Here's What a Jerk Drives: Beige 2002 Honda Odyssey, PA plate: HFG-3592

Here's a picture of a driver who passed me doing at least 70 MPH southbound on Auction Road  at 5:53 PM on Wednesday, April 14th:

The 2002 Honda Odyssey that nearly killed me on Auction Road

Here's the video:

The vehicle appears further than it actually was due to the fish-eye lens on the GoPro mounted on my front handlebars. The yellow lane divider line is 8.8 feet from the right edge of the roadway. However i am riding 2' from the right edge due to the broken pavement all alpng the edges of this road.

There is NO WAY the driver has provided 4' distance from a cyclist as required by Pennsylvania law:

Four Foot Buffer Requirement: When passing, drivers must allow at least four (4) feet between the right side of the vehicle and the left side of the bicycle [75 Pa.C.S. § 3303 (a) (3)] . When safe to do so, it is legal to cross the center double yellow line if necessary to provide the required four feet when passing a bicycle [75 Pa.C.S. § 3307 (b.1)].

My handlebars are 42 cm (1.3 feet) wide. Seated on the bicycle in normal riding posture I am approximately 1.5 feet wide (I'm 6'1", 180 lbs).

If I'm 2' from the right edge and 1.5' wide = 3.5' to my left edge.

The lane is 8.8 feet to the edge of the grass.

That leaves 5.3' of distance between me and the centerline.

Yet in the image above you can see the Odyssey is straddling the centerline.

A 2002 Odyssey is 76.3" wide (6.4 feet)

Assuming directly over centerline that 3.2' in the 8.8" wide lane, there's 2.1' between my left edge and Honda's right edge.

This 2002 Honda Odyssey van has Pennsylvania registration: HFG-3592.

I will post a video this evening. In the video his speed is apparent as he has to brake when he runs up behind the vehicle in the distance.

So I sent an email to the Manheim Borough Police Department with the picture of the car attached (which clearly displayed the license plate).

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UPDATE

I was contacted by the MBPD Police Chief who explained they can't really issue a citation if they can't positively identify who was driving. They have the vehicle info and traced it but the driver wouldn't be obvious given the addresses. They will follow up and ask me to testify if it goes to court.

I'd happily participate.

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Some police departments get it. The Bangor, Maine PD certainly does:

Drivers and Cyclists

Lancaster County: Yesterday's Commute

Going anyway...

Bike commuting is sometimes a challenge.

Of course there's the need to haul food, clothing, and other supplies (in my case it's a combination of staging on days I drive in and riding with a backpack).

Then there's the early morning starts (If I'm rolling by 0630 I can be at work in time to change and get some breakfast before the calls start).

It's often cold in the mornings so there's more clothes to wear, hang, wash, carry up hills and push through the air.

Hazards

There is the occasional moron driver, who believes it's far too difficult to move off their selected path more than 3' feet (This specimen is usually driving twice the posted speed limit and is horribly upset if confronted). Laziness, stupidity, or viciousness -- or perhaps all three -- compels this driving style.

Of course I have rear blinkers, reflective bands, a bright day-glow jersey, and decent head lights, so seeing me shouldn't be a challenge.

Alas it is, for some poor souls.

Anyway, the one benefit of early morning rides is lack of wind. Most days.

This morning served up a fresh northeast breeze at 7-9 MPH. It may not sound like much but it's just enough to knock a mile or two off the average speed and increase the perception of required effort.

Downhills aren't as fast and uphills aren't easier.

About halfway into the ride I thought, "I don't want to do this."

Uh Oh

Most days I look forward to the ride -- it's a bright spot when I can breathe fresh air, feel strong and active, see the countryside pass by, and enjoy the sunrise.

But a very busy week of work and a couple of hard days on the bike (wind in March -- imagine that) sapped me of some enthusiasm.

This is where cycling is a microcosm of life. There are moments when you just want to throw your hands up and say, "I'm done."

