Yak yak yak

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Kaputnik) said:

but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

I don't know. Maybe they're lonely? Which at first blush
sounds kind of ironic, on a social bike ride in a big city.

- Tom

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

Quoted message said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride. I
suppose it wasn't that big a percentage, actually, and I didn't see it
cause any accidents, but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

These are the tools that let many people do many things that before they
couldn't (wouldn't?) make time to do.

In recent years past, I got in more rounds of golf, days surfing, and time
on my bike by having a cell phone and/or wireless modem handy.

At the same time, I had some rules about work and time away from work. I
wouldn't carry a laptop or answer work calls on vacation. I would check VM
occasionally. Since I'm currently doing low-pressure work, I don't have
these problems. Nonetheless, I still won't answer my phone when I'm with
someone else - because they used their time to spend it with me.

Having just left the Financial Services business - with a bazillion
customers around Wall St. - I can imagine the pressure some of your
co-riders might be under to answer the phone.

a.

andrew smith said:

Having just left the Financial Services business - with a bazillion
customers around Wall St. - I can imagine the pressure some of your
co-riders might be under to answer the phone.

Uh huh, but that doesn't make it the right thing to do in a mass ride
while riding (as the OP seemed to indicate).

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

andrew smith said:

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

Quoted message said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride. I
suppose it wasn't that big a percentage, actually, and I didn't see it
cause any accidents, but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

These are the tools that let many people do many things that before they
couldn't (wouldn't?) make time to do.

In recent years past, I got in more rounds of golf, days surfing, and time
on my bike by having a cell phone and/or wireless modem handy.

At the same time, I had some rules about work and time away from work. I
wouldn't carry a laptop or answer work calls on vacation. I would check VM
occasionally. Since I'm currently doing low-pressure work, I don't have
these problems. Nonetheless, I still won't answer my phone when I'm with
someone else - because they used their time to spend it with me.

Having just left the Financial Services business - with a bazillion
customers around Wall St. - I can imagine the pressure some of your
co-riders might be under to answer the phone.

a.

Picture three people having dinner at a restaurant all talking on their
cells to different parties through the entire meal.

What was the point of getting together to eat?

Rampant stupidity enabled by technology.

jim

Kaputnik said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride. I
suppose it wasn't that big a percentage, actually, and I didn't see it
cause any accidents, but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

It's the same problem with people who can't drive, or go to the store,
etc. w/o yakking on the phone. There's an epidemic of lockjaw going
around and the only way to combat it is to keep the mouth and
surrounding muscles constantly in motion.... ;-)

Janet

In article <[email hidden]>,

andrew smith said:

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

Quoted message said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride. I
suppose it wasn't that big a percentage, actually, and I didn't see it
cause any accidents, but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

These are the tools that let many people do many things that before they
couldn't (wouldn't?) make time to do.

But yesterday was Sunday, at least on this side of the
Int'l Date line. I think it's unfortunate that so many
people are having to put in so many extra hours just to
keep their jobs.

Anyhow, when I first saw the subject line, I thought
this was going to be about bike trailers.

cheers,
Tom

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

Quoted message said:

Anyhow, when I first saw the subject line, I thought
this was going to be about bike trailers.

I thought the same thing! I was trying to guess if the pannier/trailer
debate was going to be full of useful information or turn ugly.

The funny thing is that many people start thinking you are able to answer
the phone all of the time. I used to have a "low pressure" job (read: high
pressure greater than low pay). I made a point of not talking on the phone
while driving in heavy traffic. Then one day I didn't answer my phone
during my morning commute and was reprimanded by my boss for not answering
my phone, even after I explained that I was driving and chose not to be a
niusance or danger to other people. They never let up.

This brings it to home even more since I commute 5 days a week 52 weeks a
year on a bike. The most annoying drivers I find aren't the ones who are
trying to be jerks, but rather the ones who are clueless about their
surroundings because they're on the phone!

-Collin

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride. I
suppose it wasn't that big a percentage, actually, and I didn't see it
cause any accidents, but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

These are the tools that let many people do many things that before they
couldn't (wouldn't?) make time to do.

In recent years past, I got in more rounds of golf, days surfing, and time
on my bike by having a cell phone and/or wireless modem handy.

