On the helmet thing.. I'm not a parent but I can only imagine how ticked I'd be if an adult who was a role model to my kid was not wearing a helmet and setting a very poor example. In general I think adults have the right to their own stupidity if they want to. But when it comes to my personal life and my loved ones I get alot pickier.

Please forgive me for a dumb question to everyone and a tiny bit of thread highjacking but maybe this fellow's ignorant like me.... Why is it wrong to ride on the curb, hop curbs, riding between car and house.. I can appreciate someone not wanting their car damaged though so nm. I try to be careful and aware of pedestrians and other bikes. Not cut people off, not sneak up behind my boyfriend and ride so our wheels overlap and things like that...

I'm sorry, I feel like I'm coming across as being deliberately obtuse and that's not what I'm trying for. Just trying to understand how to be a more friendly less fear inspiring cyclist. I've learned that crossing in the crosswalk is bad even if there's no other pedestrians because cars just don't expect something in the crosswalk to move that fast. and like I mentioned the overlapping tires things I can see how that would go bad very quickly now though it didn't occur to me for my first few rides. I honestly think I lack common sense and need these things explained to me. I'm really sorry. Maybe other people aren't trying to be deliberately obnoxious either and some of us just have a low common sense IQ:/ embarassing to admit. Is it just a matter of what was the phrase and who said it.. Geonz "I have, however, a low tolerance for unpredictable bicycle movements" is it that people should always behave predictably on a bicycle? and if so is there anywhere appropriate to just play? Lord knows I have been trying to figure out how to hop over things and it leads to some highly unpredictable limbs flying landing on feet bike tumbling scenes. Where would be an appropriate place to learn things where you CAN'T be predictable because you don't know what you're doing yet?