The Handlebars Sitter

ET go home

So many people talk about Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, as a heaven for cyclists. But Oslo, another Scandinavian capital (of Norway) is certainly a great place for cyclists who want to get to heaven.

Or so was my impression from a short visit there. It wasn't a busy road, yet, having someone sitting on the handlebars blocked this cyclist's view and made it difficult to keep balance, which could have easily led to an accident. On the bright side, it's probably the quickest way to get to hospital.

I took the photo on 8 May 2010 near the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo.

The Towing-Man

Tow tow tow your cart gently down the street

Usually cycling is an activity on two wheels (hence BiCycle), maximum three wheels (a TriCycle. Let's count them: 1, 2 and 3). But some cyclists got four wheels, for example this chap who towed a cart down Aungier Street with his bike.

I took the picture on 14 May 2012.

The Leaner

Stretching

When on bike, stopping frequently may be tiresome for some. Hence numerous cyclists keep their feet off ground by leaning on stuff (see for example our good old friends, the sign-holder and the music-listerner). The gentleman above was leaning against an electricity box in order to keep his feet on the pedals. It's not as impressive as the balancer who maintained a perfect balance unsupported, but still pretty efficient.

The picture, in case you haven't recognised, was taken in Dundrum village, not far from the shopping centre, on 3 January 2013. He was the first cyclist to meet my lens this year.

The Macauist

Reading under the sun

In Dublin, it never gets too warm (and currently it's pretty much freezing). But other corners of the world do. And where and when it happens, people know how to enjoy every moment of it (or heat).

See for example the lovely rickshaw tricycle cyclist I encountered on a day trip to Macau (I spent some time in Hong Kong back then). As he had no customers, he spent the day reading the daily news.

I took the picture on 30 September 2004. The average temperature that day was 27 degrees Celsius (source. I can confirm that it felt very sticky). The location is Largo do Senado, the main square of Macau.

The Handsfree Cyclist

Handsfree

Remember the hands-in-pockets-dude? So keeping hands in pockets isn't the only way for handsfree cycling. For instance, you can play with stuff (it isn't clear what it actually was though).

I took the photo off Rathfarnham Castle in a bright winter morning on 16 December 2012.

The Double Baggers

A bag for every wheel

Usually one bag is more than enough, but kids sometimes need to carry two bags, one for school and another one for football, GAA etc on the top of it (yet another successful year for The Royal Society of Putting Things On Top of Other Things?). The result is quite amusing, as one can notice from the photo.

I saw these two young lads in Rathfarnham on 6 September 2012.

The Grafton Cyclist

U Turn

Even though it is a pedestrianised street, Grafton Street sees far too many cyclists pedalling along while disturbing and obstructing pedestrians who walk down the street. It is a selfish behaviour, which earns all cyclists a bad reputation. This is why I was happy to see the nice guy above getting off his bike.

I took the picture on 6 May 2012. In the background you can spot the Fusiliers' Arch of St Stephen's Green.