Here is what happened last night (whinny part), feeling cold and tired I decided to put the bike on the bus and ride the bus home.
1st the driver wanted me to remove my Hoss pack I have on the back of my bike, this is a pain in the ass. I told her I have taken the bus many times with the pack and it is not going anywhere.
2nd she said she thought my rims would bend if I didn't take the pack off. I told her the rims were fine.
So we proceeded down 1st and at 1st and Spokane she got on the intercom and asked me to come to the front of the bus and remove my bicycle. She said the bar that holds the front wheel was moving.
Has anybody bungee corded that bar to their bike to keep it from moving?
lantius
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:25 am
1337Joined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 6705Location: right over
apparently the new racks are badly designed and bikes have been falling off of 'em and getting run over, destroying the bike and potentially damaging the bus and other traffic. so there's been some turmoil at metro - i'm not surprised the drivers are being a little more attentive to the bicycle situation.
snyd3282
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:28 am
could suck the fun out of a blowjobJoined: 23 Jul 2007Posts: 588Location: Ballard / Fremont
Theres some chatter on Cascade's forum about the 3-bike racks on the bus. When a bike is placed all the way in the front, it tends to bounce a lot. There is some fear that a bike will bounce off and get run over.
For now, maybe put the bike in the spot closest to the bus.
Your Hoss is bigger but supported by a rear rack (IIRC) so the cantilevered snap won't be holding the bulk of the weight.
I've long been nervous that my bike would come off the front of the bus as it flys down I-5. Speaking of squashed bikes..sucks for car wrecks happening behind the bus but does Metro pay for a new bike or are you SOL?
Alex
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:14 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
Metro's official policy is that all bags need to be removed from the bike. I'm not too surprised that they asked you to remove the Hoss (since that is huge, and far from where the rack stabilizes the bike).
The 3 bike racks (both Sound Transit and Metro's) don't seem to be holding up all that well. I've had a few times when I've moved my bike to another slot because the first slot that I picked had a damaged hold-down arm. It happened this morning, the bolts holding the arm to the rack were very loose and the arm had a lot of play as a result. I've almost never had this experience with the 2-bike racks even after more than a decade of regular use.
I mount my bike with a front rack almost every day with no issues, but I did design my rack to maximize clearance for the wheel hook.
alex
ripper
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:33 pm
evilmikeJoined: 19 Apr 2006Posts: 640Location: Capitalist Hill
The driver who nearly refused to pick me up this morning told me I was obligated to put my bike on the outside of the 3-rack, which is counter to pretty much everything out there.
I can see there being a problem with the front rack like the m12, so I should look into that before putting one on my daily rider, huh?
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Alex
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:36 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
ripper wrote:
I can see there being a problem with the front rack like the m12, so I should look into that before putting one on my daily rider, huh?
I've had M12s on my bikes for two years while using the bus racks. The front hook still fits in between the rack and tire and sits up against the front of the fender where it belongs.
I even had the M12 and basket mounted when I was involved with testing the bike racks for Metro:
M12 shouldn't be a problem.
MyNameIsJeff
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:43 pm
BOOSH!Joined: 17 Jul 2007Posts: 2042Location: Nearest bar.
Also:
TrikerTrev
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:46 pm
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
jeff, you looked like that Tuesday night...just before leaving those cans of PBR under the table at Teddies (cough, dumbass, cough).
jeff
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:47 pm
SOC pussyJoined: 05 May 2006Posts: 4501
Back on topic: Why does metro insist you use the front rack? I got ordered to do this just the other day (flex pass is the new fixed gear).
It seems that If you use the front rack it makes it harder for others to get their bike on the rear rack.
Any idea why?
henry
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:52 pm
somewhat piggishJoined: 05 Aug 2005Posts: 5415Location: on porch with shotgun
ripper wrote:
The driver who nearly refused to pick me up this morning told me I was obligated to put my bike on the outside of the 3-rack, which is counter to pretty much everything out there.
I've gotten this before, a drive said it's because it's easier for them to see a bike on the outside rack.
so the driver can see better, if the bike is on the inside rack it's "harder" for the driver to see where the end of the rack is. or some shit like that...
