Random thoughts that are pointless and too dumb to say anywhere else thread: 2019

[Thurston Fluff]

Progress is being made on bike infrastructure but ultimately they need to separate bike lanes from car lanes with a physical barrier. With e-bikes and e-scooters becoming more popular it is only a matter of time until we will need bike lanes on every major arterial street. Otherwise they have to use the sidewalk which is dangerous.

 

We have a nice trail here along the lake for bikers and walkers. However, I would say about 50% of bikers ride on the busy 4 lane road next to the trail. A couple years ago a biker on the road was hit by a car and injured. There was uproar on the local Facebook groups, etc. about the biker being on the road when there is a separate and protected trail specifically for bikers 20 feet away. The biker crowd said they preferred the road to avoid the walkers on the trail. Point is, you can't win.

 

As someone who cycles on a road bike, regularly at 15-20 MPH who's feet are clipped into pedals, I will always prefer a road to a busy "multi-use" path.

 

Between people walking 4-wide, uncontrolled kids, and leashed dogs running from side to side across the path smelling everything, it's almost impossible to bike down a multi-use path at any reasonable pace without risk of injuring myself or others.

 

When I was in Amsterdam bikes, peds and dogs all used much smaller sidewalks and it all seemed to flow pretty well. But bikes also all had bells on them and peds would move to one side when they heard them. Even tourists picked up on this pretty quickly. I often felt bikes should be mandated to have bells on them if they want to use sidewalks because you just can't hear them coming up on you. It's hard to get out of the way for someone when you don't know they're there.

[Baldkin]

 

As someone who cycles on a road bike, regularly at 15-20 MPH who's feet are clipped into pedals, I will always prefer a road to a busy "multi-use" path.

 

Between people walking 4-wide, uncontrolled kids, and leashed dogs running from side to side across the path smelling everything, it's almost impossible to bike down a multi-use path at any reasonable pace without risk of injuring myself or others.

 

When I was in Amsterdam bikes, peds and dogs all used much smaller sidewalks and it all seemed to flow pretty well. But bikes also all had bells on them and peds would move to one side when they heard them. Even tourists picked up on this pretty quickly. I often felt bikes should be mandated to have bells on them if they want to use sidewalks because you just can't hear them coming up on you. It's hard to get out of the way for someone when you don't know they're there.

 

 

I'll slow down, and call out loudly, "On your left" to anyone I'm passing.

 

Half the time they proceed to turn around over their left shoulder and take two steps directly into my path.

[stoutdude04]

 

As someone who cycles on a road bike, regularly at 15-20 MPH who's feet are clipped into pedals, I will always prefer a road to a busy "multi-use" path.

 

Between people walking 4-wide, uncontrolled kids, and leashed dogs running from side to side across the path smelling everything, it's almost impossible to bike down a multi-use path at any reasonable pace without risk of injuring myself or others.

 

When I was in Amsterdam bikes, peds and dogs all used much smaller sidewalks and it all seemed to flow pretty well. But bikes also all had bells on them and peds would move to one side when they heard them. Even tourists picked up on this pretty quickly. I often felt bikes should be mandated to have bells on them if they want to use sidewalks because you just can't hear them coming up on you. It's hard to get out of the way for someone when you don't know they're there.

 

 

I'll slow down, and call out loudly, "On your left" to anyone I'm passing.

 

Half the time they proceed to turn around over their left shoulder and take two steps directly into my path.

 

That's because they arent coordinated enough to look back and walk straight.

[Thurston Fluff]

I did a plumbing project yesterday and only had to go to the hardware store once.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I did a plumbing project yesterday and only had to go to the hardware store once.

 

Thats a win

[Thurston Fluff]

It's also a first for me.

[AKCheesehead]

I was just in a grocery store and there was a bell ringing. I thought, nah it couldn't be. But it was. On a 92º day the Salvation Army was there collecting. I guess I just associate that with November/December, it seemed totally out of place today to me.

[hawing]

I was just in a grocery store and there was a bell ringing. I thought, nah it couldn't be. But it was. On a 92º day the Salvation Army was there collecting. I guess I just associate that with November/December, it seemed totally out of place today to me.

Christmas in July, maybe?

[LouisEly]

Has anyone ever purchased a refurbished cell phone? Overall, I've had good luck with refurbished electronics (I'm typing this on a refurbished PC I purchased about nine years ago) and that makes sense because they usually fix the manufacturing defects.

 

I'm considering switching to xfinity Mobile as they don't charge a line access fee and charge $12/GB of data. I rarely stream video/music, and if I do, it's almost always on WiFi - I don't think I've exceeded 1GB of data in a month in the last year. The cost of xfinity would be ~$12/mo plus phone purchase cost which is $25-30/mo because they don't discount the cost of the phone as they don't have contracts. I can't bring my current phone there (Galaxy S7 - too old) and would need to purchase one from them or bring one, but a refurbished Samsung S9 is about half the cost of what xfinity charges for a S9. Even so, it's still $300, and would hate for it to crap out after a couple of months.

