EUC fashion...

[Funky]

Just now, Cerbera said:

I thought we'd moved on because the hair thing had run its course ! We just haven't left this thread yet !

Well if Topic Author says so..

[Cerbera]

Yeah, once we've all expressed some sympathy for the crash, lamented the lack of helmet and observed that in this case his hair didn't help, there's not much else to say hey ?!  I suppose we haven't yet noted that his Captain America shield didn't dramatically spring to his rescue either, like it would have done in the film of it !

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[Funky]

Anyways...

Spoiler

Do you guys like small and light wheels? 

Spoiler

Joke. Joke. Don't get your whitey tighties in a bunch. 

 

[on one]

The story of this thread is an important one, where a group of riders failed to create a culture of safety, and tragedy was the result. All of this could have been prevented if the organizer of the meet up said you can't ride with us if you don't even have a helmet.

[Cerbera]

7 minutes ago, on one said:

The story of this thread is an important one, where a group of riders failed to create a culture of safety, and tragedy was the result. All of this could have been prevented if the organizer of the meet up said you can't ride with us if you don't even have a helmet.

I don't disagree with that, but I do also kinda like that the group respects everyone's personal choices and then is there for them in a comradely and helpful way when they learn their individual life lessons...

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[on one]

Another aspect that your story @Cerbera reveals is that riding an electric unicycle requires a lot of responsibility. If the responsibility is lacking then tragedy will be the outcome. I noticed that the group was not really giving each other enough space either. I would have veered off long before everyone took that pot hole laden road. Heck, I wouldn't have been able to keep up on my Z10 anyway.

[Cerbera]

6 minutes ago, on one said:

Another aspect that your story @Cerbera reveals is that riding an electric unicycle requires a lot of responsibility. If the responsibility is lacking then tragedy will be the outcome. I noticed that the group was not really giving each other enough space either. I would have veered off long before everyone took that pot hole laden road. Heck, I wouldn't have been able to keep up on my Z10 anyway.

Yeah, a lot of it is about picking your battles, and planning to mitigate unforeseen disaster ! I choose my level of trust in myself quite carefully - for example I do consider myself responsible enough to ride wheels and fly drones, but not quite enough to do paragliding (for example), where the occasional mistake I tend to get away with in those other hobbies might just insta-kill me !

And I suppose it also functions as a warning to even the most experienced of us that 'terrain difficulty' is only ever one small misjudgement or omission of oversight away from any of us... 

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[on one]

I like that we can both be humble enough to admit that we were lucky to not to have suffered severe injury during our trekking.

[Funky]

14 minutes ago, Cerbera said:

Yeah, a lot of it is about picking your battles, and planning to mitigate unforeseen disaster ! I choose my level of trust in myself quite carefully - for example I do consider myself responsible enough to ride wheels and fly drones, but not quite enough to do paragliding (for example), where the occasional mistake I tend to get away with in those other hobbies might just insta-kill me !

Doh what a great way to go.. High risk - high reward.

I personally don't really care about my own well being. I could die right now - and i would not care. (Because you are dead - your life is over and nothing matters afterwards. But i'm being selfish and don't really think about others and their feelings. Where family, or lover would be sad, miserable, heartbroken. I see how that insta kill is bad. But same time your journey have ended right there and then.)

Edited July 10 by Funky

[techyiam]

25 minutes ago, on one said:

The story of this thread is an important one, where a group of riders failed to create a culture of safety, and tragedy was the result. All of this could have been prevented if the organizer of the meet up said you can't ride with us if you don't even have a helmet.

If you want to see someone die or get very serous hurt outside of war, join a sport bike group ride comprising of mostly newbies of all ages. It usually happens in short order. What is really alarming is that there exist experienced riders who goes on these type of group rides to entice newbies to take on very elevated risks.  And usually they are all geared to the hilt. Back in the days, the US Marines had more casualties back home than in Iraq due to motorcycle accidents.

Depending of the group, there is no question that group rides can increase the risk of injuries substantially. 

[Cerbera]

6 minutes ago, techyiam said:

What is really alarming is that there exist experienced riders who goes on these type of group rides to entice newbies to take on very elevated risks.

Well that's unquestionably true about that particular group, and Roger H, bless him, is highly culpable in that regard - in nearly every video he posts he is encouraging people to do scary and sketchy stuff, but never anything he won't do himself (and do brilliantly) 5 times first ! And there we have the opposite side of the coin - there I don't see a man who is constantly try to make people do dangerous things - I see a guy who supportingly tries to increase people's skills, decrease their fear, and help them achieve their potential on the wheels they ride. I think he's brilliant, personally, and these people can always say no to his insane challenges (and often do) !  

Having a big, fat NO-ONE round here to group ride with, I do sometimes miss the cameraderie of such things, but were I to find myself in a big group like theirs I would be like Marty B., doing my own thing at the back, nice and slowly and carefully

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[on one]

I always enjoy my rides because I'm never really alone because children always blurt out hello, one more reason for me to be a good example with helmet and gear. The ladies chant "go" "go" "go" --- don't crash! and the guys scream out across the ponde, "I Love You!" "You're Awesome!" and "I want one of those." I get a lot of attention in my rural community. I just can't seem to get my upstairs neighbor to learn with me yet.

[Cerbera]

3 minutes ago, on one said:

I always enjoy my rides because I'm never really alone because children always blurt out hello, one more reason for me to be a good example with helmet and gear. The ladies chant "go" "go" "go" --- don't crash! and the guys scream out across the ponde, "I Love You!" "You're Awesome!" and "I want one of those." I get a lot of attention in my rural community. I just can't seem to get my upstairs neighbor to learn with me yet.

