In the US, Automobiles and bikes don't mix very well.

[Frank Krygowski]

Dennis P. Harris wrote:

> On 20 Oct 2003 11:29:50 -0700 in rec.bicycles.misc, [email protected] (Frank Krygowski) wrote:
>
>
>>Helmets really aren't designed, tested or certified to protect against the types of impacts that
>>cause the typical cycling fatality.
>
>
> but they DO help to prevent some serious head traumas.

I imagine they do help to prevent SOME. And if people could just be convinced to wear them for more
activities, they'd prevent far, far more.

As it is, nobody seriously proposes helmets for the major sources of head injury. They ignore nearly
100% of the problem. But they turn into missionaries when talking about roughly 1% of the problem -
bicycling.

It's weird.

--
Frank Krygowski

 

[Frank Krygowski]

David Reuteler wrote:

>
> i think you're seriously overstating the danger level. think rural not city (tho i did ride
> through cheyenne, wy on i-80 and i-25). people may drift into the shoulder but IME they're
> consideranbly less likely to do so if someone is there. in fact most people switched lanes if
> they could even tho it wasn't strictly speaking necessary. if they didn't they pulled over in
> their lane.

My family and I noted that almost all the semi drivers changed to the left lane when passing us,
even though there was no need to do so.

In fact, on headwind days, we wished they wouldn't! A semi can provide a few seconds of nice draft,
even when you're six or seven feet off to the side!

--

Frank Krygowski

 

[Pete]

"Frank Krygowski" <[email protected]> wrote
>
> My family and I noted that almost all the semi drivers changed to the left lane when passing us,
> even though there was no need to do so.

Having done a lot of interstate driving in the last couple of years, I've noticied they do that a
lot with almost any vehicle in the breakdown lane.

Pete

 

[Eric S. Sande]

>Having done a lot of interstate driving in the last couple of years, I've noticied they do that a
>lot with almost any vehicle in the breakdown lane.

Common courtesy. Also they want to keep their DOT license.

And they have a lot of vehicle to control.

Jon Issacs could help us out here.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

[David Reuteler]

Eric S. Sande <[email protected]> wrote:
: Jon Issacs could help us out here.

right. where is he anyway? probably out doing something w/ that telescope thingy of his. has he got
an equitorial mount for his blackburn rack, yet?
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

[Eric S. Sande]

>right. where is he anyway?

Results of investigation:

Well, there is A Jon Isaacs up and running on sci.astro.amateur as of today, if you wanted to crash
it I suppose.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

[Zippy The Pinhe]

On 20 Oct 2003 14:46:36 -0700, [email protected] (Walter) wrote:

>>
>> I have no idea why you are so upset about other peoples' choices.
>
>I'm not. I'm just amazed at the level of denial on this site.

What is this "site" to which you keep referring, Walter. Will you let us in on that?

 

[Eric S. Sande]

>What is this "site" to which you keep referring, Walter. Will you let us in on that?

He is a little terminologically confused. People have been jumping all over his ass for minor
technical mistakes and revealing themselves to be buttheads. He either obviously doesn't know USENET
or he has fooled me completely.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

[Zippy The Pinhe]

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 01:10:26 -0400, "Eric S. Sande" <[email protected]> wrote:

>>What is this "site" to which you keep referring, Walter. Will you let us in on that?
>
>He is a little terminologically confused.

So am I -- that is why I asked. Is this ng "reflected" on a Web site somewheres, organized by thread
-- or what? Where does he read it, a URL somewhere or just USENET?

> He either obviously doesn't know USENET or he has fooled me completely.

Well. Put me down as both fooled and confused.

 

[David Reuteler]

Eric S. Sande <[email protected]> wrote:
: David Reuteler <[email protected]> wrote
:> right. where is he anyway?
: Results of investigation:
:
: Well, there is A Jon Isaacs up and running on sci.astro.amateur as of today, if you wanted to
: crash it I suppose.

well then, lucky for us my netiquette has always been lacking.

greetings sci.astro.amateur & sorry to intrude,

ahem.

