sigh of the times

riding into work yesterday, i saw a guy talking on a cell phone while riding. i make a point of
waving at fellow cyclists regardless of age or cylo-rigging (spandex/corduroy, expensive/cheap,
awesome/rad, you know/concur?) but got no responce from said gentleman chatter/cycleur. perhaps my
befuddled look, or my army surplus pack and rolled up pant cuffs spawned his scorn or maybe he was
just distracted. i fear that the SUV mindset is invading our ranks. alfred klek

I really hate to admit this but I use a cell phone on a bike. I am on call for maintenance and
the bike is my primary transportation. I have to be able to respond to calls from folks. Many
times I have been headed home and had a call that forced me to turn around and return to work to
try and correct the problem. So yes carrying a cell phone is becoming a "sigh" of the times, at
least in my case.

Sorry Jim K Riding everyday.

On Thu, 02 Oct 2003 14:43:23 -0000, Bran tapped this on a keyboard:

> "jkinney2" <jkinney2@megsinet.net> spake thusly on or about Thu, 2 Oct 2003
> 09:57:36 UTC
>
>
> the problem is not so much having it as having it be a dangerous distraction. I use my hands free
> set in the winter because its awkward to use a phone at all with winter kit but in moderate
> weather I either pull over to answer or let who ever is calling leave a message and get to it when
> I can get off the road.
>
> the sigh is not in the tool but in the way it is used.

I always have mine with me (in my pack). It is a great tool to have in moments of trouble. But I
never answer it while riding. In fact, I set it to silent mode. I figure that if it is so important,
they will call again.

--

QUIPd 1.02: (570 of 654) -> ++?????++ Out of Cheese Error. Redo From Start. -> -(Terry Pratchett,
Interesting Times)
##2119 #'Mandrake Linux.'

"jkinney2" <jkinney2@megsinet.net> spake thusly on or about Thu, 2 Oct 2003
09:57:36 UTC

-> I really hate to admit this but I use a cell phone on a bike. I am on call -> for maintenance and
the bike is my primary transportation. I have to be -> able to respond to calls from folks. Many
times I have been headed home and -> had a call that forced me to turn around and return to work to
try and -> correct the problem. -> So yes carrying a cell phone is becoming a "sigh" of the times,
at least in -> my case. ->

the problem is not so much having it as having it be a dangerous distraction. I use my hands free
set in the winter because its awkward to use a phone at all with winter kit but in moderate weather
I either pull over to answer or let who ever is calling leave a message and get to it when I can get
off the road.

the sigh is not in the tool but in the way it is used.

--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?
bran.everseeking@sk.sympatico.ca

"Johann S." <gatsaag@failbox.co.za> spake thusly on or about Thu, 2 Oct 2003 19:02:57 UTC

-> > the sigh is not in the tool but in the way it is used. -> -> I always have mine with me (in
my pack). It is a great tool to have in -> moments of trouble. But I never answer it while riding.
In fact, I -> set it to silent mode. I figure that if it is so important, they will -> call again.
-> I need to know if mine rings; only the folks that are going to call are my son or calling
about him.

--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?
bran.everseeking@sk.sympatico.ca

jkinney2 wrote:
> I really hate to admit this but I use a cell phone on a bike. I am on call for maintenance and the
> bike is my primary transportation. I have to be able to respond to calls from folks.

Yeah, I am oncall for I.S. tech support for a hospital and often have to call in while on a ride but
I ALWAYS pull over and stop to respond to a page. Its amazing how often the page comes through
halfway up a steep climb! Riding a bike is dangerous enough without adding more risk factors.

Tim McTeague

On Thu, 02 Oct 2003 06:17:58 GMT, "Alfred Klek" <alfred.klek@runbox.com> from SBC
http://yahoo.sbc.com wrote:

>riding into work yesterday, i saw a guy talking on a cell phone while riding. i make a point of
>waving at fellow cyclists regardless of age or cylo-rigging (spandex/corduroy, expensive/cheap,
>awesome/rad, you know/concur?) but got no responce from said gentleman chatter/cycleur. perhaps my
>befuddled look, or my army surplus pack and rolled up pant cuffs spawned his scorn or maybe he was
>just distracted. i fear that the SUV mindset is invading our ranks.

I talk on my cell while riding. I'd have waved or something. Maybe the guy doesn't know how to ride
no-handed.

--
http://home.sport.rr.com/cuthulu/ human rights = peace Hmmm ... A hash-singer and a cross-eyed guy
were SLEEPING on a deserted island, when ...
7:05:36 PM 2 October 2003

I always have my cellphone with me, turned off, but available if I need to make an emergency call.

