AG: Aunt Granny's Advice, or How to become an elderly cyclist:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 19:46:50 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 12/8/2014 7:19 PM, John B. Slocomb wrote:
On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:48:15 -0500, dgk wrote:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:08:42 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

I use hand signals only when I'm turning, just as the operator of a motor
vehicle does (or should).


SMH

Don't they have "turn lights" in America :-?

Apparently only the most expensive cars have turn signals, and those
people are too important to use them.

Truly? In the small 3rd world country I reside in use of "turn lights"
is nearly universal even when only changing lanes on the highway.

Really, the use of turn signals is amazingly uncommon in the U.S. (I
was going to write "in Ohio," but it occurs to me it's been the same
everywhere.)

It's most frustrating to me when leaving our little neighborhood, trying
to turn out onto the busy five lane road. I'll be waiting for one last
car coming from the left to pass by, so I can scoot out into a brief
clear space. And the car will slow, and slow further; then turn into
the street I'm trying to exit. Some drivers seem to flick the turn
signal on at the same time they begin cranking the wheel to the right.
Many others will never signal at all.

We had friends from Ireland visit us a few years back. The lack of turn
signals caused some astonishment in our friends. "They don't use their
indicators!"

On the plus side, it's not that uncommon for cops to use this as
justification for stopping a known bad guy. Newspaper reports sometimes
say "XXXX was cited for an improper turn, possession of narcotics,
possession of drug paraphernalia..." If these guys were smart enough to
drive really carefully, they'd last longer on the streets.

But as one of my cop friends told me, "They're not Einsteins, Frank."

I would have to say that turn indicators are nearly universally used
here, by both private and commercial vehicles. In fact, it would be
very, very rare to see a large truck even change lanes without using
his turn lights.

Re criminals, I once had a conversation with a Maine State Policeman
and had a remark like, "some of these guys seem kinda slow", referring
to some of the state prisoners. He replied, "that's why they are in
here". I assumed that he meant that anyone that was half smart didn't
get caught.
--
Cheers,

John B.

On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 07:19:34 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:48:15 -0500, dgk wrote:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:08:42 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

I use hand signals only when I'm turning, just as the operator of a motor
vehicle does (or should).


SMH

Don't they have "turn lights" in America :-?

Apparently only the most expensive cars have turn signals, and those
people are too important to use them.

Truly? In the small 3rd world country I reside in use of "turn lights"
is nearly universal even when only changing lanes on the highway.

Sorry, I was referring to the US, New York City in particular. I'd say
40% of drivers signal their turn early enough for me to find it
useful. I don't trust their signals, but I do factor them into how I
react to them.

On 12/10/2014 2:33 PM, dgk wrote:


Sorry, I was referring to the US, New York City in particular. I'd say
40% of drivers signal their turn early enough for me to find it
useful.

I agree with that estimate.

I don't trust their signals, but I do factor them into how I
react to them.

Ditto.


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Wed, 10 Dec 2014 14:33:50 -0500, dgk wrote:

On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 07:19:34 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:48:15 -0500, dgk wrote:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:08:42 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

I use hand signals only when I'm turning, just as the operator of a motor
vehicle does (or should).


SMH

Don't they have "turn lights" in America :-?

Apparently only the most expensive cars have turn signals, and those
people are too important to use them.

Truly? In the small 3rd world country I reside in use of "turn lights"
is nearly universal even when only changing lanes on the highway.

Sorry, I was referring to the US, New York City in particular. I'd say
40% of drivers signal their turn early enough for me to find it
useful. I don't trust their signals, but I do factor them into how I
react to them.


I'm surprised, really. I remember way back when I was in High School
they started a "Driver's Training" course. The school even had a car
with dual controls. I had assumed that by now USians all had formal
driver's training and were aware of all the do's and don't
--
Cheers,

John B.

On Thu, 11 Dec 2014 15:15:23 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

On Wed, 10 Dec 2014 14:33:50 -0500, dgk wrote:

On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 07:19:34 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:48:15 -0500, dgk wrote:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:08:42 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

I use hand signals only when I'm turning, just as the operator of a motor
vehicle does (or should).


SMH

Don't they have "turn lights" in America :-?

Apparently only the most expensive cars have turn signals, and those
people are too important to use them.

Truly? In the small 3rd world country I reside in use of "turn lights"
is nearly universal even when only changing lanes on the highway.

