Nightrider

This may not be anything new, but other beginners may like to try this: I have
put lights on my unicycle, a batterydriven headlight and another batterydriven
taillight, that flashes. So now I ride at night, under the stars... Another new
feeling. Wow, just getting on in the dark suddenly seems hard. Seing the ray
from the headlight flashing back and forth, gives me new insight into the cycles
movements, and cars are less prone to honk their horn at me, as they don't
understand what they are seing from far away. By the way, I allways ride against
traffic, like a pedestrian, so I can see them coming. And if they drive too
close to the curb, I get off. This is a new kind of fun...well for me it is.

--WebTV-Mail-1747479803-415 Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit

Hey Nightrider, Be very, very careful with this idea! When "nightriding", one
cannot read the road surface as well as in the daylight. I have tried this
"nightriding" several times and though enjoyable, it can be dangerous. The
motorized tin cans cannot see you as well (though you've worked on that
problem), but" you" can't see nearly as well either. I have taken many spills
(as we all have) but the three worst spills have been trying to ride the uni in
the dark. You cannot read the road as well, and your preception is way, way off
also. That is one reason mounting is much harder in the dark. Be careful and
safe! Mike


--WebTV-Mail-1747479803-415 Content-Disposition: Inline Content-Type:
Message/RFC822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit

Received: from mailsorter-102.bryant.webtv.net
(mailsorter-102.iap.bryant.webtv.net
[207.79.35.92]) by postoffice-131.iap.bryant.webtv.net
(8.8.5/po.gso.24Feb98) with ESMTP id AAA12671; Sat, 12 Sep
1998 00:09:07 -0700 (PDT) Received: from
icicle.winternet.com (icicle.winternet.com
[198.174.169.13]) by mailsorter-102.bryant.webtv.net
(8.8.8/ms.graham.14Aug97) with ESMTP id AAA06231; Sat, 12
Sep 1998 00:09:05 -0700 (PDT) Received: (from
server@localhost) by icicle.winternet.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) id
CAA05923 for unicycling-outgoing; Sat, 12 Sep 1998
02:04:15 -0500 (CDT) X-Authentication-Warning:
icicle.winternet.com: server set sender to
owner-unicycling using -f Received: (from adm@localhost)
by icicle.winternet.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) id CAA05819 for
<UNICYCLING@WINTERNET.COM>; Sat, 12 Sep 1998 02:03:39
-0500 (CDT) Received: from auvm.american.edu(147.9.1.2) by
icicle.winternet.com via smap (V2.0) id xma005791; Sat, 12
Sep 98 02:03:37 -0500 Received: from AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU by
AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 7297;
Sat, 12 Sep 98 02:55:26 EDT Received: from
AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU (NJE origin NETNEWS@AUVM) by
AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 6049;
Sat, 12 Sep 1998 02:55:26 -0400 To:
UNICYCLING@winternet.com Path: auvm!paladin.american.edu!-
zombie.ncsc.mil!newsgate.duke.edu! nntp-out.monmouth.com!-
newspeer.monmouth.com!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-peer.spr
intlink.net!news-backup-west.sprintlink.net!news.sprintli-
nk.net!199.191.1.22!ne ws.agate.net!usenet From: "Kevin"
<Kevin@porky.net> Newsgroups: rec.sport.unicycling
Subject: Nightrider Date: 12 Sep 1998 03:47:19 GMT
Organization: Agate Internet Services (AIS) Lines: 11
Message-ID: <01bdddf7$733ed480$372590d0@default>
NNTP-Posting-Host: pm1-p-p15.skow.net X-Newsreader:
Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1161 Xref:
paladin.american.edu rec.sport.unicycling:6215 Sender:
owner-unicycling@winternet.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To:
"Kevin" <Kevin@porky.net>

This may not be anything new, but other beginners may like to try this: I have
put lights on my unicycle, a batterydriven headlight and another batterydriven
taillight, that flashes. So now I ride at night, under the stars... Another new
feeling. Wow, just getting on in the dark suddenly seems hard. Seing the ray
from the headlight flashing back and forth, gives me new insight into the cycles
movements, and cars are less prone to honk their horn at me, as they don't
understand what they are seing from far away. By the way, I allways ride against
traffic, like a pedestrian, so I can see them coming. And if they drive too
close to the curb, I get off. This is a new kind of fun...well for me it is.

