log in
register

The Return of the Fair Weather Cyclists..

  • Creator
    Topic
  • May 1, 2018 at 11:03 am #28456
    Shades

    Summer’s (almost) back….more people on their bikes…..good!  After toughing it out commuting through what felt like a pretty bleak winter with the usual all-year round die-hards, the roads/bike path cycle traffic has increased with the return of the ‘fair weather gang’.  OK, we’re not all complete saints when it comes to obeying the rules, whether it’s traffic laws or cycle etiquette, but some of the ‘fair weather gang’ have a total disregard for any of it.  Nothing’s off the table; sailing through red lights, cutting across streams of slow moving traffic at cycle crossings, cutting up other cyclists, going against the traffic up one-ways, pavements etc.  Could be blissful ignorance, sheer bloody mindedness or a combination of both.  Watching some ‘Darwinian’ manoeuvre you can see the regulars saying to themselves, “looking forward to seeing how this ends”.  The annoyed look on motorists faces says it all and when most cyclists are behaving, trying to minimise the animosity between drivers and cyclists, you have to sympathise with them.  I’ve seen police ticking cyclists off in London; perhaps we should be ‘policing our own’ but I sense you’d just get a volley of abuse off a miscreant.  Not sure a bit of ‘clean and service your bike and pop some more air in your tyres’ would be well received!

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 31 total)
1 2 3
  • Author
    Replies
  • May 3, 2018 at 9:55 pm #918455
    0
    fukawitribe

    Noddy hats – come on

    Noddy hats – come on seriously, we’re not kids – and it would be easy to consider whether that had any bearing on your perception. For what it’s worth, i’m thinking not but it would not be a stretch to imagine that. Anyway, that’s not really the point – it’s that you have an opinion, I do, Leviathan does – that’s all it is. You ask for acceptance of yours, fair play  but you probably need to do the same in return. I don’t recognise the behaviour of the group you described being the worst there is, nor remotely that some group like that causes most of the cycling incidents – your experience is way different to mine – so i’ll accept your opinion but disagree with it and the continual mentions of helmets as though somehow being a prime motivator in bad behaviour. It ain’t. Sorry you live somewhere with a bunch of cocks like that, but it’s not the same everywhere.

    May 3, 2018 at 9:23 pm #918453
    0
    Anonymous
    fukawitribe wrote:
    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
    …a half decent bike, noddy hat and matching kit…

    [snip]

    IME the groups that act the worst, are selfish and their behaviour causes the most incidents within cycling circles are those as I’ve described.  Clearly you can’t accept my opinion 

    I can accept your opinion, it’s only an opinion after all, but it just bears no relation to the reality I experience – then again we’ve probably lived in different places. IME that description is very far away from a group that act the ‘worst’ and cause ‘the most incidents within cycling circles’. Interesting that it contains at least one group you seem to have a pretty vocal hatred of, but hey..

    Which group do I hate again? As someone who rides hard and as fast as I can pretty much every weekend I can on a decent level road bike I have no beef with any particular groups, it just happens that the behaviour of some types of people on bikes sticks out more than others. These types that are generally far more experienced than fairweather cyclists, should have a better understanding and yet still stick out for their actions in a negative way. Their kit usually comprises of a helmet, a decent spec bike and team copy jersey/jacket/shorts.

    That is my experience and for some time, you should expect a better level of riding and a bit of courtesy but too often (hence why it sticks out) that doesn’t happen.

    it’s not hate, I don’t think like your average motorist, I get a bit fooked off at the worst offenders but then I move on, the next time (different person) I might well tut/curse under my breath or shout at them but I don’t go out my way too harangue another cyclist or contact a club because their members were selfish in their behaviour. One time I was overtaken by a big group at a pedestrian refuge just as I was turning left which was literally 2m after the narrowing and had indicated well before, due to the junction I move to the right of the lane before turning in, they steamed past within a few inches which was totally unecessary and I was well positioned well before they were on top of me, I was a big pissed off about that and saw who the club were but didn’t go crying about it.  This selfish and sometimes dangerous actions are repeated, not on a daily basis but it is far more regular and at higher speeds than fairweather cyclists, it stands out like a sore thumb hence I mentioned it.

