Hitching a ride?

Tim Chmielewski said:

Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a
cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride.
Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?

It's not widespread, it's bloody stupid.

Bleve said:

Tim Chmielewski said:

Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a
cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride.
Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?

It's not widespread, it's bloody stupid.

yep! and illegal

zog said:

Bleve said:

Tim Chmielewski said:

Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a
cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride.
Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?

It's not widespread, it's bloody stupid.

yep! and illegal

But more than that its self eliminating as a problem in the population
so dont worry about it.

Dave

Tim Chmielewski said:

Also, a message from Fudge whenever he sees a cyclist:
"PAY REGO!"

Here's a picture of Fudge
http://twitsgivemetheshits.timchuma.com/Adelaide2006/photos/photo11.html

Ah, okay. After seeing the pictures I can safely disregard any message
given by "Fudge".

--
..dt

On 2006-03-20, Tim Chmielewski (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a
cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride.
Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?

Hey Chuma -- we've seen this one, but you wouldn't have yet:
discoverfun.comDon'tTouchtheCar.wmvOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Also, a message from Fudge whenever he sees a cyclist:
"PAY REGO!"

I was almost thinking I was on ARK then. (Later: Hmmmm, failed
posting. Oh, I see...)

Quoted message said:

There's a worse one from that weekend, but it is a crime against nature to
show it and none of you will ever eat sausages again.

There were people at the GVBR'04 who were saying they were thoroughly
sick of sausages after 9 days. I was loving it (all except one day when
I waited for 40 minutes in a rather short queue only to be given a luke
warm (poor luke) foul tasting sausage.

--
TimC
load "linux",8,1

Tim Chmielewski said:

Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a
cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride.
Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?

I've seen it once in three years over here, I was in a car at the time. A young boy on a BMX reached down and grabbed on to the right wheel arch of the car in front of me.

I left *plenty* of space between me and the vehicle in front! Speeds in excess of sixty kilometers per hour were reached.

Quoted post said:

Also, a message from Fudge whenever he sees a cyclist:
"PAY REGO!"

If cyclists start inflicting the level of carnage on Australians that cars do on a daily basis, then we'll talk about the need to identify cyclists and compulsory third party liability insurance. That's what Rego's for, nothing else. Until then I'll continue too benefit the community by choosing to ride a bike rather than drive a car.

EuanB said:

I've seen it once in three years over here, I was in a car at the
time. A young boy on a BMX reached down and grabbed on to the right
wheel arch of the car in front of me.

When I was a lad, helmets had not been invented and cycling was a safe
activity. The quickest way around our little town was to hold hands with a
willing motorcycle pillion. No children died or were injured in this
practice.

Theo

In aus.bicycle on Tue, 21 Mar 2006 09:40:48 +0800

Theo Bekkers said:

EuanB said:

I've seen it once in three years over here, I was in a car at the
time. A young boy on a BMX reached down and grabbed on to the right
wheel arch of the car in front of me.

When I was a lad, helmets had not been invented and cycling was a safe
activity. The quickest way around our little town was to hold hands with a
willing motorcycle pillion. No children died or were injured in this
practice.

I must admit I've been wondering what the stats are.

When I was a kid it was fairly common to hitch rides, I don't know
anyone who was hurt.

I've towed a cyclist in the Adelaide hills when on the motorbike, poor
[censored] was knackered and it was a horrible windy day. I passed him,
asked if he wanted a tow, and he grabbed onto the rear rack.

Didn't seem that dangerous, but then I've towed motorcycles that way
too, when someone had a sick bike and we wanted to get it back home.

So the law says it is dangerous, there's been a lot of "people will
definitely die doing it" in the thread, but is that really so?

Zebee

Zebee Johnstone said:

So the law says it is dangerous, there's been a lot of "people will
definitely die doing it" in the thread, but is that really so?

I didn't say it was dangerous, I said it was stupid. Not the same
thing at all. Randomly grabbing cars is a sure-fire way to incure the
ire of the owner of said vehicle. Pissing people off in posession of
lethal weapons in close proximity to ones self is seldom wise. The
dangerous thing is not the grabbing of the car, but the possible
reaction of its driver.

quote='Theo Bekkers'EuanB said:

I've seen it once in three years over here, I was in a car at the
time. A young boy on a BMX reached down and grabbed on to the right
wheel arch of the car in front of me.

When I was a lad, helmets had not been invented and cycling was a safe
activity. The quickest way around our little town was to hold hands with a
willing motorcycle pillion. No children died or were injured in this
practice.[/QUOTE]

Funnily enough the lad wasn't wearing a helmet. I didn't comment on it because at that speed a helmet's rather irrelevent.

Tim Chmielewski wrote

Quoted message said:

Waiting at the lights at the turn-off to Dandenong Rd from Punt I saw a
cyclist grab a car just behind the back tire to get a free ride.
Is this wide spread or just just that one stupid person?

I don't think it's dangerous at low speed, but 60kph is another
matter. I would not care to do it myself any more at any speed.
When I was at high school in Wollongong, I would cycle to school
from our place high up on the escarpment. Coming home in the
afternoons, it would sometimes happen that a coal truck would
come grinding up the hill behind me. I'd put on a sprint and
catch up and just hang on to some metal protrusion at the back.
I remember being very grateful for those assisted ascents.
I wouldn't do it now though - I have seen a truck tailgate let
go, and always keep myself out of the swing radius, whether
on a bike or on foot.

