You know that nervous feeling you get when you’re driving down the road and you see a cop? And you have no idea how fast you’re going or what the speed limit is? It can happen on a bike too.
On Thursday nights, my friends and I unwind by rambling on the quiet backroads of Los Altos Hills. Given the town name, it’s no surprise that it’s a climbing ride, and as they say “what goes up must come down.” No complaints for me, though. The downside of climbing is the upside for me. I LOVE to descend.
A couple of weeks ago, I slapped on my GoPro helmet-cam before we descended Altamont Road. I had carved through the tricky off-camber steep section and was shooting down the final straightaway when a sheriff pulled out ahead of me. He wasn’t close at all, but I felt a twinge of fear. How fast was I going? What’s the speed limit? That night I replayed the video, but couldn’t find speed limit signs. Do you see any?
Tonight, we climbed up to Altamont Road again, taking a slightly different route so we could find a speed limit sign. We found it: 30 mph. Lower than I expected.
.
This time I caught up to two guys early in the descent, so I took it easy the rest of way down. At the bottom I checked my bike computer. Max speed 39.5. Definitely speeding. I wonder what it was two weeks ago when I was pedaling instead on braking through the turns?
Have you ever been pulled over for speeding on your bike? Would you try to fight it, or would you proudly frame the ticket?
ladyfleur
August 25, 2011 at 11:20 pm
Did anyone notice in the video that I stopped longer at the stop sign than the sheriff did, even though I didn’t put my foot down? It’s really annoying that they will ticket you in Portola Valley for not putting a foot down, when they roll on through…
Michelle Perez
August 26, 2011 at 11:39 am
Loved the video! And yea, I see law enforcment roll through stop signs all the time.
Cindy
August 27, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Great video Janet! I never saw the sheriff – he had already rolled and gone.
jay keehan
September 27, 2011 at 8:43 pm
I’ve done as fast as 44 mph past the guardrails, but then I’m a Clydesdale (god I hate typing that).
Watching your video, I got to wondering–did you play it at 1.5 speed? It seems a bit too fast for me.
I like just past the stop sign when it looks like your shadow is riding in the dirt before you dismount.
ladyfleur
September 27, 2011 at 11:05 pm
It’s played at normal time. I think the wide angle lens makes it look faster. I liked seeing my shadow in the video too.I actually was on the dirt at the very end. My road bike isn’t afraid of dirt.