Blind Cyclists

[Slow Pedlar]

Any blind cyclists read this news group. Just wondered how you coped out on your bike using a GPS
and an OS map. Do you take the dog with you for a bit of excercise. Wonder what type of bike the dog
has. God it makes me wonder sometimes.

 

[Peter B]

"Slow Pedlar" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Any blind cyclists read this news group. Just wondered how you coped out
on
> your bike using a GPS and an OS map.

The blind cyclists I see are usually on the back of a tandem and rely on the "captain" to navigate
so have no need of a map or GPS.

>Do you take the dog with you for a bit of excercise. Wonder what type of bike the dog has.

The blind cyclists I see do not have their dogs with them, presumably the dogs have adequate
exercise carrying out their normal duties.

>God it makes me wonder sometimes.

Posts like yours make me wonder sometimes. Not wonder at why some people are as witless as you,
which I've come to accept, but more at why I feel compelled to reply.

 

[Slow Pedlar]

Excellant explanation, I see things better now. Only thing puzzles me is why a captain is out on a
bike. Maybe things are plain sailing with him along.

 

[Simon Proven]

Slow Pedlar wrote:

> Excellant explanation, I see things better now. Only thing puzzles me is why a captain is out on a
> bike. Maybe things are plain sailing with him along.

Delusions of grandeur, innit. The other party, the "stoker" has delusions of servility.

 

[Peter B]

"Slow Pedlar" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Excellant explanation, I see things better now. Only thing puzzles me is
why
> a captain is out on a bike. Maybe things are plain sailing with him along.

Courtesy of: www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary Captain: Pronunciation: 'kap-t&n also 'kap-&m Function:
noun Etymology: Middle English capitane, from Middle French capitain, from Late Latin capitaneus,
adjective & n., chief, from Latin capit-, caput head -- more at HEAD Date: 14th century 1 a (1) : a
military leader : the commander of a unit or a body of troops
(2) : a subordinate officer commanding under a sovereign or general (3) : a commissioned officer in
the army, air force, or marine corps ranking above a first lieutenant and below a major b (1) :
a naval officer who is master or commander of a ship (2) : a commissioned officer in the navy
ranking above a commander and below a commodore and in the coast guard ranking above a commander
and below a rear admiral c : a senior pilot who commands the crew of an airplane d : an officer
in a police department or fire department in charge of a unit (as a precinct or company) and
usually ranking above a lieutenant and below a chief
3 : one who leads or supervises: as a : a leader of a sports team or side

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Thu, 28 Aug 2003 20:27:10 GMT, "Slow Pedlar" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Any blind cyclists read this news group. Just wondered how you coped out on your bike using a GPS
>and an OS map. Do you take the dog with you for a bit of excercise. Wonder what type of bike the
>dog has. God it makes me wonder sometimes.

Based on my experience of steering a tandem for a statistically insignificant sample of one blind
cyclist, the normal arrangement seems to be a tandem with the blind person as stoker. The steersman
(or pilot or captain) does the navigating. My mate Bob doesn't have a dog (not all blind people do).

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com New!
Improved!! Now with added extra Demon!

 

[robbiew]

Originally posted by Slow Pedlar
Any blind cyclists read this news group. Just wondered how you coped out on your bike using a GPS
and an OS map. Do you take the dog with you for a bit of excercise. Wonder what type of bike the dog
has. God it makes me wonder sometimes.

I pilot a blind friend on a regular Tuesday night tandem ride. He takes his folding white stick with him strapped to the carrier. He would love to be able to navigate and to be fair usually knows where abouts he is on the local roads. I am constantly humbled by his positive attitude and determination in all aspects of life.

Don't take the pi55 out of him. Incidentally we do triathlon together.

 

[Bryan]

Originally posted by Slow Pedlar
Any blind cyclists read this news group. Just wondered how you coped out on your bike using a GPS
and an OS map. Do you take the dog with you for a bit of excercise. Wonder what type of bike the dog
has. God it makes me wonder sometimes.

I Wonder how you managed to work out how to turn teh computer on and find this news group. Or perhaps someone had to do it all for you as you obviously havn;t go a an ounce of intelligence, or compassion.

FWIW, my girlfriend contracted an eye infection last year and has subsequently been rendered blind. She would love to come out riding with me, but can't. However she has just submitted her application for the London Marathon, and although she doen't have guide dog (if she get's in) is raising money for Guide dogs for the Blind (For those interested when her donation web site is up and running I'll post it the address here).

Bryan

 

[Anonymous]

"Bryan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> FWIW, my girlfriend contracted an eye infection last year and has subsequently been rendered
> blind. She would love to come out riding with me, but can't.

Bad luck. I'd hate that. A tandem would seem an obvious thing to get.

cheers, clive

 

[Pete Whelan]

robbiew wrote:
> Slow Pedlar wrote:
> > Any blind cyclists read this news group. Just wondered how you coped out on your bike using a
> > GPS and an OS map. Do you take the dog with you for a bit of excercise. Wonder what type of
> > bike the dog has. God it makes me wonder sometimes.
>
>
>
> I pilot a blind friend on a regular Tuesday night tandem ride. He takes his folding white stick
> with him strapped to the carrier. He would love to be able to navigate and to be fair usually
> knows where abouts he is on the local roads. I am constantly humbled by his positive attitude and
> determination in all aspects of life.
>
> Don't take the pi55 out of him. Incidentally we do triathlon together.

totally agree with you here, Slow Pedlar ought to take a reality check of life.

