Bellflower and bus stops

[alanmcorcoran]

Found a new excuse for a ride - guy needed some help installing his wireless router. Lives in Bellflower, about 24 miles away - sounded like a ride to me. Most of the trip was California "super street" - this is two or three laners with lots of traffic lights. Got a lot of start/stop and downshifting in. Did 13.2 miles of La Palma in 4 different cities and went right past Knott's Berry Farm. Didn't take the camera because I figured there wouldn't be anything photo worthy.

Ran into a unique and pretty nasty hazard:

For about a two mile section they were resurfacing La Palma. The road has concrete pads for the busses to stop on (I guess they destroy the asphalt? Not sure...) Well, in a few cases, there was either a Evel Knievel type ramp connecting the now lowered, scraped away pavement with the elevated (and hardened) concrete, OR, a nice "moat" (of air) around the bus pad. In a few cases, the width of the moat was just about the right size to grab your front wheel and launch you over the bars.

Fortunately I noticed this on the way out when going at slow speed, and was able to avoid the parallel ruts. I wouldn't be surprised if the road conditions hadn't caused some motorcycle or bicycle accidents.

I'm still about 28 miles shy of my first 1K.

[rusty rider]

28 miles !! Get out and ride man, get out and ride :neener: :lol: :lol:

[Water Warrior 2]

Good for you Allan. Noticing the parallel rut probably saved a real pucker moment or worse. The reason for concrete is that pavement will not stand up to bus traffic. The tires tend to push a bump up just as the bus stops. Ever notice at some intersections there is a low spot followed by a high spot when you are first in line at the traffic lights ?

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Good for you Allan. Noticing the parallel rut probably saved a real pucker moment or worse.

This might be a good place to mention a related hazzard. When they scrape off the asphalt in one lane but not the other, it leaves a shelf between the lanes. You should NEVER try to cross a shelf like that if it is parallel to your direction of travel; it can throw you off in several different ways, depending on speed and angle of attack. You should stay in your lane until the shelf ends or until you can slow down to walking speed and cross it closer to 90 degrees.

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Good for you Allan. Noticing the parallel rut probably saved a real pucker moment or worse. The reason for concrete is that pavement will not stand up to bus traffic. The tires tend to push a bump up just as the bus stops. Ever notice at some intersections there is a low spot followed by a high spot when you are first in line at the traffic lights ?

On this same road I pulled up to an intersection that rattled my teeth. It was like someone had squeezed the asphalt together to form asphalt ripples. It was so bad, for a second I thought I'd flatted the tire, but when I looked down I realized it was just an extremely turbulent surface. Probably caused exactly as you said. La Palma is a major bus road.

Still had more control than I do when at speed on the freeway.

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by rusty rider

28 miles !! Get out and ride man, get out and ride

Yeah, I'd l'd like to get over that hump, and I will soon. I commute to work every day, but it's only about 11 miles roundtrip. Usually I go on a longer weekend pointless ride, but I've been trying to get ready for a rare public piano performance and my business has been under a lot of pressure from the meltdown of the financial system. But it should happen this week. Maybe by Thursday.