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| Rich Roberts stands on the gravel shoulder at the intersection of Shore Drive and Jade Street in Virginia Beach, where his wife, Maxine, was hit by two cars while riding her bicycle Oct. 29. (john warren | the virginian-pilot) |
The Virginian-Pilot
LATE LAST WEEK, a bicyclist on his way to work stopped on Shore Drive, dismounted and disappeared into some brush to retrieve a package.
There, inside a brown sack, was the booty he'd been promised the day before, A bike helmet. A pair of gloves. A blinking LED light.
For the man who had left the sack, Rich Roberts, it was a way of saying thanks, and of making a small difference by aiding another rider.
His wife, Maxine, was hit by two cars Oct. 29 while riding her bike on Shore Drive, near the Lesner Bridge in Virginia Beach. She sustained a broken collarbone, a broken femur, six broken ribs, two collapsed lungs and a massive laceration on her left side. She likely survived only because she was wearing a helmet, which was destroyed in the accident.
Maxine had been biking 18 miles each way to work for 14 months. The Robertses knew Shore Drive isn't the safest place to ride. It's a high-speed, curvy road. And it's a hodge-podge of sidewalks, paved shoulders, gravel shoulders, dirt paths and nothing.
But the Robertses have been bicycling enthusiasts for 20 years, and never before had even had a close call. They've ridden in Bike Florida, Cycle North Carolina, Cycle South Carolina, Bike Virginia, Pedal Pennsylvania. They once rode through all five boroughs of New York City.
"We're committed to the idea of commuting on bicycles," Rich said. But to do that safely, he said, drivers, city government and even bicycling enthusiasts need to rethink their perspective.
"The message for bike facilities has always been that they're for leisure," he said. "The message should be alternate transportation.
"If we made it easier for them, people would go beyond the one-mile ride in their neighborhoods."
On pedaling to work, Roberts now says: "Looking at the conditions, I would say you are doing so at significant risk."
The lesson applies beyond Shore Drive, he said.
In the meantime, Roberts aims to sit off Shore Drive one day soon and watch for the bicyclist he met last week, to see if he's wearing the helmet left for him.
Roberts knows better than anyone what a difference it can make.
More signs of the time limits
Looking east from the Islamic Center on W. 49th Street in Norfolk, you have to strain to see the nearest "One-hour parking limit" sign.
But - as The Warrior reported Tuesday - when ODU student Drew Joslin parked there Sept. 27, he got a $30 ticket. He appealed with a downloadable form but his appeal was rejected.
The city informed The Warrior there was adequate signage on the street, though it would consider adding a couple of one-hour parking limit signs.
The same day the column was published, Norfolk made a true believer out of young Mr. Joslin. Additional signs will go up - two of them, spokeswoman Sylvia Ballinger tells me - and Joslin will be refunded the $30.
"I am ecstatic to know that the system works," Joslin wrote The Warrior on Tuesday. "I did my civil duty in reporting the problem, you made it public and the city has taken action to rectify the situation."
One would-be government cynic, cured.
Watch out!
Virginia Beach: Paving continues on Great Neck Road, daily from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. , through Nov. 22.
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Classic case of "My Right to ride" over common sense.
If a person cares enough about their health to exercise regularly on a bicycle, why on earth would you put your health as risk of where you ride? I see people all the time riding down Nansemond Pky, Shoulders Hill Rd and Bennetts Pasture Rd. All of these road are two lane highways with between 45 to 55 mph speed limits and no shoulders. Does it really make sense to use these roads to exercise? No amount of safety equipment can keep you safer than your own common sense. You can be right about your right about where you ride, but that doesn't do you or your family a drop of good when you get his by a car or truck. Use the gray matter between your ears first.
Road Bikes
Many understandably are confused when road bike riders ignore multi-use paths and ride on the road instead. Well, as the name implies they're "road" bikes and the reason for the "road" part is the speed and handling characteristics of these bike makes them ill-suited for multi-use paths and sidewalks. I think bike cyclist in general and road bike riders in particular need to do a better job at educating the public we "share" the road with. What Hampton Roads really needs is bike lanes, which are an extension of the road and could easily be added to portions of Shore Dr especially towards Ft Story and Seashore (1stLanding).
Be careful out there!!!!
Wear a helmet and make sure you can be seen!
If you bike at night get a bright flashing LED....Check out Planet bike superflash...this thing is great!!
Personal pet peeve...people on bikes riding the wrong way on the road!
Reasons for defensive riding not always clear to motorists
As a cyclist I generally prefer to use trails (in the rare case that safe and adequate facilities are available), but there are times when it simply does not make sense. A cyclist who is familiar with a particular route may know of obstructions or difficult/unsafe trail-to-road transistions further ahead on their route, and decide to stick with the road to avoid them. If a trail crosses numerous driveways, I'd much rather stay in the street where cars might at least expect to see another vehicle. And unless you value your life less than the convenience of the person in the car behind you, I don't recommend riding the white line. Closer to road debris or opening car doors, and encourages cars to pass at high speed without slowing down.
And another thing...
Bicyclists PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE obey those red octagon looking things with the letters S-T-O-P on them, and when you see one of those three-light-thingies hanging over an intersection, and the red light is shining, you would be wise to stop. Seriously, I don't want to hit a cyclist, but some of you are your own worst enemy, and I have come close to hitting you many times. If you want to ride in the road like the big kids do, you have to follow the same rules that the big kids do. PLEASE!
Bicycle Safety
While talking about bicycle safety in general, why do bicyclists insist on ignoring the bicycle trail on Dam Neck Road between Holland Road and General Booth Blvd by competing with high speed traffic on the road? Every day we see them in the traffic lanes when there is a beautiful bike trail right next to them?
Bicycles and Shore Drive
You may have a "right" to ride a bicycle on Shore Drive, Princess Anne Road and many other dangerous roads in the area, but cars and bicycles don't mix well. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should, just to prove that you can. Why bet your life and limbs that you can do whatever you want to do. Ride smart, where it's safer.
Starting to get it right...
With the addition of the bike path on the west end of Shore Dr. the city is starting to get it right. Lesner Bridge is totally unacceptable for bicycles though. Drivers ignore the 45 mph limit regularly and while most accept and respect the rights of bicyclists there are still the few that feel they need to crowd and intimidate. Respect for the road goes both ways however. While I regularly ride Shore Drive and surrounding areas, I keep my tires on or as close to the white line as possible at all times. The cyclists that insist on forcing cars to leave their lanes to pass by double breast riding and riding the middle of the lane are a large part of the problem and promote intimidation. By and large the beach is an awesome place to ride.