Jeffs Bike Blog

She Should be Thanking Him

2011-11-26T07:09:00.000-08:00

I have found that taking more of the lane can tend to subject me to fewer close passes. I have also found that more and more drivers are making ridiculously dangerous passes that could still get me, and others, killed.
Black Friday was almost truly a dark day for 3 families. A driver named Debra made this pass and when I tracked her down and talked to her she told me when she went around me there was a guy coming toward her but no one was coming at the time she passed.

HUH? Let me get this straight, there was no one coming, but there was a guy coming toward her????

As you can see for yourself in the video the oncoming car was only 10-20 car lengths away when she started the pass. The only way she realistically didn't see that car was if she wasn't looking.

She said I shouldn't be talking to her about this, that I should call the police. I told her that if she really wanted me to call the police I would, but with my video she might be facing a ticket.

She apologized, but continually blamed the oncoming driver for not slowing down. It's not readily evident in the video but the driver did slow down and almost stopped as the 2 vehicles passed. If he hadn't there would almost certainly have been a crash.

I am tempted to involve the police, they might say since I waited to involve them they can't do anything about it. I think my phone call may have enough of an effect that she might actually be more careful next time. She should be thankful that the other driver actually did his best to avoid a crash.

I'm thankful for all our sakes we'll have a next time.

If You Reason, They Will Listen...

2011-10-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

...occasionally.
I got out for an afternoon ride on Friday, during which I got buzzed by a Lincoln Navigator which immediately turned into a subdivision. Naturally I followed. A conversation ensued. Differing opinions were offered, but the driver seemed genuinely interested in the laws I was telling him about. I think it's because he believed he could prove me wrong. The conversation was passionate but not heated and eventually we both started to talk more calmly and even shook hands. The driver agreed to try to allow more room for bikes. I'll follow up with a copy of the video and the pertinent statutes, but I think this goes down in the win column. I think this driver will give more room next time.

The next driver I had an issue with on this ride however probably wont listen to reason unless it comes from a judge and has a fine associated with it.
He had to get past me so badly that he forced an oncoming car almost entirely onto the shoulder. The road widened to 4 lanes about a quarter mile up the street. I of course caught up to him at the red light. He looked like he was going to get out of his car and come after me until I told him I had his license plate number, which was Wisconsin truck plate #GK8502. When I told him that, he squealed his tires and took off very quickly.

Maybe he'll get his day in court before he kills, injures, or endangers someone else.
Bikesafer,
Jeff

Cop Crossing

2011-09-10T10:10:00.001-07:00

The good news is that after this driver crossed in front of me he apologized. The bad news is that he did it in the first place. It turns out he was an (I assume) off duty but in uniform city of Brookfield reserve police officer.

This is the same department that has threatened to cite me for disorderly conduct for shouting at a driver who ran me off the road, and told me that I have no right to ride on any street in Brookfield if I'm not going the speed limit.

I wonder how the Brookfield Police Department would have responded to this incident, since, when it occurred I was in fact riding at the speed limit.

Now this driver admittedly misjudged my speed. But if an officer can misjudge the speed of a bicycle on a crystal clear Saturday morning and almost cause a serious crash, I think it is time that the City of Brookfield police chief reinforces to all his employees the importance of understanding, following and fairly enforcing the state of Wisconsin traffic laws as they relate to bicycles.

He should stress to all his employees that bicycles have the same right to the road as all other vehicles. He should stress that bicycles can legally use the entire traffic lane in numerous scenarios. He should also stress that bicycles may not always behave as you expect them too, for example, they may be going significantly faster than you would expect.

Perhaps the Chief can get this officer to help him reinforce these principles to his other employees, at least he seems to have learned his lesson from this incident.
Bikesafer,
Jeff

A Picture is Worth...

2011-06-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of thoughts about this incident but I decided to let the pictures tell the story for the most part.

I know it wasn't the most terrible incident and the cop didn't buzz me, but if he can't even wait to pass safely on a 25mph parkway what does that tell you about his driving style?
p.s. My wife and I were riding the tandem that's why I was a little further out into the lane while passing the parked car. That tandem maneuvers like a school bus.
p.p.s. The cop was from Greendale
Bikesafer
Jeff

Trailer

2011-06-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the trailer for "300 Miles of Travel" a documentary about the Trans Iowa bike race coming in late 2011.

300 Miles of Gravel

2011-04-28T18:52:00.000-07:00

Actually 3oo plus miles.

Untitled from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

I experienced my first Trans Iowa this year. I didn't ride it, I shot it.
Look for a Documentary on Trans Iowa V. 7 coming soon.
Thanks to all the TIv7 racers and organizers for being so receptive to having a camera in their face throughout the race. Also thanks to my wife, who as it turns out, is a damn good field producer.
I hope to have a trailer up in a few weeks.

Wrong Way Dude

2011-04-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

We drive on the right side of the road in the U.S. Most of us learn this early in life.
Someone should tell Mr. pickup truck that. He thinks it's fine to drive on the left side to back into his driveway, even when oncoming traffic is using that lane.

As I was attempting to get the license number he says, "you got a problem asshole?" No but maybe you have a problem understanding what those yellow lines on the road mean. He told me he did it because I was on a bike, that he wouldn't have done it if I was driving a car or truck. Long story short, cops said they talked to him and since he was backing a trailer into his driveway, he wasn't doing anything illegal. What trailer you ask, I asked the same thing. Officer said he would take his lying into account next time but no ticket this time. I'm no lawyer but the statute seems pretty clear

346.05 Vehicles to be driven on right side of roadway;
(1) Upon all roadways of sufficient width the
operator of a vehicle shall drive on the right half of the roadway
and in the right−hand lane of a 3−lane highway

Nowhere is there an exception for backing a trailer.
Oh by the way here's the part I can't figure, this goofball has a circle driveway so he could drive in like everyone else and still be able to drive out just as if he backed in, but not have to drive on the wrong side of the road.

I know this wasn't a major life threatening incident, but the fact that he did it just because I was on a bike, and the fact that he lied to the cops and the cops did nothing, is, I think interesting.

Bikesafer
Jeff

Spring Drivers

2011-03-18T05:03:00.000-07:00

The good news it's spring and that means better riding weather. The bad news is it also means some drivers aren't ready to drive near bicyclists.
First a FedEx truck buzzes me then a woman in a sedan who must get past me "right now" even if it means driving into oncoming traffic. Both incidents were pretty tame as far as traffic incidents go, but both drivers saved themselves only about 2 seconds by endangering both me, and others.

Back on the Bike Back in the News

2011-02-18T19:05:00.000-08:00

After a long hiatus from the bike due to a busy work schedule and a couple colds, I got back on the road last night. No major issues just a couple people name calling, but everyone gave me plenty of room.
I also ended up in the news again. There's an article in Outside Magazine about bike car conflicts in which I make an appearance. I haven't read the whole thing yet, but so far I think Tom Vanderbilt did a nice job. If you're arriving here from that article welcome.

Looking forward to more rides and more posts soon.

Bikesafer
Jeff

400 Santas Walk Into a Bar

2010-12-12T10:03:00.000-08:00

It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but almost 400 thirsty Santas rode to various Milwaukee bars on Saturday. I've never had so many motorists and pedestrians smile and wave at bicyclists. What a blast.

Santa Rampage Ride from Jeff Frings Photography on Vimeo.

Let It Snow!

2010-12-09T19:38:00.001-08:00

Bonus snow ride on Thursday!
Nothing special, but the first time on snow this year.
If it's going to be cold at least let it snow.

Let It Snow1

2010-12-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

Halloween CX

2010-10-30T18:27:00.000-07:00

The Expo Halloween party at the Washington Park cross race gets bigger every year. Gus and the crew didn't disappoint this year.

Halloween Expo Style from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

It's Called a SideWALK

2010-10-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

Two days in a row, buzzed by drivers in similar situations and both times I get the same response when I ask them about getting that close to me.
"No I didn't know I was that close to you." Almost immediately followed by, "why don't you ride on the sidewalk."

950 ntl from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

252766 from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

For the bazillionth time, It's illegal to ride on the sidewalk!

Even if it wasn't, both these women seem to think that my not using the sidewalk would somehow justify their running me down.
I tried to calmly point out the danger in their driving, but what I should have asked the woman on Friday was, if your son was riding his bike instead of in the passenger seat next to you, and you had just come within 18 inches of killing him instead of me, would you be a little more concerned?

Nothing Ever Happens

2010-10-13T05:33:00.000-07:00

Nothing ever happens, nothing happens at all
The needle returns to the start of the song
And we all sing along like before
--Del Amitri

Del Amitri was making a commentary on the boring state of our everyday lives, but sadly, those words come to mind as I wonder about the apparent lack of accountability for drivers who kill or seriously injure others, especially cyclists. I didn’t know Jeff Littmann. I don’t know Lauren Jensen. But I do know what it is like to fear for my life while on the road. That fear is often the result of drivers who are either too busy doing anything but actually driving or too selfish to actually watch out for others on the road.

Very often those drivers terrorize, maim, or kill with impunity. When a driver hits a cyclist, unless they flee the scene or are drunk, there is often no penalty. In rare instances the driver might get a traffic citation with a small fine. Those are rare instances. The possibility of criminal charges are almost non existent. In many cases the prosecutor claims that the burden of proof is too high, that they would have to prove negligence to get a conviction.

