Comments on: Machismo – the vital accessory for vehicular cycling? http://spacingottawa.ca/2010/02/09/machismo-%e2%80%93-the-vital-accessory-for-vehicular-cycling/ Understanding the urban landscape in Canada's capital region Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:36:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mark Rehder http://spacingottawa.ca/2010/02/09/machismo-%e2%80%93-the-vital-accessory-for-vehicular-cycling/comment-page-1/#comment-417 Mark Rehder Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:33:39 +0000 http://spacingottawa.ca/?p=1927#comment-417 I've been cycling year-round for 20 years (18 of those in Ottawa), and vehicular cycling is the way to go. For areas such as the Confed. Sq / War Memorial I take the lane. Traffic is rarely going fast enough that anyone can rightly honk you out of the way, though you have to know which lane to be in as you approach the Sussex / Rideau intersection with its two left-turn lanes. The bad design there is that three lanes turn into four, and if continuing along Rideau one needs to be in the left lane of the straight two, since the right one is for buses. And some motorists find themselves in the rightmost left-turn lane and realize they don't want to turn onto Sussex so they yank themselves into the straight lane that we cyclists are also forced to "share" with them. So I can appreciate a little anxiety at that spot. I'll agree with the previous comment that having one or both ears blocked with music while riding is not a good idea. Trying to block out some of the necessary noise is actually increasing your risk. It's like motorists who have their car stereo on full and then can't hear a siren or horn that they really should be hearing. I've been cycling year-round for 20 years (18 of those in Ottawa), and vehicular cycling is the way to go. For areas such as the Confed. Sq / War Memorial I take the lane. Traffic is rarely going fast enough that anyone can rightly honk you out of the way, though you have to know which lane to be in as you approach the Sussex / Rideau intersection with its two left-turn lanes.

The bad design there is that three lanes turn into four, and if continuing along Rideau one needs to be in the left lane of the straight two, since the right one is for buses. And some motorists find themselves in the rightmost left-turn lane and realize they don't want to turn onto Sussex so they yank themselves into the straight lane that we cyclists are also forced to "share" with them. So I can appreciate a little anxiety at that spot.

I'll agree with the previous comment that having one or both ears blocked with music while riding is not a good idea. Trying to block out some of the necessary noise is actually increasing your risk. It's like motorists who have their car stereo on full and then can't hear a siren or horn that they really should be hearing.

]]> By: jamesmallon http://spacingottawa.ca/2010/02/09/machismo-%e2%80%93-the-vital-accessory-for-vehicular-cycling/comment-page-1/#comment-390 jamesmallon Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:00:30 +0000 http://spacingottawa.ca/?p=1927#comment-390 Sorry, headphones are nuts: even one. If you want to live, you have to have both ears to hear in stereo. That way your brain can localize the direction a threat is approaching from. Same with eyes. It's why they come in pairs: basic neurobiology. Cars should not even have stereos, much less phones in any form, since its proven they distract drivers; nor should anyone in a car have a conversation. Those are losing battles, I am aware, but keep the electronics from your ears, for &^%& sakes, please. Sorry, headphones are nuts: even one. If you want to live, you have to have both ears to hear in stereo. That way your brain can localize the direction a threat is approaching from. Same with eyes. It's why they come in pairs: basic neurobiology. Cars should not even have stereos, much less phones in any form, since its proven they distract drivers; nor should anyone in a car have a conversation. Those are losing battles, I am aware, but keep the electronics from your ears, for &^%& sakes, please.

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