spindthrift - magnatom antics

On Feb 3, 11:32*pm, JNugent wrote:
wrote:
On Feb 3, 8:26 pm, JNugent wrote:
JNugent wrote:
AndyC wrote:
"relevant" wrote:
Here is a letter I have sent - perhaps a few more on similar lines
[big snip]
I notice on this one:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7drPCPfWCIQ
He admits to his mistake of not using the whole lane to overtake, but
he misses the fact that he overtook a car that was indicating to
change lane. While that is commonly done by aggressive drivers, if you
do that on two wheels it is suicidal.
If you are going to overtake a car that is already indicating, whether
stationary or not, you do so at your own peril. Rights of way are
meaningless when you are dead.
In his video "Undertaking On A Roundabout", the same poster castigates a
car-driver who passes him on the nearside on a large roundabout. The
roundabout seems to be the one seen in the video referenced in the OP
and the cyclist is way over to the offside, hard up against the island
(incidentally passing over a distinctive hatched-off area).
Perhaps he thinks that it is unlawful to pass on the nearside on a
roundabout (it isn't). And if one really objects to being "undertaken",
perhaps it'd be btter not to hog the offside edge of the one-way stretch
of road which is the carriageway of a large roundabout.
Another of his videos ("White van-driver teaches me a lesson") appears to be
functionally identical to the one involving the private hire car - recorded
over the same route, in the same sort of conditions and almost at the same spot.

Different motor vehicle, different driver, same cyclist.

Anyone spot a pattern here?

Can you suggest any faults in his cycling in that video? (Apart from
maybe going into a hatched area on the roundabout.)

James

Oh yes, easily.

Hogging the road by riding too far right on the roundabout is an obvious one
(if there is room to be undertaken, he's too far to the right - and the
evidence suggests that he does it repeatedly, deliberately and provocatively).

Likewise, he rides a long way out from the kerb (again, repeatedly) in a
place where he must know by now that people in faster vehicles will wish to
overtake him. Aggain, the evidebnce suggests that he does it deliberately and
provocatively as part of his constant seeking of confrontation and trouble.

I don't think I would ride like that on the roundabout, but it's hard
to be sure without more careful examination than I can be bothered
with. It is clearly limited to a single lane (by hatching) in some
places.

You will have noticed however that the dangerous overtaking manouevre
was some distance off the roundabout, at a place where the road is
clearly too narrow for this to be done safely (given the parked cars).

Now, remind me again, what should he have done to avoid this
situation?

James

Nick L Plate wrote:
On 3 Feb, 15:24, _ wrote:
Our racer's been laid up outside - its too big to get in the shed -
since it was last used at Belchford downhill where we found ourselves to
be very competitive with vastly better resourced vehicles. Putting it on
axle stands and spinning the wheels, the two rear ones span, on a full
arms shove - subjective but good enough for our purposes -, for between
70 and 90 seconds each. Stripping the hubs down and pulling out the
bearings, we cleaned them and their recess and put them back dry, then
added a couple of drops of 3in1 to each set. The wheels then span for
more than eight minutes, but the racket off them is awe-inspiring.
Longevity isn't an issue as the course is under a mile and we're happy
to change bearings even between runs if we have to, but it'd be nice to
be a bit quieter, if only because other teams will wonder whether we
simply didn't bother putting the bearings back. We've already got tyres
that were recommended in this group last summer, and we run them at
about twice the PSI on the sidewall (about 100 or so PSI) so they're
solid as a rock. Without resorting to rebodying the kart for
aerodynamics, what else can we do to improve optimum speed?

Rubber mounts for your axles.
If your bearings are plain(not rolling ball), you may fins that lard
is better.
If you are using ball bearings, use 3inone "cycle" oil. Yellow
instead of red graphics.

I'll look out for it. How much? (Not how much IS it, how much to USE)
Gearbox oil works well.
Increase your kart's mass to the maximum permissable, then adjust your
tyre pressures for fastest times.

Yup, we're at max weight allowed, ballasted for change of 'drivers'.
A lower pressure may well improve
your time over a pressure suitable for a billiard table.

That seriously hadn't occurred to me - why would a lower pressure be
likely to help?
You really
should be using disc wheels.

We've made discs from resin'd card as we couldn't find discs to suit the
wheels. One of our biggest issues that I forgot to mention is that our
wheels are still hung off their original forks, but that the weight is
not OVER the hub in the conventional way and is instead obviously much
greater on the inner face. Is it possible to beef up one side of
bearings to account for that?

"JNugent" wrote


When turning right at a roundabout (ie, doing 270 degrees around it),
using the right-hand side of the carriageway, which I would describe as
the offside, is certainly acceptable - for the first part of the journey
around the roundabout.

Describing a bee-line from the offside edge of the carriageway (next to
the island) only when the exit becomes tangential to that tight circle
around the island is not the correct way to do it.

Wrong, this is the correct way (for motor vehicles). Spiralling wastes road
space and creates a t-bone risk from drivers waitiong to join before your
exit - a very critical point for cycling.