But I'm somewhere on Long Road with no bus stop, no taxi, and no one nearby to push me up this next little rise. It's me and this assembly of aluminum, synthetic ribber, spandex, nylon, electronics, and cork bar tape and the only entity on the planet moving me form where I am to where i need to be is me.

I shift down and spin -- 85... then 87, then 90, now 94 RPM.

The road levels.

The sky ahead is bright with sunrise pink-orange glow.

There are no cars. Cows stand in the field munching fresh grass.

The wind abates for a moment.

One More Mile

So I make a deal -- Get to the end of this road....

Or what?

Just work on that. We'll talk later.

The pedals spin. I turn onto a slight downhill grade. Speed picks up. I get on top of the gear, pushing steadily. 20, now 21 MPH. The road rises -- the Garmin hangs at 17.8.

I make it to the end and forget the deal. Negotiate the bends, make it through the light, fly down the stretch, wait for a break in the traffic -- keep going...

I forget about my momentary lapse of will until I turn onto Highland road, a short little deal that climbs up the backside of Kissel Hill.

It might be 8 % but it's not that long but this morning I dread it like a second lap on Alpe D'Huez.

So what?

Shift down, keep the pedals spinning, get up this thing.

The backpack feels like I'm carrying an anvil inside a 5 gallon bucket of water.

I crest the hill, go over the next little rise, descend into Lititz, take the fast track north on 501, staying ahead of the truck that really wants to pass me.

I'm a mile form the office. I can low crawl the rest of the way. Now get going!

A few more blocks and I roll into the parking lot. 18.2 miles have been covered since I rolled out in the dark away from our warm, spacious house.

That wasn't so bad...

It should be 72 F when I ride home tonight.

That will be nice...

Momentary lack of will forgotten, new horizons beckon -- why did I doubt?

I doubted so I can remember this the next time I face the will-sapping questions that penetrate even the strongest will. Can you do this? Why are you doing this? Just stop...

Get thee behind me, Satan.

Road Cyclists, Drivers, and The Law

Road cyclists who log lots of miles tend to have fairly frequent interactions with discourteous and even homicidal drivers. About once a week I have some pass very close or at very high speed. About once a month someone will pass on a blind corner of hill and then dive back right (towards me) when faced with incoming traffic.

Every so often I catch the driver at a light or stop sign. It never goes well.

Here are the usual brilliant retorts:

• "All you guys think you own the road!"
• "Get off the road! You don't belong on the road!"
• "You guys roll through stop signs all the time!"

(I have to ask which "you guys" they are referring to, since there are no "you guys" --just me)

This results in cognitive dissonance ("This guy on a bike dares reply to ME, a Driver!!?!"). Unable to engage in discussion,  they commence expletive-filled tirades and drive off.

This before I have the opportunity to tell them I own two cars and a motorcycle and probably drive more and pay more taxes then they, and that they are, in fact, not owed Total Road Ownership.

It's very frustrating.

So I think I'm going to print up a bunch of cards and hand them out when I catch these idiots (I also carry a few other items to ensure the encounter doesn't go too far).

Fortunately, in 2012 the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code was amended to enhance safety for cyclists and guide motorists' behavior with respect to cyclists.  The key provisions are:

Four Foot Buffer Requirement: When passing, drivers must allow at least four (4) feet between the right side of the vehicle and the left side of the bicycle [75 Pa.C.S. § 3303 (a) (3)] . When safe to do so, it is legal to cross the center double yellow line if necessary to provide the required four feet when passing a bicycle [75 Pa.C.S. § 3307 (b.1)].

Right to Lane of Travel: Bicycles have the right to be in the lane of travel and there is no requirement that a bicycle be ridden at the right side of the right lane. It is only where a bike is moving at less than the prevailing speed of traffic that a cyclist must take reasonable steps to avoid impeding traffic [75 Pa.C.S. § 3364 (b) (2)]. While this can and should include moving as far to the right as is practicable, the law specifically states that a bicycle need not move to the right where:

1. it is unsafe to do so due to road conditions [75 Pa.C.S. § 3301 (c) (2) and 3505 (c)],
2. the road is only one lane in each direction [75 Pa.C.S. § 3301 (c) (2)],
3. the right hand lane is for turns only and the rider is going straight [75 Pa.C.S. § 3301 (b) (2)],or
4. the bicycle needs to move left to make a left turn [75 Pa.C.S. § 3301 (c) (1)].

