Audaxers with Physics A level

[Bianchi Boy]

I have been mulling over this topic and why Audax gets a bashing in the press. Are the topics connected?

Minority sport (pass time?) where you spend extended time in extreme discomfort on your own. When someone does come past we pass the time of day discussing the Hadron Collider, string theory and .....Oh God I get it now I was destined to ride Audax.

Shall I start a thread on who prefers prog rock?

[border-rider]

  I'm not sure what is the point of this topic

Indeed.  It's good fun, but I'm not sure it's any sort of geek index.  My suspicion is that audax has a pretty high proportionate of university graduates and people with similar professional qualifications.  It's also overwhelmingly male.  I'd suggest that a fairly high proportion of male graduates did A-level physics so it's unsurprising that there's an overlap.

As I say though, I do feel there is quite a startling number of physics/physical science PhDs, and just possibly a lower percentage of people working in IT, than a random selection matched for age, gender and socioeconomic profile.

[Really Ancien]

The point of the thread is that it's hard think of any other activity that is more likely to transport one back to the intellectual and social feel of the Physics lab than an Audax. I blame Alan Bennet, it combines elements of 'The History Boys' and 'A Day Out' to come up with 'A Day out with the Physics Boys'.

Damon.

[Panoramix]

Is this Baccalaureate similar to the International Baccalaureate that I did over 20 years ago? We had a compulsory course in philosophy called Theory of Knowledge.

I don't know, it's the scientific one. In France selection is often on Maths so lot of people want to do this one! But they want you to be a generalist so you still have to do biology, French, at least one foreign language, History, geography and philosophy.

Philosophy was about studying the various thinking of various philosophers. I actually wish I had been more serious as it is quite interesting to understand how knowledge has been evolving.

[Bledlow]

  I'm not sure what is the point of this topic

Blame Really Ancien, on another thread.

... Physics A Level. Cool to some and the kiss of social death to others. I'm pretty sure that it features more often in Audaxers than a random sample of the cycling population. ...

I was inspired by that, & as Mal Volio said, it's fun.

I think the Whitworth diversion was wonderful supporting evidence for Damons theory.

[sbseven]

I have Maths, Further Maths and Physics, and a Maths Degree (20 years ago). I used to be considered smart, but now I ride Audaxes a lot...

[Kim]

Physics and Electronics A-levels, so a certified geek.  Also Maths and Chemistry, but with embarrassingly bad grades.

No to Audaxing, though I'm sure it's only a matter of time and finding the right saddle...

Handwriting is utterly illegible block-print, which only really gets used for labelling things with (yes, black) permanent markers these days.  Computer Science degree trumps the geeky A-levels in the bad handwriting stakes (I believe only medics have worse handwriting).  Also suspect the obvious link to socks & sandals makes Audaxing inevitable

And I did once have a Cycling Proficiency certificate.

[border-rider]

The point of the thread is that it's hard think of any other activity that is more likely to transport one back to the intellectual and social feel of the Physics lab than an Audax.

<ponders>

No, I don't get that at all.  Maybe you had far more fun and diverse physics labs than we did, but mostly my audax experience is of singing, chatting, and slogging up hills in companionable silence, broken only by gasping for breath.  And of course avoiding drunks in midnight town centres, getting wet, hungry and sleeping in bus shelters

[mikewigley]

that's wrong, the volume of a gas is inversely proportional to the pressure and nobody would believe I was right and the book was wrong, and I failed the exam by that one mark.

Doesn't that just make the blood boyle?

[Wowbagger]

The point of the thread is that it's hard think of any other activity that is more likely to transport one back to the intellectual and social feel of the Physics lab than an Audax.

<ponders>

No, I don't get that at all.  Maybe you had far more fun and diverse physics labs than we did, but mostly my audax experience is of singing, chatting, and slogging up hills in companionable silence, broken only by gasping for breath.  And of course avoiding drunks in midnight town centres, getting wet, hungry and sleeping in bus shelters

Sounds just like physics to me.

[Kim]

The point of the thread is that it's hard think of any other activity that is more likely to transport one back to the intellectual and social feel of the Physics lab than an Audax.

<ponders>

No, I don't get that at all.  Maybe you had far more fun and diverse physics labs than we did...

I dunno, my most vivid memories of A-level physics are of sitting huddled round bunsen burners trying to defrost our fingers, wearing all our outdoor clothing, as condensation dripped on us from the (non-functioning) radiant heating panels in the ceiling.  While eating stolen flapjacks and arguing about centrifugal force.

Obviously I'm no expert, but that sounds like a pretty audaxy experience to me.

[DrBru]

Actually, I strongly suspect that audax has a disproportionate number of Physics PhDs...

Tick...

[Justin(e)]

Actually, I strongly suspect that audax has a disproportionate number of Physics PhDs...

I had an interesting conversation with an optics expert at the end of PBP.  I am certain you can add him to your list. 

[chris]

Physics, Maths, Chemistry and TD 'A' levels here, taken sometime in the early 80s. However, I failed 'O' level woodwork because the boat I built for the practical didn't have a dovetail joint in it! not that I cared!

[Manotea]

Actually, I strongly suspect that audax has a disproportionate number of Physics PhDs...

I had an interesting conversation with an optics expert at the end of PBP.  I am certain you can add him to your list. 

I imagine there were a lot of optics experts to be found in the bar at the end of PBP.

[MikeFromLFE]

barely

I'm struggling with a tricycle.

Most people master that by their 5th birthday

Once you've ridden a bi-cycle, mastering a tri-cycle (particulalry on bends at speed) is - what's the word? - interesting!

[MSeries]

I had a really surreal conversation with a Mathematician on the Spurn Head 400 one year. The surreal thing was the chaps name, a really really nice bloke called Rod Whitworth. I was dying to start a thread about him when I got back. Also on that ride was Cllr M Bolt. I knew I was screwed.

Is he still councillor-ing? I've never met him except online. I was quite surprised that the country was able to boast two Conservative councillors who were also members of AUK. That's a pretty small Venn diagram intersect.

I haven't had a chance to chat to him for a while but I am not sure that he is still a councillor. My mate Warburton works for Kirklees, I'll ask him on Tuesday.

[andrew w]

French, German, History and General Studies A levels for me, back in 1967, followed by a degree in Economic History.  Perhaps that's why I don't do much audaxing.

[Really Ancien]

French, German, History and General Studies A levels for me, back in 1967, followed by a degree in Economic History.  Perhaps that's why I don't do much audaxing.

That's a pity, I'm always up for a discussion on the Ems Telegram within the context of emerging German economic power.

Damon.

[Tom B]

French, German and Latin A levels in 1978

Maybe this explains why I've never quite got round to joining AUK or riding an audax, despite often thinking it might be a good idea 

[Salvatore]

French, German and Latin A levels in 1975.

I might get round to riding a few Audaxes one day.

[bobb]

I'm a (b) but not (a). Although I have ridden the odd Audax in the past. I can't imagine any of my A level physics class mates would ride a bicycle now - way too geeky. Oh wait.....  

[L CC]

Yes to both.

It's also overwhelmingly male.

Yup, I was also in a tiny minority (me and the 13 lads) when I did A level physics too. (The others were maths with mechanics and geography which had marginally better female attendance).

This seems to be a fairly standard male:female ratio for audax, IM (limited) E.

I do have quite good handwriting though... relatively.

[Weirdy Biker]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/j50ZssEojtM&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/j50ZssEojtM&rel=1</a>

[inc]

I think this thread really needs a psychologist.