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Night, no lights, no brakes, no helmet, nuts?

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Night, no lights, no brakes, no helmet, nuts?

Old 01-11-08, 12:51 PM
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Night, no lights, no brakes, no helmet, nuts?

I usually don't give a s**t what other people do, but I've seen this a few times now, and I'm just interested in hearing other people opinions about whats going on. I've been riding all types of bikes around Boston/Cambridge for quite a few years, and every now then I'll see something like this. for example: its a bit damp out, about 8pm and a very skilled messenger type rider passes me. He has no lights, no brakes except his fixed gear, no helmet and is weaving through traffic. I saw something similar yesterday, but another rider. I always see the no brakes/no helmet thing and even though I personally don't think its a great idea, I let others make their own decisions and find no reason to give anyone a hard time.

whats going on? is it messenger style? a culture? simplicity? badassness? laziness? do they do it for the adrenaline rush?? apathy? I'm not here to judge, just genuine curiousity. I'm not really looking for a debate about what "should" be worn riding at night in the city, I'm curious about the attitudes/thoughts/ideas that are out there.

I know what it feels like to get smashed by a car while on a bike and small, reasonable measures to decrease that happening again are so obviously worth it to me. Especially since I ride everyday.
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Old 01-11-08, 12:59 PM
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Old 01-11-08, 01:00 PM
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It's hard to think of an activity so stupid but what somebody won't do it. Perhaps a major dose of "won't happen to me" involved?
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Old 01-11-08, 01:07 PM
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Plus a dose of too cheap/too broke to buy lights/fenders/helmet?
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Old 01-11-08, 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by bonechilling
no need to participate if you think its a dead horse. There are plenty of other threads to chime in on.
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Old 01-11-08, 01:12 PM
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Originally Posted by tradtimbo
I usually don't give a s**t what other people do, but I've seen this a few times now, and I'm just interested in hearing other people opinions about whats going on. I've been riding all types of bikes around Boston/Cambridge for quite a few years, and every now then I'll see something like this. for example: its a bit damp out, about 8pm and a very skilled messenger type rider passes me. He has no lights, no brakes except his fixed gear, no helmet and is weaving through traffic. I saw something similar yesterday, but another rider. I always see the no brakes/no helmet thing and even though I personally don't think its a great idea, I let others make their own decisions and find no reason to give anyone a hard time.

whats going on? is it messenger style? a culture? simplicity? badassness? laziness? do they do it for the adrenaline rush?? apathy? I'm not here to judge, just genuine curiousity. I'm not really looking for a debate about what "should" be worn riding at night in the city, I'm curious about the attitudes/thoughts/ideas that are out there.

I know what it feels like to get smashed by a car while on a bike and small, reasonable measures to decrease that happening again are so obviously worth it to me. Especially since I ride everyday.
apathy. i used to that (plus drunk) all the time. just didn't care. like "i've been fine the other eleventy bazillion times". silly, but i think that's it.
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Old 01-11-08, 01:14 PM
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i usually wouldnt care but ive had a few close calls where a lightless/brakeless tard almost sideswiped me going 25mph in pitch black/downhill. i dont care if u dont wear a helmet, its your life, just dont endanger mine by not lighting/braking
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Old 01-11-08, 01:29 PM
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Saw a guy last night shortly after he was rear ended. The weather was ****. The driver didn't stop.
Fortunately both he and his bike appeared to be ok for the most part.

I'm not going to get into what the guy was wearing, how his bike was set up, or whose fault it was as I didn't see it happen.

The bottom line is it can happen to the best of us. If you can afford to sacrifice a few bucks and a few scene points to increase your odds of being seen and surviving you should do it.
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Old 01-11-08, 02:23 PM
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Its a style thing, its not caring, its a lot of things. Its a bummer, you should at least light, even if its just a flashing rear red.
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Old 01-11-08, 02:24 PM
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It's only safe if your bike is wearing a bandana.
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Old 01-11-08, 02:26 PM
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wait, you guys don't ride invisible helmets?? what is this, the 90s?
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Old 01-11-08, 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by sp00ki
wait, you guys don't ride invisible helmets?? what is this, the 90s?
If anyone can tell me where i could acquire a helmet like those little kids helmets, you know, looks like a cartoon covered bowling ball, you should let me know. I want one that will fit a growed up person. preferably with like, dr suess or something. safety never looked so sharp.
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Old 01-11-08, 02:51 PM
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I am that way, except for the weaving through traffic, I don't do that. I don't wear a helmet because I have exzema(how ever you spell it), and if I wear something on my head, I over heat and get so ****ing itchy all over my body (lame excuse, I know). I just bought a light yesterday though.
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Old 01-11-08, 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by ryansexton
I am that way, except for the weaving through traffic, I don't do that. I don't wear a helmet because I have exzema(how ever you spell it), and if I wear something on my head, I over heat and get so ****ing itchy all over my body (lame excuse, I know). I just bought a light yesterday though.
It may not fit with the rest of your setup, but a Giro Atmos or Bell Sweep R are so well ventilated, they don't make your head that much hotter than not wearing a helmet. I don't have as bad a case of exzema as you apparently, but this is an option over not wearing a helmet.
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Old 01-11-08, 03:03 PM
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just ride up to him, ask ask,
if you can't catch him, you don't get an answer
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Old 01-11-08, 03:17 PM
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I have pretty long, thick, hair. So wearing a helmet just makes things a lot worse. The itchy is just way too much for me to ever want to have. I guess I will learn when I'm part of the pavement, though.
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Old 01-11-08, 03:26 PM
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My light broke during an alleycat months ago and I just havent replaced it yet, my helmet sits in my room and is rasta colored so theres no excuse not to wear it. mah badz.
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Old 01-11-08, 03:39 PM
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I ride at night with no lights and no helmet. I just recently got a front brake because I almost hit a parked car and ended up running into my garage door while skidding in the rain. I don't weave in and out of traffic much, mostly because I don't trust drivers to not hit me.

