The Umbrella Menace

[Origamist]

Before people should be allowed to use an umbrella in the UK they should be given training on best practice, pass an observation/courtesy test, and pay a wet weather brolly tax. What's more, and I know it may seem a bit draconian, but large golfing umbrellas should be banned.

My effete "woohoo" was in honour on the Magnatom scream:

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CGhxztbtS0[/media]


Oh, and while we're at it someone "almost had my eye out" earlier in the week - a boorish, umbrellla wielding pedestrian was waving their wet weather contraption about like Gene Kelly! No wonder so many people go blind.

Surely it's time that the polite umbrella be made compulsory: http://www.walyou.co...olite-umbrella/ - I'll be writing to my MP later today on the matter and encourage others to do so.

 

[hackbike 666]

Do you think you would have hit her if she hadn't stepped back?

 

[scouserinlondon]

people with golf umberellas are the ped version of chelsea tractors. A menace.

 

[Origamist]

Do you think you would have hit her if she hadn't stepped back?

No, I was on the brakes early and I was watching her. That said, I did slide to the left under heavy braking which made it closer than I'd have liked.

 

[BentMikey]

Now where's Crankarm when you need him?

 

[StuartG]

Of course if helmets were compulsory for peds there would be no need of brollies <duck>

 

[gaz]

What a stupid place to step out! She wouldn't have gotten anywhere.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I like the way she backs up, looks almost like someone has reversed the video


I'm not sure what the problem with the umbrella was, unless it was too close to you as you passed?

 

[Origamist]

I like the way she backs up, looks almost like someone has reversed the video


I'm not sure what the problem with the umbrella was, unless it was too close to you as you passed?

I was in the umbrella blindspot...

 

[mr_cellophane]

What is worse when you are walking is coming across 2 people with a golf umbrella each walking side-by-side.  One is large enough for 2 people.  You don't need one each !   

 

[hackbike 666]

No, I was on the brakes early and I was watching her. That said, I did slide to the left under heavy braking which made it closer than I'd have liked.

Thats why I wondered...with the road conditions being as they were...I had trouble on the fixie recently.

What a stupid place to step out! She wouldn't have gotten anywhere.

Yeah terribly bad...almost makes that ped in Walthamstow bolting from the other side of the road between three buses in the dark to almost run into me,look lame.

That's a strange comment gaz...it looks to me like she was crossing to get to the other side.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Try ducking under umbrellas as you ride on the footpath, it's very difficult!

 

[downfader]

What is worse when you are walking is coming across 2 people with a golf umbrella each walking side-by-side. One is large enough for 2 people. You don't need one each !

Just duck down and walk in between them. They soon get the message on small pavements.

 

[ufkacbln]

Of course if helmets were compulsory for peds there would be no need of brollies <duck>

Try ducking under umbrellas as you ride on the footpath, it's very difficult!

Actually the best helmet is a Tilley

When approached by an eye level umbrella you can tilt your head forward tuck the brim under the rim, and with skill then deflect the edge up over your head deflecting the danger.

 

[Origamist]

Thats why I wondered...with the road conditions being as they were...I had trouble on the fixie recently.

Yeah terribly bad...almost makes that ped in Walthamstow bolting from the other side of the road between three buses in the dark to almost run into me,look lame.

That's a strange comment gaz...it looks to me like she was crossing to get to the other side.

Emergency braking on a fixed can be more difficult to control than on a freewheel as you have to overcome the urge to stop pedalling in hairy situations.

I like how the camera includes my hands/brakes in shot as it lets me see my how quickly I react to hazards.

I guess Gaz's point is that she had chosen an obvious place to cross with reasonable visibility (apart from the brolly), but didn't look properly to her right.