One Less Prius

WriConsult · #21 07-08-2009, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzzy

Many of us have no experience with violence on the scale of NOLA. And if bike hijacking were to start becoming more than an aberration around here, it would soon collide with our long history of having one of the highest rates of concealed weapons permits in the country.

Ha! That would be true in Oregon too. I do know of cyclists who carry. Not because it's dangerous here, but because ... well, a lot of people carry.

And yeah, if getting jacked were a significant risk here I wouldn't even think of cycling. I'd think twice about making unnecessary car trips too.

fuzzy · #22 07-08-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

... Another factor not covered by the statistics above is the increase in life expectancy due to the exercise obtained by cycling. Sorry I don't have any links handy on this one, but I've seen a number of studies showing that the increase in life expectancy from the exercise outweighs any decrease in life expectancy due to crashes by a factor of several times. ...

I don't have links immediately at hand either, but this matches what I have seen elsewhere. Bicycle fatalities number less than a thousand per year. Mortality from "lifestyle" issues -- the diet and exercise of a coach potato -- kills multiple hundreds of thousands per year, more than car crashes and bike crashes and guns and all accidents and injuries combined, though maybe not exceeding the deaths from tobacco. That is why I still bike in some situations where a car is somewhat safer than a bike -- the exercise is more important than the mode of transport.

phoebeisis · #23 07-08-2009, 10:42 PM

Yes, getting smashed from behind might be just 3% of the fatalities-does that mean they are only 3% dead?? Why do bike community types always cite that figure as if it is comforting? I guess I'm supposed to feel foolish and inexperienced after hearing it for the 1000th TIME!!

You have absolutely no control over the idiot/drunk/drugged driver coming up behind you.I can control-to some extent-getting hit from the front and the side. I eyeball drivers in front of me, and those pulling in from either side. I'm watching to see if they are alert-to see if they see me- to see if they are on their cell phone. I plan to dodge them. I expect them to hit me.

The driver coming from behind-I'm completely at his mercy-THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO PREVENT HIM HITTING ME. If he misjudges just how far his mirror sticks out, and it is an older vehicle with hard mounted mirrors-BAM- I am 3% dead.

It isn't because we are ignorant and inexperienced, it is because we know we are completely relying on the moron coming up behind us.He/She literally has our life in his/her drunken cell phone fumbling hands.

Charlie

WriConsult · #24 07-08-2009, 11:16 PM

Well, sorry if you've heard that stat so many times Charlie. I don't mean to be repetitive. Most people haven't, and are astonished when I quote it. I can't speak for anyone else, but the reason I do quote the 3% figure is to illustrate just how rare an occurrence it is.

I do get your point about lack of control though, and in all honesty my fear of getting hit from behind is way more than 3% no matter how much I remind myself that 97% of the danger is in front of me. As a result I watch approaching vehicles in my mirror probably more than I need to when I'm on roads with limited clearance, and try to always be prepared to hit the ditch if they're not holding a steady line or don't appear to be giving me enough clearance.

What scares me even more, and for exactly the same reasons, is the oncoming drunk/drugged/idiot/inattentive/cellular/texting/book-reading/video-watching driver on the highway. Like the guy behind me, I can't really see what he's up to, and if he strays over the line there's a 100-140mph impact that (1) I can't react to in time, given the ~200 ft/sec closing distance, and (2) I have no hope of surviving.

phoebeisis · #25 07-09-2009, 09:15 AM

WRICONSULT,

I was over the top with that last post-my apology.

Yes, it is the "not much I can do about it" aspect of the driver overtaking me that makes it worse than it is. The lower closing speeds of the overtaking impact might have something to do with the just 3%-and being directly in the driver's line of sight for longer also probably helps catch his eye.

For some reason,rumbling diesel pickups are my particular fear-I know they are wider than average with wide mirrors and occasionally with wider still dual rear wheels. The distinctive noise doesn't help either. I've never had a bad experience with one-just the distinctive noise lets me"see" what is back there.

Sorry,
Charlie

saturnsc2 · #26 07-09-2009, 09:16 AM

You guys are very correct about the health benefits from cycling. It is great excersise, low impact on the joints, good for circulation, and the main thing I like it is far less boring to me than walking or jogging or using a treadmill etc. I wasn't at all trying to say that bikes sucked just because my route to work is busy. And I still do ride some on the roads. But I try to pick very low traffic roads through housing subdivisions and this type of thing, instead of a busy 55 mph no shoulder road.
I also even have mountain and 20" bikes and have mtn bike trails near my house as well as a bmx track. Plus I take my daughter to various parks where you can ride. So one can get their bike excersise without pedaling to work.
I just think that alot of people that have tons of bike lanes or areas to ride bikes in bike friendly towns don't understand that in alot of america this just isn't possible. It's great for them that it is, I wish all cities would put in more bike lanes, but the sad reality is, when you live in a town where very few people own a bike at all or ride, and the economy and city budgets are down it isn't going to happen soon.
That was a good comment though about how people drive hybrids. I see that too, people pass me in hybrids all the time like they are headed to a fire haha. I have no doubt that I am getting far greater gas mileage in my non hybrid old saturn as they are in their fancy new car. Most people care more about looking cool, or looking like they are trying to be green and help the environment than actually doing so in practice.

NiHaoMike · #27 07-09-2009, 05:17 PM

I see the solution: hybrid bicycles! You can still say your vehicle is a hybrid and you'll be greener. Displace some fossil fuel usage by generating electricity to power electronics and the effective fossil fuel usage would be negative. You can't really carry large stuff like water heaters on a bike but that's what the Prius is for (guess that reference).

And, the best hybrid racing bicycle (which was actually running in EV mode) can compete surprisingly well against a Prius as far as 1/4 mile times are concerned.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/vie...hp?f=6&t=10301
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-p...ag-racing.html