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The ‘just wondering’ thread

microcord

Maximum Pace
Aug 28, 2012
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Been wondering about something, but it's idle curiosity, mostly, and doesn't merit its own thread? Post below!

I'll provide a (sorry!) tasteless start.

The story within this story is about the kind of thing I don't want to be near (meth-addled driver wants to shoot himself a cyclist; his meth-addled girlfriend then uses a larger weapon but her aim is bad); but it makes for a gruesomely memorable read. (The longer story is excellent too.) Tokyo has refreshingly smaller incidences of meth, wackos and guns; but some drivers are dickish anyway. I wonder: While on your bike, have you ever been threatened with imminent violence; and if so, what did you do?
 
Never. I ride along in a zen like state of calm at all times, and not even the most erratic and aggressive driver out there can do anything to raise a temper in me.
 
Couple of years ago now, was cycling along Kannana Dori (six-lane main road) when a black SUV with tinted windows almost knocked me off avoiding a motorbike that cut it up. The SUV should have braked to let the motorbike through, but the driver was a nutter so tried to go wheel-to-wheel with it. I had a bit of a shout through his window about his brakes and the proper use thereof, he said something about a motorbike, I said whatever, then he went total nutzoid and decided to deck me. He slammed on the brakes cutting me off, jumped out (against the voiced wishes of his lady friend in the SUV - and by the tone of her voice this wasn't unexpected behavior) and legged it at me down the main road (morning, rush hour traffic, middle of summer). I know a nutter when I see one and was already doing a fast one down the road. At a junction about 100 m away I felt safe enough to look back when I saw him still at a fairly quick jog but enthusiasm flagging. Until I showed him a valedictory f-u which switched roid-rage back up to eleven and he caned it at me again. I took to the pavement and left the scene. Lesson learned - not to shout at black SUVs with tinted windows.
 
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Nah never had anything like that. I've had some close calls with vehicles but the drivers have generally been apologetic about it. I find they're more tolerant of cyclists in central Tokyo than in the suburbs. Guess they're more used to sharing the road, or more used to avoiding idiots who change lanes without looking or even indicating.

In the UK, on the other hand, I was once in a truly mental road rage incident that went as far as crowbars, smashed windows, blood and a subsequent police line-up. It wasn't on a bicycle, mind you, though I suspect I would have been dead if I had been.
 
Pretty hard to carry a crowbar in your jersey pocket too, I would imagine.
 
No, but there is a flick-knife / clingfilm wrapped, melted and sharpened toothbrush hidden pocket on the side of the leg on the shorts.
 
A few less than observant drivers, an occasional distracted cyclist heading blindly in my direction, a pedestrian or two that suddenly jumped into my path, but never an incident of temper or rage.
 
I had a guy in a wheelchair once try to use a zebra crossing as I was doing sprint training in my local school zone. I gave him a proper yelling too for not looking properly when clearly I was getting towards the end of my interval. Anyway it turns out he was mostly blind. I mean seriously wtf some people have no idea how to use the road safely.
 
And from that day on you have carried a knife with you on every ride, for your own protection. It is a sign of the times.
 
Got a tongue lashing from an old geezer during a group ride. The cycling offender had sped off so he took his frustration out on the remainder of us. That's about it, doddery rage!
 
Thank you, all!

. . . a black SUV with tinted windows. . .

I'm wary of the angular Benz, especially when black. There seems to be a higher than average incidence of dickishness among their drivers. (Hardly surprising. Driving these in Tokyo, what fantasy are they lost in?) Here it is: "G-Class SUV / Built to feel like it'll last forever. / Starting at: $115,400*MSRP". (NB not built to last forever, just built to feel that way. And I wonder what percentage of $115,400-plus vehicles are allowed near pebbles and streams.)

Something for you to consider for the new TCC jersey.

The HF jersey has integrated bananas. Could a TCC jersey have an integrated crowbar?
 
I'm wary of the angular Benz, especially when black. There seems to be a higher than average incidence of dickishness among their drivers.
We could make the streets a lot safer by euthanizing anyone who has chosen to drive a German car*. There's nothing wrong with German cars, per se. Just the "get off my road" attitude of the pricks and prickesses who drive them.

@bloaker, I am not angry. Just disappointed. You said you would never tell.

Several times a day I have considered carrying around one of these, to take instant, satisfying revenge on bus lane abusers. Fortunately for my continued non-incarceration, I have not yet done so.

Emergency-Hammer.gif

To be precise, they are Kirin Ichibananas.

*Folksvagens are sometimes OK, but drivers of M.Benz, Audi, BMV, Porsche... utter pricks. Can't remember seeing an Opel or a Borgvart.
 
Folksvagens are sometimes OK, but drivers of M.Benz, Audi, BMV, Porsche... utter pricks. Can't remember seeing an Opel or a Borgvart.

Most Porsches seem OK, but yes I have encountered one Porsche-driving Überdick. Worst in the last month has been a new white Audi estate car (station wagon), whose driver seemed to be under the illusion that morning rush-hour Sakurada-dōri was a racetrack.

Yes, Tokyo has at least one Borgward, and splendid (and gentlemanly) it is too. I haven't yet noticed a Wartburg or Goggomobil though.

Just wondering . . . as there are Lotus 7 replicas and early Porsche replicas and more, are there now also Ford Model B replicas? Or where are these things coming from? Rather often I see what look like Ford Model Bs, sans mudguards and sometimes sporting other "hot rod" gimmickry (uncovered, chromed engines, etc). Their uncovered rotating wheels give me the willies. (Actually I'd thought the law forced wheels to be covered to some degree.)
 
my mate was training for the worlds years ago, he was jamming down the road and a car pulled out making him do the full lock up and sideways slide to avoid hitting it. The car then takes off and my mate throws his water bottle at and hits the car. Then the car stops and three punch permed yaks get out looking ready to put the water bottle where it can't easily be retrieved. my mate went full 叩頭. Later that year he lost to Ekimov in a sprint finish, he still blames the yaks for disrupting his training.
 
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