bladderhead
Zen MBB Master
The only way for me, and I suspect snilard, to do that is to get a trainer.
I sense a disturbance in the 3rd Law
- Thread starter ratz
- Start date
snilard
Guru of hot glue gun
It has to be damn borring.
There are some roads in Czech Republic where you can ride in a straight line for few kilometers but not for 30 minuts. This is huge difference between Europe and States. Before following Cruzbike tribe on Strava I had not advised how straight and perpendicular roads in US are.
One friend of mine calls Velokraft NoCom "American bike" – bike for riding stright. Bike on what you can touch ground by you back when you lean to turn too much. I have never seen it in person so I don't know if it is true. If so the bike is not suitable for European roads. Long time I thinked that the bike is Polish. But after reading that the bike is made in Poland but design is American It make sense to me.
ratz
Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
That is true. I have had friends visit from the Ukraine and the Netherlands in the days before digital maps. They'd look at a map and say let's drive from Chicago to Minneapolis today. I then have to explain they just asked to drive across Germany; then the scale of things in the US starts to settle in.
VenRiderGuy
Well-Known Member
Snilard, thank you for sharing this bit of international information. One of the big things I like about this forum.....learning what life is like in other parts of the world first-hand from those living there. It's wonderful. The Internet is wonderful. This forum: (Internet empowered) + (people the world over) =
.
snilard
Guru of hot glue gun
I like this forum much. The tribe is friendly, there are not flame wars and any personal hate. It would be nice if all forums are like this one.Snilard, thank you for sharing this bit of international information. One of the big things I like about this forum.....learning what life is like in other parts of the world first-hand from those living there. It's wonderful. The Internet is wonderful. This forum: (Internet empowered) + (people the world over) =
I read one Czech bike forum with recumbent audience. I read it because I have friends there whom I know in person. But there is some personal hate and discussions about nothing. It is also affected by fact that average Czech salary is much lower than in US or Germany so electric shifting etc. is not discussed there.
ReklinedRider
Zen MBB Master
When I lived in Albuquerque a friend had relatives visiting from Germany. They thought a day trip to the Grand Canyon would be good, because, it's just the next state over, yes? Yes, but it's still 6 hours, each way, if you don't stop at all. It would've been a long day.
quickbeam
Well-Known Member
That depends on what part of the US you are in. Pre-revolutionary war areas (the 13 colonies, along the Atlantic) quite often have curvy roads that go in any which direction, as people just widened existing deer trails or whatever. Thomas Jefferson set the standard for counties and townships, so after his presidency roads were built mostly along straight lines. Of course mountainous areas need to follow the terrain. But places like North Dakota or Nebraska you could bike all day (with a little care in choosing your road) and not have to turn.
I grew up in northern MN, way back in the sticks as we say, where one local road (Hwy 46) is 46 miles long with only a few gently curves the whole way. I've traveled that several times and generally meet maybe 10 cars on the first 40 miles (it gets a little "busy" on the south end, near the Indian Casino). And that's one of the main roads in that area, being one of the few paved ones. Nearby Hwy 38 (about 38 miles long, coincidentally) has about the same traffic, but is very curvy as it goes around a bunch of lakes. And here in the Chicago area it's totally a different situation. Straight roads but very busy. Bike trails are a necessity.
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Eric Winn
Zen MBB Master
Since we are waiting on e-tap
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/01/garmin-varia-vision-hud.html
Discuss
Makes me wonder about recumbent head angles vs upright and if the range of adjustment would still work.
jond
Zen MBB Master
ratz definitely the rear facing radar has some great safety potential value.
everyone inevitably briefly turns off monitoring mirrors when you tune out and potential for an accident is at maximum. but perhaps/likely the hud display too would become ignored as you tune out . that is the real problem tuning out then being shocked aware by a car or a b double truck or a road train in australia. nice dump of adrenalin you can do without.
cat ears work for audio and at elvis festivals.
i guess it wont be long before rising volume audio alerts are possible in the next gen hud.
" i say .....I say boy there be a big truck about to........... oh dear sorry about that.....hello are you there.......yoo hoo......hello.....yee haaa....open the pod doors hal i am coming home...... on a cruzbike..... lets ride now where are my garmin electric legs and auto steerer ..... dam he left them at home..... cancel that hal "
or how about " larry, larry. sorry mr oslund i of course meant george george of the jungle.......watch out for that tree........ nicely done george but i meant...... oh dear me...... that one "
would prefer an electric shock alert to the gonads for an alert with resultant burst of speed and power and libido...... .
how many batteries would i be charging.........time to fit a son hub or two along with my solar giro air attacking helmet.
i am with snilard the lighter the better and depend equally upon my fellow human beings to still not run me down as they skillfully text using their hud display via brain implant
until the next quick leap of technology comes around i will stay off the roads as much as i can
everyone inevitably briefly turns off monitoring mirrors when you tune out and potential for an accident is at maximum. but perhaps/likely the hud display too would become ignored as you tune out . that is the real problem tuning out then being shocked aware by a car or a b double truck or a road train in australia. nice dump of adrenalin you can do without.
cat ears work for audio and at elvis festivals.
i guess it wont be long before rising volume audio alerts are possible in the next gen hud.
