I'm waiting for the Hush-A-Booms. They're fun!Dave wrote:What... you don't take along one of those nice free-market Daisy Cutter knockoffs? Yes, they're civilian-made rather than mil-spec, but that doesn't seem to detract from their enthusiasm!Typeminer wrote:One of my favorite rants applies here: We have been fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan for how long, and I still can't get Army surplus RPGs for canoe trips!?
It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Don't let other peoples limitations become your constraints!
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- NOTDilbert
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
I didn't know the military even made role-playing games.......Typeminer wrote:One of my favorite rants applies here: We have been fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan for how long, and I still can't get Army surplus RPGs for canoe trips!?Fairportfan wrote:Speaking as someone who always obeyed the traffic laws scrupulously when i was riding bikes in Atlanta (and almost lost an arm when an idiot turned left across my path) and had more than one incident when drivers intentionally attempted to intimidate me or force me off the road ... let's just say that there were times i wished i was carrying a heavy handgun.
"Imagination is more important than Knowledge" - Albert Einstein
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it DOES rhyme" - Mark Twain
"Always. Expect. Ninjas." - Syndey Scoville
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it DOES rhyme" - Mark Twain
"Always. Expect. Ninjas." - Syndey Scoville
- Jabberwonky
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
There is America's Army. Not true role playing game, but...
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Not like you think. It's the idiots on powerboats with sound systems loud enough to drown out their engines. And the jetskis. Oh, the @#$%^&! jetskis. . .Fairportfan wrote:Wot - do you hear banjos?Typeminer wrote:One of my favorite rants applies here: We have been fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan for how long, and I still can't get Army surplus RPGs for canoe trips!?Fairportfan wrote:Speaking as someone who always obeyed the traffic laws scrupulously when i was riding bikes in Atlanta (and almost lost an arm when an idiot turned left across my path) and had more than one incident when drivers intentionally attempted to intimidate me or force me off the road ... let's just say that there were times i wished i was carrying a heavy handgun.
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Not a new problem, alas. A possible solution was field-tested but its inventor found that it had a few bugs...Typeminer wrote:Not like you think. It's the idiots on powerboats with sound systems loud enough to drown out their engines. And the jetskis. Oh, the @#$%^&! jetskis. . .
- NOTDilbert
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
I LOVE that movie! One of the all-time great comedies.Dave wrote:Not a new problem, alas. A possible solution was field-tested but its inventor found that it had a few bugs...Typeminer wrote:Not like you think. It's the idiots on powerboats with sound systems loud enough to drown out their engines. And the jetskis. Oh, the @#$%^&! jetskis. . .
"Imagination is more important than Knowledge" - Albert Einstein
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it DOES rhyme" - Mark Twain
"Always. Expect. Ninjas." - Syndey Scoville
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it DOES rhyme" - Mark Twain
"Always. Expect. Ninjas." - Syndey Scoville
Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Come ride bikes in Oshkosh. It's nice here.
You have to get a licence sticker on your bike. The cops have your real info.
You can get tickets. For riding on sidewalks. For poor use of proper signals. AND... For riding at night without A HEADLIGHT. Forget that pansy reflector junk.
And too many tickets and your bike gets confiscated.
You have to get a licence sticker on your bike. The cops have your real info.
You can get tickets. For riding on sidewalks. For poor use of proper signals. AND... For riding at night without A HEADLIGHT. Forget that pansy reflector junk.
And too many tickets and your bike gets confiscated.
Knowing you'll get a second chance does not justify purposely screwing up the first one. --Me
Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
That's pretty cool.Danzier wrote:Come ride bikes in Oshkosh. It's nice here.
You have to get a licence sticker on your bike. The cops have your real info.
You can get tickets. For riding on sidewalks. For poor use of proper signals. AND... For riding at night without A HEADLIGHT. Forget that pansy reflector junk.
And too many tickets and your bike gets confiscated.
"Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful."
And see that life is beautiful."
Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
I notice bad travelers (be they pedestrian, cyclist, freaking powered wheelchair, or driver) whenever I'm on the road. True, I notice the drivers more when I'm riding or walking and notice the cyclists and pedestrians (and the guy "driving" his wheelchair down the middle of the road) more when I'm driving.
That said, the problem is both human nature and education.
Drivers need to learn how to deal with cyclists. Cyclists need to be held accountable when they violate traffic laws. My personal feeling is that licensing cyclists is too extreme - I started riding on roads at age 5 (after my parents pounded road safety and proper signalling into my head), but never would have been able to pass a test on it.