At the same time, I had some rules about work and time away from work. I
wouldn't carry a laptop or answer work calls on vacation. I would check

VM

Quoted message said:

occasionally. Since I'm currently doing low-pressure work, I don't have
these problems. Nonetheless, I still won't answer my phone when I'm with
someone else - because they used their time to spend it with me.

Having just left the Financial Services business - with a bazillion
customers around Wall St. - I can imagine the pressure some of your
co-riders might be under to answer the phone.

a.

Quoted message said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride.

Maybe they were taking advantage of a mobile WiFi hot-spot provided by
Yury Gitman's "magicbike":

http://www.magicbike.net/about.html

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

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

andrew smith said:

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

Quoted message said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride. I
suppose it wasn't that big a percentage, actually, and I didn't see it
cause any accidents, but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

These are the tools that let many people do many things that before they
couldn't (wouldn't?) make time to do.

But yesterday was Sunday, at least on this side of the
Int'l Date line. I think it's unfortunate that so many
people are having to put in so many extra hours just to
keep their jobs.

Maybe it wasn't job related. Maybe it was their buddy
trying to meet up with them on the ride, trying to figure
out if they were ahead or behind them. Much less
bulky than those family radio walkie talkies when trying
to meet up.

Maybe it was the kids at home wondering if they could
go play with the kids across the street. Though
I only answer the phone while stoking or stopped,
I can tell you the cell phone allows us to take a ride
Sunday mornings. Without it we wouldn't dream of
leaving the kids at home. They set up their days,
arrange play dates/study sessions, all before we head
home. If we need to cut off coffee at the end we
can do that if they need to be somewhere. But we
can get in our ride mostly while they are sleeping/
watching morning shows. (Oh, the oldest is 14, we
aren't leaving toddlers home...)

Maybe it was the nurses at their parent's rest home
telling them how their parents were doing. Cell phones
have also freed folks up to go cycling, and do other
activities without having to spend their mornings sitting
near the phone. For folks with sickly relatives, this
is a god send that they can get some exercise without
abandoning their responsibilities. If they are needed,
they can be reached immediately.

Cathy Kearns said:

If they are needed,
they can be reached immediately.

Fine. All of that and none of that - or the other post listing reasons
- justifies doing it riding in a mass start ride. Using a cell phone
on a bike path is stupid enough in most circumstances; doing it in a
major ride is pure idiocy. The OP indicated these people were in the
ride, riding, and on cell phones.

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

Curtis L. Russell said:

Cathy Kearns said:

If they are needed,
they can be reached immediately.

Fine. All of that and none of that - or the other post listing reasons
- justifies doing it riding in a mass start ride. Using a cell phone
on a bike path is stupid enough in most circumstances; doing it in a
major ride is pure idiocy. The OP indicated these people were in the
ride, riding, and on cell phones.

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

I agree, if it was anything really important, they could have sidelined
themselves until the conversation was over or left the ride. I wonder if
those you responded to, upthread, actually think these reasons account
for most of the usage. Right.

jim

Collin O'Neill said:

The funny thing is that many people start thinking you are able to answer
the phone all of the time.

Or, the ones who think you can hear them when they're talking to
your voice mail, as if it were an answering machine screening your
calls...my girlfriend's mother does this. She leaves voice mail on
cell phones saying "Pick up the phone! I know you're there!".
Luckily, she doesn't call _me_...
--
Rick Onanian

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

Quoted message said:

Kaputnik said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride. I
suppose it wasn't that big a percentage, actually, and I didn't see it
cause any accidents, but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

It's the same problem with people who can't drive, or go to the store,
etc. w/o yakking on the phone. There's an epidemic of lockjaw going
around and the only way to combat it is to keep the mouth and
surrounding muscles constantly in motion.... ;-)

Janet

Or those schmucks who blab while on the trainers or machines at the gym,
having these inane conversations that we're stuck listening to unless
plugged into a walkman. Most annoying are the business types who leave the
ringer on and then blab loudly on their phone so we'll all know how
IMPORTANT they are. The one place you can't do that is spinning class, thank
god, it's just too intense.

Quoted message said:

Curtis L. Russell [email hidden]

wrote in part:

Quoted message said:

All of that and none of that - or the other post listing reasons
- justifies doing it riding in a mass start ride. Using a cell phone
on a bike path is stupid enough in most circumstances; doing it in a
major ride is pure idiocy.

