Sierra Club -- cycling is scary

On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 18:59:12 -0600, "Mike Kruger" wrote:

Wayne Pein wrote:

Bicycling while intoxicated is actually not illegal here
in NC. It is
specifically exempted from impaired driving laws.

Wouldn't you just love to know what legislator's personal
saga lies behind this particular exemption?

How about "it's nobody's business if you want to kill yourself."

Good to know there's at least one state where people know they're electing a
legislature, not a freeking nanny.

Ron

dgk wrote:

I once, when young and foolish, hitched along an interstate. The wind
caused by passing trucks could blow a biker right off the shoulder.
You really have to be nuts, or drunk, to try that.

It probably feels worse at walking speed. I had a permit to ride the
interstates (not all of 'em though...) in New Jersey, and used to do
regular rides on I-195. Since it's NJ, the speed limit was 55mph
(yawn) and it was heavily patrolled, so most cars and trucks weren't
doing much above that... but it really wasn't an issue at all -
certainly much less of a problem than a "normal road" where a truck
might pass you doing 45mph MUCH closer.

I'd say that riding the interstate highways with their enormous
shoulder lanes and the long, long line of sight would be far less
dangerous than a "normal road". You just have to pay attention at the
exit/entrance ramps.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

Mark Hickey wrote:
dgk wrote:


I once, when young and foolish, hitched along an interstate. The wind
caused by passing trucks could blow a biker right off the shoulder.
You really have to be nuts, or drunk, to try that.


It probably feels worse at walking speed. I had a permit to ride the
interstates (not all of 'em though...) in New Jersey, and used to do
regular rides on I-195. Since it's NJ, the speed limit was 55mph
(yawn) and it was heavily patrolled, so most cars and trucks weren't
doing much above that... but it really wasn't an issue at all -
certainly much less of a problem than a "normal road" where a truck
might pass you doing 45mph MUCH closer.

I'd say that riding the interstate highways with their enormous
shoulder lanes and the long, long line of sight would be far less
dangerous than a "normal road". You just have to pay attention at the
exit/entrance ramps.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

A strange thing just happened, I agree with you. It is just too bad that
California never opened up to bicyclists or travelers. All freeways are
forbidden to bicycles and even on the main interstates you bladder will
be near to exploding before you find a rest stop. In other states you
could always count on a rest area every 40 miles or less. Maybe
California expects you to go into a restaurant and spend money just
relieve yourself. I can't speak for all states but this one is pretty
bad. We do have good shoulder lanes but the big signs say bicycles and
pedestrians strictly forbidden. I had a car problem in Los Angeles and
had to walk to get service (pre cell phone days) and a motorcycle cop
gave me a ticket for being on, as he put it "My freeway.". Arrogant jerk
that somehow got a badge and a motorcycle. I wish California would open
up some of the freeways to bicycles but hell hasn't frozen over yet.
Bill Baka

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 23:36:33 -0500, "Matt O'Toole"
wrote in message :

The enemy of your enemy is not your friend. I hate the Sierra Club.

On the plus side, they did at least expel Vandemann...

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

Bill Baka wrote:
A strange thing just happened, I agree with you. It is just too bad that
California never opened up to bicyclists or travelers. All freeways are
forbidden to bicycles
[...]
that somehow got a badge and a motorcycle. I wish California would open
up some of the freeways to bicycles but hell hasn't frozen over yet.

I'd say it is about 1/4 frozen already.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/faq/faq67.htm

Dennis Ferguson

Dennis Ferguson wrote:
Bill Baka wrote:

A strange thing just happened, I agree with you. It is just too bad that
California never opened up to bicyclists or travelers. All freeways are
forbidden to bicycles

[...]

that somehow got a badge and a motorcycle. I wish California would open
up some of the freeways to bicycles but hell hasn't frozen over yet.


I'd say it is about 1/4 frozen already.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/faq/faq67.htm

Dennis Ferguson

Dennis,
I went to the posted sight and it is just legal bull****. My rides are
rural and the one highway/freeway I ride on occasion says very
specifically when the road is turning into a freeway, limited access and
get your bicycle butt off the road. I can send pictures of some rural
freeways with these signs in the picture. If you live in a different
California than I do please send me pictures of yours. Ever since the
60s when I got a ticket for "Pedestrian on freeway", walking to get gas
for my car it had been illegal to be on a freeway with anything that
won't go an absolute minimum of 40 MPH. I did that with a car once and
was told that I should be going at least 50-55 MPH because I was slowing
down traffic on a 3 lane freeway. Show me the roads. I want proof,
because I have been all over this state and have never seen an area
where it even hints a non-powered vehicles being allowed.
Bill Baka

Bill Baka Wrote:
Dennis Ferguson wrote:
Bill Baka wrote:

A strange thing just happened, I agree with you. It is just too bad
that
California never opened up to bicyclists or travelers. All freeways
are
forbidden to bicycles

[...]

that somehow got a badge and a motorcycle. I wish California would
open
up some of the freeways to bicycles but hell hasn't frozen over yet.


