Recumbent Catch-22

[Ben]

As a relative newbie 'bent rider, I am still amazed by the attention a 'bent rider gets on the average ride. Pedestrians, motorists, and even deer notice that strange device known as a recumbent.

While I'm all for lower costs and recommending recumbents to friends, there is a catch-22. Right now, 'bent riders are a somewhat elite group. Bents are still sufficiently un-common to be noticed. But if they became cheaper and more ubiquitous, both the glamour and uniqueness might diminish, making us more vulnerable on the road. Having ridden a 'bent, I don't want to go back to being yet another up-righter.

For a sui generis future for 'bents,
Ben

 

[Dave Larrington]

The first twenty years are the worst, Ben. after that you start to get used to it...

Dave Larrington - http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/
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Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
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[Mikael Seierup]

"Ben" skrev...
> As a relative newbie 'bent rider, I am still amazed by the attention a 'bent rider gets on the
> average ride. Pedestrians, motorists, and even deer notice that strange device known as a
> recumbent.

Yea, but guess what the motorist is going to say when he/she beans you with the mobile
livingroom.

"I didn't see you!" Duh!

M.

 

[Just Meeeeeee.]

"Mikael Seierup" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Ben" skrev...
> > As a relative newbie 'bent rider, I am still amazed by the attention a 'bent rider gets on the
> > average ride. Pedestrians, motorists, and even deer notice that strange device known as a
> > recumbent.
>
> Yea, but guess what the motorist is going to say when he/she beans you with the mobile
> livingroom.
>
> "I didn't see you!" Duh!
>
> M.

Yes but the say that anyway or tell you to get a "real" bike as they try to change gear whilst
talking on the phone and lighting a cancer stick.

 

[Ken Kobayashi]

On 30 Apr 2003 22:30:20 +0950, Ben <[email protected]> wrote:
>Bents are still sufficiently un-common to be noticed. But if they became cheaper and more
>ubiquitous, both the glamour and uniqueness might diminish, making us more vulnerable on the road.
>Having ridden a 'bent,

Are you saying that the uniqueness makes us more visible and thus safer on the road? I don't agree
with that theory. Sometimes people's minds filter out things they don't understand or recognize. The
guy who rear-ended me at a red light kept saying "but it didn't look like a bicycle!"

Ken Kobayashi [email protected] http://solarwww.mtk.nao.ac.jp/kobayashi/personal/

 

[Dave Larrington]

Just Himmmmmmm wrote:

> tell you to get a "real" bike

I was once told to do thus by someone hopeless urban pseud driving a Land Rover through Camden Town.
I told him to get a real car.

A few days later I was requested to "get off the road" by the proprietor of a Toyota Land Cruiser. I
put it to him that off the road was surely where his outsized lorry belonged, except that as it was
fitted with road tyres and stupid aftermarket stainless steel running boards it would inevitably get
stuck in the first bit of real mud. He appeared puzzled. I think it must have been the polysyllabic
words which confused him.

Dave Larrington - http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[Edward Wong]

> The guy who rear-ended me at a red light kept saying "but it didn't look like a bicycle!"
>
> Ken Kobayashi [email protected] http://solarwww.mtk.nao.ac.jp/kobayashi/personal/

Just because it "didn't look like a bicycle" gives him the right to hit it? This guy's driver's
license needs to be suspended and everyone will be safer because of it!

Edward Wong Orlando, FL

 

[Ben]

Ken,


>>Are you saying that the uniqueness makes us more visible and thus safer on the road? I don't agree
with that theory. Sometimes people's minds filter out things they don't understand or recognize. The
guy who rear-ended me at a red light kept saying "but it didn't look like a bicycle!"

Ken Kobayashi [email protected] http://solarwww.mtk.nao.ac.jp/kobayashi/personal/<<<

Well, that's what I thought I was saying, but if you got hit from behind at stoplight, I suppose I'll have to revise my theory.

