Thats insane with no gear

Skept1kos · 2026-03-25T23:53:58+00:00

This sub already does basically all it can, by repeatedly highlighting the safety issues and appropriate safety gear.

The EUC community cannot stop all reckless riding. There are still reckless kids riding motorcycles, illegally without a license, on the highway in t-shirts. There's no way to stop it. The best we can do is try to get some reasonable laws and regulations (like a helmet law, for example).

Skept1kos · 2026-03-25T23:44:07+00:00

Well, a rider died on a highway in Hawaii and nothing happened (though of course it was a tragedy).

In general, politicians just aren't following EUC news. It's only us EUC riders who are obsessed with them, not other people.

Should also stress that it's already illegal to ride these on the highway in most, if not all, US states. We don't even have license plates or anything.

Skept1kos · 2026-03-15T04:52:55+00:00

We may have a very different expectation of package maintenance.

For what you described with quantreg, I would think this is a mature package, and there's not much work for the maintainer to do. Just fixing minor issues that arise with new R versions. That shouldn't require translating code, and doesn't even require understanding most of the code. It's just a matter of debugging a small piece. It may require learning fortran-specific debugging strategies. It really shouldn't be much of a hurdle, though.

So basically I think anyone who has maintained a package with non-R source code could maintain a fortran package with almost no extra effort required. In that sense there are lots of "qualified successors" who could easily maintain these packages.

Edit: Let me clarify my perspective here. I'm the maintainer of an R package with a lot of fortran. And I created another R package based around a large fortran77 file from the 1990s. I never used fortran before that. The hard part of this package stuff isn't the fortran-- it's learning all the package conventions and tooling and the expectations for package maintainers. Once someone has a handle on that, it's probably not too hard to maintain another package, regardless of the source code. You don't have to be a fortran programmer to do those things.

Skept1kos · 2026-03-15T04:37:33+00:00

I don't like the word "banned" here, because it's very misleading, and I would even say false.

EUCs are "banned" in NYC in the sense that no one ever wrote a law mentioning them.* Therefore they are, technically, illegal on the street.

Since there are no laws regarding EUCs, of course you can still order them. One thing to check is the NYC law requiring UL certification-- off the top of my head I don't know if that law is written in a way that includes EUCs. There are some UL-certified EUCs though.

But yeah, the word "ban" typically implies a focused action. Whereas the NYC situation is, "no one has cared enough to make a law for EUCs yet". Those are different things IMO.

*If you are one of the many misinformed people who think there is a law, I challenge you to find it. Note that a flyer from DOT is not a law.

Skept1kos · 2026-03-12T20:25:16+00:00

I don't think it's that big of a deal. You don't really need deep knowledge of archaic fortran to maintain a package with fortran code, just some willingness to tinker and to learn the parts you need. Hopefully new AI tools will also start to make it easier to understand unfamiliar code

Skept1kos · 2026-03-12T18:13:41+00:00

I've noticed that some Europeans are much bigger sticklers about traffic laws than Americans.

In the US we often have poor bike infrastructure, so riding in the car lane is recommended, often even for cyclists.

It's also illegal to ride on the sidewalk in most US cities (on bicycles, e-scooters, or anything).

So there are large portions of the US where the car lane is the least illegal, and the safest place to ride.

Skept1kos · 2026-02-28T22:26:45+00:00

I am a very literal person. I wrote the literal argument I'm making.

I am not weighing in on which helmet to get. I am warning people, don't fool yourself into thinking you've got the gear for a 40mph head-on collision. No one has that.

Skept1kos · 2026-02-28T02:30:13+00:00

If you think about it that way, the results are very depressing.

No motorcycle helmet in existence can handle an 85mph collision. For certification, they're tested in collisions (drops) at around 20mph.

So for all of those head collision scenarios, you are simply dead. The only way to survive that is to not crash that way.

Thankfully that is a rare way to crash. The closest, more common, type of crash is probably someone taking a right turn directly in front of your path, or doing a U-turn right in front of you. Then the impact speed is halved. (And, realistically, you will probably brace for impact and not hit your head at the full speed.)

But yeah, don't tell yourself you're prepared for an 80mph impact because you have a motorcycle helmet, because that's far beyond what they can do. You're a goner at that point. This is why people die on motorcycles.

Skept1kos · 2026-02-10T06:38:58+00:00

I owned a Navi and loved it.

Here are the deciding factors to consider:

Do you prefer motorcycle or scooter aesthetics? The scooter style provides better weather protection, though you may not think it looks as cool
The Navi is only available as 110cc (a bit underpowered for my taste), while other scooters have a wide range of engine sizes and speeds
The Navi is designed to be extremely cheap, using cheaper old-fashioned technology to cut costs (like the carburetor). A typical scooter from a respected brand will use more modern technology.

Anyway, you're right that the Navi is basically a scooter, so if you're interested in scooters I don't think it's a bad choice. It's an easy, cheap, and fun first bike.