--WebTV-Mail-1747479803-415--

<bold>Mike Payne,Unidiver=40webtv.net,Internet writes:

</bold><x-quoted>Hey Nightrider,

Be very, very careful with this idea=21 When =22nightriding=22, one can= not

read the road surface as well as in the daylight. </x-quoted>

What a coincidence=21 I'm checking my email at work right now at 8:30 p.m.=
Tucson time -- and work is the halfway point of my night time 6 mile ride.= As
soon as I finish this, I'll scoot off for the 3 mile return to home. = (I've got
a 20=22 Schwinn but am trying to find something with a bigger whe= el for
distance riding.)

I find that the worst part of nightriding is the change of roads. You just=
can't see the grade changes between a major street and a residential offsh= oot,
and the changes your brain would automatically make in the daytime jus= t can't
happen. I wear gloves at night and carry a big flashlight.

The up side is that there are few streetlights in this town. Riding at nig= ht,
silently, under the starlit desert sky -- flashlight off and reading th= e road
with your toes -- is about as Zen as it gets.

Dave

Howdy you two--

I just happened to be browsing through all of these messages about unicycling,
and I was impressed with your remarks. Mostly because you both sound not only as
if you enjoy the hobby (sport?) very much, but it also sounds like you are being
creative (and careful) as well. I am new to the sport myself, and aside from a
few cuts, scrapes and bruises, I'm afraid I don't have much experience to
comment from. Don't worry, I wouldn't think of dragging out the "Beginner's War
Stories" of unicycling, as we've all been there/done that -- and besides, I'm
sure anybody who reads this could top my stories ANYday. I do have a few
questions though. Where can I find more info on our "one wheeled world?" I have
been into a few bike shops, but most of them look at me as though I had come
from another planet. Also, what kinds/brands of cycles are the best and where
can I find them, (once I've gotten past the crash-test dummy stage of course)?
keep the tips coming! I'll be sure to remember what has been said about riding
in the dark.