*ouch*

Ben >>>>>Canto>>>>>

 

[Mark Stonich]

Ben <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> While I'm all for lower costs and recommending recumbents to friends,
there is a catch-22. Right now, 'bent riders are a somewhat elite group. Bents are still
sufficiently un-common to be noticed. But if they became cheaper and more ubiquitous, both the
glamour and uniqueness might diminish, making us more vulnerable on the road. Having ridden a 'bent,
I don't want to go back to being yet another up-righter.
>

The future is already here in Minneapolis/St Paul Minnesota. Talking to dealers, and taking mail
order and homebuilts into account, I believe there are 3500 - 4000 recumbents here. Because they get
ridden more than uprights, they represent a small, but significant, minority of the bikes on the
road at any given time. The majority of new 'benters are not enthusiasts, just people for whom
"Comfort Bikes" arent comfortable enough. The average BikeE/EZ-1 rider feels no more kinship to
other 'benters than there is among minivan drivers.

20 years ago a friend said "If you rode this thing with a 3 foot tall, flourescent pink, rubber
duckie on your head, no one would notice the duck". Up until about 5 years ago, I would tell people
not to worry about being lower, "Because if you are in a drivers field of vision, you are the center
of his attention".

No more. Now, unless you are on a tandem or a trike, you are just part of the background. Thanks to
Sun/EZ even that distinction will soon fade away.

The Good News; It's been a while since I had to mail order a tire. Even longer since I had to shave
knobs off a BMX 451 to make a "recumbent tire".

The wife certainly doesn't miss every rest stop turning into a Q&A session.

Some of the new 'benters are becoming enthusiasts. Their BikEZ-1s make biking fun again, so they
start to get fit, start riding with other 'benters, see how much faster "real" 'bents are and soon
upgrade. Or, buy torches and some tubing.

 

[<Chas>]

> On 30 Apr 2003 22:30:20 +0950, Ben <[email protected]> wrote:
> >Bents are still sufficiently un-common to be noticed. But if they became cheaper and more
> >ubiquitous, both the glamour and uniqueness might diminish, making us more vulnerable on the
> >road. Having ridden a 'bent,
>
While I was riding to work last summer, a motorist became so intent on looking at me that he turned
clear around in his seat while proceeding down the road, and drove the car directly into the curb
(kerb for those who prefer that spelling). He did substantial damage to the front end of his auto,
and I had to ride well out into traffic to get around him.

That's probably the last time he even looks at a bike ;(

<Chas> Haluzak Hybrid Race -- the inline wheelchair

 

[M..Leuck]

"Ken Kobayashi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> On 30 Apr 2003 22:30:20 +0950, Ben <[email protected]> wrote:
> >Bents are still sufficiently un-common to be noticed. But if they became cheaper and more
> >ubiquitous, both the glamour and uniqueness might diminish, making us more vulnerable on the
> >road. Having ridden a 'bent,
>
> Are you saying that the uniqueness makes us more visible and thus safer on the road? I don't agree
> with that theory. Sometimes people's minds filter out things they don't understand or recognize.
> The guy who rear-ended me at a red light kept saying "but it didn't look like a bicycle!"
>
> Ken Kobayashi [email protected] http://solarwww.mtk.nao.ac.jp/kobayashi/personal/

I've always noticed this when riding motorcycles, I think people do see you but mentally don't view
you as a threat to damage them which results in accidents or near accidents like you describe

 

[Dave Larrington]

I was once cycling to work on a part-faired Kingcycle similar in almost every respect to the
part-faired Kingcycles which would be viewable upon the InterWeb had not the twats at Crosswinds.net
suddenly decided to bugger up my site big-time. Like the gude little fellow that I am, I stopped at
the pedestrian crossing outside Leyton underground station, as did the British Telecom van alongside
me. Another, more clue-free, van driver, however, was too busy looking at the Hairy on the
odd-shaped bicycle to pay attention to unworthy things such as the state of the traffic.

Bang! As he drove smartly into the rear of Mr. Telecom's van.

Sssss! As the step on the back thereof punched a hole in his mangled radiator.

Snk! I chortled as I proceeded upon my merry way.

Dave Larrington - http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/
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Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================