How's this: we hold motorists responsible for their conduct around bicycles (following too close, passing in the same lane, crossing a double yellow to pass, etc) the same as around cars. We also make it so if a cyclist over 16 is seen to be violating traffic laws (and yes, many states have specific traffic laws for bicycles, usually pertaining to safety devices), they get a trip to the police station and a fine before they can get their bike back, along with the longer ride or the cost of a bus ticket home. Under 16, they get a ride home and the parents get to pay the fine to get the bike back. Register the bikes, maybe, and track violations against them.
But before we go that far, we start educating people. My Driver's Ed course and my 5-hour course (NYS, many years ago) didn't cover interacting with cyclists. Let's stop the excuse of ignorance.
That said, the problem is both human nature and education.
Drivers need to learn how to deal with cyclists. Cyclists need to be held accountable when they violate traffic laws. My personal feeling is that licensing cyclists is too extreme - I started riding on roads at age 5 (after my parents pounded road safety and proper signalling into my head), but never would have been able to pass a test on it.
How's this: we hold motorists responsible for their conduct around bicycles (following too close, passing in the same lane, crossing a double yellow to pass, etc) the same as around cars. We also make it so if a cyclist over 16 is seen to be violating traffic laws (and yes, many states have specific traffic laws for bicycles, usually pertaining to safety devices), they get a trip to the police station and a fine before they can get their bike back, along with the longer ride or the cost of a bus ticket home. Under 16, they get a ride home and the parents get to pay the fine to get the bike back. Register the bikes, maybe, and track violations against them.
But before we go that far, we start educating people. My Driver's Ed course and my 5-hour course (NYS, many years ago) didn't cover interacting with cyclists. Let's stop the excuse of ignorance.
Eagerly anticipating the Pun Jar singularity event...
Forget the Plot Flour...we're into Plot Cornstarch, and the plot has gone non-newtonian...
"To the Journey!"
Forget the Plot Flour...we're into Plot Cornstarch, and the plot has gone non-newtonian...
"To the Journey!"
Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Truth!Dave11 wrote:I notice bad travelers (be they pedestrian, cyclist, freaking powered wheelchair, or driver) whenever I'm on the road. True, I notice the drivers more when I'm riding or walking and notice the cyclists and pedestrians (and the guy "driving" his wheelchair down the middle of the road) more when I'm driving.
Wow. My parents taught me road safety and all that jazz (not that I remember any of it anymore), but I was only ever allowed to ride my bicycle on a road (as opposed to sidewalk) if it was the cul-de-sac we lived on or if my parents were biking with me...and frankly I wasn't allowed to ride on sidewalks more than one street away in my neighborhood until I was at least 10 years old. I figure that kids should only be road-cycling with parental oversight, so the "licensing" thing would be invalid. If a parent doesn't want to supervise their kids bicycling on roads, then their kids should have to be able to pass some sort of road-safety test. *shrugs* I honestly don't see how operating any kind of vehicle on a roadway should be treated differently than driving. Maybe I could see an allowance made for families in rural areas where sidewalks or "neighborhood" type safe roads aren't available...but in larger cities, there should be some sort of mandatory cycling education for kids who leave the relative safety of their neighborhood.Dave11 wrote:My personal feeling is that licensing cyclists is too extreme - I started riding on roads at age 5 (after my parents pounded road safety and proper signalling into my head), but never would have been able to pass a test on it.
I'm all for education, but I do have a legitimate question (since I was definitely not fully/properly educated with regards to driving around cyclists). What is the proper way to handle a bicycle trudging along on a two-lane road (one lane each direction) when there's a double yellow line? I consider my parents to be responsible/safe drivers, but they've always waited until they were sure there wasn't on-coming traffic, then passed the cyclist...so naturally that's what I've assumed was the appropriate action. Is it really the expectation that you crawl along behind them until you reach a passing zone (if there is one anywhere nearby)? Or would it be the cyclist's responsibility to stop and get off the road to allow traffic to pass? How does that work without causing a ridiculous amount of traffic congestion? (I'm mostly curious because my parents live in an area where there are frequently cyclists, and there aren't many (if any) passing zones on the little roads around their neighborhood. I'd like to be safe and not a jerk behind the wheel if I can manage it. )Dave11 wrote:How's this: we hold motorists responsible for their conduct around bicycles (following too close, passing in the same lane, crossing a double yellow to pass, etc) the same as around cars. We also make it so if a cyclist over 16 is seen to be violating traffic laws (and yes, many states have specific traffic laws for bicycles, usually pertaining to safety devices), they get a trip to the police station and a fine before they can get their bike back, along with the longer ride or the cost of a bus ticket home. Under 16, they get a ride home and the parents get to pay the fine to get the bike back. Register the bikes, maybe, and track violations against them.
"Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful."
And see that life is beautiful."
Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Not being flip, but how do you handle it when you're behind a car going 10 mph in a 30? If there's a shoulder (which there usually is on two-lane roads in the country), the cyclist should be in it. If not, the cyclist should periodically let traffic by, as otherwise they're obstructing traffic (just like the guy going 10 mph in a 30). Sharing the road is, if you'll pardon the phrase, a two-way street.Julie wrote:I'm all for education, but I do have a legitimate question (since I was definitely not fully/properly educated with regards to driving around cyclists). What is the proper way to handle a bicycle trudging along on a two-lane road (one lane each direction) when there's a double yellow line? I consider my parents to be responsible/safe drivers, but they've always waited until they were sure there wasn't on-coming traffic, then passed the cyclist...so naturally that's what I've assumed was the appropriate action. Is it really the expectation that you crawl along behind them until you reach a passing zone (if there is one anywhere nearby)? Or would it be the cyclist's responsibility to stop and get off the road to allow traffic to pass? How does that work without causing a ridiculous amount of traffic congestion? (I'm mostly curious because my parents live in an area where there are frequently cyclists, and there aren't many (if any) passing zones on the little roads around their neighborhood. I'd like to be safe and not a jerk behind the wheel if I can manage it. )Dave11 wrote:How's this: we hold motorists responsible for their conduct around bicycles (following too close, passing in the same lane, crossing a double yellow to pass, etc) the same as around cars. We also make it so if a cyclist over 16 is seen to be violating traffic laws (and yes, many states have specific traffic laws for bicycles, usually pertaining to safety devices), they get a trip to the police station and a fine before they can get their bike back, along with the longer ride or the cost of a bus ticket home. Under 16, they get a ride home and the parents get to pay the fine to get the bike back. Register the bikes, maybe, and track violations against them.
I grew up in the country, so maybe my view's a bit skewed towards rural/suburban roads. On the other hand, if I were riding in a city, I'd keep my speed up enough to be reasonable and avoid the main drags where possible.
All my comments assume reasonable people willing to compromise to keep the roads safe, of course.
Eagerly anticipating the Pun Jar singularity event...
Forget the Plot Flour...we're into Plot Cornstarch, and the plot has gone non-newtonian...
"To the Journey!"
Forget the Plot Flour...we're into Plot Cornstarch, and the plot has gone non-newtonian...
"To the Journey!"
Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Actually, there isn't a shoulder on the roads near my parents' neighborhood. It just goes from lane to grass...and that's often true of the two lane highways I'm used to seeing out in east Texas as well. That's why I asked. As for how I handle it when a car is going 10 mph in a 30 mph no-passing zone? Angrily...impatiently...but I don't often dart around them because of how far into the oncoming traffic lane I'd have to be to pass them...and I also may not be able to see around them (depending on the size of the vehicle). With bikes I've felt safe passing because I can clearly see around them and I only go halfway into the oncoming traffic lane to pass them (I don't want to be too close to them, but I don't like being in the oncoming lane either). I'm 95% sure that not moving fully into another lane to pass a bike isn't proper road etiquette and safety, but it's been my compromise for passing in no-passing zones.Dave11 wrote:Not being flip, but how do you handle it when you're behind a car going 10 mph in a 30? If there's a shoulder (which there usually is on two-lane roads in the country), the cyclist should be in it. If not, the cyclist should periodically let traffic by, as otherwise they're obstructing traffic (just like the guy going 10 mph in a 30). Sharing the road is, if you'll pardon the phrase, a two-way street.Julie wrote:I'm all for education, but I do have a legitimate question (since I was definitely not fully/properly educated with regards to driving around cyclists). What is the proper way to handle a bicycle trudging along on a two-lane road (one lane each direction) when there's a double yellow line? I consider my parents to be responsible/safe drivers, but they've always waited until they were sure there wasn't on-coming traffic, then passed the cyclist...so naturally that's what I've assumed was the appropriate action. Is it really the expectation that you crawl along behind them until you reach a passing zone (if there is one anywhere nearby)? Or would it be the cyclist's responsibility to stop and get off the road to allow traffic to pass? How does that work without causing a ridiculous amount of traffic congestion? (I'm mostly curious because my parents live in an area where there are frequently cyclists, and there aren't many (if any) passing zones on the little roads around their neighborhood. I'd like to be safe and not a jerk behind the wheel if I can manage it. )
I grew up in the country, so maybe my view's a bit skewed towards rural/suburban roads. On the other hand, if I were riding in a city, I'd keep my speed up enough to be reasonable and avoid the main drags where possible.
