Needle in the stack

[Uwe W.]

The cynical side of me believes the photo I've attached was staged, but it does raise a good point. Never take your eye off the road, even for a second.

I was riding off-road the other day for about an hour, and near the end of the ride I looked to one side, just for a moment, and I couldn't even tell you why, but at that moment my front wheel disappeared into what could be best described as a small trench.

The impact sent me into the handlebars, but because the bikes suspension is so good, that was the extent of the mishap. When the rear wheel hit, it reset me back into a normal riding position.

Won't be doing that again!

[TimP]

Don't be too hard on yourself. There are a lot of individual items vying for your attention on every second of every ride. In ideal situations we find ourselves "floating above" the minutiae, even when they're rocks. Not every ride is ideal.

There's a small island north of Granada called Carriacou (sp?) that I visited years ago. The ring road that surrounds the island traverses the island landing strip at a diagonal. When the planes are coming in they close a fenced gate on either side of the "airport", stopping cars so the planes can land on an unimpeded strip of tarmac. After they land the gates open and the tarmac reverts to highway use.

All around the airport there are signs warning of poisoned crabs. "Why?" I asked. Because the land crabs, which are a big form of hermit crabs, commandeer conch shells and live in them. When the weather turns cool they walk out onto the landing strip, which is typically quite hot given it's sun-baked tropical locale, and, if a passing Cessna happens along, they trip the planes upon landing and cause them to crash. Hence the poison to kill the crabs that trip the aircraft. True story.

Is your photo staged? Quite likely. No detritus around the fallen bike, the path is too smooth, etc.

Can a rock trip a bike? Absolutely.

Will you see it coming? Perhaps.

Please note: poison won't help with rocks. I'm glad you're ok.

[Paddy]

I agree, that photo looks like a feeble joke, but the point is well taken.
I once saw a guy run straight into the back of a station wagon on his cruiser at low speed without a hint of breaking.His bike was bent but he was ok.
I asked him how he had managed that and he said he briefly checked out a very hot lady on the sidewalk, just as the car breaked and BANG. I believed him because I was checking her out too.We both suspected she knew she was to blame. Another hazard of city traffic!
That poison crab story is just a wee bit dodgy. Do the crabs drag their shells onto the runway? Seems they aren't big enough to upset even a light aircraft but maybe they are. Why poison the crabs as they're no doubt edible. Why not a teeny-weeny fence around the runway. I don't think crabs with conch shells can climb and without the shells they'd just be squashed.These are very serious questions I'm raising here and dammit I want some answers! ;)

[Ivor biggin]

I find that the best way to deal with crabs is to douse the surrounding bush with lighter fluid and light `er up.
IB.

[metalredneck]

I once launched a '76 Goldwing over a groundhog, not watching the road. I was glad it wasn't my CB 500/4, or it may have been terminal. Caught some cool air with one hand on thee bars, but there was nobody around to photograph it or the skid marks. (NOT on the road.);)

[TimP]

That poison crab story is just a wee bit dodgy. Do the crabs drag their shells onto the runway? Seems they aren't big enough to upset even a light aircraft but maybe they are. Why poison the crabs as they're no doubt edible. Why not a teeny-weeny fence around the runway. I don't think crabs with conch shells can climb and without the shells they'd just be squashed.These are very serious questions I'm raising here and dammit I want some answers! ;)

Dear Paddy,

Re.: Serious Crab Questions

I understand your skepticism. Please review the attached photos (one of the airstrip on Carriacou from Google Earth showing the road across the runway, the other of my late wife's legs with obvious crab burrows on either side).

A1. As I heard the story, they do indeed drag their shells onto the runway.
A2. Look at the holes (which are too numerous to count). Look at a Cessna wheel. Imagine the impact.
A3. The crabs are not in themselves poisonous (as the signs would lead you to believe) but, being exposed to the poison laid out for them to keep the runway clear, it's best not to chow down on them.
A4. See photo. See fence. Ponder ineffectuality of surface fence against burrowing crabs.
A5. Good questions. I'm unfortunately not able to respond as the poison and fence were not my idea. Our plane landed and took off safely, however, so at first glance it works...

[TimP]

Here's a picture of a Cessna wheel for reference.

Tiny, innit'? If those chocks had legs...