. Moving up here to the Gold Coast has been a real eye opener for me, coming from a small rural area I'm amazed at the people riding up here. I'm 41 and I ride because it's fun and like you I love it, so many riders up here ride for other reasons (eg: racers, triathletes, fat wanna be's, skilled old dudes with style, w@nkers......I could go on) my point being, stop and have a think as to why you ride and forget about why others ride. It's to easy to get caught up in it all and start over training/spending trying to win....
As for your concerns for your saftey, I can relate. Not sure what the answer is for you, but like Boeing I found peace and fun in SS MTB . Can't say I will give up the road, but I do pick my rides. I don't like being out there after 6:30 am, to busy so I leave for rides a 5:00 am and try to be home before the traffic picks up. Longer weekend rides, usually mean heading out of town in the car first (but that's where the hills and peace are)

Where do you usually go? If I climb Beechmont or Springbrook, then I tend to leave early to avoid the 132 motorcyclists when I descend.

 

[biff47]

Road racing is a young man's sport. Ride as fast as you can as long as you can.
For me, work and the related travel schedule got in the way. I can't train enough to justify the related costs for license, tubies, gas, entries, days away from the family on a weekend, etc.
I ride casually and fly kites with the kids.
It's as close to flying as humans may ever come. Enjoy it as long as you can.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Hey, thanks for the responses folks. I get the feeling that many people have to let their cycling take a hiatus, though it's sometimes a break for good. I love cycling. Absolutely love it, and probably like it even more on the road than anywhere.

Like many places, we've had a long tough winter, for Alabama standards. It's been grey and way too cold for the enjoyment of the outdoors for most of us cyclists. Tough winter for the whole eastern USA I think. We had a nice break for a couple weeks late in February, with highs in 70s and sunny, which only spoiled us. The last 5 days have been back in the grey and 40's again, which is totally unseasonable for us. But, it IS still winter.

The last poster was right: it's the OTHER issues that keep me from enjoying the sport to the fullest. And, to top that, I'm changing jobs again next week, and I'll be on the road pretty much non stop for the foreseeable future. Waaaaahh, waaaahhh...So many issues, and yet, there are people who would KILL to find a job like I just got, or one like I'm leaving.

Yes, don't go crazy with the extremes! It's not like you have to completely stop----things ebb and flow, and right now it's harder to fit it in but don't worry, you'll be back. Please don't sell your stuff!!
I rode tons in the years before I had two boys, then not so much but ran to keep my sanity. I am as much a runner as a cyclist, but as I get older it's nice to x-train.

After some time off the road bike, I just got a new bike last year and am back with a vengeance! I have a really nice group that I ride with and am doing indoor powermax in the winter as well.
Always a cyclist!!
Cheers,
mew

 

[twothirds]

Take up track cycling!