Less Dorky Mirror



"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:eek:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 14:36:47 GMT, maxo <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 00:14:32 -0700, Bill wrote:
> >
> >> This sounds like a good case for riding on the wrong side of the road.
> >
> > There is never a reason for riding against traffic. You're only
confusing
> > the motorist, egregiously breaking the law, and adding to the potential
> > impact speed vs. subtracting from it.
> Survival is a real good reason.
> >
> > Please refrain from riding until you can wrap your head around this.
> > Seriously--no offense meant at all.
> If you rode around Beale AFB in northern California you would see what I
> mean. The roads are seriously bicycle unfriendly. Between big trucks,
> rednecks, and fly boys there are a lot of drivers who could care less
> about giving bicycles part of their road.
> Bill Baka
> >
> > :D

Bill,

There's no sound logic to your argument whatsoever. Large log trucks and
rednecks will overtake you much more rapidly and with much less reaction
time when you're on the wrong side of the road.

I live in a county where the #1 economic activity is logging. The #2
activity is watching NASCAR. The roads are the worst I've seen anywhere and
I've lived pretty much all over the country. It seems I have everything to
deal with that you do. I would NEVER ride on the wrong side of the road.

Bob C.
 
On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 18:17:16 GMT, maxo <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 10:07:45 -0700, Bill wrote:
>
>> It has kept me alive and unhit since I started doing it
>
>Are you sure it wasn't wearing the same underwear everyday or some other
>superstitous falsehood?
>
>Look, I got yelled at by an older fellow on a bike a couple weeks ago, and
>by the looks of his gear I assumed he's been in the saddle a number of
>years--I turned into the alley to get to my garage [in a car of course]
>and he was riding on the wrong side of the road and had just turned onto
>the street we were sharing. He wiped out pretty hard from his brakes
>seizing, but no major damage was done. There was no way I could have seen
>him because of his behaviour and an inch more and I would have perhaps
>killed the guy. He layed into me with this anti-motorist rant, not knowing
>that I cycle many more miles than I drive per year--I responded that this
>ain't Britain and if he continues to break the law in such fashion I won't
>have any sympathy if I kill him next time. Such is the law of Darwin.

So much for making friends with the dogs...er wrong thread.

Bet he'd like you if he knew you though. ;-)

-B
 

> >
> >> This sounds like a good case for riding on the wrong side of the road.


This is why it is called THE WRONG SIDE of the road.

It's W-R-O-N-G. and you know it.

Pat in TX
 

>
> Look, I got yelled at by an older fellow on a bike a couple weeks ago, and
> by the looks of his gear I assumed he's been in the saddle a number of
> years--I turned into the alley to get to my garage [in a car of course]
> and he was riding on the wrong side of the road and had just turned onto
> the street we were sharing. He wiped out pretty hard from his brakes
> seizing, but no major damage was done. There was no way I could have seen
> him because of his behaviour and an inch more and I would have perhaps
> killed the guy. He layed into me with this anti-motorist rant, not knowing
> that I cycle many more miles than I drive per year--I responded that this
> ain't Britain and if he continues to break the law in such fashion I won't
> have any sympathy if I kill him next time. Such is the law of Darwin.

I wish I could have seen that! I always want to yell at these idiots but
never have the chance.

Pat in TX
 
"Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Which is less dorky: a mirror on the helmet or a mirror
> on the handlebars?
>
> I've resisted mirrors all my life, but I must ride a two lane
> road with a 55 mile an hour speed limit with absolutely no
> paved shoulder. I hug the white line right now, looking back
> sometimes but with the chance of going into the road or into
> the gravel.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike
>

I tried a Bell handlebar mirror on my straight bar hybrid and it was a real
POS. Vibrated like crazy and was hard to keep in adjustment. Now that I
have a real road bike I use a Third Eye mirror that clips onto my glasses
and wouldn't go out without it...most of my normal ride is quiet country
road, but there's a section of 2-lane 55MPH busy road that I just can't keep
swiveling my neck around on...that and the fact of an old high school high
jump injury (30 years ago) cut down my neck mobility. The Third Eye isn't
real obtrusive on the road, but I wouldn't be trying to pick up chicks in a
bar with it clipped on. :)
 
On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 14:28:44 -0400, psycholist <[email protected]> wrote:

> Bill,
>
> There's no sound logic to your argument whatsoever. Large log trucks and
> rednecks will overtake you much more rapidly and with much less reaction
> time when you're on the wrong side of the road.
>
> I live in a county where the #1 economic activity is logging. The #2
> activity is watching NASCAR. The roads are the worst I've seen anywhere
> and
> I've lived pretty much all over the country. It seems I have everything
> to
> deal with that you do. I would NEVER ride on the wrong side of the road.
>
> Bob C.

