Thanks for the picture!
Hello Litespeed,
Thanks for the picture! That does look like a nasty bump to hit when you are not expecting it. I know of two people that lost control when hitting small pieces of 2 x 4 lumber when not expecting it.
Let's all hope that you have already had your share of bad luck and now you can cycle for the rest of your life worry free.
The rider on the back of a tandem has every right to ask the driver of a tandem to slow down. I listen closely to any complaint my stoker has so that I can keep her happy. A strong rider can get their thrills by going fast on the uphills (very hard on a tandem and for me in general). I go faster on the downhills than I feel comfortable with when I am off the bike. When you are bombing down the hill thinking about pedaling the next uphill in front of you, it does not seem so dangerous. That same kind of problem exists for the captain and the stoker. The stoker has more time to worry than the captain does.
Best Wishes and Happy New Year!
John