Which is more dangerous to a cyclist?

[Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®]

Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads instead
of riding? Discuss
among yourselves.

[Tom Keats]

In article <13l0u1g145qon3b@corp.supernews.com>,
"Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®" <bjit@bellsouth.net> writes:
> Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads instead
> of riding? Discuss
> among yourselves.

The biggest danger to cyclists is getting
hypnotized/distracted by looking at that
front tire going around.

Loose shoelaces might be the second biggest danger.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[D_Frumious_B@ndersnat.ch]

"Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ?" <bjit@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads instead
> of riding? Discuss
> among yourselves.

Definitely squirrels. I quit riding with them years ago.


Bill

__o | Loyalty to petrified opinions never yet broke a chain
_`\(,_ | or freed a human soul in this world--and never will.
(_)/ (_) | --Mark Twain

[Leo Lichtman]

"Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®" wrote: (clip)Squirrels, not
wearing a helmet,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I don't recall a single squirrel reported killed that WAS wearing a helmet.

[It's Chris]

Well, obviously the squirell wearing the helmet is more dangerous, as it
may survive to make a second attack!

- -
Compliments of:
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

If you want to E-mail me use:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

My website:
http://geocities.com/czcorner

[cyclingthings@gmail.com]

On Nov 30, 3:47 pm, "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition (R)"
<b...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads instead
> of riding? Discuss
> among yourselves.

from my own experience, squirrels. i had two friends who fell and
broke bones because of them. no issues with no helmets, and the
threads are good when we are not biking
carlos
http://www.bikingthings.com

[DanKMTB@gmail.com]

On Nov 30, 4:04 pm, tkeats2...@hotmail.com (Tom Keats) wrote:
> In article <13l0u1g145qo...@corp.supernews.com>,
> "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition (R)" <b...@bellsouth.net> writes:
>
> > Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads instead
> > of riding? Discuss
> > among yourselves.
>
> The biggest danger to cyclists is getting
> hypnotized/distracted by looking at that
> front tire going around.
>
> Loose shoelaces might be the second biggest danger.
>
> cheers,
> Tom
>
> --
> Nothing is safe from me.
> I'm really at:
> tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca


In all my years of riding, I've been distracted by many things. Back
when I was a youth I was easily distracted by one thing in particular
(still gets me now every once in a while, though I now manage to
maintain heading and situational awareness), and it caused a few
crashes. Somehow, I've never been so distracted by the front tire it
caused me to wreck. I'm as easily amused as the next guy, but I never
understood that one.

[Dane Buson]

Tom Keats <tkeats2005@hotmail.com> wrote:
> In article <13l0u1g145qon3b@corp.supernews.com>,
> "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®" <bjit@bellsouth.net> writes:
>> Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads instead
>> of riding? Discuss
>> among yourselves.
>
> The biggest danger to cyclists is getting
> hypnotized/distracted by looking at that
> front tire going around.

I'm at increased danger of that as when I'm cranking at just the right
speed at night, it looks like it's stopped or going backwards. It's a
pretty neat looking effect and a little distracting. I'm guessing it's
an artifact of the frequency of my LED headlight (if it's at less than
100% duty cycle). It mostly happens going uphill, which would make
sense.

> Loose shoelaces might be the second biggest danger.

MOTAS in tight clothing jogging on the sidewalk would be my vote.

--
Dane Buson - sigdane@unixbigots.org
Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants,
today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.
-- Dave Barry

[Stephen Harding]

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article <13l0u1g145qon3b@corp.supernews.com>,
> "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®" <bjit@bellsouth.net> writes:
>
>>Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads instead
>>of riding? Discuss
>>among yourselves.
>
>
> The biggest danger to cyclists is getting
> hypnotized/distracted by looking at that
> front tire going around.
>
> Loose shoelaces might be the second biggest danger.

I think looking up watching birds, clouds, stars, moon,
whatever, is very hazardous.

A tilted gyroscope makes the rider want to ride the bike
90 degrees off vertical plane!


SMH

[Tom Sherman]

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article <13l0u1g145qon3b@corp.supernews.com>,
> "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®" <bjit@bellsouth.net> writes:
>> Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads instead
>> of riding? Discuss
>> among yourselves.
>
> The biggest danger to cyclists is getting
> hypnotized/distracted by looking at that
> front tire going around....

No, it is watching one's feet. That is why I wear plain black shoes.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter

[Paul Myron Hobson]

DanKMTB@gmail.com wrote:
> ...Back
> when I was a youth I was easily distracted by one thing in particular
> (still gets me now every once in a while, though I now manage to
> maintain heading and situational awareness)...

Haha. I totally got caught today. I tried to play it off by acting
like I was looking for traffic on the cross street. Seeing as how the
traffic would have been going the wrong way on a one-way, it didn't work.

\\paul

[Tom Keats]

In article <k8c625-pi1.ln1@curare.zuvembi.homelinux.org>,
Dane Buson <dane@unseen.edu> writes:
> Tom Keats <tkeats2005@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> In article <13l0u1g145qon3b@corp.supernews.com>,
>> "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®" <bjit@bellsouth.net> writes:
>>> Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads instead
>>> of riding? Discuss
>>> among yourselves.
>>
>> The biggest danger to cyclists is getting
>> hypnotized/distracted by looking at that
>> front tire going around.
>
> I'm at increased danger of that as when I'm cranking at just the right
> speed at night, it looks like it's stopped or going backwards. It's a
> pretty neat looking effect and a little distracting. I'm guessing it's
> an artifact of the frequency of my LED headlight (if it's at less than
> 100% duty cycle). It mostly happens going uphill, which would make
> sense.

When riding in the rain at night, I kinda like looking
at how that thin stream of water squirts out forward
from my front fender. My Planet Bike Beamr 3-Spot
illuminates it rather prettily.

I think the looking at the front tire thing is mostly
an effect more associated with drop handlebars.

I'm pleased to state it's been a while since I
accidentally rear-ended a parked car. That mostly
happened back in the '70s, when I had my fleet of
hand-me-down Apollo 10-speeds (and I was
somewhat younger.)


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Tom Sherman]

Stephen Harding wrote:
> Tom Keats wrote:
>> In article <13l0u1g145qon3b@corp.supernews.com>,
>> "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®"
>> <bjit@bellsouth.net> writes:
>>
>>> Squirrels, not wearing a helmet, or wasting time on Usenet threads
>>> instead of riding? Discuss
>>> among yourselves.
>>
>>
>> The biggest danger to cyclists is getting
>> hypnotized/distracted by looking at that
>> front tire going around.
>>
>> Loose shoelaces might be the second biggest danger.
>
> I think looking up watching birds, clouds, stars, moon,
> whatever, is very hazardous.
>
> A tilted gyroscope makes the rider want to ride the bike
> 90 degrees off vertical plane!

I do not have this problem when riding my trike:
<http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2330/1939609411_31ff74a07c.jpg?v=0>.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter