first bent ride

[markg0vbr]

I did my first bent ride yesterday, only 15mils but all hills, I like the 40mph down the other side . I have to ride through town to get out in to the country roads, past several pubs and was quiet unprepared for the furore I coursed simply riding past the packed bear garden.
from laughter, abuse and thrown bottles, out on the road was not much better two cars nearly hit head on, one overtaking me the other coming head on, nether would back down. the one behind me locked his wheals slewing the back end around.
next I came across a horse, it was stamping its feet as I came toward it, so I stopped but the thing was going frantic and brought down a garden fence.
aside from the Neanderthals, horses, cars (some with passengers hanging out of the window ether shouting or spiting) it was quite entertaining.

 

[palinurus]

Jesus. What happens if you have to do 60 miles?

 

[Andy in Sig]

Maybe you should arm yourself with an AK-47 and a cattle prod for your next ride!

 

[buggi]

that doesn't sound like an enjoyable ride to me!

 

[palinurus]

So what bike (or trike) have you got then?

The horse thing is well-known, I expect there are some tricks you can learn to spook them less. I expect the attention from pubgoers is also well-known, but there's less likely to be a ready solution.

 

[Crankarm]

Jesus. What happens if you have to do 60 miles?

LoL .......

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I know horses are supposed to be spooked by fluorescent yellow items as well as excessive noise.

Pubgoers are another matter. They usually are fearful of what they do not understand and thus spend 99% of their life in a state of panic.

So what bike (or trike) have you got then?

The horse thing is well-known, I expect there are some tricks you can learn to spook them less. I expect the attention from pubgoers is also well-known, but there's less likely to be a ready solution.

 

[Arch]

I know horses are supposed to be spooked by fluorescent yellow items as well as excessive noise.

I think there's an additional issue with recumbents. Horses are prey, their whole body is adapted to run away first, ask questions later. Predators tend to be low, silent and fast. I think a recumbent fits their basic visual image of a predator. And approaches relatively silently - they don't like anything appearing suddenly with no warning in their field of view.

As ever, the best thing, whether meeting head on, or from behind to do is slow down and call out hello in a friendly way - mostly so that the horse realises you are human, and partly to alert the rider, who has very poor senses in comparison to the horse. I've been in big recumbent groups passing horses and we've usually been ok just making ourselves known and passing slow and wide - with a very nervous animal one might have to get off and push the 'bent past - the horse will then think "oh, a wheelbarrow, ok..."

The pubgoers, I'm afraid, I have no answer for...

 

[palinurus]

I know horses are supposed to be spooked by fluorescent yellow items as well as excessive noise.

Don't know about horses, I certainly am.

 

[markg0vbr]

I have the ice q trike. having done my home work I new there was a problem with horse skittishness, so stopped and spoke to the horse/rider, the thing still went out of its mind.
the pub, just what i have come to expect some of the grunt ugg ugg Brigid haven't discovered opposable thumbs yet.
second ride today , I had my two lads for the weekend, so did a short ride with the twelve year old in front of me the seventeen year old behind.
I only suffered verbal abuse once by a van driver how on a narrow stretch of road could not pass drove up so his front left bumper was level with my back tyre and repeatedly revved his engine, his passenger shouted "get out the fu@king road you w@nker " no wonder i never see bikes on the road around hear.