[sanjuro]

I finished yesterday's ride along the Stevens Creek Trail, a paved, multi-used trail about 10 feet wide in most spots. In the summer it is heavily used by walkers, runners, families, and riders.

My whine is how other cyclists ride thru any heavily-used multi-use trail at speeds over 15 mph. If you want to hammer or even cruise fast, get on the road and do it there. But considering the amount of foot traffic as well as other cyclists, I would think caution should be your riding style.

P.S. Someone went by me about 18 mph, I got on his wheel and started making revving noises every time he accelerated. Yes I like to start trouble.

 

[stinkyboy]

Was their dog on a leash?

 

[Angus]

I finished yesterday's ride along the Stevens Creek Trail, a paved, multi-used trail about 10 feet wide in most spots. In the summer it is heavily used by walkers, runners, families, and riders.

My whine is how other cyclists ride thru any heavily-used multi-use trail at speeds over 15 mph. If you want to hammer or even cruise fast, get on the road and do it there. But considering the amount of foot traffic as well as other cyclists, I would think caution should be your riding style.

P.S. Someone went by me about 18 mph, I got on his wheel and started making revving noises every time he accelerated. Yes I like to start trouble.

trail Nazi....

 

[DRB]

It would have been funnier if you buzzed their rear tire multiple times.

 

[OGRipper]

I agree people are stupid in the way you describe. But if you got on my wheel and did that I would grab a handful of brake and throw an elbow as you came flying past me.

 

[stinkyboy]

I agree people are stupid in the way you describe. But if you got on my wheel and did that I would grab a handful of brake and throw an elbow as you came flying past me.

I have an overwhelming desire to grab someone elses front brake while riding...

:evil:

 

[Toshi]

the burke gilman trail in seattle is much like you describe, and i'll cruise along at 18 or 20 on slight descents. as long as one slows down in crowded areas i don't see what the problem is.

 

[OGRipper]

I have an overwhelming desire to grab someone elses front brake while riding...

:evil:

I like to reach over and upshift for my pals when they are on the steepest part of the climb. It used to be easier with downtube shifters.

 

[stinkyboy]

I like to reach over and upshift for my pals when they are on the steepest part of the climb. It used to be easier with downtube shifters.

You're a motivational riding buddy. That's nice!

 

[johnbryanpeters]

I generally dislike that kind of trail. I prefer cars to unleashed kids, perambulators and rollerbladers.

 

[ktmsx]

I like to reach over and upshift for my pals when they are on the steepest part of the climb. It used to be easier with downtube shifters.

I used to hit my friends kill switch on the dirtbike just before the entranace to a trail...I would always need the headstart....

 

[LordOpie]

I generally dislike that kind of trail. I prefer cars to unleashed kids, perambulators and rollerbladers.

 

[berkshire_rider]

the burke gilman trail in seattle is much like you describe, and i'll cruise along at 18 or 20 on slight descents. as long as one slows down in crowded areas i don't see what the problem is.

Nice Sombrero.

 

[mcA896]

I have an overwhelming desire to grab someone elses front brake while riding...

:evil:

Bad idea. I tried it going down a hill, on a road. Needless to say we got a little tangled and fell. Good thing minivans have good brakes.

 

[Morryjg]

SS has a pair of those older Marker bindings that have a release button on the back of the binding. One day in the lift line I was behind him and hit the eject button on both bindings at the same time just before he took a step forward. Frickin' hilarious!!!!

 

[stinkyboy]

SS has a pair of those older Marker bindings that have a release button on the back of the binding. One day in the lift line I was behind him and hit the eject button on both bindings at the same time just before he took a step forward. Frickin' hilarious!!!!

I must APPROVE of this!

 

[sanjuro]

I agree people are stupid in the way you describe. But if you got on my wheel and did that I would grab a handful of brake and throw an elbow as you came flying past me.

Past you? Into you...

 

[stinkyboy]

Past you? Into you...

Are you hitting on him?

 

[sanjuro]

the burke gilman trail in seattle is much like you describe, and i'll cruise along at 18 or 20 on slight descents. as long as one slows down in crowded areas i don't see what the problem is.

The Burke Gilman is about 15 miles long, and obviously there are plenty of deserted sections, particularily farther away from Seattle proper (I rode it a couple of times).

Stevens Creek Trail is 4 miles long, through the most populated part of Mt View. Even at dusk, there were at least 15 people we past in the one mile I rode behind him, and there are blind turns and narrow bridges as well.

