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YASID: Spider Robinson story

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  YASID: Spider Robinson story Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2018-05-21 14:03 -0500
    Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2018-05-21 19:06 +0000
      Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-21 12:29 -0700
    Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) - 2018-05-21 19:29 +0000
    Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2018-05-21 17:01 -0500
      Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Jack Bohn <jack.bohn64@gmail.com> - 2018-05-22 05:07 -0700
        Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story D B Davis <g@crcomp.net> - 2018-05-22 16:32 +0000
    Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2018-05-21 19:17 -0600
      Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Joy Beeson <jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> - 2018-05-21 23:42 -0300
        Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2018-05-22 01:23 -0600
        Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-22 09:41 -0700
          Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2018-05-22 12:27 -0500
            Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-22 10:44 -0700
              Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2018-05-22 14:58 -0500
                Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-22 15:10 -0700
                Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2018-05-22 22:59 -0600
                  Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2018-05-23 12:43 -0500
                    Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Jack Bohn <jack.bohn64@gmail.com> - 2018-05-24 05:22 -0700
              Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story peterwezeman@hotmail.com - 2018-05-23 18:55 -0700
          Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2018-05-22 12:30 -0700
            Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Joe Bernstein <Kdeurama@gmail.com> - 2018-05-23 19:47 +0000
              Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Peter Trei <petertrei@gmail.com> - 2018-05-23 13:36 -0700
                Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2018-05-24 01:55 -0700
                  Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-24 05:04 -0700
                    Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-24 18:53 -0700
                      Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2018-05-24 19:55 -0700
                        Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-24 20:06 -0700
                        Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-25 04:46 -0700
                          Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2018-05-25 05:34 -0700
              Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Peter Trei <petertrei@gmail.com> - 2018-05-23 13:38 -0700
              Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-23 13:48 -0700
                Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2018-05-23 21:13 -0600
              Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2018-05-23 21:43 -0400
              Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2018-05-23 21:08 -0600
          Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Steve Dodds <sdodds@nova-optical.com> - 2018-05-22 13:48 -0600
          Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story news{@bestley.co.uk (Mark Bestley) - 2018-05-26 17:39 +0100
            Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-26 13:41 -0700
              Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2018-05-26 17:25 -0400
                Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> - 2018-05-26 15:21 -0700
                  Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2018-05-26 18:32 -0400
                    Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-26 16:53 -0700
                      Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> - 2018-05-26 20:11 -0700
                        Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-27 05:00 -0700
                    Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story D B Davis <g@crcomp.net> - 2018-05-27 13:41 +0000
                    Re: YASID: Spider Robinson story Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2018-05-27 11:26 -0700

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#492312 — YASID: Spider Robinson story

 From another site:

"Many years ago I read a story by Spider Robinson, can’t remember the 
title or the plot but ONE thing has stuck in my memory these many 
decades. The protagonist was suicidal because he did a home brake job on 
his wifes car and neglected / overlooked an item causing the brakes to 
fail killing his wife and young son."

Any ideas ?

Thanks,
Lynn

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#492314

In article <pdv55c$dv4$1@dont-email.me>,
Lynn McGuire  <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
> From another site:
>
>"Many years ago I read a story by Spider Robinson, can’t remember the 
>title or the plot but ONE thing has stuck in my memory these many 
>decades. The protagonist was suicidal because he did a home brake job on 
>his wifes car and neglected / overlooked an item causing the brakes to 
>fail killing his wife and young son."
>
>Any ideas ?
>
>Thanks,
>Lynn
>
>

That's a running element in most of the "Calahan's Bar" stories.

Although I think it may have eventually been revealed it wasn't really
his fault (though I'm not sure about that).
-- 
------
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

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#492316

On Monday, May 21, 2018 at 3:06:14 PM UTC-4, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> In article <pdv55c$dv4$1@dont-email.me>,
> Lynn McGuire  <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
> > From another site:
> >
> >"Many years ago I read a story by Spider Robinson, can’t remember the 
> >title or the plot but ONE thing has stuck in my memory these many 
> >decades. The protagonist was suicidal because he did a home brake job on 
> >his wifes car and neglected / overlooked an item causing the brakes to 
> >fail killing his wife and young son."
> >
> >Any ideas ?
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Lynn
> >
> >
> 
> That's a running element in most of the "Calahan's Bar" stories.
> 
> Although I think it may have eventually been revealed it wasn't really
> his fault (though I'm not sure about that).
> -- 


This could be run past the alt.callahan's bunch.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/alt.callahans

Kevin R

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#492317

In article <pdv55c$dv4$1@dont-email.me>,
Lynn McGuire  <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
> From another site:
>
>"Many years ago I read a story by Spider Robinson, can’t remember the 
>title or the plot but ONE thing has stuck in my memory these many 
>decades. The protagonist was suicidal because he did a home brake job on 
>his wifes car and neglected / overlooked an item causing the brakes to 
>fail killing his wife and young son."
>
>Any ideas ?