    As I said previously even then the threat of harm to me is far less than a motor, Leviathon just went out of his way to make a mountain out of a molehill with his little wankfest.

    May 3, 2018 at 8:57 pm #918451
    0
    fukawitribe
    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
    …a half decent bike, noddy hat and matching kit…

    [snip]

    IME the groups that act the worst, are selfish and their behaviour causes the most incidents within cycling circles are those as I’ve described.  Clearly you can’t accept my opinion 

    I can accept your opinion, it’s only an opinion after all, but it just bears no relation to the reality I experience – then again we’ve probably lived in different places. IME that description is very far away from a group that act the ‘worst’ and cause ‘the most incidents within cycling circles’. Interesting that it contains at least one group you seem to have a pretty vocal hatred of, but hey..

     

    May 3, 2018 at 8:00 pm #918449
    0
    matthewn5
    Htc wrote:
    We all share collective moral responsibility for the actions of others around us – that’s part of humane society as a whole. 

    I’ll express collective responsibility for the actions of other cyclists the day that other drivers expresse collective responsibility for close-passing, left-hooking, polluting, aggressive tools in cars.

    I’m not holding my breath.

    May 3, 2018 at 12:02 am #918447
    0
    Dr Winston

    Nothing wrong with fair

    Nothing wrong with fair weather cyclists. Usually they are made up of commuters who have an alternative mode of travel in Winter rather than cycling in pouring rain, high winds and general unpleasant kakness…or riders out for enjoyment who also don’t fancy the British winter…

     

    May 2, 2018 at 9:52 pm #918445
    0
    Anonymous
    Leviathan wrote:
    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
    …a half decent bike, noddy hat and matching kit…

    I’ve never seen anyone cycling in a Noddy hat. Really BTBS your loathing for fellow cyclists (or just people) is apparent. Every post you make on this site just drips with barely concealed contempt.  It’s more than pathetic, it’s boring. I don’t advocate compulsory helmets, but if it were ever to happen the one silver lining would knowing how much it would infuriate you. In fact I would buy a silver chrome skater style helmet and proudly wear it with my civvies on the way to Tesco whilst doing kickflips.

    I see you’re still having a sneaky wank in your crusty sock over me, give up, it isn’t healthy.

    I loath people/groups who act like selfish bastards, IME the groups that act the worst, are selfish and their behaviour causes the most incidents within cycling circles are those as I’ve described. Clearly you can’t accept my opinion and keep on with your cringeworthy sock fest anytime I say something you disagree with but can’t or won’t actually counter with something sensible.

    Act your fucking age.

    May 2, 2018 at 8:16 pm #918443
    0
    Leviathan

    davel wrote:

    davel wrote:
    ”Every post you make on this site just drips with barely concealed contempt. It’s more than pathetic, it’s boring” Says the womble who wheels out “flat earther/Trump lover/tin foil hatter!” as soon as someone disagrees with him, no matter the topic. And then something about Star Trek/Wars. You light this place up, you really do.

    Projecting much? You’re just jealous you aren’t the most pernicious bullshitter on the site anymore.

    May 2, 2018 at 7:54 pm #918441
    0
    davel

    “Every post you make on this
    “Every post you make on this site just drips with barely concealed contempt. It’s more than pathetic, it’s boring”

    Says the womble who wheels out “flat earther/Trump lover/tin foil hatter!” as soon as someone disagrees with him, no matter the topic.

    And then something about Star Trek/Wars.

    You light this place up, you really do.

    May 2, 2018 at 7:28 pm #918439
    0
    Leviathan
    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
    …a half decent bike, noddy hat and matching kit…

    I’ve never seen anyone cycling in a Noddy hat. Really BTBS your loathing for fellow cyclists (or just people) is apparent. Every post you make on this site just drips with barely concealed contempt.  It’s more than pathetic, it’s boring. I don’t advocate compulsory helmets, but if it were ever to happen the one silver lining would knowing how much it would infuriate you. In fact I would buy a silver chrome skater style helmet and proudly wear it with my civvies on the way to Tesco whilst doing kickflips.

