dgl2
Maximum Pace
- Nov 3, 2007
- 285
- 50
Hi Paul:
I don't know you, but I met you briefly as you were riding south along the Tamagawa path just south of Sekidobashi on Sunday morning around 10AM.
I was riding out of town with Christian, a visitor to Japan, so decided to take the path so he could get a view of the river (I usually take the roads since, well, the path tends to be full of old people, dogs, kids and dangerous a-holes riding too fast on bikes, but made an exception for this social, scenic ride). We met Andrew and Danny and started to ride together. I was in the lead. We went slowly past a group of at least 100 elderly walkers on some kind of event (lead walker with flag). Lots of kids heading to/from baseball. Dogs. Picnickers.
As we leave a picnic area and reach the straightaway to Sekidobashi, the path opens up a bit and cyclists can increase speed. But the path was still crowded. On the relevant stretch, however, OUR side was clear, and we were making good speed, even as some slow cyclists/walkers headed the other way.
Then all of a sudden 2 cyclists (you and one more riding with/behind you) decide you want to pass the congestion on your side by shifting onto our side of the path as you approached me head on. WTF? Maybe just because MOST people are going slow, you assumed that we also must be creeping along and you would go by in plenty of time. Not quite right. We were going as fast as you, but were on OUR side of the road.
Anyway, you and the rider behind you forced me to brake suddenly and pull off onto the gravel-covered shoulder to avoid a collision. Of course, you did not have anywhere to go -- since you were passing old, slow innocent folks. If there had NOT been a shoulder, I would have put my shoulder down and we both would have gone flying. I weigh 95 kgs and was going quite fast. You looked about the same. Not a pretty conclusion.
"No harm no foul", right? WRONG. If I had kept going at speed, rather than giving in to your game of chicken, we would have crashed. And I do not appreciate riding a new carbon frame at high speed into gravel.
Did you hear my greeting as you continued to hammer down the path? Why didn't you come back to say hello? I was ready to turn around and chase you down (and I guarantee you, with that much adrenaline pumping, I could do so), but Andrew calmed me down and told me he knew your name -- had met you that morning at Marukobashi -- so we continued and enjoyed the rest of our ride. So let me just extend a warm greeting in the hope you are a TCC reader. Send me a private message if you do not mind continuing the conversation.
But meanwhile, I suggest you get off the path and onto the street, before you kill someone.
I don't know you, but I met you briefly as you were riding south along the Tamagawa path just south of Sekidobashi on Sunday morning around 10AM.
I was riding out of town with Christian, a visitor to Japan, so decided to take the path so he could get a view of the river (I usually take the roads since, well, the path tends to be full of old people, dogs, kids and dangerous a-holes riding too fast on bikes, but made an exception for this social, scenic ride). We met Andrew and Danny and started to ride together. I was in the lead. We went slowly past a group of at least 100 elderly walkers on some kind of event (lead walker with flag). Lots of kids heading to/from baseball. Dogs. Picnickers.
As we leave a picnic area and reach the straightaway to Sekidobashi, the path opens up a bit and cyclists can increase speed. But the path was still crowded. On the relevant stretch, however, OUR side was clear, and we were making good speed, even as some slow cyclists/walkers headed the other way.
Then all of a sudden 2 cyclists (you and one more riding with/behind you) decide you want to pass the congestion on your side by shifting onto our side of the path as you approached me head on. WTF? Maybe just because MOST people are going slow, you assumed that we also must be creeping along and you would go by in plenty of time. Not quite right. We were going as fast as you, but were on OUR side of the road.
Anyway, you and the rider behind you forced me to brake suddenly and pull off onto the gravel-covered shoulder to avoid a collision. Of course, you did not have anywhere to go -- since you were passing old, slow innocent folks. If there had NOT been a shoulder, I would have put my shoulder down and we both would have gone flying. I weigh 95 kgs and was going quite fast. You looked about the same. Not a pretty conclusion.
"No harm no foul", right? WRONG. If I had kept going at speed, rather than giving in to your game of chicken, we would have crashed. And I do not appreciate riding a new carbon frame at high speed into gravel.
Did you hear my greeting as you continued to hammer down the path? Why didn't you come back to say hello? I was ready to turn around and chase you down (and I guarantee you, with that much adrenaline pumping, I could do so), but Andrew calmed me down and told me he knew your name -- had met you that morning at Marukobashi -- so we continued and enjoyed the rest of our ride. So let me just extend a warm greeting in the hope you are a TCC reader. Send me a private message if you do not mind continuing the conversation.
But meanwhile, I suggest you get off the path and onto the street, before you kill someone.