Insights after falling

In article <[email hidden]>,

Luigi de Guzman said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.

cheers,
Tom

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Luigi de Guzman said:

Insights:

1) You will fall. Wait for it.

yup

Quoted message said:

2) You will fall at the most unexpected moment.

Of course, otherwise you won't fall ;-)

Quoted message said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

Be compassionate, they need a laugh and a story to tell. You did all
the witnesses a favour.

Quoted message said:

It was a beautiful day for a ride, though, and my brother was loving
the new-old bike.

-Luigi

So not a real loss overall.
Best, Bernie

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

Quoted message said:

I pitch over to the left, hit the pavement, and my brother starts
laughing at me. I pick myself back up, dust myself off, and do the
usual post-fall inspections: am I ok? more importantly--is the bike
OK?

Clearly you were wearing your helmet, or else you wouldn't be alive to be
writing this.

Dave

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Tom Keats)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.

IME, there are a few other natural laws that are cycling-specific:

The one time you manage to hold a perfect trackstand through an entire
stoplight cycle, the street is deserted and the trackstand unnecessary.
As soon as you drop the rest of the group like a bad habit, you *will* get
lost.
The day you decide to wear that silver skinsuit is the day that thunderstorms
appear out of nowhere and you find out that soaking wet silver spandex looks
exactly like Saran Wrap.
If you arrive at the start of a "show and go" ride on a MTB, you'll be
surrounded by roadies on dream bikes. If you arrive on your own dream bike
you'll be met by three overweight riders on cruisers.
The fragility of any component in a crash is directly related to the cost of
replacing said component.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Hunrobe wrote:
||| [email hidden] (Tom Keats)
||
|| wrote:
||
|||| 3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.
|||
||| Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.
||
|| IME, there are a few other natural laws that are cycling-specific:
||
|| The one time you manage to hold a perfect trackstand through an
|| entire stoplight cycle, the street is deserted and the trackstand
|| unnecessary.
|| As soon as you drop the rest of the group like a bad habit, you
|| *will* get lost.
|| The day you decide to wear that silver skinsuit is the day that
|| thunderstorms appear out of nowhere and you find out that soaking
|| wet silver spandex looks exactly like Saran Wrap.
|| If you arrive at the start of a "show and go" ride on a MTB, you'll
|| be surrounded by roadies on dream bikes. If you arrive on your own
|| dream bike you'll be met by three overweight riders on cruisers.
|| The fragility of any component in a crash is directly related to the
|| cost of replacing said component.
||

:-)

Hunrobe said:

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Tom Keats)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.

IME, there are a few other natural laws that are cycling-specific:

The one time you manage to hold a perfect trackstand through an entire
stoplight cycle, the street is deserted and the trackstand unnecessary.
As soon as you drop the rest of the group like a bad habit, you *will* get
lost.
The day you decide to wear that silver skinsuit is the day that thunderstorms
appear out of nowhere and you find out that soaking wet silver spandex looks
exactly like Saran Wrap.
If you arrive at the start of a "show and go" ride on a MTB, you'll be
surrounded by roadies on dream bikes. If you arrive on your own dream bike
you'll be met by three overweight riders on cruisers.
The fragility of any component in a crash is directly related to the cost of
replacing said component.

*snorfle* Good to see that Murphy didn't neglect cycling. :-D

--
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GO LANCE GO!!!
proud to be owned by a yorkie
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"Tom Keats" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Luigi de Guzman said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The first time I rode with my SPD pedals, I ignored the instruction about
practicing the release until it becomes automatic. A few blocks from my
house, I rolled up to a stop sign, and fell over to my right while trying to
think my way out of the clip. A fire engine was crossing in front of me,
with full crew on board, and they STOPPED TO HELP ME.

The next stop sign I approached, I thought ahead, and released my right foot
while I was still rolling. Then I fell to the LEFT side, which was still
hooked in.

Leo Lichtman said:

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

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Luigi de Guzman said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The first time I rode with my SPD pedals, I ignored the instruction about
practicing the release until it becomes automatic. A few blocks from my
house, I rolled up to a stop sign, and fell over to my right while trying to
think my way out of the clip. A fire engine was crossing in front of me,
with full crew on board, and they STOPPED TO HELP ME.

Glory Hound. ;->

Quoted message said:

The next stop sign I approached, I thought ahead, and released my right foot
while I was still rolling. Then I fell to the LEFT side, which was still
hooked in.

....and the cute blonde female Firefighter jumped out to help you
again.

-B
It's not always about the bike...

Leo Lichtman said:

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

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Luigi de Guzman said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Quoted message said:

The next stop sign I approached, I thought ahead, and released my right foot
while I was still rolling. Then I fell to the LEFT side, which was still
hooked in.

In parts of NJ where I ride it's better to release on the left. If you
release on the right you will be head first in a ditch. I learned this
just after getting my first Look pedals and after my first 'Artie
Johnson (Old Man on a bike who slowly falls over from "Laugh In",
circa 1970). These back roads are old chip seal farm roads with a
wicked crown. So far I'm been lucky enough to not fall into one of the
ditches. I seem to be one of the few righties who release left but the
others who do it are also commuters.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry [email hidden]
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://linuxha.sourceforge.net/ (SourceForge)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)

Neil Cherry wrote:
|| On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 17:50:57 GMT, Leo Lichtman wrote:
|||
||| "Tom Keats" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
||| news:[email hidden]...
|||| In article <[email hidden]>,
|||| Luigi de Guzman <[email hidden]> writes:
||||
||||| 3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.
||||
|||| Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.
|||| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
||
||| The next stop sign I approached, I thought ahead, and released my
||| right foot while I was still rolling. Then I fell to the LEFT
||| side, which was still hooked in.
||
|| In parts of NJ where I ride it's better to release on the left. If
|| you release on the right you will be head first in a ditch. I
|| learned this
|| just after getting my first Look pedals and after my first 'Artie
|| Johnson (Old Man on a bike who slowly falls over from "Laugh In",
|| circa 1970). These back roads are old chip seal farm roads with a
|| wicked crown. So far I'm been lucky enough to not fall into one of
|| the ditches. I seem to be one of the few righties who release left
|| but the
|| others who do it are also commuters.

If I release one foot, I immediately release the other. If I clip in one
foot, I immediately clip in the other. IMO, being clipped in with one foot
is dangerous.

Roger Zoul said:

Neil Cherry wrote:
|| On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 17:50:57 GMT, Leo Lichtman wrote:
|||
||| "Tom Keats" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
||| news:[email hidden]...
|||| In article <[email hidden]>,
|||| Luigi de Guzman <[email hidden]> writes:
||||
||||| 3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.
||||
|||| Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.
|||| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
||
||| The next stop sign I approached, I thought ahead, and released my
||| right foot while I was still rolling. Then I fell to the LEFT
||| side, which was still hooked in.
||
|| In parts of NJ where I ride it's better to release on the left. If
|| you release on the right you will be head first in a ditch. I
|| learned this
|| just after getting my first Look pedals and after my first 'Artie
|| Johnson (Old Man on a bike who slowly falls over from "Laugh In",
|| circa 1970). These back roads are old chip seal farm roads with a
|| wicked crown. So far I'm been lucky enough to not fall into one of
|| the ditches. I seem to be one of the few righties who release left
|| but the
|| others who do it are also commuters.

If I release one foot, I immediately release the other. If I clip in one
foot, I immediately clip in the other. IMO, being clipped in with one foot
is dangerous.

I understand what you are saying but I find that having one foot in to
be useful. There are times when a nice hard sudden acceleration is
called for (remember I play in traffic :-). Once one foot is planted I
tend to clip the other out. Also when acelerating from a light I don't
click in with my left until I'm a bit down the street. The first 100
feet are just get up and go. Once I have a good pace I fiddle with the
pedals to make sure my feet are in correctly. This allows me to coast
and not loose too much speed. Usually this is not a problem as I've
clipped in as I step down. I can ride on the backs of the pedals when
I need to (this I don't recommend unless you have double sided
pedals). These things I developed from my commutes were I need to
compete with the traffic.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry [email hidden]
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://linuxha.sourceforge.net/ (SourceForge)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)

Luigi de Guzman said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

This reminds me of one I use: You will never be able to back a trailer into
a campsite if the campground is crowded. If no one is watching, you'll be
able to do it perfectly the first try.

Austin
--
I'm pedaling as fast as I durn well please!
There are no X characters in my address

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

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Luigi de Guzman said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

Yes, there's /always/ an audience. It's a law of nature.

cheers,
Tom

Last week I had a fall on some railroad tracks.I'm always very careful
crossing tracks because I fell once before, and some tracks are really old
and terrible to cross. This was the case. I thought, "Okay, I'm almost over
the tracks..." BLAT! I was going slowly, of course. My first thought was my
bike- I was most worried about a [censored] wheel. Then I asked if anything was
torn- my new shorts! But no. I landed on my right side, banging my elbow and
butt cheek. My derailleur hanger is a bit bent but that's easy to fix. Later
I was telling someone else about it and I said, It was so STUPID! and he
said, "Is there any such thing as a smart crash?" So true. "Gee, that was a
very well thought out crash!" It's always stupid! In the meantime, I bruise
rather easily and I have the most hideous bruise you know where and for a
couple of days I had to sit down very gingerly, which I discovered after
flopping onto the sofa. YOW!

Marlene Blanshay wrote -

Quoted message said:

My first thought was my bike- I was most worried about a [censored] wheel.

Then I asked if anything was

Quoted message said:

torn- my new shorts! >

Came up on the aftermath of a crash recently where a tunnel comes out into
open air and the difference in light makes it hard to pick the holes in the
road.

After ascertaining the worst hurt rider would most likely live, the first
question asked was (as it often is) "Bike ok?"

Not the most perceptive or helpful question but I'll bet it is the most
often used in those circumstances.

Heal well, and quickly, you.

best, Andrew "been there, done that, got the scars to prove it" Price

remove the .x1 to email

Roger Zoul said:

If I release one foot, I immediately release the other. If I clip in one
foot, I immediately clip in the other. IMO, being clipped in with one foot
is dangerous.

Best thing about SPDs 323s - unclip both and ride on the flats when
you get toward traffic lights or ride through the local 7-11 lot,
filled with clueless drivers. Especially true on a recumbent.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

AustinMN said:

Luigi de Guzman said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

This reminds me of one I use: You will never be able to back a trailer into
a campsite if the campground is crowded. If no one is watching, you'll be
able to do it perfectly the first try.

If you're hauling a trailer, you're not camping 😉

The meteorological corrolary: The perfect forecasts are
the ones never verbalized.

Scott

Scott said:

AustinMN said:

Luigi de Guzman said:

3) You will fall when EVERYONE can see you being a moron.

This reminds me of one I use: You will never be able to back a trailer

into

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a campsite if the campground is crowded. If no one is watching, you'll

be

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

able to do it perfectly the first try.

If you're hauling a trailer, you're not camping 😉

Read carefully; I never said I was. Yes I said campground and campsite, but
that is what they are called. I understand that to purists, the activities
conducted thereon are not really camping.

In fact, there's a "camping scale." Everyone has a place on it. Those
above you on the scale aren't really camping, and those below you are
fanatics, lunatics, or wild-man wannabes:

Motel 6 - This is camping to my B-I-L.
Class A Motorhome
Class C Motorhome, 5th wheel trailer, travel trailer
Pop-up trailer/Tent trailer - This is where I'm at now...and will probably
stay.
Tent in campground - BTDT, no more sleeping on the ground for me
Backpack to remote campsite - BTDT, no more sleeping on the ground for me
Backpack to remote site, no campsite - BTDT, no more sleeping on the ground
for me
Backpack, but live off the land
No backpack

Note to UK: replace "trailer" with "caravan" in the above list.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some categories, but you get the point. There is
some overlap, and there are sub-categories. For example, I know some folks
who would never take their pop-up to a developed campground, but haul it
off-road into some privately owned woods in the middle of nowhere. I know
others who have never dared disconnect their pop-up from electricity and
water unless they were about to haul it to another campground.

Austin

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 00:59:37 GMT, "AustinMN" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

This reminds me of one I use: You will never be able to back a trailer into
a campsite if the campground is crowded. If no one is watching, you'll be
able to do it perfectly the first try.

Great. Wonderful. Wish me luck with the trailer I recently bought,
but haven't been to a campground with yet...
--
Rick Onanian

Scott said:

The meteorological corrolary: The perfect forecasts are
the ones never verbalized.

Another meteorological corrolary: If there's a Pro-Am golf tournament
taking place in your town, it WILL rain every single day and be 15
degrees F below average temp.

-km

--
the black rose
GO LANCE GO!!!
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts