Do you 'engage' with cyclists?
Discussion
CountZero23 said:
Tend to mutter something about 'lycra louts' when passing, find cyclists in all their skin tight glory unsightly. Then my mates with bikes outnumbers my mates with cars living in Brighton. Fighting a losing battle.
Dont think of it as a battle, just an alternative, you can be a car enthusiast and a cyclist and no one will tell Clarkson... you dont even need to wear lycra and join up with loads of other people, just find some quiet countryside, stop at a pub, enjoy the scenery and enjoy it....Motorrad said:
I'm bemoaning the standard of other bike riders not other road traffic. I honestly think the place to start is the assholes who ride bikes not the utter turds using other modes of transport. I also believe bike riders are in denial that they have any culpability at all.
So you're counting yourself as one of the legions of assholes I take it? You hate everyone, at least you're consistent 
Mave said:
Yep, I'm aware of the other thread.
But you said "every PH cycling thread", not "this cycling thread"; and the vast majority of threads in general gassing involving cyclists are either started to whinge about cyclists, or start neutral and then quickly descend into whinging about / blaming cyclists.
And why do you think that is?But you said "every PH cycling thread", not "this cycling thread"; and the vast majority of threads in general gassing involving cyclists are either started to whinge about cyclists, or start neutral and then quickly descend into whinging about / blaming cyclists.
Mave said:
Then when the cyclists dare put forward a different point of view they are "militant"
HTH
Oh yeah! HTH
They
I guess my concern with other bike users is their lack of competence or empathy with their fellow cyclists.
yonex said:
So you're counting yourself as one of the legions of assholes I take it? You hate everyone, at least you're consistent
I follow the rules that apply to me unlike the majority of other road users I encounter. I'm an asshole all right but not for the most part when using a vehicle. I guess my concern with other bike users is their lack of competence or empathy with their fellow cyclists.
Edited by Motorrad on Thursday 26th February 21:49
Johnnytheboy said:
Mave said:
Yep, I'm aware of the other thread.
But you said "every PH cycling thread", not "this cycling thread"; and the vast majority of threads in general gassing involving cyclists are either started to whinge about cyclists, or start neutral and then quickly descend into whinging about / blaming cyclists.
And why do you think that is?But you said "every PH cycling thread", not "this cycling thread"; and the vast majority of threads in general gassing involving cyclists are either started to whinge about cyclists, or start neutral and then quickly descend into whinging about / blaming cyclists.
1) There's a vocal minority of motorists who think they have exclusive rights to use the road, and want to have a whinge when other road users choose to excercise their equal right to use it, and
2) There's a vocal minority of motorists who haven't worked out how to behave near cyclists, and rather than admitting to themselves that maybe they aren't the driving God they'd like to believe, they choose to blame any minor transgression on the part of the cyclist.
Does that help?
pablo said:
Dont think of it as a battle, just an alternative, you can be a car enthusiast and a cyclist and no one will tell Clarkson... you dont even need to wear lycra and join up with loads of other people, just find some quiet countryside, stop at a pub, enjoy the scenery and enjoy it....
Clarkson has started cycling someone who was at filming this week or last tells meMy experiences as a cyclist is it's rarely a good idea for motorists to interact with cyclists. Some examples I've experienced:
Example: my light goes flat when I'm riding along, 1 minute later motorists draws alongside winds down the window and tells me. 'Yes, I know, it's just gone flat.' The chances that this fact is news to the cyclist is basically zero, and the process of slowing down to tell them is probably not driving with due care and attention.
Example: I'm cycling along the road, motorist tells me to use the footpath. My response 'F*** off and use it yourself you fat b***h'
Example: Motorist tells me to get my daughter a cycle helmet. My response 'F*** off and mind your own business'
Examples: motorist beeps his horn at me for 'being in the way'. My response 'F*** off', plus a middle finger. One time when the beeping was combined with engine revving I reported them to the police.
I don't know why any of these motorists think 'engaging' is a good idea. It doesn't happen in other parts of British life. I don't get unsolicited advise or abuse when walking down the street, or shopping.
As a motorist I've experienced many hours of delays caused by fellow motorists. I've missed planes and ferries as a result. But a cyclist has never made me late.
Example: my light goes flat when I'm riding along, 1 minute later motorists draws alongside winds down the window and tells me. 'Yes, I know, it's just gone flat.' The chances that this fact is news to the cyclist is basically zero, and the process of slowing down to tell them is probably not driving with due care and attention.
Example: I'm cycling along the road, motorist tells me to use the footpath. My response 'F*** off and use it yourself you fat b***h'
Example: Motorist tells me to get my daughter a cycle helmet. My response 'F*** off and mind your own business'
Examples: motorist beeps his horn at me for 'being in the way'. My response 'F*** off', plus a middle finger. One time when the beeping was combined with engine revving I reported them to the police.
I don't know why any of these motorists think 'engaging' is a good idea. It doesn't happen in other parts of British life. I don't get unsolicited advise or abuse when walking down the street, or shopping.
