what's the point of bike reflectors?

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lutonloony

Über Member
Location
torbay
My biggest concern is that the OP started with "So".
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
What a crap way to start a story
Yes, because the story was not written with the first word as "So".
The use of “hwæt” has been mistranslated (Grimm through to Heaney's latest magnificent 2000 translation's flawed use of "So!"). NB your quote inserts a comma whereas Heaney used an exclamation mark. He was using 'So!' in the 'Listen in!' sense.
The original (OE) doesn’t try to say `Oi you, listen to this!’: “hwæt” invites the listeners to think 'how' (as in 'we have, haven't we?') they have heard of kings' greatness and courage in the past.
So, another misuse of 'so', and of considerable concern: I'm with the bloke from Luton here. @lutonloony
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
Yes, because the story was not written with the first word as "So".
The use of “hwæt” has been mistranslated (Grimm through to Heaney's latest magnificent 2000 translation's flawed use of "So!"). NB your quote inserts a comma whereas Heaney used an exclamation mark. He was using 'So!' in the 'Listen in!' sense.
The original (OE) doesn’t try to say `Oi you, listen to this!’: “hwæt” invites the listeners to think 'how' (as in 'we have, haven't we?') they have heard of kings' greatness and courage in the past.
So, another misuse of 'so', and of considerable concern: I'm with the bloke from Luton here. @lutonloony

If Heaney was from Lancashire he'd doubtless translated it as "Now then!"

A former colleague always began with
"what it is, right.... " - or should that be
"hwæt it is right" ?
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
Well if you choose "hwæt" in your recitations, remember it rhymes with 'twat'.
 
Delightful though it is to have an esoteric discussion on the finer points of Anglo-Saxon, I understand that the most effective form of visibility is that which is moving i.e.pedals. Unfortunately, with the design of pedals being what it is, this is hard to achieve. Personally, I always try to use white shoes with reflectors as much as possible, particularly if the day is like today, with a low sun giving stark shadows. All this assumes, of course, that the mass-killers in the powered vehicles have any interest in looking where they are going. My wife has just spent the afternoon with a farrier shoeing her horses, whose house has just been hit for the third time this year by a car which failed to notice it. Reflectors are not yet compulsory on houses.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
My wife has just spent the afternoon with a farrier shoeing her horses, whose house has just been hit for the third time this year by a car which failed to notice it. Reflectors are not yet compulsory on houses.
Is this a link to the thread on charging lithium-ion batteries? Would a reflector on your farrier's house make it less likely to be hit by a motor vehicle?
No guarantee, a house, 50 yards from the road, nearly had a car come through a bedroom(first floor) via the roof.
 

Randy Butternubs

Über Member
BTW, if I had my way it wouldn't just be bikes with less active lighting. I'd get rid of DRLs and allow nothing more than sidelights in built up areas. And as for those new fangled directional turny looking round cornery type lights...

I've often wondered if cyclists and pedestrians would be safer at night if cars didn't have rear/brake lights. As it is nobody seems to drive slow enough to be able to stop in the distance they can see to be clear.
 
Yes, because the story was not written with the first word as "So".
The use of “hwæt” has been mistranslated (Grimm through to Heaney's latest magnificent 2000 translation's flawed use of "So!"). NB your quote inserts a comma whereas Heaney used an exclamation mark. He was using 'So!' in the 'Listen in!' sense.
The original (OE) doesn’t try to say `Oi you, listen to this!’: “hwæt” invites the listeners to think 'how' (as in 'we have, haven't we?') they have heard of kings' greatness and courage in the past.
So, another misuse of 'so', and of considerable concern: I'm with the bloke from Luton here. @lutonloony
So?
 
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