If you are driving while drunk, texting, putting on makeup or doing anything other than devoting your full attention to driving, is that not negligent? If you were violating one or more traffic laws and that causes the death or serious injury of another is that not negligent? Isn’t driving 40 mph into a blinding sun where the driver admittedly couldn’t see “oncoming traffic or anything much more but (estimate) 10 ft in front of me” negligent?
The legal definition of negligence is, “conduct that the actor should realize creates a substantial
and unreasonable risk of death or great bodily harm to another”
Shouldn’t every driver realize that driving 40 mph with only 10 feet of visibility creates a substantial risk of harm to another? Shouldn’t every driver realize that when we disobey any number of other traffic laws we cause a substantial risk of harm? Isn’t that why we have these laws in the first place, because violating them causes a risk to others?

I understand “accidents” do happen. A traffic sign is obscured by a branch, you have a sneezing fit, you lose a contact, and cause a crash, any number of true “accidents” can occur. Violating traffic laws and causing a serious crash is no accident. If we keep treating these situations as accidents aren’t we just asking for more deaths and injuries. Perhaps we need some penalty between a 10-year felony and a slap on the wrist traffic fine for killing someone with a car. I understand no charging decision has been made in the Littmann/Jensen case yet. Maybe sometime soon something will happen. Maybe that something will be justice for those injured or killed by negligent drivers.

Listening to Reason

2010-09-07T04:52:00.000-07:00

I heard that familiar refrain Sunday in Waukesha, "move over ...". But it wasn't coming from someone in a car, it was from a guy getting his mail. I thought for a minute, go back and discuss or keep riding. I think mostly because he didn't shout his message, I decided to discuss. Turns out that was a good idea.

He explained that he's seen numerous bicycle riders hit near his house and that I should ride closer to the right to be safe. I explained why its safer to ride where I ride, so drivers know they need to use the other lane to pass. He continued to insist that it's safer on the right edge but, as I explained in more detail, he said he understood the logic in my argument.

At the end of our conversation, he extended his hand and wished me well. I'm glad I stopped, and more importantly I'm glad we were able to discuss it calmly.

Thanks for listening Mr. Waukesha

Where Do You Think You're Gonna Go?

2010-06-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

This van tried to pass me even though I was going the same speed, (the speed limit), as the car 20 feet in front of me. I don't know where he thought he was going to go by passing me but thankfully he got the message when I waved him off.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Bike Rodeo

2010-06-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare Franklin hosted a bike rodeo for kids on Saturday. About 9o kids got helmets, bike inspections and safety training. Jim from Ben's Cycles and Dave from Johnson's Cycles were on hand to make sure everyone had a properly functioning bike. Mrs. Bikesafer and I were the mechanic's helpers. I did manage to shoot a little video.

Bike Rodeo from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

This Just In!

2010-06-17T18:38:00.000-07:00

I got a gift from ClifBar today. I can't wait to try them all and share them with the team. MMMMmmmm ClifBar!

RES IPSA LOQUITUR

2010-06-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

Latin for "the thing speaks for itself." Refers to situations when it's assumed that a person's injury was caused by the negligent action of another party because the accident was the sort that wouldn't occur unless someone was negligent.

The Latest Crazy Pass from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Nobody was injured this time, but the phrase seems to apply here, don't you think? Notice the car in the top of the frame.

Bikesafer

Almost Doored From Behind

2010-05-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

This was a first.

almost doored from behind from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

A little Honda comes up behind me, moves over what seems like a safe distance, until the passenger decides to open the door just as he passes me.

He got close enough to scare the crap out of me which I'm sure was his intent. Then they turn into the gas station 150 feet up the road, so I pull into the station behind them to try and get a license number and ID the passenger. The driver doesn't even get out of the car, but genius passenger gets out and tells me that since I don't have a license plate, I can't be on the road and that I was in the way of his door so too bad for me. I'd like to think if I went to the police with this something would come of it other than me getting another ticket, but my experience tells me otherwise. It seems pretty clear by his actions and his statements to me that it was his intent to force me off the road. Let's see using the door of a 1000 pound car to push someone off the road going 20 mph. I think that's recklessly endangering safety at the least. I'm still debating whether to file a complaint.

Danke Schoen Ergon

2010-04-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

A recent mountain bike trip to Sedona proved yet again the value of the Ergon BD-2 backpack. With 120 oz of water, ClifBars, and multiple cameras inside I barely felt the pack. The rider point of view video is taken from a camera mounted on the chest strap of the pack. More of the video will be premiering here soon. Thanks to our great sponsors

Sedona Preview from Jeff Frings Photography on Vimeo.

Just a Taste

2010-04-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

Expo Racing got together for a photo and video shoot on Saturday.

Expo Racing Team Video Preview from Jeff Frings Photography on Vimeo.

This is just a quick taste of whats coming up. Joe's photos look great, I can only hope the video looks as good.
It was a fun day and we shot a lot of cool stuff. Stay tuned for more.

He's Ready For His Close-up

2010-03-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

Fixedgeargus and I have been working on a little video project lately and it's finally done.

Almost There from Jeff Frings Photography on Vimeo.

We tossed around some ideas at least a year ago and never did anything with them until this video contest came up and I thought we could make something of our original idea that would fit the contest. Let me know what you think.

This movie is dedicated to Ernesto Santiago-Norat who continues to inspire me.

It Must Be Spring

2010-03-17T06:14:00.000-07:00

It must be spring because idiot drivers seem to popping up all over the place. This morning's jug-head actually admitted to me that my position in the roadway gave him the right to run me down, or at least come within inches of doing so. If only there were some agency whose job it was to reform drivers like this guy. I'll try to post the video later.

Claims To Be Cop, Proves He's Ignorant

2010-03-17T04:26:00.000-07:00

I met this driver a few days ago when he tried to pass me in a narrow lane with oncoming traffic. After passing, he immediately turned right. Then he stopped and motioned for me to come back. As I did he said, "I'm a police officer. " I don't know if he really was a cop but he proved he was really ignorant of the rules of the road.

He said, referring to drivers, that, "we're not going to be behind you alright." He was adamant that I must ride further to the right. When I pointed out that the right hand edge was unsafe for me to ride, he said, "that's your problem."

He's right that is my problem, and by riding where I was, I was solving my problem. The bigger problem is when people like him decide it's more important to save 10 seconds than to operate their vehicles safely. The even bigger problem is if he is a police officer and doesn't know or understand the statutes he's sworn to enforce.

A Preview Of Things To Come

2010-03-05T06:10:00.000-08:00

A little bit of something Fixedgeargus and I are working on.
More soon, Enjoy

A preview of things to come from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Perfect Powdery Parkway

2010-02-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

perfect parkway powder ride from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Got a quick ride in before the snowpocalypse. The conditions were perfect. You can watch my ride on the blog here or on Fox 6 News.
Bikesafer
Jeff

If You See This Guy...

2010-02-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

Do your best to stay out of this guy's way. His license number is 658304. It's pretty scary to think that we are sharing the road with this guy. Listen to the video and you'll understand.

658304 from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Whether he will actually follow through on his threats I don't know. At least now if he does there is this evidence that he threatened bodily harm to cyclists who get in his way.
I'd love to get the authorities involved since he admitted on video that he was threatening to use his truck as a weapon, but given my recent experiences, I don't think that will happen.

When The Truth Doesn't Matter

2010-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm left wondering what to do when the truth doesn't seem to matter to those sworn to uphold the law and dispense justice. That question has me at a crossroads.

The question arises from the latest incident in which my hand was hit by a car. The report for that incident says that I hit the car rather than the other way around. Not only that, but the report says I admitted that I punched the car. My statements say nothing of the kind. My only solace is that my statement was recorded, so what I said should not be in dispute. Therein lies the problem, the New Berlin Police Department says the report will not be amended. This, even though they know it contains incorrect statements.

When I started this blog 2 years ago I never imagined I'd run into a such a wall of contempt thrown up by those people who are supposed to protect the public. I've run into that wall repeatedly, not just in this case and not just in this jurisdiction. I persevered thinking it would have to get easier. I was wrong. This latest incident has led me to the end of this road.

I believed that I was doing the right thing by calling the police when someone committed some violation of the law that affected me. Judging by the reaction of most, but not all law enforcement officers I've contacted, apparently I was not. I don't know what action I was supposed to take or what action I will take in the future, but involving the police will be a last resort, rather than a first choice.

In the beginning I really thought that if I had proof, video evidence, of just how bad some drivers treat bicyclists, law enforcement would have to help me, that they would have to treat me fairly. That is just not the case. Contacting the authorities usually results in me getting lectured about my riding, but results in few, if any, consequences for the offending driver.

I will continue to roll the cameras every time I ride. I will post the videos on the blog, although I don't hold any illusions that the blog will generate enough publicity to shame drivers into doing the right thing. At least if a driver I encounter should injure or kill another rider there will be a record that they were reckless around bikes in the past.

Unfortunately, the question is still nagging at me as I think about future rides. What happens next time I'm hit by a car, and they hit more than my hand? What happens when the people who will investigate are some of the same people for whom the truth doesn't seem to matter?

