Comments on: Gift ideas for the commuting cyclist

By: Treadly and Me

Treadly and Me — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 06:45:06 +0000

Well, a new pair of gloves (a long overdue replacement) came my way and that was about it.

By: pedaller

pedaller — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 04:12:39 +0000

I hope you found some suitable goodies stuffed in your stocking this Christmas treadly.

By: Treadly and Me

Treadly and Me — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 21:33:25 +0000

Undoubtedly some pure technology is morally loaded (for instance, it's hard to argue that weapons R&D is morally neutral), but generally it's the typical application of a given technology that gives it a good or bad "flavour". Which returns to the point: it's true that many people who wear helmet-mounted lights use them in a pretty inconsiderate manner but that's the usage—nothing inherent in the technology makes it as "bad" as eccles seems to suggest.

I'll never cease to be amazed at where these discussions lead—I thought this topic would resurrect the backpack-vs-panniers argument…

By: Benji Wakely

Benji Wakely — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 21:58:24 +0000

….Don’t know that I agree about most technology being morally neutral – I think that some tech/fields of research lend themselves to either good or evil use with more facility than not – but this discussion would seem to be out of scope here…

It’s probably a matter for the individual to assess whether helmet-mounted lights are easier to use in a blinding or non-blinding fashion… :)

By: Treadly and Me

Treadly and Me — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 10:03:30 +0000

Most technology is more-or-less neutral, isn't it? Neither inherently good nor bad, but it can be tainted by the way it's used.

For instance, it would be possible to mount an argument that bicycles themselves are dangerous to oncoming cyclists because they can be found travelling the wrong way down the street or overtaking at blind corners on bike paths. Of course that's ludicrous: the problem isn't with the bicycle, rather (to adapt a phrase) it's located between the saddle and the helmet.

I fully understand the feeling of being spotlighted (it happens to all of us who ride at night) but that's not a technological flaw. It's plain selfishness and stupidity.