SD Fixed

This morning, I was late to work. Well, late for the time I like to arrive. So, I was hammering in. I came up on another cyclist, and, despite being behind, I slowed up to say hello. Something dictates being friendly to a fellow rider.

He commented on how quitely I had ridden up, and I pointed to the lack of a derailer, etc. He looked me over carefully, and announced that he didn't want me to ride near him because the bike I was riding was unsafe. He was polite enough about it, but was pretty strong on it. So I took off.

I realize that this is just one person, but I'm wondering if FG preferences could be "Ralph Nader'd" ala the Corvair. One person or a few deciding it was unsafe, and then moving towards some sort of ban.

Has anyone else considered this?

bombusben

Maybe he was the ped you ran over and the sight of your bike induced a flashback.

I think that bikes are pretty far below the radar for that kind of legal enforcement. Most cops around here don't care what you do on a bike (run lights etc) as long as you don't plow into stuff.

BlastRadius

I think the other rider is misinformed like many consumers out there.

hammye

A couple of years ago here in Boston they were thinking about making fixed gears illeagel. If it went through I was going to put a coaster brake arm on my bike and tell the officials that it was my brake.

pitboss

bring it

stinkyonions

hahahah. 165, that picture is elite.

i feel safer on my fixed gear since i have to pay attention to so many other environmental factors and don't get "brain ********" from not pedaling and just hanging out on my bike.

stevo

re: "One person or a few deciding it was unsafe, and then moving towards some sort of ban."

We control our own destiny there. The average joe, including politicians and policemen, have no idea what a 'fixed gear' is. In their world, there are '10 speeds' and 'coaster bikes'. They have no idea that your bike isnt a 'coaster bike'.

However, if the fg crowd starts making the public more aware by pointint out that our bike 'doesnt have brakes' (which is already illegal in most states), i guess the brakeless set deserves what we get.

Dont know why else a fg would be deemed 'dangerous'.

fixedgearhead

I was riding home after a 65 mile road loop the other day and was on one of the local paved bike paths for a 10 mile leg of it, and came up on some guy who was all decked out in a touring bike and bags and Bob Trailer and all the rest of the things necessary to that life style and passed him when he said to me. "You really should call out that you are going to pass someone or you might get slammed down by the person you are passing". The ironic thing was that I did call out that I was passing but what with the high head wind and noise of the Bob Trailer he was hauling he didn't hear me. So rather than try to explain to him that I did call out I just said "That's why I ride a Track bike with no brakes", "So I can avoid the Amateurs". Needless to say he was not amused and I lost what he was saying in the rush of wind as I left him in the dust. Not all people who ride bikes are brethren. Some are what I would call Jerks on 2 wheels.

fixedgearhead

absntr

Fixedgearhead - very nicely taken care of.

p3ntuprage

nader's cool [or atleast less evil than the others].

wasn't he running on a $10/hr minimum wage platform amongst other things?

fssb
sparky

Poguemahone

The chances of us being Nader'd are so incredibly minimal I can't even begin to calculate them. It would take a sudden explosion of fixies into mass, and in specific, kid, culture for this to happen.

Let's look at the record of the CPSC and bicycles for starters. The CSPC insisted reflectors be put on bikes, for example, but oddly made no insistence for lights. Frankly, lights are so much better than reflectors it's not funny. I'll ride a bike w/o reflectors at night if I'm running a few blinkies.

Or the "crotch-ripper" shifters popular on kid's bikes in the seventies. The CPSC banned 'em, but okayed the "gut-ripper" stem mounted shifters popular on so many bike boom ten speeds. And they never went after the "suicide levers", which have absolutely no braking power. Go figure, but gut rippers and suicide levers werem't on those cool bannana-seat Huffys we used to ride.

So unless some Japanese cartoon featuring cool Dragon Ball Z characters or cute cuddly Pokeman figures riding fixed gear suddenly becomes popular amoung the under fifteen set, I think we're perfectly safe. But if you see a fixie at Wal-Mart decorated with cute little liscenced characters, we're all doomed. Then it'll be like the Simpsons, where someone yells "but what about the children?" at random town meetings. Yes, doomed, I say.

SD Fixed

Regardless of what you think is better, reflectors are passisive and always reflecting. Not the same for your blinkie when it runs out of juice. Your analogy, though understood, is flawed.

trekkie820

Misinformed, definately. What did he think, that your lack of brakes was going to affect him? Was he thinking that just because you ride a fix, that makes you suicidal? What a tool.

Schiek

Just to be fair to the other cyclist in Willy's original post, I think all bets are off if he actually knew who it was. I mean let's face it, if I saw Karstens riding up behind me--regardless of the bike he was on--I think I would give him puh-lenty of leeway. Ya never know what's going on in that boy's head.

ImprezaDrvr

I thought getting Nader'd meant something about shifting the electoral votes from one candidate to the other.

SD Fixed

You'd crash because you weren't looking where you were going.

And out of all possible luck, it'd be a pedestrian. Just for my shere joy.




I'm not crazy, nor insane.

riderx

You should have just said "eff you slow-poke", then rubbed his tire and made him wreck

fixedgearhead

If it comes to that, I think, you will see an upsurge in the growth of the Abu Campag faction of the Popular front for the Liberation of Gears. This is a little known underground bicycle society that I am hear-by aquatinting you with.
We will contact you if you are truly worthy of enrollment.


Abu Abas Abot,
Ababamus Abatus,
Abant

SD Fixed

I eagerly await contact.


William (lover of secret society stuff) Karstens

SD Fixed

I'm in the Military.

He was, in all likely hood, a higher ranking enlisted or senior officer.

Ramming him, etc, while not my style in the first place, would likely be detrimental to my ability to pay my mortgage, or maintain health care.

And believe it or not, I do respect rank. (Despite my demeanor here).

riderx

I was just kidding. I wouldn't advocate running another cyclist down simply because they were:
a. ill-informed
b. an unfriendly jacka$$

SD Fixed

Yeah, I know.. but for those that wouldn't get yours, nor mine, I include the disclaimer.

bill_mchale

I am curious about fixed gears and mostly reading this to learn about them and single speeds. Anyway, I doubt we have much to fear from Nader or the likes. I think in many areas riding a bicycle without a brake is already illegal. There might be local zealots who attempt to get the cops to enforce compliance, but i suspect such efforts tend to be short lived. As for actually making riding fixed gear (with or without brakes) illegal on the streets is tougher case... after all for the most part I think most law makers tend to lump all bicycles together wheather they are a fixed gear, a mountain bike or loaded touring bike. Most people just are not aware enough of fixed gears (I know I wasn't aware of them outside the velodrome until I came across Sheldon Brown's web site).

--
Bill

SD Fixed

A fixed gear does have a brake. If it doesn't, it's not a fixed gear.

auk

Exactly. Something I keep trying to tell those in the local group. To little end tho.

Dave