Sorry, I was referring to the US, New York City in particular. I'd say
40% of drivers signal their turn early enough for me to find it
useful. I don't trust their signals, but I do factor them into how I
react to them.


I'm surprised, really. I remember way back when I was in High School
they started a "Driver's Training" course. The school even had a car
with dual controls. I had assumed that by now USians all had formal
driver's training and were aware of all the do's and don't

They may have been trained to use them but they don't find it
necessary in real life. Probably because they never get ticketed for
that.

On Thu, 11 Dec 2014 09:21:20 -0500, dgk wrote:

On Thu, 11 Dec 2014 15:15:23 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

On Wed, 10 Dec 2014 14:33:50 -0500, dgk wrote:

On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 07:19:34 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:48:15 -0500, dgk wrote:

On Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:08:42 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

I use hand signals only when I'm turning, just as the operator of a motor
vehicle does (or should).


SMH

Don't they have "turn lights" in America :-?

Apparently only the most expensive cars have turn signals, and those
people are too important to use them.

Truly? In the small 3rd world country I reside in use of "turn lights"
is nearly universal even when only changing lanes on the highway.

Sorry, I was referring to the US, New York City in particular. I'd say
40% of drivers signal their turn early enough for me to find it
useful. I don't trust their signals, but I do factor them into how I
react to them.


I'm surprised, really. I remember way back when I was in High School
they started a "Driver's Training" course. The school even had a car
with dual controls. I had assumed that by now USians all had formal
driver's training and were aware of all the do's and don't

They may have been trained to use them but they don't find it
necessary in real life. Probably because they never get ticketed for
that.

You need to implement the "free enterprise" system that we have here.

You do something wrong; the cop stops you; you pay him the fine and go
your way; or you do something wrong; you surrender your drivers
license and must report to the Police Officer's home office in 3 days
time to pay the fine and have your license returned.

Of course, if you pay on the spot the fine goes into the "Police
Benevolence" fund and is used to improve the life of the police
officers, which provides a certain amount of enthusiasm, in the Police
ranks, for law enforcement.
--
Cheers,

John B.

There's a thread on alt.usage.english with the subject line: "is this
the silliest term of art ever?"

I've been tempted to mention "controlling the lane". You can't
control anything but your own body parts, and not always those, but if
you ask nicely, people nearly always give you what you need.

Or what they *think* you need; clear communication is the key to safe
riding.


--
joy beeson at comcast dot net
http://joybeeson.home.comcast.net/
The above message is a Usenet post.
I don't recall having given anyone permission to use it on a Web site.

On 12/14/2014 7:25 PM, Joy Beeson wrote:

There's a thread on alt.usage.english with the subject line: "is this
the silliest term of art ever?"

I've been tempted to mention "controlling the lane". You can't
control anything but your own body parts, and not always those, but if
you ask nicely, people nearly always give you what you need.

Or what they *think* you need; clear communication is the key to safe
riding.



Well said.

On 12/11/2014 8:14 PM, John B. Slocomb wrote:


You need to implement the "free enterprise" system that we have here.

You do something wrong; the cop stops you; you pay him the fine and go
your way; or you do something wrong; you surrender your drivers
license and must report to the Police Officer's home office in 3 days
time to pay the fine and have your license returned.

Of course, if you pay on the spot the fine goes into the "Police
Benevolence" fund and is used to improve the life of the police
officers, which provides a certain amount of enthusiasm, in the Police
ranks, for law enforcement.

So, the free market philosophy applied to policing! I think that would
be approved by roughly half the American public.

Until the first time they were pulled over, that is.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On 12/14/2014 7:25 PM, Joy Beeson wrote:

There's a thread on alt.usage.english with the subject line: "is this
the silliest term of art ever?"

I've been tempted to mention "controlling the lane". You can't
control anything but your own body parts, and not always those, but if
you ask nicely, people nearly always give you what you need.

Or what they *think* you need; clear communication is the key to safe
riding.

Well, when I ride in the middle of a narrow lane, it seems to adequately
communicate that there's insufficient room to pass unless the passers
leave the lane.

Call it what you will; it works.

And for the situation I usually ask about - an 8.5 foot truck coming up
behind me in a 10 foot lane - I don't know a better alternative.

--
- Frank Krygowski