As a motorist I've experienced many hours of delays caused by fellow motorists. I've missed planes and ferries as a result. But a cyclist has never made me late.
thelawnet said:
My experiences as a cyclist is it's rarely a good idea for motorists to interact with cyclists. Some examples I've experienced:
Example: my light goes flat when I'm riding along, 1 minute later motorists draws alongside winds down the window and tells me. 'Yes, I know, it's just gone flat.' The chances that this fact is news to the cyclist is basically zero, and the process of slowing down to tell them is probably not driving with due care and attention.
Example: I'm cycling along the road, motorist tells me to use the footpath. My response 'F*** off and use it yourself you fat b***h'
Example: Motorist tells me to get my daughter a cycle helmet. My response 'F*** off and mind your own business'
Examples: motorist beeps his horn at me for 'being in the way'. My response 'F*** off', plus a middle finger. One time when the beeping was combined with engine revving I reported them to the police.
I don't know why any of these motorists think 'engaging' is a good idea. It doesn't happen in other parts of British life. I don't get unsolicited advise or abuse when walking down the street, or shopping.
As a motorist I've experienced many hours of delays caused by fellow motorists. I've missed planes and ferries as a result. But a cyclist has never made me late.
I cannot put into to words how big a bell-end you sound. Example: my light goes flat when I'm riding along, 1 minute later motorists draws alongside winds down the window and tells me. 'Yes, I know, it's just gone flat.' The chances that this fact is news to the cyclist is basically zero, and the process of slowing down to tell them is probably not driving with due care and attention.
Example: I'm cycling along the road, motorist tells me to use the footpath. My response 'F*** off and use it yourself you fat b***h'
Example: Motorist tells me to get my daughter a cycle helmet. My response 'F*** off and mind your own business'
Examples: motorist beeps his horn at me for 'being in the way'. My response 'F*** off', plus a middle finger. One time when the beeping was combined with engine revving I reported them to the police.
I don't know why any of these motorists think 'engaging' is a good idea. It doesn't happen in other parts of British life. I don't get unsolicited advise or abuse when walking down the street, or shopping.
As a motorist I've experienced many hours of delays caused by fellow motorists. I've missed planes and ferries as a result. But a cyclist has never made me late.
Can't be bothered to read the whole thread, as it is just another whinge at cyclists. The point of it being holding up rush hour traffic.
Of greater concern is surely the movement of f
k off big cranes and stuff on the motorway at rush hour - WHY?
Get off the motorways doing 30 at that time of day, just rude.
Of greater concern is surely the movement of f
k off big cranes and stuff on the motorway at rush hour - WHY?Get off the motorways doing 30 at that time of day, just rude.
thelawnet said:
My experiences as a cyclist is it's rarely a good idea for motorists to interact with cyclists. Some examples I've experienced:
Example: my light goes flat when I'm riding along, 1 minute later motorists draws alongside winds down the window and tells me. 'Yes, I know, it's just gone flat.' The chances that this fact is news to the cyclist is basically zero, and the process of slowing down to tell them is probably not driving with due care and attention.
Example: I'm cycling along the road, motorist tells me to use the footpath. My response 'F*** off and use it yourself you fat b***h'
Example: Motorist tells me to get my daughter a cycle helmet. My response 'F*** off and mind your own business'
Examples: motorist beeps his horn at me for 'being in the way'. My response 'F*** off', plus a middle finger. One time when the beeping was combined with engine revving I reported them to the police.
I don't know why any of these motorists think 'engaging' is a good idea. It doesn't happen in other parts of British life. I don't get unsolicited advise or abuse when walking down the street, or shopping.
As a motorist I've experienced many hours of delays caused by fellow motorists. I've missed planes and ferries as a result. But a cyclist has never made me late.
Why would you not get your daughter a helmet? It's like having your daughter in the car and saying "you don't need a seatbelt", probably with more swearing in your case though.Example: my light goes flat when I'm riding along, 1 minute later motorists draws alongside winds down the window and tells me. 'Yes, I know, it's just gone flat.' The chances that this fact is news to the cyclist is basically zero, and the process of slowing down to tell them is probably not driving with due care and attention.
Example: I'm cycling along the road, motorist tells me to use the footpath. My response 'F*** off and use it yourself you fat b***h'
Example: Motorist tells me to get my daughter a cycle helmet. My response 'F*** off and mind your own business'
Examples: motorist beeps his horn at me for 'being in the way'. My response 'F*** off', plus a middle finger. One time when the beeping was combined with engine revving I reported them to the police.
I don't know why any of these motorists think 'engaging' is a good idea. It doesn't happen in other parts of British life. I don't get unsolicited advise or abuse when walking down the street, or shopping.
As a motorist I've experienced many hours of delays caused by fellow motorists. I've missed planes and ferries as a result. But a cyclist has never made me late.
Motorrad said:
I'm bemoaning the standard of other bike riders not other road traffic. I honestly think the place to start is the assholes who ride bikes not the utter turds using other modes of transport. I also believe bike riders are in denial that they have any culpability at all.