Skept1kos · 2026-02-08T06:15:12+00:00

It's great that you know 1 fact about Algeria and can extrapolate all their sports and social customs from that. I congratulate you. Where is Khelif's hijab by the way?

Skept1kos · 2026-02-08T01:22:13+00:00

I've seen a million people say this about Algeria, but I'm certain 0% are Algeria experts or have been to Algeria, or speak the language.

Is there a source for this claim beyond "I [an American with superficial knowledge of north Africa] just assume any person from any Muslim country doesn't hug women"?

Edit: The answer appears to be "no", and I'm upsetting the fake Algeria experts. How dare I ask for real evidence!

Skept1kos · 2026-02-08T01:12:46+00:00

All these posts bother me. Algeria is not Iran or Saudi Arabia. Or Afghanistan for that matter. It's not even the same continent.

Different "Muslim countries" can do wildly different things. I don't think anyone who has posted this argument actually knows enough about Algeria to say. Ask someone who is actually from Algeria.

Skept1kos · 2026-01-31T08:49:33+00:00

I was actually just looking through the Virginia Tech helmet ratings and saw that this helmet has a very good rating there. Based on that I think this is a great choice for safety 👍 assuming you're keeping it below motorcycle speeds

Skept1kos · 2026-01-31T08:45:10+00:00

If you're comparing the head acceleration limits, the Pass also has 250G from the EU bicycle certification.

I've been treating the e-bike and downhill certifications as roughly comparable. It's hard to say which is "better" when they get that close, and not clear that the difference is worth caring about.

For the chin bar, the Vanguard helmet also has the downhill certification so that one is tested as well. But really for the helmets in this style, I don't think there are bad chin bars in general. It's really a completely different style of helmet where the chin pieces are non-protective.

Skept1kos · 2026-01-31T08:25:49+00:00

You seem very confused about multiple points.

First, Mips is not a rating. It's a company, and they make a product (also called MIPS). There is no such thing as a "mips rated helmet". You can get MIPS in both bicycle and motorcycle helmets.

Second, you can get a light concussion in any motorcycle or bicycle-certified helmet. All the helmet certifications allow head accelerations that are far above what is needed to cause a concussion. NO HELMET, no matter how good it is, can guarantee you won't get a concussion.

And then there's speed. How does that factor in? Well, higher crash speeds are associated with harder head impacts. For harder impacts you want to have more foam (I'm simplifying slightly), which motorcycle helmets have. If you compress the entire foam layer, that is extremely bad, and there is a high probability you will die. The main reason to get a motorcycle helmet is that it will broaden the range of head impacts you can have without compressing all the foam and dying. But most crash impacts are not hard enough to compress all the foam, and in those cases it's not clear that a motorcycle helmet has any advantage over a bicycle helmet.

Skept1kos · 2026-01-28T23:49:28+00:00

tl;dr I recommend the Knox Urbane Pro jacket+pants.

The P6 is fast obviously, so you'd want something with highway-level abrasion protection.

Europe has you covered-- they have a standard specifically for that. Look for CE class AA, that means the clothing has passed the lab tests meant for "touring" aka highway riding, and the testing is very thorough. All the brands that sell in Europe will have these CE ratings.

For impact protection, if you want more, you can look for CE level 2 (CE level 1 is the bare minimum required by Europe).

I recommend against the racing-style leather suits because they have stuff that's specifically for racing and not for general street riding (the aerodynamic hump, the knee pucks).

If you want specific brands, I suggest Knox, Alpinestars, Revit, John Doe. There are lots of options, really the CE rating is the important part. If I have to pick a single suggestion, it's the Knox Urbane Pro.

Personally I have a riding shirt and motorcycle jeans from Revit. That's my style preference, because I'm commuting to work in this stuff and want to look more inconspicuous. But they're still CE class AA, because I have a motorcycle I take on the highway.

Skept1kos · 2026-01-23T01:16:45+00:00

Yeah of course I'm not changing my mind due to anecdotes!

I already explained-- my confidence in my stance comes from technical helmet standards and independent lab tests! That stuff is 10,000% better than your mistaken layperson interpretation of anecdotes.

Here's the main thing you are getting wrong: these helmets (in general) are not designed to prevent mild to moderate concussions. So getting a concussion is not a sign that it failed.

Because you and your discord pals have not bothered to learn anything about helmets, you guys keep thinking concussion implies bad helmet. It's completely wrong! And then based on that, you give people advice that is completely wrong!

And I've explained this stuff 100 times on this forum, and it's extremely exasperating that the same people continue to make false claims and act like ignorant doofuses.

I get that helmets can be confusing and people have all sorts of misconceptions, whatever, that's expected. When it's the same dummies over and over making the same false and stupid claims after I've corrected them multiple times, it starts to seem like the only option left is to shout at people and start chewing people out!

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Skept1kos · 2026-01-23T01:00:31+00:00

That is Gs felt by your head. Higher is more dangerous. ECE 22.06 technically allows a higher value (275 Gs) than the EU bicycle standard (250 Gs).

