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Date: 31 Aug 2007 19:14:25
From: Gooserider
Subject: Gave a drunk a blinkie
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I was out doing errands on my bike a couple of days ago, and as I was
exiting the post office an unlighted cyclist pedalled by. I mean totally
unlighted, and wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans. He was pedalling down
US 19, which is normally a really busy road(but that time of night is pretty
deserted). I run three blinkies so I thought I'd offer him my helmet
blinkie, as I didn't want to see him DIE or anything. So I chased him down
and gave him the blinkie. He didn't want to take it at first, as "I'm only
going a little further". I think he was headed to his campsite. He showed my
that he did have a headlight, but he said he put the batteries in his bag. I
didn't have a mount for the blinkie, so I told him to clip it to his belt.
What did he do? He took off while holding the light in front of him. Oy. God
looks out for fools and drunks, I guess.
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Date: 10 Sep 2007 14:13:12
From: DanKMTB@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Gave a drunk a blinkie
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On Aug 31, 7:14 pm, "Gooserider" <Gooseri...@mouse-potato.com > wrote:
> I was out doing errands on my bike a couple of days ago, and as I was
> exiting the post office an unlighted cyclist pedalled by. I mean totally
> unlighted, and wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans. He was pedalling down
> US 19, which is normally a really busy road(but that time of night is pretty
> deserted). I run three blinkies so I thought I'd offer him my helmet
> blinkie, as I didn't want to see him DIE or anything. So I chased him down
> and gave him the blinkie. He didn't want to take it at first, as "I'm only
> going a little further". I think he was headed to his campsite. He showed my
> that he did have a headlight, but he said he put the batteries in his bag. I
> didn't have a mount for the blinkie, so I told him to clip it to his belt.
> What did he do? He took off while holding the light in front of him. Oy. God
> looks out for fools and drunks, I guess.
Just curious, was he actually drunk at the time? I often hear
unlighted, un-helmeted, or sidewalk riders referred to as drunks, when
they are often sober. I'm just curious if when I go out to tear up
the city on my BMX in street clothes, without lights, riding
sidewalks, paths, streets, curbs, ledges, etc. just generally out on
an "urban assault" ride if I qualify as a drunk to those who always
play by the rules when on their bikes. In fairness, it's unlikely
you'd catch someone doing the type of riding I'm referring to on a
road bike since we're rarely pointed in the same direction or on the
same surface for as long as a minute. We also really don't want
lights at that point since it just attracts unwanted attention.
When riding on the road at night for any length of time, i.e. in a
vehicular fashion, I do run lights.
I just pictured my last bomb through downtown, including stairs,
ledges, jumping curbs and shooting across a park. If a roadie had
caught me to offer me a light I'd have dropped to the ground in
shock!
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Date: 02 Sep 2007 02:01:53
From: Tom Keats
Subject: Re: Gave a drunk a blinkie
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In article <46d98723$0$15356$4c368faf@roadrunner.com >,
"Gooserider" <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com > writes:
>> In the city, there /is/ an approach to successfully and
>> eventlessly riding without active lighting at night (not
>> that I personally practice it.)
>>
>> I'd never consider riding lightless on a quiet country
>> 2-lane highway at night though. Perish the thought!
>> Stomp on it! Kill it! Kill it!
>>
>> I think your benificiary was correct in deciding that a
>> front light was more important than a rear light (assuming
>> he had a decent rear reflector.)
>>
>
> I think his chances of being hit from behind on a divided 4 lane highway
> were far greater than the opposite.
If, on that divided 4 lane highway, a rider has to go by
some on-ramps, some kind of front light would be a pretty
good thing to have.
I know the hit-from-behind thing too often gets downplayed --
fact is, sometimes riders indeed /do/ get hit from behind.
Sometimes in broad daylight. All it takes is a driver's
idiotic pass on the right. In that sort of circumstance,
all the lights in the world aren't worth a hill of lima beans[*].
Nevertheless, when riding past highway on-ramps, I think
it's better to have a forward, than a rearward light.
Of course it's good to have lights both fore & aft.
cheers,
Tom
[*] AFAIC, a hill of lima beans ain't worth a hill of lima beans.
--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
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Date: 01 Sep 2007 14:07:21
From: Sir Thomas of Cannondale
Subject: Re: Gave a drunk a blinkie
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File this under :: blinky for stinky.
========================================
Good reminder though... now that fall is here. Time to get out the lights.
My feeling is: at the price of cheap blinkers, etc .. carry a bunch of em.