All my comments assume reasonable people willing to compromise to keep the roads safe, of course.
I appreciate the info about how to do it the right way though!
"Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful."
And see that life is beautiful."
- Fairportfan
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Riding a bicycle on the shoulder is illegal in many/most jurisdictions - you're supposed to follow the same rules as cars.
Not even duct tape can fix stupid. But it can muffle the noise.
=====================
Peace through superior firepower - ain't nothin' more peaceful than a dead troublemaker.
=====================
mike weber
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Peace through superior firepower - ain't nothin' more peaceful than a dead troublemaker.
=====================
mike weber
- shadowinthelight
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
There is also the fact that road shoulders tend to have more debris which is not good for bicycle tires.
Julie, about Wapsi Square wrote:Oh goodness yes. So much paranormal!
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- Fairportfan
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Especially 150 psi stitch-ups.shadowinthelight wrote:There is also the fact that road shoulders tend to have more debris which is not good for bicycle tires.
Not even duct tape can fix stupid. But it can muffle the noise.
=====================
Peace through superior firepower - ain't nothin' more peaceful than a dead troublemaker.
=====================
mike weber
=====================
Peace through superior firepower - ain't nothin' more peaceful than a dead troublemaker.
=====================
mike weber
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
I always biked with solids to avoid that problem. Or at least the problem of blowing flats.shadowinthelight wrote:There is also the fact that road shoulders tend to have more debris which is not good for bicycle tires.
In College Station proper, there are bike lanes which bikes must be in, and you must have lights when driving after dark. Cops on bikes can and *WILL* ticket you, and they will demand a state issued photo ID to pin it on you. While they can't demand a driver's license, every adult in the state of Texas is supposed to carry ID on them at all times. No ID, and you go downtown, your bike impounded, until your identity is confirmed.
Outside the city proper, however, bikers have to be on the shoulder of the highways. Fortunately, there's a *LOT* of shoulder in many places. It's generally also paved, and relatively clean (the sweepers apparently hit the shoulders as well as the lanes).
- shadowinthelight
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
I used solid tubes in the past. They are too hard for anything more than very casual cruising.
Julie, about Wapsi Square wrote:Oh goodness yes. So much paranormal!
My deviantART and YouTube.
I'm done thinking for today! It's caused me enough trouble!
- Fairportfan
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Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
150 psi stitchups aren't much softer.shadowinthelight wrote:I used solid tubes in the past. They are too hard for anything more than very casual cruising.
Not even duct tape can fix stupid. But it can muffle the noise.
=====================
Peace through superior firepower - ain't nothin' more peaceful than a dead troublemaker.
=====================
mike weber
=====================
Peace through superior firepower - ain't nothin' more peaceful than a dead troublemaker.
=====================
mike weber
Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
I'd like to note that everything I've said can only be applied to New York State (outside NYC) and Marlyand. The laws also change based on speed limit in some jurisdictions.Fairportfan wrote:Riding a bicycle on the shoulder is illegal in many/most jurisdictions - you're supposed to follow the same rules as cars.
Eagerly anticipating the Pun Jar singularity event...
Forget the Plot Flour...we're into Plot Cornstarch, and the plot has gone non-newtonian...
"To the Journey!"
Forget the Plot Flour...we're into Plot Cornstarch, and the plot has gone non-newtonian...
"To the Journey!"
Re: It's not a laser WEAPON, unfortunately
Given that I'm moving to Texas shortly, this is good information for me to have. I guess I'll need to get an ID card for when I'm riding (I often don't carry my wallet), in addition to a new driver's license.ShneekeyTheLost wrote:In College Station proper, there are bike lanes which bikes must be in, and you must have lights when driving after dark. Cops on bikes can and *WILL* ticket you, and they will demand a state issued photo ID to pin it on you. While they can't demand a driver's license, every adult in the state of Texas is supposed to carry ID on them at all times. No ID, and you go downtown, your bike impounded, until your identity is confirmed.
Outside the city proper, however, bikers have to be on the shoulder of the highways. Fortunately, there's a *LOT* of shoulder in many places. It's generally also paved, and relatively clean (the sweepers apparently hit the shoulders as well as the lanes).
Eagerly anticipating the Pun Jar singularity event...
Forget the Plot Flour...we're into Plot Cornstarch, and the plot has gone non-newtonian...
"To the Journey!"
Forget the Plot Flour...we're into Plot Cornstarch, and the plot has gone non-newtonian...
"To the Journey!"