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My wallet is getting fatter - and this sucks! <bike commute related>


Dirtyhip
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I understand...I only commuted to work 2 or 3 times..although I have ridden it several times and there are areas..where the traffic is just not a sane place to ride a bike...and the Twin Cities are considered bike friendly. Going in..easier..people start work at different times..but damn it 4:30 to 5:30pm everyone is in a hurry to get home. :frantics:

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16 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

I understand...I only commuted to work 2 or 3 times..although I have ridden it several times and there are areas..where the traffic is just not a sane place to ride a bike...and the Twin Cities are considered bike friendly. Going in..easier..people start work at different times..but damn it 4:30 to 5:30pm everyone is in a hurry to get home. :frantics:

Roads in most areas are car centric.  Bike lanes are an afterthought.  

Maybe we should pay a license fee, and use that money for pushing toward better roads. Just a thought.

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56 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

BTW, having to ride the white line with a possible fall over into a ditch, has made me crazy good with skinnies.

Discus.

Good call on the bus!  

Yeah I ride this trail near work that has a 20’ narrow wooden bridge that goes over a 3’ deep by 10-15’ wide culvert.  I could easily ride through the culvert & have when pedestrians are on the bridge but I like testing my skills on that skinny bridge. I find it helps my overall riding skills as I have to hop up on it and then ride across.

 

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Just now, donkpow said:

Is this really the only route to work? 

The only way to leave my home. There are two roads that access my home or subdivision. 
 

The steep I am speaking of is one and the other is a go around to my home. These roads are connections to my life. Shopping, food, work

This is country life, with some hell’s 😇.

I could maybe ride about 5o miles to avoid it.

 

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Just now, Dirtyhip said:

The only way to leave my home. There are two roads that access my home or subdivision. 
 

The steep I am speaking of is one and the other is a go around to my home. These roads are connections to my life. Shopping, food, work

This is country life, with some hell’s 😇.

I could maybe ride about 5o miles to avoid it.

 

Safety should be your first priority. I got hit on a lightly used four lane street so even the best laid plans don't always pan out. Maybe you could become a pedestrian for this stretch and push the bike on the other side. :dontknow:

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2 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

I am struggling with accepting bowing down on this section.  This lets the fuckheads win.

Hmmm... they win... or you die (or get seriously injured).    I vote for living... 

How long is the section of road?   

Does your work allow different start and finish times?  If they do.. maybe an early start and then an early quit time will get you thru that section of road before the traffic gets bad?

At least were I ride, I have choices for different roads.   There are a few roads I won't ride,  I'd rather have a longer retirement. 

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I never ride the white line. I take the lane. But I’m in another world than you. There was one big hill on my way to work has a wide shoulder. I would climb it at walking speed on the shoulder. At that speed I have time to watch for broken glass and nails that accumulate on the shoulder. On the downhills or the flats (what flats? We don’t have any) I take the lane. Riding the white line tempts people to pass you in the lane. People on my rides are very polite. Some will stay behind me when they have plenty of room to pass.

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It might be time to try meeting with local transportation planning groups to get some changes made.  No guarantee that this will work, and, if it does, it might take 20 years or more, but it might still be worth the effort.

https://www.klamathfallstsp.com/

https://klamathfallstrailplan.com/

https://www.klamathcounty.org/727/Urban-Transportation-System-Plan

https://www.klamathcounty.org/726/Klamath-County-Transportation-System-Pla

 

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1 hour ago, jdc2000 said:

It might be time to try meeting with local transportation planning groups to get some changes made.  No guarantee that this will work, and, if it does, it might take 20 years or more, but it might still be worth the effort.

https://www.klamathfallstsp.com/

https://klamathfallstrailplan.com/

https://www.klamathcounty.org/727/Urban-Transportation-System-Plan

https://www.klamathcounty.org/726/Klamath-County-Transportation-System-Pla

 

I got a share the road sign put in and a couple of pieces of artwork painted on the ground with a guy that has a bucket on his head.  The bad section is .6 of a mile.  @Bikeguy

Basically was told Nope. 

I will continue to try for positive changes, of course.  It isn't like I am not involved.

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2 hours ago, Longjohn said:

I never ride the white line. I take the lane. But I’m in another world than you.

Yeah... that kind of sounds like my world, at least on the roads I will ride.  Rural riding here,  I don't have lots traffic.   I can ride 4 miles on this road and maybe get passed once.

The roads are narrow.  If a car is approaching from the front, and in the rare case where one is also approaching from the rear, I'll take the lane.   They are going 55 (or more) but they see me (or at least I hope they do) well in advance, so they slow down and then they can pass on the left.   Most pass way to the left.  There isn't enough room on many roads for 2 cars passing and a bike.  

I don't ride the white line, I'm always at least 1 foot on the left side of the line (or where the line would be).  There is way too much loose gravel there too.   Many roads don't have any lines. 

20200623_095709.thumb.jpg.cb182b9aba0fab0e30b3d783c0ac099a.jpg

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15 minutes ago, Bikeguy said:

Yeah... that kind of sounds like my world, at least on the roads I will ride.  Rural riding here,  I don't have lots traffic.   I can ride 4 miles on this road and maybe get passed once.

