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Today's Featured Article
| Tennessee Cyclist Killed - RIP Sharon Bayler |
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Monday, May 17 2010 @ 10:38 CDT
Contributed by: patclem
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 It always makes me very sad when a bicyclist is out enjoying a country road or their ride to work and is run over by a speeding car. Sharon Bayler was riding just north of Taft, TN on state highway 274. She was "sweeping" with a group of bicyclists. For those of you that don't know what sweeping is, someone intentionally rides last and makes sure none of the beginners get in trouble or lost. It's a very noble thing to do. And I imagine Sharon was taking it eas. y because her husband died of a heart attack while riding his bike a month before.
Well, Sharon was taking up the rear, sweeping, when a truck ran her down and killed her. The news article claimed the driver couldn't see her because of the shadows and the investigator determined it was a no-fault accident. Others suggested she was swerving to avoid a dead snake in the road, even though her body was lying near the snake after flying 167 feet after impact before coming to rest.
The sober driver always one of two excuses:
1. "Sorry I Didn't See You" - also known as SIDSY. In England, it's "Sorry, I Didn't See You Mate." This usually passes for Grand Juries, DA's, the general public and even some advocates.
2. "Single Witness Suicide Swerve." The driver, alone, is supposedly safely passing the bicyclist when he or she suddenly swerves out in front of the car in an apparent successful suicide attempt. There's only one living witness - the driver.
I think Sharon's case was a SIDSY.
What do I call it? I think most of these are the real truth:
1. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
2. "Sorry, I haven't had enough sleep."
3. "Sorry, I was talking on my phone or whatever."
4. "Sorry, I've been driving this road for 20 years, I do it NASCAR style in a daydreaming daze, looking to shave seconds off my trip into the country."
Bicyclists generally believe that if they're riding legally as valid roadway users and they're run over and killed, justice will be served and someone will be punished. That's not always the case. But the justice system must work for everyone - justice must be served. As a volunteer for an advocacy organization, there are things we can do, and we are doing.
1. Follow up with the District Attorney
2. Refer the DA to other DA's with similar circumstances.
3. Use the event to demonstrate that drivers need to take care and watch for bicycles, with caution not to make bicycling out to be dangerous.
I'm riding in the Ride of Silence this Wednesday, May 19 in Nashville to honor those injured or killed while riding a bicycle. I'm going to be riding for Sharon Bayler.
I know from what I've read that she died doing something she loved (cycling), helping others enjoy the sport that was so dear to her. My sincerest condolences to Sharon's friends and family.
Please everyone - bicycling is still not dangerous. Keep riding your bike.
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| Most Recent Post: 08/21 10:53 by Anonymous [ Views:: 89 ] |
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| Safe Bike Route for HWEN to Green Hills Mall Area |
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Tuesday, July 14 2009 @ 07:27 CDT
Contributed by: patclem
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I had a discussion with a non-bicycling friend several weeks ago about bicycling, Nashville bike facilities, and the feasibility of bicycling for something other than exercise. She was adamant that bicycles are impractical, stopping short of "bicycles shouldn't be on the road." And there are plenty of greenways and bike lanes that bicyclists should stick to, and stay off her roads. Interestingly, her husband, a former bicyclist, seemed to agree with her. At first I was furious. Then it dawned on me that this is the attitude that bicycling advocates have to overcome, and Tennesseans have to overcome to bring the state out of the bottom of every state rankings list. Anyhow, so I'm going to work on a series of ways Nashvillians can get from place to place, at least around the Hillsboro West End area as either a start or a finish area.
It's a shame to have a high population density in the area, and to have a road like Hillsboro Road that is so bicycle and pedestrian challenged. At the time of this writing, the road is under construction to be repaved and restriped to include a turn lane down the middle. The project is not including any bike/ped facilities whatsoever.
- The graphic below shows a way to get safely from 23rd and Woodmont to the Green Hills Mall area, avoiding Hillsboro Road entirely.
- Take Woodmont (with bike lanes from Harding Rd to Woodmont) east towards Hillsboro Road.
- Just before the light, take a right into the church parking lot. Follow the parking lot parallel to Hillsboro Rd towards the mall.
- Approaching Cavalry Church, there's a grass area separating the two churches. Get off and walk across the grass. Continue towards the mall.
- There's a path between Cavalry and the Krystal parking lot.
From there, you become more "sidewalk friendly" and you should be able to safely navigate to anywhere in Green Hills. Suggestions? The two churches could install a sidewalk between the parking lots, allowing neighborhood pedestrians and bicyclists to safely connect. They could go as far as painting bicycle symbols to guide cyclists through the parking lots.
23rd and Woodmont is easy to get to from Natchez Trace, Woodlawn, Bowling, Hillsboro Village. An alternative route to the mall is to use Belmont, then cut down on Glen Echo.
One last note, I'm a pretty avid bicyclist. But since I first started riding, I've never seen a hill so steep I couldn't walk.
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| Most Recent Post: 04/15 03:38 by Anonymous [ Views:: 727 ] |
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| Mountain Biking Single Speed |
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Sunday, November 30 2008 @ 05:37 CST
Contributed by: patclem
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It's been a while since I've been mountain biking. Before my first Jack and Back (which I count as what got me started road biking) I used to mountain bike all the time. Me and some co-workers would cut out of work early on beautiful days and head out. At that time, I didn't realize I couldn't really turn the pedals. I did wonder how those guys in tight pants could fly up those hills. It was because they rode road as well. I digress...
Well, on Saturday some friends were heading to Lock 4. Since I don't have a mountain bike any more, a buddy had a single speed mountain bike for sale and I figure I'd try it. I was a little intimidated. My friends ride off road fairly often. It's been since the 2006 HBC Ocoee trip since I've gotten tires dirty. One friend talked about having to wait up for a guy on a SS on another trip.
So, we all gathered on the gravel parking lot. I installed my SPD pedals and did a few laps around the parking lot to get a feel for the bike, a GT Peace, 32x19, no suspension front or back, mechanical disc brakes. Normally set up as a 29er, this GT Peace is set up as a 26er. The handle bars are a little wide, the 2.3" tires a little fatter than my old Hutchison Pythons I used to ride. Off we went into the woods.
I took up the back spot thinking I would slow everyone down. First thing I noticed was that no suspension will cause the front steering to buck around, therefore the wide handlebars. I can imagine with 29" wheels it can really buck on fast rough downhills.
Lock 4 has no epic climbs. The SS was perfect for the terrain. Nothing was too long to keep me from standing up and pumping up the uphills. Downhill, I could keep my speed but I couldn't add any because of the low single gear. On rough downhill, I did have to slow down because of the bucking. I just need to pick my line better and stay loose.
On the technical uphills - switchbacks, rocks and roots, the lack of suspension was a serious advantage. With front suspension, you stand up and the front end sinks, causing the front end to stick on bumps. I would have never believed it until Saturday. Many of the sections that I remember catching me at Lock 4 were no problem at all on the Peace. I could stand up and pump through just about any of the technical sections. I rode almost everything.
OK, so my hands got really cramped hanging onto the handlebars because of the rigid front end. My shoulders are aching. My back muscles are exhausted. But, I never got dropped. I think it was because I had to keep my momentum up and I picked my lines very carefully. It's not because I'm a great pedaler. As a matter of fact, I haven't been on a real bike ride since November 4 at Jill's bonfire! And, I ran the Boulevard Dash on Thursday (Thanksgiving) and my legs have been killing me for days! Maybe I just had a good day.
So, for $300, I now own a single speed mountain bike. It will be a great way to spend some cold weekend days turning the pedals. And I won't have to listen to all the mountain biking stories. Hopefully I'll be telling them.
UPDATE: I originally wrote this back in early December 2008. Since then, I've ridden twice more - once at Montgomery Bell SP In White Bluff with Paul Kitchen, and once with SiAnte at Bowie in Fairview. Montgomery Bell kicked my butt. Some of those long climbs made me feel like I had just started riding a bike. Though it may sound bad, it's not. It inspires me to ride harder to get back to the same feeling of riding those hills on a geared bike. Long live the singlespeed!
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| Most Recent Post: 07/24 03:11 by Anonymous [ Views:: 385 ] |
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| DIY Bright Bike Light |
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Thursday, October 23 2008 @ 10:27 CDT
Contributed by: patclem
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OK, so I started receiving my parts today for my homemade bike light. I'm following http://www.bikeled.org/, an excellent resource, and Allen is a great guy, answering stupid questions about whether to hook up the LED's in serial or parallel (serial by the way!)
Today, I received my lenses from Led-Spot. I just ordered them yesterday from California, and they arrived DHL tonight. Shipping was $6. Unbelievable! The lenses are much smaller than I imagined. Probably 3/4" across.
I'll keep posting progress here. I'm expecting my batteries and charger next, and AAA thermal epoxy, LED's and nFlex should be in some time next week. If Led-spot sold that stuff, it would be here now!
This should be fun.
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| Most Recent Post: 08/20 10:04 by Anonymous [ Views:: 207 ] |
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