Yeah, that is quite good isn't it ?  Since I retired from the band, it's the best audience I get these days !

I just don't like the other (admittedly much rarer) days, where it's all Karens shouting some variance of 'illegal' or 'dangerous'. They don't cheer as much either.

And yeah - why can't I get my friends to use my spare wheel ?! One of them tried it once, said it was the most terrifying feeling they had ever had, and threw up shortly afterwards - I wasn't expecting that !!

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[on one]

Older gentlemen always give me a broad smile and a wink. They like to see the progress of the modern age.

[Cerbera]

8 minutes ago, on one said:

Older gentlemen always give me a broad smile and a wink. They like to see the progress of the modern age.

Yeah, I love those guys. But there's the other type of similarly aged old curmudgeons, who will move into your path and block you with the intention of delivering a stern lecture about what inconsiderate arseholes we are !

I have noticed that I am incredibly bad at spotting the difference from any kind of distance ! Nearly everyone I think could be a problem isn't, and the ones I reckon are probably fine are the ones who least are ! And for some reason, almost none of these guys are prepared to enter into a reasoned discussion about it. That's what frustrates me most - I never get the chance to explain to them just HOW MUCH thought and consideration has gone into the choice to ride, and the way I do it.

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[techyiam]

6 hours ago, on one said:

Older gentlemen always give me a broad smile and a wink. They like to see the progress of the modern age.

I don't pay too much attention to that. But it does happen more often than I would expect. Some of the people who give a thumbs up, or equivalent are from people I would least expect to appreciate someone riding an euc.

I have been riding very cautiously, courteously, and respectful of others along the same routes for some time now. And I find that most drivers have been be friendly and  great to me.

Edited July 10 by techyiam

[Cerbera]

Just now, techyiam said:

I don't pay too much attention to that. But it does happen more often than I would expect. Some of the people who gives a thumbs up, or equivalent are from people I would least expect to appreciate someone riding an euc.

I have been riding very cautiously, courteously, and respectful of others along the same routes for some time now. And I find that most drivers have been be friendly and  great to me.

Likewise here. I'd say the ratio of positive to negative interactions with pedestrians is about 10:1. The vast majority of people either think it's cool, or nothing they need to care about, or have seen me so often about town that I am merely regular, accepted 'background noise' to them, which is exactly where I want to be !

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[on one]

I live in a fairly agro community (live life in the extreme) like rodeos, snow mobile riding, dune buggies that are street legal, guns, hunting, surviving harsh elements, so they get it because they are all a little bit extreme just living here.

[Cerbera]

I get a definite little boost every time a pedestrian thanks me for using my bell, and moves over to one side to let me pass.

And the corollary pang of rage when I'm dinging the damn bell, and person in front has those awful Beats headphones on (incidentally demonstrating their absolute ignorance of what constitutes quality sound !), and 3 scatterbrained dogs, 2 of which hate me, not on leads... in fact that's a follow-on point that doesn't often get discussed - we frequently mention peoples attitudes towards us, but not so often the things they do that wind us up ! Given the amount of thought and consideration I put into riding well, safely and considerately, I do get annoyed when that favour is not returned, but in this country at least, I rarely say anything, because I know they will just play the inevitable 'illegal' card ! Swings and roundabouts hey, but never not an adventure !

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[on one]

If I had a high-top hairdo and a captain america shield I pretty sure the cops would stop me to check if I was on drugs.

[Cerbera]

3 minutes ago, on one said:

If I had a high-top hairdo and a captain america shield I pretty sure the cops would stop me to check if I was on drugs.

Yeah, but 'America'. That sort of thing is all fine over there I'm told. In a way I rather admire that about them as a culture / people - hardly anyone is trying to stop those guys riding their wheels - it's a refreshingly 'can do' attitude sadly lacking over here !

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[techyiam]

7 minutes ago, Cerbera said:

and 3 scatterbrained dogs, 2 of which hate me, not on leads... in fact that's a follow-on point that doesn't often get discussed

Interesting that you mention dogs.

For some unexplainable reasons, dogs on or not on leash don't bark or be bothered with me, anymore. Not 100%, but almost. I don't know what changed.

[Cerbera]

14 minutes ago, techyiam said:

Interesting that you mention dogs.

For some unexplainable reasons, dogs on or not on leash don't bark or be bothered with me, anymore. Not 100%, but almost. I don't know what changed.

Lucky you  There are at least 4 big black ones in this town that consider me their personal nemesis. And a lot of the little ankle-biter ones that have got inexplicably more confidence than their size would befit !

Edited July 10 by Cerbera

[on one]

22 minutes ago, Cerbera said:

Yeah, but 'America'. That sort of thing is all fine over there I'm told.

No, it's extremely conservative and progressive. There was a property owner who kept trying to fly the confederate flag but I think that sort of thing is considered a hate crime. The police would stop me because of the apparent lack of attention to personal safety while being overly concerned about my costume. They most certainly suspect that I wasn't thinking clearly and probably try to stop me to investigate, wondering if I was mentally able to protect myself. It's actually a good thing.

[Cerbera]

Even @Marty Backe has a cloak, and he's one of the most careful riders I know of !! And of course there's the NYC EUC lunatics - fairly sure pretty much anything goes there ! If you're not wearing cat ears and aren't lit up like Madison Square Gardens at Xmas you're just not fitting in !

Edited July 10 by Cerbera