Unwritten Rules of Bicycle Commuting

This is an article I wrote for bikecommuters.com. Read it, then head over to their site and check out all the great resources they got over there. Tons of great info for newbies and oldies alike.

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I've been giving this some thought and have realized that there is an unwritten code of commuting by bicycle. No one else discusses this code and I cannot find a reason why it should remain shrouded in mystery. These aren't rules to keep you safer or save you time, just things that make this whole bike commuting thing fun and worthwhile.

1. The first rule is probably the easiest. When you pass another cyclist going the opposite direction, give a quick wave or a nod of the helmet. This small act of acknowledgement helps to build community among cyclists. It is just an easy way to say "way to go, buddy" to others out on the road.



2. If you are passing someone going the same direction give a short acknowledgement of their presense. Base it on how much faster you are going. If you are speeding by, a simple "howdy" is fine (after a "on your left" to let the know you are coming). If you are not blazing past them you can use "great weather for a ride" or "XX more miles to go."



3. Similarly, if you are getting passed, give them a "hello" back and let them pass you. The last thing anybody wants is to fight over positioning, especially on busy or dangerous roads.



4. If you pull up to a stop light or sign with another cyclist, talk to them. Ask them where they are headed, what routes they like, anything. If they have a piece of gear you've never seen or have been meaning to try, ask them about that. Nobody likes to sit awkwardly at a light next to someone when you could easily be talking.



5. Don't draft behind someone you don't know without taking a turn at the front of the line. Nobody likes a wheel sucker.



6. Don't work real hard to pass someone if they are going to have to pass you again in a block or two. Passing can be a pain and on certain busy roads is dangerous. So don't pass unless you are traveling at a faster speed. A better option is to link up and bike pool. You can pull each other through the wind and maybe even strike up a conversation.



7. Always, always stop or slow down when you pass another cyclist who is having equipment troubles. Ask if they need a hand or a certain tool. You never know if they lost their tire pump or their flat repair kit is with their wife (thankfully we have put together a second kit).



8. And finally, the rule I have the most trouble with, take time to check stuff out. By that I mean, if you see something that would make a great photo, stop and take the photo (if you carry a camera with you). If you see something curious, want to check out a new shop that has opened on your route or just wonder where a road leads, take the time to go look. The amount of time it takes will be amply made up for the by the times you discover something wonderful.
   

Do you have any rules to add?

Direct link to REI Cycling store

New Job!

I'm happy to announce that I have gotten the new job in Carlsbad. The strange thing is that of all the great things about this job, benefits, being back in my field, the thing I am most excited for is my daily trip on the Coaster.

Perhaps I'm building it up too much and will soon not enjoy it. If that is the case, you'll be the first to know. I should be more regular with my posting as I will be able to enjoy my coaster ride while putting down my thoughts on cycle commuting, green living and life in general.

In other news, only two more days at this job and only one more trip cycling down the dangerous and debris filled 905 freeway!

-Matt




Direct link to REI Cycling store

Buy a Jersey, Help a Cause

So I probably should have mentioned this last week sometime. The new FatCyclist.com jerseys are on sale now. Or rather that is what I would have written if I was an even competent blogger. They are now sold out, although there are rumors that there might be more coming.

FatCyclist is one of my favorite cycling bloggers. He is the winner of the 2008 Blogger's Choice Award for best sports blog. His family has gotten some terrible news with which they are trying to cope. His wife Susan has cancer and is not long for this earth. I'm not real sure on the specifics and don't really care to be. These type of things scare me because I don't think I could handle it nearly as well as it seems he can. So go to TwinSix (the company that makes his jerseys and other swag) and get a Fatcyclist t-shirt or some other swag (they are pretty sweet looking). Or do yourself a favor and just go read his blog. (Go ahead and click on a few ads while you're there). You won't regret it..

Jerseys that still look to be available are Team Type 1 jerseys (available here). Team Type 1 is a pro racing team that supports finding a cure for diabetes. Some of the riders on the team actually have Type 1 Diabetes which adds another level to race preparedness. They are doing pretty good having taken third at this years Tour de Georgia. Get more info on the team here and here.