That is the backstory for the narrator in the Callahan's stories.
-- 
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

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#492330

On 5/21/2018 2:03 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:
>  From another site:
> 
> "Many years ago I read a story by Spider Robinson, can’t remember the 
> title or the plot but ONE thing has stuck in my memory these many 
> decades. The protagonist was suicidal because he did a home brake job on 
> his wifes car and neglected / overlooked an item causing the brakes to 
> fail killing his wife and young son."
> 
> Any ideas ?
> 
> Thanks,
> Lynn

Another person there answered this:

"The Spider Robinson story you’re thinking of is “The Mick of Time”, I 
believe. Originally published in Analog, later collected in “Callahan’s 
Secret” (1986). Wherein Jake Stonebender, narrator and demon guitarist, 
finally discovers the exact cause of the accident that killed his wife 
and child, and which he had, until then, believed was caused by his 
faulty brake repairs. “I saved 20 bucks, easy”. This revelation involves 
time travel (a recurrent theme of the “Callahan’s Place” stories) but 
not by Jake."

Thanks,
Lynn

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#492342

Lynn McGuire wrote:
> >  From another site:
> > 
> > "Many years ago I read a story by Spider Robinson, can’t remember the 
> > title or the plot but ONE thing has stuck in my memory these many 
> > decades. The protagonist was suicidal because he did a home brake job on 
> > his wifes car and neglected / overlooked an item causing the brakes to 
> > fail killing his wife and young son."
> > 
> > Any ideas ?
> 
> Another person there answered this:
> 
> "The Spider Robinson story you’re thinking of is “The Mick of Time”, I 
> believe. Originally published in Analog, later collected in “Callahan’s 
> Secret” (1986). Wherein Jake Stonebender, narrator and demon guitarist, 
> finally discovers the exact cause of the accident that killed his wife 
> and child, and which he had, until then, believed was caused by his 
> faulty brake repairs. “I saved 20 bucks, easy”. This revelation involves 
> time travel (a recurrent theme of the “Callahan’s Place” stories) but 
> not by Jake."

I think it was first mentioned in the story "Fivesight" first published in OMNI and collected in _Time Travelers Strictly Cash_.  I don't know that Jake is suicidal, but it is an anniversary of their deaths, and he is pretty depressed, and wishing he had fivesight, which he figures would have been even better than foresight.

-- 
-Jack

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#492350

Jack Bohn <jack.bohn64@gmail.com> wrote:
> Lynn McGuire wrote:
>> >  From another site:
>> >
>> > "Many years ago I read a story by Spider Robinson, can't remember the
>> > title or the plot but ONE thing has stuck in my memory these many
>> > decades. The protagonist was suicidal because he did a home brake job on
>> > his wifes car and neglected / overlooked an item causing the brakes to
>> > fail killing his wife and young son."
>> >
>> > Any ideas ?
>>
>> Another person there answered this:
>>
>> "The Spider Robinson story you're thinking of is "The Mick of Time", I
>> believe. Originally published in Analog, later collected in "Callahan's
>> Secret" (1986). Wherein Jake Stonebender, narrator and demon guitarist,
>> finally discovers the exact cause of the accident that killed his wife
>> and child, and which he had, until then, believed was caused by his
>> faulty brake repairs. "I saved 20 bucks, easy". This revelation involves
>> time travel (a recurrent theme of the "Callahan's Place" stories) but
>> not by Jake."
>
> I think it was first mentioned in the story "Fivesight" first published
> in OMNI and collected in _Time Travelers Strictly Cash_.  I don't know
> that Jake is suicidal, but it is an anniversary of their deaths, and he
> is pretty depressed, and wishing he had fivesight, which he figures
> would have been even better than foresight.