Has anybody tried some sort of bungee attachment to keep the bike on the rack? I'm thinking of working something up. Is the test bus bike rack still at the bike storage place dwn(not sure the name)?
Alex
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:20 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
I don't understand what you are trying to do with the bungie?
With small wheel bikes I'd put a strap around the front wheel and the tray to keep the bike from rolling in the tray. This isn't necessary with normal sized wheels.
You should remove your Hoss anyway. The rack is setup so that the handlebars of one bike go next to the saddle of another. With a wide saddlebag you are potentially preventing people from using the next slot in the rack.
ro
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 4:07 pm
Joined: 29 Jun 2007Posts: 317
Alex
You just don't like my Hoss, fess up! I think what was happening last night was everytime she hit a bump the spring loaded arm was moving down the wheel. I was thinking of something that would hold that spring arm to the wheel (if the spring is weak, if you have a very heavy bike, if you can't get the spring arm to the top of the wheel.
Remington
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 5:18 pm
Joined: 23 Jan 2006Posts: 457Location: Remington Country
Alex wrote:
The rack is setup so that the handlebars of one bike go next to the saddle of another.
My Brooks got scuffed up from that once. Fucking mountain bikes. Anyways, ever since I saw the new 3-bike racks I've used the middle rack by default, so that it wouldn't bounce out the front. I asked the driver if I was supposed to use the front one, and he told me he had no clue. Community Transit had 3-bike racks before these new angled ones came out, and they were much closer to the old 2-bike design, which hold the bikes parallel.
The thing that pisses me off the most is when bus drivers insist that I guess their route and race them to their last stop downtown on the way to Lynnwood when I try to board in the ride free zone. Anyone know Why they don't want you to board in the ride free zone? Whenever I ask a driver, they just repeat the rule. It's annoying, because depending on the time of day, the 511 will take two different routes out of Seattle, so I just go to a stop before the routes fork, breaking the rule.
marisa
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 5:36 pm
Joined: 12 Oct 2007Posts: 2Location: Fremont via Bellevue
Remington wrote:
The thing that pisses me off the most is when bus drivers insist that I guess their route and race them to their last stop downtown on the way to Lynnwood when I try to board in the ride free zone. Anyone know Why they don't want you to board in the ride free zone? Whenever I ask a driver, they just repeat the rule. It's annoying, because depending on the time of day, the 511 will take two different routes out of Seattle, so I just go to a stop before the routes fork, breaking the rule.
so i guess the rule is that you can't load or unload a bike in the ride free zone, unless it is the first or last stop in the zone, between 6am and 7pm- I have been told by a driver that it's because it is dangerous for cars and bicyclists to be in front of the bus loading their bikes in rush hour traffic. whatever.
i got denied twice with my bike on 3rd and pine at about 11pm by drivers (driving empty buses) who did not know that the rule ends at 7pm (and neither did i), so i looked it up on metro's site and if it's that late at night, drivers should let you board with your bike anywhere within the ride free zone.
i guess the moral is don't assume drivers always know the minutiae of metro's rules and avoid 3rd and pine late at night unless you need to replenish your crack stash.
martin
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:57 pm
Joined: 30 Jan 2006Posts: 712
marisa wrote:
Remington wrote:
The thing that pisses me off the most is when bus drivers insist that I guess their route and race them to their last stop downtown on the way to Lynnwood when I try to board in the ride free zone. Anyone know Why they don't want you to board in the ride free zone? Whenever I ask a driver, they just repeat the rule. It's annoying, because depending on the time of day, the 511 will take two different routes out of Seattle, so I just go to a stop before the routes fork, breaking the rule.
so i guess the rule is that you can't load or unload a bike in the ride free zone, unless it is the first or last stop in the zone, between 6am and 7pm- I have been told by a driver that it's because it is dangerous for cars and bicyclists to be in front of the bus loading their bikes in rush hour traffic. whatever.
i got denied twice with my bike on 3rd and pine at about 11pm by drivers (driving empty buses) who did not know that the rule ends at 7pm (and neither did i), so i looked it up on metro's site and if it's that late at night, drivers should let you board with your bike anywhere within the ride free zone.
i guess the moral is don't assume drivers always know the minutiae of metro's rules and avoid 3rd and pine late at night unless you need to replenish your crack stash.
