So just in time for Friday... This morning heading to work from Dunkeld to Bryanston on Willam Nicol, I notice all the roadies out doing their morning ride. At many of the red robots I see many of them either do slow-n-go (slow down slightly, quickly check the intersection, then sprint across), or just a plain out sailing through without a care in the world. But this thread isn't about that. We've had many before about the red light lemmings. THIS thread is particularly about the couple on the TANDEM I saw going through the red lights (mostly using the slow-n-go) method. Wipe yourself out on your own bike... fine (not actually fine, you get what I'm saying though), but dragging someone (probably your wife/girfriend) along for the ride?! Not cool. Here are some major flaws I see with a tandem trying this already foolish practice... Bigger target! You're bigger than a bike. In fact side-on a tandem is nearly the same size as a small hatch. I wouldn't dare skip red lights in a polo.Braking. You can't brake as well as a normal bike. So if a car does enter that intersection that you deemed safe in your 1/2 sec expert assesment... you're pretty much commited to ride it out.Acceleration. During your slow-n-go crossing method, if you need to suddenly speed up to clear the intersection, once again, you won't be able to do so as well as a normal bike.Assisted Suicide... and finally, my biggest issue is that you (the conductor) are taking a passenger on this runaway train to potential disaster. Whether the stoker is running reds against their will or not, it's up to the frontman to think of the safety of both riders.So fire-away-friday! http://oi39.tinypic.com/3130ht4.jpg
