Tandem Cycling - What do you guys say when...

you ride by a pedestrian and he/she yells out "the person in the back isn't peddling"? I know most times the people are trying to be funny, but the humor has gotten old. We'd like to have a good comment to come back with.

We get it a lot on the organised rides and we go prepared. In the pilots rear pocket we have a bundle of papers, and all I say is that as a stoker, I have to have time to read the manual on how to ride a Tandem. Then we put in power and dissapear. Whilst riding about, the general comment we get is "Cor- look at that", which for some reason I don't object to.

Yeah, it does get old. Captain could try "Shh! *I'm* not pedaling!" or "That's ok, I'm not steering."

...and if you think the whole "person in the back isn't pedaling" gets old, try riding the tandem without a stoker. See, everybody thinks they're being original when they say "you lost somebody".

Once I was making a left turn in a *very* busy intersection. A gap appeared in the oncoming traffic, and I made my move. Then I hear "...garble garble FELL OFF!!" from a car driver. Sh*t -- did I just unknowingly deposit my pannier in the intersection? Did I lose a fender? A light? I slow way down (somewhat inadvisably under the traffic circumstances), look back to the intersection, back at my bike, looking, looking, trying to take mental inventory... and the f*ers the car start laughing. All right smart alecs, so it was an imaginary stoker who fell off the bike. Sheesh. Har har. Thanks for screwing with me.

-Greg

I say "that's funny.I haven't heard that one before"

I then get my own laugh out of it and power away.The smarter ones figure it out in a few minutes,the not so smart ones enjoy the bliss.

dan

you ride by a pedestrian and he/she yells out "the person in the back isn't peddling"? I know most times the people are trying to be funny, but the humor has gotten old. We'd like to have a good comment to come back with.


Just a friendly smile and a wave works for us...

It's works just as well for those who offer comments with a light heart as well as those whose motivation for the commentary is perhaps less than cordial... if you're lucky, it will even peeve them a bit.

By now I've heard it soo many times, that I generally just ignore the person saying it, and keep on riding on.

Benjamin

Pilot's normal reply: "I steer, she pedals!"
On riding tandem alone and the 'you lost somebody comment' . . .'wanna ride?'
While these statements get a bit old, they are usually meant as a friendly comment. Beats the 'get offa my road!' from motorisits!

Pedestrians? I get this from my own club members!! :)

Oh well, gotta love 'em!

kari

Here in New Jersey the well known middle finger salute is acceptable for most all occassions. BUt that would really depend on teh delivery tone of that particular statement: if a good-humored comment, I usually say "yeh, I know..." if she's in a good mood, or "you care to try???" if she's not. If it's venomous, then they get the full treatment.

you ride by a pedestrian and he/she yells out "the person in the back isn't peddling"? I know most times the people are trying to be funny, but the humor has gotten old. We'd like to have a good comment to come back with.

My wife generally responds that she's just for decoration.

An expensive answer would be to get a Counterpoint tandem where the stoker is in front. I have never gotten that comment in nearly 20 years. Besides if the stoker isn't pedaling I can see it. When we are moving slowly having the stoker pedaling makes it a little difficult to steer so I have the stoker stop. And, the Gee Whiz factor is so high many watchers are speechless.

Since I have to ferry the tandem to meet stokers at various places, I ride stokerless, and I hear the "you lost somebody" joke a lot. My responses:
-No, she's really back there. Really. (look at the joker suspiciously, as if they are a bit insane).
-Well, he was getting a little obnoxious with all the back seat driving. Now he's walking.
-Look alarmed--"oh my God! I wonder how far back that happened."

Best tandem joke I've heard, from a cyclist coming the opposite direction:

"She's following you awfully close!"

Worst comment, apparently from someone who doesn't get out enough, "WTF is that!!??!"

Actually one of our best stories about the tandem was we were riding down a trail and someone said "She's not pedaling"

And they were right, and she was embarrassed...

Given where we ride now, they are just stunned - we might be the only tandem they see - or ever will see in the neck of the jungle.

While it's cliched, in my experience, it's always been in good humor. Even people that might be peeved by single bikes on the road tend to treat tandems in a positive manner. I don't think we've ever got an harrassing comment on the tandem. (Other than a guy making a sexually suggestive comment to my wife in Italy.)