Why Do Motorists Hate Cyclists?

Charles, a non-cycling friend, tagged me in a Facebook post this past weekend. The question he posed sparked an interesting exchange that has bugged be ever since:

What is it about a bicycle marathon past my home that rubs me the wrong way? Maybe Daren Williams has an idea. Wife says I am jealous. So that one is already taken. Lol

It's a great question. Why do motorists hate cyclists? A comment from Lisa, one of Charles' friends, shed some light on the answer:

Either you like cycling or you hate it. Cycling is big out here, and we've got behind races- they cause big headaches. And the last race they had through Colorado Springs, people went as far as spreading tacks and glass on the route.

I assume she is talking about the USA Pro Challenge, which rolled through Colorado Springs this past summer. But you know what they say happens when you assume, so I shouldn't. But that didn't stop her from assuming something about me in her next comment:

I think it has to do with the perception that cyclists see themselves as superior, part of the environmentalist liberal elite. And just the fact they cause traffic problems.

Well, I must say that is the first time I have ever been accused of being "part of the environmentalist liberal elite." And I don't take that as a compliment! Fortunately, another friend of Charles, Matt, came to my rescue:

I get annoyed when people talk about the Liberal environmentalist elite. There is a religion out there that shuns science and embraces ignorance. Unfortunately for them, their raft is sinking from all the people jumping on it and soon it will capsize from a changing climate and rising seas. I could go on, But that's the crux of what I was getting at. BP has estimated that we only have about 17 decades of recoverable natural gas left. I've studied scarcity of resources and what happened to former civilizations that overused their gifts from the commons, they disintegrate, and collapse, after taking everyone else's resources. Riding bikes isn't a terrible idea from the standpoint of sustainability.

Oh great, my only ally in this conversation is part of the Liberal environmentalist elite! Just what I needed. Riding bikes isn't a terrible idea from the standpoint of sustainability?! I assume (there I go again), that Matt is talking about replacing cars and trucks with bikes. But I'm sorry, as a cyclist I can tell you that bicycles are a terrible form of transportation.

I ride 25 miles to/from work every May in honor of National Bike Month but I don't do it to be "sustainable." I'd much rather be driving my car. It's faster, more comfortable, and much more efficient. I ride to/from work to train for Ride the Rockies. Riding 25 miles 2x daily is great exercise but it is impractical for commuting on a regular basis (especially during winter in Colorado!).

So why do motorists hate cyclists? Is it jealousy, as Charles' wife suggested? I doubt it. Why would anyone riding comfortably in a climate-controlled, audio-infused, petroleum-powered vehicle be jealous of some sweaty middle-aged man in Lycra?

Is it the terrible inconvenience of having to share the road with an occasional cyclist or that once-a-year cycling event? Seriously? Are you in that big a hurry to get to work? Thankfully, I think Lisa finally came up with the answer:

Okay, then, maybe it's the shorts!:)

Granted. Spandex shorts don't look good on very many people. Especially middle-aged men. So allow me to explain. The shorts are not a fashion statement. They are functional. Without getting too personal, suffice it to say that padding and spandex help prevent cycling saddle sores.

I tried to explain this to Charles in my response to his question: "What is it about a bicycle marathon past my home that rubs me the wrong way?"

Not getting rubbed the wrong way is why we wear spandex. You could try that.

Ride on!

Daren

P.S. An oldie but a goodie. Why bike shorts should be black...

Ride the Rockies 2013 Preview Day Three: Durango to Pagosa Springs

Departing Durango on day three of Ride the Rockies 2013 we will climb from 6,512 ft. to 8,000 ft. in the first 15 miles, crossing briefly through the San Juan National Forest. The rugged peaks of the San Juan mountains in southwestern Colorado make them one of my favorite ranges in the Colorado Rockies. The contrast of the rocky outcroppings rising from the desert valleys is dramatic.

The high and rugged San Juan Mountains

Around mile 15 we will turn south and will come within a few miles of the New Mexico border, riding through Navajo State Park before turning north to Pagosa Springs, a popular destination for people seeking the healing powers of the hot springs ("Pagosah" is the Southwester Ute Indian word for healing waters). After riding 225 miles in three days I may just have to take a plunge myself.


NO BIKES OR SKATEBOARDS ON SIDEWALK!

Although the hot springs would not qualify as an official Team Bar2Bar "watering hole" the Bear Creek Saloon definitely does. We spent several hours liquid carbo-loading at this fine establishment on the 2006 ride, my first visit to Pagosa Springs.


Team Bar2Bar captain Paul the Pilot and a rider we have met several times on RTR (but whose name I can't remember! Ann, maybe?)

We may want to take it a little easy this year, though, as day four begins with THE CLIMB of the 2013 tour, Wolf Creek Pass. But I'll save that for next week's preview. Until then...

Ride on!

Daren

May is National BEEF BIKE RUNNER Month!

I love May. It's my birth month. May is alsoNational Beef Month, National Bike Month and National Runners Month! So what's not to love?!

Back in 2010 (the year Dick's Sporting Goods designated May as Beef Runners Month), I launched the National Beef Runners Month Challenge to "eat beef and get some exercise every day in the month of May." Only this year I am focused on cycling. So, I an renewing the challenge but changing the name to the National Beef Bike Month Challenge!

Frankly, I don't care if you run, ride, walk or Zumba. The goal is to move for 30 minutes (elevating your heart rate beyond normal activity) and eat at least 3 oz. of lean beef to fuel your physical activity, every day for 31 days. It's a simple, doable, tasty challenge!

My personal goal is to ride an average of 25 miles per day during National Beef Bike Month. That's approximately 90 minutes of exercise each day, so I get to eat a lot more beef :)



This was taken THIS MORNING, May 1, 2013!

My goal is part of a much bigger goal to ride 2000 mile between January 1 and June 8, in training for Ride the Rockies 2013. And I'm behind schedule. An unusually snowy spring in Colorado has made it difficult to log road miles. But I've spent a lot of time on my Cyclops Fluid2 indoor bike trainer, so I'm  not too far behind. 175 miles per week, 775 miles in 31 days. It's a stretch goal, but it's doable.

So what is your goal? Wherever you are in your persoanl fitness journey, I encourage you to challenge yourself this month. If you are doing nothing, start small. Walk for 30 minutes. If you already exercise every day, try something new. And every day after you reach your goal, reward yourself with lean beef, the nutritional powerhouse.

Ride on!

Daren