In over a year of unicycling almost every day, often at the local high school, I just had my first nasty encounter. It is night, around 10 degrees F, and I am in a large, mostly empty parking lot near one of the street lamps. Apparently some meeting is taking place, and cars are coming and going. Gradually the spots closest to the building fill up (at this time, about 7 or 8 % of the spots available). Finally a driver pulls up and I step back into a space so he can pass. There are several spots just the other of me and an ocean of places about 10 feet across from me. He sits. I motion him by. He puts on his turn signal. I know what’s up so I play dumb. His headlights are on. Finally he opens his window, and yells out, “I want to pull into that spot!” I should have continued playing dumb, but I step aside, hopping mad. He pulls in. As he gets out, I comment “What’d you need that particular spot for?!” He says, “That’s why it’s a parking lot, NOT a unicycle lot.” I grumble too loudly something about “Jerk lot”, and wonder if I’m going to be knocked off the uni, but he keeps walking.
Usually here, and even in wild New York City, people are fascinated, respectful, awed, or amused. This is the first real jerk I’ve encountered. He left a few minutes later with what appeared to be his daughter. Apparently he was trying to set a good example. Hopefully it was just a bad moment for him.
Anyhow, it was worth it; I was able to pull off a full one-footed circle, and almost landed the recovery back to two-footed riding.
i dont seem to get as many jerks talking to me as i did a year ago.i think the more skills you get the more people shut-up and watch.this has been my observation anyway.
the other day though i came accross a new breed of A-hole,every time i would pull off a stunt,they(2 skate punks) would heckle the classic circus jingle
3 foot gap bench to bench:doot doot do do duh da det det duh duh
idle to Wwalk:doot doot do do duh da det det duh duh
seat out in back to drag:doot doot do do duh da det det duh duh
i finally popped a side hop down 5 stairs and they did it again,well i lost my cool real bad! i gave the biggest “HEY F-U” i think ive ever launched in my life.
they stopped after that,but if they hadnt? i dont know what i really would have done…dont let the bastards grind ya down,i guess?
ya, same here. When i was starting, and wobbly, people made fun of me, and now that i can ride ok, people are respectful. One trick that’s espically good is the 180 degree hot twist. Since bikes are so much bigger, it’s respectible on a unicycle.
The comments don’t seem to happen here in London, but what I was noticing in my last town…
Wear a walkman. If you don’t want to listen to music, just wear the headphones. Not only will the clown whistlers give up, but also the little kids that say “…is that hard?” and other questions you’ve already answered 1000’s of times.
And if someone asks/says something good, you didn’t miss it, and you can answer them.
But you were in a parking lot. Why did you need that particular space?
While you’re thinking about that, be advised that, for some reason, people picking up kids from school seem to follow different rules of driving. This applies mostly at the beginning and end of the school day, when you want to stay away from those areas. Everybody seems to think that picking up their kids makes all driving and parking rules temporarily not apply to them.
Lastly, a**holes come in all shapes and sizes. Some in cars, some on skateboards. You aren’t going to cure them, so it’s up to you to decide if you want to interact with them or ignore them.
I was juggling/unicycling the other day and a kid walks up to me and says, “Hey, you have a lot of acne.”
I was absolutely knocked backwards. It had to be one of the funniest moments of my life. Thirteen year old kid sees a guy juggling on a unicycle and he decides to discuss my acne. He then went on to explain that I should use “multiple products in different combinations for best results.” I thanked him and he went on his way and all was odd in the world!
Anthony
P.S.–As far as guys in a parking lot, I make it a policy to not mess with large metal objects with cylinders and bumpers and brakes and whatnot. Although…nevermind.
First off, I know how it is. I’m still pretty new and get alot of that clown crap and the other sh*t that goes with it. Yesterday 3 friends came over and none of them said anything. It was kool. Now that I’m decent I get a little less then before, but still alot.
Second, the parking lot thing is BS. He didn’t need the spot, but was there first. He didn’t do anything wrong so lots not mistake it. I don’t think I would have moved for some ***hole unless the had a real reason. If they asked politley I mgiht move also. But in that situation, I would have told him to find another one. And that it is a parking lot, so go park it somewhere else. All some more. In the long run, I would have went to his level and became an shole temporarily cuz I do get fed up with people attidtudes.
[Edit]lol Juggler, not what I expected to see he said.
I got alot more shit when I was learning (I still have alot to learn, but the basics are now there), but I still get crap from some, golfers come to mind. Most of the time when I’m riding or trying to do gaps or other stupid stuff on my uni I dont get the people asking if I’m a clown, but rather a crowd tends to form and watch to see if I make it and cheer me on… Applause is always a good thing in the end.
At this point, when i’m unicycling, i’m so focused, either i d’ont hear the person -on other people report (“that guy is such a jerk” “uhhh what guy?”) or i just ignore them, or i channel my anger into my trials riding. the only problem with the last one, is that i’m usually mad in the first place, and sometimes i get so angry i c’ant do anything, then i have to sit down and breath deep, or swear at the person in question .
d’ont let the guys get to you, but if they do, make sure you will be the last unicyclist they will ever even speak to! let alone make fun of! .
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