Whilst I was pulling away from a junction, an common garden unlit POB popped off the pavement and tucked himself between me and the roadie in front. Relatively slow speed (heavy traffic) encouraged POB to keep pace, his legs a frantic blur as he didn't change up (why can't they work the gears?). All very standard and quite amusing so far.
Now he's at top speed - it's physically impossible for his legs to spin any faster when *disaster* POB's cap blows off. At full leg-whirring speed he slams on the back brake, doing a perfect 180 degree turn before catching the front wheel on the curb (okay, not that perfect then) and launching himself over the handlebars (tho somehow he still managed to land on his feet - just).
Very Impressed. Can't ride for toffee, but it took a fair amount of skill to pull the crash off without eating tarmac. Don't underestimate the POBs!
I had one in front of me yesterday swing right, apparently to follow the road round the bend.I turned left into the side road.As I did he suddenly swung left120deg to go back the way he came and dive into an alley, missing me by an inch, to the amazement of both of us. I presume when they are not cycling these guys are driving.An awful thought. TerryJ
Not as good at the acrobatic ones, but I was riding along a road passing someone on the pavement doing about 20mph, in very low gear and wobbling all over the place. Think I must have distracted him as I went past because he hit either his handlebar or pedal on a lamp post and fell off with a bang - luckily not into the main road.
Very Impressed. Can't ride for toffee, but it took a fair amount of skill to pull the crash off without eating tarmac. Don't underestimate the POBs!
I'm scared of them. There are quite a few POBs on pavements around Manchester. They weave in and out of the pedestrians, slowing down and speeding up as conditions allow. In the meantime I'm pottering slowly along on the road, which generally means we about keep pace. Every time there's a side road or a driveway or pedestrians on the footpath I know that the POB on the pavement is likely to dive out into the road, without looking, and hit me. I try to lose them by speeding up or slowing down but it doesn't always work. -- Those who are mentally and emotionally healthy are those who have learned when to say yes, when to say no and when to say whoopee. W.S. Krabill Steph Peters delete invalid from [email hidden] Tatting, lace & stitching page <http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/index.htm>
