Mild concern - advice, please

Mikefule said:

OK, so call me suspicious...

I got home this evening to find a PM awaiting me. It was from someone
who registered on the forum -today-, and has never posted a thread or a
reply. Their profile gave no further details of their identity.

The post sought to engage me in discussion of a subject (full face
helmnets) that has not been aired in any detail in this forum for a
while, and on which I have not posted for possibly several months - but
it started by expressing agreement with my stated views.

It then asked me to send a photo of my helmet (ooer, missus, etc.)

On the one hand, I like to make newcomers to the forum welcome. On the
other hand, this is very unusual behaviour. The norm would be to post
a query with the word "noob", "newby" or (preferably, but rarely)
"neophyte" in the subject line.

So, am I being overly suspicious, or is there something I should be
cautious of here? Has anyone else had similar direct contact from a
new and "unpublished" member of the forum?

My full face hemet is an Odyssey BMX helmet. I seldom wear it except
for the most extreme riding.

When I hadn't been a member of the forum for very long, somebody who
had never posted emailed me. I think it was to talk about 29ers so I
must have been on the forum for a few months.

We send a couple of emails back and forth. He has never posted on the
forum and I haven't heard from him since. He didn't ask me to send him
a photo though.

--
cathwood

Cathy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
cathwood's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9425
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

it's not very wierd to google for info, find a related post on a forum,
register for the forum, and pm someone with a question.

It is a bit wierd to ask for a photo without a full introduction....

--
squirrel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
squirrel's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/12017
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

Perhaps some people are to 'shy' to post on a public forum and would
prefer to approach people privately.

--
cathwood

Cathy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
cathwood's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9425
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

cathwood said:

He didn't ask me to send him a photo though.

Hmmm, I'd like to see a photo of you.
Cause although when we're in dialog we're don't always agree, but at
most of your posts I more often feel an "amen" (as in well spoken)!

--
leo

Leo Vandewoestijne
1 866-UNI-CYCL
*| 'unicycle.net' (http://www.unicycle.net/) | 'unicycle.biz'
(http://www.unicycle.biz/) | 'unicyclist.org'
(http://www.unicyclist.org/) | 'uniconnews.com'
(http://www.uniconnews.com/) |*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
leo's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/224
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

I think part of what made me more suspicious was the reference to
helmets. From time to time over the last few years, this forum has
been subject to "raids" by the more outspoken part of the anti-helmet
lobby, looking for a platform for their views.

Anyway, nice guy though I am, I'm not taking photographs of my kit,
uploading and saving them, specially to post them to a stranger.

--
Mikefule

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that most people don't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mikefule's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/879
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

leo said:

Hmmm, I'd like to see a photo of you.

I think Cathwood will be please to be reminded of this thread in which
her smiling photo appears.🙂

http://tinyurl.com/ya6dse

--
Mikefule

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that most people don't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mikefule's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/879
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

oooo...spicy!

--
musketman

MUSKETMAN
www.unicycle.com

For Sale: Parachute, only used once, never opened, small stain
------------------------------------------------------------------------
musketman's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9214
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

Send the fool my photo. That'll stop him.

--
harper

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

*jc is the only main man. there can be no other.*
Finally made it to my (n+1)th post....* TOTALLY AWESOME!!!*

Quoted message said:

<> Unicycle For the Chafing <><

------------------------------------------------------------------------
harper's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/426
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

I avoid your predicament by leaving the PM feature turned off. This
confuses some forum users, who are unable to figure out that my email
address appears in every post I make.

I get lots of unsolicited emails from unicycling newbies, due to my own
web site and the many postings I've done to unicycling.org and various
other places over the years. If a request sounds strange, I usually
just ask why they want to know. Sometimes I also ask how they found me
or why they chose me as the person to ask.

--
johnfoss

John Foss
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com" -- www.unicycling.com
-----------------------------------------------

"The worst thing you can do on a unicycle when you land is stop dead."
-- Kris Holm, world's expert on high-consequence unicycling
------------------------------------------------------------------------
johnfoss's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/832
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

Maybe the request wasn't for a picture of -your- helmet, but just the
model that you use.