Bikesafer
Jeff

The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

2010-01-28T06:08:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while since I updated regarding the car that hit me.
I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to write. I've written and re-written posts about the November 3rd incident numerous times but haven't published any of them. I have a lot to say about my citation and about how the incident has been handled up to this point. Since the matter is not settled yet, (The ticket won't actually be dismissed until July), I am limited in what I feel comfortable sharing. For now I can only say that I committed no violation on November 3rd. Beyond that I have to keep in mind that anything I say could be used against me. I'm trying to get some things ironed out so that I feel comfortable talking about the incident further here. I can say I'm looking forward to this whole thing being over. I guess you could surmise by the tone of this post that I'm not pleased with the way things have gone. Thanks to those of you who have sent supportive emails and comments.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Dismissed!

2010-01-14T06:34:00.000-08:00

I had my first court date for my ticket from November 3rd last night. The city prosecutor dismissed it under the condition that I not get any more tickets for this same infraction in the next 6 months. I have a few things to say about all this but that will have to wait until I have more time to type. Just wanted to get the update out there.

I Got a Ticket For Christmas

2009-12-26T01:34:00.001-08:00

Actually it came in the mail a few days before Christmas. It was for "failure to keep right" and it was from the November 3rd incident. I understand that the driver got 2 tickets, one for the illegal pass and the other for swerving and stopping short in front of me. I plan to fight my ticket. I'll have more info when the case is resolved.

The school bus driver from a few weeks ago apparently got a good talking to by his bosses and some retraining. Those darn funny shaped signs with the word stop written on them can be pretty confusing.

IFR

2009-12-10T06:26:00.001-08:00

For the non pilots among us that's Instrument Flight Rules. IFR conditions are when visibility is so bad you have to rely on your instruments to figure out where you're flying. The only problem is on a bike there are no instruments, so I was riding by feel most of Tuesday night. In my 10+ years of riding in snow, I've never experienced problems like Tuesday. Into the wind, my glasses would cake with snow or the snow would melt just enough to refreeze into ice, and with the wind the inside of the glasses would fog up. So it wasn't the best winter ride ever, but I did test out some new lights that worked well.

IFR from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

If He Keeps Lying ... I'll Give Him a Citation

2009-11-26T04:38:00.000-08:00

Tuesday was an interesting ride. A close pass is one thing, but actually being forced off the road is another. It wasn't as bad as a few weeks ago, but any time you're pushed off the road it shakes you up.

956416 from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

I don't know if the driver intended to put me in the ditch, but that matters very little when I'm fighting to stay upright on a shoulder which consists of jagged baseball sized rocks. My early contact with West Allis Police didn't seem promising. I got many of the usual responses, but the Sgt. agreed to look at the video and after he did he said that the driver was indeed in the wrong. He said that he would talk to the driver one more time and if he lied to him again about what actually happened he'd give him a ticket. The driver of course said I was in the middle of the road, and that he gave me plenty of room.

Thanks to the West Allis Police for getting it right again. Every time I've made a complaint with them they've gotten it right in the end.

What made Tuesday interesting was the fact that there were 2 incidents. The second involved an angry school bus driver who pulled out in front of me from a stop sign. He was angry until I told him his bosses would see the video of his driving and his cursing me out afterward. I stressed to his bosses at least 3 times that I didn't want him to lose his job over this, I just wanted him to be more careful.

Still no word on what is happening with the guy who actually put me in a ditch from a few weeks ago. I'll keep you updated on all of these incidents.
Bikesafer and Happy Thanksgiving
Jeff

Ernesto Santiago-Norat

2009-11-24T04:16:00.000-08:00

I lost a good friend to cancer last night. I know most readers of this blog didn't know him, but I wanted to write about him anyhow. Besides we did ride together once and this is a bike blog.

He was gifted photographer, a great friend and most importantly an extraordinary father. He leaves behind 2 beautiful daughters. His passion for his craft and for his family was inspiring. His self deprecating humor and quick wit were entertaining. All this made him one of the best friends of my adult life.

Good bye old friend

The Better Man

2009-11-23T04:32:00.000-08:00

The saying goes, "may the best man win." Sunday had shaped up to be a heck of a fight. The WCA 40+ Cat 4 cx championship came down to a dead heat between Tim V. and me. We didn't have to win the race just beat the other guy to win the overall. Whoever finished first won the jersey. Unfortunately I could tell early on that it wasn't my day. It was, in fact my worst day of the season. So the better man definitely won, or at least won our little race within the race. Congratulations Tim, you deserved it. Thanks to all the guys I raced against too it was a blast. How can you not love cross? See ya next year.

For anyone interested in an update from my last post, I'd love to give you one but I'm still waiting for an update myself. When I get more info I'll definitely post it.

Ironically

2009-11-03T19:57:00.000-08:00

The day after a guy in California is convicted for stopping short and injuring 2 cyclists, a guy in New Berlin clips my hand and then stops short in front of me while swerving toward me and the side of the road. Thankfully I wasn't going 30mph down a hill and there was a ditch for me to ride into. I'm not saying this incident is comparable to the California incident, other than this guy is every bit the menace Dr. Thompson was, I just got lucky. Hopefully there will be consequenses to dissuade him from using his car to force others off the road again.

540hvs from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

GUILTY!

2009-11-02T18:26:00.001-08:00

I've been pretty busy lately and I've neglected the blog. A lot has happened since my last post, I won my first cx race, had a less than stellar race, and enjoyed a great halloween party, (thanks Gus), among other things. But I had to post about this.

Physician convicted in cycling case

Ex-Doc Found Guilty of Assaulting Cyclists

http://www.nbclosangeles.com
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com
http://www.google.com/hostednews
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc

Maybe, just maybe, this will teach other like minded criminals to think twice before using their vehicles as weapons.
Hopefully the fact that the judge ordered him held until sentencing means he plans on giving him some substantial prison time.

In one of the stories about the verdict they mention that the doctor claimed they were riding 3 abreast. How can 2 cyclists ride 3 abreast? Maybe that's one of the reasons the jury called BS on his defense.

Another Sunny Sheboygan

2009-10-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

It seems like every Sheboygan WORS race I've ever done it's been a great sunny fall day. It was a little cool but that's what fall in Wisconsin is all about.
Speaking of fall, I took too many of them in this race. I was battling for second in age group when a bad line put me on the "Sheboygan slickrock".

Then on the last lap a phantom root grabbed my wheel and cost me 3rd place, but 4th in age 23rd overall in Sport is a good way to end the MTB season. Johnny G. decided to test the waters in Comp. Sport distance is still good for me for now. I'm actually looking forward to the shorter race distance of the cross season.

The Hardest Half Hour

2009-10-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

Lapham Peak Cross from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

It's cyclcross season again, and that means suffering. I think it's the hardest thirty or forty minutes (depending on category and race organizer) in cycling. It is fun though when you get a good course set up. Lapham isn't my favorite course, but it's good practice for the rest of the season.

You Say Tomato...

2009-10-03T06:08:00.000-07:00

I say bike lanes. What? Fall is a great time to ride not just to see leaves change color but for the fall colors in the foods you find and the different places you find to ride. Cyclocross brought us to the Madison area.

USGP Cross from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Produce brought us to the Captiol square. Mrs. Bikesafer and I rode around Madison after a stop at their farmers market for some heirloom tomatoes to go with our fresh basil from the garden, 18 year old balsamic, olive oil and fresh mozzerella.

What an interesting place to ride. Bike paths all over the place, and bike lanes on almost every busy street. Not just bike lanes, we have those in Milwaukee too, but in Madison most of them are clear of debris and potholes, and more importantly DOORS. Almost every bike lane in MKE is unrideable because of the proximity to the door zone.
We also rode in our first ever protected and contra-flow bike lane on University ave. It was a good ride.

Madison Bike Lane from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

But with fall not only the leaves seem to change. The drivers are starting to get cranky. I got an earful yesterday from Mr. SUV, who passed into oncoming traffic to get to the stop sign a few seconds ahead of me only to wait there to bitch at me about "us guys", (cyclists) getting out of control.

I also learned that in SUV land, cyclists aren't allowed to use the roads. As he drove off, the wife or mistress or whatever yelled "you gotta be safe". Yes I agree, and how safe is it to pass (anyone) if you have to go into oncoming traffic?

Bing Bang Boom

2009-09-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

Really it was more like clang, clang, snap. That was the sound of my second Fat Tire 40 disappearing in an explosion of suspension parts. Mikes tandem has taken a beating lately.

After we destroyed his cassette with some bad shifting at Ore to Shore, we thought we got our share of mechanicals out of the way for a while.

It was still a great weekend, because one of the reasons I mountain bike is to hang out with my MTB friends. So we had a great weekend in a beautiful log house full of friends. There's always next year for the race result I was hoping for.

On the way home I got a warning for not having my registration sticker properly displayed. I have no problem being pulled over for it, but it seemed ridiculous to me to give me a written warning since I had the registration AND the sticker with me in the car and planned on sticking it on the plate at the next stop. I started to think as I wasted 20 minutes waiting for the warning, about how many times I've had evidence of drivers clearly running stop signs or running me off the road when law enforcement wouldn't even contact the offending driver. I understand this was a different agency, but I get a written warning for not having my sticker properly displayed while many reckless drivers drive away with impunity. It seems like those priorities are a little screwed up.

