Rode bike to work today

etothepii · 18-May-07, 09:09 AM

I just purchased the Cannondale that I had been borrowing last year, and I decided to ride to work. Distance is 9.6 miles, and it took 38 minutes. It felt pretty good! I plan on doing it 3 times per week.

**gymgirl** · 18-May-07, 09:19 AM

Nice! Just please follow the rules of the road. I hope you are not one of those obnoxious bike riders who ride in the car lane but cannot go the speed limit then slow everyone down. Then when they get to a stop sign or red light they don't want to follow the rules of the road and decide to just go through the red. If you can't go atleast 10 MPH over the speedlimit move to the sidewalk!

Anyway, biking is great exercise,enjoy your new purchase!

**cursor** · 18-May-07, 09:27 AM

Good for you, etothepii! Do they have a shower at work, or do you just not push it that hard?

luke.w · 18-May-07, 10:17 AM

this is one of the best things in the world to do.

anyone who is of obsessive nature about loosing weight and is living life like a baby with silly diets and eating on the clock, should take this thinking into consideration.

tim_mcf · 18-May-07, 12:44 PM

I've got to do that myself, I can't friggin afford the gas anyway.

CF-OC_gal · 18-May-07, 12:45 PM

I'm envious! Nice that it can work for you.

:

**minime** · 18-May-07, 12:50 PM

I cycle on the road but to the side, the cars can pass me easily. Who can cycle at the speed limit?! THat would be an amazing feat.. unless the limit is like 25mph lol. I bet i usually go about 15mph on the roads.

Biking to work sounds like a great idea! and that is the perfect distance too. Now you can cut out boring gym cardio, if u do any.

**gymgirl** · 18-May-07, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minime

I cycle on the road but to the side, the cars can pass me easily. Who can cycle at the speed limit?! THat would be an amazing feat.. unless the limit is like 25mph lol. I bet i usually go about 15mph on the roads..

I like biking, i just can't stand when bikers go in the middle of the lane and you can't pass them, and they go sooooooooooooo slow. A biker recently hit ME the driver, scratched up my entire car and rode off, so I'm a little pissy with them. They are obxious here in our city, they think they are invinsible. I love bikers who ride on the sidewalk!

Seriously though, great exercise. I too am curious if you shower when you get to work?

**LiftGirl** · 18-May-07, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gymgirl

I like biking, i just can't stand when bikers go in the middle of the lane and you can't pass them, and they go sooooooooooooo slow. A biker recently hit ME the driver, scratched up my entire car and rode off, so I'm a little pissy with them. They are obxious here in our city, they think they are invinsible. I love bikers who ride on the sidewalk!

Ok, they defnitely shouldn't ride in the middle of the lane; they should ride on the right so they can be passed easily. It's just annoying if you're holding up traffic. If I'm somewhere that I can't be passed easily, I will pull over and let the cars go past me.

Riding on the sidewalk, however, is more dangerous for a cyclist than riding on the road. Why? you ask. (Ok, you didn't ask why, but I'm gonna tell you anyway

) The majority of bicycle-car accidents happen at intersections, when cars are turning. A bike getting rear-ended by a car is actually very rare. The reason for this is because as long as a car driver can see you and your bike, they won't hit you (unless they're just evil). Think about when you drive your car. Are you checking for bikes on sidewalks? Probably not. But if they're in the road, you'll easily see them.

In many states (including Illinois, where I live) it's illegal to ride a bike on the sidewalk. I haven't heard of anybody getting a ticket for it yet, but if they decided to enforce the law, you could.

Here is a website that explains more about it biking safely and how to not get hit by cars.
Bicycle Safety: How to Not Get Hit by Cars

**gymgirl** · 18-May-07, 06:13 PM

Thanks for the info liftgirl! Most of the people here in Seattle ride the bikes in the middle of the lane like they are cars. I do see some who ride on the side of the lane which is fine (still makes me nervous as I don't want to hit them) but most of the ones I encounter are dead center in the lane and hold up traffic. In the picture of the link you posted that is exactly how i got into my accident. I was turning right,biker was on my right (or so I thought) as I had seen him and I slowed down to make the turn because i wanted to make sure not to hit him. I was turning right he was going straight (it's wierd intersection), I slow down because I think he is crossing the street in the crosswalk but he wants to be mr speed racer and darts right behind me so he can pass and make the light going straight through. so i slow down he darts very quickly from my right to behind me and slams into the back of my car. It scared the crap outta me. Here I am trying so hard to be cautious of this bike rider and he's riding like a maniac, hitting me! luckily he was not hurt. I see now why riding on the sidewalk would be dangerous, but I am very nervous with them in the road also because if you are sitting in traffic they tend to weave through cars inbetween lanes, they dart in and out, same think with motorcyclists here. I'm just terrified one is going to pop out of nowhere!

**minime** · 20-May-07, 08:13 PM

I cant believe cyclists would ride in the middle of the road like that! here in boston they would not get away with it all the motorists would beep like crazy! In many of the roads here where i am there is a seperate bike lane on the road, or the roads are plenty wide to enable car and bicycle to ride in harmony

**minime** · 20-May-07, 08:15 PM

oh, i also am curious about the shower : back in ireland i was only 7 miles from work and had to sit in traffic for 45 minutes often. there was no shower so i couldnt run or cycle to work.

tim_mcf · 21-May-07, 12:49 PM

I rode mine today - about 4 1/4 miles one way, on a country road. Very nice, and free!

21-May-07, 01:00 PM

Inspired by this post and something I have been wanting to do for some time, my plan is to walk to work tomorrow morning - 10 miles. I'll stop at my gym which is near my office and shower before going to work.

I hope I don't whimp out on this one.

**LiftGirl** · 21-May-07, 05:15 PM

I rode 22 miles yesterday with a friend, almost all out in the country. Like Tim says, it is very nice riding out in the country. Unfortunatly, I must've run over something as I now have a flat back tire

Anyway, gymgirl, all I can tell you is, some bicyclists are simply morons, just like some car drivers are and some pedestrians are. If they're an idiot, thank you lucky starts they're on a bike and not in a car.