I was running late Monday night and stopped to hop a bus heading up Greenwood. The rack was full and the driver just waved me around to tell me to hop in the back! I've never met such a cool driver. I don't think I saved any time with all the stops, but at least it was warm.
ksep
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:17 am
Joined: 27 Jan 2007Posts: 1879Location: Westlake
A few nights ago I was riding on Dexter at about midnight headed downtown. A metro bus came up fast on my left, but then had to put the brakes on to pull over behind me and pick up a guy at the next stop. I kept rolling another block to a red light at Mercer.
While waiting at the intersection the bus pulled up beside me and the driver opened the door. You know what happens next, the driver yells about me slowing him down from getting to the stop and not riding all the way to the right and the usual blah blah blah.
But not this time. With a smile and a laugh he said "How far are you going? Put your bike on I'll give you a ride for free!"
Hell yeah.
_________________ -Kevin
Alex
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 6:15 am
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
ro wrote:
Alex
You just don't like my Hoss, fess up! I think what was happening last night was everytime she hit a bump the spring loaded arm was moving down the wheel. I was thinking of something that would hold that spring arm to the wheel (if the spring is weak, if you have a very heavy bike, if you can't get the spring arm to the top of the wheel.
What bike were you riding? Was it the Bleriot with the Nitto big front rack?
The spring hook will bounce towards the back of the bike if it is mounted at the high point of the tire or farther back. That is the safe way to think about it, a safe enough way is that as long as the front hook arm is behind the front hub you are okay. You can see that in the picture of my Kogswell on the new racks above.
The big Nitto rack would push the hook too far forward.
I like the Hoss, it just shouldn't be on the bike when the bike is on the bus.
alex
DJStroky
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:37 am
Joined: 25 May 2007Posts: 356Location: Downtown Tacoma
For all you bus->biker sticklers out there, this is the no bike loading/unloading zone from 6am to 7pm daily:
If you have any questions, you can ask me, or probably Alex too.
Oh, by the way, I talked to some SDOT dude today and he said that Bike lanes on 9th ave are now scheduled for late 2008. He said they have to do some pavement design first tho.
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ro
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:51 am
Joined: 29 Jun 2007Posts: 317
Alex
Yes it is the Bleriot with the nitto rack and that seems like the problem because I can't get the spring bar high enough on the wheel. I'm still going to look into some sort of quick holding strap. I think it has to be quick or I'm going to have the bus driver pissed off.
Or just not ride that bike when I think I might be taking the bus.
gsbarnes
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:45 am
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
DJStroky wrote:
For all you bus->biker sticklers out there, this is the no bike loading/unloading zone from 6am to 7pm daily:
If you have any questions, you can ask me, or probably Alex too.
So apparently there's one stop on 7th just north of Pine that they really don't want in the ride-free zone.
_________________ I have always thought in the back of my mind: Cheese and Onions
Alex
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 6:03 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
ro wrote:
Alex
Yes it is the Bleriot with the nitto rack and that seems like the problem because I can't get the spring bar high enough on the wheel. I'm still going to look into some sort of quick holding strap. I think it has to be quick or I'm going to have the bus driver pissed off.
Or just not ride that bike when I think I might be taking the bus.
I think the latter is the best option. There aren't many rack designs that don't work with the bus, but that is one of them. A bungie would help, but it still won't make it all that safe.
alex
Jace
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:32 pm
Joined: 11 Oct 2005Posts: 601Location: Seattle
DJStroky wrote:
If your bus gets on the freeway you can load it at the last stop that it makes in the ride free zone. Examples would be; 2nd and Columbia to get to west Seattle, or 5th and James if your bus gets on the express lanes northbound.