Thought this an opportune moment to introduce myself. I've been
lurking for a few months now, and have learned a lot from just
reading this group. So thankyou to everyone who has posted
anything useful or entertaining here. In particular, the "New
year pedolutions" thread convinced me I was being a wuss for
bussing it to work whenever there was a spot of rain. So since
January I have promised myself to commute by bike *every* day
regardless of the weather. Have stuck to it too, so far.

Other than commuting, I like to just ramble about the place
on the bike (it's a very old MTB), and am noticing a gradual
improvment in my fitness - discernible by the higher gears
and faster times on the last big hill near home. Would like
to gradually work up the distance and intensity - but not
for racing. I live in Sydney (inner west). Are there any
"Lard [censored]" rides open to relatively unfit newbies?

--
beerwolf (remove amphibian to reply by email)

In aus.bicycle on Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:08:26 GMT

beerwolf said:

and faster times on the last big hill near home. Would like
to gradually work up the distance and intensity - but not
for racing. I live in Sydney (inner west). Are there any
"Lard [censored]" rides open to relatively unfit newbies?

There are some slower rides run by BNSW - check the ride calendar at
www.bicyclensw.org.au

THey have a grading system so you can get an idea of if it will suit.

You might also check the BUGs in your area,
Ashfield is ashbug.org.au and Marrickville is massbug.org.au They
both have regular social rides I believe. The BNSW site has BUG
listings if you are the other side of Paramatta Rd 🙂

I'm interested in riding with people on a weekend, although by the
sounds of it you are fitter than I am, so would probably have to wait
for me up hills 🙂

Zebee

EuanB said:

Funnily enough the lad wasn't wearing a helmet. I didn't comment on
it because at that speed a helmet's rather irrelevent.

I disagree. A helmet is designed to reduce the likelyhood of head injury
when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h your head
may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h, the design limitation of the
helmet. If you fall off your bike at 60 km/h your head will hit the ground
at around 18-22 km/h, providing you with the same (alleged) safety margin.
How your forward motion is reduced (grass verge or lamp-post?) is another
question.

Theo

quote='Theo Bekkers'EuanB said:

Funnily enough the lad wasn't wearing a helmet. I didn't comment on
it because at that speed a helmet's rather irrelevent.

I disagree. A helmet is designed to reduce the likelyhood of head injury
when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h your head
may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h, the design limitation of the
helmet. If you fall off your bike at 60 km/h your head will hit the ground
at around 18-22 km/h, providing you with the same (alleged) safety margin.
How your forward motion is reduced (grass verge or lamp-post?) is another
question.
[/QUOTE]

I'm not getting in to a helmet debate Theo.

EuanB said:

Theo Bekkers Wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h
your head may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h,

Quoted message said:

I'm not getting in to a helmet debate Theo.

Sorry, let me delete helmet. The ground contact speed of your shoulder,
face, bum will be the same if you fall when stationary or if your velocity
is approaching Mach 1.

Theo

Theo Bekkers said:

EuanB said:

Theo Bekkers Wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h
your head may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h,

Quoted message said:

I'm not getting in to a helmet debate Theo.

Sorry, let me delete helmet. The ground contact speed of your shoulder,
face, bum will be the same if you fall when stationary or if your velocity
is approaching Mach 1.

Tsk tsk Theo.

There's nothing in your second sentence regarding a helmet. Not a good
attempt at a one-sided helmet debate at all!

Tam ;-)

quote='Theo Bekkers'EuanB said:

Theo Bekkers Wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

when falling from a cycle. If you fall off your cycle at zero km/h
your head may hit the ground at around 18-22 km/h,

Quoted message said:

I'm not getting in to a helmet debate Theo.

Sorry, let me delete helmet. The ground contact speed of your shoulder,
face, bum will be the same if you fall when stationary or if your velocity
is approaching Mach 1.[/QUOTE]

It takes two to debate Theo and I ain't playing. Find someone else.

Zebee said:

There are some slower rides run by BNSW - check the ride calendar at
www.bicyclensw.org.au

THey have a grading system so you can get an idea of if it will suit.

You might also check the BUGs in your area,
Ashfield is ashbug.org.au and Marrickville is massbug.org.au They
both have regular social rides I believe. The BNSW site has BUG
listings if you are the other side of Paramatta Rd 🙂

I'm interested in riding with people on a weekend, although by the
sounds of it you are fitter than I am, so would probably have to wait
for me up hills 🙂

Not so sure of that - and you'd outpace me on the flat (you're on a
recumbent, not so?). Thanks for the link - got it bookmarked, looks
like some good stuff there.

--
beerwolf (remove amphibian to reply by email)

In aus.bicycle on Wed, 22 Mar 2006 11:41:47 GMT

beerwolf said:

Zebee said:

sounds of it you are fitter than I am, so would probably have to wait
for me up hills 🙂

Not so sure of that - and you'd outpace me on the flat (you're on a
recumbent, not so?). Thanks for the link - got it bookmarked, looks
like some good stuff there.

Yeah, but I think this aerodynamic thing is overrated 🙂

Maybe I just haven't found a decent enough headwind!

Did some more uphill stuff today, I think I'm getting a little better
at it.

I tend to push a bigger gear at the beginning, really pushing back
into the seat then change down and spin more when that starts to get a
bit much. Low gear is very low, so it feels like I'm an eggbeater but
doing nil miles an hour...

Zebee