More Extreme In-line Skating

Thanks to the commenter Moe at the Do The Right Thing Blog here is another video of the extreme in-line skater that actually shows his outfit/equipment a little better.

The video is not able to be embedded so here is there link. (Youtube Linky)

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Hoofin' It

We all commute by bike for different reasons. I know a big segment do it to save money on gas and to help relieve stress. Turns out bicycles aren't the only way to do that.

KSAT in Pleasanton Texas has a story (link) about a woman who got tired of paying to fill up her truck so she started riding her horse to work.

Her commute is only 4 miles each way which is almost too short for cycling (depending on how much special gear you use, I would personally love a 4 mile commute), but is a great distance for a horse. She and her horse get a little exercise and fresh air. Plus riding the horse helps her relax.

Hutton's boss let her put up a mini-pen behind her work where Tester stays
during the day until it's time to ride home again.

How many of us would love to have a boss so willing to work with you on alternate transportation options. Great Story!

Just a reminder that there is more ways than one to change the world.

-Matt




Direct link to REI Cycling store

Super Late BTWD Wrap-up

This picture goes at the end, but I am dumb and lazy. These are the lovely people from the Sweetwater School District in Chula Vista along with a representative from Bike Warehouse. They talked me into entering their drawing. I suppose I didn't win.

This is the first stop from my trip at the San Diego Zoo. I apparently left too early for the Adams Ave. Bike Shop people. They weren't open yet. The Zoo had a pit stop open in their parking lot. this is Skink Floyd. He is a skink from Australia (I forget which type). These are the folks from the RECON Environmental sponsored pit stop. I believe they are dressed up as 4 of the threatened local species they are working to protect. Had a good time at this pit stop.
Even when they made me pose with them for a photo.
I didn't get any pictures from the Ridelink sponsored site. I did get to speak with someone from Ridelink about the new Sprinter service in north county. She told me that they have been overwhelmed with bicyclist and that they are working on figuring out how to have this brand new service work better for cyclists. That is the kind of thing I like to hear.

These great ladies work at the Hard Rock Hotel. They had a great spread and were real excited to be hosting this event. It was their first year doing it so hopefully they will do it again next year.

From there I got on the trolley and rode 4 stops into Chula Vista (since I was starting to run late to work). Went to the REI sponsored stop at the BFGoodwrench Aerospace complex. They had a mechanic out doing minor repairs and adjustments on bikes. Plus, free water bottles and tire levers. Good times.
Then I headed down to the first picture and then broke a spoke on my way to the bus (see Bike to Work Day Bummer).

All in all, I'd say the day went pretty well for the city. More sponsors it seems, now we just need more cyclists. Or I need to ride where the cyclists are riding. One of the two.

-Matt

Direct link to REI Cycling store

News Stories I like to read:

Today I must be in a good mood. Instead of being snarky and wanting to blast a fat NO DUH! at these newspaper writers, I am just happy that the stories are being published and hoping that it might help to convert a few more people.

Today, it is three stories that say: "Save gas, Bike to work"

The Economic Times - (perfect name for a paper to run this story)
The Newark Advocate
Galesburg's The Register-Mail

-Matt





Direct link to REI Cycling store

Non-driving Catch Up

I've been remiss in posting the amount of car travel I'm taking and the reasoning for it. I'm proud to say that I have still not driven a car this month and that car trips have been kept to a minimum.

For those of you who don't recall, after commuting by car a few too many times at the end of last month, I made a pledge for Bicycle Month to not drive at all and to justify any car trips I take.

Since I last updated I've taken these car trips.

The first weekend in May Em and I drove up to Orange County for a wedding and to celebrate her birthday with her parents. I do not have the ability or equipment to make the 100 mile journey in a reasonable amount of time, much less show up presentable for a wedding. Besides, my wife would have driven anyway.

