biking missionaries nearly meet God.

[kenyonchris]

I was on patrol last night (in the car, it has done nothing but rain here for the past four days) going down our major road, a 45 mph six lane with center turn lane, when I saw our big ladder truck barreling down the road, coming toward me. I pulled the patrol car over and sat there to make sure it got through the three lights without anyone doing anything dumb. It's lights activate the opticom, which makes the lights stay green for it. So I am watching it head toward me and saw, incredibly, two bikes, all in black, no reflectives, pedal across the road in front of it. I only saw them for a moment, outlined in the light of the fire truck. I couldn't believe it. I went flying down the road to catch them, and got caught in the wake of the changing lights, and wound up not catching them until they were almost home. I pulled them over and totally chewed them out. The older one (they were about 18) actually told me that they had crossed with the light BEHIND the fire truck. Not possible, since the only way I saw them was in the light of the truck, and if the light had been green for them, it would have been red for the truck, and that doesn't happen when the emergency lights are on.
Missionaries! Lying to the police! What is the world coming to!

[channlluv]

If they didn't have the fear of God put into them before, I'll bet they do now, Chris, reaming them out like that. Ha! I hope they got the message. They're lucky.

I might go so far as to contact their missionary coordinator and report the unsafe riding, maybe require them to take a bicycle safety class. Did you give them a ticket?

Roxy

[OakLeaf]

maybe require them to take a bicycle safety class.

Honestly, if there are any LDS or JW people on here who could suggest that, that would be a great idea on a national level. Those kids are consistently some of the most unsafe riders I ever see. Riding on sidewalks, sometimes no helmets, hugging the curb when they are on the road.

[kenyonchris]

Besides the fact that they were black or dark colors, ride black bikes, with black helmets and black shoes. Surely God would not object to a little blaze orange in the name of bike safety.

On another note, I was running to a suicidal person, not running code but booking it along nevertheless when I nearly tagged a guy running (no reflective attire AT ALL) on the roadway (4 lanes divided, 40 mph) when our beautiful hike/bike trail was four feet to the left. This is actually a crime (walking on roadway when sidewalk provided is the offense). I would have stopped if I hadn't been enroute to a call. Some people have no idea.

[Cataboo]

Besides the fact that they were black or dark colors, ride black bikes, with black helmets and black shoes. Surely God would not object to a little blaze orange in the name of bike safety.

But they have those white button up shirts!

[kenyonchris]

Even white button up shirts would have been better. These guys had black sweaters on, just the white collar peeking out. And it was like 85 degrees out (I am still in my shorts). What is UP?

[shootingstar]

This is what missionaries of a certain denomination wear, --all black?

I'm only familiar with traditional Mennonite and Amish men who dress like that.

I'm lost. But it's ok.

[Eden]

This is what missionaries of a certain denomination wear, --all black?

I'm only familiar with traditional Mennonite and Amish men who dress like that.

I'm lost. But it's ok.

I believe Chris is talking about coming across some young Mormons - they don't necessarily dress like that all of the time, but when they are teens/young adults they get sent on missions and they do at that time wear black pants and white button down shirts with ties and generally travel in pairs. I have seen some sweaterless - scandalous?

[Cataboo]

This is what missionaries of a certain denomination wear, --all black?

I'm only familiar with traditional Mennonite and Amish men who dress like that.

I'm lost. But it's ok.

maybe they don't have them in Canada, but here in the US, mormon missionaries are usually 2 young guys biking together going door to door to hand out pamphlets... they usually are wearing dark dress pants, white button up shirts, ties, sweaters and or jackets. they are pretty common. and tend to make me not open the front door.

[shootingstar]

maybe they don't have them in Canada, but here in the US, mormon missionaries are usually 2 young guys biking together going door to door to hand out pamphlets... they usually are wearing dark dress pants, white button up shirts, ties, sweaters and or jackets. they are pretty common. and tend to make me not open the front door.

Only JH guys in pairs and I've never seen them on bikes --yet. But then I've lived in highly urban areas and in highrise buildings where we have 24 hr. security.

[salsabike]

Love the thread title.

[Trek420]

Love the thread title.

Can we fit it into "thread titles free verse"?

[bmccasland]

Seen the LDS missionaries too, fortunately our swealtering weather keeps them from covering up their white shirts. But it's pretty dang hot in TX, so no telling why they were wearing sweaters. I think part of the problem is the young adult "immortality" thing - missionaries or no, somehow they think they're immortal, and traffic laws exist only for cars. Seems to me the LDS church needs to really push bicycle safety, since that's the mode of transportation that is commonly used by their kids "on mission." To my knowledge, said mission is funded by their families and not by the church. They don't do well obeying traffic laws around here either. And goth black is the color of choice.

I've come close to hitting two runners on my way to work this week in the pre-dawn darkness. Both runners were wearing dark clothes and the only thing reflective were their shoes. One was while I was stopped at a stop sign - I thought I saw something move just as I was starting to roll out (she hadn't crossed in front of my headlights yet); and the second ran across in front of me to reach the levee. If you're going to run before the sun comes up, how about wearing a reflective T-shirt, belt, hat, safety vest, soemthing????

[smilingcat]

Ohh I couldn't resist.

IGNORANCE IS BLISS.

or should it be CLUELESS!! or maybe its both. shaking my head...

Maybe someone needs to go to a craft store and buy a case of glitter and glitter up their bike and glitter their trousers. (even spell something out on the seat of their pants. ) Maybe all that glitter will make them more visible.

[Sadie]

I live in Utah and those guys are everywhere and they should know better. I agree they shoudl be taught some biking safety...report them to their mission president!