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texting While riding

Old 10-16-13, 09:07 AM
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Phone is in the pannier. The ring tone is my rear hub at a fast coast. When I'm on the bike," can't hear the phone" by design.
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Old 10-16-13, 11:19 AM
  #52  
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Compared to what I used to do on my BMX as a kid, texting+riding is tame. I'm surprised some of y'all have the courage to get out of bed in the morning with all the worry you seem to live with.
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Old 10-16-13, 11:28 AM
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I've played with my phone while riding my bike on a bike trail, taking pictures and stuff. That was tough enough, but responding to text messages? I couldn't do that, especially not with any cars within 100 yards. As with others, my phone sits in my panniers and I have to get off the bike in order to use it.

Living in a college town, I do see kids doing it, but not with the same frequency as those kids riding the motor scooters. I think the kids on the bikes must get more scares.
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Old 10-16-13, 11:28 AM
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Originally Posted by cobrabyte
Compared to what I used to do on my BMX as a kid, texting+riding is tame. I'm surprised some of y'all have the courage to get out of bed in the morning with all the worry you seem to live with.
And I used to blow things up as a kid. Big fireballs and all.

And shoot things - with everything from BB guns to rifles.

It was still ****ing stupid.
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Old 10-16-13, 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by achoo
And I used to blow things up as a kid. Big fireballs and all.

And shoot things - with everything from BB guns to rifles.

It was still ****ing stupid.
nah, you're just old & scared of life now. It's ok.

...and I still shoot things with my rifle, food.
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Old 10-16-13, 11:56 AM
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I'd probably run into something or fall off my bike attempting to do this. Whenever I see someone texting whilst cycling I'm kind of impressed at first. Then I remember that their being horribly unsafe. I text at red lights for brief conversations or when I get to my destination. I usually don't take calls since I don't keep anything in my ears while riding. If a call is earth shatteringly important I'll pull over for it.

Last edited by walrus1; 10-16-13 at 11:59 AM.
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Old 10-16-13, 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
I sometimes chew gum while cycling; lock up your kin folk for their own safety!
This time you have gone too far, Sir!!

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Old 10-16-13, 01:02 PM
  #58  
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i dont text while riding. I dont text while driving. I am more tempted to respond if I am driving but I dont honestly reply 99 % of the time. While riding my phone is in the pannier and i don't hear it ring or alert me to texts. Life will continue and be okay until I stop riding and look at my phone at the end of my ride.
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Old 10-16-13, 01:22 PM
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Bad idea, and I hate people who do it. I've seen everything, including people blithely talking on their cell phones while going the wrong direction in heavy traffic. I'd be happy to consign them to the Darwin Awards, except for the fact that they might take me down with them.
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Old 10-16-13, 02:16 PM
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I'll admit I've text while biking but I live in a relatively small town with little traffic.
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Old 10-16-13, 02:47 PM
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OT: @RidingMatthew I thought political sigs weren't allowed?
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Old 10-16-13, 02:48 PM
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personally, i think it's sad and pathetic that people need to text while doing something that is supposed to be getting them away from the digital mind numbness and out into the world.
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Old 10-16-13, 06:27 PM
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Not me. I can't even text while I'm walking ... or STANDING, come to think of it.
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Old 10-16-13, 08:36 PM
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Originally Posted by the sci guy
personally, i think it's sad and pathetic that people need to text while doing something that is supposed to be getting them away from the digital mind numbness and out into the world.
That's your reason to ride a bike, not everyone else is "supposed" to ride a bike for that reason.

Some might want to get from here to there and find that a bicycle is the best choice, whether you consider that reason sad and pathetic is irrelevant.

Note; I seldom use a cell phone, never text at all. The cell phone is usually turned off for weeks at a time. But my hair does not catch fire at the sight of every motorist using a cell phone, nor at the thought of a bicyclist using a cell phone; not much different than if they were smoking; don't care and I just continue riding.

Last edited by I-Like-To-Bike; 10-16-13 at 08:39 PM.
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Old 10-16-13, 10:42 PM
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I don't even touch the phone while driving or riding. If it's an absolutely important call, text or what not I have zero problems with pulling over parking and taking it, otherwise I mute or completely ignore it. Taking the phone call or reading or replying to a text is not worth dying or killing someone.
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Old 10-16-13, 10:49 PM
  #66  
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I've received a phone call while riding once. It was awkward enough, I decided that my phone would stay in my jersey pocket while I was in motion on the bike.
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Old 10-17-13, 07:18 AM
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Originally Posted by daihard
I've received a phone call while riding once. It was awkward enough, I decided that my phone would stay in my jersey pocket while I was in motion on the bike.

once in a while i hear my phone ringing from my saddle bag. if it's important, they'll leave a message. i'll check it when i get back to the car or home. bike time is my time.
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Old 10-17-13, 07:55 AM
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Originally Posted by cobrabyte
nah, you're just old & scared of life now. It's ok.

...and I still shoot things with my rifle, food.
Being stupid does not prove you're not "old & scared of life", you fool. Advertising that you do stupid things just proves my point. But I doubt you're smart enough to understand that.

Do you really believe that texting while riding a bicycle proves you can "live life"?

I'd say you'd improve the gene pool by playing in traffic, but you already seem to have that covered.
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Old 10-17-13, 08:18 AM
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After following this thread for a while I have decided that it's OK to text while riding but that you should never ever play angry birds while truing your wheels.
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Old 10-17-13, 08:19 AM
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Originally Posted by MMACH 5
During my rides, I keep a Bluetooth with a single earpiece hanging on my collar. If I get a text message while riding, I'll pop it in and have Siri read the text to me. If my reply is simple, I can use Siri to convert my speech to a text message, (usually, it's just something like, "Right on. I'll reply when I get to the office"). If the conversation can't wait or requires more attention, I'll stop and either continue the exchange or call the person.
I have a bluetooth thing as well and use it to answer calls if I'm out late at night. I know the only time I'll get a call then is if it the wife or some sort of emergency.
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Old 10-17-13, 09:44 AM
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Originally Posted by the sci guy

once in a while i hear my phone ringing from my saddle bag. if it's important, they'll leave a message. i'll check it when i get back to the car or home. bike time is my time.
I configured my phone so it vibrates only when my wife calls me. If it happens, I will pull over and check the voice mail when I can. If she left a message, I will listen to it and return the call if necessary. Otherwise, no big deal - I will ride on.
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Old 10-17-13, 09:49 AM
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Ok, don't give me a hard time for being an Apple guy, but...

Just got my new iPhone 5s, and I had the 4 before, so didn't have Siri. This was the first time I've ridden with Siri. Awesome. You can adjust Siri's volume independently of your music, allowing you to listen to your music at a safe and low volume (if that's a thing you're into) but then Siri speaks at a normal volume. You get a text message, ask Siri to read it to you, you speak your reply, boom, done. All while keeping eyes on the road. No more distracting than saying hey to a friend on the road.

Some of you don't wanna do that, and that's cool. If you're a "my phone is in my bag, leave me alone" kind of person, hey... enjoy that. But I have to say, if you wanna find a way to answer messages and what not while riding, this is the way. I am almost positive there is an Android app that will do text to voice, I'm sure of it. I just haven't a clue what one.

So, yeah... if that's a thing you wanna do, I'd have to say some kind of handsfree voice to text dealie would be the way to go. If you need to.
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