Bob,
Opinionated group we have here. I just rode 2 miles on the left for a very
good reason, I was riding into the sun so cars coming from behind would
not be able to see me in the glare. Left side they could see me fine, so
no problem. Did I mention that I only do this on country roads that
average about 2 cars per minute? In town there is always somewhere safe to
ride on the proper side. As for the rest of the group, all I am saying is
that the law is not always the best thing to obey under ALL circumstances
when it comes to riding a bike. I do what is needed for 'situational
awareness', including listening to the cars in my vicinity and not a
radio, whoops, that was another post, but relevant to my style of riding.
I am just in favor of rider safety, not motorist pacification.
Bill Baka



--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/
 
"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote

> If you rode around Beale AFB in northern California you would see what I
> mean. The roads are seriously bicycle unfriendly. Between big trucks,
> rednecks, and fly boys there are a lot of drivers who could care less
> about giving bicycles part of their road.
> Bill Baka

Read long enough in here, and you'll find that same statement voiced about
any city you can name.

Cicninnati, Virginia Beach, Boston, Phoenix, and now "around Beale AFB".

Don't let them "give" you your part of the road...take what you need (and no
more)

Pete
 
"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:eek:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 14:28:44 -0400, psycholist <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Bill,
> >
> > There's no sound logic to your argument whatsoever. Large log trucks
and
> > rednecks will overtake you much more rapidly and with much less reaction
> > time when you're on the wrong side of the road.
> >
> > I live in a county where the #1 economic activity is logging. The #2
> > activity is watching NASCAR. The roads are the worst I've seen anywhere
> > and
> > I've lived pretty much all over the country. It seems I have everything
> > to
> > deal with that you do. I would NEVER ride on the wrong side of the
road.
> >
> > Bob C.
>
> Bob,
> Opinionated group we have here. I just rode 2 miles on the left for a very
> good reason, I was riding into the sun so cars coming from behind would
> not be able to see me in the glare. Left side they could see me fine, so
> no problem. Did I mention that I only do this on country roads that
> average about 2 cars per minute? In town there is always somewhere safe to
> ride on the proper side. As for the rest of the group, all I am saying is
> that the law is not always the best thing to obey under ALL circumstances
> when it comes to riding a bike. I do what is needed for 'situational
> awareness', including listening to the cars in my vicinity and not a
> radio, whoops, that was another post, but relevant to my style of riding.
> I am just in favor of rider safety, not motorist pacification.
> Bill Baka

Bill,

Reading your post reminded me of all the times I've gone ahead and zipped
through a stop sign or done something similar with the rationale being that,
"hey, those cars won't know what to do with me at a 4-way stop" or some such
thing. And it's really true, unfortunately. The mere presence of a bike
can fluster some motorists completely. Even though I ride 10,000 miles or
more a year, when I'm in the car and I encounter a cyclist, I can appreciate
the motorists' dilemma in many cases.

All that is to say, though I've never ridden on the other side of the road,
I have exercised "situational awareness" plenty of times and blown through a
stop sign just to get away from an encounter with cars. So I guess I do
know where you're coming from.

I've been caught riding into a rising or setting sun a time or two and never
considered using the other side of the road. As I can do a 50 mile ride
where I live and maybe see 5 cars, that might be a trick worth trying in a
pinch.

Peace.

Bob C.
 
Tom Keats wrote:

> You say it's a 2-lane. I assume the lanes are narrow.
> Those are the most uncomfortable roads to ride on, when
> the traffic is thick. If there are plentious opportunities
> for traffic behind you to pass you, I'd say take the lane.
> If there isn't, and there's nowhere to ditch, I'd say find an
> alternate route. If there's no alternate route, I don't know
> what to say.

Try to wobble. An ordinary bicyclist is nearly invisible (see other
thread), but a wobbling bicyclist might suddenly wobble out in front of
you and scratch your paint.

--
Cheers,
Bev
********************************************************************
Organized people will never know the sheer joyous ecstasy of finding
something that was believed to have been irretrievably lost.
-- D. Stern
 
Michael wrote:
>
>
> About the dork factor: You don't see the guys on the Tour de France
> using mirrors. I'm just saying...

Ah, those Tour de France guys are just a bunch of dorks. You don't
believe it? Just wander into the local NASCAR bar and ask the guys there.

But about the mirrors: I make my own eyeglass mirrors. My technique
for _slightly_ reducing dorkiness is to make them as small as feasible -
roughly 1/2" x 1" mirror surface - and to have them sort of a light grey
color so they're a tad less visible.

Another possible technique is to go for maximum dorkiness. Maybe hang
streamers on it? Fashion's pretty incomprehensible anyway. You might
find yourself a fashion leader.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]
 
"maxo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
> On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 15:06:55 +0000, Michael wrote:
>
> > About the dork factor: You don't see the guys on the Tour de France
> > using mirrors. I'm just saying...
>
> they don't ride in traffic so it doesn't apply ;)
>
> I've seen plenty of clubbers around here using mirrors for safety in the
> paceline--most of them using a small convex rectangular bar-end in the
> drops. I don't know what brand or I'd steer you toward it.
>
snip
> :D
>

Third Eye makes a bar end mirror that I've used on several different bikes
with drop bars that works very well. No vibration problems and clear view
to the rear. Does not extend beyond the bike. Allows you to keep track of
what's coming and "manage" the safe use of your space.
<http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Bar+End+Mirror&vendor
Code=Thirdeye&major=3&minor=4>
Bill (not the wrong side of the road idiot)
 
"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "maxo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:p[email protected]...
> > On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 15:06:55 +0000, Michael wrote:
> >
> > > About the dork factor: You don't see the guys on the Tour de France
> > > using mirrors. I'm just saying...
> >
> > they don't ride in traffic so it doesn't apply ;)
> >
> > I've seen plenty of clubbers around here using mirrors for safety in the
> > paceline--most of them using a small convex rectangular bar-end in the
> > drops. I don't know what brand or I'd steer you toward it.
> >
> snip
> > :D
> >
>
> Third Eye makes a bar end mirror that I've used on several different bikes
> with drop bars that works very well. No vibration problems and clear view
> to the rear. Does not extend beyond the bike. Allows you to keep track of
> what's coming and "manage" the safe use of your space.
>
<http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Bar+End+Mirror&vendor
> Code=Thirdeye&major=3&minor=4>
> Bill (not the wrong side of the road idiot)
>
>
This works better http://tinyurl.com/3yf9b
 
"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > "maxo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:p[email protected]...
> > > On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 15:06:55 +0000, Michael wrote:
> > >
> > > > About the dork factor: You don't see the guys on the Tour de France
> > > > using mirrors. I'm just saying...
> > >
> > > they don't ride in traffic so it doesn't apply ;)
> > >
> > > I've seen plenty of clubbers around here using mirrors for safety in
the
> > > paceline--most of them using a small convex rectangular bar-end in the
> > > drops. I don't know what brand or I'd steer you toward it.
> > >
> > snip
> > > :D
> > >
> >
> > Third Eye makes a bar end mirror that I've used on several different
bikes
> > with drop bars that works very well. No vibration problems and clear
view
> > to the rear. Does not extend beyond the bike. Allows you to keep track
of
> > what's coming and "manage" the safe use of your space.
> >
>
<http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Bar+End+Mirror&vendor
> > Code=Thirdeye&major=3&minor=4>
> > Bill (not the wrong side of the road idiot)
> >
> >
> This works better http://tinyurl.com/3yf9b
>
>

That's the one I wrote about and said it was by Rhode Gear. Oops. This is
a very good mirror!

Bob C.
 
"Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "maxo" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:p[email protected]...
> > On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 01:05:33 -0500, Michael wrote:
> >
> > > Which is less dorky: a mirror on the helmet or a mirror
> > > on the handlebars?
> >
> >
> > It's all about how you pull it off--only you can make it "dorky".
> >
> > Y

Snip

> > Take concept, apply to helmet mirror.
> >
>
> Thanks, everyone, for the information. The riding tips are especially
> helpful.
>
> About the dork factor: You don't see the guys on the Tour de France
> using mirrors. I'm just saying...

