Two Racks, Three Bikes
The rack on the front of the buses here in Rochester have space for two bikes. I have been wondering what happens when a third cyclist needs a ride for a while now. As the weather gets warmer and the gas prices get higher I’m seeing more and more bike commuters out there. This morning I finally found out. I’m lucky in that I’m at one of the first stops on the route in the morning so there’s less chance that the racks will be taken. If there’s no room in the morning it’s not a big deal for me because I could potentially ride home and take the car. On the way home it would mean either riding the whole 30 miles or calling someone for a ride.
Today I was the first bike commuter on the bus. We picked up another guy in Macedon. When we pulled up to the Ayrault rd. stop there was a third bike commuter. The bus is one of those tall buses with the compartments underneath. The guy was trying to open the compartments so he could try to stow his bike in there. I don’t think they get opened very often because they were jammed. The bus driver got off to try to help him but neither of them could get the doors open. I think they might have been considering stashing the bike in the front of the bus because I would be getting off in just one more stop. I have no idea why it took so long for me to realize that I was only 3.5 miles from work & there was no reason I couldn’t make it on time since I had another 40 minutes until the office opened. I got off the bus & gave the guy my spot in the rack and took off down rt. 31.
I know yesterday I was writing about how I like riding on the road. When I said that, I was referring to little traveled back roads where people’s escaped pet goats can stand in the road without much fear of meeting their maker. Biking on Route 31, where people get on and off of 490 at morning rush hour was a little scary. I know that as a cyclist I’m supposed to have most of the same rights on the road as a car. I’m supposed to follow the same rules. But the traffic is heavy at that spot. I was riding on the far right edge of the right lane. As I approached the place where cars are getting on 490 they were backing up in the right lane waiting to go right. I needed to go straight. I signaled left so I could merge in to cross traffic. Someone let me in right away, but then I had to ride on the left hand side of the right lane which for me is outside of my comfort zone. (I guess you have to get used to it someday if you’re really trying to use your bike for something other than just recreation.) As soon as I passed the 490 on ramp I signaled right and got back on to the right side of the road. That’s the first time I’ve really done a maneuver like this in heavy traffic. Everything went ok but I did have a bit of extra adrenaline when it was all over.
That seems like a stupid spot in general. I didn’t see any way someone could walk from Ayrault Rd. to Pittsford without walking in the road in a lane where people are merging on or off of 490.
Only people with cars are allowed to travel from Perinton to Pittsford. It keeps the riffraff out.