Squishy

2009-09-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

squishy from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

It's been a bad stretch of rides lately. 3 flats on the last 4 road rides. 2 flats in the Ore to Shore and one on the ride back to the hotel from the race, then last night on the tandem with Mike, that squishy feeling came twice and we didn't have another tube. Well we did but it was a road tube. So we limped home on a squishy road tube in a mtb tire after one patch job. Change tubes again and back out for a nice night ride by the lake. On the way back some lady in a van came about 3 inches from giving us a serious dooring. Let's hope that covers the flats and the near doorings for a while.

Bikesafer

Jeff

Howl At The Moon

2009-09-02T07:15:00.000-07:00

Johnny G. wanted to test out his lights and his mad night riding skills before the WEMS night race so we took advantage of the near full moon and headed to the kettles. It took me half the lap to get into a flow but it was a great night to ride.

Full Moon Ride from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Under The Lights

2009-08-25T19:45:00.001-07:00

I followed Russell's advice and went to Kenosha to see the races. I'm almost thinking I might like to try the whole track thing after watching it. Looks like a blast. I was going to bring out the good cameras and shoot some artsy stuff, but I didn't feel like workin that hard so this is all you get. I can't make any guarantees about the quality of these photos. They were toned and sized on a new computer I'm not used to yet.

Kenosha Track Racing from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

First Place, Thanks to Keith

2009-08-03T11:37:00.001-07:00

Bontrager that is. Well not personally, but thanks to his wheels. Sunday's race was the second time I've finished a race on a Bontrager wheel with a broken spoke. This race I actually started on a broken spoke, or broke it in the first couple hundred meters of the race.
You may wonder how finishing 2 races on wheels with broken spokes is a good thing, well it is because in both cases, while I did hear the distinctive tink tink sound of the spoke bouncing around off other spokes, I never heard a brake rub (yes I'm still the only guy running rim brakes) because the wheel(s) barely went out of true thanks to the way the spokes are offset to reduce stress. So I kept racing as hard as I could go. Eventually I stopped worrying so much about finishing. O.K. that's not true, but I knew the wheel would hold up, I just worried that the spoke would wrap around my derailleur and snap that off.

I was going to let this post only be about the race, but I saw a story on the news I have to comment on.
The story was about how Madison Police gave out 10 tickets to cyclists who ran a red light or stop sign last Wednesday as part of a national bicycle safety education grant.
I'm not condoning running lights or stop signs, but it's my experience that every single cyclist who runs stop signs or lights knows it is illegal and potentially unsafe. It is also my experience that few, if any drivers who buzz cyclists, know anything about the 3 foot law meant to keep law abiding cyclists safe from motorists. So if if the grant is for bicycle safety education, wouldn't the money be better spent educating people about those things they don't already know, like the 3 foot law?
Those cyclists who run red lights are knowingly jeopardizing their own safety. Let's use the education funds to educate those folks who are jeopardizing cyclists safety either because they don't know the law or they don't know how dangerous their behavior is. That might actually do something to keep cyclists safe.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Sneak Peak

2009-08-01T18:41:00.001-07:00

Just a taste of what the Alterra WORS race has in store for Sunday. Lots of tasty singletrack with a good switchback climb thrown in to spice things up. Should be fun. Great job with the course.

Alterra Race Course from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Tickets Yes, Understanding...???

2009-07-30T17:06:00.000-07:00

I've heard back from the police regarding the woman whose mirror hit me. She was issued a citation, but it comes with a caveat. According to the investigating officer,

"She further advised that she felt that bicyclists should not be riding
on S.124th Street as it is not wide enough to accommodate their safe
operation. Though I strongly agree with her on that point as I've told
you in the past, she was advised that you have the right to do so."

In fact S. 124th Street is wide enough to accommodate the safe operation of bicycles, if cars wait to pass bicycles until it can be done safely. It is not the width of S. 124th Street which makes it occasionally unsafe for bikes, it is the drivers who can't wait 10 seconds to pass bicycles.

Since I started this blog, my goal wasn't getting people tickets, it was getting drivers to understand and follow the law so everyone, especially cyclists would be safer. I’d feel better if law enforcement wasn’t telling me where I shouldn’t ride, but if I have to hear that in order for the drivers to get the message that they can’t buzz at will, that's still a step forward, at least in some municipalities.

I also heard back from the Brookfield Police about a similar incident and they also issued a citation. In that case the car was getting progressively closer at a 4 way stop and caused me to lose my balance and fall onto the car.

Thanks to both officers in these cases for handling the complaints professionally.

Hopefully both drivers now have a better understanding of the law and will be more careful and more patient next time they see a bicyclist.

I'll try to post the video of the other incident soon.
Bikesafer Jeff

Contact

2009-07-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

I guess I've been out of touch with the blog lately, but that isn't what this post is about. It's about contact between a car and a bike. My bike, well actually me. It was a typical buzz except for the mirror hitting my left hand and almost pulling me closer to the car and potentially under the wheels. The driver only honked as they drove on. Thanks for stopping to make sure I was alright, never mind that it's the law after you hit someone with your car you have to stop. Police have been called, I'm still waiting to see what happens.

contact from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

On a positive note, I have been enjoying some Tosa dirt lately. Man those trails are fun.

Bikesafer
Jeff

Like UPS?

2009-05-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

I'm wondering if I should adopt the UPS policy of avoiding left turns. I've almost been hit twice in the last week by drivers ignoring the stop sign at the same intersection and turning left in front of me while I'm making a left turn. The woman today stopped at the stop sign, waited until I got closer then looked right at me and stomped on the gas. My arm was straight out signaling the turn the entire time.

left cross again from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Buzzed While Making a Left Turn!

2009-05-09T05:39:00.001-07:00

People keep getting more and more ridiculous out on the road.

I was riding a very popular route for cyclists using a wide shoulder. I had no trouble until I signaled and moved over to make a left turn. The speed limit here is 35 mph and I was going 25 mph so I wouldn't think it would be too much to ask for a driver to slow 10 mph for a few seconds while I make my left turn. As it turns out my speed wasn't what required him to wait to pass, the oncoming car would have meant anyone turning left would have to slow down, requiring the driver behind them to slow, or make an illegal pass. I signaled and moved over with plenty of time for him to slow down to wait for me to turn. He didn't wait. He decided to pass me while I was in the process of making my left turn and while another vehicle was in the oncoming lane. Unfortunately I didn't get the plate number. The rear facing camera angle starts just before I signal and begin to move over to turn.

Untitled from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Furry Right Cross

2009-05-01T06:53:00.000-07:00

It finally happened. I've had close calls before, but today was the day.

I ran over a squirrel.
Rocky came up to the edge of the road and then thought twice about it, then decided what the hell. He went for it. I was picturing this when I saw him go for it. Fortunately, even though my front wheel went right over him, I rode away and as near as I can tell from the slow mo video, he ran away.

Furry Right Cross from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Bikesafer
Jeff

Not Taking My Pound of Flesh

2009-04-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

Monday morning's ride was a harrowing experience I'd like to avoid in the future. I got buzzed by 2 cars on the same ride, both times with less than a foot between me and the cars. The first time, I'm certain if I hadn't swerved out of the way I would have been hit. Sadly, close passes have become so common, I don't get as freaked out by them as I used to, but these had me shaking for 10 minutes each. This photo is just before I swerved for the shoulder.

479 lem from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

rmc 25 from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Officer Puente from The New Berlin Police Department was professional and helpful through the entire complaint process. Written warnings were issued to both drivers. At first, I was a little disappointed that even with some of the scariest footage of one of the most dangerous passes I've experienced, that no ticket would be issued. I wanted them to pay for coming that close to causing a serious accident.

The more I thought about the situation and it's outcome, though, I remembered why I contact the authorities after incidents like this. I want to insure these drivers don't repeat their dangerous behavior. The best way to accomplish that is to make sure they know the laws and understand bicyclist's rights to use the road. I believe Officer Puente effectively communicated that to both drivers. I also believe that the written warning will serve as a deterrent to prevent them from driving like this again.

Given that outcome I'm happy to leave my pound of flesh on the table and trust that the drivers have learned from the experience.

Love to H8T

2009-04-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the 3rd annual, but my first, H8TR. It started with the shotgun, (actually a pinch flat) start. After the neutral roll out it was head for the unfinished trail as fast as you could pedal. Being slightly undergeared for the paved section was fine since the H8T wouldn't really start until the after the turn around into the wind. All in all it was a great way to start the season.

H8TR from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Warning, Warning, Warning

2009-04-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

No, it's not "Robot" from lost in space, it's common sense being exercised by officers from New Berlin and West Allis.

Multiple written warnings were issued this week to bad drivers.

Officers from the maroon Mercury incident and Saturday's white van incident gave written warnings to those drivers.

EK 9330 from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

I wish more officers would use the written warning. I'm not looking to get people cited, I just want them to be more careful around bicyclists. I really think a written warning would do that in many cases. It has the added benefit of being on their record in case they do commit similar offenses, officers can see that and take the appropriate action to get compliance. The officer in West Allis understood and supported my right to the road but apparently the driver did not. He told the officer I should have been on the sidewalk. The officer told him in fact bicycles do have the right to use the road. So now the motorist has been educated about bike laws, and will hopefully change his ways.