--
boo radley

"no really, are you sure you love me more than your unicycle?" -my gf

"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana." - Groucho Marx
------------------------------------------------------------------------
boo radley's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10484
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

Mikefule said:

From time to time over the last few years, this forum has been subject
to "raids" by the more outspoken part of the anti-helmet lobby, looking
for a platform for their views.

Anti compulsion, Mike, not anti helmet. It's an important distinction
and one that I find myself having to correct people on too often. The
last person I had to correct was the South Gloucestershire Road Safety
Officer, who gave an otherwise very interesting presentation at the
last S Glos cycle forum.

In my view the prospect of helmet compulsion is one of the greatest
threats facing cycling in the UK, and I will continue to actively
campaign against it. I presume that you're referring to Ian Smith
rather than to me, but our views seem generally to match.

--
Danny Colyer

http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/
Subscribe to PlusNet http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Danny Colyer's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11637
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

Danny Colyer said:

Mikefule said:

From time to time over the last few years, this forum has been subject
to "raids" by the more outspoken part of the anti-helmet lobby, looking
for a platform for their views.

In my view the prospect of helmet compulsion is one of the greatest
threats facing cycling in the UK, and I will continue to actively
campaign against it. I presume that you're referring to Ian Smith
rather than to me, but our views seem generally to match.

If he is, it's a curious definition of 'raid', since I'm here almost
all the time.

Curious definition of 'few years' too, since I've been reading the
newsgroup since well before it was latched onto by a web site.

As to platform - there's relatively little point trying to argue
anyone that's made up their minds already. I consider that there is
benefit, however, in putting on record the observation that most of
the pro-helmet argument is in fact completely lacking in rational,
scientific basis, and there is some good evidence that helmets are
more detrimental than beneficial. Consequently, if someone is going
to post irrational assertions for the wonderfulness of helmets ('it
saved my life', 'I know for a fact I'd be a vegetable today',
'everyone must wear a helmet', blaah blaah ad nauseum) I'm going to
point out the errors in their assertions, and the contradictory
evidence. If you (or anyone else) wants a platform to air your views
unchallenged, you'll need to find one that's not so public.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

For the record, I usually but not always wear a helmet. I am against
compulsion. I do not accept unquestionningly the arguments for either
side in the "helmets save lives" debate, but I would prefer the
anti-compulsin argument to be honestly expressed as "I think it is
wrong to be compelled to wear a helmet when I can make my own
assessment of the risk," rather than, as is sometimes the case,
"Helmets are actually more dangerous."

Ditto with other controversies. If fox hunters said, "I like hunting
foxes, and I don't think you have the right to stop me," I would
disagree, but I would respect their case more than when they go looking
for spurious reasons to justify thier sport on environmental, social or
economic grounds. Ditto with people who eat meat (I am a vegetarian):
just say, "I like eating meat and don't see why I should stop," instead
of attacking my (supposed) reasons for chosing not to eat meat.

I did not have Ian Smith or any other individual in mind when I made my
earlier comment - just a vague recollection of occasional outbursts of
ritual pro/anti bickering.

But back to the thread: I am always wary of people with no "history"
approaching me direct over the internet and trying to establish
correspondence. If it had been someone with 100 posts who had
established a presence in the forum, and who was responding to a
specific post I had made on a subject in which they had shown interest,
I wouldn't have worried. At 44, I would hate to be groomed by a
sinister figure in a dirty mac posing as an innocent teenager.:eek:

--
Mikefule

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that most people don't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mikefule's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/879
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

Mikefule said:

For the record, I usually but not always wear a helmet. I am against
compulsion. I do not accept unquestionningly the arguments for either
side in the "helmets save lives" debate, but I would prefer the
anti-compulsin argument to be honestly expressed as "I think it is
wrong to be compelled to wear a helmet when I can make my own
assessment of the risk," rather than, as is sometimes the case,
"Helmets are actually more dangerous."