I rode with no brake because I thought my skidding was good enough. I don't have lights because I have never felt like I needed them. I avoid the cars, so they don't need to see a light on my bike. I plan on getting a taillight soon because I know I have already pushed my luck too far. I don't wear a helmet. I don't know why, they seem like the condoms of bike riding. I like to feel the wind on my head. I skated and rode bmx for so long without a helmet that they seem foreign to me now.

My lack of safety precautions has a lot to do with me being young and dumb. I'm still young enough to believe (falsely, I'm sure) that I am invincible. There is definitely a bad-a ss factor to it as well. No brakes, helmets, or lights always made me feel like a ninja when I rode at night.

Why do young men do any of the dumb stuff they do? Why do we climb mountains, do wheelies on motorcycles, and get in fights? Risk taking was probably an evolutionary advantage or something.
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Old 01-11-08, 03:43 PM
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i ride at night with no helmet no brakes no lights

but then i have also done a wheelie naked on a motor cycle

oddly enough i have medically diagnosed brain damage

my judgement should not be trusted

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Old 01-11-08, 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by shasta
and ended up running into my garage door while skidding in the rain.
i would love to have seen this!

i used to run brakeless / lightless. i got a brake when i almost hit a van who backed into the road from his driveway in addition to my realizing a brake would actually allow me to go faster. i got a rear blinky light when i realized how dumb it was to not have one. i'll be getting a front light in the next week or two.

i don't wear a helmet because the wind catches it and my head is left to blow around behind me and i can't see where i'm going.
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Old 01-11-08, 03:49 PM
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Originally Posted by shasta
I ride at night with no lights and no helmet. I just recently got a front brake because I almost hit a parked car and ended up running into my garage door while skidding in the rain. I don't weave in and out of traffic much, mostly because I don't trust drivers to not hit me.

I rode with no brake because I thought my skidding was good enough. I don't have lights because I have never felt like I needed them. I avoid the cars, so they don't need to see a light on my bike. I plan on getting a taillight soon because I know I have already pushed my luck too far. I don't wear a helmet. I don't know why, they seem like the condoms of bike riding. I like to feel the wind on my head. I skated and rode bmx for so long without a helmet that they seem foreign to me now.

My lack of safety precautions has a lot to do with me being young and dumb. I'm still young enough to believe (falsely, I'm sure) that I am invincible. There is definitely a bad-a ss factor to it as well. No brakes, helmets, or lights always made me feel like a ninja when I rode at night.

Why do young men do any of the dumb stuff they do? Why do we climb mountains, do wheelies on motorcycles, and get in fights? Risk taking was probably an evolutionary advantage or something.

I appreciate the honesty!
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Old 01-11-08, 03:57 PM
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Originally Posted by save_alkaline
i would love to have seen this!
https://www.collegehumor.com/video:1788334
Here he is. Did you know he's russian?
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Old 01-11-08, 04:15 PM
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I used to ride both my bike and my MC w/o a helmet until I banged my head on the curb while sliding under my car to change the oil.

It really hurt, and it got me thinking just how much more it would hurt at 15, 20 or even 60 mph.

Live fast, die stupid.
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Old 01-11-08, 04:17 PM
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a lot of the messenger kids just aren't into it, either because they don't care or don't want to look like nerds. the weird thing is some people don't seem to learn from their mistakes. for example, a friend of mine was hit late at night by a car pulling in front of him while on the way to BC. a front light would have at least helped him out, but i still don't think he runs either. he also won't get rid of his helmet (which is damaged from the crash) because it is a discontinued champione du monde catlike.

a lot of it doesn't make sense, but then again, people are weird about self-preservation. it's a lot worse with bmx/skating kids though. some dude in a kelly green blazer and played out haircut told my friend riding his urban mtb to "ditch the helmet and get a 20 inch". my 14 year old brother fractured his skull when he was hit by a car on his bmx, but still doesn't think wearing a helmet is worth it.

i started off with no helmet and sometimes a rear blinky, but i've moved away from that. i like to ride at least a front and rear knog light, though i usually have a cateye el-410 front and a red blinky clipped to my bag as well. i also have 5 helmets, and i'm always wearing one... (road, xc, bmx, full face dh, and cheap road for winter).
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Old 01-11-08, 04:20 PM
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Originally Posted by shasta
I ride at night with no lights and no helmet. I just recently got a front brake because I almost hit a parked car and ended up running into my garage door while skidding in the rain. I don't weave in and out of traffic much, mostly because I don't trust drivers to not hit me.

I rode with no brake because I thought my skidding was good enough. I don't have lights because I have never felt like I needed them. I avoid the cars, so they don't need to see a light on my bike. I plan on getting a taillight soon because I know I have already pushed my luck too far. I don't wear a helmet. I don't know why, they seem like the condoms of bike riding. I like to feel the wind on my head. I skated and rode bmx for so long without a helmet that they seem foreign to me now.

My lack of safety precautions has a lot to do with me being young and dumb. I'm still young enough to believe (falsely, I'm sure) that I am invincible. There is definitely a bad-a ss factor to it as well. No brakes, helmets, or lights always made me feel like a ninja when I rode at night.

Why do young men do any of the dumb stuff they do? Why do we climb mountains, do wheelies on motorcycles, and get in fights? Risk taking was probably an evolutionary advantage or something.
woah... well put.
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