Another game of Frogger

I've written about the Oak Leaf Trail crossing on HWY 100 just south of Howard.  It feels like a game of Frogger trying to get across the street there.

I went back out a few weeks ago with my cameras rolling to see how many cars, if any, would yield as state law requires.  The results weren't good.  In about 10 minutes of crossing, 227 cars failed to yield while I was in the marked crosswalk.  4 yielded, but one of those was basically forced to either yield or hit me.

I read this today,
http://www.wisconsinbikefed.org/2015/10/22/police-stop-64-drivers-for-failing-to-yield-to-pedestrians/
and decided to try again.

The results were about the same.
In about 10 minutes 202 vehicles failed to yield and only 3 yielded with two of those basically being forced to yield.
Among the vehicles who failed to yield were a Milwaukee County Transit bus, and many marked commercial trucks including a FedEx truck.  Many vehicles actually had to change lanes to avoid hitting me as I started to cross in the hopes that cars in the middle lane would yield to a pedestrian actually in the roadway, I was generally wrong.
This video is from today.  I had to speed it up to make it short enough to upload on blogger, but you get the idea.
I've decided to try contacting the local police again.  I'll let you know what if anything they say.

Entitled and Clueless?

Ran into a couple women on the bike trail in the last few rides who don't seem to understand the concept of two way traffic.

The first one just seemed clueless as she rode on the the wrong side of the two way trail.  Annoying but since I was as always, riding defensively it wasn't a huge danger.

Then two women walking their dog had a comment for me as I went by.  The pass was uneventful so her comment surprised me.  I decided to go back to see what she said.
For the record when I first saw the women I was going about 18 mph and when I actually passed them I was going 15 mph at the most.  Not much faster than a runner in a sprint.

I especially liked her last comment telling me I should work out at a gym, maybe she shouldn't walk on a bike trail if she's worried about bikers passing her.

Another Red Light Runner

This didn't happen while I was on my bike but it's another of the many traffic incidents that drive me crazy.
So I'm in the right lane and there's a car waiting to turn left in the left lane.  The light turns yellow so I stop, easily.  The left turning car waits until the light is red and completes his turn.  Then a full second after the light has turned red the guy behind me pulls around me and goes through the intersection.  Never a cop around when you need one.  If the van waiting to turn left on the other side of the intersection wasn't paying attention there likely would have been a major accident.

Six Times on One Ride

Six times in a one  hour ride, people passed me by going into oncoming traffic.  Each time they caused the oncoming driver to take some type of evasive action, either slowing, (sometimes almost to a stop) or moving off the road onto the shoulder.
I guess since they all gave me plenty of room they aren't necessarily anti bike, just anti anyone else on the road who might slow them down in the least.

Some were more egregious than others but all endangered not just the offending drivers but everyone else on the road.  

Three Times in Less Than a Mile

First it was a guy in a minivan who waved his middle finger at me after he swerved in front of me. Then there was the elderly couple in the VW who at the next stop light kept laughing at me and telling me to get on the (non-existent) bike path, then there was the monster truck that honked at me as he buzzed by.

Police have been contacted, I'll update when I hear back.

Then today this guy decides to farmer blow on a busy bike path without looking behind him first.

Thanks for that.

38 Lawbreakers

In the span of just under a minute we waited for 38 lawbreakers.  I say we, meaning my wife and I trying to cross one half of 108th St., and the jogger waiting to cross the other side. Granted they didn't commit any misdemeanors or felonies, but they disregarded a law meant to insure the safety of pedestrians.  They did so seemingly without a second thought. Perhaps they don't understand the law. I'll put it in simple terms, when someone is waiting to cross at ANY crosswalk especially a marked pedestrian crossing, you must stop if you are able.

I've called the police department who has jurisdiction over this crossing and asked them for extra enforcement, even offering to pay for overtime if necessary.  I was told by the officer, he would talk to his superior officer and someone would get back to me.  That was weeks ago.  No one has ever called me back and the problem continues.   

The Trifecta

Had the trifecta today, close pass, passing into oncoming traffic and ignorant comments.  For a bonus the passenger yelled something at me as they passed.
Past the next stoplight the woman driving (388 HJB), told me I should be on the "bike path".  For the record there's not a bike path anywhere near this road.

The Big One?

In some NASCAR races they talk about the "big one", referring to a really bad crash.  I'm afraid at some point I will end up witnessing a big one because of drivers who are either really impatient or don't understand the concept of lanes and when and how to pass.
Yesterday and today I had people who gave me plenty of room when they passed but since they passed directly into oncoming traffic they almost caused the big one.

In the pass that the  Lexus (License 432MJM)  made, you can see in the rear facing camera that the car in the oncoming lane was almost off the road when the Lexus moved into that lane.

Then the bonus was Chevy pick up truck parked IN the road, blocking the entire lane of a two lane road at the base of a hill at the end of a curve.  It was still parked there an hour later so I called the police and hopefully they either ticketed or towed this truck or both.

I'm running out of things to say about the people who drive like this, but maybe I'll give the police a call about the Lexus, as it was a pretty egregious pass.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Spring, The Season of Impatience

It seems spring is often the worst season for impatient drivers.  Maybe they just aren't used to bicycles being on the road yet, but that doesn't excuse dangerous or illegal behavior.
Approaching a stop sign this red Dodge pickup license LA 8481 decided he needed to get to the stop sign before I did.
He didn't quite make it and in the process he almost took me out. In the rear facing angle you can see my hand come within an inch or so of the bed of the truck.  I was pretty sure he was gonna hit me so I took my hand off the bars so I could avoid him hitting my handlebars and sending me flying.

During our conversation at the stop sign he told me that he was 2 feet away from me.  I think it was a little closer than that but in any case it was nice of him to admit on camera that he broke the law.
I asked him 3 times if he would have passed me the same way if it had been his son or daughter on the bike.  He declined to answer all 3 times.  He did tell me that the road was narrow and I should ride elsewhere.
What he neglected to acknowledge is that we were a few feet from a stop sign, so there was insufficient time to complete the pass and even if there had been, there was an entire oncoming lane clear of traffic he could and should have used.
The road I was on is right next to a village park where countless families take their kids to play.  Not a county highway or a busy city street.  If anyone should be told to go elsewhere perhaps it should be the truck driver who violates the law.

Patience and Keith Bontrager's pants

The good and not so good from today's ride.
The good was Keith's pant's or more accurately tights.  They weren't his actual tights like the Vince Lombardi West Point jacket, but the ones with the Bontrager logo on them.  They might not fetch a five figure price tag at auction, but they are worth every penny I paid for them for rides with temps in the teens.  Best tights I've worn so far.

The not so good, and I say not so good because it wasn't really the worst infraction, but one that makes you shake your head and say "what the hell" none the less.

Silver Camry license 490 VPJ passes me then a hundred yards down the road stops and blocks almost the whole lane and just sits there.  As I looked back the car pulled up and backed into the driveway it parked in front of.  

If you know you're gonna block the road, why the hell do you feel the need to pass someone one hundred yards from the spot you're gonna stop?  

It's called impeding traffic!  

346.59 Minimum speed regulation. (1) No person shall drive a motor vehicle at a speed so slow as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or is necessary to comply with the law. (2)

Other than that it was a good but slow ride.  Hopefully faster rides to come.

Bikesafer

Jeff

Getting Back

It will take a lot longer to get my body back in shape than it took to get my bikes back in shape.  But at least I know if I can get myself out there when it's -15 wind chill, prospects look good.  There should be more reports to come as the process continues.
Bikesafer
Jeff