Cycling

I have a confession to make: I'm one of those cyclists who wears brightly coloured spandex for riding. My shorts are WPI cycle team surplus, and my shirt is a shade of flourescent yellow most comonly seen on low pipes and unexpected steps in the industrial environment.

I don't wear this get up to look cool, or because I have some perception of being a competition grade cyclist. I know I'm not, and frankly have little desire to be. However looking like I'm moving fast will hopefully lower the number of idiots who pull out of driveways in front of me (this is advice from a couple of actual competition cyclists, I'm not sure how true it is). And when I do end up on the ground the spandex really comes into its own.

At 20MPH road rash sucks, allot. The last time I wiped out the exposed skin that hit pavement didn't heal for two months(did you know that road rash down to the fat doesn't blead imediatly? Neither did I.), in the areas covered by trendy cycle cloths the bruises faded in a week or two and the scratches were gone in days.

Now before JayG threatens to run me over with his truck, I do stay on the side of the road, not the middle, and if you see me in the middle or left lane of a road, its because I'm turning left, very soon. I'm also a big fan of hand signals, although I try to make my manuevers when there is no one back there to see them any way.

Tonight was, incidentally, the first actual ride I've taken on my road bike in a couple years. Its a bit different then riding on the trainer, and the bad habits gained from having the bike supported definitely show. An almost 7 mile ride on a cool fall evening certainly made the day better, and the combination of quite and solitude is one I quite like.

I almost grabbed my iPod on the way out the door, but decided against it. Mostly to keep better situational awairness. About two minutes later I was far to busy listening to the birds, then wind in my ears, and the pleasant creaking of an ancient race bike to want or care about music blasting in my ears.

AE

Bridges and Tunnels

We have many bridges and tunnels in the greater Norfolk area. Its a bit like Boston would have looked like if no one had filled in all that inconvenient water in down town.

This causes no end of traffic problems (as any choke point will), but its made much worse by accidents _in_ the tunnels, or on the narrow parts of the bridges. My commute (very deliberately) does not even get on the highway, but the morning traffic always has at least one tunnel closed, or two tunnels down to one lane for accidents.

To quote Clarkson: "How hard can it be?'

You keep the car off the walls of the tunnel, that's the grey/brown stuff just over the white line, keeping the water out, and you in, for those in the back of the class.

Don't drive faster then the car in front of you, or slower then the car behind you. For those in the back: that's all the other boxy things on the road with you. If those two contradict each other match the speed of the car in front. The guy behind you will follow suit (and if he doesn't hopefully the damage to your car won't include anything too important).

It is no harder to drive in a tunnel then on the open free way, think of it as a freeway with a roof.

Either there is a respawn point for 'clueless fools' just before the tunnel, or they pump stupid gas into them, because I have a hard time believing that this rate of accidents is sustainable in the long term (although I'm told by my coworkers that it is).

I'm just dreading the day we move into a house, and have to deal with one of the above tunnels or bridges.

AE

P.S. While scheduling draw bridge openings and announcing it on the radio is a great idea, who the hell thinks that opening a drawbridge at 08h00 is a good idea? Are they _trying_ to screw up the morning commute?

AE

Cool Car Man

While driving today I saw possibly the coolest car, driven by the coolest guy, in all of Norfolk, possibly all of VA.

I'm just guessing on the year, but I'd say it was a 1998 or so, Honda Accord. That's not so cool you say? But here is the list of 'extras our dude had included:

'Sport' muffler that makes the car sound like a riding lawnmower in need of major work.
Spinner rims, over sized to use very low profile tires.
Lowered suspension, so low that the tires touch the fender well when he hits a seam on the highway. The extreme camber on the rear wheels from having the ride height so low is a free extra.
Rear Wing fit for an F1 car, because we all know how Front wheel drive cars need extra down force.
Sound system ready for the next Rolling Stones concert.
Seat back set in 'ultra recline' so even a relatively tall guy can't see over the steering wheel.

But the best, and most important part:
Aftermarket Turbo with Boost Overflow Valve vented to the atmosphere.
Giant NOS sticker on the back window.
Oversize sunglasses, at night.

Now here is how we know he's the coolest guy on the road: He passed me, on the right, weaving through heavy traffic, yelling insults out the open window at the people in his way.

Then something gave out under the hood of his car, loud enough to be heard over the sound of his exhaust line, and the entire car filled with rich, white smoke. When I passed him, he had escaped the car, which seemed to be very close to 'on fire'.

I think the fire and smoke damage will be a nice touch to that rig, don't you?

Stay safe, and remember: Boost pressure is set by the factory for a very good reason.
AE

Memo To Massholes on 290 West

If I may riff on Jay_G's common thread:

1) Look before you change lanes. While driving your bimbo-box into my VW Rabit will annoy me as much as it does you, driving it under the rear tires of an 18-wheeler (or Jay's truck) will be the end of you cell phone call, and hopefully your driving career. Try not to kill anyone else being a fsckwit either.

As a note: We at GTWTW HW only support highway deaths that involve Porsches flying backwards over cliffs while on fire. Because clearly you've worked for it :)

2) Speaking of Porsches: If I can overtake your Boxter (again in my stock VW) in a twisty off ramp, while you are visibly trying to outrun me (and have just cut me off getting off the highway), YOUR DOING IT WRONG. Give me the keys, and go back to your Prius.

3) Again with the mirrors. Those are the things sticking off the side of your car. If you look, you will see my car, and I, in the lane next to you. While I'm doing my damnedest to get around your Starbucks drinking, slow, ass, I'm going to be there for a few seconds. If you look before wandering aimlessly into the left lane I, and the guy behind me, would greatly appreciate it.

Drive Safe, and check your Six,
AE