Your Music Might Mess You Up: Buffalo Bike Culture

Rev. Drew, right on -- Amen!

Queenseyes, cool link -- I think March '07 predates my knowledge of BR -- before I embarked on my journey to enlightenment.

Well here are my thoughts...

First, and in reverse, the bike posted in the last photo. It was my understanding those were originally built for bike jousting. I remember seeing people do that once, it's pretty amazing (dangerous, but awesome). They are not very easy to ride, at least that was my experience..

In regards to biking with headphones.. I tried it a few times, I felt completely out-of-phase with the rest of the world.. Everything in my experience was much more dangerous. I could not hear the cars, could not pay as much attention to what was going on. It's like driving with a cell phone, I just am not paying the same amount of attention.

I do not agree however with biking on the roads instead of the sidewalk. I bike on the road most of the time, but not if the sidewalks are not crowded. It is in my experience much more dangerous to be on the road. I do not trust the drivers in buffalo, especially at night. It is much more likely to encounter some jerk who is in their car and thinks it's funny to swerve into your bike than when you're on the sidewalk. This has happened to me a bunch of times, especially at night... Honestly, there is no good solution except bike lanes. The sidewalk is terrible for walkers, the streets just are no good for anyone.

I agree that riding with earbuds is asinine, but riding without a helmet is even more so. If you get hit with earbuds and a helmet you are more likely to live than if you get hit with no earbuds and no helmet. The point of this article is safety and to convey the message that riding with earbuds or on the sidewalk is more dangerous than without a helmet is inaccurate. It isn't rocket science... if you are moving at 10-15 mph and you fall off the bike, your head will not fare well when it hits the concrete, metal, or asphalt. Wear you helmet as if your life depends on it!

The large bike in the photo is one of many around town. I've seen them for years, on Main St and Parkside in N. Buffalo. I was in Fort Collins this past summer for the New Belgium Brewery's "Tour de Fat," which is the world's largest bike parade, and there were dozens of these bikes and many others significantly more tricked out. Basically it is like Mardi Gras, but on bikes. People get dressed in costumes, they make their bikes into floats, convert couches to recumbent bikes, etc. There is a huge party at the end. For those interested, there are videos on Youtube. Fort Collins isn't the only city to have the "Tour de Fat"....

Newell maybe this is something BRO should sponsor for this year. Have it end at the Lasalle Park? I'll get involved if you are interested.

Bikes and earbuds do NOT mix; no exclusions to the rule even if you are on a bike path. Also I personally beleive all cyclist should be wearing a helmet at all times, again no exclusions to the rule. Cyclists, obey traffice laws while on the roads, look out for motorist, and respect them. Motorist do the same in reverse. Simple as that.. never had any problems while cycling in the city. Buffalo is a wonderful cycling destination and experience and if everyone follows the previous statement everthing will work out fine:)

Rev Drew- not wearing a helmet, and not stopping at intersections is far more dangerous than wearing earbuds.

I ride mostly for exercise, so I will ride over to the park and do laps around the Delaware park road or I will take my bike out to the Tonawanda creek path. I always wear my helmet and my headphones. However, I have the volume set low, so I can always hear what is behind me and what is going on around me.

I do have the same gripes with many other bikers though, especially the ones who ride on sidewalks, ride against traffic, and run stop signs/red lights.

Orlanmon- please give me an example of why a cyclist should not wear headphones while on a path, and how this would be any different than a runner wearing headphones.

Maybe runners shouldn't wear headphones on a bike path since they can't hear me letting them know I am about to pass them on the left? Would you agree with that? I didn't think so...

"I'll admit, I am not the king of bike safety. I rarely wear my helmet, and I occasionally run a light or stop sign."

You stop at stop signs and lights? One of the cool things about using a bike vs auto is not having to obey those pesky traffic rules. Nothing personal but I cant stand it when I see a fellow cyclist decked out in spandex in the midle of the street with his arm outstretched waiting for the left turn signal to turn green.
As far as the sidewalk goes, I will jump on it from time to time if it gets me out of traffic. Of course I wont blow through a crowd of pedestrians at full speed but there are times when going on the sidewalk is better than trying to fight through traffic. I try to say "on your left" if I ride by a walker. Especialy this time of year when that grit left over from potholes piles up in the part of the road between the right lane and the curb shredding inner tubes. Its no fun patching a tire on the road. I do most of my biking in the burbs where people dont use the sidewalk anyway.

And to the motorists who insist on hugging the curb and staying out of the left lane at all costs, if you come up on a biker just pass them. It is very annoying as well as unsafe to slow down to the bikes speed and follow behind them. I get at least one of these people every day.

You are right. I should be wearing a helmet, and coming to a full stop at each intersection. It is more safe.