RIDE ON! --Russell


In article <21858-35FC1F4F-718@mailtod-132.iap.bryant.webtv.net>,
Unidiver@webtv.net (Mike Payne) wrote:
[color=blue]>[/color]
[color=blue]> --WebTV-Mail-1747479803-415 Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII[/color]
[color=blue]> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit[/color]
[color=blue]>[/color]
[color=blue]> Hey Nightrider, Be very, very careful with this idea! When "nightriding", one[/color]
[color=blue]> cannot read the road surface as well as in the daylight. I have tried this[/color]
[color=blue]> "nightriding" several times and though enjoyable, it can be dangerous. The[/color]
[color=blue]> motorized tin cans cannot see you as well (though you've worked on that[/color]
[color=blue]> problem), but" you" can't see nearly as well either. I have taken many spills[/color]
[color=blue]> (as we all have) but the three worst spills have been trying to ride the uni[/color]
[color=blue]> in the dark. You cannot read the road as well, and your preception is way, way[/color]
[color=blue]> off also. That is one reason mounting is much harder in the dark. Be careful[/color]
[color=blue]> and safe! Mike[/color]
[color=blue]>[/color]
[color=blue]> --WebTV-Mail-1747479803-415 Content-Disposition: Inline Content-Type:[/color]
[color=blue]> Message/RFC822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit[/color]
[color=blue]>[/color]
[color=blue]> Received: from mailsorter-102.bryant.webtv.net[/color]
[color=blue]> (mailsorter-102.iap.bryant.webtv.net[/color]
[color=blue]> [207.79.35.92]) by postoffice-131.iap.bryant.webtv.net[/color]
(8.8.5/po.gso.24Feb98)
[color=blue]> with ESMTP id AAA12671; Sat, 12 Sep 1998 00:09:07 -0700 (PDT) Received:[/color]
[color=blue]> from icicle.winternet.com (icicle.winternet.com [198.174.169.13]) by[/color]
[color=blue]> mailsorter-102.bryant.webtv.net (8.8.8/ms.graham.14Aug97) with ESMTP id[/color]
[color=blue]> AAA06231; Sat, 12 Sep 1998 00:09:05 -0700 (PDT) Received: (from[/color]
[color=blue]> server@localhost) by icicle.winternet.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) id CAA05923 for[/color]
[color=blue]> unicycling-outgoing; Sat, 12 Sep 1998 02:04:15 -0500 (CDT)[/color]
[color=blue]> X-Authentication-Warning: icicle.winternet.com: server set sender to[/color]
[color=blue]> owner-unicycling using -f Received: (from adm@localhost) by[/color]
[color=blue]> icicle.winternet.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) id CAA05819 for[/color]
[color=blue]> <UNICYCLING@WINTERNET.COM>; Sat, 12 Sep 1998 02:03:39 -0500 (CDT)[/color]
[color=blue]> Received: from auvm.american.edu(147.9.1.2) by icicle.winternet.com via[/color]
[color=blue]> smap (V2.0) id xma005791; Sat, 12 Sep 98 02:03:37 -0500 Received: from[/color]
[color=blue]> AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU by AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id[/color]
[color=blue]> 7297; Sat, 12 Sep 98 02:55:26 EDT Received: from AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU (NJE[/color]
[color=blue]> origin NETNEWS@AUVM) by AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP[/color]
[color=blue]> id 6049; Sat, 12 Sep 1998 02:55:26 -0400 To: UNICYCLING@winternet.com[/color]
[color=blue]> Path: auvm!paladin.american.edu!zombie.ncsc.mil!newsgate.duke.edu![/color]
[color=blue]>[/color]
nntp-out.monmouth.com!newspeer.monmouth.com!news.maxwell.syr.edu!new-
s-peer.spr
[color=blue]>[/color]
intlink.net!news-backup-west.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!199.19-
1.1.22!n e
[color=blue]> ws.agate.net!usenet From: "Kevin" <Kevin@porky.net> Newsgroups:[/color]
[color=blue]> rec.sport.unicycling Subject: Nightrider Date: 12 Sep 1998 03:47:19 GMT[/color]
[color=blue]> Organization: Agate Internet Services (AIS) Lines: 11 Message-ID:[/color]
[color=blue]> <01bdddf7$733ed480$372590d0@default> NNTP-Posting-Host:[/color]
[color=blue]> pm1-p-p15.skow.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1161 Xref:[/color]
[color=blue]> paladin.american.edu rec.sport.unicycling:6215 Sender:[/color]
[color=blue]> owner-unicycling@winternet.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: "Kevin"[/color]
[color=blue]> <Kevin@porky.net>[/color]
[color=blue]>[/color]
[color=blue]> This may not be anything new, but other beginners may like to try this: I have[/color]
[color=blue]> put lights on my unicycle, a batterydriven headlight and another batterydriven[/color]
[color=blue]> taillight, that flashes. So now I ride at night, under the stars... Another[/color]
[color=blue]> new feeling. Wow, just getting on in the dark suddenly seems hard. Seing the[/color]
[color=blue]> ray from the headlight flashing back and forth, gives me new insight into the[/color]
[color=blue]> cycles movements, and cars are less prone to honk their horn at me, as they[/color]
[color=blue]> don't understand what they are seing from far away. By the way, I allways ride[/color]
[color=blue]> against traffic, like a pedestrian, so I can see them coming. And if they[/color]
[color=blue]> drive too close to the curb, I get off. This is a new kind of fun...well for[/color]
[color=blue]> me it is.[/color]
[color=blue]>[/color]
[color=blue]> --WebTV-Mail-1747479803-415--[/color]
[color=blue]>[/color]

-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_003B_01BDDFDD.D0D490C0 Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Subject: Nightrider

I am afraid we, Third World Country inhabitants (I live in Rio de = Janeiro,
Brazil), have got to do what we think is best for us. Yes, = there is a law
which forbids night riding. Nobody cares! If you get = killed, it's your
problem. This is a very unfortunate aspect of the = Third World: nobody seems to
care much at all.=20

I ride at night, occasionally. It's a 2,5 km stretch from the university = to my
apartment building. It is not too dangareous, except for the = occasional night
mugger (thief), which one has to escape from. The = police are NEVER there to
protect one. Living in Rio, you have to know = that your life is not worth as
much as if you lived in the First World. = After 52 years living mostly in Rio,
one tends to get reasonably used to = violence around. If it strikes you, you
have to see a possible way out = FAST. Sometimes there is just isn't a way
around that.

Because I always unicycle the same stretch, I can almost tell where the = road
is uneven and when not. There are minor surprises. I don't wear = safety
equipment usually (which reminds me, I'll come back late tonight = and I should
try to find my reflective belt/vest!).

I was unicycling in public after two weeks of learning the VERY basics. = I had
to do it by trial and error, as most things in this country, by = riding first
in the correct flow of traffic, then changing that, if it = proved too dangerous
this way. I wear a safety helmet and a rear mirror = on it, which helps A LOT. I
would highly recomend a rear mirror, mine is = called Third Eye, and you can get
the helmet or the glasses' type. I've = used it while riding boring two-wheelers
for many years.

But I thank Mike Payne/David Berry. anyway, for giving us kind words of = advice
on not night riding, if possible. I think Mike/David is/are being = very
sensible.I only wish we were surrounded by such caring people down = this part
of the world... -----Original Message----- From: OG David Berry
<dberry@fc.cfsd.k12.az.us> To: unicycling@winternet.com
<unicycling@winternet.com> Date: Segunda-feira, 14 de Setembro de 1998 00:56
Subject: Re: Nightrider
=20 20
Mike Payne,Unidiver@webtv.net,Internet writes: Hey Nightrider, Be very, very
careful with this idea! When "nightriding", one cannot read the road surface
as well as in the daylight.=20
=20
What a coincidence! I'm checking my email at work right now at 8:30 =
p.m. Tucson time -- and work is the halfway point of my night time 6 = mile
ride. As soon as I finish this, I'll scoot off for the 3 mile = return to
home. (I've got a 20" Schwinn but am trying to find something = with a
bigger wheel for distance riding.)
=20
I find that the worst part of nightriding is the change of roads. = You just
can't see the grade changes between a major street and a = residential
offshoot, and the changes your brain would automatically = make in the
daytime just can't happen. I wear gloves at night and carry = a big
flashlight.
=20
The up side is that there are few streetlights in this town. Riding = at
night, silently, under the starlit desert sky -- flashlight off and =
reading the road with your toes -- is about as Zen as it gets.
=20
Dave
=20 20 20

------=_NextPart_000_003B_01BDDFDD.D0D490C0 Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY
bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Subject: =
<U>Nightrider</U></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>I am afraid we, Third World Country =
inhabitants=20 (I live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), have got to do what we
think is best = for us.=20 Yes, there is a law which forbids night
riding. Nobody cares! If you get = killed,=20 it's your problem. This is
a very unfortunate aspect of the Third World: = nobody=20 seems to care
much at all. </FONT></DIV>
<DVI><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DVII><FONT size=3D2>I ride at night, occasionally. It's a 2,5 km stretch =
from the=20 university to my apartment building. It is not too
dangareous, except = for the=20 occasional night mugger (thief), which
one has to escape from. The = police are=20 NEVER there to protect one.
Living in Rio, you have to know that your = life is=20 not worth as much
as if you lived in the First World. After 52 years = living=20 mostly in
Rio, one tends to get reasonably used to violence around. If = it=20
strikes you, you have to see a possible way out FAST. Sometimes there is
= just=20 isn't a way around that.</FONT></DIV>
<DVIII><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIX><FONT size=3D2>Because I always unicycle the same stretch, I can = almost
tell=20 where the road is uneven and when not. There are minor surprises.
I = don't wear=20 safety equipment usually (which reminds me, I'll come
back late tonight = and I=20 should try to find my reflective
belt/vest!).</FONT></DIV>
<DX><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DXI><FONT size=3D2>I was unicycling in public after two weeks of = learning
the=20 VERY basics. I had to do it by trial and error, as most things in
this = country,=20 by riding first in the correct flow of traffic, then
changing that, if = it proved=20 too dangerous this way. I wear a safety
helmet and a rear mirror on it, = which=20 helps A LOT. I would highly
recomend a rear mirror, mine is called&nbsp; = Third=20 Eye, and you can
get the helmet or the glasses' type. I've used it while = riding=20
boring two-wheelers for many years.</FONT></DIV>
<DXII><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DXIII><FONT size=3D2>But I thank Mike Payne/David Berry. anyway,&nbsp; = for
giving=20 us kind words of advice on not night riding, if possible. I
think = Mike/David=20
is/are being very sensible.I only wish we were surrounded by such caring =
people=20 down this part of the world...</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px;
PADDING-LEFT: = 5px">
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>-----Original =
Message-----</B><BR><B>From:=20 </B>OG David Berry &lt;<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:dberry@fc.cfsd.k12.az.us">dberry@fc.cfsd.k12.az.us</A>&g-
t;= <BR><B>To:=20 </B><A = href=3D"mailto:unicycling@winternet.com">uni-
cycling@winternet.com</A>=20 &lt;<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:unicycling@winternet.com">unicycling@winternet.com</A>&gt;=
<BR><B>Date:=20 </B>Segunda-feira, 14 de Setembro de 1998 00:56<BR><B>Subject: =
</B>Re:=20 Nightrider<BR><BR></DIV></FONT><B>Mike <A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:Payne,Unidiver@webtv.net,Internet">Payne,Unidiver@webtv.ne=
t,Internet</A>=20 writes:<BR></B><?x-quoted>Hey Nightrider,<BR>Be very, very
careful = with this=20 idea! When &quot;nightriding&quot;, one cannot<BR>read
the road = surface as=20 well as in the daylight.<?/x-quoted> <BR><BR>What a
coincidence! I'm =

