I was hanging out at the LBS, Sunday afternoon. Enjoying a frosty cold brew and watching the Tour (yeah that's right I get served beer at my LBS) and then in walked this wounded warrior of the open road. With a horribly warped front wheel and some scrapes and bruises. His story was, "I was ridding on PCH (Pacific Coast Highway, more a main road than a highway really) and a car drifted into me, knocked me over the sent my bike into a parked car"
He had some minor scrapes on his leg and shoulder but it seems it was the bike that took the real beating. The lesson to learned form all this, CLAIM YOUR LANE! ride right down the middle or the road if you have to. I ride the same rout as this kid to work everyday and he could have avoided this by taking the lane. Lucky the shop has some used older spare wheels just for this type of occasion and got him back on the road with a older cheaper (actually just an older hand built road wheel, pretty nice realy) wheel in about 15 minuets.
1 comment:
Re: "He could have avoided this by taking the lane:" real mixed feelings here. Maybe where you live. Where I live (NJ) this strategy is also recommended by our DOT. Have you ever had the lovely feel of a car's front fender coming into contact with your rear bike fender ? Have you ever had a car swerve around you, then brake dead on in front of you ? That's what happens around here when people try to take the lane. Drivers aren't aware that this is legal. So be kinder to this guy, who let you take his picture after all. Bad drivers are bad drivers. No guarantee that taking the lane would have helped this particular driver treat him any better.
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