The Rt. Hon. 'Mathew' of London
Discussion
So, following the 'worst road users in London' thread, I had to share this with you 'peddlers'.
So I was on my way home, along the embankment, as usual last night on my motorbike.
Stopped at a set of red lights (not in the cycle box or lane btw
) and a cyclist pulls up and into the box.
Then, alas quite typically, another cyclist sails between us through the red light.
Cue Mathew (as I later found him to be called) shouting 'RED' at said cyclist. The other cyclist slows a bit, then continues on his way.
As I pull away I give Mathew a big thumbs up and a 'Nice one mate' as he is one of the 3 cyclists in London that actually know what the Highway Code is and follows it accordingly.
Now, Mathew is no slouch on a bike and, by the time we get to the next set of lights he's overtaken the red light jumper and, in fact, is only a few second behind me (I'm on a motorbike by the way).
So then, red light jumper pulls up alongside Mathew and says something along the lines of 'who the f*** are you to tell me what to do, I was..." at which point, Mathew interrupts him.
"Hi - I'm Mathew" he says offering his hand to be shaken, with one of those smiley faces that you can't help but warm to...
"I don't care who you are, I don't want to know you" says Mr. red light jumper and continues his verbal assault on the unflappable Mathew, who just smiles and takes it. This appeared to be the only reason mr. red light jumper actually waited for the lights.
Anyway, lights change, I ride away (not before calling red light jumper a massive bell*** for not realising that it's him that's in the wrong) as do Mathew and red light jumper f***wit.
So, we get to the next set of lights which are, again, red.
I arrive.
Mathew arrives.
Mr red light jumper (now almost apoplectic with rage for being 'called out') arrives and promptly sails through the lights - again.
'RED' I hear again from my left.
I was almost in tears laughing at this stage.
So 'Mathew' of London - I salute you and wish you well in your ongoing crusade against your fellow cyclists who, sadly, think that the rules of the road don't apply to them.
So I was on my way home, along the embankment, as usual last night on my motorbike.
Stopped at a set of red lights (not in the cycle box or lane btw
) and a cyclist pulls up and into the box.Then, alas quite typically, another cyclist sails between us through the red light.
Cue Mathew (as I later found him to be called) shouting 'RED' at said cyclist. The other cyclist slows a bit, then continues on his way.
As I pull away I give Mathew a big thumbs up and a 'Nice one mate' as he is one of the 3
cyclists in London that actually know what the Highway Code is and follows it accordingly.Now, Mathew is no slouch on a bike and, by the time we get to the next set of lights he's overtaken the red light jumper and, in fact, is only a few second behind me (I'm on a motorbike by the way).
So then, red light jumper pulls up alongside Mathew and says something along the lines of 'who the f*** are you to tell me what to do, I was..." at which point, Mathew interrupts him.
"Hi - I'm Mathew" he says offering his hand to be shaken, with one of those smiley faces that you can't help but warm to...
"I don't care who you are, I don't want to know you" says Mr. red light jumper and continues his verbal assault on the unflappable Mathew, who just smiles and takes it. This appeared to be the only reason mr. red light jumper actually waited for the lights.
Anyway, lights change, I ride away (not before calling red light jumper a massive bell*** for not realising that it's him that's in the wrong) as do Mathew and red light jumper f***wit.
So, we get to the next set of lights which are, again, red.
I arrive.
Mathew arrives.
Mr red light jumper (now almost apoplectic with rage for being 'called out') arrives and promptly sails through the lights - again.
'RED' I hear again from my left.
I was almost in tears laughing at this stage.
So 'Mathew' of London - I salute you and wish you well in your ongoing crusade against your fellow cyclists who, sadly, think that the rules of the road don't apply to them.
fulham911club said:
will_ said:
It's funny - I've seen quite a few cyclists call others out about jumping red lights, yet I've never ever seen a motorcyclist call out another biker for riding down the cycle lanes or sitting in the ASLs.....
That's because you wear blinkers WillIf I wore blinkers I would have been taken out by the moped overtaking me and cutting accross my path this morning.
In fact, motorbike helmets are far more like "blinkers" than anything else...
Hurley said:
You must be the only motorcyclist in London who stops behind the white line....sweeping generalisations are great.
Oddly enough, I'm not the only one but there are plenty of others who ignore them too.Not sure what your point is (well, I do, but I'll feign ignorance).
Was I generalising? No.
Just recounting anecdotally someone getting his come-uppance who thoroughly deserved it.
walm said:
I like motorcyclists in the ASLs.
It leaves less room for the cars and unlike the cars the motorcyclists tend to do a good job of keeping out of the way.
So Stig if you ever pull up next to me in the ASL we can shout at RLJers together.
Will do It leaves less room for the cars and unlike the cars the motorcyclists tend to do a good job of keeping out of the way.
So Stig if you ever pull up next to me in the ASL we can shout at RLJers together.
I have no beef with cyclists - as long as they obey the rules of the road, same goes for any other road user.
Room for all of us - just play nice
walm said:
I like motorcyclists in the ASLs.
It leaves less room for the cars and unlike the cars the motorcyclists tend to do a good job of keeping out of the way.
So Stig if you ever pull up next to me in the ASL we can shout at RLJers together.
Heh - Will - see this. From the thread on worst road users you get all upset with motorcycles being in the ASL ....It leaves less room for the cars and unlike the cars the motorcyclists tend to do a good job of keeping out of the way.
So Stig if you ever pull up next to me in the ASL we can shout at RLJers together.
I'd cross reference the thread but I don't know how to do it....
will_ said:
It's funny - I've seen quite a few cyclists call others out about jumping red lights, yet I've never ever seen a motorcyclist call out another biker for riding down the cycle lanes or sitting in the ASLs.....
That's because you would have no way of knowing if I reported something to the police or not. Unless you are hacking my emails or phone calls, how would you know?Incidentally, as both a cyclist and a motorcyclist, commuting on the same route on different types of 2-wheelers, I get as irritated with motorcycles using cycle lanes as I do with cyclists who jump red lights. A bit of consideration is all it takes.
I had someone ride into the back of me (both on bicycles) when I stopped for a red light once. He said "what was that for?!"
"Er, red light?"
"So?"
Mr Gear said:
will_ said:
It's funny - I've seen quite a few cyclists call others out about jumping red lights, yet I've never ever seen a motorcyclist call out another biker for riding down the cycle lanes or sitting in the ASLs.....
That's because you would have no way of knowing if I reported something to the police or not. Unless you are hacking my emails or phone calls, how would you know?Incidentally, as both a cyclist and a motorcyclist, commuting on the same route on different types of 2-wheelers, I get as irritated with motorcycles using cycle lanes as I do with cyclists who jump red lights. A bit of consideration is all it takes.
I had someone ride into the back of me (both on bicycles) when I stopped for a red light once. He said "what was that for?!"
"Er, red light?"
"So?"
No red light in sight. The motorbike - who shouldn't have been in the cycle lane in the first place - had simply slammed his anchors because he'd realised he was about to miss his right turn and needed to get back out of the cycle lane.
Yes, only bellends jump red lights, but even bellends can't hit motorbikes in cycle lanes if the motorbikes aren't in the cycle lane to be hit.
I'm not accusing you of being in a cycle lane when you were hit, btw, but it's certainly not a rarity!
I have actually requested Wandsworth police to investigate motorcycles using the cycle lane between Tibbets Corner and the Wandsworth one-way system. It causes problems for motorcycles filtering on the correct side of the queuing traffic as well as cyclists.
Plus, it gives motorcyclists a bad name as this thread proves.
Plus, it gives motorcyclists a bad name as this thread proves.
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