The following weekend we drove up to Palomar to celebrate her birthday with my family and stopped by the Wild Animal Park on the way home to celebrate Mother's Day with both sets of folks. Same reasons as above, but not wedding. And instead of 100 miles it is 50 miles with 5000 ft of elevation gain.

That week I took a trip to lunch with my boss. Probably could have done without that trip, but he was making the trek anyway.

On BTWD last Friday Emily drove me up to REI to drop off my tire so they could fix my broken spoke. I did not have a bicycle all weekend.

This weekend we went to an alumni event at UCLA (where Em graduated from) on Saturday. Use the same reasons as above except 150 miles.

Then yesterday we went to a house warming party for one of Em's coworkers. This trip we had planned on cycling, but I was without a bicycle and Emily wasn't feeling great. So we drove.

That is all the riding in cars I've been doing. I'm not sure I'm going to keep it up the entire month. I feel like I've made a proof of concept that I can get by without a car of my own. Not really planning on selling my car just yet since I just paid registration and insurance. Also, Emily is not conviced I can make it an entire winter without it. Besides, chauffering me around everywhere is getting Em angry and for the sake of marital harmony I might just have to give up and drive occasionally.

I just remembered one more but it really doesn't count. I had to move my car to a different parking spot because the cops had chalked it (I was on the street) and if I hadn't it would've been towed.

-Matt




Direct link to REI Cycling store

Extreme In-line Skating

Not sure what made me think of this, but it is a video my dad sent me awhile back. If you think there is nothing better than bombing down a hill on your bike, check out this guy in a full body in-line skate suit.





Direct link to REI Cycling store

Bike to Work Day Bummer

Photo from Flickr

Late last night I changed my plan for Bike to Work Day. Since people actually read this blog now, I figured I should try to do you all a service and try to report how BTWD went in San Diego. I stayed up a little late mapping out a route that would take me past 7 different pit stops. This route was 27 miles one-way. No problem I figured, since I'd be getting my miles anyway, I'll substitute a short jaunt on the trolley between downtown and Chula Vista and a quick ride on the bus at the end of my trip.

Would this take longer? Sure. But I'll just get up and out a bit earlier than normal. Anything for my new found readers!

Let's just say that everything went very well early on. I'll post a better report and pictures later. But as time went on I knew I was going to be later and later to work. So I rushed to my bus stop, where there was a bus waiting. Not wanting the bus to leave without me, I rushed up onto the sidewalk so that I could be seen. At that point my back tire locked up. Didn't have a chance to look at it until now.

Broke a spoke.

I contend that no routine damage is so detrimental as a broken spoke. Does it kill your ride? No. You can still ride on it. But I know from experience that riding on a broken spoke only leads to breaking more spokes. I went through a month after I started riding where I broke 4 spokes. I asked what I was doing wrong and what I could do to stop it. I found out that any riding on a broken spoke weakens the other spokes. I had him rebuild the tire.

This means that my trip home, the first time I was going to ride all the way home without using the transit system, is going to be strictly by transit. And what is worse is that I will likely have to wait for a bus that doesn't already have too many bikes on it.

Bummer.

-Matt

Direct link to REI Cycling store

Bike to Work Day - San Diego

I'd be remiss if I weren't to at least acknowledge that Bike to Work Day is tomorrow. I'm fond of Bike to Work Day because it has been, over the last two years, the day where I finally take the plunge and skip the car or public transit and make the ride to work on my own power. It is incredibly liberating. I also like it because, much like the number of visitors to this blog after a link from Commute by Bike, the number of riders on the street jumps up dramatically.

The link for San Diego information is here via Ridelink
If that doesn't work work your way through the Ridelink page

Here is the list of all the rest stops in San Diego: (pdf file)

I'll have photos from my trip tomorrow!




Direct link to REI Cycling store

Trip on the Coaster

For those of you who don't know, in San Diego County we have 5 different, interconnected, transit systems. MTS bus is the main bus system, the Breeze is the north county bus system, the Trolley is the light rail that services downtown to the Mexican border and east to Santee, the Sprinter is the brand new light rail that runs east-west in north county from Escondido to Oceanside along the 78 corridor.