I'd say it is about 1/4 frozen already.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/faq/faq67.htm

Dennis Ferguson

Dennis,
I went to the posted sight and it is just legal bull****. My rides are
rural and the one highway/freeway I ride on occasion says very
specifically when the road is turning into a freeway, limited access
and
get your bicycle butt off the road. I can send pictures of some rural
freeways with these signs in the picture. If you live in a different
California than I do please send me pictures of yours. Ever since the
60s when I got a ticket for "Pedestrian on freeway", walking to get
gas
for my car it had been illegal to be on a freeway with anything that
won't go an absolute minimum of 40 MPH. I did that with a car once and
was told that I should be going at least 50-55 MPH because I was
slowing
down traffic on a 3 lane freeway. Show me the roads. I want proof,
because I have been all over this state and have never seen an area
where it even hints a non-powered vehicles being allowed.
Bill Baka

I dunno about CA but over here in PA and NJ the few real big roads,
like the turnpikes and interstates are restricted access. But there is
a loophold in which you can get an authorized permit from DMV to go on
these roads if you meet certain criterium and have a true need to do
so.


--
Conniebiker

Bill Baka wrote:

snip

I want proof,
because I have been all over this state and have never seen an area
where it even hints a non-powered vehicles being allowed.

There is a short section of 280 in San Mateo County where bicycles are
permitted.

I've ridded I-80 up in the Sierras, between the Nevada City exit and
some point east of that, where there was no alternate road, but IIRC,
there were signs prohibiting it.

Conniebiker wrote:
Bill Baka Wrote:

Dennis Ferguson wrote:

Bill Baka wrote:


A strange thing just happened, I agree with you. It is just too bad

that

California never opened up to bicyclists or travelers. All freeways

are

forbidden to bicycles

[...]


that somehow got a badge and a motorcycle. I wish California would

open

up some of the freeways to bicycles but hell hasn't frozen over yet.


I'd say it is about 1/4 frozen already.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/faq/faq67.htm

Dennis Ferguson

Dennis,
I went to the posted sight and it is just legal bull****. My rides are
rural and the one highway/freeway I ride on occasion says very
specifically when the road is turning into a freeway, limited access
and
get your bicycle butt off the road. I can send pictures of some rural
freeways with these signs in the picture. If you live in a different
California than I do please send me pictures of yours. Ever since the
60s when I got a ticket for "Pedestrian on freeway", walking to get
gas
for my car it had been illegal to be on a freeway with anything that
won't go an absolute minimum of 40 MPH. I did that with a car once and
was told that I should be going at least 50-55 MPH because I was
slowing
down traffic on a 3 lane freeway. Show me the roads. I want proof,
because I have been all over this state and have never seen an area
where it even hints a non-powered vehicles being allowed.
Bill Baka


I dunno about CA but over here in PA and NJ the few real big roads,
like the turnpikes and interstates are restricted access. But there is
a loophold in which you can get an authorized permit from DMV to go on
these roads if you meet certain criterium and have a true need to do
so.


I have never heard of this in California. The freeways here are limited
access and the drivers in a 65 zone generally do 75-80 although the
highway patrol is stepping up enforcement. Still not a safe or sane
place to ride. Every entrance ramp I have ever seen in California has
said that Pedestrians, bicycles, and motor powered cycles are
prohibited. The last refers to those little battery or 49cc powered
bikes that can only do 25 with a tailwind. I wish there were a better
situation but law breaking bicyclist that I am, I would still not want
to ride with cars going past me at 65+ MPH. I like to be safe to some
extent when I ride and that just isn't safe in California.
Cheers,
Bill Baka

Steven M. Scharf wrote:
Bill Baka wrote:

snip

I want proof, because I have been all over this state and have never
seen an area where it even hints a non-powered vehicles being allowed.


There is a short section of 280 in San Mateo County where bicycles are
permitted.

I've ridded I-80 up in the Sierras, between the Nevada City exit and
some point east of that, where there was no alternate road, but IIRC,
there were signs prohibiting it.

You just didn't get nailed by a CHP, and they would have given you a
ticket. 280 in San Mateo County might be possible, but it would be an
exception. The last time I was on that piece of road was in a car doing
85 MPH along with another doing the same. If the Nevada city exit is
actually highway 20 and you are forced to ride the freeway a bit to find
a side road it may be do able and the police may look the other way in
that case but me experience with the CHP has been ticket first and ask
questions later.
Bill Baka