[Thurston Fluff]

Last evening a group of teenagers I've played ultimate frisbee with on occasion knocked on my door and asked my wife if grandpa could come out and play.

[Baldkin]

Last evening a group of teenagers I've played ultimate frisbee with on occasion knocked on my door and asked my wife if grandpa could come out and play.

 

Own the nickname at least!

[SeaBass]

Last evening a group of teenagers I've played ultimate frisbee with on occasion knocked on my door and asked my wife if grandpa could come out and play.

Next time you hang with those guys bring a bag of butterscotch hard candies and hand them out. Really sell that grandpa thing!

[trwi7]

Last evening a group of teenagers I've played ultimate frisbee with on occasion knocked on my door and asked my wife if grandpa could come out and play.

 

Did you play, grandpa?

[hawing]

Last evening a group of teenagers I've played ultimate frisbee with on occasion knocked on my door and asked my wife if grandpa could come out and play.

Next time you hang with those guys bring a bag of butterscotch hard candies and hand them out. Really sell that grandpa thing!

Haha, I was going to say root beer barrels.

[Thurston Fluff]

Yes I did play and it will take me a week to recover. They usually play shirts and skins and I always made sure I played shirts because, well, Grandpa body. This time around I was hoping I'd be skins and show them what their future is. Kids need a little trauma in their lives. But they already knew grandpa plays shirts so no such luck. I am certainly owning the name. I thought it was hilarious. Gotta say though, tough call between root beer barrels and butterscotch hard candies.

[young guns]

I just read that a woman with the name McBride took second place for the second straight year in the wnba 3 point shooting contest. This amuses me. Always the bridesmaid never the bride!

[nate82]

I just read that a woman with the name McBride took second place for the second straight year in the wnba 3 point shooting contest. This amuses me. Always the bridesmaid never the bride!

 

[Thurston Fluff]

I've been trying to eat more vegetables lately. So today I deep fried my bacon in vegetable oil.

[AKCheesehead]

I’ve been off the grid driving through Canada for the past 5 days. I feel like the igt threadlines of Saladino hitting grand slams on consecutive days are a gullibility test.

[LouisEly]

I’ve been off the grid driving through Canada for the past 5 days. I feel like the igt threadlines of Saladino hitting grand slams on consecutive days are a gullibility test.

If you see a couple of teenagers looking to hitch a ride, keep right on going and call the authorities.

[OnTheBlack]

I just read that a woman with the name McBride took second place for the second straight year in the wnba 3 point shooting contest. This amuses me. Always the bridesmaid never the bride!

 

 

I actually watched that...live. Watched Delino Deshields daughter play in the skills competition. First time I've watched a WNBA event and I'm glad I did.

[OnTheBlack]

Has anyone ever purchased a refurbished cell phone? Overall, I've had good luck with refurbished electronics (I'm typing this on a refurbished PC I purchased about nine years ago) and that makes sense because they usually fix the manufacturing defects.

 

I'm considering switching to xfinity Mobile as they don't charge a line access fee and charge $12/GB of data. I rarely stream video/music, and if I do, it's almost always on WiFi - I don't think I've exceeded 1GB of data in a month in the last year. The cost of xfinity would be ~$12/mo plus phone purchase cost which is $25-30/mo because they don't discount the cost of the phone as they don't have contracts. I can't bring my current phone there (Galaxy S7 - too old) and would need to purchase one from them or bring one, but a refurbished Samsung S9 is about half the cost of what xfinity charges for a S9. Even so, it's still $300, and would hate for it to crap out after a couple of months.

 

 

I've bought a few phones from Amazon that were refurbished. I've one bad experience, and that was because I needed one immediately the next day and I couldn't get the one I wanted. Other than that, they've all been pretty much the same as any new phones I've bought.

[zurch1818]

The one thing that you have to make sure of is the phone must be compatible with the network you are trying to connect to.

 

AT&T phones use GSM and Verizon/US Cellular phones use CDMA. Even then they may still not be compatible. This is why I tend to buy unlocked phones with stock Android on them. They tend to be compatible with the most carriers.

[Thurston Fluff]

I been in Montreal the last few days and I must say their cuisine is surprisingly good. I don't know how they do to it but the McDonald's filet-o-fish tastes exactly like those in the US. Burger King's Whopper is almost identical. The Subway I went to. You couldn't tell it was Canadian at all. I can't wait to try the Montreal Taco Bell tomorrow.

[owbc]

I been in Montreal the last few days and I must say their cuisine is surprisingly good. I don't know how they do to it but the McDonald's filet-o-fish tastes exactly like those in the US. Burger King's Whopper is almost identical. The Subway I went to. You couldn't tell it was Canadian at all. I can't wait to try the Montreal Taco Bell tomorrow.

 

I'm just going to assume you are joking...how is the poutine?