Why cyclists dont stop at stop signs
posted on October 19th, 2011 in Cycling, Cycling Tips, Video Blog by Stephen
A situation that has been addressed around the Atlanta area is cyclists ‘blowing through’ stop signs. I think what the motorists don’t realize is that the front cyclists slow down and check traffic and that the group goes through the stop sign as a whole. Although it is not legal, it is to most motorists advantage to get this group of cyclists out of their way faster.
I was out on a metro-Atlanta road and came upon a construction area that was single file. Before moving into the next lane, I looked over my shoulder and saw that over 100 feet back there was a car approaching. So I went from a leisure training ride into putting in a solid effort to rush through this construction zone.
After getting through it the car behind would not pass, and now I noticed that there were 4 cars that had backed up behind this 1 motorists. So, again, I pedaled in earnest up to the stop sign, slowed nearly to a stop, checked both directions and made my right hand turn.
Then about 200 yards up this road, a pickup truck pulls up next to me and starts yelling ‘if you want to be taken seriously as traffic, then obey the stop signs’, and of course sped off before I could reply.
Here I was trying to stay out of the way, not get hit and help the flow of traffic, and I got yelled at anyway.
What I don’t think most motorists realize is that cyclists do not want a car following behind them just as much as most motorists don’t want to have to drive behind a cyclist.
Another thing that motorists don’t realize is that historically those stop signs are there to regulate speed, not right of way;
Now, since only elite cyclists average over 22 mph – whose speed are they trying to regulate?
Here is a great video that explains the reasons why most cyclists do not stop at stop signs.
I agree with what the video says, cyclists are ‘usually’ more cautious around other motorists because we realize how distracted motorists are these days. Also, in an accident between an automobile & a bicycle, a cyclist realizes he has the most to loose.
What I would add that cyclists yielding to stop signs allows for better flow of traffic for everyone on the roads.
Something that I try to keep in mind is that motorists hate anyone else using the roadways, especially if it slows them down.
Safe Travels!
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How to be a safer cyclist in traffic
posted on May 24th, 2011 in Cycling, Cycling Tips by Stephen
To be a safer cyclist in traffic it is necessary to stay aware of your surroundings, use common sense, and avoid some situations.
As, a new rider who cycled across America in 1996 with a group called PUSH America, and then got into racing bikes for nearly 10 years, many years I have put more miles on my bike than my car. Most of of those miles were on the road, in the metro Atlanta area, which doesn’t exactly rate very high on the driver ‘friendly’ cities.
In order to be a cyclist in this area, I have adopted some things that I feel have helped keep me safer. And I want to share them with you in hopes that it will keep you safer as well!
1) I nearly always look over my left shoulder as soon as I hear a car approaching. This takes away the ‘I’m going to scare this cyclist’.
A) I can do this without swerving! B) even if I don’t ‘look at’ the driver – they don’t realize the difference, only that you looked in their direction. So, if ‘A’ is a problem, just try looking slightly to your left and not ‘over your shoulder’. Just being able to touch your chin to your collarbone w/o swerving is usually sufficient – again, do NOT swerve into the lane.
This is very important – as I wrote here – today’s motorists have more distractions than ever.
2) I tend to ride on the left hand side of the white line. In other words, I ride ‘in the lane, but not blocking the lane.’ This causes you to be more noticeable, and the driver has to pass you as they would any other vehicle. This causes the driver anticipate having to ‘go around’ you, rather than just ‘pass’ you.
I really liked how Atlanta’s ‘Clark Howard‘ pointed out that after starting to drive a scooter, he then realized how oblivious auto drivers are! Something I’m sure all 2 wheeled brother-en realize.
“I will say this: Riding a scooter certainly has made me much more alert as a driver in a car. Because on a scooter, you really find out how clueless people are when they’re driving in a car or SUV.”
I did a ride recently and trying to find a friend out on the route, so I turned around and was re-tracing the route. While I was going the opposite direction of the route, I was shocked how many people were riding 2 abreast AND taking up the whole lane AND had cars behind them waiting to pass?!! Sure, the law says you can ride 2 abreast, but common sense would say ‘don’t take up the whole lane’ doing it. You maybe enforcing your rights over this motorist, but A) that doesn’t make it ok. B) what if this motorist gets starts stewing about what you have done and decides to hit you, or the next cyclist they see?! Remember we all have to share the road & some common sense will help everyone, even those you are not riding with.
3) I realize the difference b/w judicial law & the law of physics. The car is going to Win the war. I don’t try to take up the whole lane. I realize that this game is not equal. If I am not in a group and I am riding two abreast, as soon as I realize there is a car behind, I will then ride single file.
If you are new to cycling and can’t ride to close together, that is fine, we have all started somewhere – but at least yield and go single file when a car approaches. Don’t hold up another car or cyclists by 1 person riding on the far right & 1 riding on the yellow line.
I truly hope that this will Help both motorists and cyclists be more considerate and responsible in all of our actions, and keep up ALL safer on the roadways!
If you would like more tips on being a Stronger Cyclist, then check out my ebook:
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Strength Plateaus
posted on February 21st, 2011 in Cycling, Cycling Tips, Strength Training by Stephen
Fairly often I have people that hear about the success of my client(s) and then asks me for a set workout that they can do, or to make a few changes to ‘mix-it-up’ for the program they have been doing……
I can do that, but I can not keep this workout from creating a plateau for you. No one can. In fact the definition of Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. A ‘set’ workout plan is not much different. If you go to the gym & do the same machines with the pin pushed into the same number each time you are there, then you can expect the same as last time. The fact is that although you may be stronger than not doing anything, but you also are not using your gym time to it’s fullest potential.
National Elite Track Pursuit Champion Daniel Holt demonstrates a side plank:
You have to keep mixing things up and keep the body guessing. If you do the same things repeatedly then the body adapts and continually attempts to do the same amount of work while recruiting less muscle fibers. This is actually the reverse effect that people are looking for as I wrote about in Cycling Strength.
If you are finding that you are in a Strength Plateau, then you should consider if you are over-training, or getting in-sufficient recovery. Are you going to hard or riding too hilly a course on your easy days? How is the hydration? the nutrition? too much volumn? too much intensity?
A workout program must have a progression of challenging exercises to get the desired results on the bike. If I got someone to do the hardest workout the first time they came into the studio, they may not be able to walk back in 2 days later. Thus, in order to get different results, your workouts have to change and continually challenge your body. Only through challenging your body and recovery do you get strength gains.
So, we start with the basic exercises, and see how the body responds and adjust accordingly.
Next we make sure that both legs are putting out an equivalent amount of energy into the pedals.Then we go for dramatic strength increases, so that we can do plyometrics which will add the explosive power to this increased strength.
Going through this phase of exercises takes several months. Only through proper challenges and recovery do you get optimal strength gains that allow you to break through strength plateaus!
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StrongerCyclist.com is the site of Stephen Carhart, personal trainer, author, and cyclist.