Feb 13, 2006

[Herr Doktor!]

Link

Man, 3 miles is a long way to walk?
Damn man, either you were being sarcastic, or you need some exercise.

It's nice to see Lizzie acting as a counter-balance for this shelled-up life comic-Greg has been leading.

[Ward5x5]

Ever considered a bicycle? It's how I get to work/school.

[Hylius the LC]

Or perhaps he is advancing the storyline to introduce the little vehicle he has recently got. Or not, who knows.

[KaymeeraUnleashed]

[quote="Herr Doktor!";p="603432"]being sarcastic[/quote]
Yes...

[Lizzegirle]

Do any of you know what the hills in San Francisco look like? Especially the mountain we live ontop of? Walking and bicycling are just out of the question.

[TomXP411]

I rode a bike for a while, when I was about 3 miles from the office.

It offered a very interesting perspective on people's driving.

The first thing I realized is that when you're on two wheels, you're invisible. That's right: you don't exist. This means that cars cut in front of you or try to drive through you at all intersections, driveways, crosswalks, and ice cream trucks. The only time you're not invisible is when you actually TAKE the right of way and some guy in a lifted 4x4 decides to test out his new air horn.

According to California Vehicle Code, a bicycle is supposed to follow the rules of the road as if it were a car: It must utilize the vehicle lanes (not the sidewalk), unless there's a bike lane, and cars have to give you the same right of way as if you were another car at intersections. Of course, when you're waiting for a light to change when it's in "sensor" mode, you have to go push the crosswalk button. Then, when cars actually DO show up... they seem to think it's okay to make right turns right in front of you.

THe other thing I noticed is that business owners must think bike riders are all broke. Otherwise, why would so few stores have bike racks? I mean, it can't cost that much to have one installed. Compared to the hundreds of thousands of dollars for a building, you'd think the couple grand or so for a 10x4 stretch of concrete and metal rack wouldn't be prohibitive.

But no, I've had to be quite creative when it came to parking. I've locked my bike to street signs, trash cans, phone booths, and every other kind of stationary object you can think of. Finally, I just stopped going to stores that didn't have places to secure my cycle. After all, if they didn't think I'm worth it, then why are they worth my money or time?

Interestingly enough, the biggest surprise was that the bike ride home didn't take much more time than driving did. THe three miles was maybe 10 minutes in a car, with all the stoplights, and I averaged 12-15 minutes on the bike. I could have gone faster, but I never felt the need to push myself past 12-15mph. I was riding for fun, not to torture myself.

Finally, weather and time forced me to stop riding. It just got to be too cold and wet, and I didn't have a dry place to store my bike at work after the rain started.

In short: riding a bike in a city every day can be a major challenge. You literally take your life in to your own hands. Greg will no doubt have some harrowing experiences to report on his scooter as welll...

one tip. Assert yourself. USE the lane. Don't cower off near the sidewalk. Cars won't take you seriously unless you make sure they know you're there and that you mean business.

Posted Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:34 pm:

[quote="Lizzegirle";p="603660"]Do any of you know what the hills in San Francisco look like? Especially the mountain we live ontop of? Walking and bicycling are just out of the question.[/quote]

Now we know what Lizzie does at work. She posted between the time I started that post and I finished... and it's 1:30 in the afternoon.

Ahh, a true Internet junkie. It makes me proud.

[Herr Doktor!]

[quote="Lizzegirle";p="603660"]Do any of you know what the hills in San Francisco look like? Especially the mountain we live ontop of? Walking and bicycling are just out of the question.[/quote]

Having lived in SF, I can understand your pain. However I can assure you the hills in Sheffield are just as bad, the drivers are out to kill you, and they come from the right so you're never sure what the fsck is going on.

Consider it a good, free workout.

[Lizzegirle]

Now we know what Lizzie does at work. She posted between the time I started that post and I finished... and it's 1:30 in the afternoon.

Ahh, a true Internet junkie. It makes me proud.

Actually, I didn't go into work today until 1pm, and I posted that before I left the house.

[TomXP411]

oops.

That just goes to show how funny I'm not.

[darkstar2a]

[quote="Herr Doktor!";p="603432"]Link

Man, 3 miles is a long way to walk?
Damn man, either you were being sarcastic, or you need some exercise.
[/quote]

Dammit man! Did you completely ignore this part of the prior thread!?!

[quote="darkstar2a";p="597239"]That's a moped with balls! The street climbs 400ft in elevation in less than a 1/4 mile!! Or is is he taking the easy way out and going up "M....."?[/quote]

Just MAKE it up the hill and we'll talk. Besides, that's only ONE of the hills there are two more, which LITTERALY means that he's going up hill both ways.

[LrdSlvrhnd]

I pretty much ride my bike whenever I can get away with it, simply because it's one of the few forms of exercise I enjoy (so I also simply bike for biking's sake. Nothing hardcore, just tooling around for a while). So depending on the weather, I consider it my primary mode of transportation within about a 4 mile radius (which includes both theaters, three grocery stores, Target, Wal~Mart, the mall, used book store, job, every fast food joint 'round, and bank... ie, everything I might actually want to visit 8-} ) and I'd like to... agree with everything in this post lol

[quote="TomXP411";p="603663"]I rode a bike for a while, when I was about 3 miles from the office.