Prohibition Against Forcing Off the Road: It is illegal to force a bicyclist off of the road. A driver may face criminal charges.

No Right/Left Hook: No turn by the driver of a motor vehicle shall interfere with a bicyclist proceeding straight on a roadway or shoulder [75 Pa.C.S. § 3331 (e)].

May Proceed Through Red when Traffic Signal does not detect Bicycle: Standard traffic signals sometimes do not detect bicycles. A cyclist may treat the signal as malfunctioning and proceed with caution [75 Pa.C.S. § 3112 (c) (2)]

PA VEHICLE CODE (TITLE 75)

Backpack or Panniers?

Unfortunately many of the newsgroup posts and blogs I've read on this topic are absolute: "Real Commuters Have panniers!"

My impressions are completely superficial and overly simplistic but....

Pannier Users (PU) have cycled across continents wearing cargo shorts. PU have no need to exceed 15 MPH -- if fast was the point, PUs would drive their Prius to work.

Backpack Wearers (BW) wear heart rate monitors and have more than one road bike. They won't even consider installing fenders. They know what a KOM is and hear Phil Liggett's voice in their heads when they sprint.

I'll admit I'm a roadie. I don't race (anymore) but enjoy riding fast, know what The Rules are, and run 23mm tires at 120-140 PSI.

I wear a backpack on my 37 mile round trip commute over the rolling terrain of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and have not once considered installing panniers.

Here are my thoughts:

• I just can't over the aesthetics of panniers on a road bike. My CAAD 10 was not designed for panniers, baskets, or duffle bags.
• Panniers are more likely to catch the wind than a backpack. Panniers are mounted outboard in the relative wind while a pack has very little surface exposed to the relative wind. Wind resistance slows me down. I don't want to be slow.
• Since panniers are mounted lower than a backpack, the pannier (and whatever is inside) is more likely to pick up road crud and get wet in rain or puddles.
• On a warm ride a backpack causes a sweaty back. But if it's warm, I probably have sweaty everything. Cycling specific packs will provide channels for air circulation and some moisture resistance to avoid sweat getting inside the bag.
• The center of gravity (CG) is slightly higher with a backpack. The weight's on me, like a few extra cheesecakes. It's not like I lose all sense of balance in the winter when I gain a few pounds. The "higher CG" argument is bogus.
• I also like the simplicity of a frameless pack -- no racks to install (and carry), no tie downs, no fiddling with straps to remove the pack at the destination, all in an easily packed and unpacked bag that I can carry into the office.
• On the off chance I get separated from my bike, the pack stays with me. This is important when carrying valuables or other sensitive items (which is every commute).
• Panniers would encourage me to over-pack. My small backpack limits what I can carry, so I am very selective.
• Finally, the backpack provides one more source of impact protection in case of a fall.

Cycling Specific Commuter Backpack

I tried a few standard day packs but finally settled on a cycling-specific bag that's narrower than the typical day pack and meant to sit on the back of a cyclist in the drops.  Most day packs ride too high up the back and so the drop position will result in the bag pushing against your neck or helmet of both.

I've been wearing a Timbuk2 Especial Raider backpack since April of this year:

The 2016 model is slightly different

It holds my enormous lunch, two bottles of homemade iced tea, wallet, emergency gilet, Leyzene pump, can of pepper spray, work ID, keys, A## Savers rear fender, a tightly rolled pair of pants and fresh underclothes and socks. There is no room for shoes or a laptop, but I drive in frequently enough that I can stage clothes and shoes in my locker.

Backpack with Blackburn Rear Blinky

The bag has weighed as much as ten pounds, but usually runs 4-6 pounds when fully packed in the morning. I can feel the weight going uphill, but otherwise there's no change to position or approach.

My ride distance is 18.5 miles each way, so the pack has to be stable and comfortable for nearly forty miles a day.

