Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride. Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?
Also, a message from Fudge whenever he sees a cyclist: "PAY REGO!"
Tim Chmielewski wrote: > Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a > cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride. > Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?
Bleve wrote: > Tim Chmielewski wrote: >> Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a >> cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride. >> Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?
>>> Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a >>> cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride. >>> Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?
>> It's not widespread, it's bloody stupid.
> yep! and illegal
But more than that its self eliminating as a problem in the population so dont worry about it.
On 2006-03-20, Tim Chmielewski (aka Bruce) was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a > cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride. > Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?
> Also, a message from Fudge whenever he sees a cyclist: > "PAY REGO!"
I was almost thinking I was on ARK then. (Later: Hmmmm, failed posting. Oh, I see...)
> There's a worse one from that weekend, but it is a crime against nature to > show it and none of you will ever eat sausages again.
There were people at the GVBR'04 who were saying they were thoroughly sick of sausages after 9 days. I was loving it (all except one day when I waited for 40 minutes in a rather short queue only to be given a luke warm (poor luke) foul tasting sausage.
> Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a > cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride. > Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?
I've seen it once in three years over here, I was in a car at the time. A young boy on a BMX reached down and grabbed on to the right wheel arch of the car in front of me.
I left *plenty* of space between me and the vehicle in front! Speeds in excess of sixty kilometers per hour were reached.
> Also, a message from Fudge whenever he sees a cyclist: > "PAY REGO!"
If cyclists start inflicting the level of carnage on Australians that cars do on a daily basis, then we'll talk about the need to identify cyclists and compulsory third party liability insurance. That's what Rego's for, nothing else. Until then I'll continue too benefit the community by choosing to ride a bike rather than drive a car.
EuanB wrote: > I've seen it once in three years over here, I was in a car at the > time. A young boy on a BMX reached down and grabbed on to the right > wheel arch of the car in front of me.
When I was a lad, helmets had not been invented and cycling was a safe activity. The quickest way around our little town was to hold hands with a willing motorcycle pillion. No children died or were injured in this practice.
Theo Bekkers <tbekk...@bekkers.com.au> wrote: > EuanB wrote:
>> I've seen it once in three years over here, I was in a car at the >> time. A young boy on a BMX reached down and grabbed on to the right >> wheel arch of the car in front of me.
> When I was a lad, helmets had not been invented and cycling was a safe > activity. The quickest way around our little town was to hold hands with a > willing motorcycle pillion. No children died or were injured in this > practice.
I must admit I've been wondering what the stats are.
When I was a kid it was fairly common to hitch rides, I don't know anyone who was hurt.
I've towed a cyclist in the Adelaide hills when on the motorbike, poor bastard was knackered and it was a horrible windy day. I passed him, asked if he wanted a tow, and he grabbed onto the rear rack.
Didn't seem that dangerous, but then I've towed motorcycles that way too, when someone had a sick bike and we wanted to get it back home.
So the law says it is dangerous, there's been a lot of "people will definitely die doing it" in the thread, but is that really so?
Zebee Johnstone wrote: > So the law says it is dangerous, there's been a lot of "people will > definitely die doing it" in the thread, but is that really so?
I didn't say it was dangerous, I said it was stupid. Not the same thing at all. Randomly grabbing cars is a sure-fire way to incure the ire of the owner of said vehicle. Pissing people off in posession of lethal weapons in close proximity to ones self is seldom wise. The dangerous thing is not the grabbing of the car, but the possible reaction of its driver.
> > I've seen it once in three years over here, I was in a car at the > > time. A young boy on a BMX reached down and grabbed on to the right > > wheel arch of the car in front of me.
> When I was a lad, helmets had not been invented and cycling was a safe > activity. The quickest way around our little town was to hold hands > with a > willing motorcycle pillion. No children died or were injured in this > practice.
Funnily enough the lad wasn't wearing a helmet. I didn't comment on it because at that speed a helmet's rather irrelevent.
> Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a > cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride. > Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?
I don't think it's dangerous at low speed, but 60kph is another matter. I would not care to do it myself any more at any speed. When I was at high school in Wollongong, I would cycle to school from our place high up on the escarpment. Coming home in the afternoons, it would sometimes happen that a coal truck would come grinding up the hill behind me. I'd put on a sprint and catch up and just hang on to some metal protrusion at the back. I remember being very grateful for those assisted ascents. I wouldn't do it now though - I have seen a truck tailgate let go, and always keep myself out of the swing radius, whether on a bike or on foot.