The original, nonretconned version of the story appears in the July 1979
edition. Here's an excerpt of the pertinent passage:

        "Five years and one day ago I had a wife and a two-year-old
    daughter. And I had a /Big Book of Auto Repair/. I decided I
    could save thirty dollars easy by doing my own brake job. I
    tested it myself and drove maybe a whole block. Five years
    ago tonight all three of us went to the drive-in movie. I woke
    up without a scratch on me. Both dead. I smiled at the man who
    was trying to cut my door open, and I climbed out the window
    past him and tried to get my wrists on his chainsaw. He
    coldcocked me, and I woke up under restraint."

Addendum:

The retconned story appears in the May 1986 issue of _Analog_. In this
rendition a time traveler named Mary sleuths out that the rear brakes, 
the set that Jake repaired, actually worked properly, but were 
subsequently damaged by the crash itself.
    A dealer repaired the front brakes that failed and caused the crash.
The insurance investigator who investigated the crash was related to the
dealer by marriage and used Jake's own guilty self-condemnation to cover
for his in-law, the dealer.

✍

Thank you,

-- 
Don

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#492337

Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

> From another site:
>
>"Many years ago I read a story by Spider Robinson, can’t remember the 
>title or the plot but ONE thing has stuck in my memory these many 
>decades. The protagonist was suicidal because he did a home brake job on 
>his wifes car and neglected / overlooked an item causing the brakes to 
>fail killing his wife and young son."
>
>Any ideas ?

That was the viewpoint character for most of the Callahan's stories.
Later in the series I think that it was retconned that the brakes were
sabotaged and it wasn't his fault after all.
-- 
We are geeks.  Resistance is voltage over current.

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#492339

On Mon, 21 May 2018 19:17:58 -0600, Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> wrote:

> Later in the series I think that it was retconned that the brakes were
> sabotaged and it wasn't his fault after all.

If I recall correctly, the time-traveller discovered that it was the
front brakes that had failed, and the narrator had serviced the rear
brakes.

Actually, all those years he should have realized that if the back
brakes had failed, the front brakes would have stopped the car just
fine.

I learned this by finding myself parked sideways in the road.  Front
and back brakes applied equally, the front of the bike stopped, the
back kept going.

-- 
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at comcast dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

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#492341

Joy Beeson <jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:

>On Mon, 21 May 2018 19:17:58 -0600, Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> wrote:
>
>> Later in the series I think that it was retconned that the brakes were
>> sabotaged and it wasn't his fault after all.
>
>If I recall correctly, the time-traveller discovered that it was the
>front brakes that had failed, and the narrator had serviced the rear
>brakes.
>
>Actually, all those years he should have realized that if the back
>brakes had failed, the front brakes would have stopped the car just
>fine.

In 1985 a "cable chain" disintegrated and tore open the brake line to
a front wheel.  I drove the rest of the way for my highway trip
carefully, with half my brakes.  I'm not sure when "dual-diagonal"
became the standard, but my US-branded Japanese microcar had it in
1980.

>I learned this by finding myself parked sideways in the road.  Front
>and back brakes applied equally, the front of the bike stopped, the
>back kept going.
 
According to witnesses, I lifted the back wheel then went over
sideways.  I lost thirty seconds or so and have to rely on witnesses
on what happened between having to brake suddenly and breaking three
ribs.  Back brakes cannot be applied "equally" if the wheel isn't on
the ground.
-- 
We are geeks.  Resistance is voltage over current.

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#492351

On Monday, May 21, 2018 at 11:43:03 PM UTC-4, Joy Beeson wrote:
> On Mon, 21 May 2018 19:17:58 -0600, Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> wrote:
> 
> > Later in the series I think that it was retconned that the brakes were
> > sabotaged and it wasn't his fault after all.
> 
> If I recall correctly, the time-traveller discovered that it was the
> front brakes that had failed, and the narrator had serviced the rear
> brakes.
> 
> Actually, all those years he should have realized that if the back
> brakes had failed, the front brakes would have stopped the car just
> fine.
> 
> I learned this by finding myself parked sideways in the road.  Front
> and back brakes applied equally, the front of the bike stopped, the
> back kept going.
> 

Ah, the classic "endo."

This is why I follow Sheldon Brown's rules for braking

[quote]

Skilled cyclists use the front brake alone probably 95% of the 
time, but there are instances when the rear brake is preferred:

[/quote]

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

I won't say I've never panic stopped into an endo,
but I haven't in the last ....9?.... years.

