this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2024
54 points (96.6% liked)

Bike Commuting

1573 readers
1 users here now

A place on the fediverse to share and discuss about commuting by bicycle

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
[email protected]
[email protected]
54
POV: you pass a traffic jam (feddit.de)
submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
9 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I'm sorry that I've written the 'POV' part wrong. It should be "POV: You are stuck in traffic and see me pass".

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

https://silodrome.com/railway-pennyfarthing/

This exceedingly old photograph shows a group of Russian Gendarmes in Moscow around 1890, the chap in the middle of the frame is sitting atop what is quite clearly a Penny-farthing designed for use on the railway lines. There is a counterweight on the shaft leading to the offset left wheel, I assume to keep him from falling off to his right, he also has a long handle in his right hand and I can’t for the life of me figure out what it’s for. Any ideas?

The handle is probably a hand pedal

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Or a break, looks like it's blocking the back wheel if he push it ?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

I love how in every photo or illustration, anyone on this bike looks insanely proud and haughty.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

But why would it need the big front wheel then?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

This was standard bike design back then, all the cool officers have big front wheel