I think I'm done with road...

[lizardbrain]

Like many others, my risk tolerance has dropped a lot, which includes road cycling and downhill.

However I suspect that's more a reflection of me than road safety trends. If I had to guess, cycling has got safer over the years?

I also. enjoy not wearing a helmet, so gravitate to riding where that is a reasonable option.

[Tim Cognito]

lizardbrain said:

I also. enjoy not wearing a helmet, so gravitate to riding where that is a reasonable option.

Where's that on the beach? In a children's soft play?

[trails]

lrdisco said:

So much abuse towards drivers here. Have you never thought that we live on a small over crowded island and that people have high pressured time sensitive lives and your recreation/ hobby can cause delays to people.
People don’t see why you have to ride in groups 4 abreast on roads designed for a horse drawn carriage or at best a Morris Minor.
Yes you have the right to ride 4 abreast but your rights won’t get you far on a busy A road when 2.5 tons of SUV spreads you across the tarmac.
Try blaming the politicians who haven’t built cycle lanes.

Now as far as gravel path rides keep off routes where pedestrians are as cyclists seem to be the hooligans there. Are we seeing a bit of a pattern here that cyclists can’t seem to get on with anyone? Maybe cyclists are the problem and are the self absorbed ones?
Do

Oh do fk off, this is the Pedal Powered forum not NP&E

[trails]

Tim Cognito said:

I got into road cycling around 12 years ago and it was great, with all the physical and mental benefits we all know.

I got into a bit of a hole chasing average speed, spanking myself every ride and judging how good a ride was by what the average was. Obviously it is an ever increasing target and I was getting a bit bored with it.

A few years ago my friend introduced me to gravel and I didn't look back, much more engaging and challenging riding, more sociable, still physically very hard, closer to nature and most importantly away from traffic.

When I did go back on the road, the attitude to cyclists and driving standards was getting to me, it seemed like every ride you'd have a close call or punishment pass.

Enjoying the plus point of not almost being killed every ride, my journey off road continued and I got a hard tail mtb and later a full suss and so the road bike barely gets used now.

Today we had some dry weather and I had 90 minutes to spare so I thought I'd do the local fast roadie loop and give it a dig for old times sake.

Literally 2 minutes out the door, some almost takes me out on a roundabout, I mean inches away, probably the closest call I've had.

There's just too many incapable, distracted or deliberately aggressive drivers to potentially ruin a ride now.

It's got to the point where I honestly wouldn't recommend anyone I care about to start road cycling, and if that's my view to protect others, why aren't I protecting myself...

So yeah, I think my roadie days are over, maybe group rides only?

Last time I went for a road ride was just after the pandemic, like you I nearly got taken out on a roundabout less than a mile away from my house. Drop bar road bike hasn't been out of the shed since.

I still do commute to the train station by bike, but always use the subways rather than roundabouts, and take all the rat routes to avoid traffic...

I do try and ride to my local MTB spots, but minimise any time on the road and will chose to ride twice as far to use quite roads, can't beat riding in the woods; it's restorative

Edited by trails on Monday 25th March 09:39

Edited by trails on Monday 25th March 11:13

[lizardbrain]

Tim Cognito said:

Where's that on the beach? In a children's soft play?

Beach is one option yes. Fattie ebike ideal for this

Nothing is risk free, but I would personally feel safer cycling without a helmet somewhere like a quiet gravel path (or Amsterdam city centre), vs a road with a helmet.

I believe the research into ABI in cities where < 5% of cyclists wear helmets due to well developed infrastructure, does back me up on this,

Safest of course is to wear a helmet at all times, no question.

Safer still would be to get an exercise bike and stay home. Pick your point on the scale

[President Merkin]

trails said:

can't beat riding in the woods; it's restorative

Edited by trails on Monday 25th March 09:39

Amen. Now if only the bds would dry out.

[Seasonal Hero]

lrdisco said:

So much abuse towards drivers here. Have you never thought that we live on a small over crowded island and that people have high pressured time sensitive lives and your recreation/ hobby can cause delays to people.
People don’t see why you have to ride in groups 4 abreast on roads designed for a horse drawn carriage or at best a Morris Minor.
Yes you have the right to ride 4 abreast but your rights won’t get you far on a busy A road when 2.5 tons of SUV spreads you across the tarmac.
Try blaming the politicians who haven’t built cycle lanes.

Now as far as gravel path rides keep off routes where pedestrians are as cyclists seem to be the hooligans there. Are we seeing a bit of a pattern here that cyclists can’t seem to get on with anyone? Maybe cyclists are the problem and are the self absorbed ones?
Do

Get over yourself.

[Dog Star]

I ride MTBs and spend as little time as I possibly can on the actual road - if there’s a pavement I’ll ride on that.

How people can find pleasure in road riding is absolutely beyond me - the condition of most roads for a start, but the drivers too. I do not like cars being anywhere near me, even if being well driven. (I’ve been riding motorbikes for the last 40 years, I might add).