Kevin R

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#492360

On 5/22/2018 11:41 AM, Kevrob wrote:
> On Monday, May 21, 2018 at 11:43:03 PM UTC-4, Joy Beeson wrote:
>> On Mon, 21 May 2018 19:17:58 -0600, Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Later in the series I think that it was retconned that the brakes were
>>> sabotaged and it wasn't his fault after all.
>>
>> If I recall correctly, the time-traveller discovered that it was the
>> front brakes that had failed, and the narrator had serviced the rear
>> brakes.
>>
>> Actually, all those years he should have realized that if the back
>> brakes had failed, the front brakes would have stopped the car just
>> fine.
>>
>> I learned this by finding myself parked sideways in the road.  Front
>> and back brakes applied equally, the front of the bike stopped, the
>> back kept going.
>>
> 
> Ah, the classic "endo."
> 
> This is why I follow Sheldon Brown's rules for braking
> 
> [quote]
> 
> Skilled cyclists use the front brake alone probably 95% of the
> time, but there are instances when the rear brake is preferred:
> 
> [/quote]
> 
> https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html
> 
> I won't say I've never panic stopped into an endo,
> but I haven't in the last ....9?.... years.
> 
> Kevin R

I took motorcycle training classes in 2004 or 2005 just so I could learn 
how to brake.  It was well worth the $300 I paid to learn how to brake 
my 800 lb Honda Valkyrie.  My three bikes previous to that, 2 Honda 
CB350s and a Honda Nighthawk 750, could brake on the front brake just 
fine.  That 800 lb Valkyrie plus the 250 lb me required everything I had 
to brake it.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Valkyrie

Lynn

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#492362

On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 1:27:43 PM UTC-4, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> On 5/22/2018 11:41 AM, Kevrob wrote:

> > This is why I follow Sheldon Brown's rules for braking
> > 
> > [quote]
> > 
> > Skilled cyclists use the front brake alone probably 95% of the
> > time, but there are instances when the rear brake is preferred:
> > 
> > [/quote]
> > 
> > https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html
> > 
> > I won't say I've never panic stopped into an endo,
> > but I haven't in the last ....9?.... years.
> > 
> > Kevin R
> 
> I took motorcycle training classes in 2004 or 2005 just so I could learn 
> how to brake.  It was well worth the $300 I paid to learn how to brake 
> my 800 lb Honda Valkyrie.  My three bikes previous to that, 2 Honda 
> CB350s and a Honda Nighthawk 750, could brake on the front brake just 
> fine.  That 800 lb Valkyrie plus the 250 lb me required everything I had 
> to brake it.
>     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Valkyrie
> 


Is the theory the same for people-powered bikes v motorcycles?
Speed, weight and the displacement of the weight would be
different, of course.  I've never ridden a powered bike bigger
than a moped, so I would only be supposing.

Kevin R

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#492371

On 5/22/2018 12:44 PM, Kevrob wrote:
> On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 1:27:43 PM UTC-4, Lynn McGuire wrote:
>> On 5/22/2018 11:41 AM, Kevrob wrote:
> 
>>> This is why I follow Sheldon Brown's rules for braking
>>>
>>> [quote]
>>>
>>> Skilled cyclists use the front brake alone probably 95% of the
>>> time, but there are instances when the rear brake is preferred:
>>>
>>> [/quote]
>>>
>>> https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html
>>>
>>> I won't say I've never panic stopped into an endo,
>>> but I haven't in the last ....9?.... years.
>>>
>>> Kevin R
>>
>> I took motorcycle training classes in 2004 or 2005 just so I could learn
>> how to brake.  It was well worth the $300 I paid to learn how to brake
>> my 800 lb Honda Valkyrie.  My three bikes previous to that, 2 Honda
>> CB350s and a Honda Nighthawk 750, could brake on the front brake just
>> fine.  That 800 lb Valkyrie plus the 250 lb me required everything I had
>> to brake it.
>>      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Valkyrie
>>
> 
> 
> Is the theory the same for people-powered bikes v motorcycles?
> Speed, weight and the displacement of the weight would be
> different, of course.  I've never ridden a powered bike bigger
> than a moped, so I would only be supposing.
> 
> Kevin R

The only time I ever needed my back brake on a bicycle was off-road.