Where roundabouts are cmarked with lane lines (and many are), this is
demonstrated vividly.

They did this in Bracknell for a while about 6 or 7 years ago and thankfully
changed their minds a few months later. I know a few other authorities
haven't bothered to remove them. Some are acceptable, some I ignore.

DavidR wrote:
"JNugent" wrote

When turning right at a roundabout (ie, doing 270 degrees around it),
using the right-hand side of the carriageway, which I would describe as
the offside, is certainly acceptable - for the first part of the journey
around the roundabout.

Describing a bee-line from the offside edge of the carriageway (next to
the island) only when the exit becomes tangential to that tight circle
around the island is not the correct way to do it.

Wrong, this is the correct way (for motor vehicles). Spiralling wastes road
space and creates a t-bone risk from drivers waitiong to join before your
exit - a very critical point for cycling.

In that case, you'l be able to point out a Highway Code or Road Traffic Act
provision which contradicts what I said.

I'm not holding my breath.

Where roundabouts are cmarked with lane lines (and many are), this is
demonstrated vividly.

They did this in Bracknell for a while about 6 or 7 years ago and thankfully
changed their minds a few months later. I know a few other authorities
haven't bothered to remove them. Some are acceptable, some I ignore.

Bracknell (for all its merits) is not the United Kingdom.

Looks like you're using bike wheels.

aerodynamics, what else can we do to improve optimum speed?

Rubber mounts for your axles.
If your bearings are plain(not rolling ball), you may fins that lard
is better.
If you are using ball bearings, use 3inone "cycle" oil. *Yellow
instead of red graphics.

I'll look out for it. How much? (Not how much IS it, how much to USE)

One drop is not enough, if it floods out, its more than enough. From
a dry cycle bearing, I would think 1 - 2ml It's nothing to worry
about if you use plenty. I found it some years back at B&Q may also
be labelled as lawnmower oil.


Gearbox oil works well.
Increase your kart's mass to the maximum permissable, then adjust your
tyre pressures for fastest times. *

Yup, we're at max weight allowed, ballasted for change of 'drivers'.

A lower pressure may well improve
your time over a pressure suitable for a billiard table. *

That seriously hadn't occurred to me - why would a lower pressure be
likely to help?

By reducing impact transmission to the kart. That noise you're
hearing probably originates from the road. It is a sign of reduced
efficiency.


You really
should be using disc wheels.

We've made discs from resin'd card as we couldn't find discs to suit the
wheels.

I meant wooden or steel discs, not a cover on a bke wheel. By using
solid wood or steel discs you would have higher rigidity, not only
reducing rolling resistance but also permitting greater cornering
forces without wheel collapse.
One of our biggest issues that I forgot to mention is that our
wheels are still hung off their original forks, but that the weight is
not OVER the hub in the conventional way and is instead obviously much
greater on the inner face. Is it possible to beef up one side of
bearings to account for that?

I'm not comprehending the above, wheels should be perpendicular to the
road surface, otherwise rolling losses will occur due to tyre scrub.
This would be made worse by lower tyre pressures. The steere of a
kart is the same weight as a cyclist so I cannot see any need to
enlarge the bearings. An axle not rigidly mounted will help to
minimise the stress that the bearings take.

"AndyC" writes:

I notice on this one:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7drPCPfWCIQ

He admits to his mistake of not using the whole lane to overtake,
but he misses the fact that he overtook a car that was indicating to
change lane. While that is commonly done by aggressive drivers, if
you do that on two wheels it is suicidal.

No it isn't---I haven't watch the cited video clip but have done what
you describe several times (often after establishing eye contact,
etc.) over the last few decades and I haven't once ended up dead.

If you are going to overtake a car that is already indicating,
whether stationary or not, you do so at your own peril.

This is a statement of the bleeding obvious. If you overtake a car
which is not indicating and it pulls out anyway, you do that at your
own peril, too. Likewise riding in the primary position between
pedestrian islands. Also riding along a featureless road with no-one
else for miles around. If you aren't careful, you'll fall into the
trap of condoning the argument that only cars should be on the roads
by using this line of reasoning.

Rights of way are meaningless when you are dead.

True; but it does come across as reminiscent of the wife defending the
husband who beats her. Sometimes, you have to stand up to the bully:
`better to die on one's feet than live forever on one's knees'.

--
Mark

"Mark Williams" ] wrote in message
. ..
"AndyC" writes:

I notice on this one:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7drPCPfWCIQ

He admits to his mistake of not using the whole lane to overtake,
but he misses the fact that he overtook a car that was indicating to
change lane. While that is commonly done by aggressive drivers, if
you do that on two wheels it is suicidal.

No it isn't---I haven't watch the cited video clip but have done what
you describe several times (often after establishing eye contact,
etc.) over the last few decades and I haven't once ended up dead.

Having watched the video, I'd say the overtake had begun before the car was
indicating to change lane. It definitely wasn't what AndyC implies. You can
see when the rider is checking behind to start the overtake - at that point
the car isn't indicating. On the driver's part, it's quite close to
"manoeuvre, signal, mirror" - it's not a carefully planned lane change, but
fortunately the driver apparently knows this and knows to check in the
mirror again before finishing it.

