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Bikers on cell phones

Old 03-04-06, 05:40 PM
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Bikers on cell phones

I live near a bike trail (no cars) that goes from the foothills, through town alonside a creek and goes out to the edge of San Francisco Bay. It is a nice ride for an 50+ guy with incredible scenery all the way. Yet I regularly see people riding their bikes and talking on their cell phones. It seems to me they miss part of the point. Quiet solitude & a beautiful place. Is this the coming thing? Is the call that important? As a non cell phone person, I would not have a clue. Happily clueless brian.
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Old 03-04-06, 05:58 PM
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Originally Posted by bkaapcke
I live near a bike trail (no cars) that goes from the foothills, through town alonside a creek and goes out to the edge of San Francisco Bay. It is a nice ride for an 50+ guy with incredible scenery all the way. Yet I regularly see people riding their bikes and talking on their cell phones. It seems to me they miss part of the point. Quiet solitude & a beautiful place. Is this the coming thing? Is the call that important? As a non cell phone person, I would not have a clue. Happily clueless brian.
Same with the idiot ladies (and men) in their SUV's with the CP welded to their ear.

Now they have some sort of device that one wears on their ears constantly, and using bluetooth or something like that, they are wirelessly connected through voice recognition dialing.

I want to do a survey:

What in the heck are you talking about and to whom?

Yes, I have a CP, but I DON'T talk on my bicycle or while driving in the car!
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Old 03-04-06, 06:04 PM
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Maybe they are bragging to someone about the scenery :>)
I am in total agreement with you on cycling to "get away from it all" and especially phone calls. I have a cell phone but to not take it while riding......spare tube, patch kit, tools, and large portion of enthusiasm instead.
The Bay Area scenery is breathtaking and awe inspiring!
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Old 03-04-06, 06:06 PM
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I carry a cell phone while cycling, but have never turned it on. I only carry it for a possible emergency, like if a cougar starts eating my leg, or something...
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Old 03-04-06, 06:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Old Hammer Boy
I carry a cell phone while cycling, but have never turned it on. I only carry it for a possible emergency, like if a cougar starts eating my leg, or something...
+1
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Old 03-04-06, 06:50 PM
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Well, I'll admit that I could have been seen today riding and talking on my cell phone but I had a good excuse!! We had a rider in our group "get lost" and I was circling back trying to find him. I was using the cell phone to try and contact this person and to get status reports from the staring point to see if he had showed up.

The folks on the other end hard a hard time hearing as the 20+ mph breeze blowing across the microphone on the phone though!!

Otherwise I'd agree it certainly takes away from the experience!! It's also not the best thing to do while riding in a group......
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Old 03-04-06, 06:51 PM
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Has anyone ever wanted to butt in or offer advice when business or other seemingly private conversations are conducted loudly in your ear while in a restaurant, grocery store or whatever?

I wish I could think of a snappy phrase to say loudly next to someone while they are on the phone - I.e.,

"Hey, the DOW just dropped 500 points."

or

"Is that your SUV they are towing away?"
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Old 03-04-06, 07:08 PM
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Cycling to get away from it all. What a radical, un-American concept. I like it. No, I really like it.
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Old 03-04-06, 07:28 PM
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I remember a few months ago, on a relatively busy windy road, approaching a lady on a hybrid bike. First thing I thought "no helmet, ah well, her choice" and could hear her talking and thought at first she was singing.

Then as I was about to pass her (had to wait a while because of the taffic), I realized she was talking in her cell phone that I could not see behind her long hair.

I could not believe it, then I thought that instead of yelling "on your left!", it would have been more appropriate to shout "hang-up and ride!", .. but I am too polite for that . I guess it's her life after all..

Last edited by Cycliste; 03-04-06 at 08:19 PM. Reason: typo
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Old 03-04-06, 10:34 PM
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Hmmm, I can't recall ever seeing anyone talking on a cell phone while riding on a mountain bike trail. Maybe the trees get in the way of the 'reception'.
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Old 03-04-06, 10:56 PM
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Restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters, while cycling, walking the dog, etc. I think it's ridiculous. If you need to call home to check on the brand of cereal, fine. But to walk through the market yakking all the while is just plain tacky.

What happened to the good old days when people smiled and greeted one another and maybe even had a little conversation?
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Old 03-04-06, 11:04 PM
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I hate cell phones. I have one, for emergencies, but I have the cheapest plan and even then don't use all my minutes.

I travel a fair amount, and I am so sick and tired of being on a plane getting ready to take off, or just landing, or in the shuttle, and hearing three or four conversations going on cell phones around me. I hate having to listen to people repeat everything; I hate having to hear, "Yeah, we just landed," or, "Yeah, I'm about to get on a plane," or whatever.

I see four teen age girls at a restuarant having lunch. They're all on their phones talking to someone else.

I've been almost hit by cars while cycling and you guessed it -- most were on their damn phone.

WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE TALKING TO? How did we manage before cell phones? And why do they have to have ridiculous rings to them, like songs, and what not?

I hate cell phones.
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Old 03-04-06, 11:36 PM
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Originally Posted by DnvrFox
Has anyone ever wanted to butt in or offer advice when business or other seemingly private conversations are conducted loudly in your ear while in a restaurant, grocery store or whatever?

