Cellphone Cyclists

[Kano]

I talk on my phone while I ride. I don't wobble. I don't careen down hills. I also reach for and drink from my water bottles while riding, open up food packets while riding, take off my bolero while riding. That one is a bit tricky. Oh, and if I put my bottles in backwards, water in the front instead of Sustain, I'll switch them while riding. So both bottles out of their cages at the same time. I also ride with no hands on occasion.

V.

I'm impressed!

First time I tried moving my hands around the bars a bit while at a relatively high speed, DH was behind me and saw: NO MORE MOVING YOUR HANDS he said. I knew there was a reason it's better to be behind him! I can practice stuff and he can't see. I have to admit, though, it was a bit spooky that first time!

I'm still working on pretty basic stuff -- no bottle cages yet, I'm happy with my camelbak. If I EVER get to no hands, I'm going to be amazed. DH will probably drop over dead with fright. (speaking of that tipping over thread!) I'll stick to focusing on riding OR talking for now!

Karen in Boise

[Veronica]

I think if you can move around while you're riding, it's a good thing. You have things you need to take care of. Drinking and food I can do in a group. I have a hard time doing it in a paceline that's moving at my speed limit. If it's a slower paceline, I can drink and eat okay. But it's like everything else, it doesn't happen over night and you have to work at it. One day it just dawned on me that I don't even think about reaching for a water bottle anymore. It just happens.

The bolero thing, I would never do while riding near someone else. But it is nice to be able to take it off when you get warm and stuff it in a jersey. It's also not something you do on a highly traffic-ed road

On the back of the tandem I've been able to get off my knee warmers. And I take Thom's jacket off him. I also drink Red Bulls.

V.

[Aggie_Ama]

I also drink Red Bulls.

V.

So it isn't that you have fantastic bike handling abilities- it is the Red Bull that gives you wings?

[suzieqtwa]

I was riding home from work last Friday at 5pm ,and where live there is a lot of traffic. I have to be very aware of my surroundings ,because people just pull out of parking lots without looking etc...anyway, I was on a busy road ,and I look across the street ,and there was a guy talking on his cell ,with no hands on the handlebars. He didn't have a helmet on either.
I carry a cell in my back pack ,and if it rings ,I just wait till I get to where I'm going ,or pull over somewhere ,and call back.

[DDH]

I reach for my water bottle and drink from it while riding. I haven't mastered being able to do much more than that. When I was a kid I loved to ride without holding on to my handle bars, but I can't do it anymore. Guess I don't have that balance anymore.
How do you guys eat while riding? I can't get things out of my seat pack while riding?
I hold on and move my hands around but I don't think I white knuckle my bars. I have a water bottle on my bars and down below that I reach for and drink from, but like I said, I cannot do much more than that.
Wish I had the balance.

[Zen]

I don't even drive and talk on the phone at the same time. It's just not safe.

Nothing is so important that won't wait a few minutes for me to pull over in the car or on the bike.

[Bron]

I don't even drive and talk on the phone at the same time. It's just not safe.

Nothing is so important that won't wait a few minutes for me to pull over in the car or on the bike.

What she said.
Plus it's illegal here (for cars and bikes) unless you have a hand-free kit.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

How do you guys eat while riding? I can't get things out of my seat pack while riding?

Bugs.



It's not so much the issue of whether one CAN ride bike while holding a cell phone in the other hand- most people can easily drive a car one-handed too. I feel it's the mental wandering part of it that is dangerous- again, just like when driving a car.

[VeloVT]

Bugs.



It's not so much the issue of whether one CAN ride bike while holding a cell phone in the other hand- most people can easily drive a car one-handed too. I feel it's the mental wandering part of it that is dangerous- again, just like when driving a car.

I agree with this. I'm perfectly capable of reaching into my jersey pocket while riding, opening my phone and talking on it, without significant swerving -- it's just that while you're concentrating on the conversation, you're not paying as much attention to what's going on around you -- and if you're riding in an area with traffic, that can be dangerous.

[Python]

Talking on a mobile phone and driving in the UK is illegal (although it doesn't stop people doing it) and you can get fined if caught. If you use a Bluetooth headseat or similar that's perfectly legal though. I've always used a headset when driving (used to be a taxi driver) but if I forget to charge up my headset or leave it at home I just let the phone ring and phone back whoever when I stop.

[indysteel]

I agree with this. I'm perfectly capable of reaching into my jersey pocket while riding, opening my phone and talking on it, without significant swerving -- it's just that while you're concentrating on the conversation, you're not paying as much attention to what's going on around you -- and if you're riding in an area with traffic, that can be dangerous.

That's what bugged me about the woman who answered her phone during Sunday's group ride. I don't really mind if people talk on their phone while riding since it is possible to multitask as Veronica and Liza point out. But in this situation, she had someone (namely, me) on her wheel. She slowed down quite a bit when she answered the call and was then distracted from the wheel in front of her. In that situation, I'd rather people either let the call roll to voicemail or pull out of the paceline.

K-

[Veronica]

When I was a kid I loved to ride without holding on to my handle bars, but I can't do it anymore. Guess I don't have that balance anymore.
How do you guys eat while riding? I can't get things out of my seat pack while riding?

When I want to ride no handed, I first push back to the rear of my seat. On my bike that seems to be a better balancing point. Experiment with where yours is on your bike.

I keep my food either in a Bento Box or my jersey. I also have a small handlebar bag. It is hard to get Advil out while moving.

V.

[Jo-n-NY]

I reach for my water bottle and drink from it while riding. I haven't mastered being able to do much more than that. When I was a kid I loved to ride without holding on to my handle bars, but I can't do it anymore. Guess I don't have that balance anymore.
How do you guys eat while riding? I can't get things out of my seat pack while riding?
I hold on and move my hands around but I don't think I white knuckle my bars. I have a water bottle on my bars and down below that I reach for and drink from, but like I said, I cannot do much more than that.
Wish I had the balance.

I am just like you Donna, except even as a kid I could not ride with no hands. I didn't come from a very athletic family and to this day the only way my father can swim is by doing the doggie paddle, lol.

The one thing that is very bothersome for me is, I cannot make signals with my left hand because my right arm is not stable enough to control the handlebar. I am a right handed person. I cannot remember if this was a problem before I fractured my shoulder. Like Veronica has mentioned in other areas, maybe I should keep practicing.

~ JoAnn