Definitely not suicidal either - if he'd hit the car, it would only have
been painful, due to it being at low speed on both parts.

It's interesting how a description of something can be notionally accurate,
yet very misleading. I'm glad I bothered to look at the video.

On Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:42:41 +0000, Matt B
wrote:

AndyC wrote:
"relevant" wrote in message
...
Here is a letter I have sent - perhaps a few more on similar lines
[big snip]

I notice on this one:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7drPCPfWCIQ

He admits to his mistake of not using the whole lane to overtake, but he
misses the fact that he overtook a car that was indicating to change lane.
While that is commonly done by aggressive drivers, if you do that on two
wheels it is suicidal.

If you are going to overtake a car that is already indicating, whether
stationary or not, you do so at your own peril. Rights of way are
meaningless when you are dead.

He also illegally entered a box junction at about 0:53.

Quite:
174
Box junctions. These have criss-cross yellow lines painted on the road
(see 'Road markings'). You MUST NOT enter the box until your exit road
or lane is clear. However, you may enter the box and wait when you
want to turn right, and are only stopped from doing so by oncoming
traffic, or by other vehicles


I think they are like red-lights for cyclists - optional.

"Clive George" wrote in message
news

Having watched the video, I'd say the overtake had begun before the car
was indicating to change lane. It definitely wasn't what AndyC implies.

At 1.10 minute into the video, the car is clearly indicating to change lane
and has already begun to move to the right (although stationary at that
time). If I were driving a car behind, I would *not* continue to overtake it
unless I was certain that the car was not going to move, and if I did
continue to overtake, I would do so slowly and cautiously with as much width
at possible. If I were on either a motorcycle or bicycle I would be even
more cautious and if there was the slightest hint of movement I would stop
and let them go. This is because the risk of injury would be far greater on
two wheels.

You can
see when the rider is checking behind to start the overtake - at that
point the car isn't indicating. On the driver's part, it's quite close to
"manoeuvre, signal, mirror" - it's not a carefully planned lane change,
but fortunately the driver apparently knows this and knows to check in the
mirror again before finishing it.

You can make a fairly good assumption that a car indicating intends to move
in that direction and if you overtake that vehicle, they may drive into your
path. A friend of mine did that on a motorbike: overtook a car indicting
right which resulted in a nasty accident as the driver had not seen him. Car
driver was deemed to be at fault. Not very comforting though when in a coma.

Definitely not suicidal either - if he'd hit the car, it would only have
been painful, due to it being at low speed on both parts.

My own concern is not only a low speed crash, but being knocked-over and
under the wheels of something bigger as a result. Particalarly at places
where you have traffic at (or near to) a halt, changing lane, and faster
moving traffic on the outer lane.

"Mark Williams" ] wrote in message
. ..
"AndyC" writes:

I notice on this one:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7drPCPfWCIQ

He admits to his mistake of not using the whole lane to overtake,
but he misses the fact that he overtook a car that was indicating to
change lane. While that is commonly done by aggressive drivers, if
you do that on two wheels it is suicidal.

No it isn't---I haven't watch the cited video clip but have done what
you describe several times (often after establishing eye contact,
etc.) over the last few decades and I haven't once ended up dead.

We have probably all done it at some point but it is only a matter of
time...

If you are going to overtake a car that is already indicating,
whether stationary or not, you do so at your own peril.

This is a statement of the bleeding obvious. If you overtake a car
which is not indicating and it pulls out anyway, you do that at your
own peril, too.

Indeed. Cars drivers do not always indicate. I see it a lot. Therefore if a
car is *not* indicating you need to be equally cautious overtaking it. If
the car *IS* indicatiing at least they are forewarning you that they are
about to pull into your path.

Likewise riding in the primary position between
pedestrian islands.

Disagree. Where the road is too narrow to be overtaken, in the centre of the
lane is the safest place.

Also riding along a featureless road with no-one
else for miles around. If you aren't careful, you'll fall into the
trap of condoning the argument that only cars should be on the roads
by using this line of reasoning.

Nonsense. Car drivers can get away with sloppy and discourteous driving
habits. In fact, the bigger the vehicle, the more sloppy your driving can be
and the more aggressive the driving can be, simply because other road users
will instictively respect the danger posed. If you adopt the same sloppy
discourteous cycling habits, you are (IMHO) not likely to fare as well. As a
cyclist, it can be annoying having to show courtesy and regard for safety
when the majority of other road users don't. But as cyclists we have more at
stake in the event of a even a minor collision.

Rights of way are meaningless when you are dead.

True; but it does come across as reminiscent of the wife defending the
husband who beats her. Sometimes, you have to stand up to the bully:
`better to die on one's feet than live forever on one's knees'.

Yes, I agree with the sentiment. That means that we adopt the same attitude
to cycling as we do to driving. But rather than lower our cycling standards
to that of the average driver, we increase our driving standards
accordingly. This is why I believe cyclists (and motorcyclists) make better,
safer car drivers.