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To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning...
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...with the Helen's top, Trek shorts and white Trek bike with aero wheels...

Your behavior and riding style not only endangered yourself but creates an even more hostile environment for all of us other cyclists.

You were riding in the middle of the right lane of PCH 1 while just to the right of you was a totally clear and very wide bike lane. This was during the very busy morning commute. I changed lanes and passed you after having to slow from the posted 55 mph speed limit down to ~25 mph. You were hard to see due to the fact that our easterly direction was facing directly into the low morning sun.

I honked my horn at you (after being well past you) to give a little hint. You responded with your middle finger.

A couple miles ahead at a stop light I attempted to explain to you that I too am a cyclist and that your behavior was dangerous. You told me to "fuck off" and gave me the finger again.

Many motorists believe that cyclists ("Lancers") are arrogant, entitled assholes with no regard to traffic laws or safety. You fit this stereotype perfectly.

Your actions have made it more dangerous on the roads for cyclists everywhere. I hope you see the error of your ways an use better judgement in the future.

Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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Yup, this is what pisses off most of my non cyclist friends.


Train safe & smart
Bob

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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Longboarder] [ In reply to ]
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Longboarder wrote:
Yup, this is what pisses off most of my non cyclist friends.

As a motorist this irritating, as cyclist it's infuriating.

I hope the guy reads this.

Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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PCH here in HB between Beach BL and the river jetty (NPB). Nice wide bike lane and people still ride on the white line forcing traffic in to the next lane. I'll never understand this thinking.


Train safe & smart
Bob

Last edited by: Longboarder: May 20, 15 9:03
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Longboarder] [ In reply to ]
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Longboarder wrote:
PCH here in HB between Beach BL and the river jetty (NPB). Nice wide bike lane and people still ride on the white line forcing traffics in to the next lane. I'll never understand this thinking.

This guy was not on the white line. He was IN THE MIDDLE of right lane for cars. At first I thought he may have been want to merge over to turn left at some point. No, just riding in the middle of HIGHWAY 1.

And he told me to fuck off. Total lack of self awareness.

BTW, this isn't unusual.

Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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And he told me to fuck off.
------
Maybe he knows you from LR :)


Train safe & smart
Bob

Last edited by: Longboarder: May 20, 15 9:10
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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I agree this guy was way out of line.


Train safe & smart
Bob

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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Longboarder] [ In reply to ]
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Longboarder wrote:
And he told me to fuck off.
------
Maybe he knows you from LR :)

If he did he'd know not to mess with me...

Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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How do we do a better job of policing our own?

I have had similar interactions with other cyclist, even when I am on a bike. I have calmly tried to explain that they can be endangering other cyclists because the guy they piss off by taking the whole lane when there is a safe, wide shoulder (forget a bike lane, that is even more inexcusable) is that much more likely to take it out on me 2 miles down the road even if I am doing everything right.

I understand that sometimes conditions dictate that the safest thing to do is "own the lane", but that is an uncommon set of circumstances. I know that we have to stand up for ourselves against drivers that think that no bike should ever be on any roadway. But every time one of us makes a driver mutter "fu@%#$! cyclists" under his or her breath, they are making things more dangerous for all the rest of us.


__________________________________________________
The plural of anecdote is not data. :-)
- Andrew Coggan
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [j-hud] [ In reply to ]
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Sometimes, there's nothing you can do. No amount of "policing" will stop an asshole from being an asshole, they simply don't care about you and your opinion of their actions.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [j-hud] [ In reply to ]
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No doubt...this is my biggest fear...I will be "dealt with" by a motorist because of something another cyclist did or said. This is a two way road...cyclists have to be respectful of motorists and vice versa...that is the only way we can start moving towards avoiding the tragedies we seem to read on ST every week. I may be in the minority but I am actually more disgusted by cyclists that act the way described in this thread than I am by motorists that honk and yell and throw stuff at cyclists....cyclists know better...some motorists are just inbred wastes of oxygen.