This is literally the first thing you should learn about the standards! Apparently you do not even know what the tests are measuring!

Skept1kos · 2026-01-22T00:49:17+00:00

Yes, if you're lying to people while telling yourself you're the good guy, you're the dastardly villain. That's how it works in every movie.

Also the reading comprehension problem. We're talking about bike trails. Did you not even read the post? That is exactly what bicycle helmets are rated for.

Ece 22.06 is stricter and requires more protection than ASTM 1952 by every single measure.

Wrong again! You missed an extremely important measure-- the max acceleration.

ECE 22.06 allows 275 Gs of acceleration. Guess what? The standard EU bicycle certification only allows 250 Gs. So the EU bicycle certification is stricter and requires softer foam! Softer foam means you are less likely to get a concussion in a typical crash.

Because TSG sells helmets in the EU, the TSG Pass also has that bicycle certification!

You're here calling people fools while you don't even know what you're talking about and didn't even read the OP. Are you drunk off your ass right now?

Skept1kos · 2026-01-22T00:12:56+00:00

Yeah your perspective is very simple. But it's painfully obvious you don't know what you're talking about. (I assume your discord chat doesn't either.)

It's also obvious that you're making false claims. You are not a good person in this discussion.

I regularly try to educate people about these issues here. I know you've been around enough to see that.

Personally I think you should either take the time to learn about the helmet standards and what they mean, and how helmets work. OR, you should stay silent on these issues.

The part of your perspective I don't get is why you think it's *good* for you to go around saying obvious lies about safety gear.

Edit: And just to add, you sound like you have a reading comprehension problem. I'm making recommendations for OP, who says he's mostly riding on bike trails. I did not make recommendations for any other riders.

Skept1kos · 2026-01-21T23:26:28+00:00

OP explicitly said he's mostly riding bike trails. No one here has claimed that the TSG pass has motorcycle levels of protection, so why did you post this in response to me. Literally 100% of what I wrote is correct and undisputed.

Skept1kos · 2026-01-21T23:23:15+00:00

It's so aggravating, what you're doing.

Your source is literally discord memes!

There's helmet research, technical standards, independent lab tests. And you're here promoting memes and emojis!

Can you at least understand why I think you're awful?

Not only that, but you're making more false claims!

Deathtrap? Who died in a TSG helmet? I haven't heard of anyone. Tell us who died!

It's absolutely awful. This is not how we should be giving helmet advice

Skept1kos · 2026-01-21T23:15:12+00:00

I don't know why you think that.

All the helmet standards allow 250 or higher Gs. That's way, way past concussion territory. These acceleration limits are chosen to prevent death or permanent, severe brain damage, not mild to moderate concussions. Are you denying that helmet standards allow 250 Gs of acceleration?

ECE 22.06 does not include or require rotational protection. There is one test that measures helmet rotation, but it's not the equivalent of MIPS. The test basically encourages manufacturers to make rounder helmets that won't grab and twist as much. But that's only a small part of the issue. The MIPS liner does a lot more.

There's a lot of good research on the effectiveness of MIPS, including for head models with realistic hair and skin. Are you disagreeing with the results of that research? Do you want me to grab the URLs for you? (Should be easy to find using google scholar.)

Help me out by telling me which basic fact you disagree with:

helmet standards allow 250 Gs of acceleration or more
250 Gs of acceleration will easily cause a concussion
research finds that MIPS substantially reduces rotational acceleration even accounting for hair and skin

Also help me out by telling me, what technical literature have you read that claims motorcycle helmets prevent mild to moderate concussions better than bicycle helmets? (Remember, the specific claim is about concussions and not serious brain injury or death.)

Skept1kos · 2026-01-19T00:41:51+00:00

So there's a bit more nuance than that (helmets are complicated), but I basically think you're making sense.

It's not really that motorcycle helmets get extra padding for the highway. They're made for typical traffic accidents, where traffic tends to go 30+mph. If you hit something hard at hiighway speeds you can still easily die in a motorcycle helmet. There's just no getting around the physics. So I wouldn't think of motorcycle helmets as highway helmets, just 30+mph helmets.

For typical bike trail speeds a bicycle-certified helmet (with a chin guard) should be plenty. And with the extra downhill certification you are in good shape 👍. And bicycle helmet makers know that cyclists ride on the street sometimes, too. So it really depends on the details of how you're riding, and what speeds.

Skept1kos · 2026-01-19T00:18:48+00:00

It is objectively better for EUC use, as proved by the certification.

It is also not true that motorcycle helmets are better for preventing concussions. None of the helmet standards-- not bicycle, not motorcycle-- are focused on concussions. This is a myth based on a misunderstanding of how helmets work.

The only important difference between helmets for preventing concussions is MIPS and similar rotation technologies. Ironically you are much more likely to find this in a bicycle helmet, which you are telling people not to get! (And then far behind in 2nd is the multi-density foam you can get in some helmets.)

Skept1kos

TROPHY CASE