On a heavy motorcycle, that back wheel starts coming around rather 
easily.  Plus, I stupidly used to ride my motorcycles in the center lane 
where all the oil is.  That was another thing I learned in motorcycle 
class.

Of course, the only time I ever wrecked a motorcycle was off-road when I 
jumped a hill and failed to notice the guy wire for the power pole in my 
landing zone.  That hurt.  Knocked me out too, came to with the bike 
laying on top of me, still running, with gasoline dripping in my face. 
I still have the twisted wire scars in my right arm and chest.

Lynn

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#492381

On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 3:58:25 PM UTC-4, Lynn McGuire wrote:

> The only time I ever needed my back brake on a bicycle was off-road.
> 
> On a heavy motorcycle, that back wheel starts coming around rather 
> easily.  Plus, I stupidly used to ride my motorcycles in the center lane 
> where all the oil is.  That was another thing I learned in motorcycle 
> class.
> 

I know a fellow who rides, or used to ride a lot.  He's older now,
but he told me this when he was out and about on a Harley rather
often: when the rain is just starting to fall is a good time to
pull off the road and do a quick equipment check, or refuel
the bike or yourself (or decant yourself.)  

My Dad, when he gave me driving lessons, used to warn me about
oil buildup on the roads between rainstorms.  I've wiped out at
least once on rainy pavements that I suspect had their deposited
oil floating on top of the puddles. 

On a bicycle, on the road, the real problem is the debris that gets
swept into the "breakdown lane" or shoulder.  When people grumble
about bicyclists riding just inside the rightmost (or UKish leftmost) 
traffic lane, rather than using the shoulder, this is why.  There can be 
an amazing amount of hazardous crap, and not just left over from accidents,
sitting on the shoulder.  Everything from lumber that's fallen out
of a pickup bed to the sand put down for traction during winter storms
gets pushed there by the backwash of air from the speeding cars,
or by street sweepers.

> Of course, the only time I ever wrecked a motorcycle was off-road when I 
> jumped a hill and failed to notice the guy wire for the power pole in my 
> landing zone.  That hurt.  Knocked me out too, came to with the bike 
> laying on top of me, still running, with gasoline dripping in my face. 
> I still have the twisted wire scars in my right arm and chest.

I've got two fingers on my right hand that won't fully make a fist,
because about 9 years ago I descended a winding country 2-lane on a
steep hill.  I picked up too much speed, and attempted to brake enough
to make a safer descent.  I wound up having to stop short of a stereo-
typical New England stone wall, and kept going over the bars.

A passing fuel oil driver who rides mountain bikes competitively
bent my CrMo steel frame back into usable shape with a pipe wrench!
The bike can still be ridden.

Kevin R 

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#492393

Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:


>Of course, the only time I ever wrecked a motorcycle was off-road when I 
>jumped a hill and failed to notice the guy wire for the power pole in my 
>landing zone.  That hurt.  Knocked me out too, came to with the bike 
>laying on top of me, still running, with gasoline dripping in my face. 
>I still have the twisted wire scars in my right arm and chest.

"still running".  My sport bike uses vacuum from the engine to open
the gas feed.  If you dump your bike, you're expected to stall it
(like I did), so the gas stops.  I don't know if this is universal - I
don't really understand mechanical stuff much, but I had to look this
up to explain to my buddy (who supposedly DOES understand this stuff)
why there was another hose up from the carb area back into the gas
selector valve.  And he still doesn't understand the "prime" setting
that bypasses the cutoff.
-- 
We are geeks.  Resistance is voltage over current.

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#492421

On 5/22/2018 11:59 PM, Greg Goss wrote:
> Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
>> Of course, the only time I ever wrecked a motorcycle was off-road when I
>> jumped a hill and failed to notice the guy wire for the power pole in my
>> landing zone.  That hurt.  Knocked me out too, came to with the bike
>> laying on top of me, still running, with gasoline dripping in my face.
>> I still have the twisted wire scars in my right arm and chest.
> 
> "still running".  My sport bike uses vacuum from the engine to open
> the gas feed.  If you dump your bike, you're expected to stall it
> (like I did), so the gas stops.  I don't know if this is universal - I
> don't really understand mechanical stuff much, but I had to look this
> up to explain to my buddy (who supposedly DOES understand this stuff)
> why there was another hose up from the carb area back into the gas
> selector valve.  And he still doesn't understand the "prime" setting
> that bypasses the cutoff.