I would argue though, that we are talking about two types of safety. The earbuds, along with lights and horn/bell (which I also have to get), are for the purpose of avoiding an accident, while a helmet is for surviving the accident.

Avoiding an accident is the best way to survive one, but you are correct, not everything can be avoided. I shall start wearing my helmet. (One of the dangers of preaching is that you have to be willing to change!)

I am less worried about people wearing earbuds on a bike path. I still would not, but it is more of a matter of taste than safety on the path.

And yes, I do signal, especially when I am making a left turn. I don't really care if you can't stand it--I don't want to get hit.

I tried to do the ear bud thing while riding my bike a couple years ago... didn't like it at all. Just doesn't feel right. Too distracting. The same should go for walkers. People should be aware of what is around them. Simple as that. But then again a walker isn't going to kill someone by walking into them.

As for hugging the left of the lane. That is correct assuming the left part of the lane is safe to ride in. Some roads are bad and it would be more dangerous for everyone if I was bumping around with little control through the pot holes and crap that has been built up all year. Sweethome is a perfect example of this.

Bike riders, because they shouldn't be on the sidewalk are legally entitled to a lane of traffic... aka if there isn't enough room to safely pass you are not allowed to do it. Period. I don't care if you have to slow for a couple blocks or until the left 'passing lane' opens up, deal with it. Just as you would if there was a slow driver. It is less safe for everyone when you squeeze by with your car 6" from my bike. That is more reckless than just about anything else.

Stop signs and lights are a tougher call, only because their purpose is to control fast moving traffic from killing people. Bike - bike or bike to pedestrian rarely kill anyone. Vehicles their size, mass and speed create the unsafe roads that necessitated lights and stop signs in the first place. Before the internal combustion engine such measure were limited to only the busiest of intersections.

This is by no means saying that anyone has the right to blow through anything. But as a bike approaches a stop sign, because they travel at slower speeds and have higher visibility than a car, the rider knows if the coast is clear much faster than a car that pulls up to a sign. Obviously if someone is there you stop and if you are going fast you must slow down to a assure safety but it is no different than the rolling stop that most car drivers employ.

I have to say that I ride on the sidewalk 90% of the time if it's a major street. With regards to stop signs and lights, I think on a bike it's easier to see, so going through an empty intersection is all right by me. If I come to an intersection and there are a bunch of cars chances are I'm hopping up the sidewalk and waiting like a pedestrian, or if I'm on the road I'll wave the cars on or wait my turn. I do have a problem when bikers blow through intersections while other cars are waiting their turn. I will say that I noticed the biggest offenders of people who blow through stop signs are older people with "pro" bikes and gear. I guess spandex gives you the authority to not use common sense. As far as a helmet, I'm looking for one of those black German WW1 helmets with a spike in the middle.

Buffalo is a horrible place for bikers AND pedestrians - bike lanes would help, but how about fixing the cross-walk signs so they work like everywhere else in the nation?! If the street you are crossing gets a red (across left-right), the pedestrian should get the go-ahead, not the car turning left coming from behind!

WHERE ARE THE BIKE RACKS THE CITY HAS BEEN PROMISING?!?!?!?!?!

p.s. we need bike lanes too!

NYS bike law specifies that in or on ear listening devices are allowed as long as they are placed in or on one ear only.

I'm not sure this is a good policy. I believe that it screws up spatial listening cues and might well do more harm than allowing listening to music with both ears.

I occasionally bike with 'phones of one sort or another. I find that at any reasonable sound level, they do not in any way isolate me from ambient sounds. (I'm not talking about noise-canceling or noise-blocking earphones or earbuds, here.)

Of course there's the issue of what constitutes a reasonable listening level.

I also find that the sound of the breeze across the 'phones or 'buds is often as loud as or louder than the music itself.

I say "listen away" and make your own judgments.

Also, the number of people on bicycles driving against traffic, driving on the sidewalk, making screwy left turns, driving in crosswalks, and doing other clearly wacky things far exceeds the number who partake of some sounds while pedaling.

If you're going do holler at someone, make it one of those first.

Rev. Drew- About those rolling stops... have you seen the info video on the Idaho Stop?

http://urbanvelo.org/bicycle-rolling-stop-animation-idaho-stop-law/

or google: bicycle rolling stop

and please wear your helmet. We need you on June 13!

And here it is National Ride to Work Day and I saw nothing from the City to promote anything.

I ride most days and rode all week this week. Saw a few more folks commuting in but totally agree it is a jungle out there.

I make sure I'm so visible. I had a woman pull up to me and say, "I see you every you morning and no one can ever use the excuse they didn't see you!"

So in addition to toss the ear buds...be seen, be safe!