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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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where does this fool fit in?
near la bay t/o. suprised he mad it this far. we saw two others on the return trip.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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tight squeeze
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Elena La Loca
Nomad
Posts: 143
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Oceanside, CA
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I'd have to say that guy would fit in nicely somewhere between the right headlight and the right turn signal. Always amazes me to see those crazies on
the highway.
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Don Alley
Super Nomad
Posts: 1997
Registered: 12-4-2003
Location: Loreto
Member Is Offline
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Couple of years ago we saw two bicyclists pulling small trailers down hwy 1, with signs urging care because of children on board. Later I saw them
camped at Ligui, with two small children.
But statistically, is it more dangerous than a bus?
[Edited on 3-20-2006 by Don Alley]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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No CPS* in Mexico!
* Child Protective Services (removes children from parents who endanger them by their stupid acts)
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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Can't say I would want to travel the Baja Road in such a seemingly dangerous way...but...I have never seen or heard of any bicyclists being in an
accident? Has anyone else?
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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| Quote: |
Can't say I would want to travel the Baja Road in such a seemingly dangerous way...but...I have never seen or heard of any bicyclists being in an
accident? Has anyone else?
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they probably haven't found them yet. one big rig going 75mph creates a lot of airstream. would probably blow the cyclist WAAAY off the road. the
coyotes y sopilotes could then dine in peace.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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Thanks, Hose A...that's terrible news, but I should have been clearer..I meant the southern part of Baja. Have gotten used to hearing it called the
Baja Road over the years. We all know how bad the traffic is north of San Quentin.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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chickensoup
Newbie
Posts: 17
Registered: 2-20-2006
Member Is Offline
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I went down to the Wall like in '93 and met these two girls who were riding ten speeds from Alaska to Argentina. Dude...I have no idea what they were
thinking.
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tehag
Super Nomad
Posts: 1248
Registered: 1-8-2005
Member Is Offline
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bikes
Posting your opinion that others, hundreds per year, are taking risks is one thing, calling them fools is quite another, don't you think?
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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okay, we're ALL fools at one time or another.....politically correct now?
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Capt. George
Super Nomad
Posts: 2129
Registered: 8-21-2003
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never mind fools...they're an incredible danger to everyone else...
el stupidos! with kids? they should be horse whipped.
Capt. George
\"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men\" Plato
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Sallysouth
Super Nomad
Posts: 1835
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Capo Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: missing Baja...
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Yep, Capt George hit the nail on the head!!I can't beleive they put the lives of their children in such danger.Years ago my dear old parents were
driving their motorhome to Loreto from So.Cal,when rounding a curve in the road,was an oncoming big-rig and two bikers going in the same direction as
the motorhome.There was NO shoulder so my Dad ,trying his darnest,just barely missed a head-on with the truck.He clipped one of the bikers with his
side mirror and sent her sprawling into a batch of Cholla!! They stopped the moho and offered to take the gal to the nearest hospital,which they did
and pay for everything.My Dad never drove down that hiway after that trip.The biker was fine, just a bit bruised and full of cacti!!Like George says,
it is endangering everyone else on the road(biking on a Mexican hiway) as there is more often than not, no shoulder!By the way, this happened in the
Tres Virgins area.That would be Baja Sur, yes?
Happiness is just a Baja memory away...
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bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
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Don I saw those idiots(read fools) too. The really crazy thing was that the "baby on board" sign was in English.
We have all done foolish things but I have always tried to make sure I would be the only one who got hurt if my hairbrained stunt backfired.
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leadmoto
Junior Nomad
Posts: 64
Registered: 3-2-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Froggy
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Why should motorist have anymore rights to the road than a cyclist? I understand that it is a bad road to cycle on, but why can't motorist give a
little brake and then make a clean pass? At the same time the cyclist needs to be aware of their surroundings and get the hell out of the way if
possible.