The only case I have ever seen presented on this group is that
"helmets may be more dangerous", or "there is some evidence that
suggests helmets are more dangerous". The point is that the opposing
argument is almost invariably 'wearing a helmet will save your life',
or 'a helmet saved my life' or 'it's a no-brainer', or 'they can't
hurt', or similar. That argument _is_ wrong, irrespective of whether
helmets are, overall, good or bad on average.

I'd be interested to see a reference to the posts that claim helmets
are more dangerous.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

Mikefule said:

Ditto with other controversies. If fox hunters said, "I like hunting
foxes, and I don't think you have the right to stop me," I would
disagree, but I would respect their case more than when they go looking
for spurious reasons to justify thier sport on environmental, social or
economic grounds. Ditto with people who eat meat (I am a vegetarian):
just say, "I like eating meat and don't see why I should stop," instead
of attacking my (supposed) reasons for chosing not to eat meat.

Mmm, cheeseburger.

--
tholub
------------------------------------------------------------------------
tholub's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/804
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

Mikefule said:

I think Cathwood will be please to be reminded of this thread in which
her smiling photo appears.🙂

Dunno if that was sarcasm, but if I'll ever meet her on a convention, I
now at least can say hi. Thanks.

--
leo

Leo Vandewoestijne
1 866-UNI-CYCL
*| 'unicycle.net' (http://www.unicycle.net/) | 'unicycle.biz'
(http://www.unicycle.biz/) | 'unicyclist.org'
(http://www.unicyclist.org/) | 'uniconnews.com'
(http://www.uniconnews.com/) |*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
leo's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/224
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

Ian Smith said:

The only case I have ever seen presented on this group is that
"helmets may be more dangerous", or "there is some evidence that
suggests helmets are more dangerous". The point is that the opposing
argument is almost invariably 'wearing a helmet will save your life',
or 'a helmet saved my life' or 'it's a no-brainer', or 'they can't
hurt', or similar. That argument _is_ wrong, irrespective of whether
helmets are, overall, good or bad on average.

I'd be interested to see a reference to the posts that claim helmets
are more dangerous.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

Hmmm…
[image:
http://4fxearth.net/phpBB2/smilies_mod/upload/1beb8b2ae6d61633f35d740313c6c610.gif]

--
unicus

'Photos' (http://gallery.unicyclist.com/Photos-from-unicus)
'Videos' (http://gallery.unicyclist.com/unicus)
'The Three Peaks Unicycle Challenge'
(http://www.unicycle.uk.com/wraith.htm)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
unicus's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/869
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

leo said:

Dunno if that was sarcasm, but if I'll ever meet her on a convention, I
now at least can say hi. Thanks.

Well most people recognised me in BUC the year before from my
description of myself. I said I was short and fat with short hair. 🙁
Although to be fair, there wasn't an overwhelming number of 40 year old
women there.

It would be great to meet you sometime Leo.

And yes, I would say that it was kind of sarcasm.

--
cathwood

Cathy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
cathwood's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9425
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261

Mikefule said:

But back to the thread: I am always wary of people with no "history"
approaching me direct over the internet and trying to establish
correspondence. If it had been someone with 100 posts who had
established a presence in the forum, and who was responding to a
specific post I had made on a subject in which they had shown interest,
I wouldn't have worried. At 44, I would hate to be groomed by a
sinister figure in a dirty mac posing as an innocent teenager.:eek:

Yes back to the thread.

I remember tentatively PM’ing you shortly after you and I joined
regarding going for a ride, it’s funny looking back at it now.
[image: http://www.oasisinet.com/forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif]

--
unicus

'Photos' (http://gallery.unicyclist.com/Photos-from-unicus)
'Videos' (http://gallery.unicyclist.com/unicus)
'The Three Peaks Unicycle Challenge'
(http://www.unicycle.uk.com/wraith.htm)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
unicus's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/869
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55261