This leaves the Coaster. Coaster is not light rail. It is heavy rail, regular rail. I don't know what to call it. It's basically a train. It runs from downtown only making 6 other stops on it's way to Oceanside. Coaster is the most expensive form of public transportation (short of some of the DART vans or pick-up style transport) but it is perhaps the most glorious.

My Coaster ride started at the second stop in Old Town. When I boarded I made special note of where the bike parking was and headed upstairs(!) found a nice seat with a table where I could do some brainstorming.

At this point I should mention that I was on my way to an interview. So that explains the lack of bicycle and why I needed to brainstorm questions I needed answered and what I might be asked during the interview.

Out the window from Old Town you get to see Mission Bay for a bit before the train ducks into a canyon. Then you are, it seems, miles from civilization - in a canyon with no view of man-made structures. You come out of the canyon and you are at the Sorrento Valley stop. From there you continue along the bottom of the valley where you can only see the business buildings at the top of the hills (this area is where most of tech work is done in San Diego, including most of the Qualcomm campus).

From there you come out of the valley and cross a field then back to the beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. You pass right between the beach and the west side of the Del Mar Racetrack. Nothing but beautiful views all the way up to Oceanside.

I am very hopeful to get the job I interviewed with. Aside from it getting me back into my field, the owners are really great and the environment seems to be excellent. While it may be a paycut for me (very slight and made up for once benefits kick in) and a much longer commute (in miles anyway), any loss of income is amply paid for by a daily trip on the wonderful Coaster.




Direct link to REI Cycling store

Thanks to Commute by Bike

Just want to thank Commute by Bike for mentioning this blog yesterday.
The few of you who didn't find this site through that link should check them out. They are one of my favorite bike blogs.

Commute by Bike

-matt




Direct link to REI Cycling store

In our Sport Utility Vehicles...

With many thanks to Cyclelicious:

Everyone's favorite christian vegetables!

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New Rule #1

New rule about talking with or around me:

If you fail to make even the slightest effort to save gas, you are not allowed to complain about gas prices, no matter how high they get.

This rule comes from two stories my wife told me and one story I got on my own.

First story: My wife has started commuting by bicycle 2-3 times a week. She noticed that there was another guy who had been biking to work, but that he had stopped. She asked him why he didn't ride any more and he replied he was riding while his car was in the shop. He said he prefers to drive the less than 3 miles to work because at lunch he likes to take a nap in his car. With the air conditioner running.

Story 2: When picking up our CSA box, (CSA is community supported agriculture. At its most basic, we pay money to a local organic farm and get a box of produce and fruit every two weeks) another woman came to get hers box. She pulled up in her large SUV, an Expedition I belive, went in to get her box, but chose not to even turn off the engine of her SUV for the 5 minutes or so it takes to get your produce.

Story 3: During our last heat wave a few weeks back my coworkers and I were talking about how hot it was in the areas where we live. My boss chimes in with his story about it being so hot that he had to let his car "cool down" before he could get in to drive it. He cooled it down by starting it and letting it sit with the A/C on for 15 before starting his drive.

Do you have any awful gas wasting stories?




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The Zen of Fixing a Flat

I was thinking today about the simplicity of changing a flat. How, at a point, it no longer requires a thought from you. Your eyes seem to speak to your hands without bothering to wake the brain up from its nap.

I had forgotten to repair a slow leak in my front tire so I knew that on the trolley ride home I would want to pump some air in to make the ride up out of downtown easier. About 25 pumps in, I cut the valve stem and that inner tube was toast. Luckily, I carry an extra tube with me when I ride. So I flipped my bike over, took off my wheel and sat in the empty seat at the back of the train.

Then I zoned out and found inner peace in the act of flat repair.

Then I wore my arm out trying to pump 60 psi of air into my tire with my crappy frame pump. Still, totally worth it.

ps: My wife got a new point and shoot camera for her birthday so I've taken the old, crummy one into my bike bag as a way to bring more photos to you, my loyal readers.

-Matt

Direct link to REI Cycling store