Unfortunately not everyone is as enlightened as these officers.

I got what I consider to be justice in these two cases, but it doesn't always work out that way.

http://www.tucsonbikelawyer.com/faith-quick-sentenced-today-in-charles-nystrom-fatality/

Just because we might expect injustice, doesn't mean that we should accept injustice.

Bikesafer

Jeff

Helmet Cam How To

2009-03-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

I've received many requests lately for information about how to hook up a helmet camera system. I posted a video how to about a year or so ago. It shows how I set up my bike and helmet with the cameras. As far as camera type, I use the Oregon Scientific ATC2K and ATC3K. I prefer the 2K even though it is the older model it has better low light capabilities. Some folks prefer the VholdR but it is more expensive than the ATC2K. There are many other choices out there most can be found at the website helmet camera central. My video how to can be found at: http://bikesafer.blogspot.com/2008/02/ask-and-you-shall-receive.html

On a separate note, WJJO-FM in Madison recently aired a segment called "Bike Trail of Death" which advocated, jokingly, the killing of cyclists. The segment ended with the statement, "The only bicyclist that isn't a pain in your ass is a dead one on the side of the road." I didn't find this the least bit funny. I'm going to send a letter to the station manager and a complaint to the FCC. I'll post the letter when it's done. The more letters and calls the station gets, the more likely it is they will get the message they can't use the public airwaves to advocate harming cyclists. If you do write or call, please don't call names or threaten to do anything illegal. Apparently there have been some calls and letters that were just as offensive as the original segment. Being consructive in your criticism will likely get more positive results. The FCC complaint form can be found at:
https://esupport.fcc.gov/sform2000/formE!input.action?form_page=2000E

Bikesafer
Jeff

Ugh!

2009-03-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

The latest close pass. I'll have to right more about it later.

543-ewx from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Orange and Black

2009-03-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

Almost black and blue. Orange and black because I'm still on the Alterra email list for group rides. I usually can't fit them into the schedule, but...It was a great day for a long ride with some old friends. So I hooked up with my old teammates from Alterra for a Pewaukee ride. It was a beautiful day and a great ride. Usually when I'm on a group ride I notice drivers give more room when they pass than when they pass an individual rider. I'm not sure why. Apparently no one told Grandma Buick. She almost ended one of us today. She had to be 6 inches away at most. I wish I could have gotten the license plate number. It freaked us all out a little but it didn't spoil a great ride. I'm glad I'm still on the Alterra email list.

Alterra Ride from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

When It Absolutely, Positively Has To Be...

2009-03-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

Ignored, or at least given a very low priority.

Fedex used to use the slogan, "when it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight". They still ship thousands of packages overnight and many more in a matter of days. They can keep track of all these package's locations with such accuracy that you can check their location 24 hours a day. What they apparently can't do is keep track of who's driving which truck.

FedEx15188 from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

I called on Monday morning shortly after the truck buzzed me to complain, and found out Thursday afternoon that they still have not been able to locate the truck or the driver who was operating the truck. I find that very hard to believe. I've gone further up the corporate ladder, but it may not do any good. I'm told that FedEx ground drivers are independent contractors, not Fedex employees. I'll let you know what I hear from the corporate types.
Bikesafer
Jeff

So Bad It Looks Good

2009-03-15T05:25:00.000-07:00

The pass that happened 2 minutes into my ride Saturday was pretty bad, even though at first glance it doesn't appear that way. If you were able to look frame by frame you'd notice that there is a car in the oncoming lane. You can just see the shadow in one of the frames. He timed his riduculous pass so perfectly that you can't even see the oncoming car unless you watch the rear facing camera. The oncoming car, the minivan passing me and I all end up in the same section of road at the same time. I'm amazed no one was killed.

347 mjn from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

What's more annoying is after this idiot endangered 3 lives to save 10 seconds, he flailed his arms wildly toward the right side of the road, I guess meaning that I should not be on the road or I should have ridden myself into the ditch so he could pass me. I don't know if there will be enough on the video to convince the police to issue a citation, but the rear facing camera clearly shows the oncoming car passing at the same time that this guy passed me. I think the more appropriate ticket for this guy is not for passing me too closely, which he did, but for passing into oncoming traffic.

It was good to get back on the bike after a short trip to the land of Iron Chefs. Mrs. Bikesafer and I took "the boy" aka my nephew to New York for a long weekend. We ate at a couple iron chef's restaurants and saw all the tourist sites. Next time I WILL find a way to ride in the city.

More Correspondence

2009-03-03T05:47:00.000-08:00

I have to correct something I said in my previous post. I said the City Prosecutor referred to two separate incidents about which I contacted him. I only contacted him regarding one incident. He received a complaint about the second incident from the Police Department.

He does however mix up the facts of both cases. The initial correspondence as well as my follow up correspondence to the City Prosecutor are both below.

The initial posts about the incidents can be found at:
http://bikesafer.blogspot.com/2008/05/one-more-idiot-driver-but-also-one-more.html
http://bikesafer.blogspot.com/2008/07/told-to-get-out-of-dodge.html

By the way, even though he is a public employee, neither Mr. Kershek or anyone with his office has ever responded to any of my emails, phone calls, or letters in any way. The copy of the letter I did get was sent to me by the Mayor.

A Response and A Quote

2009-03-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

I've gotten more than a couple requests recently for copies of the letter I recieved from the Brookfield City Prosecutor last year. I didn't post the whole letter initially because there are many factual errors in the letter and I didn't want to go through them all on the blog. I decided to post it now because so many people are asking for it after viewing the Fox Six report that featured me and my troubles in Brookfield.

In the letter, the Prosecutor refers to 2 separate incidents which were the subject of my correspondence to him. He mixes up the facts of the 2 cases repeatedly and misrepresents my position in both cases as a result. That being said, the absurdity of the Prosecutor's opinion is unmistakeable.

I am not a lawyer, but I believe his position to be legally untenable. He claims that a law abiding cyclist must move over for a law breaking driver so the law breaking driver doesn't have to slow down to pass.

He says that since the law says "normal speed of traffic" that refers to whatever speed the motorists are travelling. He seems to forget that the legislature has also enacted statutes which control the maximum speed at which any vehicle can travel, therefore any motorists travelling at greater than the maximum speed would be violating the law, so the fastest any traffic can "normally" be travelling and still be within the law is the maximum speed limit. I don't remember the term for this legal principle but it says that one law cannot be interpreted to render another law meaningless. Under his interpretation, the maximum speed law would become meaningless whenever a bicycle was present. Clearly that was not the intention of the legislature as the plain language of the statutes shows.

But I digress.

The letter is posted in it's entirety. I highligted the sections I think are the most absurd. I will try to track down my correspondence to him so you can judge for yourself how he mixed up the facts. It might take a while to post that.

I wanted to close with a quote I found on friend's.
"One moment of patience may ward off disaster, one moment of impatience may ruin a whole life."

Unfortunately I can't credit the author as it was listed as unknown. I think this quote is pertinent to this post today because it relates to my last post and this one.

I think we all know how a motorist's impatience can ruin lives. I think we unfortunately may see how a cyclist's impatience with a motorist might cost the cyclist. I think it is pertinent to this post because the City Prosecutor's impatience in rushing to back this police officer may make him look rather silly, and a more patient, thoughtful, researched opinion could have changed peoples attitudes, people who could have made a real difference on how motorists deal with cyclists. Instead we get more of the same attitude. Let's all keep trying to change those attitudes even if it takes a little patience

Bikesafer
Jeff

Buzzed, Run Over, Then Ticketed

2009-03-01T05:39:00.000-08:00

No it didn't happen to me, thankfully, but it is happening to a fellow cyclist. You can read the whole story here, but I wanted to give it a mention because I think cyclists everywhere need to know about it.

Briefly, a guy in Oregon, the state, not the city in WI, gets buzzed by an SUV and waves the guy back to talk to him. (I've done this many times, sometimes with great success and others with no success). The driver curses out the rider, the rider walks away smacking the drivers mirror on the way, the driver then intentionally drives toward the cyclist hitting and injuring him, then leaves the scene. Almost a week later, after pushing for the felony charges the driver deserves, the cyclist receives a ticket with a minimum fine of $5000.

I think we all need to know about this situation for 2 reasons. We can all learn some things from this cyclist's experience. He has said he learned this first lesson, potentially at a very high cost. The lesson is, always try to de-escalate the situation, never do things that are likely to further irritate the idiot driver who already came close to hitting you once. On the occasions that I've tried to talk to dangerous motorists and been very friendly and even introduced myself with a smile, I almost always get a calmer more receptive driver to listen as I explain about the rights of cyclists.
I know it's hard after a driver almost made roadkill out of you, but if you take the high road, you are more likely to get your point across to the driver. Even if they won't listen to reason, you are the calm, rational one, if or when the police need to become involved.

Maybe try to imagine that the person who just ran you off the road was your grandma and you have to try to make her understand why her actions were dangerous.

