I’m a bit more confident about going out and about now and have taken to cycling
round the block in the evening every so often. I tend to see a lot of people and
some show some interest in having a go.
I’m keen to let people try but don’t want some kid to run off with the uni (I’d
have to go to prison after retrieving it). I also don’t want to spend ages
giving lessons in the street. What do other people do in this situation?
> I also don’t want to spend ages giving lessons in the street. What do other > people do in this situation?
Start a unicycle club and spend ages giving lessons in a gym
I never had the problem as much, because my unicycles were usually too tall for
most of the people who wanted to try. I was never much for adjusting the seat
(except for friends) as I had enough problems keeping the bolt tight enough
without deforming.
So I let people have a go when I was in the mood, but not when I wasn’t. After
all, it’s my unicycle.
You could also keep a spare handy, for those times when you know there will be
people along who want to try, or if you’re interested in raising the local
unicycling population.
> >I’m keen to let people try but don’t want some kid to run off with the uni > >(I’d have to go to prison after retrieving it). I also don’t want to spend > >ages giving lessons in the street. What do other people do in this situation?
I am usually quite willing to let people have a try (unless I’m in riding in a
parade at the moment) - after one or two attempts they either hate it or love
it, and creating more unicyclists is always good! Then people have a better
appreciation for how much practice it takes to get as good as YOU are.
By the way, the skill level web site is HILARIOUS! love it!
At 23:02 24/11/99 GMT, Arnold the Aardvark wrote: >I’m keen to let people try but don’t want some kid to run off with the uni (I’d >have to go to prison after retrieving it). I also don’t want to spend ages >giving lessons in the street. What do other people do in this situation?
John Foss <john_foss@asinet.com> wrote in article >>> You could also keep a spare handy, for those times when you know
there will be people along who want to try, or if you’re interested in raising
the local unicycling population.
>>I’m keen to let people try but don’t want some kid to run off with the uni >>(I’d have to go to prison after retrieving it). I also don’t want to spend >>ages giving lessons in the street. What do other people do in this situation?
The trick is to let everyone have a go.
I never refuse a request – but nor do I bother to adjust the saddle height.
After thirty seconds they’ve had enough. The mouthier the kid, the sooner he
gives up. And no one has ever asked for a second go.
Being generous with rides is great for your credibility.
A: they think you’re a swell guy for letting them have a go, and
B: they’re even more impressed by your (apparently) effortless cycling style
Where does Arnold the Aadvark live? It seems unlikely that someone would run off
with your uni right in front of your eyes. If the kids are that brazen they’re
just as likely to take it straight from you without resorting to the charade of
having a go.
It was a mostly flippant comment. My neighbourhood isn’t exactly Beverly Hills
but it’s OK.
I ran into a gang of about a dozen teenagers on a dark street. They all made
impressed noises and some asked for a go. I said it had taken ages to learn and
cycled around them. They were all too short to ride it anyway.
With that many kids the situation could have been unpleasant if they had wanted
it so, but they were OK. However, I was not made any more comfortable by the
sounds of them casually vandalising an empty house as soon as they turned their
backs on me.
But I must admit that so far I’ve had no negative encounters. I was particularly
amused by the policeman who drove by chortling to himself while his PA system
was turned on. A pity he never asked for a go…
