Stupid stuff you see on a bike!
Had a cynical laugh to myself on the way into work this morning. As i was riding through the park near South Tce in the city i passed a lady riding a hybrid with a wicker basket on the front. As i approached her i noticed she wasnt wearing a helmet (not overly strange) but as i passed her i saw she had it sitting in the basked on the front of her bike! As i rode away with a strange sort of despair i was stopped a red light on south tce at the end of the bike path. i was there for a minute or two and saw her approaching the intersection, she proceed to take the helmet out (while still riding) and put it on here head! i just sat there stunned and to add to it she just rode straight across the pedestrian crossing when the lights turned orange (she had PLENTY of time to stop and didnt check for any turning cars).
i am continually dumbfounded and saddened by a lot of the stuff i see while i am out riding.
What stupid things have you seen?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Shav Bird on -
That's a bit of a shocker Trent. It's ignorant people like that that make car drivers more and more against cyclists.
Stupid things I have seen is when people with petrol powered bicycles that ride up the veloway pedaling while the engine is pushing them. I mean, WHY? You have a motorized bicycle, why bother pedaling? Who are you trying to fool?
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Permalink Reply by hozozco on -
I know some of the petrol powered bikes are quite powerful, but some are less so. I used to ride an electric bike up the veloway and I pedalled because it made a significant difference. If pedalling a petrol bike makes some difference then why not?
Especially if it means they go away from me quicker - noisy, smelly things that they are!
Simon
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Permalink Reply by Womble on -
Cyclist carrying some decent lengths (bout 3 metres) of steel while travelling down Prospect Road. He did have orange flags attached though....
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Permalink Reply by Tim on -
I ride a lot in places without MHLs. And you know what I see that I think is really stupid? People who ride along the bike paths with a helmet on their handlebars. And then when they take to the roads they put it on their heads. Firstly the bike paths are full of roller bladders, pedestrians and joggers with iPods, and people who are completely clueless about riding bicycles, who swerve, stop suddenly, ride on the wrong side, etc - the chances of having a crash are pretty high and I've seen plenty and this is exactly the type of crash that the design parameters of bike helmuts meet or exceed. And then these people think that somehow a polystyrene hat makes them invincible against cars and wouldn't consider riding without one on the road - now that's silly. Surely its all or nothing? In a place with MHLs only donning one wherever you are likely to be ticketed is entirely understandable.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Brown on -
Mandatory Helmet Laws.
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Permalink Reply by Shav Bird on
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the reason these individuals put their helmet on when on the roads it to avoid cop attention, not necessarily due to feeling invincible to cars. The chances of getting fined while on a bike/pedestrian path is minimal and is the only reason why don't bother with the helmets. I agree with you though, the helmet on these paths is far more warranted due to the said reasons.
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Permalink Reply by Tim on
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Yes, but I was talking about what I have seen in places without MHLs - so the chances of getting ticketed are zero. The only reason that I can see to don a helmet for road riding and not for path riding in places without MHLs is that the rider feels that they offer protection in crashes with motor vehicles or that they are more likely to be involved in a crash on the road than the cycle paths. These people tend to cycle at 30-35km/h whether on the path or the road and the paths have lots of unpredictable "obstacles", which is why I find it a little bit odd.
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Permalink Reply by Shav Bird on
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ah ok fair enough. Perhaps the level of complacency is what is happening here. Either that or ignorance.
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Permalink Reply by hozozco on
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I was in Thailand a while ago for a couple of weeks. I only saw one motorcyclist wearing a helmet - and he was putting in on while he was riding! (obviously no cyclists with helmets).
Simon
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Permalink Reply by Shav Bird on
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There are also no road rules over there either, and you can bribe the local authorities to avoid a traffic infringement as well.
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Permalink Reply by Brenton C on -
Which is it? How can you have traffic infringments without road rules?
They have shocking road safety standards, but saying they have no road rules is a bit much.
Ive ridden from Chaing Mai to Phuket, from Nong Khai to Malaysia through Bangkok, and from Udon to Yasothon, probably over 5000kms in the Kingdom, and question this statement. Ive ridden with lots of local cycling clubs where everyone from kids to oldies wore helmets. However, people who dont know better generally dont, because there probably arent mandatory laws for cyclists.
And you dont get to avoid traffic infringements, either pay the tea money or pay the fine, but you dont get to avoid both. If you pay the tea money you get to go on your way. If you want to pay the fine, you have to get yourself to the issuing police station and then back, which would take a few hours at least.
They have mandatory helmet laws for motorcycles, just ask anyone who tries riding without one in phuket or pattaya (foreigners on holidays are juicy targets). Whether or not the laws are enforced may come down to the officers opinion of his targets abilityto pay the fine. There are also plenty of people who ride/drive without licenses, but thats another story.
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