> Best,
> Mike

And you don't seem them with lights or a spare inner tube or even a
reflector. They are elite professional atheletes. It's a bit like
you don't see an Olmypic runner carrying a water bottle and a rain
coat the way a jogger in the neighbourhood may. Or NASCAR drivers
probably don't have a coffee holder in the car.

BTW I like helmet mirrors or even better if you can find it, a
California company makes a small mirror that affixes to the lens of
your sunglasses. Very convenient and, I suppose, no dork factor at
all.

J Kane
Perth Ontario
 
"Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "maxo" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:p[email protected]...
> > On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 01:05:33 -0500, Michael wrote:
> >
> > > Which is less dorky: a mirror on the helmet or a mirror
> > > on the handlebars?
> >
> >
> > It's all about how you pull it off--only you can make it "dorky".
> >
> > Y

Snip

> > Take concept, apply to helmet mirror.
> >
>
> Thanks, everyone, for the information. The riding tips are especially
> helpful.
>
> About the dork factor: You don't see the guys on the Tour de France
> using mirrors. I'm just saying...

> Best,
> Mike

And you don't seem them with lights or a spare inner tube or even a
reflector. They are elite professional atheletes. It's a bit like
you don't see an Olmypic runner carrying a water bottle and a rain
coat the way a jogger in the neighbourhood may. Or NASCAR drivers
probably don't have a coffee holder in the car.

BTW I like helmet mirrors or even better if you can find it, a
California company makes a small mirror that affixes to the lens of
your sunglasses. Very convenient and, I suppose, no dork factor at
all.

J Kane
Perth Ontario
 
In article <[email protected]>,
The Real Bev <[email protected]> writes:

> Try to wobble. An ordinary bicyclist is nearly invisible (see other
> thread), but a wobbling bicyclist might suddenly wobble out in front of
> you and scratch your paint.

LOL

I guess that's one way to effectively widen one's bike.

I do find it interesting though, that while so many riders are
quick to suggest taking the lane and occupying space, so many
are also loathe to widen their bikes with wider handlebars, let
alone adding a handlebar mirror to 'em, and occupying space.
And yet, some go for those dookie li'l orange pennants on bendy
sticks protruding horizontally leftward from the rear rack.

Another option to 'the wobble', is to lower your saddle as far is
it will go, wear those old fashioned, grey, grotty sweats, and
stick your knees out at 45 degree angles (which adds further width
to bike & rider.) Actually, I've seen many riders like that, goin'
ta beat hell. Maybe they're onto something. Fabrizio doesn't like
'em, 'cuz they do so well.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
 
JRKRideau wrote:
> "Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
>>
>>About the dork factor: You don't see the guys on the Tour de France
>>using mirrors. I'm just saying...
>
> And you don't seem them with lights or a spare inner tube or even a
> reflector. They are elite professional atheletes. It's a bit like
> you don't see an Olmypic runner carrying a water bottle and a rain
> coat the way a jogger in the neighbourhood may. Or NASCAR drivers
> probably don't have a coffee holder in the car.

Are you sure?

I mean, all they're doing is driving a car. How hard could it be?
Heck, I wouldn't be that surprised to see them sipping coffee with one
hand while talking on a cell phone. ;-)


--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]
 
They also make mirrors that mount on sunglasses, as well as ones that
replace the bar-end plugs in your drops.

"Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Which is less dorky: a mirror on the helmet or a mirror
> on the handlebars?
>
> I've resisted mirrors all my life, but I must ride a two lane
> road with a 55 mile an hour speed limit with absolutely no
> paved shoulder. I hug the white line right now, looking back
> sometimes but with the chance of going into the road or into
> the gravel.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike
>
>
 
"maxo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
> On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 10:03:59 -0700, Bill wrote:
>
> >
> >> There is never a reason for riding against traffic. You're only
confusing
> >> the motorist, egregiously breaking the law, and adding to the potential
> >> impact speed vs. subtracting from it.
> > Survival is a real good reason.
>
> Sorry man, THERE IS NEVER A REASON TO RIDE AGAINST TRAFFIC.
>
> Survival is not a reason, doing it increases your odds of getting
> smooshed. If you feel that you must ride against traffic to be safe, then
> you're being illogical and should walk, rather than both break the law and
> risk harm to yourself and others.
>

That is one of the stupidest replies I've ever seen. Are you serious that
you advocate someone placing themselves in a life-threatening situation just
to avoid breaking the law?
 
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