tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1134723925265805427.post1719229109110528170..comments2023-10-31T14:04:04.105+02:00Comments on Rambling around foo: Bicycle riding in Bucharesteddyphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13986125106284142716noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1134723925265805427.post-11933026767370955292009-07-16T15:03:45.003+03:002009-07-16T15:03:45.003+03:00...I will also complain about the Flash-only image...<i>...I will also complain about the Flash-only images I cannot see :(<br /></i><br /><br />Sorry about that...<br /><br /><i>When riding on a bike, never take the side walk - even more so with a foldable! First, the surface is much less regular than on the road itself.</i><br /><br />I agree with that, but as an exception, the side walks I use (only two of them) are quite good and very few people use them.<br /><br /><i>Second, pedestrians are not expecting you, and crashing into them (or going by them at bike-speed) is just rude.</i><br /><br />I agree is rude to pass by them at speed, still, I never go at speed by them and I always ride at walk speed behind them until they allow me to pass, without me saying anything.<br /><br />Second, the more circulated side walk of the two, is parallel to a street which is exit towards one of the motorways (incomplete and short as they are) and cars have a speed limit there with 10km above the regular speed limit within municipalities, so is even more dangerous.<br /><br />I know is not the best thing I could do, but I think it is the safest for me and everyone else.<br /><br /><i>But most important, third: No cars expect a vehicle to come out of the sidewalk. You are much more likely to have an accident either by being hit by a car going out of the garage or when crossing a street than if you go on the road itself!</i><br /><br />Indeed, that's why I slow down to walk speed and make sure is safe to cross when I approach streets; let's say I really picked carefully my side walks to ride on and I take extra care to stay safe, in spite of the insane traffic in Bucharest. One of them has mostly intersections with short closes and the other one has none, so they are really special.<br /><br /><br />As I said before, I think I am safer and since I am really careful, this works out good for me, although it would be a lot better if tracks existed.<br /><br /><i>How do pedestrians behave in the same situation? Do they also cross three streets? I do not expect it to be so... The bike is very versatile - you can just behave as a pedestrian and cross with the rest of them (walking with the bike by your side).</i><br /><br />They usually use the outer side walks, so they don't generally fit the same situation. The inner side walks are not and were not that used before the tracks existed; I suspect the reason for the tracks to be there is that they were not used, so there was no loss for anybody.<br /><br /><i>Do bring your bike to Cáceres!</i><br /><br />Sorry, I won't. I've seen what the morons at the airport in Bucharest can do to luggage and I am not risking any damage to or loss of my bike. If it were only for the other airports, I'd probably bring it, but when the morons at the Otopeni airport comes into play, everything changes.<br /><br />I know I'd probably have fun with the bike, but I'll pass on that for now.<br /><br /><i>I have only once travelled with mine, which I brought in late May.<br />[..]This time, going to Spain, I got a large enough suitcase, so it will be better protected. The bit that holds the wire for the back brakes got a bit damaged, and the central gear got slightly bent - nothing that a quick stop at the repair shop doesn't fix in 15 minutes. And you get the freedom to bike in other countries!</i><br /><br />I already had one regular luggage broken beyond repair by the airport handlers and I've seen it with my own eyes when they did it. I concluded that they will not take care not to put heavy luggage over it, or all the other luggage, for that matter, so unless I can't carry it with me and place it in the bin above my head, I am not taking any chance.<br /><br /><i>Oh, if you pack your bike as luggage: Remember to completely deinflate the tires, as the luggage compartment is not airtight, and the tires can explode if you don't empty them.</i><br /><br />Thanks for the advice. It never crossed my mind to deflate the tyres, although it makes total sense.<br /><br /><i>I will be carrying my pump with me, so getting back rolling should be easy.</i><br /><br />My bike has a built in pump in the saddle, so getting air pressure into the tyres was not a concern ;-) .eddyphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13986125106284142716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1134723925265805427.post-5640933578099759432009-07-16T14:21:58.501+03:002009-07-16T14:21:58.501+03:00Eddy
If you want solar power for the sake of carb...<i>Eddy<br /><br />If you want solar power for the sake of carbon footprint, a bycicle is probably better served by a dinamo light.</i><br /><br />I'd prefer solar because they give a steady light even when I'm not pedalling or pedalling really slowly.<br /><br />I usually reduce speed in order to better see which way I can go when I am trying to avoid obstacles. The dynamo light dims exactly at that point.<br /><br /><i> Very efficient, no need to recharge batteries, waaay cheaper than any solar powered lamp (dinamo in the front wheel hub can be somehow more expensive), high-end dinamo lights can be much brighter than cheap battery lights.</i><br /><br />The whole idea with solar powered lamp is that it can charge during the day and use the power later during night. This matches perfectly my routine.