===============
"Gooserider" <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com > wrote in message
news:46d8a0cf$0$6481$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>I was out doing errands on my bike a couple of days ago, and as I was
>exiting the post office an unlighted cyclist pedalled by. I mean totally
>unlighted, and wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans. He was pedalling
>down US 19, which is normally a really busy road(but that time of night is
>pretty deserted). I run three blinkies so I thought I'd offer him my helmet
>blinkie, as I didn't want to see him DIE or anything. So I chased him down
>and gave him the blinkie. He didn't want to take it at first, as "I'm only
>going a little further". I think he was headed to his campsite. He showed
>my that he did have a headlight, but he said he put the batteries in his
>bag. I didn't have a mount for the blinkie, so I told him to clip it to his
>belt. What did he do? He took off while holding the light in front of him.
>Oy. God looks out for fools and drunks, I guess.
>
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Date: 01 Sep 2007 02:02:24
From: Tom Keats
Subject: Re: Gave a drunk a blinkie
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In article <46d8a0cf$0$6481$4c368faf@roadrunner.com >,
"Gooserider" <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com > writes:
> I was out doing errands on my bike a couple of days ago, and as I was
> exiting the post office an unlighted cyclist pedalled by. I mean totally
> unlighted, and wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans. He was pedalling down
> US 19, which is normally a really busy road(but that time of night is pretty
> deserted). I run three blinkies so I thought I'd offer him my helmet
> blinkie, as I didn't want to see him DIE or anything. So I chased him down
> and gave him the blinkie. He didn't want to take it at first, as "I'm only
> going a little further". I think he was headed to his campsite. He showed my
> that he did have a headlight, but he said he put the batteries in his bag. I
> didn't have a mount for the blinkie, so I told him to clip it to his belt.
> What did he do? He took off while holding the light in front of him.
In the city, there /is/ an approach to successfully and
eventlessly riding without active lighting at night (not
that I personally practice it.)
I'd never consider riding lightless on a quiet country
2-lane highway at night though. Perish the thought!
Stomp on it! Kill it! Kill it!
I think your benificiary was correct in deciding that a
front light was more important than a rear light (assuming
he had a decent rear reflector.)
Maybe an approaching (from an oncoming driver's POV) red
blinkie would evoke notice and subsequent carefulness
in the driver. Or maybe not. I've seen some car-driving
goofiness on quiet country 2-lane highways at night.
Combining red & white lights at both front and rear
might be an interesting experiment.
> Oy. God
> looks out for fools and drunks, I guess.
I don't think He looks out for anybody; I think He
leaves looking out for people as an exercise for
us mortals. He's not a babysitter, after all.
She gave us the wherewithal to look out for each
other. All we've gotta do, is use it.
Anyways, you done good. Who knows -- maybe that
hand-held, front-directed red blinkie spared him
from catastrophe.
I bet he used his front-brake hand to hold it with.
Maybe the Almighty decided you had 1 too many blinkies.
At least the rider not only graciously accepted your gift,
but you got to see him use it.
cheers,
Tom
--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
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Date: 01 Sep 2007 11:37:10
From: Gooserider
Subject: Re: Gave a drunk a blinkie
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"Tom Keats" <tkeats2005@hotmail.com > wrote in message
news:0r9bbf.lf.ln@vcn.bc.ca...
> In article <46d8a0cf$0$6481$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
> "Gooserider" <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com> writes:
>> I was out doing errands on my bike a couple of days ago, and as I was
>> exiting the post office an unlighted cyclist pedalled by. I mean totally
>> unlighted, and wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans. He was pedalling
>> down
>> US 19, which is normally a really busy road(but that time of night is
>> pretty
>> deserted). I run three blinkies so I thought I'd offer him my helmet
>> blinkie, as I didn't want to see him DIE or anything. So I chased him
>> down
>> and gave him the blinkie. He didn't want to take it at first, as "I'm
>> only
>> going a little further". I think he was headed to his campsite. He showed
>> my
>> that he did have a headlight, but he said he put the batteries in his
>> bag. I
>> didn't have a mount for the blinkie, so I told him to clip it to his
>> belt.
>> What did he do? He took off while holding the light in front of him.
>
> In the city, there /is/ an approach to successfully and
> eventlessly riding without active lighting at night (not
> that I personally practice it.)
>
> I'd never consider riding lightless on a quiet country
> 2-lane highway at night though. Perish the thought!
> Stomp on it! Kill it! Kill it!
>
> I think your benificiary was correct in deciding that a
> front light was more important than a rear light (assuming
> he had a decent rear reflector.)
>
I think his chances of being hit from behind on a divided 4 lane highway
were far greater than the opposite.
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