biking

[cosmo105]

Man I wish biking in LA wasn't so completely terrifying. I used to ride all the time when I lived in a quieter neighborhood and now I live near much busier streets and no one knows how to drive around cyclists. There are a few dedicated lanes and even a path or two but getting to them is pretty gnarly.

I recently took the retractable rear wire baskets off the back of my old-ass Trek and though I do love how much lighter my bike is I miss having sweet baskets when I needed them for groceries and books and stuff. They looked so damned cool.

Oh, also, on the most recent CicLAvia I rode the subway next to a guy who had the most amazingly beautiful tricked-out bike I'd ever seen. Deep wood paneling everywhere, plaid cloth padding, a wooden 6-pack holder with the LA symbol worked into the metal frame, and a fucking flask holder in place of a water bottle holder. It was glorious. He beamed when I told him how nice it was and said it was "a lot of fun to put together."

Bikes!

[ericg]

i used to bike everywhere in arcata, ca. but i had to leave so i gave it away.. cost me 400 used. it was like 1500 new. the cheapest new bike they had for sale in arcata was 700. just crazy.

[TurdBerglar]

Originally Posted by cosmo105

Man I wish biking in LA wasn't so completely terrifying. I used to ride all the time when I lived in a quieter neighborhood and now I live near much busier streets and no one knows how to drive around cyclists. There are a few dedicated lanes and even a path or two but getting to them is pretty gnarly.

I recently took the retractable rear wire baskets off the back of my old-ass Trek and though I do love how much lighter my bike is I miss having sweet baskets when I needed them for groceries and books and stuff. They looked so damned cool.

Oh, also, on the most recent CicLAvia I rode the subway next to a guy who had the most amazingly beautiful tricked-out bike I'd ever seen. Deep wood paneling everywhere, plaid cloth padding, a wooden 6-pack holder with the LA symbol worked into the metal frame, and a fucking flask holder in place of a water bottle holder. It was glorious. He beamed when I told him how nice it was and said it was "a lot of fun to put together."

Bikes!

they just started painting in bike lanes in my city. funny thing though is that they've started installing them in the affluent suburban areas where people getting around on bikes is more for fun. bike lanes aren't even needed in these areas. they should be in the downtown areas where they could actually serve a meaningful purpose.

there's a bike path that runs up and down the river. they've even installed substantial bridges to cross RR tracks. this path could be used as like a central thruway with offshoots every few blocks. nobody uses this thing. I don't think anyone knows it's there.

[Dorothy Wood]

My dumb city puts in fancy protected or extra wide bike lanes in spots where it's never that dangerous to bike anyway. And then neglect the major roads that've had bike lanes or a shared lanes for years...they're all potholed up.

I ride on a busy road over a scary bridge every day almost. No bike lane. Im so used to it, I manage to avoid danger by anticipating shitty driving behavior. Like basically always expecting to get hit by cars at every intersection. It's pretty nuts how many people run lights or turn in front of oncoming traffic with no regard (usually while talking on a cell phone).

I ride through the winter, it was 20 degrees the other night though and I wasn't prepared so my gloves were too thin and my hands froze up and it was so painful I almost cried. And so I chickened out riding today, took the bus. Good thing I did, several people I know bit it while riding today. but if you have the right gear it's not so bad. Kinda liberating at times.

[TurdBerglar]

riding over bridges is nerve racking. especially when it's windy and you're right up against the railing and you're a fucking million feet above the water. the only three bridges that cross the river all have nearly meaningless sidewalks on them, though. I wouldn't even attempt it if there wasn't any sidewalks.

the bridge sidewalks are always covered in broken bottles, used condoms and puke. there must be some crazy bridge parties going on.

[Dorothy Wood]

Oh my bridge is pretty short and not very far above water. It's scary because it's a 4 lane road with no shoulder and a 12" curb. On the way to work, I ride with traffic, on the way home at night I ride on the sidewalk. It's right by a big shopping area so I feel like people drive extra shitty going that direction and fly over the bridge without paying attention regardless of the time of day though.

[TurdBerglar]

yeah all three bridges are connected to a highway on the other side through a rotary with on and off ramps that you have to cross. definitely not fun. I don't ride to that side of town very much.

[TurdBerglar]

so I was trying to pass this guy. he was going along at a decent clip. I chased this mother fucker for like 2 or 3 miles trying to pass him! I could not catch up with him! he was perpetually 100 feet in front of me! he was going so effortlessly. peddling so slowly. It was completely fucking with me that this shmuck I could not catch up with. it was maddening. he was just some average joe and I couldn't pass him . when I finally caught up with him he had one of those FUCKING ELECTRIC MOTORS attached to his bike! I was all like... CHEATER! you son of a bitch!. he just laughed at me and zoomed off while I nearly died. cocksucker.