tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post7052613719295666053..comments2023-12-28T03:36:52.452-06:00Comments on JBar Cycling: Pinnacle ValleyJBarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10612290032138592894noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-30379214468137454162012-07-09T09:57:41.498-05:002012-07-09T09:57:41.498-05:00Lisa is 100% right.
I am both a resident of this ...Lisa is 100% right.<br /><br />I am both a resident of this area, and ride a road bike, so I understand the viewpoints of both sides. Since this is a cycling blog, let me give you the residents viewpoint.<br /><br />Far too many of the cyclists that they encounter seem to be rude, and have no regard for people needing to be somewhere in a timely manner. Routinely, cyclist along County Farm Rd ride two and three side by side, outside the bike lanes and just let traffic slow down and wait until they can pass. The vast majority of the time the lanes along County Farm are fine for road bikes, as I ride them almost daily, and have never had a flat along this section, although I may be jinxing myself by saying this. One resident of Beck Rd recently almost hit some cyclists head on who were riding three abreast around one of the sharp blind corners on that very narrow road. In addition residents have been held up by organized races and rides where the residents are held up by the police with no advance notice so they can plan their trips accordingly. Cyclists also routinely ignore the stop signs both in and outside the area. Just this morning I saw an employee/owner? of the bike rental in the River Market cruise through a downtown stop sign going at least 10mph. If we want to be taken seriously as equals with vehicles than we should obey the same laws. All of this builds up frustration with cyclists. I get irritated too, yet I understand why cyclists cannot use the Pinnacle Valley lanes, and have used them only one time myself.<br /><br />The county made a big mistake with the bike lanes along Pinnacle Valley by not widening the road as they did on County Farm. We should ensure that they not make the same mistake when they extend the lanes to Pinnacle Mountain. The city just did the same thing, building substandard paths near the Verizon building on Riverfront.<br /><br />More than a few of the residents of the area have purchased bikes since the trails have opened up, and I believe many are understanding. Hopefully, courtesy on both sides will develop, and we can all share the road in a safe manner.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-25255036753201702802012-06-26T16:37:28.674-05:002012-06-26T16:37:28.674-05:00I've ridden the well-intentioned bike path 20 ...I've ridden the well-intentioned bike path 20 times without incident. The sad fact is that someone is going to get killed riding out to Pinnacle Mtn one of these days. It's unsafe for cycling. I wish it wasn't, but it is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-6102495579789902812012-06-25T10:10:28.788-05:002012-06-25T10:10:28.788-05:00Tom has a good point about peoples mindset. Frisco...Tom has a good point about peoples mindset. Frisco and Colorado appear to be aware of the stricter laws and maneuver around cyclists accordingly. But what is known in rural Arkansas? <br /><br />Ignorance of safe passing law. Not been a single ticket issued under the law.<br /> <br />Cyclist being killed by driver running a redlight and the driver getting a $500 ticket.<br /><br />Cyclist issued a citation in Little Rock in March when he was struck by a passing car's mirror.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-55335495804826575222012-06-24T12:08:22.966-05:002012-06-24T12:08:22.966-05:00Maybe there was a kernel of truth in this month...Maybe there was a kernel of truth in this month's Bicycling mag that LITTLE ROCK is one of the cities working hard to break into the top 50 bicycling cities in the US. Could've fooled me. Ha!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-69674745559126504652012-06-23T18:31:36.457-05:002012-06-23T18:31:36.457-05:00Thanks for the update JBar!Thanks for the update JBar!Tim McKuinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07461626245899322225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-36984077148397288132012-06-23T17:05:37.539-05:002012-06-23T17:05:37.539-05:00Many thanks to JBar for this well-reasoned illustr...Many thanks to JBar for this well-reasoned illustration! This ain't the Bay area, however, it's Arkansas, and once you get outside a certain radius from downtown, you're in the midst of the average rural Arkansan who won't even touch the bikes on a Wal-Mart sales rack. I vividly remember the guy up in Mayflower three years ago who wanted to get out of his truck and fight me for ridig on Highway 365 up there. We've had a lot of cycling deaths just from these folks running over cyclists legally riding in the past year, much of it under just the sort of circumstances JBar describes here. Y'all be careful out there, and leaving the iPod at home and wearing a mirror is a derned good idea when on these sorts of roadsTom Ezellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09458368803609093649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-68414009395704832352012-06-23T09:51:26.879-05:002012-06-23T09:51:26.879-05:00Cycling doesn't pay my light bill, and I would...Cycling doesn't pay my light bill, and I would rather my life insurance policy not have to, so I cut my route short when heading that way.JayBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-58006146978864348672012-06-22T17:09:23.723-05:002012-06-22T17:09:23.723-05:00It's not good to be in the bottom! Arkansas sh...It's not good to be in the bottom! Arkansas should be on top!Shenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-88595143568077289892012-06-22T15:59:01.463-05:002012-06-22T15:59:01.463-05:00Great post J, thanks. Per Vinny's point and af...Great post J, thanks. Per Vinny's point and after our recent visit to the Bay area ourselves, we discussed many times that part of the difference between the two is the attitude of the drivers. We, as drivers and cyclists, will have to work very hard to bring noncycling drivers to the point of acceptance. Being an "a-hole" cyclist who rides with the attitude that he has a RIGHT to be on the road, anywhere, any time, under any circumstance, only fuels the fire that is feeding problems like this petition. So thanks for the admonition of "be nice and be safe". They'll come around.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09322721688146048304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319471012350330893.post-50305470569760439762012-06-22T14:20:16.262-05:002012-06-22T14:20:16.262-05:00Welcome back! Yeah NLR Mayor Pat Hays and Pulaski ...Welcome back! Yeah NLR Mayor Pat Hays and Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines are my heros they are truly outstanding! I was fearful of what would happen when the masses discovered the routes only the few of us had been riding in the past, but it's just growing pains. I'm sure the same increase in bike traffic will actually dramaticly increase their home values and make those neighborhoods more desirable in the end. As far as Pinnicle Valley Road is concerned, I've heard allot of "it's hilly and twisty bikes shouldn't be on it" rhetoric...Here's a link to the most popular bike route in the Bay area, it's pretty similar (no shoulders, hilly, curvy)and people have been driving and riding it for decades with no issues. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZIGvOOXI40&feature=g-likeVinny Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210020148498639880noreply@blogger.com