It offered a very interesting perspective on people's driving.

The first thing I realized is that when you're on two wheels, you're invisible. That's right: you don't exist. This means that cars cut in front of you or try to drive through you at all intersections, driveways, crosswalks, and ice cream trucks. The only time you're not invisible is when you actually TAKE the right of way and some guy in a lifted 4x4 decides to test out his new air horn.[/quote]

Don't forget the cars that, even though there's plenty of space in the other lane for them to pull over, still try to crowd you off the road. Or the ones full of idiot teenagers who just got their license who think it's great hilarious fun to either swerve to hit the puddle as they go by you, or blast their horn and/or yell out insults... 8-} (Yeah, you mentioned the horn thing, but it sounded like you were talking about people honking 'cause you got in their way, as opposed to simply trying to make you jump, swerve, and/or crash)

According to California Vehicle Code, a bicycle is supposed to follow the rules of the road as if it were a car: It must utilize the vehicle lanes (not the sidewalk), unless there's a bike lane, and cars have to give you the same right of way as if you were another car at intersections. Of course, when you're waiting for a light to change when it's in "sensor" mode, you have to go push the crosswalk button. Then, when cars actually DO show up... they seem to think it's okay to make right turns right in front of you.

I think NH vehicle code is the same. I just plain ignore it though lol... the sidewalks in my part of town don't get enough pedestrian traffic to make the risk of actually biking in the road to be worth it. I've never been bothered anywhere except on Main Street, and I generally only go down that far when I'm taking it to the shop or picking it up anyhoo lol

THe other thing I noticed is that business owners must think bike riders are all broke. Otherwise, why would so few stores have bike racks? I mean, it can't cost that much to have one installed. Compared to the hundreds of thousands of dollars for a building, you'd think the couple grand or so for a 10x4 stretch of concrete and metal rack wouldn't be prohibitive.

Either broke, or not likely to buy enough, what with having to carry it home. They've apparently never heard of saddlebags or baskets... and it seems like when they DO have one, it's in some way the heck out of the way place that's entirely inconvenient (the local Wal~Mart has theirs along the side of the store... the FAR side... towards the back. Seems like it adds another half-mile to my journey to get there and back lol)

But no, I've had to be quite creative when it came to parking. I've locked my bike to street signs, trash cans, phone booths, and every other kind of stationary object you can think of. Finally, I just stopped going to stores that didn't have places to secure my cycle. After all, if they didn't think I'm worth it, then why are they worth my money or time?

My personal favorite is the tree. I know darn well they're not going to just lift the bike and chain up over it like can be done with signs (I've done it myself, just out of curiousity, and I'm not particularly strong) or throw the bike and tree in the back of the pickup where they can cut the chain at their leisure when they get home like they could with a trash can... I tried locking it to one of those cart corrals once... wouldn't you just know that'd be the one time people actually USED it? 8-}

Interestingly enough, the biggest surprise was that the bike ride home didn't take much more time than driving did. THe three miles was maybe 10 minutes in a car, with all the stoplights, and I averaged 12-15 minutes on the bike. I could have gone faster, but I never felt the need to push myself past 12-15mph. I was riding for fun, not to torture myself. :-)

I've found that out myself... it's especially faster considering I can take shortcuts that I couldn't in a car lol When I was in high school, I used to be able to get to school or back home faster on my bike (about 6 miles, including at least one nasty uphill in either direction and a stop at the library on the way home) than on the bus... then again, I used to be able to WALK home in the time it took me on the bus, and I amble 8-} I've made in a straight shot about 4 miles down the main road faster than cars more than once, though. Of course, as I said, I don't strictly follow the vehicular rules per se, so I kinda cheat... 8-} There's at least 4 stoplights that I can pretty much ignore, plus a couple where I use the Pedestrian Crossing buttons lol

Finally, weather and time forced me to stop riding. It just got to be too cold and wet, and I didn't have a dry place to store my bike at work after the rain started.

I always carry a plastic bike cover in one of my saddlebag pockets, in case the weather turns on me unexpectedly... which, in NE, can happen at any time lol

Kevin... sneaking in to make his first-ever post in these forums (... and I can't even see the comic this thread is about...)

[Pandora1417]

I definitely don't envy you!

But it would be a great exercise for Greg.

[KaymeeraUnleashed]

Great first post...

[NKryptiD]

Didn't Greg just buy that moped?


you want to hear about a long walk?
well I won't lie, it was like 1:15am and blizzarding. I was drunk, and I had to walk from a bar in downtown Guelph where I go to school, to my house that is literally across a highway a good 15Km away maybe more... UPHILL
though being drunk I don't remember if I felt it or not

[NickGXZ]

Hmm, I can bike 26 - 35 miles in 4 hours. Me no joke.

Of corse, thats me trying real hard, and going up slight inclines that seem to take forever and drain energy. Of corse, we don't have sudden hills like the San Fran area is known for (Well, you do the closer you get to the Platte River here).

I figure I could ride from my house to the University of Nebraska (Lincoln) easly, since one of our many trails ends RIGHT behind one of the dorms (Cather and Pound are the Dorms I'm thinking of UNL students and lincolnites!).