" i say .....I say boy there be a big truck about to........... oh dear sorry about that.....hello are you there.......yoo hoo......hello.....yee haaa....open the pod doors hal i am coming home...... on a cruzbike..... lets ride now where are my garmin electric legs and auto steerer ..... dam he left them at home..... cancel that hal "
or how about " larry, larry. sorry mr oslund i of course meant george george of the jungle.......watch out for that tree........ nicely done george but i meant...... oh dear me...... that one "
would prefer an electric shock alert to the gonads for an alert with resultant burst of speed and power and libido...... .
how many batteries would i be charging.........time to fit a son hub or two along with my solar giro air attacking helmet.
i am with snilard the lighter the better and depend equally upon my fellow human beings to still not run me down as they skillfully text using their hud display via brain implant
until the next quick leap of technology comes around i will stay off the roads as much as i can
Don1
Guru
hay guys... I have a recon jet but when i finally get my own cruzbike (still saving, aussie dollar not so hot now).... they work great on a standard bike but I guess, as has been said before, prolly will be a bit silly when a computer/phone can be mounted directly in your field of view on a cruzbike. dunno, first things first.
LarryOz
Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
That is the key to staying alive! Stay on trails, tracks, or indoor trainer, and only hit a public road for an event.
I may slide a lot because of flats, but at least I don't have to worry about multilple thousand pound vehicles chasing me down because the driver is too engrossed in sending a text to someone to actually drive!
snilard
Guru of hot glue gun
I think that opposite will make roads safer for cyclist. More cyclists on roads more attention from drivers.
I prefer roads against cycle paths and indoor trainer. Indoor trainer or rollers are damn borring. Czech cycle paths are usually not suitable for fast road recumbent, they has sharp turns, bad surface and ends without any warning. But there are some exceptions. In Prague - my home city - I combine known cycle paths with roads, outside of Prague I use only roads.
I was used to use 1st class roads - highest class bike legal roads - on long trips. As I am getting older I prefer more and more roads without such dense traffic. That means roads with worse surface.
ratz
Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
Around here the Walkers on the MUPs are more dangerous than car drivers. I'm pretty sure every other car driver is looking at their cellphone; where as 100% of the walkers are. Might as well build the mups right through the garbage dump the walkers would never notice the difference because they never look up.
1happyreader
zen/child method
We joke that an alternate meaning of MUP is Mostly Unaware People.
The phone Zombies (PZ ???) are missing out but then so are downlooking DF riders.
later,,,, bye
The phone Zombies (PZ ???) are missing out but then so are downlooking DF riders.
later,,,, bye
VenRiderGuy
Well-Known Member
Snilard, that is my belief also from observation and experience and from reading about high-bicycle-use cities and countries, especially in the more dense, urban areas. I live in a more rural area, but the bike paths/lanes are marked and fairly wide, so fast traffic isn't as scary - and I have blinking lights mounted slightly higher than my head. My observation is that the lights help to ensure that drivers give you more room as they pass. I have also read a theory about riding with a certain amount of intentionally induced wobble. If you appear to be less competent, then drivers are more wary, which leads to more passing room. Of course, most of my wobbling is unintentional.
By the way, anyone, what is the 3rd law?
ratz
Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
Click the link in my signature; it dates back to Rick's typo and my general weirdness.
bladderhead
Zen MBB Master
I agree with snilard. It is my right not to be run over. It is their responsibility to drive carefully.
A recumbent on a path gets reactions from pedestrians. When I had a DF, I used to ride it past people and they would hardly notice. Seeing an oncoming 'bent gives some people a hell of a fright. And some dogs, too.
I was overtaking a horse rider and the horse tried to kick me. It was not near enough, but I looked straight at the sole of its foot. If I had been a few centimetres closer I would have got a kick in the face.
A recumbent on a path gets reactions from pedestrians. When I had a DF, I used to ride it past people and they would hardly notice. Seeing an oncoming 'bent gives some people a hell of a fright. And some dogs, too.
I was overtaking a horse rider and the horse tried to kick me. It was not near enough, but I looked straight at the sole of its foot. If I had been a few centimetres closer I would have got a kick in the face.
jond
Zen MBB Master
ratz you are not remotely weird at all. sleeping 2 hours a night is perfectly acceptable.
i understand your point Matej completely. i just figure the "odds" are better for reasonable outcomes on cycleways.
i live and pray for the day where cyclists are as respected here in australia as they are in some countries in Europe.
in my homestate of NSW australia we are in March 2016 moving to 1m and 1.5 m speed related separation passing /overtaking laws. cars bikes and pedestrians. a good thing but...... also photo id must be carried by cyclist from that date. talk about a nanny state. not sure this will improve the lot or death rate of cyclists here. and in many cases we cyclists are our own worst enemy. with the laws will be a blitz on cyclists disobeying the traffic code thus the photo id. this is of course registration of cyclists by stealth and to me an infringement of civil liberty. most adult cyclists are car owners too. carrying photo id is a hassle and for underage non- car drivers means another impost to just ride a bike........ let alone the hassle of carrying it.