Waffle Pattern Helps increase air flow between rider's back and backpack (sorta)

I've worn it on steamy July afternoons and cold December mornings and it has performed well. The chest strap helps keep the bag centered. There's reflective material on the bottom that's visible to cars behind you. I hang a RoadID and Blackburn blinky tail light on the light hanger on the bottom of the pack.

The pack came with a shirt board for packing a dress shirt. I used it once -- and never since. It's just not practical. No matter how carefully I followed the directions the shirt was wrinkled. I think this is amplified by the position of the shirt nearest the wearer's back -- everything else packed inside is pressing against the shirt while perspiration is making its way into the pack.

I do not commute everyday -- bad weather, customer visits, etc all conspire to make it impractical -- so I use my drive-in days to restock clothes and other necessities (I bring in a gallon water jug to have at my desk in the summer, for example). I suppose if I was riding every day I would need more storage than what the backpack affords. In that case panniers may be warranted.

Since that's not the case for me I'll stick with the backpack.

Whatever you choose, get out and ride!

Commuting in the Dark

I've been commuting to/from work since April. The distance is manageable 15-19 miles and 700' to 1000' vertical gain each way, with reasonably low traffic volume back roads for most of the way. There are a few stretches with heavy traffic but the shoulders are wide (except for one 500 yard stretch with a narrow shoulder).

I'm usually out the door at 6:15 AM in the morning, and around 5:20 PM for the return trip. In November it's dark for most of the ride. In December it's dark the entire ride.

My ride is a 2012 Cannondale CAAD10 with DuraAce drivetrain and Ultegra brakes. If it's raining I ride my 1992 Pinarello Stelvio with full fenders. I rarely ride in cold rain, though, so winter rain riding is rare.

My 2012 CAAD 10 right after an early morning ride

I've captured some of my experiences with various components and present them here for your edification. If you agree or disagree, let me know!

Wheels

The Rol wheels have been solid and bulletproof. They've turned out to be a solid commuter set. I wouldn't pick these to race, but they're fine for the demands of decent-pace commuting.

I prefer my Boyd Rouleur wheelset for fast riding. They're in the garage with Vittoria Open Corsa 23mm tires on right now, but it's unlikely I swap the sets out until spring.

Tires

I was very happy riding Vittoria Rubino Pros until a series of flats from small bits of wire ruined my day. I assume the wire was from shredded tire -- the sort of debris that collects along the shoulder of roadways. The Rubinos had been very good tires, but after a few flats it's easy to lose confidence. Loss of confidence often results in excuses for not riding.

I read lots of reviews and finally decided to put a 25mm rear and 23mm front Continental Grand Prix Four Season on my road bike. My experience with this tire on our tandem has been very good but limited.

Since the majority of the commute is in the dark, I usually can't spot debris until it's too late. I wanted Gatorskin puncture resistance, but not the Gatorskin ride quality (which I found terrible). The Grand Prix Four Seasons have been just as durable, while maintaining the ride quality of the flagship GP4000.

Since I've installed these tires, my commute has been trouble-free, despite 2+ hours of riding in the dark over a variety of unseen hazards. No matter - these tires just roll on through. I have nearly 600 miles on the pair and there is no visible wear yet. I run them 90-100 PSI each. I'm not chasing KOMs this time of year but I haven't noticed any increased rolling resistance or decreased average speed due to tires (the winter slowing is just me being cold and slow).

I bought mine from www.biketiresdirect.com  great prices and fast delivery.

Lights

I have two front and two rear lights, and some rides it's not enough.

Up front, mounted on the handlebars, are a NiteRider Lumina 550 and NiteRider Lumina 750. The 550 is mounted on the left side of the stem to light up 10-15' feet ahead (to spot potholes, nails, glass, limbs). The 750 is on the right side and set up to illumine 35-50' ahead.

The twin lights make me look like a motorcycle or a car with a headlight out to oncoming traffic. I try to keep them on medium brightness when riding with traffic, high on empty backroads. The lights are bright enough on high that approaching cars will often flash their high beams.

