HermanTheGerman Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Yesterday, a fantastic bright, warm and sunny autumn day, I was riding along river Mur, on one of my preferred pathes. (BTW, thanks to @LanghamP, pointing out that the battery lasts a lot longer in "riding mode" than in "player mode" on my KS16, that's really true, and extended some of my rides in the last days by some nice kilometers). I was rolling against the sun, and saw a bicyclist approaching, driving on his side of the bike path, like many others I already met today. I saw him staring at me, and so I know he noticed me, and didn't have any thoughts that something bad could happen. Suddenly, approximately 10 meters in front of me, he changed to the (his) left side, so approaching me in collision course. An immediate emergency brake on my side (I was rolling as I do mostly, around 25 km/h) didn't help, and also a try to escape to the right side into the meadows, because when I changed directions, he always did exactly the same, so we ended in a collision. It was not that fast anymore, so I could jump off and run it out, though I had troubles to keep the balance. He just stopped. He was a 16 year old boy, saying he is sorry, and telling me he was so puzzled by my appearance, that he didn't take care of his riding, and was somehow magnetically attracted by me. I was laughing, just telling him that this is nothing magical, but just a segway like thing, only with one wheel, and asked him to give it a try. Though he didn't, he seemed to be relieved by this explanation, and also by the fact I was not hurt, and then we both went our ways. However, this was the funniest accident I ever had in my life: people bumping into me because they can't believe what they see. For me it was especially surprising, because normally people here do not care much if you pass along on an EUC. Although I got some views and had to answer 4 or 5 times some questions since the 16 months I'm riding now, I never had anything close like this boy, who seemed to think I came to earth directly from starship Enterprise or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrelwood Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Hah! Luckily both of you stayed intact. I’ve seen the opposite happen quite a lot, especially with middle aged people. They jump to the side of the road, as if they think that I can’t steer or brake. I do admit, they do see me approaching quite fast from far away before I slow down. I tend to tell them to relax, and that there is no rush. I think most people don’t have a clue that a one wheeler can be as agile and under control as an EUC is. But to cycle straight towards a vehicle you don’t understand... That’s a new one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
who_the Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Glad everybody is OK. I always remind myself that, even after riding an EUC almost 2 years, most people are seeing one for the first time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circuitmage Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 That is a common thing among motorcyclists , from what I understand from some group riding sessions I have been in. There are so many parallels to motorcycle safety on EUC's it's worth noting. There is a psychological phenomena of someone looking at you and being drawn to your direction. It IS as if they are magnetically being pulled to you. Most often it is young (inexperienced) drivers, or people under the influence of drugs. So far, in my brief time on EUC's I have noticed many dangerous responses from people in cars watching me. I have seen cars stop in the middle of the street, slow down and/or veer off their lane, stop 10 or 20 feet from intersections, expecting me to just drive through (which only frustrates me, as I have to stop or slow down for them, wait, and re-asses their course of action). The bottom line is, safety is huge concern. Glad you are OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radial Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 One guy asked me if I was from planet earth or somewhere else. And I don't think he was joking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WARPed1701D Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 One of the first things I was taught when doing an intensive Motorcycle course for my British license (very difficult test) was that you always look in the direction you want to go. If you look elsewhere....well, this is where you are likely to end up. Look at the car on the corner you are taking, you will probably hit the car rather then take the corner. It was true too and seems to be the issue here. My last interaction with a biped started with him shouting the following sentence..."Congratulations! You win asshole of the day. Well done." He had been standing down a perpendicular side path feeding squirrels. I was passing on the main path probably 10 feet from him at slow/moderate speed. I still don't know what I did to deserve such a comment but like many in my area I'm not sure he was all there. I thanked him and told him what to do with himself. Glad you experience was more positive even if you did dismount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scatcat Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 The strangeness of reactions never cease to amaze me. I think the car driver crossing the bicycle path took the cake. It was a legal move at a intersection where bikes have rights of way, but she just looked at me and stopped in the middle. She was not far enough along that I could go behind the car, and going in front of her was out of the question with that reaction... She actually looked slightly hypnotised, like she was the mouse and I the snake. It would have been funny if I wasn't approaching her at 20 mph... Had to brake rather hard to avoid slamming into her. Then suddenly it was like she woke up, and suddenly stomped on the gas - the exact reason why I didn't dare try to veer away in front of her. People almost jumping off the path are almost an everyday occurrence, it's really like they think I'm standing on some projectile rather than a vehicle that can be controlled in any way. I also got one of those "asshole" comments, and I didn't even get close to the guy uttering it, my eyebrows almost disappeared up the helmet by sheer consternation. I almost stopped to go back and ask what he meant and why, but thought better of it. I don't get any kicks out of picking a fight over nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circuitmage Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 I imagine this is what it was like when motorcycles first hit the streets. Lots of people still have a hatred for motorcycle riders too, probably not going to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WARPed1701D Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 35 minutes ago, Circuitmage said: Lots of people still have a hatred for motorcycle riders too, probably not going to change. I think lots of people just hate...full stop. Motorcycle, EUC, bipedal human. It seems like you don't really need to do anything untoward to be hated by at least someone in the vicinity in the current era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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