Are you talking about cyclists? You'd 'start' by addressing the mode of transport that causes no problems, and not the mode of transport that grinds the country to halt and kills and injures hundreds of thousands of people a year? Where's the sense in that?I disagree with your comments about the low standard of cyclists. Well, when I say disagree, it's actually quite hard for me to comment, because (like hgvs tbh), they don't really feature on my 'radar' when i'm driving. They're a bit like lamposts, in that they're just part of the street furniture and they're just something that I pass by and rarely notice. Occasionally I might have to engage a couple of brain cells when encountering one in traffic, but it's rare and not difficult.
Car drivers on the other hand... I often think the UK car driver is a complete conundrum in many ways. On one hand they have an excellent safety record compared to drivers elsewhere in the world, but on the other hand I can't help think that, f
k me they're useless.They can't seem to do anything right. They can't work indicators, a simple stalk that requires one finger to operate without taking hands off the steering wheel, they can almost never use their lights correctly, and will have fog lights on in clear visibility and no lights on in fog. They can't overtake anything, no matter how slow the vehicle in front might be going. They can almost never use the correct lane, which has resulted in ever wider roads being built, just so they can drive in the 'more wrong' lane for longer and further.
They crash when it rains. They crash when it gets cold. They crash when it gets hot. If the sun is shining they'll run cyclists over and say they couldn't help it 'cos they couldn't see. If there's a bend in the road they'll crash. If they drive in the countryside they'll crash and then blame the farmer. We have the most benign weather and the most benign terrain yet the roads are full of 4x4s. Every other Saturday in the Honest John column in the Telegraph there are letters that say "I am moving to the country and might encounter some grit and puddles. What 4x4 would you recommend?"
Then I'll find myself in someplace like the Ardeche in France, in proper snow and winter weather, and everyone's just driving around in their normal cars but possibly on tyres actually fit for purpose.
The average uk car driver can't cope with *any* challenge, which possibly explains why a car forum like PH, where supposedly more enthusiastic and thus 'better' car drivers will gather, has pages and pages and pages and threads and threads and threads, never a week passing by without at least a couple on the go, about cyclists or bloody hgvs, and I for one just can not understand what on earth is everyone finding so difficult. I just pass them by, without hitting them. What else is there to do?
So, I'm surprised at your comment re cyclists, and I certainly wouldn't agree with *anything* being done about a complete non-problem. Maybe when we can finally get drives to understand how a light switch works or an indicator stalk, or get them to understand what F-O-G is and how those lights work, or that you have to slow down just a bit in inclement weather - when we've sorted all that out, then maybe we'll take a look at bloody cyclists.
thelawnet said:
My experiences as a cyclist is it's rarely a good idea for motorists to interact with cyclists. Some examples I've experienced:
Example: my light goes flat when I'm riding along, 1 minute later motorists draws alongside winds down the window and tells me. 'Yes, I know, it's just gone flat.' The chances that this fact is news to the cyclist is basically zero, and the process of slowing down to tell them is probably not driving with due care and attention.
Example: I'm cycling along the road, motorist tells me to use the footpath. My response 'F*** off and use it yourself you fat b***h'
Example: Motorist tells me to get my daughter a cycle helmet. My response 'F*** off and mind your own business'
Examples: motorist beeps his horn at me for 'being in the way'. My response 'F*** off', plus a middle finger. One time when the beeping was combined with engine revving I reported them to the police.
I don't know why any of these motorists think 'engaging' is a good idea. It doesn't happen in other parts of British life. I don't get unsolicited advise or abuse when walking down the street, or shopping.
As a motorist I've experienced many hours of delays caused by fellow motorists. I've missed planes and ferries as a result. But a cyclist has never made me late.
So basically, it's not a good idea for a motorist to interact with a cyclist, because they'll probably swear at you, even in front of their own children... ok I think we can wind this thread up now...Example: my light goes flat when I'm riding along, 1 minute later motorists draws alongside winds down the window and tells me. 'Yes, I know, it's just gone flat.' The chances that this fact is news to the cyclist is basically zero, and the process of slowing down to tell them is probably not driving with due care and attention.
Example: I'm cycling along the road, motorist tells me to use the footpath. My response 'F*** off and use it yourself you fat b***h'
Example: Motorist tells me to get my daughter a cycle helmet. My response 'F*** off and mind your own business'
Examples: motorist beeps his horn at me for 'being in the way'. My response 'F*** off', plus a middle finger. One time when the beeping was combined with engine revving I reported them to the police.
I don't know why any of these motorists think 'engaging' is a good idea. It doesn't happen in other parts of British life. I don't get unsolicited advise or abuse when walking down the street, or shopping.
As a motorist I've experienced many hours of delays caused by fellow motorists. I've missed planes and ferries as a result. But a cyclist has never made me late.
Johnnytheboy said:
So basically, it's not a good idea for a motorist to interact with a cyclist, because they'll probably swear at you, even in front of their own children... ok I think we can wind this thread up now...
Yes, pretty much that was my point. I am on my bike, sweaty, elevated heart rate, etc., it's not a place from which to be having a chat with passing motorists.Johnnytheboy said:
So basically, it's not a good idea for a motorist to interact with a cyclist, because they'll probably swear at you, even in front of their own children... ok I think we can wind this thread up now...
Whereas when a cyclist interacts with a motorist they get driven off the road. Yep, that about covers it.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff