Spent two hours on the bike today.
I started off by failing to trip a traffic signal in my neighborhood. It's adjacent to a city provided bicycle facility. I reported the malfunction. I'll take a photo and post it if any improvements are made.
A couple days ago I tried to get a photo of the paint at 22nd & Western but the sun was too bright for my cell phone camera and I wanted to be attentive to the travel needs of the two police vehicles behind me at the light. I was pleased to be able to cause the light to trigger for them instead of blocking their path waiting for some other auto to approach.
Stopped off before work for some fresh pineapple and a cup of joe.
Post-work I found the office supply store and acquired a document tube. I've got some Coffee & Donut Ride posters to deliver or maybe I just like riding around with a document tube poking from my messenger bag. Kinda like walking around work with a clipboard. Makes me feel busy.
Next stop was going to be the mid-town Caribou but I realized the east side Dunn Brothers was a reasonable destination, if not a bit of a reach.
I made it to my evening meeting a few minutes late, a nice warm beverage in hand and feeling much refreshed after learning that some people still feel comfortable offering bicycling advice from the hole in their metal and glass cages. I'm sure they were less than impressed with my latte laden left hand.
The meeting was the bike planning meeting for the Metropolitan Planning Organization. It was a very good meeting. We reviewed the draft and agreed June would be a good time to make it public. This planning document details ways to connect the five major population centers in the area with designated bike routes and bike trails. Lots of goodies in there like better communication of chip sealing, better design of rumble strips and generally better roadway design.
I learned a few pleasing bicycle related things are going on at the state government level. I also learned that our city planner and representatives from the state DOT and fed DOT visited with the county commissions today and received some favorable responses to bicycle related ideas.
Exciting stuff!
On the way home I identified another traffic signal that I was unable to switch with my bicycle.
Next stop was Monk's for some much needed mentoring, questioning, and conversating. Monk's is a very good venue for that.
Finally on the way home I identified another traffic signal that failed to detect my bicycle. The police have a simple answer for what to do when in this situation. Turn right. Find an alternate route.
I was in the left turn lane. Given that a right turn from the left lane is illegal and not appropriate for my destination I rode through the red light.
Eh, who am I kidding, I'd a ridden through it anyway but not before stopping and confirming that it wasn't going to change for me.
30 miles.
6 comments:
I've just about forgotten what a traffic signal looks like. It's one of the advantages to living in the boonies!
The disadvantages? Well, it's one thing arguing with a car driver, it's another thing arguing with the driver of a monstrous John Deere 8030 that's about 12ft high with tyres that are taller than me on my bike!
I ran a red light yesterday. The sensor is marked, and the sensor works, but the sensor is way far back from the intersection.
A car came behind me, and I rolled ahead to let the car sit over the sensor. Graciously the car did not crowd me, but neither did it trip the sensor.
Y'all are lucky. Living between Malaysia and the Gulf countries, you wouldn't imagine how it is for those who want to cycle. Since there's little to no cycle culture, I guess the onus is on me to start writing about it, in hopes of finding other cycle enthusiasts.
Sam:
My favorite bike shop owner taught me this.
If you look around a room and can't find the cool person it is fair to conclude that you are the cool person in the room.
When you look around and can't find the person who will start a bicycle culture it's fair to conclude...
Soooo ... what's going on at the state level? Curious here ...
Not my story to tell.
:-)
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