And be extra careful while riding on 3rd ave during peek hours. Respect the drivers, don't cut them off, stay behind the bus, don't ride in between buses... Also ride defensively and act as if the bus doesn't see you. Your lights don't mean much...
SeditiousCanary
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:42 pm
sorry, can't make it!Joined: 26 Jan 2006Posts: 2315Location: Fremont Troll
ro wrote:
I'm still going to look into some sort of quick holding strap.
Toe-clip stap?
Seriously, why isn't this obvious to everyone except me when it comes to lashing stuff down?
SeditiousCanary
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:44 pm
sorry, can't make it!Joined: 26 Jan 2006Posts: 2315Location: Fremont Troll
Jace wrote:
The prodigal son returns...
DJStroky
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 3:37 am
Joined: 25 May 2007Posts: 356Location: Downtown Tacoma
gsbarnes wrote:
So apparently there's one stop on 7th just north of Pine that they really don't want in the ride-free zone.
C'mon now, this is Metro, not much makes sense unless you work there. For example, today I saw this at the Federal Way Transit Center:
The note says that these workers don't provide bus information.
_________________ Tacoma isn't that bad... well maybe it is
Chris
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:58 pm
Joined: 18 Aug 2007Posts: 222Location: Seattle (Downtown)
This is a bit of a late reply, but...
I have been allowed to unload my bike in the Ride Free zone at night (that was news to me at the time, too!).
I always place my bike in the outside rack, which is somewhat unnerving. However, I talked to one of the drivers about placing bikes on the outside rack, and apparently they really have no idea where the rack ends; from the driver's seat, the rack is essentially invisible. I asked this particular driver if he had any incidents with bikes on the rack, and he responded no, though he did have a minor fender-bender when the last person to place a bike on the bus neglected to raise the rack. The driver was oblivious to the fact that the rack was down and ended up bumping another bus with it at the station.
Bad experiences: As I was getting off the bus one day, I had the driver tell me that I would have to remove my spoke cards the next time, because they were interfering with the headlights. I had never heard this before and didn't want to get into an argument, so I just smiled, nodded, and went on my way; I haven't heard any complaints about spoke cards since. Does anyone know if this is an official Metro policy?
eldan
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:44 pm
Joined: 03 Jul 2006Posts: 18Location: Belltown
I just saw this on Metro Transit's website. It looks like they've acknowledged a design fault in the 3-bike racks and are working on sorting it out.
Quote:
CYCLIST ALERT-December 2007
Metro is in the process of retrofitting the new VeloPorter 3 bus bike racks serving the Eastside and north King County with a secondary safety strap to improve the securement of bicycles on the rack. The strap is intended to better hold the front wheel in place.
At the same time, buses serving south King County will have the Veloporter 3 bike racks removed and replaced with the older two-position bike racks. This is a temporary strategy, pending improvement of the V3 product by the manufacturer. Recent problems with the VeloPorter 3 rack have been primarily focused on South Base coaches.
It is still Metro's intent to retrofit all of our coaches with three-position racks. We will continue to work toward that goal in 2008 and hope to have a better idea of our revised timeline within the next few months.
TrikerTrev
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 3:24 pm
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
simple question (aimed at METRO)...
WAHT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO THE OLD WORKING RACKS?!?
I mean, fucking please...they had these things for like a decade and were bomb proof, held 3 bikes and the drivers could see them. It wasn't till they changed out to these new fangled shittastic racks that they get all "OH GAWD...I CANT SEE...DON"T DO such and such...".
Decades i've ridden and used the METRO to haul my druken, broken, lazy ass home and I never heard such whining as I do from METRO now. We...the exception was takin the bike off the rack in the bus tunnel...but that was a one time thing.
And whats up with the rudeness? Are METRO drivers having to operate the buss with sand coated dildoes up their asses? Damn, METRO, we are the ones paying your bills, act civil.
oh, and bring back the old WORKING racks...they never should have been replaced!
gsbarnes
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 4:35 pm
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
The old racks (the ones over a decade old) held only 2 bikes. I believe the main impetus to increase the capacity was all the people waiting to have the bus transport their bikes across the 520 bridge at rush hour.
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