I usually wave when I see another cyclist, most wave back, but a fair number don't respond. Doesn't
bother me. It might be nice if cycling were taken so much for granted that special greetings
between cyclists would seem pointless. After all, when you're driving, do you wave to all the other
drivers? :-)

"Alfred Klek" <alfred.klek@runbox.com> wrote in message
news:<qqPeb.9408$5N4.916@newssvr32.news.prodigy.com>...
> riding into work yesterday, i saw a guy talking on a cell phone while riding. i make a point of
> waving at fellow cyclists regardless of age or cylo-rigging (spandex/corduroy, expensive/cheap,
> awesome/rad, you know/concur?) but got no responce from said gentleman chatter/cycleur. perhaps my
> befuddled look, or my army surplus pack and rolled up pant cuffs spawned his scorn or maybe he was
> just distracted. i fear that the SUV mindset is invading our ranks. alfred klek

Kaputnik wrote:
. It might be nice if cycling
> were taken so much for granted that special greetings between cyclists would seem pointless. After
> all, when you're driving, do you wave to all the other drivers? :-)

I started serious cycling in the late 70s and was truly pleased to meet a fellow cyclist on the
road. Back then it seemed that every rider greeted one another. I'm not really a people person but
am a firm beliver in good manners. When I added running to my activities I was amazed to find that
runners rarely waved. Over the years road cyclists became more "serious" and the waves declined.
When I got my first mt. bike in '84 I was happy to find that most mt. bikers greeted one another and
actually stopped to chat. I suppose when the group is fairly small you just like to see that someone
else shares your passion when so many want you off the road/trail. I must admit I get a bit
irritated when I don't even get the basic cyclist wave, fingers of the left hand extended downward,
when I say "good morning" to a passing cyclist. Drivers, on the other hand, drive mostly just to get
from point A to point B. Something everyone has to do, so the feeling is not the same. However, I
have seen that two drivers of the same unique vehicle will wave to one another. So I guess we are
all seeking some kind of kinship.

Tim McTeague

On 2 Oct 2003 23:30:02 -0700, kaputnik.ct@netzero.net (Kaputnik) wrote:

>> After all, when you're driving, do you wave to all the other drivers? :-)

Oh, of course -- but I rarely use all five fingers.

Please always use all five fingers.

Let 'em read between the lines if they're smart enough. If they're not smart enough to read between
the lines then they are dumb enough to see the one-finger wave as assault/'hate speech' (that it
maybe depending on your state's laws) and respond inappropriately.

"Zippy the Pinhead" <uce@NOSPAM.ftc.gov> wrote in message
news:9692e0cdf50aca8bbc1c6f595e87ffd6@news.teranews.com...
> On 2 Oct 2003 23:30:02 -0700, kaputnik.ct@netzero.net (Kaputnik) wrote:
>
> >> After all, when you're driving, do you wave to all the other drivers?
:-)
>
> Oh, of course -- but I rarely use all five fingers.

kaputnik.ct@netzero.net (Kaputnik) wrote in news:91eb79fc.0310022230.5623064e@posting.google.com:

> I always have my cellphone with me, turned off, but available if I need to make an emergency call.
>
> I usually wave when I see another cyclist, most wave back, but a fair number don't respond.
> Doesn't bother me. It might be nice if cycling were taken so much for granted that special
> greetings between cyclists would seem pointless. After all, when you're driving, do you wave to
> all the other drivers? :-)
>
In the rural South, a wave is common when meeting at an intersection or in passing. It's a similar
wave to the ones I get from cyclists up here.

However, I have seen that two drivers of the same unique vehicle will
> wave to one another. So I guess we are all seeking some kind of kinship.
snip

yeah i guess i got the waving thing from my dad. he used to drive a 1968 volvo back in the days
before volvos were chic. the odd european car kinship i guess. i get a good deal of waves from most
people i meet on the road and, perhaps surprisingly, a good deal of respect and freindliness from
auto drivers. alfred klek

garmonboezia <cthvlhv@r'lyeh.arg> wrote in message news:<ztIfb.498294$cF.176047@rwcrnsc53>...
> kaputnik.ct@netzero.net (Kaputnik) wrote in news:91eb79fc.0310022230.5623064e@posting.google.com:
>
> > I always have my cellphone with me, turned off, but available if I need to make an
> > emergency call.
> >
> > I usually wave when I see another cyclist, most wave back, but a fair number don't respond.
> > Doesn't bother me. It might be nice if cycling were taken so much for granted that special
> > greetings between cyclists would seem pointless. After all, when you're driving, do you wave to
> > all the other drivers? :-)
> >
> In the rural South, a wave is common when meeting at an intersection or in passing. It's a similar
> wave to the ones I get from cyclists up here.

I have found in the south there is alot more waving and head nodding than I experienced up north, I
dont know the real reason either. It isnt uncommon for someone to wave at any given interesection
around here.

But the whole dependence on cell phones i think truly is a "sigh" of the times. It seems they are
everywhere and people get so involved in their conversations that they cant drive
properly(bicycle/car), they cant be nice in the stores, and they rarely nod while walking. For you
know heaven forbid they miss that newest tidbit, or you interupt their most imporant conversation. I
have nothing against the phones persay, but in how they have become a addictive habit, much like
drugs etc.