The second lesson is the same as the first it just deals with different people. Unfortunately, (and this is just based my experience, and maybe this guy's situation), when you call the police about any traffic incident involving a bike, their initial reaction will often be to blame the bike rider for the trouble.

The lesson to be learned here is the same as above. You have to take the high road.
You should realize going in that things might not go your way, but be very nice and polite to the responding officer. If things don't go your way with him/her, there's always his/her Superior officers. You'll almost never be able to make your case to an unfriendly cop on the street. You might be able to convince a superior officer you're right later, but not if you are a jerk to the first cop you talk to.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't always follow my own advice, but I'm getting better each time I have a run in with motorist. Thankfully I haven't been run over yet, intentionally or otherwise, but anyone who rides as much as I do could find themselves in this kind of situation. Hopefully things improve for this cyclist and it works out for him in the end.
Bikesafer
Jeff

I Got a Little Cocky

2009-02-21T10:15:00.001-08:00

And I paid for it. I felt really good and the snow/road conditions were perfect and I was taking some corners pretty fast, motocross style, you know with the foot out to catch yourself. Well I did it once to often and I started to go down before my MX foot could catch me. No harm done, just a boot full of slush.

Getting Cocky from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Speaking of boots, I wore the Answer Kashmir for the first time. Warm dry feet make your ride much more enjoyable and these shoes/boots even fit my goofy shaped feet. Look for a more in depth review when I've ridden them some more, so far I like them a lot.
I rode over to Hoyt Park to look for Russell and his Tosa mofos, but no one around and no tire tracks. Maybe I was early/late/showed up to the wrong place. Maybe next time.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Ronsta Ride Recut

2009-02-18T18:38:00.001-08:00

The remixed version with a few extra edits and properly adjusted audio levels. Still haven't been able to figure out the glitch problem. Enjoy
Bikesafer
Jeff

Ronsta Ride Recut from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

The Ronsta Ride

2009-02-16T06:16:00.001-08:00

Ronsta Ride from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Saturday was a slushy mess of a 2 hour ride, but Sunday brought sun and a cold wind for the Ronsta Ride. We were started with 6 picked up one on the way and then lost 2 along the way due to cold feet or other commitments. A great way to spend a Sunday.

This video is a quick edit on new software that is leaving glitches in the finished product. The music is also a little over modulated. I'll try and get it recut when these troubles are resolved.

A Day In The Sun

2009-02-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

Finally a day above the single digits or teens. It almost felt like spring. What a great ride.
I wanted say that up front, as I've had some folks question why I ride at all if I have "so many" problems on the road. I love riding and today was a great day on the road.

Buzzed By a Trailer from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

I had a couple close calls today, only one that warranted a call to police. I have some thoughts on that and about the Elm Grove idiot who told me to ride on the sidewalk, but that will have to wait for another day.

I kind of raced a train today, well I was coasting and just thought it might make a better video than the trailer almost hitting me.

Racing A Train from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

The Brookfield cops from the last incident told me they issued a citation. I still have to get a copy of it to make sure, but the irony is if he fights it, I could be called as a witness by the same prosecutor who told me I have no right to be on the road at all. Probably more likely he would dismiss it or plea bargain it down. We'll see.

Press Your Luck Wearing Goggles

2009-01-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

It was 4 degrees above zero this morning, so naturally I decided to go for a bike ride. It was a beautifully sunny morning, so I bundled up and away I went. I had to. I had read about this incident earlier. Whenever I read about something like this, it makes me want to ride even more. I guess because when someone in a car obviously breaks the law and runs down a cyclist and no charges or even citations are issued, it's like the authorities are telling cyclists to stay off the road or at least to ride at your own risk, since they appear to be unwilling to protect us. I don't take kindly to being told not to do something I have a right to do. So when I read about stuff like this I decide to press my luck.

There was this game show back in the 80's where you pressed a button and if you pressed it and the game stopped on a little gremlin looking dude called a whammy, you lost all your money. That is unfortunately what it feels like almost every time I go out to ride. Sadly when we go ride and we get a whammy it will likely cost us our lives or at least a long hospital stay and maybe a lifelong disability.

It's not like it's a rare occurrence either. I had a close call today which could have been avoided, but for the impatient driver.

Untitled from

Sadly at the same time motorists are getting off easy for running down cyclists, many riders are being ticketed or even tackled off their bikes for not having a light or not riding in a bike lane or for no reason at all. If not for video or witnesses in many of these cases the cyclists lives would have been scarred by criminal records, all for the unspeakable crime of riding a bike.

All these reasons are why I continue to press my luck, that and because I love to ride. I really cleared my head of a lot of junk on the ride today, it felt great. I continue to press my luck with the authorities as well because if I don't, if more of us don't, we will continue to be treated as second class citizens on the road. So I'll forfeit an hour out of my weekend to complain yet again about dangerous drivers in Brookfield. It may not do any good this time or the next time but maybe one of these times when I get bullied on the road, I won't get a second whammy when I look to the authorities for help.

As for the goggles, I've found that ski goggles really help keep your face warm when the windchill is -10.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Snownami

2008-12-20T05:55:00.000-08:00

My snow rides are the only thing that make the snowstorms and everything that goes with them bearable.

Unfortunately, with a big snow like this one, I have to dig out from the wave of snow after I ride in it. The ratio doesn't work in my favor when we get slammed like this, so for the next snow I'd like to order 3-6 inches instead of 14 or whatever we got. I don't like the big storm ratio, ride for an hour shovel for 2:15.

The ride last night was good but there were some idiot drivers out. A few blared the horns as they passed me, in the other direction. I could almost understand them doing it if they had to wait to pass me, but these people were not the least bit inconvenienced by me. Maybe they are like the guy who waited at the stop sign at the top of the hill just to ask me if I was nuts, and then have to make a dangerous pass to get around me. If I don't get in your way at all what difference is it to you if I ride my bike in the snow?

But that didn't take away from the enjoyment of my ride. I don't know what it is about the snow, but it usually just makes me laugh and smile at the idiots. The snow on the parkways was great, again, but the snow at the plow end of my driveway was 4-5 feet high. That's a lot of shoveling. I guess I'll just call it cross training. The weather guessers tell me I've got more cross training coming up this weekend.

The Maiden Voyage

2008-12-17T01:03:00.000-08:00

I took out the new singlespeed tonight in the snow. Awesome. Epic. The bike was great. I on the other hand had a couple new experiences. My eyelids froze partially shut a couple times and my chin got really cold despite a good balaclava. I did have a head band that warmed me up nicely. It will be nice when fixedgeargus gets done with his homework so he can join in the reindeer games.

For the folks interested in the tech stuff, I was running a Ritchey Speedmax 32 on the front and a Kenda Kwick 30 on the rear each at about 40 psi. My Tektro brakes worked great even with no name old levers. Not to touchy in the snow, but just enough so I could slow down.

As far as clothes, as some of you have asked about, I use mainly Under Armour base layers and then a long sleeve jersey and a shell. Lower half is shorts, leg warmers tights and if it's snowing or raining REI bike specific rain pants. I also wore a DOT approved reflective safety vest. I might have looked dorky, but I was visible, and didn't have any close calls.

For lights I always use a Planet Bike superflash on the rear and up front I used my homebrew lights, which are about 200 lumens and last for a couple hours per battery pack.

I will try to post some more info about the light construction soon.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Big Ticket Item

2008-12-14T06:28:00.000-08:00

Breaking News

There is another big ticket item in addition to the one discussed below. My first singlespeed since my bmx bike in middle school is ready to ride.

No I haven't been shopping, the big ticket was given to the driver of the car in the latest video.

Franklin Police Department is now 2 for 2. Not for tickets issued, but both times I 've reported drivers there, the officers were professional and helpful.

Back to the ticket.

The officer wrote the guy for driving on a suspended license instead of illegally passing me, and that's fine because I might not need to testify now if he fights that ticket. It's also a bigger ticket.

The scary thing to ponder is, given the fact that he was driving with a suspended license, and since he honked at me and told the officer he thought I was in his way, would he have stopped if he had hit me.
Hopefully he will at least give bikes more room next time he drives with a suspended license.

Slack Jawed Yokels and Happy Rednecks

2008-12-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

Perfect snow conditions this morning for riding. I don't have the single/fixie built yet, but I had to ride this morning while I had the chance. If I'm going to have to stand in it all day at work, I sure as heck am going to enjoy it while I can.
I passed one guy in my subdivision who just stared at me with his mouth open so far I thought he might drown on all the snow he was catchin. He looked like he was watching an alien ship land. I just said, "good mornin'" and rode on. Later I came upon a beater van with a guy who would probably describe himself as a redneck, not that there's anything wrong with that, especially when he gives me a thumbs up and shouts words of encouragement as I ride by.
Hopefully the snow lasts long enough for another adventure tonight.
Sorry no pix, no time.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Winter

2008-12-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

Winter has arrived. Unfortunately I didn't get to enjoy it. I couldn't ride in the latest snow, but I'm hoping to ride in the next snow. Hope I don't see any snowplows.

Shoulda Coulda Woulda

2008-11-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

But didn't. I shoulda coulda woulda been the first guy to finish at my first alleycat (Cranksgiving) on Saturday. Instead, I misread the finish address, or actually I transposed 2 numbers, so I didn’t win like I shoulda coulda woulda. I ended up second in the B category which was still pretty cool. It was a great event for a good cause and they had some great prizes. I snagged an eighth inch frame and a timbuk2 messenger bag and an origin8 handlebar.

Then Sunday I did the 40+ 4 cx state championship race. I woulda coulda shoulda been 2nd but ended up third due to a dropped chain well into the last lap. The guy who got past me was from IL so I ended up 2nd in the state, but 3rd overall. Still not bad.

The season is over and it was a pretty good season. I had more fun racing then I can remember and I finished on a lot of podiums, even though I shoulda coulda woulda won some races, I was never on the top step. It was still a successful year and more importantly a fun year and a good year for the team. Some team news coming soon.

The Fight Continues

2008-11-14T05:45:00.000-08:00

It's nice to know I'm not alone. I've heard from many people about my efforts, and recently, about the story of my mission for safer roads on http://www.myfoxmilwaukee.com.

Lately my posts have been about racing and other fun on the bike. I haven't had many problems on the road to report, and that's good. Unfortunately, I think it is more a product of the type of riding I've been doing lately rather than any major change in cyclist/motorist interaction. I've been riding shorter rides often on parkways and paths. When my rides get longer and I spend more time on more rural roads again, I'm guessing my troubles will increase as well.

But until then it's nice to know that there are others out there who are joining in the fight for safer roads for cyclists. I have links to some of them on the blog already and others I've just learned about. I got a comment from this guy today. There are people who are wearing/selling jerseys or have started using cameras on rides and calling the police. Whatever they are doing, the point is they are doing something. I commend anyone who is trying to make the situation better. I would also urge anyone who is doing something to talk to your local media about your efforts. I think educating the public is the key to improving the situation. To all those who've had enough and decided it's time to do something, thanks and keep up the good work.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Hard Core

2008-11-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

At the Stoughton/Viking Cross race there were three guys who dragged snow by the bucketful from behind the ice arena, (the Zamboni dumped it there), to the skate park about a hundred yards away near the cross race. They wanted to snowboard on it. I shot some video of them and commented that they were hard core snowboarders. Then it dawned on me that we are pretty hard core bike racers too. It's 30 degrees windy and snowing and were all out here riding our bikes. I just wish it had snowed more during the race. I think the snowboarders would argee with that senitment.

Untitled from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

I borrowed a singlespeed (thanks Gus) and did the state championship race for my singlespeed debut. I achieved my goal of not getting lapped by Ronsta who won the race. I guess I did o.k. considering the competition. There were some really fast guys there. It was a blast.

Messenger For a Day

2008-11-07T06:24:00.000-08:00

I wasn't exactly a messenger, but I followed a couple of them around for a day or so. You can see the resulting story at:

http://www.myfoxmilwaukee.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7801536&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

Fly By Night

2008-11-02T04:35:00.000-08:00

Aris "I'm faster than you" Peters is also Aris "I can bunny hop higher than you" Peters.

Untitled from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Gus Does Cross

2008-11-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

Cyclocross that is. Even though he's recovering from a cold, he toughed it out at Kletzsch park. Nice job Gus.

Gus Does Cross from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

En Fuego

2008-10-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

Only at the Halloween CX race in Milwaukee would you see this!

It was a neat idea that may have gotten a little carried away. As far as I know, no one was hurt during the pyro portion of the race. It was a great day for a cross race. More later. Homemade pizza and Mrs. Bikesafer await. Enjoy the pix til then.

Love What You've Done With The Place

2008-10-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've ridden the Muir trails. Wow I love the changes to some sections of the blue trail. Fast and flowy. Mrs. Bikesafer and I had some spare time so we just goofed around for the afternoon. In case you're wondering the orange vest is to protect us from deer hunters, that's right they allow people to hunt right on and around the trail system. Doesn't sound too safe, but we made it out alive this time.

Sheboygan WORS

2008-10-12T19:26:00.000-07:00

Lots o photos for tonight more thoughts later.

OMG

2008-10-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

Also known as Oh My God! Which was what Mrs. Bikesafer said when she saw me in the lead for the first time during the 40+ Cat 4 race at Lapham Peak. Believe me, no one was more surprised than me that I was there. I kind of enjoyed the view out front, but I knew then and really know now that I stayed there too long. It was just 2 or 3 of us for about 2 or 3 laps, with a gap ranging from 100 feet to a couple hundred yards on the next guys, at least when I was looking back.

After coming through and being told 2 more laps, the guy following me went into the weeds at the next corner, so I pegged it thinking I could get a nice gap. Well by the next corner at the end of the long straight, he was right back on so I dialed it back, knowing that even at that pace I had little chance of winning if I just pulled for 2 laps. But I'm relatively new to this whole cross thing so I rode as fast as I could without blowing up and came home with a 3rd. I can live with that, especially since I did it all on a 20 year old touring bike. I can't wait for the next cross race, even though I don't hold out a lot of hope of repeating my performance next time, but hey it was cool to hear Mrs. Bikesafer so happy, maybe I can do it again.

Bikesafer on TV

2008-09-30T20:22:00.000-07:00

I was on Fox 6 news Tuesday night. The investigative reporter did a story on my difficulties with the City of Brookfield. You can view it here. Select "Dead Right" from the list of stories.

I'd love to hear what you think of it.

Bikesafer

Jeff

Baseball Anyone?

2008-09-26T04:51:00.000-07:00

I've never been a big baseball kind of guy, but it's not that hard to get caught up in all the playoff hype surrounding the Brewers. We flew over Miller Park just before the game last night. All I had was my point and shoot camera but I still thought this was a cool shot.

Before and After

2008-09-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

No I didn't get a makeover, but the video might be just as interesting as if I had.
On a ride last week, I saw an SUV that I called the police about last spring. I've only seen one other vehicle that I've complained about after the initial complaint so I was very interested to see how the driver would pass me this time. You can see for yourself below. The first video is the before from March of this year and the second is from last week, September of this year.

Later in the ride I had 2 late teen to early 20 something guys in a sports car behind me going up a hill. They waited until the top of the hill so they could see around me to pass and as they did I gave them a wave to say thanks and they gave me a wave and a thumbs up. So some progress is being made. The close pass later in the ride by a Ford Focus still points to the fact that work needs to be done, but every little bit helps. At least this one SUV driver seems to have gotten the message. Thanks to Officer Morris of the New Berlin Police Department. I don't know what she told the driver, but it seems to have worked.
Bikesafer
Jeff

The View From The Back

2008-09-18T19:10:00.001-07:00

The back of the tandem that is. It's my view during the Chequamegan Fat Tire 40. Actually the camera got a better angle than I did. It was on the top of my helmet so it was higher. If I wanted to see anything I had to lean one way or the other.
Enjoy
Bikesafer
Jeff

Beginner's Luck?

2008-09-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. It was my first time and I made the podium. Yes I know I'm wearing the "wrong" jersey according to some of my teammates. Let's just say that I was brought up off the Alterra practice squad for one race. Seriously since Mike Owens of Alterra is the reason I was able to ride this race I figured the least I could do was wear his colors (and my former colors) on the box.

We did the tandem category, as he usually does. I don't usually do the tandem. It was my 4th time on a tandem and the second time off road on one. It was fun but a very different experience going 40mph down a hill with a wet grassy muddy corner at the bottom and no brakes or steering. Mike did a great job keeping us upright . I've been on the front end of a tandem too and it ain't easy muscling that thing around. It's like pedaling a school bus.

Congrats to all the Expo and Alterra peeps who did the race and did very well.

Maybe I'll get to a longer race recap later.

"We're only asking for half of what the strippers got."

2008-09-11T05:50:00.001-07:00

I found this column about a dangerous stretch of road in Ohio, and the cyclists who ride there. Unfortunately the title of the column is " Bicyclists should do their part for safety ". I believe cyclists should do their part for safety, but the greatest threat many cyclists face is not under their control.

Late in the column one cyclist says a 3 foot law, (like we have in Wisconsin), would help make cyclists safer. He points out that the Ohio legislature was working on a bill that would require patrons at strip clubs to stay at least 6 feet from strippers. He believes cyclists should get at least some protection from the legislature, even if it is only half the protection strippers get from their customers. The columnist says " That would help, but only if the driver can see the bicyclist and has time to react."

I say it might help but only if you can convince the authorities to enforce the law once it takes effect.

Bikesafer
Jeff

Back In The Tuck

2008-09-08T04:11:00.000-07:00

After a week of vacation on Sanibel Island where the only riding I did was on a rented beach cruiser with a basket and handlebars that had me sitting more upright than a toddler in a high chair, I'm back on the road in a normal riding position. My brother in law was kidding me that if I tried to ride the cruiser in a semi-tuck, (with my hands on the center of the bars by the basket), the locals would run us off the island.

Well we managed to stay on the Island most of the week. We went swimming, boogie boarding, windsurfing, saw alligators, spiders, snakes, dolphins, a whole bunch of different birds, and more dragonflies than I've ever seen in one place, but the highlight had to be kayaking with a family of manatees. They came right up to us and bumped right into our kayaks. I can't wait to try windsurfing again, but for now it's back into the familiar tuck position to get enough road miles to feel somewhat ready for the rest of the races this year.

