The Attention Thread

[tata]

I know EUC can attract a lot of attention in public. What happend yesterday made me want to start a thread on this if there isn't already one.

So I was riding downtown Seattle and a homeless man start my day by this "greeting" while I was waiting for a red light: "Haven't seen you killed yourself yet." It did not bother me at all that he was being nagetive or being a hater. What bothered me is how easily I can be remembered by a random dude on street, a very uncomfortable thing for me at least, but I will live with it since I can do nothing unless I give up on EUC. 

Anyway, this next scene on the same ride imprinted more in my head. I was waiting for the red light, and yeah, it's a red light everytime. I was on a triangular island thing alone in the middle of a big intersection. A State Police car just stop in front of me in the middle of the intersection and the officer staring at me for at least ten seconds. I wasn't even on my ks14, I was standing with it's handle pulling out. The pedal on my side was up so I can walk better and the other is down. I didn't know what to do. Basically stand there frozen. With all that cars at the intersection, it felt like a long time. Then he drove away and nothing more happened. I wish I had the guts to walk up and tell him hey officer, I am not carrying a bomb.     Yeah, that officer is most likely just confused, but that's not an experience I want again.

After all, with the exception of several incidents, I have heard "it's so cool" a thousand times like all of you probably did, and so it's very easy to stay on the positive side what EUC bring us even when it comes to others opinion. Not complaining by any means, I guess we just need to do our best to be the ambassador of EUC. Existed for a decade now, it surprises me how the world knows little about this amazing thing.  What were your most remembered stories with other people's attention and how did you deal with it? 

[Smoother]

I can't repeat the comment I heard today because the forum seems to be creeping ever so slowly towards being PC.  I will say though that it was funny, and so was my response. 

As for your homeless person; that was horrible...I mean his grammar is awful. @esaj will be able to say how many rules were broken because I can't.

I can't even tell you what I do to deal with comments because that doesn't meet with the PC standards either.

Cop staring, that nothing, When I was standing at a traffic island, like you, the driver of a passing car (BMW) looked at me with disgust and threw a water bottle at me  I can laugh about it now (at least that's what my therapist said)

Basically I can't help

Just know you are having fun and the opinions of strangers don't matter, unless their opinion is valid like "turn that f..ing music down, no one wants to hear what you're listening to." you know, that sort of thing.

Actually I do have a PC approved comment.  Yesterday a kid on a bench (near where the car was being pulled out of the river, see "I had a nice ride today" thread) not 4 feet from me, shouted to his family, "HEY THERE'S THAT GUY ON THAT THING" My response? " I can hear you, but you're right, I am that guy on that thing" and rode off smiling.

[esaj]

Had to go digging old threads, this happened back in July 2015, when EUCs were still illegal in Finland:

 

Quote

 

I just had my first contact with a person who wasn't as positive about riding EUCs...

I went for a night ride, leaving after 12AM. I picked a route I have never ridden before, that goes near the hospital. Nothing special on the way, keeping good pace but not even near top speeds. Traffic is next to nonexistent as it's over midnight on a weekday, saw a few bikes farther away here and there, and some cars. After going around the hospital, I turned back to go via a long bike lane that goes next to a freeway. As I was closing the corner where to turn to the bikelane, I saw a lady ride her bike to the same bikelane.

As I came around the corner, she was riding maybe 10 meters ahead of me, peeking at me over her shoulder and said something like "hey you!". I rode next to her and opened my visor, so I could hear her better. The following short conversation ensued:

She: "Isn't that one of those things, I saw a tv-program about them yesterday..." (Probably meaning the news)

She: "Do you think this is some kind of a closed area?"

Me: "No"

She "So why are you then riding here?"

Me: "Because I feel like it"  (Well, that's the truth, I have no plausible reason to be riding there or anywhere else in public roads)

She just exploded.

She "Yeah, yeah, it's your kind of selfish bastards who are responsible for so many accidents and injuries..." (I didn't really get it all as she was yelling and the words just poured out of her mouth)

So I put my visor down, gave her the thumbs up (yes, thumbs up, not middle finger) and accelerated to around the top speed, leaving her behind me. I could still hear her yelling from the top of her lungs "FALL DOWN!" and I laughed so hard that I nearly did...   

 

 

[Smoother]

Wow! riding around after midnight on deserted streets! You ARE a selfish bastard.  FALL DOWN!!!!

[tata]

The grammar might be on me LOL. 

  "HEY THERE'S THAT GUY ON THAT THING" reminds me that the other day I heard behind me "HOLY SHIT, IT'S ONE OF THOSE". The one I heard probably sounds better.

[Smoother]

I've heard this personally and others have heard similar "the future is here".

Another good one was "go on. pop a wheelie".

"Hey mate, You've lost a wheel"

An English skateboarder in Barcelona (I know! go figure) cut me off by riding diagonally across my path without looking.  When I complained, he said he didn't have eyes in the back of his head, I reminded him what his neck was for, he then got more miffed and told me to get off and push, like a real man (or something like that), I said and I quote "Nah! Pushing is for wankers*", and sped off up a hill so I knew he couldn't catch me.

*look it up if you have to, but it PG13

[tata]

That's it. I am going to wear a facem ask like this everytime I ride from now on. I am already getting the maximum attention so I don't care more. Hopefully I will get less interaction while others are busy choosing which part of me to look at(that's so weird to say lol). At least it shows that I don't want to talk, plus it looks cool.

[tessa25]

Lol. I think it's funny that people get angry at EUCs. I can't imagine why anyone would care. Only positive stuff here. But most people here like one outdoor activity or an other. Maybe that's why.

[Smoother]

11 minutes ago, tessa25 said:

Lol. I think it's funny that people get angry at EUCs. I can't imagine why anyone would care.

It's because people think that 1, their opinion count, and 2, the person they are expressing it about should hear it.  Mostly, they are wrong on both counts.

 

[Lefteris]

I've had my fair share of "attention freaks" over the years, from grandpa's that pick up their walking stick when i ride by them and yelling all kinds of things, and trust me.. Greeks tend to use these "bad words" the PC forums don't want us to type down  .. to kids stopping me by force to ask what this is, by first chasing me down the street with their bicycles, to a fresh one.

I got home about 40' ago, i got off work and i'm close about 10 streets to my house. Cause it's night i want to use the big roads that have better lighting cause i'm tired and i don't want to fall into some kind of, i don't know from trash on the road to even people  , so while i was about middle way a guy with a dark red civic got into the same speed with me, me at the z10 around 20km/h, and lowered his window and said, in a some-kind-of-translation  :

Quote

hey guy, you need to be careful when riding this thing at night ok?

and i was like, wow a random guy has just said something nice, me to be cautious.. and i answered

thank you but don't worry i'm being careful all the time while i'm riding specially at night

and then.. "it" came. (in loose translation)

Quote

DO EVEN F***ING TALK TO ME WHILE I'M DRIVING YOU HEAR ME?

I was like WTF BRO!? and i answered with

well ok so don't speak to me 

and i accelerated a bit BUT .....

HE FOLLOWED ME!!! and i was with an expression like what are you doing bro, and the hands like asking the question and he lowered his window again, and resumed..

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DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO ME???

At that point, guys, i'm not kidding, in an instant i got the gist of his situation and just turned a carved right on the next alley.. the guy was drunk for sure and he surely thought, like all Greeks tend to do that, that i replied by using cursing words or something towards him..

Eitherway.. it's one of the stories i won't forget and i hope, i really do, that i don't have to deal with that guy again.. (please god, there is no need to have an experience like that ever again)
 

[Smoother]

27 minutes ago, tata said:

That's it. I am going to wear a face mask like this everytime I ride from now on

I'm not sure that will stop unwanted comments.  Might even invite more

"Here come the lone Ranger, But Silver sure has changed"

[tata]

Is wearing a face mask bad or something? 

[Lefteris]

8 minutes ago, tata said:

Is wearing a face mask bad or something? 

I don't think so, and i was thinking about one for when the weather is not so hot

[tata]

@Lefteris That's when the speed comes in to cheat the temperature.

[Smoother]

38 minutes ago, tata said:

Is wearing a face mask bad or something? 

No, but if your not in China or Tokyo, you will look even more out of place, and give the Opinionators ( I made that word up) something else to opine about.

[tata]

Nah, it's okay. I will just tell them I am from China which is true. Oops, did I talk to them? 

[tata]

Warning, wearing a mask is not a good idea people! Now, I have to watch out for the high fives people are giving me and I feel bad if I miss one.

[scotchtape]

Really in Seattle?

Up here in Vancouver mostly positive comments, had a bunch of people ask me if it's hard to learn. Kids love this thing too!