I wish I could think of a snappy phrase to say loudly next to someone while they are on the phone - I.e.,

"Hey, the DOW just dropped 500 points."

or

"Is that your SUV they are towing away?"

"Officer, I SWEAR she said she was 18".


I see from the description that this is the Alameda Creek Trail. I wouldn't be chatting away on a cell phone while doing those underpasses on a narrow trail.
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Old 03-05-06, 01:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Digital Gee
I hate cell phones. I have one, for emergencies, but I have the cheapest plan and even then don't use all my minutes.


I hate cell phones.
The ones I hate are the ones that have a remote earpiece. They always seem to be near me and talking very loud and I just wish I could hear the other end of the Conversation. I have a cell phone but we have pay as you go in the UK. You pay for phone calls before you use them, and 5 years ago I was handed down my wifes old phone. I bought Ł20 of calls in advance and I still have Ł18.64 credit on the phone- and that was probably the call I made last year when the Tandem needed recovering.

One of my group is occasionally on call at weekends and he has received calls on the ride. As he says- Its Sunday- no one available to call to sort the problem, plus I am 10 miles from nowhere, so call me at the office tomorrow. Plenty pointless taking one out with him.
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Old 03-05-06, 01:44 AM
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Next: solar powered cell phone implants
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Old 03-05-06, 07:40 AM
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I carry a cell phone on rides with me in case of an emergency. I keep it turned off. I actually had to use it last summer when I came upon a small group of riders at a very sharp corner coming directly after passing under a dark overhead railway bridge. One of the riders hit the gravel patch, went down, and in addition to lots of road rash, it looked like she broke her collar bone. I stopped, and called for the EMTs. Was really glad I had the phone with me then.

On one hand I can appreciate the distaste for public cell phone use, although I also dislike having a group of other riders pass me while talking about some topic I find offensive... especially if I'm almost out of breath trying to keep an 18 - 20 mph pace and they fly by me while talking!!! In any event, I try to be tolerant and let others live their lives that best way they can. Besides if I get too worked up over other people, I don't enjoy my ride.
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Old 03-05-06, 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by Old Hammer Boy
I carry a cell phone while cycling, but have never turned it on. I only carry it for a possible emergency, like if a cougar starts eating my leg, or something...
I don't need a cell phone because I can carry on an entirely satisfying conversation just with the voices that live inside of my head.
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Old 03-05-06, 02:00 PM
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This invitation to rant is going quite well. bk
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Old 03-05-06, 03:06 PM
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No offence to anyone out there, but good golly we all talk too much.
I'm also tempted to add that we all type too much, but then I would really be pushing my luck. Har. Har.
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Old 03-05-06, 04:13 PM
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Cell phones! Today it is breast implants, liposuction, and facelifts (even for guys) and with the rate of useage of cell phones and the size reduction I am expecting an announcement of the 1st successful implant of a cell phone any day now.
When I used to watch a homeless individual chatting with themselves I would take pity but, today I just pass it off as someone with one of those tiny ear fitted cell phones. I take a cell phone for emergencies...and leave it off.
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Old 03-05-06, 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by hammerdocnomo
No offence to anyone out there, but good golly we all talk too much.
I'm also tempted to add that we all type too much, but then I would really be pushing my luck. Har. Har.
Well, it is better than Miss Mavis isn't it...?
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Old 03-05-06, 04:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
I don't need a cell phone because I can carry on an entirely satisfying conversation just with the voices that live inside of my head.
Just don't take the conversation out loud or we might begin to worry.
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Old 03-05-06, 11:10 PM
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I have one and I carry it everywhere and it is turned on. But I don't use it unless there is a real need and I don't walk around jabbering on it all the time. I use it for communication and work and safety. Not for recreation. Even then, I hate that I feel safer with it, but I do.

I could swear I heard a news byte that they were working on a cell phone implant!
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Old 03-05-06, 11:18 PM
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I find it difficult and hard on my back to hold the phone in one hand and the other hand on the bar. Therfore, I ride no hands so I can sit up straight, be comfortable, and use my cell phone effectively and safely.

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Old 03-06-06, 06:44 AM
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Like many of you folks, I tote mine and only turn it on at my discretion. Having lived the “on-call” life for many years, it’s my turn to govern the metrics of my accessibility. It’s come in handy “out there” betimes. I’ve reported accidents and once called in whitetail deer poachers in a national park in real-time. [Mind, I have no great love for those damned four-legged-Lyme-infested locusts, but the idea of idiots popping .45-70 rounds past my head really burns me, especially in a place where I’m supposed to be free of such concerns.]

Ever get a load of the “content” of most folks’ cell conversations? My favorite is getting off the plane on arrival. “We’ve landed”. “I’m standing in line waiting to get off the plane.” “They haven’t lowered the gate yet.” “I’m in the terminal.” “I’m headed to the parking lot”.

Here’s the thing, I rarely see any expression of joy in the faces of folks on cells. They remind me of devices on IT networks where a huge amount of traffic is merely acknowledgement, “I’m here. . .you there? I’m here. . .you there?” Another case of the medium being the message.
 

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