Twin NiteRider Lumina Headlights (bike is on Park work stand)

The road is visible up to about 25 MPH. At speeds above 25 I'm overrunning the lights a bit.

I'm not a fan of NiteRider's new mounting system. It's an elastic band thing that is not quite tight enough. The old mounts rattled but that was easily fixed with electrical tape.

But the lights are bright, last at least 2 hours on medium, and charge from a USB port. I plug one in as soon I as I arrive at work. I really like these lights and enjoy the wide lit path and redundancy of two lights.

NiteRdier Sentinel tail light in action

The rear lights are a combination NiteRider Sentinel 40 mounted to the seat post and Blackburn blinky hung on my backpack loop. The Blackburn is bright enough for a secondary light and a good backup in case the primary unit fails. It uses AA batteries but they will last about a month of rides.

The Sentinel 40 is NiteRider's top of the line unit, with a two watt LED with 40 lumen output. There are five modes, from annoyingly blinky but very noticeable to more subtle blinkers and steady light. The light is USB rechargeable. The new feature is the two bright laser lines that are projected on the ground, about 3 feet offset from the centerline of the bicycle. I have no idea if this makes any difference to driver's perception, but it makes me feel better, especially when the light reflects off my ankles as I pedal. The light is visible from a LONG way off, so I almost feel more visible in the dark.

Reflectors

I wear a pair of ankle strap reflectors (I think I bought them from RoadID). They add some movement and width to my profile and also help keep booties on and seal drafty ankles. I'm going to add a pair of arm reflective straps for greater side visibility.

Booties

The never-ending quest for the perfect winter bootie continues. I've yet to find the ultimate combination: warm with being clammy, tight fitting but easy to get over road shoes, durable and reasonably priced.

Sadly the best winter booties are no longer made: the Performance neoprene bootie with fuzzy flocked interior (no idea what this model was called). I've worn these on REALLY cold days (single digits), and they have kept me from frostbite (I can't say I was "warm"). I save these for really cold days because the zipper might finally give out and I'll be without my go-to booties. These are 5 F to 25 F booties.

The next best are the Pearl Izumi booties, 2012 version of their winter shoe cover. It's a decent bootie, but the front end is just too thin. I wear these over toe covers in temperatures from 25-35 F.

I wear the Louis Garneau Neo Protect for slightly warmer rides. They are basic 3mm neoprene with a velcro strip closure on the rear. These are cool weather booties (35-45 F) as they are just too thin for really cold riding.

One recommendation is to use toe covers under the bootie (my favorites are the Pearl Izumi Elite thermal Toe Cover). My toes are the first to feel the frost. While thick wool socks may seem warmer, if you're riding Sidis or other close-fit shoe, you will cramp your feet and reduce circulation. Better to apply more thermal barrier to the outside of the shoe. Wearing toe covers under booties provides another 10 degrees of capability (turning a 40 F bootie into a 30 F).

I've tried the old-pro tip of covering my toes with aluminum foil. It actually helps a bit, but my feet sweat so I have to make sure there's enough ventilation to prevent soggy socks.

The Louis Garneau Wind Dry covers are barely worth wearing. These are thin material, and provide very little thermal protection. Ever so often I'll wear these in the morning when it's 45 or so, but they usually get tossed back in the pile after a ride.

Gloves

One pair I don't use are the Craft Siberians. They seemed promising but two annoying traits have limited their use:

• the center split between the index/middle and ring/little fingers is too long, meaning I constantly have to slide the glove back up lest the seam dig into my hand,
• there's insufficient play to actually manipulate the Shimano shifters.

You might think these problems mean the gloves are simply too tight, but when I'm not riding they are airy and almost floppy. A larger size would not help. While I'm sure Craft makes great products, the Craft Siberian Split Finger glove design doesn't work for me.

My usual winter gloves are a three year old pair of Pearl Izumis (I forget the model, and they aren't made anymore. These are the closest:

I used a pair of cheapo Target ski gloves on really cold days. They were big enough for a liner. The combination was the warmest for those really cold days.