checking my email at work right now at 8:30 p.m. Tucson time -- and = work
is=20 the halfway point of my night time 6 mile ride. As soon as I finish =
this,=20 I'll scoot off for the 3 mile return to home. (I've got a 20&quot;
= Schwinn=20 but am trying to find something with a bigger wheel for
distance=20 riding.)<BR><BR>I find that the worst part of nightriding is the
= change of=20 roads. You just can't see the grade changes between a major
street = and a=20 residential offshoot, and the changes your brain would
automatically = make in=20 the daytime just can't happen. I wear gloves at
night and carry a = big=20 flashlight.<BR><BR>The up side is that there are
few streetlights in = this=20 town. Riding at night, silently, under the
starlit desert sky -- = flashlight=20 off and reading the road with your
toes -- is about as Zen as it=20
gets.<BR><BR>Dave<BR><BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_003B_01BDDFDD.D0D490C0--

Mike Payne wrote:

[color=blue]> Hey Nightrider, Be very, very careful with this idea! When "nightriding", one[/color]
[color=blue]> cannot read the road surface as well as in the daylight. I have tried this[/color]
[color=blue]> "nightriding" several times and though enjoyable, it can be dangerous.[/color]

Extra thrills and spills! Seriously though, I do about half my riding at night
and don't have any problems. Most places have enough light for you to have a
vague idea of the lie of the land and once you get a bit of skill its not much
of a problem coping with small unseen bumps. In fact it probably improves your
riding. I used to ride at night ALL the time as it was the best time to practice
(in summer anyway). Cool weather, no people to careen into and no one to laugh
when you fall off.

Lights and a helmet are a good idea, not so much because of the dangers of
unicycling, but you've got to worry about those people driving around in cars
who seem to be shocked at the sight of a unicyclist as if it were something out
of the ordinary:-)

Catch ya ]Peter

ps If you want some real thrills and spills try MUNI at night!

In article <647101.181736623@fc.cfsd.k12.az.us>, dberry@fc.cfsd.k12.az.us (OG
David Berry) writes:

[color=blue]>The up side is that there are few streetlights in this town. Riding at nig= ht,[/color]
[color=blue]>silently, under the starlit desert sky -- flashlight off and reading th= e road[/color]
[color=blue]>with your toes -- is about as Zen as it gets.[/color]
[color=blue]>[/color]

I'll second that! I ride most nights on our farm and have got quite used to
carrying a large flashlight, although the ideal is a clear night with a full
moon when you can see for miles without any additional light - you just want to
ride and ride while listening to the owls.

Jerry

Kevin (Kevin@porky.net) wrote:
[color=blue]: This may not be anything new, but other beginners may like to try this: I have[/color]
[color=blue]: put lights on my unicycle, a batterydriven headlight and another batterydriven[/color]
[color=blue]: taillight, that flashes. So now I ride at night, under the stars... Another[/color]
[color=blue]: new feeling.[/color]

I can recomend also wearing something reflective, a sash or vest as it helps
drivers see you as a person. don't forget if you have a pack on your back to get
your vest over the back of it or aint much use.

2 years ago the BJC at Nottingham had it's camp site on the other side of a
large deer park, riding across the park on dirt tracks in the dark was a great
experience. Real riding by your toes. sarah