B
Bill
Guest
Rich Clark wrote:
> "Gooserider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Today I was doing my normal commute, which I've done since 11/1/06. Most
>> of it is lightly travelled road, but there's a 3/4 mile section which is
>> 45mph 2 lane. It's not usually a problem.
>>
>> Today was different. Some guy in a truck with towing mirrors was following
>> the car in front of him too closely(he said) and when she swerved to get
>> around me( I take the lane, at least 18 inches) he didn't see what she was
>> swerving for and he hit me in the head with his towing mirror. All I
>> remember is doing a flip and then laying on the ground. Luckily my
>> brother's fiancee was on her way to work and saw me. The driver stopped
>> and sat with me until EMS showed up, as did an off-duty nurse and five
>> cops, highway patrol included. The driver got a ticket for "improper
>> pass", and the trooper said I was crazy for riding on that road when he
>> visited me in the ER.
>>
>> I spent three hours strapped to a backboard while they took a CAT scan and
>> xrays of everything on my left side. Nothing's broken, no concussion, not
>> even a suture. HOWEVER, my left elbow is scraped and looks like hamburger,
>> as does my left calf, the back of my head, and my left buttock. My left
>> buttock is deeply bruised and is purple. I was wearing my helmet, which in
>> this case was an excellent idea.
>>
>> I have no idea what's up with the bike. A co-worker picked it up for me.
>> She's told me it does not roll, and my cheapo Topeak panniers are torn and
>> ripped. Could have been much worse, but I dont' think I'll be on the bike
>> for a few days.
>
> I join the chorus of relief that you weren't more badly injured, and also
> wish you a speedy recovery and an insurance company payment that buys you a
> new bike with all the trimmings.
>
> I have a section like that on my commute, about a mile, and agree with those
> who find that preventing close passing is the only way to handle it. Mine is
> made worse by the fact that much of it has a very narrow shoulder and
> nothing but a metal barrier along the edge much of the way; nowhere to bail.
> Baka would be long dead if he were riding this road facing traffic.
You are telling me that you ride on worse roads??? Maybe with that metal
barrier thing, but in an emergency you can jump over the rail and
sacrifice the bike and not yourself. This Baka makes decisions based on
personal safety rather than blind faith that I won't get hit from behind.
Sorry,
But I have made (I know all the regulars know my age) 58 years of
daredevil driving and riding and it just doesn't make sense to take the
road ALL of the time.
Bill (still alive for some reason) Baka
>
> Riding this route during rush hour is not a big deal; there are a couple of
> driveways along the way, and I duck into them and allow accumulated traffic
> to pass. It's still a lot faster than any alternative route. One strategy
> that seems to have reduced driver ire is to do the whole thing standing up,
> so that I'm *obviously* going as fast as I can.
>
> Amazingly, this road is posted with "share the road" signs, which in the
> Philadelphia area usually means it's been designated a bike route.
>
> R
>
>
> "Gooserider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Today I was doing my normal commute, which I've done since 11/1/06. Most
>> of it is lightly travelled road, but there's a 3/4 mile section which is
>> 45mph 2 lane. It's not usually a problem.
>>
>> Today was different. Some guy in a truck with towing mirrors was following
>> the car in front of him too closely(he said) and when she swerved to get
>> around me( I take the lane, at least 18 inches) he didn't see what she was
>> swerving for and he hit me in the head with his towing mirror. All I
>> remember is doing a flip and then laying on the ground. Luckily my
>> brother's fiancee was on her way to work and saw me. The driver stopped
>> and sat with me until EMS showed up, as did an off-duty nurse and five
>> cops, highway patrol included. The driver got a ticket for "improper
>> pass", and the trooper said I was crazy for riding on that road when he
>> visited me in the ER.
>>
>> I spent three hours strapped to a backboard while they took a CAT scan and
>> xrays of everything on my left side. Nothing's broken, no concussion, not
>> even a suture. HOWEVER, my left elbow is scraped and looks like hamburger,
>> as does my left calf, the back of my head, and my left buttock. My left
>> buttock is deeply bruised and is purple. I was wearing my helmet, which in
>> this case was an excellent idea.
>>
>> I have no idea what's up with the bike. A co-worker picked it up for me.
>> She's told me it does not roll, and my cheapo Topeak panniers are torn and
>> ripped. Could have been much worse, but I dont' think I'll be on the bike
>> for a few days.
>
> I join the chorus of relief that you weren't more badly injured, and also
> wish you a speedy recovery and an insurance company payment that buys you a
> new bike with all the trimmings.
>
> I have a section like that on my commute, about a mile, and agree with those
> who find that preventing close passing is the only way to handle it. Mine is
> made worse by the fact that much of it has a very narrow shoulder and
> nothing but a metal barrier along the edge much of the way; nowhere to bail.
> Baka would be long dead if he were riding this road facing traffic.
You are telling me that you ride on worse roads??? Maybe with that metal
barrier thing, but in an emergency you can jump over the rail and
sacrifice the bike and not yourself. This Baka makes decisions based on
personal safety rather than blind faith that I won't get hit from behind.
Sorry,
But I have made (I know all the regulars know my age) 58 years of
daredevil driving and riding and it just doesn't make sense to take the
road ALL of the time.
Bill (still alive for some reason) Baka
>
> Riding this route during rush hour is not a big deal; there are a couple of
> driveways along the way, and I duck into them and allow accumulated traffic
> to pass. It's still a lot faster than any alternative route. One strategy
> that seems to have reduced driver ire is to do the whole thing standing up,
> so that I'm *obviously* going as fast as I can.
>
> Amazingly, this road is posted with "share the road" signs, which in the
> Philadelphia area usually means it's been designated a bike route.
>
> R
>
>