Yeah, Roger That

2008-08-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

Gus called and wanted to know if I wanted to ride on Wednesday. Uh yeah that is exactly what I was planning. So an Expo group ride was planned. It was a small group. Just me on the old Cannondale and Gus on the Roger. It started as a planned route into Racine and turned into a total yeah ride. For a while we knew what direction we were going but not where we would end up. That's the ultimate yeah ride. Since I brought the bad weather bike and Gus brought his Endura rain jacket, it of course stayed dry, which was fine by me. I almost got hit by blackbird, but that was the extent of the conflicts on the road. In the end it turned out to be 58.5 miles of fun.

The Invisible Man

2008-08-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

That's what it felt like today. I almost got full on rear ended twice and got buzzed by a medical transport van and a school bus. The 2 rear end near misses were both approaching intersections with red lights. The guy in the Volvo was adamant when I caught him at the light a couple hundred feet later, that he was "nowhere near me". Take a look at the video and tell me. I wouldn't want him that close to me if I was in a car much less when I'm on a bike. It was a good ride though same weather as yesterday. Perfect, little wind lots of sun. I needed to get some miles in the legs cause they didn't feel great at WEMS at Franklin, and I gotta be ready for the Fat Tire 40 which I'm now doing. I just sent in the application yesterday. How does that work you ask. I'm replacing half a tandem. It should be a blast and a great way to do my first Cheguamegon.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Dragonfly Sunday

2008-08-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

Took Mrs. Bikesafer for a birthday ride with a few other Expo folks at Greenbush. There were a ton of these red dragonflies landing on all our stuff. The riding was good, but Mrs. Bikesafer really needs a new bike or some new components, so off the bike shop we go. What's better than shopping on your birthday right? BTW happy birthday shout out to Gus as well. I hear that he shares a birthday with the Mrs.

75 Miles Into the Wind & Then...

2008-08-17T04:56:00.001-07:00

Disc Golf. That's right after riding to Beaver Dam, into the wind the whole way, I played my best round of disc golf ever and beat my brother in law and nephew. Of course my nephew then proceeded to destroy me in a match of front yard wrestling. For the record he never pinned me but if it were actually being scored, he would have had me by quite a substantial margin. I think next time thumb wrestling should follow disc golf in the family olympics.

I wore the BD1 fully loaded on the way up, just to see how it would perform if I ever needed it full of stuff. I threw some good hills into the route too, just to see what it would feel like to ride hills with a full pack, just in case.

License To Speed?

2008-08-13T05:05:00.000-07:00

I received a letter last week written by the Brookfield City Prosecutor, to the Mayor. It was quite a surprising letter for a number of reasons. First the City Prosecutor refers to two separate incidents in the letter, one of which I didn't even bring to his attention, and he transposes the facts of the two incidents. He also makes assumptions about my reasons for contacting him about the one incident in the first place, many of which are incorrect.

I'm not going to get into all the mis-statements of fact or incorrect assumptions, as that would take to long and be far to boring for readers of this blog.

I will however discuss the most shocking part of the letter. The part where the City of Brookfield's City Prosecutor, in an official correspondence to the Mayor, seems to give tacit approval to drive a car over the posted speed limit.

Mr. Kershek says that, "if a bicyclist is traveling the posted speed limit and the average car is traveling at five miles per hour greater than the posted speed limit, the bicyclist is, by definition traveling at less than the normal speed of traffic under the conditions then existing"

Mr. Kershek goes on to say, "in the interest of safety, it is reasonable to interpret the statute as requiring bicyclist to ride as close to the right hand edge of the road whenever they are not keeping up with traffic, regardless of the speed of traffic. To allow otherwise would create an unsafe situation as cars would have be forced into the oncoming lane of traffic to pass the bicyclist, allowing the required three feet distance between them."

So if a bicyclist is traveling the maximum posted speed limit in Brookfield Wisconsin, they have to make room for motorists who are speeding so the law breaking motorists don't have to slow down to pass?

Does this mean that if all the cars on the road are speeding, I'm allowed to speed on my bicycle to keep up with the flow if traffic?

This interpretation sure seems to raise all kinds of questions. I'll get back to you if I hear any answers.

Bikesafer
Jeff

Riding With Champions

2008-08-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

There were many champions in attendance at the 24 hour National Championships at 9 mile, and I got to ride with a few of them.

Johnny G. and I did the Championship Duo category. It was John's first 24 race. I think we made a great team. It was fun being out there with you John.

In the middle of the night last year, (my last solo race), I got passed by Chris Eatough just after the second Red Bud crossing. I tried to hang with him, but couldn’t. This year I got another shot at it. He passed me at the same point in the middle of the night, and this time I was able to hold his wheel all the way in to the finish area. It wasn’t like I was competing with him, it was just cool to come into the main pit area, right on the champion’s wheel. Another reason I bring it up is because Chris Eatough is a great champion. There are guys on every mtb course who yell, scream, and swear trying to get past you, even when there is no room to get past. In all of the 3 or 4 races I’ve competed alongside Chris, he has always been the calmest, most polite guy when it came time to pass. Even when he was in a heated battle where every second counted he understood that you were racing too. Thanks Chris, you do the jersey proud.

Then later in the race, in the early morning hours, I rode with Jerry Daanen, ½ of the 2007 Championship Duo. He was just finishing out his late laps, since they had no chance of losing 4th and little chance of moving up.
We talked for a mile or two about the strength of the field and the race, and just having fun riding. Then we got to the long gravel road with the 2 short climbs and he showed why he was the reigning champion, as he rode away from me on his singlespeed. It was good ridin you with Jerry.

As the sun started to heat things up again I caught Fixedgeargus, reigning singlespeed solo champion, and Expo teammate. We rode together for a few miles and talked about the race. Just usual riding with your teammate stuff, but mostly we talked about the last champions I want to mention.

The Expo Juniors.

They don’t get to claim the official title, but they rode like champions. These guys rode their hearts out and woulda coulda and probably shoulda been wearing the Stars and Stripes. They finished second by only a few minutes, after 24 hard hours of racing.
I say woulda coulda shoulda because if you take away one flat tire and one fluke accident with a errant pedestrian, the finishing time gap might have been 5 minutes the other way. But as they say in NASCAR, it was just one of those racin’ deals.
Stuff happens in a race and that’s why you do the race. You never know until it’s over, and that is why the Expo Junior Team are all champions to me. They gave their all, worked as a team and never gave up. They have what it takes to be on the top step if they ride like they did this weekend they will get there very soon. You guys were the class of the Expo team, and I think the class of the field this weekend. I’m very proud of all of you.

It was a great weekend and a great way to finish out my last 24-hour race.

Oh, and the bonus, John and I got to stand on a National Championship podium. We ended up 5th place in the Championship Duo category. Thanks John, it was a fun race.
Maybe next year I’ll find out if it’s more fun in the pits than on the racecourse.
I’ll have pictures as soon as fixedgeargus sends some.

Lights, MTB, Action

2008-07-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Well the lights are coming along. Nothing like waiting til the last minute. The MTB is ready. There is plenty of action going on getting everything organized for 24-9. I wanted to post the light photos cuz some folks were asking to see them.

Now A Few Words From The Lieutenant

2008-07-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

I thought the best way to illustrate the absurdity of the Brookfield Police Department's reaction to this latest incident would be to simply share a few quotes from Lt. Beth.

Lt.: Well you know I would choose different roads to ride on if this is an issue, choose a road that’s much safer for you if this is a concern,
Jeff: I guess I would ask you if a motorist came to you with continuing concerns about safety on a road would you tell them to drive on a different road? If I told you Calhoun Road was to dangerous to drive on would you tell me to drive on a different road?
Lt.: no I wouldn’t do that but I’m just telling you I’d advise you that if this is an issue where you don’t have enough room to safely ride with vehicles also riding on the road I would choose a different route.

Lt.: … plus the fact that the car had another vehicle coming the other way and it really had no where to go at the time.

Lt.: and I would advise you not to swear in public places such as you did yesterday (just for the record I did not swear yesterday) that’s a form of disorderly conduct. You brought in proof of that which we have on file.

Lt. I have to warn you that you’re riding on the white line and that’s pushing it in my estimation.

AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE

Lt. You have no right to be in an active traffic lane if you’re not going the speed limit.

Just for the record the first officer to investigate told me multiple times that it's clear that the truck driver was in violation. In spite of that fact, the driver was only warned, and then told that I was also violating the law. So now he/she incorrectly believes that I am not allowed to ride on the road.

Well done Officer. You've let a driver off for a serious violation of the traffic laws and given him incorrect information which will influence his future travels and further put me and other cyclists in harms way.

Told to Get Out of Dodge

2008-07-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

Well Brookfield actually. I reported one of the closest passes I've had in while which happened in Brookfield. Yes the same Brookfield where I've had nothing but trouble. The trouble continues. The officer who took the complaint initially told me he would be citing the driver. He called back the next day to tell me that he would be warning the driver and he was warning me for not being as far to the right as practicable.

When I talked to the Lt. about the incident, I was told that I should find someplace else to ride, that unless I was going the speed limit, I was not allowed in any active traffic lane, and if I continued to shout at drivers as they passed illegally I would be cited for disorderly conduct.
I've got plenty more to say about this situation later.
Jeff