These Pearl Izumi Lobsters are the warmest gloves I own -- Fantastic! Just practice a bit before heading out onto busy roads.

Socks

Wool. If you ride in winter, buy wool socks. On really cold days wear a silk liner sock underneath wool socks.

Clothing

This is a huge topic which I will write about in a dedicated post. Stay tuned!


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Review of Molteni Arcore Long Sleeve wool jersey from Vintage Velos

The Molteni long sleeve wool jersey from Vintage Velo was a gift from my lovely wife this year (I might have provided a link prior to the celebration):

I've been eyeing this garment for a while. Last year I considered asking for one for Christmas but they sold out.

This year it was ordered in time (I can't speak to shipping speed as I didn't know when it was ordered and when it was delivered --it was a 'surprise').

I can tell you it looked really, really good when I took it out of the gift bag -- the colors were authentic, yet vibrant. The lettering was sewn in place (again, authentically), the seams tight, and the feel of the fabric consistent and smooth. It's a size large, which concerned me, as I usually wear a medium in jerseys (even some of those are a bit big).

I tried it on and was pleasantly surprised -- a perfect fit, with just enough room for an undershirt. This is not a skin-tight aero jersey -- but Eddy didn't use this jersey for time trails -- why would I?

Eddy Merckx

I was anxious to wear it but decided against using it for commuting -- I wear a backpack and didn't want the straps pulling on the wool fabric.

Finally a Saturday morning came along that promised sunshine, if not abundant warmth (it's been a mild December so far, but temperature sin the mid-20s are still the norm before it warms up to 45-50 by mid-day).

I rolled out under clear skies, temperatures hovering around 35 F, winds light. I wore the jersey over a Craft long sleeve mid-weight undershirt and Santini bib tights.

The usual temperature profile for a morning ride in winter (for me, at least) is freeze the first three miles, gradually warm the next three, and then feel OK the rest of the ride, with fingers and toes chilled a bit if the temperatures are below 25 F.

If I leave feeling warm (or at least not cold), then soon I'll sweat and eventually be REALLY cold.

So I endure the first 5-10 minutes in order to finish the hour plus in the cold.

When I started the ride with the Molteni wool jersey, I felt decently warm.

That wasn't necessarily a good thing. I started to wonder if  I overdressed...

I decided to press on and see how it worked. Mile 3, 4, 5 -- by now I was up to operating temperature and rolling along. I could feel the slightest hint of moisture by mile 6, and a bit more at the top of the one decent hill on this loop (a 10% grind after a 2-3% approach).

But I never felt sweaty or clammy. Whatever perspiration I produced was quickly transmitted to the atmosphere.

The jersey never felt itchy (I have ridiculously sensitive skin which made sleeping on Army wool blankets a true test of fortitude). It never felt clammy, and yet I never felt cold.

The rear pockets are the normal three slots, a bit narrower than most modern polyester jerseys, but still usable. Sleeve length, overall size, and look were near ideal for me  (I have a typical cyclist body-  narrow up top, wider below. I'm 6'1", 175 and usually wear a size 15 1/2 33 dress shirt, 40 to 42 sport jacket).

I returned home after the quick 20 miler feeling good. I really like this jersey. It's authentic, fits well, and is just about perfect for thermal regulation in 25-45 degree weather. I haven't had it out in less than 25 F, so I can't say if it's suitable (though it probably is with sufficient base layers underneath).

It would be too warm for me in anything over 45 F, so for me this is a cold fall/spring, warm winter jersey.

I ride year round so I have a pretty good system for layering. I don't rely on any single garment, so there's no one jacket or jersey I'm depending on to keep me warm or dry.

The real benefit of this jersey is that you can proudly display the colors of one of cycling's brightest stars. Those who recognize this jersey will smile. The rest will think, "Hunh -- that's kinda different.."

Either reaction is fine with me.

Eddy says, "Wear it with pride!"

http://www.vintagevelos.com/en/team-jerseys-long-sleeve/45-molteni-long-sleeve-wool-jersey.html