I too pilot a tandem for a blind lady, generally a few times a year, especially for the BOLD tandem
marathon event (we won it this year). She still makes me feel little at what we achieved,
especially as I know she got herself donw to a local gym and swimming pool virtually every day to
do some training.

--
Pete

interchange 12 for 21 to reply

 

[Sue]

In message <[email protected]>, Clive George

>
>> FWIW, my girlfriend contracted an eye infection last year and has subsequently been rendered
>> blind. She would love to come out riding with me, but can't.
>
>Bad luck. I'd hate that. A tandem would seem an obvious thing to get.
>
It's nowhere near as easy as it looks! I had a go at it, but it's like learning to ride a bike all
over again, and I don't normally use drops which is what the tandem has. It does come with its own
mechanic, since that's what its blind owner does for a living.

It seems help is available, as he told some anecdotes of RNIB training courses for new blind tandem
couples. Training completely new steerers is only for the brave, as they're likely to fall off at
least once (he stayed on his feet and supported the bike while I rolled onto the verge!)

--
Sue ]

 

[Anonymous]

"Sue" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In message <[email protected]>, Clive George

> >
> >> FWIW, my girlfriend contracted an eye infection last year and has subsequently been rendered
> >> blind. She would love to come out riding with me, but can't.
> >
> >Bad luck. I'd hate that. A tandem would seem an obvious thing to get.
> >
> It's nowhere near as easy as it looks! I had a go at it, but it's like learning to ride a bike all
> over again, and I don't normally use drops which is what the tandem has. It does come with its own
> mechanic, since that's what its blind owner does for a living.

You can get tandems with straight bars...

> It seems help is available, as he told some anecdotes of RNIB training courses for new blind
> tandem couples. Training completely new steerers is only for the brave, as they're likely to fall
> off at least once (he stayed on his feet and supported the bike while I rolled onto the verge!)

Hmm - the general idea for riding a tandem is that you don't fall off. There's no need for a new
captain (steerer) to do so - eg I watched one today do just fine. One generally recommended thing is
to ride solo for a bit to get used to the feel of the bike (brakes, gears, pedals, etc). If the
captain is smaller than the stoker, things do get a little harder - does this apply to you? But I'm
guessing the OP doesn't have this situation.

cheers, clive

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 23:14:43 +0100, Sue <[email protected]> wrote:

>It's nowhere near as easy as it looks! I had a go at it, but it's like learning to ride a bike all
>over again, and I don't normally use drops which is what the tandem has. It does come with its own
>mechanic, since that's what its blind owner does for a living.

Bob Bristow by any chance? Or are there two blind tandem-riding mechanics in Britain?

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com New!
Improved!! Now with added extra Demon!

 

[Sue]

In message <[email protected]>, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
<[email protected]> writes
>
>>It's nowhere near as easy as it looks! I had a go at it, but it's like learning to ride a bike all
>>over again, and I don't normally use drops which is what the tandem has. It does come with its own
>>mechanic, since that's what its blind owner does for a living.
>
>Bob Bristow by any chance? Or are there two blind tandem-riding mechanics in Britain?
>
Possibly not, though it's hard to imagine a blind bike mechanic not riding a tandem if he
possibly could.

Dealing with Bob's really educational - "There's some play in this, look!" "I can't see anything..."
"Put your finger on it and feel it then!" "Oh, yeah, there is some play in it!"

Does that mean you live in R**ding?
--
Sue ]

 

[Just Zis Guy]

"Sue" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> >Bob Bristow by any chance? Or are there two blind tandem-riding mechanics in Britain?

> Dealing with Bob's really educational - "There's some play in this, look!" "I can't see
> anything..." "Put your finger on it and feel it then!" "Oh, yeah, there is some play in it!"

Oh yes. I remember riding back with Bob on my solo, he had a new steersman that day. He was giving
directions as we rode through the centre of town, and the steersman kept asking me to confirm them.
I ventured the opinion that a blind man was unlikely to give directions unless he was pretty sure
where he was and where he was going...

> Does that mean you live in R**ding?

Indeedy doody. We may even have met, though I haven't been out with the club much this year (other
things keep comoing up, like meetings on Wednesday evenings).

I ride either a light blue Claud Butler tourer or a once-yellow-now-blue recumbent.

 

[Sue]

In message <[email protected]>, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
<[email protected]> writes
>
>Oh yes. I remember riding back with Bob on my solo, he had a new steersman that day. He was giving
>directions as we rode through the centre of town, and the steersman kept asking me to confirm them.
>I ventured the opinion that a blind man was unlikely to give directions unless he was pretty sure
>where he was and where he was going...
>
That made me laugh. People who can see have trouble finding their way around Reading!

--
Sue ]