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I commute as well, but my commute is nowhere near as long as yours. I ride to/from work school (5 miles round trip) and to/from the grocery store (3 miles round trip). I do my best to ride defensively AND I follow all the rules of the road: full stop at stop signs, ride in the lanes when on the road (cyclists should NOT be on the sideWALK), signal when I'm turning or slowing down, and when necessary, act like the vehicle that I am (i.e., ride in the center of the lane). I've found that when I act like a vehicle and ride defensively, I'm treated like a vehicle.

HOWEVER, it's the cyclists that don't do these things that cause drivers to view us all the same. Those cyclists that DON'T stop at stop signs, don't signal, and don't obey the traffic laws are the ones that will likely get us all killed.

When I'm not training for Marathons, I like to ride 100+ mpw. It's the asshats in cars that like to honk as they go by that piss me off. I hear you coming, douchebag! You don't need to honk and yell at me as you go by! Thanks for throwing your garbage at me, asshole! Here's my one-finger wave!

I was riding in Atlanta with a friend of mine years ago who had been a messenger in NYC. We got buzzed by a car (came within only a few inches of me, honked, and threw crap at us) and both of us got PISSED. The car got caught at a red light that we were also rolling up on. My friend had a steel frame-pump on his bike and as we got closer, he told me to take a right and keep pedaling as fast as I could. As we approached the car, my friend pulled out his frame pump, screamed as he rolled past the car, then slammed his frame pump into the windshield with as much force as he could, causing it to spider-web quite dramatically. He took a right in front of me and we sprinted at top speed for at least 5 miles. I was stunned. I had NEVER seen a cyclist as aggressive as he. I'm not sure if that action changed how the driver reacted to bikes (probably just pissed him off even more) but DAMN!, it sure felt good to see it happen!

If you were wearing all black after dark, you DESERVE to get hit. Honestly, IMO, that's stupid.

Of course, your caption says you weren't, but the post says you were.

Helmets can be lifesaving. I was hit by a car, don't think my head actually hit ground, but it was close. Had the helmet on.

Sold it to a friend. He went through a windshield, stitches on his chest but no head/face damage.

His wife went through a windshield. No injuries.

They threw the helmet away.

I already saved that picture, Bob.
Priceless

Don't even get me started.

http://www.rickdenney.com/social.htm for those cyclist prepared to laugh at themselves for being obnoxious asshats.

Me, a few years (and pounds) ago, not being an obnoxious asshat (the road was closed to traffic).

I don't ride much any more because my knees are giving out and because I've lost a lot of my nerve. But let's just say that I have ridden to work (at a bike shop) on Richmond Avenue in Houston--the part that carries 70,000 cars a day--and bike lanes? Fuggedaboudit. No way I'm up for that now--my imagination is too good, or at least too colorful. And I've lost enough friends to give that imagination some reality.

The unleashed dogs on the bike trails have almost caused my serious injury more than drivers. And inline skaters (thankfully a fad that has died off).

Rick "who has logged many running miles on thae Lakeshore trail when traveling to Chicago for conferences" Denney

Rick Denney wrote: http://www.rickdenney.com/social.htm for those cyclist prepared to laugh at themselves for being obnoxious asshats.

OUTSTANDING!

I used to be 3-4 from the bottom (does carrying kids in a kid seat w/ helmet add any points?) (how about a tuba??) but am now square at the bottom. After moving from a small city to a big one, I rode to work ONCE: that was all it took. One of my co-workers and his wife bought an expensive Cannondale (redundant) tandem bike. The first time he was out on it a "redneck" (his term not mine) in a pickup drove towards them and flung open his door, forcing them into a ditch. That was the last time they rode the several grand tandem.

So, why don't you do one for tubists?

You know, If you own a CC and an F, towards the top. Just a BBb further down. If you still play on a heavyweight mouthpiece, move down a notch. If you ever played a gig with a valve stuck down, move up two notches. Stuff like that

A local newspaper columnist lost his wife when she was run down by a car while riding her bike on a local two lane road with a 55 mph speed limit.
Two years later he was run down and killed while bike riding on that same stretch of road.
Thier children still ride bikes on that road. They miss their parents very much.
I suspect they will be joining them soon.

MartyNeilan wrote:You know, If you own a CC and an F, towards the top. Just a BBb further down. If you still play on a heavyweight mouthpiece, move down a notch. If you ever played a gig with a valve stuck down, move up two notches. Stuff like that

Sounds like you are already part way there. Just keep going.

Rick "who'll publish it if it's funny" Denney