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bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
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Leadmoto
Have you ever driven this road. It comes down to the semi or the cyclist....you take your pick. The road is barely wide enough for the cars and
trucks, throw in a bicycle and you are about 18 inches short. I am sorry but I would hit the cyclist, you would be committing suicide to hit the
semi.
My problem is why should I have to live the rest of my life with that guilt...as Sally said. her father never drove here again. And if there were
children involved....
We had a thread about a year ago from a guy getting ready to bicycle down Baja. I never heard whether he made it or not...or if he even went after
all the negative posts similiar to these.
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elizabeth
Senior Nomad
Posts: 742
Registered: 7-30-2004
Location: Loreto, BCS
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by leadmoto
Why should motorist have anymore rights to the road than a cyclist? I understand that it is a bad road to cycle on, but why can't motorist give a
little brake and then make a clean pass? At the same time the cyclist needs to be aware of their surroundings and get the hell out of the way if
possible. |
I can't believe you would say this if you ever drove the road. One problem is that there are a lot of long stretches up hill with blind curves where
making a clean pass is impossible...and places where there is no way that the bicyclist can get out of the way without going down a cliff. This is
not a bad road for bicyclists, it's an impossible road for bicyclists. Cyclists who think they have a right to use all roads are just plain arrogant
and seem to have no problem putting other people in a dangerous/deadly situation.
No, I don't have any problem calling people who bicycle with children on this highway "fools", as in people who do foolish things. That is an
extremely mild statement for someone who would put their children and auto, truck, bus, rv drivers at that kind of risk. Stupid, irresponsible,
criminal negligence are words that come to mind.
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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Several years ago we were Northbound South of El Rosario
When we started passing Southbound bicycles. By the time it was over, there must have been two hundred of them. It REALLY changed the driving for an
hour or two. The biggest problem wasn't just the cyclists, but the fact that many were novices; pushing their bikes around the corners up the hills
side by side. They didn't have packs or bags, so there must have been big chase vehicles somewhere. Good experienced riders do pretty well, and
we've seen a lot of them, but this army of tyros was a scary mess.
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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eetdrt88
Senior Nomad
Posts: 986
Registered: 2-20-2005
Location: Az/Ca/Baja
Member Is Offline
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Hey,if anybody has the cajones...
to ride their bicycle down that crazy old road,more power to 'em...just leave the kids at home
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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Biking the Baja Road....not a good idea these days.
There seems to be little bicycling down the Baja peninsula these days. Most of the big races involving thousands of Mexican and a few American
contestants have long since disappeared because of the new high volume of traffic due to Baja 'improvements'. It peaked around the early 90's I would
think. Today you see very few singles or small groups. The word is out...the road is too dangerous now.
The early 70's-80's were full of adventuring bicyclers. I made many, many trips in that time period. Because I realized the limitations of
that poorly contructed and narrow highway, I personally never had any problems with them, and quietly wondered at the stamina to make such a trip.
But...having made frequent trips on that highway and having had my share of close calls from passing, overtaking, on-coming, and stalled vehicles, I
will simply state the dangers inherent on the Baja Road...which to me is from San Quentin to Cabo. The dangers are there for bicyclists and motorists
alike. Here is the highway....you may draw your own conclusions as to how to drive it safely.
The Baja Highway
Width of the pavement: 19 feet
Width of the shoulder: 0 feet
Width of a truck/bus/RV: 8 feet
Added width for mirrors: 1 foot
Width used by two passing trucks/etc: 18 feet
Safety separation used by
two passing trucks/etc: 1 foot
Room left for a bicycler: 0 feet
In 1971-73 The Baja Road was constructed to just accommodate two passing 8-foot vehicles, and no more! Many of the roadsides drop off anywhere from a
few feet to a few hundred feet (in these extreme cases, there will usually be a low guard rail right at the edge of the pavement). Also, the edge of
the pavement will often have chunks broken off or washed away, leaving "edge potholes" which have to be dodged.
There you have it....bien viaje.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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