The roads are narrow.  If a car is approaching from the front, and in the rare case where one is also approaching from the rear, I'll take the lane.   They are going 55 (or more) but they see me (or at least I hope they do) well in advance, so they slow down and then they can pass on the left.   Most pass way to the left.  There isn't enough room on many roads for 2 cars passing and a bike.  

I don't ride the white line, I'm always at least 1 foot on the left side of the line (or where the line would be).  There is way too much loose gravel there too.   Many roads don't have any lines. 

20200623_095709.thumb.jpg.cb182b9aba0fab0e30b3d783c0ac099a.jpg

When I first saw this picture I thought it was one of my pictures. We have one road with a flat section that looks like that.

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16 hours ago, Bikeguy said:

Yeah... that kind of sounds like my world, at least on the roads I will ride.  Rural riding here,  I don't have lots traffic.   I can ride 4 miles on this road and maybe get passed once.

The roads are narrow.  If a car is approaching from the front, and in the rare case where one is also approaching from the rear, I'll take the lane.   They are going 55 (or more) but they see me (or at least I hope they do) well in advance, so they slow down and then they can pass on the left.   Most pass way to the left.  There isn't enough room on many roads for 2 cars passing and a bike.  

I don't ride the white line, I'm always at least 1 foot on the left side of the line (or where the line would be).  There is way too much loose gravel there too.   Many roads don't have any lines. 

20200623_095709.thumb.jpg.cb182b9aba0fab0e30b3d783c0ac099a.jpg

I would say that most cars move over.  It is the 2-3 a week that have weighed heavy on my mind last week.  Some weeks have zero fear moments.  I am afraid that one might kill me soon though.  I am going to take the damned bus for my half mile section that seems to be the scary zone. 

Oh, and Trail Boss said that those bikers were not Hells Angels.  He said they were dressed the part, but they had different vests.  I told him "They were Hells Angels in my mind."  Last Friday he was waiting at the top of the hill for me.  He didn't see the bad buzz, but did see the bikers as they drove past him at the top.  Sometimes, he waits on his bike on spots of my route that he can catch me.  Once in a while, he rides to my work and rides home with me.   Friday, he was out playing in the park and waited at the top of death hill.  He hates death hill.  The talk happened on Friday.  He let me come to that decision myself.  When I decided, he said it was the more prudent idea. 

It will drive me bonkers to wait for a bus to take me up the half mile section.  Like "I can be home by now, I can be home by now..."  :mellow:

 

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1 hour ago, Dirtyhip said:

It will drive me bonkers to wait for a bus to take me up the half mile section.  Like "I can be home by now, I can be home by now..."  :mellow:

A bazillion times over :(  How often do the buses run? And would it simply be easier to walk it up the grassy shoulder (if there is one)?  1/2 mile is maybe 10 min walk.  Not sure how that all fits together, but the waiting for a bus would drive me loco.

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18 hours ago, Bikeguy said:

Yeah... that kind of sounds like my world, at least on the roads I will ride.  Rural riding here,  I don't have lots traffic.   I can ride 4 miles on this road and maybe get passed once.

The roads are narrow.  If a car is approaching from the front, and in the rare case where one is also approaching from the rear, I'll take the lane.   They are going 55 (or more) but they see me (or at least I hope they do) well in advance, so they slow down and then they can pass on the left.   Most pass way to the left.  There isn't enough room on many roads for 2 cars passing and a bike.  

I don't ride the white line, I'm always at least 1 foot on the left side of the line (or where the line would be).  There is way too much loose gravel there too.   Many roads don't have any lines. 

20200623_095709.thumb.jpg.cb182b9aba0fab0e30b3d783c0ac099a.jpg

I ride a foot off the line on pavement: 

image.png.6c6030ddd4da3c17046845b81a4776de.png

...but gravel you need to be a little further into the middle of the road.  Lots of looser stuff towards the imaginary "line":

image.thumb.png.ac7bda7371148a9a27c5d2277e61e183.png

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12 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

A bazillion times over :(  How often do the buses run? And would it simply be easier to walk it up the grassy shoulder (if there is one)?  1/2 mile is maybe 10 min walk.  Not sure how that all fits together, but the waiting for a bus would drive me loco.

Once an hour.  This plan puts me home 30 minutes later than usual.

The ditch is truly a ditch.  The oncoming lane isn't a whole lot better.  Screw that section.  I am done with it.

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The move has been a mixed bag, cycling-wise. There are a lot of bike lanes in town. I can ride to 3 different grocery stores, the local bike shop and our local coffee shop all on bike lane. 
My problem comes if I want to do extended rides. 
The road to Casa Grande is busy with no shoulder. The road to Gila Bend has a very narrow to no shoulder in places. I need to drive it in the morning to see what traffic looks like then. I rode it one afternoon and it got a little sketchy as we got closer to commute time. 347 is basically a no-go. It has a wide shoulder but is the main way in and out of town. 80% of the drivers are just fine. The other 20% think there is a prize for completing the route the fastest! There are several wrecks every day. At least one has been fatal in the few weeks we’ve been here. Casa Blanca Rd looks like it would be ok to ride, but I have a couple miles on 347 to get there. I need to see if there is a place to park my pickup near there and just haul the bike there. Im also sliming the tires on the gravel bike to check out the gravel around here. 
So all this is to say, hey @Dirtyhip, you’re not alone and I agree with your position. I’m also curious to know if any members of the law enforcement community are sympathetic to cyclists. At my old place, some construction blocked the bike trail on part of my commute. It was interesting that those with personalized plates and wraps for their company were the rudest drivers and I made that comment on FB. A cycling friend who was on undercover duty at the time DM’d me and asked for vehicles and plates. A couple days later, one of the worst offenders buzzed me and was waved over by an officer who was waiting. He gave me a thumbs up as I rode past while he had her stopped!

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6 minutes ago, groupw said:

The move has been a mixed bag, cycling-wise. There are a lot of bike lanes in town. I can ride to 3 different grocery stores, the local bike shop and our local coffee shop all on bike lane. 
My problem comes if I want to do extended rides. 
The road to Casa Grande is busy with no shoulder. The road to Gila Bend has a very narrow to no shoulder in places. I need to drive it in the morning to see what traffic looks like then. I rode it one afternoon and it got a little sketchy as we got closer to commute time. 347 is basically a no-go. It has a wide shoulder but is the main way in and out of town. 80% of the drivers are just fine. The other 20% think there is a prize for completing the route the fastest! There are several wrecks every day. At least one has been fatal in the few weeks we’ve been here. Casa Blanca Rd looks like it would be ok to ride, but I have a couple miles on 347 to get there. I need to see if there is a place to park my pickup near there and just haul the bike there. Im also sliming the tires on the gravel bike to check out the gravel around here. 

Mixed bag here too.  Close as heck to local trails.  Personal track and jump lines, YUP!  

Commute went from very safe 20 minute bliss to dueling and a maze of routes to avoid the yuck.  No big interstates.  

Still stoked on Xanadu.

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3 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

It will drive me bonkers to wait for a bus to take me up the half mile section. 

Or..   can you take your bike in your car, the  1/2 mile (or where you can park) and  then start riding from the parking spot?    Just a thought.... then you don't have to wait for the bus.   

The down side, short trips are not very good for cars.   

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9 minutes ago, Bikeguy said:

Or..   can you take your bike in your car, the  1/2 mile (or where you can park) and  then start riding from the parking spot?    Just a thought.... then you don't have to wait for the bus.   

The down side, short trips are not very good for cars.   

Honestly, I don't have one.  Likely, the Trail Boss drove the one we have to work.  :D

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On 2/12/2022 at 10:34 AM, Dirtyhip said:

We love the new house.  Love the view.  There is one part of my commute that is really dangerous.  You would think a short 30 mph section with a 20 mph at the top might have people slow down.  Nope.  It is narrow, has zero shoulder and there is a ditch runoff.   There is yet another go around that I can add to my commute.  It totally avoids the bad section, but it can only be used during certain parts of the year.  Right now, it is too snowy.  Then, it will be too muddy for a while.  It isn't like I am afraid of mud, but this mud cakes.  I would get stuck and stop in about ten feet.  Everyone here knows that I cherish trail and do not ride ultra-muddy trail.  This isn't pristine single track.  Just a dirt road with no gravel. There is light shralp on it, but kinda fun.  Nothing major.  Every day I utilize these crazy go around over hill and dale to avoid downtown.  This is yet another one of those.  When the road is ridable it will turn my commute into a much harder ride.  I think it will add about 500 more feet to my 700 foot ride.  

Yesterday, I was buzzed by two vehicles.  One was a truck and the second was a hells angel troop.  The Angel chose to get close to me, even though they had an ENTIRE lane.  I have tried to take the advice from here and put my wheels in the right tire track.  That is even more dangerous they buzz me even closer.  If I am there and hear cars, I move back over to the white line. The lane going down the road in the am is fine.  No cars that time of the day, and I can get down it easily with hardly any issues.  The lane going up is very narrow.  The road is a double yellow divider.  Many cars do not move over or slow quite often.  I have even been buzzed by a school bus.

Trail Boss and I talked, and the resolution was to put my bike on the bus rack and take the bus up that one section. I will get home later, which means harder cooking crunch for dinner.  I am kind of crushed. This resolution is so I don't get crushed.  Maybe some will think I am spineless, so be it.  This is such a short section, but it is my daily dread, and not due to the incline.

People are terrible!  Most are nice, but the two yesterday made me re-think this one section.  I want to live. More bus tokens in my Constanza wallet.

:(

There's not much I can say that would help except to recommend doing as much of the cutting up of veggies, etc. the night before to save time cooking after getting home later.

I was considering getting panniers to straddle my rear rack and cycling to and from small grocery trips.  But one test ride convinced me I'd be taking my life in my hands due to high-speed roads with no shoulder or interrupted sidewalks and no bicycling lane rights.

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