<br /><br />Also, I dislike the sound of the dynamo and the wear it produces on the tyre, so less reasons to prefer dynamos. Granted, maybe newer dynamos are better, while I had an experience with an old one, still, I am prefering solar LED lamps over dynamos.<br /><br />OTOH, my bicycle doesn't have a dedicated mount for the dynamo which means that whatever dynamo I might use I have a significant chance for it to slip, not fit well, etc.eddyphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13986125106284142716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1134723925265805427.post-28666581025473311832009-07-16T14:08:14.513+03:002009-07-16T14:08:14.513+03:00All of your picture links lead to a page that requ...<i>All of your picture links lead to a page that requires Flash to show anything useful.</i><br /><br />Yes, indeed, sorry about that. I'll report a bug against gnash about this.eddyphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13986125106284142716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1134723925265805427.post-43969262299121594182009-07-15T23:15:06.884+03:002009-07-15T23:15:06.884+03:00Great to see you using your foldable bike! Some po...Great to see you using your foldable bike! Some points:<br /><br />...I will also complain about the Flash-only images I cannot see :(<br /><br />You say you take <i>small streets or even side walks</i>. When riding on a bike, <i>never take the side walk</i> - even more so with a foldable! First, the surface is much less regular than on the road itself. Second, pedestrians are not expecting you, and crashing into them (or going by them at bike-speed) is just rude. But most important, third: No cars expect a vehicle to come out of the sidewalk. You are much more likely to have an accident either by being hit by a car going out of the garage or when crossing a street than if you go on the road itself!<br /><br />About the stupid waits at the U-shaped things you have to wait for: How do pedestrians behave in the same situation? Do they also cross three streets? I do not expect it to be so... The bike is very versatile - you can just behave as a pedestrian and cross with the rest of them (walking with the bike by your side).<br /><br />Anyway, in Mexico we also have too few real bicycle tracks - We have some tracks painted on the rightmost track of regular road surfaces (a-la-UK Red Lanes), which are useless as people park their cars there. In some places I have seen apparent bike tracks along the middle separation of both-ways streets - They are even more dangerous than riding with the traffic (as a hit may come from the sides at any crossing) and go up and down over and over. Useless. And in the few cases the cycleway is decently done, people use it as a sidewalk. I practically always take the regular road. After all, the bicycle is just another (although slower and more fragile) vehicle, right?<br /><br /><i>In most cases drivers are civilised and, for instance, don't try to over pass me, if I signal left. Sometimes I feel that some of them drive too close to me and leave me no choice in case of an emergency, but what can I do?</i> — Make yourself visible! I always ride with a bright orange sleeveless jacket, with reflective strips; ring my bell when passing near any vehicle on the left, and ride at least one meter away from any parked vehicle. <br /><br />About your experience at night: Sigh, yes, same here. I always try to move by bike during the day or early night (say, until ~21:00). Yesterday I came back home at 23:00, and was quite scared just because of the time - because people like speeding, because some moron might be drunk, whatnot. Still, make yourself seen. And heard. In the incident with the taxi: Always try to establish eye contact (although I understand, that was an awkward turn anyway). At least you heard him step on the gas, so that gave you warning so you stopped on time :-/<br /><br />Last, regarding a comment on your prior post on this subject: Do bring your bike to Cáceres! I have only once travelled with mine, which I brought in late May. I took it to Nicaragua - The plane stopped at Guatemala on the way there, and on Salvador and Guatemala on the way back. As I didn't have a proper bag, I wrapped the bike with the plastic material they have at some airports - This time, going to Spain, I got a large enough suitcase, so it will be better protected. The bit that holds the wire for the back brakes got a bit damaged, and the central gear got slightly bent - nothing that a quick stop at the repair shop doesn't fix in 15 minutes. And you get the freedom to bike in other countries!<br /><br />Oh, if you pack your bike as luggage: Remember to completely deinflate the tires, as the luggage compartment is not airtight, and the tires can explode if you don't empty them. I will be carrying my pump with me, so getting back rolling should be easy.<br /><br />See you in Cáceres!Gunnar Wolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01596337686809335591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1134723925265805427.post-35350478372734552832009-07-15T20:29:03.470+03:002009-07-15T20:29:03.470+03:00Eddy
If you want solar power for the sake of carb...Eddy<br /><br />If you want solar power for the sake of carbon footprint, a bycicle is probably better served by a dinamo light. Very efficient, no need to recharge batteries, waaay cheaper than any solar powered lamp (dinamo in the front wheel hub can be somehow more expensive), high-end dinamo lights can be much brighter than cheap battery lights.<br /><br />Just a suggestionAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1134723925265805427.post-56218439018408910562009-07-15T18:07:49.374+03:002009-07-15T18:07:49.374+03:00All of your picture links lead to a page that requ...All of your picture links lead to a page that requires Flash to show anything useful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com