Thought this an opportune moment to introduce myself. I've been lurking for a few months now, and have learned a lot from just reading this group. So thankyou to everyone who has posted anything useful or entertaining here. In particular, the "New year pedolutions" thread convinced me I was being a wuss for bussing it to work whenever there was a spot of rain. So since January I have promised myself to commute by bike *every* day regardless of the weather. Have stuck to it too, so far.
Other than commuting, I like to just ramble about the place on the bike (it's a very old MTB), and am noticing a gradual improvment in my fitness - discernible by the higher gears and faster times on the last big hill near home. Would like to gradually work up the distance and intensity - but not for racing. I live in Sydney (inner west). Are there any "Lard Arse" rides open to relatively unfit newbies?
beerwolf <adrianbc.f...@bigpond.com> wrote: > and faster times on the last big hill near home. Would like > to gradually work up the distance and intensity - but not > for racing. I live in Sydney (inner west). Are there any > "Lard Arse" rides open to relatively unfit newbies?
There are some slower rides run by BNSW - check the ride calendar at www.bicyclensw.org.au
THey have a grading system so you can get an idea of if it will suit.
You might also check the BUGs in your area, Ashfield is ashbug.org.au and Marrickville is massbug.org.au They both have regular social rides I believe. The BNSW site has BUG listings if you are the other side of Paramatta Rd :)
I'm interested in riding with people on a weekend, although by the sounds of it you are fitter than I am, so would probably have to wait for me up hills :)
EuanB wrote: > Funnily enough the lad wasn't wearing a helmet. I didn't comment on > it because at that speed a helmet's rather irrelevent.
I disagree. A helmet is designed to reduce the likelyhood of head injury when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h your head may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h, the design limitation of the helmet. If you fall off your bike at 60 km/h your head will hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h, providing you with the same (alleged) safety margin. How your forward motion is reduced (grass verge or lamp-post?) is another question.
> > Funnily enough the lad wasn't wearing a helmet. I didn't comment on > > it because at that speed a helmet's rather irrelevent.
> I disagree. A helmet is designed to reduce the likelyhood of head > injury > when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h > your head > may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h, the design limitation of the > helmet. If you fall off your bike at 60 km/h your head will hit the > ground > at around 18-22 km/h, providing you with the same (alleged) safety > margin. > How your forward motion is reduced (grass verge or lamp-post?) is > another > question.
EuanB wrote: > Theo Bekkers Wrote: >> when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h >> your head may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h, > I'm not getting in to a helmet debate Theo.
Sorry, let me delete helmet. The ground contact speed of your shoulder, face, bum will be the same if you fall when stationary or if your velocity is approaching Mach 1.
> >> when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h > >> your head may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h,
> > I'm not getting in to a helmet debate Theo.
> Sorry, let me delete helmet. The ground contact speed of your shoulder, > face, bum will be the same if you fall when stationary or if your velocity > is approaching Mach 1.
Tsk tsk Theo.
There's nothing in your second sentence regarding a helmet. Not a good attempt at a one-sided helmet debate at all!
> >> when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h > >> your head may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h,
> > I'm not getting in to a helmet debate Theo.
> Sorry, let me delete helmet. The ground contact speed of your > shoulder, > face, bum will be the same if you fall when stationary or if your > velocity > is approaching Mach 1.
It takes two to debate Theo and I ain't playing. Find someone else.
Zebee wrote: > There are some slower rides run by BNSW - check the ride calendar at > www.bicyclensw.org.au
> THey have a grading system so you can get an idea of if it will suit.
> You might also check the BUGs in your area, > Ashfield is ashbug.org.au and Marrickville is massbug.org.au They > both have regular social rides I believe. The BNSW site has BUG > listings if you are the other side of Paramatta Rd :)
> I'm interested in riding with people on a weekend, although by the > sounds of it you are fitter than I am, so would probably have to wait > for me up hills :)
Not so sure of that - and you'd outpace me on the flat (you're on a recumbent, not so?). Thanks for the link - got it bookmarked, looks like some good stuff there.
beerwolf <adrianbc.f...@bigpond.com> wrote: > Zebee wrote: >> sounds of it you are fitter than I am, so would probably have to wait >> for me up hills :)
> Not so sure of that - and you'd outpace me on the flat (you're on a > recumbent, not so?). Thanks for the link - got it bookmarked, looks > like some good stuff there.
Yeah, but I think this aerodynamic thing is overrated :)
Maybe I just haven't found a decent enough headwind!
Did some more uphill stuff today, I think I'm getting a little better at it.
I tend to push a bigger gear at the beginning, really pushing back into the seat then change down and spin more when that starts to get a bit much. Low gear is very low, so it feels like I'm an eggbeater but doing nil miles an hour...