Curtis-
I think you're overstating your case just a tad. I agree that generally if one
must use a cell phone while riding it's best to pull off the road but I often
answer my phone without stopping. It only takes a few seconds for me to
determine if I need to stop to continue the conversation. If I do, I stop. Even
so, I'd guess that anyone seeing me in just the few seconds that it takes to
answer the phone might roll their eyes in disgust, thinking, "Oh great! Another
idiot too important to turn off their cell phone!". I have to wonder... if the
person thinking that happens to be a cyclist, do they pull over and stop every
time they take a sip from their water bottle? The mechanics involved aren't all
that different after all. Dialing out is of course another ball game entirely.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Marlene Blanshay said:

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

Quoted message said:

Kaputnik said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride. I
suppose it wasn't that big a percentage, actually, and I didn't see it
cause any accidents, but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

It's the same problem with people who can't drive, or go to the store,
etc. w/o yakking on the phone. There's an epidemic of lockjaw going
around and the only way to combat it is to keep the mouth and
surrounding muscles constantly in motion.... ;-)

Janet

Or those schmucks who blab while on the trainers or machines at the gym,
having these inane conversations that we're stuck listening to unless
plugged into a walkman. Most annoying are the business types who leave the
ringer on and then blab loudly on their phone so we'll all know how
IMPORTANT they are. The one place you can't do that is spinning class, thank
god, it's just too intense.

Brings to mind something I witnessed a few years ago. I was in a major
department store at the mall doing some last minute Christmas shopping.
Two women were looking at clothing and loudly yakking on their cell
phones about the clothes they were looking at. They were separated by
one (maybe sometimes two racks of clothes). I finally figured out that
they were talking to each other!!

Janet

(Hunrobe) said:

I have to wonder... if the
person thinking that happens to be a cyclist, do they pull over and stop every
time they take a sip from their water bottle? The mechanics involved aren't all
that different after all. Dialing out is of course another ball game entirely.

I've answered cell phones and I've used water bottles. There is no
comparison - after a modicum of use, drinking from a water bottle
takes virtually no attention - they are designed that way.

I've seen a couple of studies, the narrative part, and both concluded
that people on cellphones have no idea how much their attention is
taken up by using a cell phone. The handsfree are bad enough, but
those using it in handheld mode in almost all circumstances - walking,
driving and presumably bicycling, although that wasn't mentioned, are
seriously distracted by use.

Drunks often think they are driving safely too.

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

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

Quoted message said:

andrew smith said:

Having just left the Financial Services business - with a bazillion
customers around Wall St. - I can imagine the pressure some of your
co-riders might be under to answer the phone.

Uh huh, but that doesn't make it the right thing to do in a mass ride
while riding (as the OP seemed to indicate).

Does it make it wrong?

a.

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

Quoted message said:

andrew smith said:

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

Quoted message said:

I rode in the NY 5 boro bike ride yesterday. I won't get in to a long
description, except to say that I enjoyed it. It seems to be more of
an event than a ride; I've never ridden in such heavy bicycle traffic
before.

There was one thing, though, that I found mildly irritating, the
number of cyclists I saw yakking on cell phones during the ride. I
suppose it wasn't that big a percentage, actually, and I didn't see it
cause any accidents, but still, why can't people give it a rest and
turn the damn things off occasionally?

These are the tools that let many people do many things that before they
couldn't (wouldn't?) make time to do.

In recent years past, I got in more rounds of golf, days surfing, and

time

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

on my bike by having a cell phone and/or wireless modem handy.

At the same time, I had some rules about work and time away from work.

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

wouldn't carry a laptop or answer work calls on vacation. I would check

VM

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

occasionally. Since I'm currently doing low-pressure work, I don't have
these problems. Nonetheless, I still won't answer my phone when I'm

with

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

someone else - because they used their time to spend it with me.

Having just left the Financial Services business - with a bazillion
customers around Wall St. - I can imagine the pressure some of your
co-riders might be under to answer the phone.

a.

Picture three people having dinner at a restaurant all talking on their
cells to different parties through the entire meal.

What was the point of getting together to eat?

Rampant stupidity enabled by technology.

Picture the part where I wrote, "I still won't answer my phone when I'm with
someone else - because they used their time to spend it with me."

a.