I have not ridden much on off-street bike trails before, but I also noticed this on the Iron Horse trail during weekend mornings. I love it when guys are on their aero bars going 20+mph, particularily coming off the traffic bridge over the 6 lane Ygnacio Valley Road.

 

[sanjuro]

Are you hitting on him?

If someone braked in front of me like that, I guarantee there would be hitting involved.

EDIT: this is not directed at OG. i doubt he would cruise the bike paths to put down the hammer.

 

[OGRipper]

Past you? Into you...

It is beautifully choreographed with a swerve to one side or the other. Keep getting on people's wheels and annoying them and you'll find out some day.

Edit: The only bike path I ever ride is the one in Sausalito, so I have no idea what you're taking about. And neither do you.

 

[sanjuro]

It is beautifully choreographed with a swerve to one side or the other. Keep getting on people's wheels and annoying them and you'll find out some day.

Edit: The only bike path I ever ride is the one in Sausalito, so I have no idea what you're taking about. And neither do you.

Oh! You do want to start sh*t with me. Excellent.

The bike path in Sausalito is extremely wide and straight with no blind spots, and many riders cruise along safely at 20+mph in pacelines or solo because are not many pedestrians, at least not as many as the Iron Horse Trail or Stevens Creek.

Pacelining with strangers is very common on the more heavily ridden roads. Junipero Serra and Danville Blvd are two that come to mind. Both places I have kept a 30mph pace, drafting or pulling other riders.

However, if I was drafting someone and they squeezed the brakes to get me off their wheel; whether I was racing, on a group ride, or just riding behind a stranger, I would have only one response, possibly two if I showed restraint.

OG, I know being from San Francisco makes you an expert on almost everything, since I only live no more than 5 miles away from you. So let me ask you this, have you been on Stevens Creek or the Iron Horse trail?

You can comment that my immature response to asinine behavior was a poor choice, but if you think calling me out is a good idea, keep in mind one thing: we ride the same places and I know we have ridden with the same people. One day we will meet, and our first real life encounter can be a good one or a bad one. I would prefer it to be good, because I associate biking and ridemonkey with the good part of my life.

 

[LordOpie]

... I would grab a handful of brake...

funny and appropriate.

...throw an elbow as you came flying past me.

illegal and wrong.

 

[OGRipper]

Um. Wow.

First, I agreed with you that the behavior you described is stupid. I see it all the time on the closed portion of GG Park on Sundays, when the wannabe racer boys go screaming through the masses.

Second, I said I don't ride bike paths in response to you saying I "would cruise the bike paths to put down the hammer." I have no idea where that came from but it's just wrong.

Third, you were talking about getting on someone's wheel and making noises in a way you admitted would start trouble. That IS a poor choice and you know it. You were not talking about the friendly sharing of work that happens all the time on the roads out there. I routinely pull riders for miles, even if they don't reciprocate, and I would never brake off of a pull or put another rider in danger unless they gave me a reason. (BTW, I'm 6 feet and 200lbs, so I block a lot of wind - getting a draft from me is a good ride.) My point was what you already know: One day you are going to screw with the wrong person and, just like messing with a car, right or wrong you might get hurt.

I haven't called you out. If I did it would be a lot more clear.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> I routinely pull riders for miles, even if they don't reciprocate,

I'd try to reciprocate, but out in front you'd likely be annoyed by me and my NRS's pokiness.

 

[sanjuro]

Um. Wow.

First, I agreed with you that the behavior you described is stupid. I see it all the time on the closed portion of GG Park on Sundays, when the wannabe racer boys go screaming through the masses.

Second, I said I don't ride bike paths in response to you saying I "would cruise the bike paths to put down the hammer." I have no idea where that came from but it's just wrong.

Third, you were talking about getting on someone's wheel and making noises in a way you admitted would start trouble. That IS a poor choice and you know it. You were not talking about the friendly sharing of work that happens all the time on the roads out there. I routinely pull riders for miles, even if they don't reciprocate, and I would never brake off of a pull or put another rider in danger unless they gave me a reason. (BTW, I'm 6 feet and 200lbs, so I block a lot of wind - getting a draft from me is a good ride.) My point was what you already know: One day you are going to screw with the wrong person and, just like messing with a car, right or wrong you might get hurt.

I haven't called you out. If I did it would be a lot more clear.

Well, I might have written it poorly, but I figured you would not use the isolation of the multi-use path, to maintain a pace of 18mph or faster, Sausalito being the exception since it is very wide open.

I see I left the phrase "I doubt" in the offending post (which I have edited), so I am sorry about the confusion.

 

[OGRipper]

Well, I might have written it poorly, but I figured you would not use the isolation of the multi-use path, to maintain a pace of 18mph or faster, Sausalito being the exception since it is very wide open.

I see I left the phrase "I doubt" in the offending post (which I have edited), so I am sorry about the confusion.

Yep that's what didn't come across too well.

And Stoney, I agree. But I would never jump on someone's wheel, make stupid noises and generally act like an ass instead of trying to make a point in an intelligent way. If I did, I would be wrong to expect a solid and consistent pull from the dude I was harassing, even if somewhere buried in my behavior was a solid point. No, instead I would expect the rider to brake, pull off, smack me, or otherwise give me what I deserve, even if it was wrong on his part too.

And now, back our regularly scheduled program...

 

[sanjuro]

As for my confrontational style, yes I could be hurt for p*ssing off the wrong person. However, I am selective about where I do it. For example, my ride down 3rd Street through Bayview (the worse neighborhood in SF), I keep my mouth shut and I keep pedalling no matter what happens.

However, I find that confrontation is a valid response in today's society of selfishness and isolation. Firstly I should point out that I have never been violent or destructive under any circumstance (although I have offered to fight when appropriate, but all requests have been declined so far, except for one, but that is another story).

I think many people ignore or try to justify their own obnoxious behavior. I think confrontation is the only effective way to remind these people that their own behavior is offensive, and I try to do it in not an angry or threatening manner, but in a humorous way.

For example, the incident I posted about "raise the roof" in response to having a car swerve into me. All I did was "raise the roof" and sway to the music. I said nothing and I made no movements toward the person or his car. Any sensible driver would have either laughed or ignored me, but any sensible driver would not have threaten to run me over.

I could have tapped on his window and try to discuss his driving, or started yelling over the blaring car stereo, but both would have been easily been miscontrued as aggressive moves, and nor do I think either one would have been effective. I am not sure mocking him did anything positive either, but I thought it was funny (still do, except for overanalysis) and I guarantee you the driver remembered his overblown reaction to what happened there.

Specifically about my whine du jour, all I did was ride behind an unsafe rider and make some silly noises. Could he have braked and cause me to crash? I highly doubt it, considering our speed, the distance separating us, and my skill level. But would my revving sounds justify me being knocked down?

And not every confrontation has to be some life-threatening incident. One time a jogger on Tam got mad because we did not response to his unsolicted offer of directions while we were looking at a map. He said in a snotty manner, "I guess you don't want my help", and I responded, "Not with that attitude!"

But I worry that I am over the top, looking for a fight where no fight exists, which is why I post what I do on a public forum to hear other people's responses to my behavior. This is the way I confront my own obxnoxious behavior.

Am I going to stop mouthing off? Very unlikely. But I do appreciate the responses I receive here and it does help me to formulate better comebacks!

 

[OGRipper]

I think the horse is just about dead, but you are being passive aggressive in your "confrontations" and in doing so you make it harder to take you seriously. Plus, you might think you are making your point but if that guy was stupid enough to go too fast in the first place, how can you be sure he knows what you mean? Why not just say "Dude, slow down or get in the road"?

And no, your revving sounds would not justify someone knocking you over, but that doesn't mean it won't happen.

 

[sanjuro]

I think the horse is just about dead, but you are being passive aggressive in your "confrontations" and in doing so you make it harder to take you seriously. Plus, you might think you are making your point but if that guy was stupid enough to go too fast in the first place, how can you be sure he knows what you mean? Why not just say "Dude, slow down or get in the road"?

I think most people don't respond to traditional warnings, or they would behave properly in the first place. Plus it is more fun to react unconventionally.

 

[jdcamb]

Plus it is more fun to react unconventionally.

It is more fun to react unconventionally.

 

[Skookum]

This has nothing to do with this thread per-se. i just wanted to share a queer anecdote of an erstwhile riding experience in the days of yore (1991?).
Post smoke session mt. bike meander, Burke-Gilman trail to Lake Union an untimely meeting with King 5 meteorologist Jeff Renner. His cheerful greeting inundated the encounter as his booming baritone television voice stepped on your heads as if the tide had rolled in as a long rushing wave of sonic unpleasure. Coupled with the fact that the leaf left us stumbling within a quagmire, an unpleasant discomfort in our ability to even remotely comprehend the full scope of what was taking place. Our inability to escape the situation our feet planted as if in concrete, our toungues tied, it was just short of horror. After years of succesfully protecting our minds being television free..... television found us at our most vulnerable.

Skookie lesson #37 To kill a dumb thread merely introduce an extremely abtruse convuleted yet equally as dumb and long off-tangent post.