    May 2, 2018 at 7:10 pm #918437
    0
    srchar
    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
    I still think that the lights thing is a red herring and distracts from the real issues of safety including going too fast for the conditions/see to be clear etc.

    Totally.  The number of times I’ve thought while driving, “look at that muppet – black bike, black clothes, no lights”… then thought, hang on, I could still see him.

    May 2, 2018 at 6:44 pm #918435
    0
    Anonymous
    alansmurphy wrote:
    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
    IME the biggest idiots/selfish types/someone riding like a dick it’s usually a noddy hat wearing strava wanker who should know better 

     

    You may ride at different times to me. I see some of these on a sportive, even the odd one on a Sunday but these are few and often at least have some knowledge of what they’re doing.

     

    I often find it’s young people or those heading to the warehousing type jobs near where I work with poor bikes. The same ones who don’t use lights in the winter. They basically try and cycle as the crow flies and give little consideration to anything or anybody else…

    That’s the thing though, those types are entirely predictable in their unpredictability, a half decent bike, noddy hat and matching kit and you should expect a modicum of sense/awareness, predictable to follow the rules and not to be selfish, too often it doesn’t happen whereas the other groups you describe are simply oblivious and for me entirely predictable in what they do/don’t do.

    As for lights, I’m from Kingston upon Hull, a city that even into the mid 1980s had a very high modal share of commuters going by bike (around 26%), lights were a luxury, even this March I saw 3 lads on the road coming back from work I would think  and abreast of each other and none with a light.

    Both mater who was driving (we were off to the rugby) and I saw them no problem at all even without our headlights pointing at them, to me this really isn’t a problem and why I still think that the lights thing is a red herring and distracts from the real issues of safety including going too fast for the conditions/see to be clear etc.

     

    May 2, 2018 at 12:57 pm #918433
    0
    Liam Cahill

    Riding back from road.cc HQ

    Riding back from road.cc HQ last winter and a chap went through a red with a small child about to cross. I asked him why and he gave me the answer of a calculated risk. It was dark with wet roads and heavy traffic. Risk your own life, fine. But not that of a child.

    Plus it happened at the top of a big hill. I was happy for the breather!

    May 2, 2018 at 12:53 pm #918431
    0
    alansmurphy
    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
    IME the biggest idiots/selfish types/someone riding like a dick it’s usually a noddy hat wearing strava wanker who should know better 

     

    You may ride at different times to me. I see some of these on a sportive, even the odd one on a Sunday but these are few and often at least have some knowledge of what they’re doing.

     

    I often find it’s young people or those heading to the warehousing type jobs near where I work with poor bikes. The same ones who don’t use lights in the winter. They basically try and cycle as the crow flies and give little consideration to anything or anybody else…

    May 2, 2018 at 12:45 pm #918429
    0
    hawkinspeter
    Yorkshire wallet wrote:
    Falling off also needs to be practised so you can do that it in a ‘nah, I’m alright, not bothered at all, mate’ fashion. Get back on, don’t look at your bike because you’re not really bothered, ride off trying to look casual and then once all witnesses are out of sight, have a good cry about your bent derailleur, now scruffy looking pedals and jacket you just put a hole in.

    Luckily, I’ve never fallen over due to not un-clipping. However, I have had years of practise of falling off of unicycles (don’t use toe-clips) in a suitable manner – the trick is to neatly step off and catch it behind you as if it was planned.

    May 2, 2018 at 11:40 am #918427
    0
    Anonymous

    Falling off also needs to be

    Falling off also needs to be practised so you can do that it in a ‘nah, I’m alright, not bothered at all, mate’ fashion. Get back on, don’t look at your bike because you’re not really bothered, ride off trying to look casual and then once all witnesses are out of sight, have a good cry about your bent derailleur, now scruffy looking pedals and jacket you just put a hole in.

  • Author
    Replies
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 31 total)
1 2 3
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.