I hope the offender reads this thread and feels like a complete tool.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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I once watched a pro woman triathlete and her male friend repeatedly blow through red lights on PCH between Zuma and Latigo on a busy Sunday morning. Bad enough, but on top of it she was wearing her "pro" cycling kit, with all her sponsors on it and her name (a recognizable one, at that) across her butt. When I caught back up to her, after having stopped at those lights, I (politely) suggested that her sponsors might not be thrilled to be represented in that manner, and that that kind of behavior makes all cyclists look bad. As you can imagine, she was not thrilled with my input.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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Was he apart of the Helen's BMW Team? Tri bike or road? Small guy?

If he was, I ride with these guys ALL the time. A few times a week. I do Mandeville, Amalfi, the Saturday NOW ride and Nichols together. I can say that it wouldn't shock me if he was apart of our group (not much shocks me) but, for the most part, our group is very understanding of the car vs cyclist mentality... and we don't ride like assholes unless something is warranted. I'm taking you at your word that he was simply riding in the middle of the lane, like an asshole, and there was nothing on the side of the road (i.e. glass, potholes, steel grates, construction shit, etc). Btw.. you did say you were driving into the sun, maybe you didn't see something on the side of the road that was causing him to ride in the lane? Just wondering, not saying you couldn't see.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [BrentwoodTriGuy] [ In reply to ]
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BrentwoodTriGuy wrote:
Was he apart of the Helen's BMW Team? Tri bike or road? Small guy?

If he was, I ride with these guys ALL the time. A few times a week. I do Mandeville, Amalfi, the Saturday NOW ride and Nichols together. I can say that it wouldn't shock me if he was apart of our group (not much shocks me) but, for the most part, our group is very understanding of the car vs cyclist mentality... and we don't ride like assholes unless something is warranted. I'm taking you at your word that he was simply riding in the middle of the lane, like an asshole, and there was nothing on the side of the road (i.e. glass, potholes, steel grates, construction shit, etc). Btw.. you did say you were driving into the sun, maybe you didn't see something on the side of the road that was causing him to ride in the lane? Just wondering, not saying you couldn't see.

Don't know if he was part of the team. Happened as I described. The bike lane in question is very wide (nearly the width of a car lane). The likelihood of him being safer in the road is slim to none.

Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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Duffy wrote:
...with the Helen's top, Trek shorts and white Trek bike with aero wheels...

Seems like all the Helen's riders meet this description

https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...e731&oe=55CE99BD

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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There are people I quit riding with because of this. If there is a bike lane, ride in it. Unless it is so swagged that it is dangerous for you, but even then, keep well to the right.

People who ride like this guy you described make life hard for me when I ride.


"In the world I see you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Towers. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying stripes of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway." T Durden
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [RowToTri] [ In reply to ]
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RowToTri wrote:
Duffy wrote:
...with the Helen's top, Trek shorts and white Trek bike with aero wheels...


Seems like all the Helen's riders meet this description

https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...e731&oe=55CE99BD


This isn't fair... I have to stick up for these guys. That strip on the side is super small and they're riding in a pelato, so taking the lane is typical.

When we have pro cycling teams train here, they do the exact same thing. Cannondale, USPS, Sky, etc... they all take the lane when they ride in a group that big. As do we when we're 50 people large on Wednesday mornings.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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Duffy wrote:
Don't know if he was part of the team. Happened as I described. The bike lane in question is very wide (nearly the width of a car lane). The likelihood of him being safer in the road is slim to none.

That sucks then... and he's probably an asshole.. or having a shitty day... or was just buzzed by a car and was taking the lane out of frustration...who knows.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [RowToTri] [ In reply to ]
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RowToTri wrote:
Duffy wrote:
...with the Helen's top, Trek shorts and white Trek bike with aero wheels...


Seems like all the Helen's riders meet this description

https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...e731&oe=55CE99BD


Not to get off topic, but that is some sharp kit.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [BrentwoodTriGuy] [ In reply to ]
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BrentwoodTriGuy wrote:
RowToTri wrote:
Duffy wrote:
...with the Helen's top, Trek shorts and white Trek bike with aero wheels...