It would suck to be in an area where people are mean

[seage]

I've only had "words" with cyclists.  The hardcore, super stuck up types. Which is funny, because as ive mentioned on countless occasions, i cycle too, so NORMALLY when i see these guys on my bike, they nod. A slight smile. They're cool. When im on my wheel, they are FURIOUS. I had someone yell "Thats cheating!" and mean it, lmfao. Just today I was on a group ride and this guy is like "TO YOUR LEFT" so i pull in a bit, and he angrilly yells "Effing guys taking up the whole path!". I just burst out laughing. He goes to pull off, so i just sat with him, right behind him, laughing audibly. He was getting so mad, but i couldn't help playing with him. I let him go after a while, didnt need his head turning as red as his jersey with pure rage. /But normally when i see angry cyclists i disarm them with a hello, or sometimes cruise beside em and compliment them on their pace or bike or whatever. Its hard to be mad at someone whos being nice to you. But ONCE IN A WHILE.........

Past them, attention is always positive. Even the cops today actually cheered me on as i rode past. I wasn't going slow either, as i needed to make some distance between myself and cars on my tail. 

I have to say tho.,... Our e-skate brothers and sisters get it a lot worse, I think. My sister in law recently got a board and has been riding with us, and cars especially are terrible to her, where as they keep a distance from myself and my brother. POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF THE GIANT DASHCAM (gopro) ON MY HEAD AT ALL TIMES. But still. Someone in a car took the tiny gap between her and brother, shot in and cut her off then brake checked her...????  I think people still think skateboarders are these unruly rebels that deserve to die or something. If anything, at least we dont have a long history of prejudice against us to fight against. We're creating the impression people have on us from scratch everytime we go out, which aint half bad.   

[Darrell Wesh]

I’ve posted this before but my most positive comment has been from an SUV of college girls that almost ran me over trying to catch up to my MSX, and a girl in the back seat shouting “we should fu*k sometime!” Not even drunk, at 11am in the morning. 

I guess my most negative comment was an older lady who told me her neighborhood I was cruising through doesn’t allow “motor vehicles” as she was riding in a car beside me 🤦🏾‍♂️

[eucinsea]

On 6/2/2019 at 4:08 PM, Smoother said:

No, but if your not in China or Tokyo, you will look even more out of place, and give the Opinionators ( I made that word up) something else to opine about.

There are actually a large number of people in Seattle that wear black or white masks like that. Nothing like in China but noticeable.   

@tata However I would recommend a full face helmet  mostly for safety but also serves to cover your face. I personally wear a Fox Proframe I picked up at Evo over in Fremont. 

It’s surprising and scary the amount of EUC’rs I come across in Seattle without any head or other protection.  

Also @tata If you want to do some riding around Seattle with another euc’r shoot me a pm. I have been doing a evening ride after work almost every day since its been nice out. Couple of group rides on Saturdays as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tata]

@prasket Maybe I will get one some day when I get my 16X and ready to go on the road with cars which might never happen. Right now I will just chicken out on my sidewalks with my little wheel. 

[Dzlchef]

Like everyone, I've had numerous comments but two seem to stick out.  

Stopped at a light, a guy on the corner says be very careful, I had one of those until I had a massive fall. He pulls up his shirt and you can see surgical scars across his left shoulder.  Sobering. 

The second was a beautiful women that saw me trollying in the grocery store.  She said that she's seen me around and was happy to finally meet me. Small talk briefly before checking out.  I'm a happily married man, otherwise that would have been a great start!

[seage]

On 6/4/2019 at 2:49 PM, Dzlchef said:

Stopped at a light, a guy on the corner says be very careful, I had one of those until I had a massive fall. He pulls up his shirt and you can see surgical scars across his left shoulder.  Sobering

I have a scar from tripping and falling while walking once. Its why i got an EUC. To avoid that deathsport. 

[Smoother]

4 hours ago, seage said:

I have a scar from tripping and falling while walking once. Its why i got an EUC. To avoid that deathsport. 

That's so true.  I was walking (argh!) with a friend through a park in Barcelona (gravel path)  She tripped over a raised man hole cover.  Went down like a sack of potatoes hurled off a truck.  She had more cuts and bruises (and gravel stuck in her palms) than I've ever had falling off an EUC.  Aother female friend was attending an event in a long evening gown.  Caught her heel in her dress, same potato sack scenario.  Another female friend tripped over a raised garden path, did a full on face plant.  People really do go down hard when walking is interrupted even momentarily. Silly girls should have worn wrist guards to do that "death sport"

 

Oops, thread derailed, again.