Before or after I hit the 3/4 inch guy wire at 30+ mph ?  BTW, this was 
1981.

The gasoline was dripping out of the gas tank vent in the cap.

I was just happy that I did not get the guy wire across the throat.  I 
managed to twist me and the bike in the air somehow so that I got the 
guy wire across the chest.

Lynn

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#492460

Among the things Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > 
> >> Of course, the only time I ever wrecked a motorcycle was off-road when I
> >> jumped a hill and failed to notice the guy wire for the power pole in my
> >> landing zone.  That hurt.  Knocked me out too, came to with the bike
> >> laying on top of me, still running, with gasoline dripping in my face.
> >> I still have the twisted wire scars in my right arm and chest.
> 
> I was just happy that I did not get the guy wire across the throat.

Obsf: "Toby Dammit" by Federico Fellini "based on" (more accurately, built around) "Never Bet the Devil Your Head" by Edgar Poe.


--
-Jack

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#492445

On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 12:44:21 PM UTC-5, Kevrob wrote:
> On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 1:27:43 PM UTC-4, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > On 5/22/2018 11:41 AM, Kevrob wrote:
> 
> > > This is why I follow Sheldon Brown's rules for braking
> > > 
> > > [quote]
> > > 
> > > Skilled cyclists use the front brake alone probably 95% of the
> > > time, but there are instances when the rear brake is preferred:
> > > 
> > > [/quote]
> > > 
> > > https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html
> > > 
> > > I won't say I've never panic stopped into an endo,
> > > but I haven't in the last ....9?.... years.
> > > 
> > > Kevin R
> > 
> > I took motorcycle training classes in 2004 or 2005 just so I could learn 
> > how to brake.  It was well worth the $300 I paid to learn how to brake 
> > my 800 lb Honda Valkyrie.  My three bikes previous to that, 2 Honda 
> > CB350s and a Honda Nighthawk 750, could brake on the front brake just 
> > fine.  That 800 lb Valkyrie plus the 250 lb me required everything I had 
> > to brake it.
> >     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Valkyrie
> > 
> 
> 
> Is the theory the same for people-powered bikes v motorcycles?
> Speed, weight and the displacement of the weight would be
> different, of course.  I've never ridden a powered bike bigger
> than a moped, so I would only be supposing.
> 
One difference is that on a bicycle with "ram's horn" handlebars,
if the rider remains in pedaling position, maximum braking on
good pavement will cause the bicycle to pitch over. Riders have to 
reposition themselves to get maximum braking safely. Motorcycles
do not have this same problem because they have a longer
wheelbase and a lower center of gravity, and the rider is
a much smaller fraction of the total mass.

Peter Wezeman
anti-social Darwinist

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#492367

On Tuesday, 22 May 2018 17:41:35 UTC+1, Kevrob  wrote:
> On Monday, May 21, 2018 at 11:43:03 PM UTC-4, Joy Beeson wrote:
> > On Mon, 21 May 2018 19:17:58 -0600, Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> wrote:
> > 
> > > Later in the series I think that it was retconned that the brakes were
> > > sabotaged and it wasn't his fault after all.
> > 
> > If I recall correctly, the time-traveller discovered that it was the
> > front brakes that had failed, and the narrator had serviced the rear
> > brakes.
> > 
> > Actually, all those years he should have realized that if the back
> > brakes had failed, the front brakes would have stopped the car just
> > fine.
> > 
> > I learned this by finding myself parked sideways in the road.  Front
> > and back brakes applied equally, the front of the bike stopped, the
> > back kept going.
> > 
> 
> Ah, the classic "endo."
> 
> This is why I follow Sheldon Brown's rules for braking
> 
> [quote]
> 
> Skilled cyclists use the front brake alone probably 95% of the 
> time, but there are instances when the rear brake is preferred:
> 
> [/quote]
> 
> https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html
> 
> I won't say I've never panic stopped into an endo,
> but I haven't in the last ....9?.... years.
> 
> Kevin R

I may be in a different - lesser - class as a cyclist;
when commuting, I do most of my braking with the rear.
I think in the wet I use front and rear with equal force.

Tastes differ.

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