Not sure that the use of the word physics is appropriate, but it explains/justifies why cyclists don't like stopping.
Not the same as justifying RLjing...
http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/why-cyclists-blow-through-stop-signs-its-physics.html
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
"Why Cyclists Blow Through Stop Signs: It's Physics"
(17 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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"Even if a commuter cyclist could produce more than a 100 watts, [they are] unlikely to do so because this would force [them] to sweat heavily..."
...yet...
"Accelerating from stops is strenuous, particularly since most cyclists feel a compulsion to regain their former speed quickly."
Most feel compelled to quickly regain their speed but are unlikely to do so as it'll make them sweat, even if they can output more than 100W?
Accelerating from stops is one of my favourite things about cycling in cities. Pointedly obeying road signs is another.
Posted 13 years ago # -
And obeying an imaginary 'Idaho law' and slowing, carefully considering traffic and ceding right of way is not the same as 'blowing through stop signs'. So even if physics is the problem, an Idaho law would, at best, be a partial and unsatisfactory solution (if the aim is to conserve momentum).
Not doing a particularly good job of squaring that circle.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Here was me thinking it was unclipping. If only I could trackstand for more than five seconds...
I wonder if, should a cycling revolution have happened, the windscreen washers you used to get would have retasked to offering to help clipped and cleated riders stay upright for 20p a shot?
I imagine cleats are far eaiser than my straps, although I found to my delight at the weekend that my superbly grippy, warm and waterproof rigger's boots are pointy enough in their steel toe to fit in my straps easier than all but one of my normal shoes.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Can't speak for the duck-walk roady shoes but my (mtb type) spd's clip and unclip with minimal effort. I would say more easily than toeclips & straps, though there's not a lot in it. They could probably do with being tightened up a little and/or having the shoe part of the cleat replaced, but I tend not to use too much awsomepower(tm) on my normal commute so no problems so far :)
I have to confess I too am a Red Light Stopper (RLS?) and tut loudly when some oaf "blows" the red light.
Posted 13 years ago # -
What we need is some tech from F1 in the form of regenerative braking.
I fancy pumping air into a bottle while slowing and using it to provide a kick to help get back up to speed.
Electric storage would be an option too, of course.
Posted 13 years ago # -
The phenomenon I've noticed with the straps is that there's no middle ground for me when it comes to putting the foot in stylishly; either I effortlessly slip it on without a blip to cadence, like a glass-biked Cinderella, or I fumble up the road shaking and stamping my foot on the pedal like a man who's just poured beef stroganoff into his boot and gone for a walk through a sewer of starving rats.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I have to say the advantage of the spd is that if you just plank your foot on the pedal and power away it clips in half the time almost by accident. The really dangerous bit imo is the changeover between clips and cleats, that moment where you come to a halt and casually kick your heel sideways/slide your foot gracefully back out of the clip*
*whichever is wrong for the retention method you just adopted, followed by a frantic second attempt to free your foot just as you realise there isn't actually time to get your foot out & down now and topple gracelessly to the ground...
Posted 13 years ago # -
...either I effortlessly slip it on without a blip to cadence, like a glass-biked Cinderella, or I fumble up the road shaking and stamping my foot on the pedal like a man who's just poured beef stroganoff into his boot and gone for a walk through a sewer of starving rats.
Beautiful prose, Uberuce! *Applause*
Posted 13 years ago # -
*bows* Thankee
Posted 13 years ago # -
The situation here - four way stop signs - is pretty different from running red lights, which was never suggested to be all right by the artical. I would compare it more to allowing cyclists up one way streets (which thy mostly are in europe with no ill effects.)
Posted 13 years ago # -
@Ruggtomcat - or even more obviously, treating a UK Stop Sign/line as a Give Way.
Something of which I'm guilty!
Robert
Posted 13 years ago # -
just saw this very clever poster on tumblr - What road signs would look like if cyclists designed them. Amused me doubly.
Posted 13 years ago # -
not sure about the no recumbent signs...
Posted 13 years ago # -
Posted 13 years ago # -
Is it "no recumbents" really? I assumed it was more an ironic dig at the fact that cycling infrastructure so often seems designed to inhibit reclined mobility
Posted 13 years ago # -
should be 'no trailers' in that case!
Posted 13 years ago #
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