MOTs for bikes.

[subaqua]

theres a world of difference between a scabby looking beater thats SAFE to ride, and a bike that has very little in the way of being able to be operated safely. brakes that work is a good start. tyres the wrong way round isn't a major issue. but under inflated tyres , bald tyres ( by this i mean the ply layer showing through, like one of mybikes had as a kid ) can cause problems

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

If you happen to notice that somone has got one of their tires on the wrong way around should you tell them?

Tyres fitted the wrong way round is not necessarily a mistake. Most directional tyres are designed to give best grip under braking so some mountain bikers deliberately reverse the rear tyre for better traction. I have experimented with this on one of my old bikes and it does seem to work.

 

[Chutzpah]

I think you can talk to someone politely without being overbearing. Avoid words like "wreck" and "death trap" and you should be OK, a quick bit of practical advice shouldn't be bad (I had to do this to a colleague who turned up to work on a bike with two inch slits in the sidewalls of both tyres )

On a slightly different note, I did once politely say to a lady at some lights that her helmet was next to useless at the angle she had it (pointing upwards at a 30 degree angle, with the neck strap loose too). Unfortunately she didn't take it well as I wasn't wearing one - I think she thought I was being sarcastic.

 

[Crackedheadset]

Approaching strangers and giving them a lecture about the state of their bikes is a sure-fire way of having less teeth to clean every morning.

That's harsh imo. Hardly a lecture, more just saying how potentially dangerous the bike could be, or is that a friend/relative of yours lying on the ground at a crossing because someone on a bike cannot stop?