last year i rode nearly 22,000 klm and was glanced twice by motorists. a couple of inches here or there and my lucky escapes would have been not so lucky. i was also abused many times even by a so called professional driver of a b double truck!
cyclists here like in america are seen as a hindrance and only proper real designated infrastructure and a cultural change will save cyclist lives. despite huge fines for using mobiles and massive campaigns people still use them. every car should be fitted with a mobile phone blocker irrespective of a hands free kit in my opinion.
we have had mandatory helmet laws in australia for well over two decades. and this has had major benefit in terms of types of injury and death rate. most people wear helmets now. note the australian/new zealand standard for helmets is higher than the rest of the world and that is why our helmets are generally heavier. helmet laws have not cut the injury rate. on average in newcastle we have two cyclists admitted to hospital every week with a population base of 65,000. but helmets have cut the head/brain injury rate .
B roads are of course our terrain. mixing it with city traffic is not my cup of tea though i have done and will still occasionally. of course organised events are in some ways far safer with traffic controls etc and they are a great goal to aim for .
i rode through south australia recently where 1m passing laws have been in force for some little time. but i noticed no additional protection from these early laws.
i have to say again it is only on the trikes where i am given respect. it is remarkable like chalk and cheese. sadly my "different" Vendetta does not evoke such motoring respect but i am passed like any other diamond frame rider.
for what it is worth i think the best defense a cyclist has from the inattentive driver or walker is high power 1 watt plus be seen lights for day time. and lower power for night 0.5 watt. and of course to as attentive yourself as humanly possible and minimise risk factors thus in my case the cycle ways and prodigious use of common sense.
i am sure technology and infrastructure will in the near future be a major factor for all road users in the application of safety systems to avoid collisions. other than that i will fit the vendetta bazooka after all.
stay safe out there.
sleeping 2 hours a night is perfectly acceptable.i understand your point Matej completely. i just figure the "odds" are better for reasonable outcomes on cycleways.
i live and pray for the day where cyclists are as respected here in australia as they are in some countries in Europe.
in my homestate of NSW australia we are in March 2016 moving to 1m and 1.5 m speed related separation passing /overtaking laws. cars bikes and pedestrians. a good thing but...... also photo id must be carried by cyclist from that date. talk about a nanny state. not sure this will improve the lot or death rate of cyclists here. and in many cases we cyclists are our own worst enemy. with the laws will be a blitz on cyclists disobeying the traffic code thus the photo id. this is of course registration of cyclists by stealth and to me an infringement of civil liberty. most adult cyclists are car owners too. carrying photo id is a hassle and for underage non- car drivers means another impost to just ride a bike........ let alone the hassle of carrying it.
last year i rode nearly 22,000 klm and was glanced twice by motorists. a couple of inches here or there and my lucky escapes would have been not so lucky. i was also abused many times even by a so called professional driver of a b double truck!
cyclists here like in america are seen as a hindrance and only proper real designated infrastructure and a cultural change will save cyclist lives. despite huge fines for using mobiles and massive campaigns people still use them. every car should be fitted with a mobile phone blocker irrespective of a hands free kit in my opinion.
we have had mandatory helmet laws in australia for well over two decades. and this has had major benefit in terms of types of injury and death rate. most people wear helmets now. note the australian/new zealand standard for helmets is higher than the rest of the world and that is why our helmets are generally heavier. helmet laws have not cut the injury rate. on average in newcastle we have two cyclists admitted to hospital every week with a population base of 65,000. but helmets have cut the head/brain injury rate .
B roads are of course our terrain. mixing it with city traffic is not my cup of tea though i have done and will still occasionally. of course organised events are in some ways far safer with traffic controls etc and they are a great goal to aim for .
i rode through south australia recently where 1m passing laws have been in force for some little time. but i noticed no additional protection from these early laws.
i have to say again it is only on the trikes where i am given respect. it is remarkable like chalk and cheese. sadly my "different" Vendetta does not evoke such motoring respect but i am passed like any other diamond frame rider.
for what it is worth i think the best defense a cyclist has from the inattentive driver or walker is high power 1 watt plus be seen lights for day time. and lower power for night 0.5 watt. and of course to as attentive yourself as humanly possible and minimise risk factors thus in my case the cycle ways and prodigious use of common sense.
i am sure technology and infrastructure will in the near future be a major factor for all road users in the application of safety systems to avoid collisions. other than that i will fit the vendetta bazooka after all.
stay safe out there.
Robert O
Well-Known Member
I'm in a pretty bike-aware corner of the US (Seattle). Not the top American bike friendly city, but consistently ranked in the top 5. Still, only 3.7 percent of commutes are on bike, but it's a start. One of the unfortunate side effects of the higher rate of car/bike interaction is that some drivers get even more passionate about the annoying riders that they have to deal with all the time. Still, I'll take that headache in trade for our active cycling community and improving infrastructure.