Jon Isaacs?

are you here?

sorry, i don't mean to embarrass you in front of your new friends but some of us over in
rec.bicycles.* are a little concerned by your prolonged absence. what gives? if you come back (just
now & again) we (well, i) promise to try and integrate some elements of astronomy into the cycling
talk**, we (well, i) will flame others a little less often unless it can be done with sufficient wit
at least for a little while and we (well, i) will strive for more intelligent and thoughtful
discourse at least for as long as we (i) can tolerate it.

please bear in mind this is messing with my Weltanschauung. i like to think of cycling as something
that draws people's attention toward it. not some- thing to be drawn away from. i will concede that
astronomy is a worthy & rewarding endeavor and furthermore one that i myself have dabbled in.

jon, you are still biking, right? i mean, you're not getting soft and fat? mind and body, jon.

at the very least we'll get fabrizio to give you some style tips and get ya up to date. perhaps a
girdle if it's required.

please, make this easy on yourself.

** no empty threat, i was an astro(/physics) major.
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

[Eric S. Sande]

Obviously you didn't consider sending him an email?

You didn't think the cars were mad at us enough without the astronomers?

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

[Allister McLare]

[email protected] (Walter) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I have a very limited experience riding a bike as an adult in traffic. I also maybe misinformed.

And yet when people here ateempt to inform you, and offer you the benefit of their experience, you
claim they are in denial.

> However, my opinions are based on my own experiences as motorist, and from people I have known
> over the years who have been involved in accidents both in automobiles, and bicycles, as well as
> pedestrians.

So, your opinion that cycling with traffic is dangerous is based on your experience as a motorist.
That's not a particularly glowing endorsment of your own driving abilities you know.

> Its just my opinion that unlike sized vehicles or vehicles traveling at difference speeds don't
> mix well.

Let me ask you this: before you started cycling again, how did you act around cyclists on the
road? Did you act safely, and why? If so, what makes you think the majority of other motorists
don't act the same?

> This is a true story,<snipped>

Sounds like business as usual on shared paths the world over. You prefer this to the road?

> I'm sure most of the people reading this are thinking I should have been on the cell phone
> reporting this to the cops. Well, I could have but I know the cops around here have bigger fish to
> fry than kids riding 4 wheelers where they shouldn't and dumb blonds that they can't catch. They
> would have taken all of the information I had, but nothing would have been done about it.

How do you know this is you're not prepared to even try? I think you'd be surprised at how seriously
this would be treated by the police, especially if you also provide a license plate and description
of the vehicle.

> Is there a point to this story?

Apparently not.

> I don't know, other than If I had met all of this traffic coming at me on the road while I was in
> my truck, I wouldn't have been near as nervous about mine and my daughters own personal safety as
> I was while I was on a bike.

Wrong way traffic coming towards you wouldn't make you nervous if you're in your truck? I think
you're overestimating the protective abilities of your vehicle, or underestimating how severe
head-on collisions are. Not to mention your ability to get out of the way is much more limited in a
truck. I think it's best for all concerned if you stay off the road altogether irrespective of your
chosen vehicle.

>
> Take care,

No, you take care.

Allister

 

[David Reuteler]

Eric S. Sande <[email protected]> wrote:
: Obviously you didn't consider sending him an email?

eh?

: You didn't think the cars were mad at us enough without the astronomers?

nah, those science types are a pretty civil bunch. it's not rec.pets.cats or anything.
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

[Rick Onanian]

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 02:27:07 GMT, "Pete" <[email protected]> wrote:
>"Frank Krygowski" <[email protected]> wrote
>> My family and I noted that almost all the semi drivers changed to the left lane when passing us,
>> even though there was no need to do so.
>
>Having done a lot of interstate driving in the last couple of years, I've noticied they do that a
>lot with almost any vehicle in the breakdown lane.

Indeed, this is because they are trained professionals. It's nice to see some of those on the road.

>Pete
--
Rick Onanian

 

[Rick Onanian]

On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 22:57:22 -0700, [email protected] (Tom Keats) wrote:
>Let's think about riding bicycles instead. Better yet ...

Blasphemer! Why fixate on bicycles, anyway?

>cheers, Tom
--
Rick "Warning: Sarcasm enclosed" Onanian