Seems like all the Helen's riders meet this description

https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...e731&oe=55CE99BD



This isn't fair... I have to stick up for these guys. That strip on the side is super small and they're riding in a pelato, so taking the lane is typical.

When we have pro cycling teams train here, they do the exact same thing. Cannondale, USPS, Sky, etc... they all take the lane when they ride in a group that big. As do we when we're 50 people large on Wednesday mornings.

I believe he was referring to the kits and bikes, not the manner of riding. Yes depending on the road a group so go two abreast in the lane. Solo on a busy road during busy times should be as far right as safe. Not using a bike lane seems nuts.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [j-hud] [ In reply to ]
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j-hud wrote:
How do we do a better job of policing our own?

Bicycle pump in the spokes?
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Saundo] [ In reply to ]
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Saundo wrote:
RowToTri wrote:
Duffy wrote:
...with the Helen's top, Trek shorts and white Trek bike with aero wheels...


Seems like all the Helen's riders meet this description

https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...e731&oe=55CE99BD



Not to get off topic, but that is some sharp kit.

You sir, are a gentleman and scholar. Helen's has THE sharpest kits I've ever seen. Not just the linked but everything they sell with their logo.

If you haven't noticed yet, Helen's is my local bike shop... I love them all and they take care of me very well.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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There are many sections of road here in the OC where I will take the lane, since the shoulder or bike lane is too narrow or in bad shape. If I'm riding by myself, I do everything I can to help the cars have enough room to pass. I'm sorry if they have to slow down to pass me, but my life is not worth allowing them to pass at full speed.

Being in a group is also very different. If there are 3 lanes, I don't mind taking a whole lane. However, if it's a rural road with no shoulder or bike lane, it gets more challenging. Thankfully, most of the groups I ride with tend to be more organized when the pack gets whittled down, so we're able to make room for cars to pass. When they are larger, groups tend to be competitive and common sense goes out the window and I can see why motorists get pissed.

Also, if you're going to be an a-hole or intentionally break the rules of the road, at least where a Fred kit, not your team kit...:)

"Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps"
Blog = http://extrememomentum.com|Photos = http://wheelgoodphotos.com
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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Yep, bad behavior by cyclists impacts all of us other cyclists -negatively.

I lived in the LA area recently, and I bike commuted 4 miles from UCLA (super heavy traffic there at rush hour) to near the beach in Santa Monica.

I saw one day some hipster kids riding through the heavy traffic, no obeying rules of the road, and when a car didn't see him as he was rapidly filtering through traffic (not drivers fault - I was watching the whole thing from behind on my commuter bike), he had to veer off sharply to avoid the car turning right. The car stopped short and wouldn't have hit him, but it was dicey.

The worst part though - even though the driver didn't rush off - she couldn't just stop there as she was obstructing heavy traffic, the hipster chased her down at the next light, and started banging on her window and screaming at her. Not sure what the outcome was but he was still shouting at her through her closed window when I turned the other way.Talk about giving commuter cyclists a bad rap.
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Re: To the cyclist on Hwy. 1 in Malibu this morning... [Duffy] [ In reply to ]
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Which part of PCH, is this where the new bike lane is? I am trying to recall where there is a wide bike lane and not coming up with it.

Anyway, there is a pretty big contingent of folks that have been battling the Sheriff on PCH re taking the lane on PCH between Temescal and Trancas (probably above that too but there's less traffic).

This blog talks a lot about it. https://pvcycling.wordpress.com/.../the-tired-radicals/, the link to one of the latest posts re a recent protest.

legal Issue comes down to the interpretation/application of vehicle code 21202, which is discussed in there.

Personally, I am not for taking the lane all the time. If there's a wide enough bike lane, or shoulder, I ride there, and safely enter the lane if there's an obstruction. Doesn't do me much good if I am legally right if I piss someone off to take a car swipe at me. Of course, flipping off drivers isn't good policy no matter what you are doing
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