Unicycle@aol.com
1995-03-07, 08:33 AM
BCMartin@aol.com (Ben Martin) wrote his unicycling essay:
> Unicycling can be a good metaphor for all that is strange in life. >It
brings out reactions in people that reveal how their minds work. It can
>show how deeply one's curiosity has been buried, and the different degrees of
>how hard that curiosity has to fight to surface. All of these are merely
>unpleasant side effects of riding. The real reason that I ride is for the fun
>and challenge.
What started out as a pleasant ride through the park turned into an
ordeal of reactions from the general public. I think we all feel this
way sometimes, perhaps to the extent that we may choose *not* to ride on
a unicycle but seek other transportation that day. I think Ben has
fairly accurately described the psychoses of his various spectators. As
unicycle riders, I think it's important for us to remember that we look
pretty unusual when we ride down the street, so we'd better get used to
it. Most of us learned because we wanted to do something different or
unusual, so expect people to react to it as such. If more people rode,
it would be far less unusual. If we'd like to see a world with more
people riding, we have to remember to keep a pleasant expression when
responding to the public when we ride past. Otherwise, we will have to
wear T-shirts that say, "Unicycling is not a crime."
> In the end, I am forced to simply enjoy riding and learn to accept >the
reactions I get in the park.
Exactly. The price we pay for our fame.
>P.S. Private flames would be prefered.
Why would Ben prefer to be flamed? I think he did a nice job. Though I
am no English teacher, I like seeing people do unicycle writing. There
is not enough of it. If you have done it in the past, or are thinking
about it, please share it with all of us here on the net. Thanks, Ben.
John Foss, President International Unicycling Federation unicycle@aol.com
> Unicycling can be a good metaphor for all that is strange in life. >It
brings out reactions in people that reveal how their minds work. It can
>show how deeply one's curiosity has been buried, and the different degrees of
>how hard that curiosity has to fight to surface. All of these are merely
>unpleasant side effects of riding. The real reason that I ride is for the fun
>and challenge.
What started out as a pleasant ride through the park turned into an
ordeal of reactions from the general public. I think we all feel this
way sometimes, perhaps to the extent that we may choose *not* to ride on
a unicycle but seek other transportation that day. I think Ben has
fairly accurately described the psychoses of his various spectators. As
unicycle riders, I think it's important for us to remember that we look
pretty unusual when we ride down the street, so we'd better get used to
it. Most of us learned because we wanted to do something different or
unusual, so expect people to react to it as such. If more people rode,
it would be far less unusual. If we'd like to see a world with more
people riding, we have to remember to keep a pleasant expression when
responding to the public when we ride past. Otherwise, we will have to
wear T-shirts that say, "Unicycling is not a crime."
> In the end, I am forced to simply enjoy riding and learn to accept >the
reactions I get in the park.
Exactly. The price we pay for our fame.
>P.S. Private flames would be prefered.
Why would Ben prefer to be flamed? I think he did a nice job. Though I
am no English teacher, I like seeing people do unicycle writing. There
is not enough of it. If you have done it in the past, or are thinking
about it, please share it with all of us here on the net. Thanks, Ben.
John Foss, President International Unicycling Federation unicycle@aol.com