When in the Course of Human Events...

posted @ 05:24 AM EDT

Two Abreast

Near the end of today’s bike ride I overtook a group of three women bicyclists. As I approached from behind them I saw that two of them were riding abreast and continued to do so when there was overtaking traffic in spite of the fact that the rider on the left was well out in the lane, there being no shoulder to the road. I see this all time and am bothered by it because I know that it annoys the motor vehicle drivers who consequently have difficulty passing. After I passed the three I watched—I have a rearview mirror, good for anticipating overtaking traffic—as a few more times cars overtook them, at times with traffic coming in the opposite direction, making passing from behind impossible for a little while. That did it. I sat up and waited until the women caught up to me, then asked the one out in the middle of the road why she didn’t move over to allow overtaking traffic to pass. She told me that New Hampshire permitted bicyclists to ride two abreast. Ah! There’s the problem.

You see, that’s true, but only when not impeding traffic. One of the other women told me I should read the law. I’m pretty sure that people who say that have never read the law. Bob Mionske, an attorney specializing in law affecting cyclists, has a brief guide to the state laws regarding riding two abreast.

posted @ 11:59 AM EDT

NH Law for Bicyclists Riding Two Abreast

So that you can honestly say that you’ve read the New Hampshire law, the following is from TITLE XXI, MOTOR VECHICLES, CHAPTER 265, RULES OF THE ROAD, Special Rules for Bicycles and Mopeds, Section 265:144.

V. Persons riding bicycles 2 or more abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane.

posted @ 04:25 PM EDT

160 Miles on the Bike This Week

I bicycled 160 miles in the week ending today. Last year the only week I rode more than that was the one that ended the Saturday of the Pan-Mass Challenge.

posted @ 02:02 PM EDT

Wabi-sabi

The Japanese aesthetic wabi-sabi encompasses the serious meaning intended by the title of this blog. In part, it is said that it “nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.”

posted @ 09:19 AM EDT

Eleventh Pan-Mass Challenge

The first weekend in August I will ride with Team Dolben for the eleventh straight year in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC), which benefits the Jimmy Fund of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI); 153 miles from Wellesley to Bourne and back. Personally, I have many reasons to support the kind of work—research and treatment—that is done at Dana-Farber, and see this event as an opportunity to make my friends aware of this way of contributing to the effort (a) to improve the treatment of people with cancer and (b) to increase the understanding of cancer prevention. In the past 30 years, the PMC has contributed $270 million to DFCI, while this year some 5,200 people are riding with a goal of raising $31 million (100 cents of every dollar donated going to fight cancer).

If, for your own reasons, you decide to support Dana-Farber with a sponsorship of my ride, please use the secure web server with my “eGift” ID.

posted @ 09:17 AM EDT

Ride with GPS

I used the Ride with GPS recreational route sharing website to make a map of a 50 km bike ride I like; shown below. I’ll even put up with Flash® for something this nice.

posted @ 07:40 PM EDT