Gave a drunk a blinkie

In article <[email hidden]>,

Gooserider said:

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.

Quoted message said:

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

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" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

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.

(Tom Keats) said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Gooserider said:

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've had to do this when my headlamp batteries have given out during
my 2 hour commute home - I work second shift. Fortunately it's always
within three or so miles of my house. And I'm pretty hard to miss
otherwise, with a blinker, reflective tape all over my bike and
panniers, yellow reflective safety vest, and reflective ankle straps.

"Tom Keats" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Gooserider said:

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.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Gooserider said:

Quoted message said:

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

The Historian said:

(Tom Keats) said:

"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> 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've had to do this when my headlamp batteries have given out during
my 2 hour commute home - I work second shift.

That's one of the reasons I really like my dynamo lights. No planning
required, just go. Well, with the exception of a spare bulb if you are
using Halogen lamps instead of LED dynamo lights[1].

Quoted message said:

Fortunately it's always within three or so miles of my house. And I'm pretty
hard to miss otherwise, with a blinker, reflective tape all over my bike and
panniers, yellow reflective safety vest, and reflective ankle straps.

I need to retape some of my bike for the winter. Most of the parts I
taped have broken or been retired.

[1] I really should post a thread about how marvelous my new LED
headlight is.

--
Dane Buson - [email hidden]
"I'm anti-life, and I vote!"

Dane Buson said:

[1] I really should post a thread about how marvelous my new LED
headlight is.

Please do! I'm curious!

- Frank Krygowski

On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 10:35:56 -0700, Dane Buson <[email hidden]> wrote
of reflective tape:

Quoted message said:

I need to retape some of my bike for the winter. Most of the parts I
taped have broken or been retired.

I just attached two strips of factory waste, iron-on Scotchbrite, 4"
X 26" full of round 1/2" die cut holes, to each side of the
Xtracycle. One on the flap of the inner bag and one lower through the
embroidered red logo.
Together they present a large bright area with many potentially lucky
angles. And it looks sorta neat even in the daylight.
(Hook up in Vancouver. We've still got lots of it to give away.)

Quoted message said:

[1] I really should post a thread about how marvelous my new LED
headlight is.

Please do.
--
zk

Zoot Katz said:

On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 10:35:56 -0700, Dane Buson <[email hidden]> wrote
of reflective tape:

Quoted message said:

I need to retape some of my bike for the winter. Most of the parts I
taped have broken or been retired.

I just attached two strips of factory waste, iron-on Scotchbrite, 4"
X 26" full of round 1/2" die cut holes,

\

Quoted message said:

(Hook up in Vancouver. We've still got lots of it to give away.)

duhh, make that "3M tm Scotchlite tm".
The bright silvery white stuff, not the scratchy green stuff.
\.
--
zk

Quoted message said:

Dane Buson said:

[1] I really should post a thread about how marvelous my new LED
headlight is.

Please do! I'm curious!

Done. It ended up being a little longer than I was planning. I admit
to some rambling in there.

--
Dane Buson - [email hidden]
We should have a Vollyballocracy. We elect a six-pack of presidents.
Each one serves until they screw up, at which point they rotate.
-- Dennis Miller

Zoot Katz said:

On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 10:35:56 -0700, Dane Buson <[email hidden]> wrote
of reflective tape:

Quoted message said:

I need to retape some of my bike for the winter. Most of the parts I
taped have broken or been retired.

I just attached two strips of factory waste, iron-on Scotchbrite, 4"
X 26" full of round 1/2" die cut holes, to each side of the
Xtracycle. One on the flap of the inner bag and one lower through the
embroidered red logo.
Together they present a large bright area with many potentially lucky
angles. And it looks sorta neat even in the daylight.
(Hook up in Vancouver. We've still got lots of it to give away.)

I need to bother my brother and see if he's coming out this fall or not.
I should just plan a ride to Vancouver and if he makes it he does. If
not, I'll hoist beers in his absent honor.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[1] I really should post a thread about how marvelous my new LED
headlight is.

Please do.

Done.

--
Dane Buson - [email hidden]
Nine megs for the secretaries fair,
Seven megs for the hackers scarce,
Five megs for the grads in smoky lairs,
Three megs for system source;

One disk to rule them all,
One disk to bind them,
One disk to hold the files
And in the darkness grind 'em.

"Dane Buson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Zoot Katz said:

On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 10:35:56 -0700, Dane Buson <[email hidden]> wrote
of reflective tape:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[1] I really should post a thread about how marvelous my new LED
headlight is.

Please do.

Done.

Where?

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

Claire Petersky said:

"Dane Buson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Zoot Katz said:

On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 10:35:56 -0700, Dane Buson <[email hidden]> wrote
of reflective tape:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>[1] I really should post a thread about how marvelous my new LED
> headlight is.

Please do.

Done.

Where?

You'll probably see it before this message, but...

http://tinyurl.com/2b3rs7
Message-ID: <[email hidden]>
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.misc/browse_frm/thread/9b6264f6231b9d86/201f451e80b53a6a#201f451e80b53a6a

--
Dane Buson - [email hidden]
The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun.
-- Buckminster Fuller

Gooserider said:

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!