[Solocle]

TGCOTF-dewey said:

I live north of you in the moors... It's just as bad here. Made worse by old drivers and tourists. The quiet country roads see less traffic but far less capable drivers IME.

I have about a mile between my house and off road trails. In the last three rides, I've nearly been knocked off twice. On Saturday I had a tool in a land-rover just pull across in front of me so I had to emergency stop as he was turning right to park.

It's unreal how st British drivers are.

Normally I'd view country roads as taking more skill, but there are some drivers who just dgaf.

Last time I rode out into the New Forest, the pk of the day was oncoming on a narrow lane who couldn't be bothered waiting at a passing place. (recc 0:45 - 1:25).


Whereas on the very same ride, I misjudged the traffic situation and took a shortcut along the A31 trunk road (Canford Bottom - Ferndown Police HQ) thinking it looked completely jammed. Except it ended up flowing. Still nobody actually bothered me.
.

Edited by Solocle on Monday 25th March 10:13

[heebeegeetee]

lrdisco said:

So much abuse towards drivers here. Have you never thought that we live on a small over crowded island and that people have high pressured time sensitive lives and your recreation/ hobby can cause delays to people.

I have thought, and dismissed it, because:

Cycling isn't confined to the UK, and everything you've said applies elsewhere. Brits aren't the mot over crowded, nor any more time constrained nor more important than anyone else.

But Brit drivers do behave differently from the drivers I encounter in places like France/Spain/Germany/NL/Italy etc, Brit drivers can be absolute ar*eholes, they have a toxicity that I simply don't encounter elsewhere.

Re delays, my experience has been consistent for over 40 years - cyclists delay me for about 2 minutes per annum, other drivers delay me for many hours a year and it's getting ever worse and worse, but then I am a driver too so am doing the same as them.

[trails]

President Merkin said:

trails said:

can't beat riding in the woods; it's restorative

Edited by trails on Monday 25th March 09:39

Amen. Now if only the bds would dry out.

Wet Easter now too

[highway]

I used to road ride for fun with some pals around Box Hill. We were mostly single file. Drivers could pass, never had bother with anyone. Latterly the roads in same area are full of cyclists on group rides. They typically ride two or three abreast. If single file, on those roads, drivers can filter past without being totally in the opposing carriageway.
Many drivers lack confidence and overtaking 9/12 bikes cycling at 20mph, 2/3 abreast, means positioning yourself entirely in the opposing carriageway, which clearly lots of drivers won’t do.
As said, cycling in this way is legal and legitimate. But it’s sad so many seem unable to recognise how enjoying a hobby can impact others.
In the summer some tailbacks in this area can be significant. Cue the abuse. Sigh.

[President Merkin]

I don't think you should receive abuse for that view. But you have over egged your argument by deploying the Impact bomb. In the grand scheme of things, you're not really impacted by cyclists, You just aren't.

[Castrol for a knave]

heebeegeetee said:

lrdisco said:

So much abuse towards drivers here. Have you never thought that we live on a small over crowded island and that people have high pressured time sensitive lives and your recreation/ hobby can cause delays to people.

I have thought, and dismissed it, because:

Cycling isn't confined to the UK, and everything you've said applies elsewhere. Brits aren't the mot over crowded, nor any more time constrained nor more important than anyone else.

But Brit drivers do behave differently from the drivers I encounter in places like France/Spain/Germany/NL/Italy etc, Brit drivers can be absolute ar*eholes, they have a toxicity that I simply don't encounter elsewhere.

Re delays, my experience has been consistent for over 40 years - cyclists delay me for about 2 minutes per annum, other drivers delay me for many hours a year and it's getting ever worse and worse, but then I am a driver too so am doing the same as them.

I tend to find cycling, like PCoJ threads are good for showing us who the hard of thinking are.

Anyhow, I ride 2 or 3 times a year in France and Spain, and the only problem I ever seem to have, is Brits in hire cars in Majorca, driving like cocks.

They seem to have a different view on the continent. I've had an early in the morning blue light escort up and through the summit finish of a Tour stage by a bunch of laughing gendarmes, a guy on a really nice Ducati who slowed to give me a tow while riding into a horrible headwind near Alicante and old boys offering glasses of red as I rode up the Plateau de Beille.

[Seasonal Hero]

highway said:

I used to road ride for fun with some pals around Box Hill. We were mostly single file. Drivers could pass, never had bother with anyone. Latterly the roads in same area are full of cyclists on group rides. They typically ride two or three abreast. If single file, on those roads, drivers can filter past without being totally in the opposing carriageway.
Many drivers lack confidence and overtaking 9/12 bikes cycling at 20mph, 2/3 abreast, means positioning yourself entirely in the opposing carriageway, which clearly lots of drivers won’t do.
As said, cycling in this way is legal and legitimate. But it’s sad so many seem unable to recognise how enjoying a hobby can impact others.
In the summer some tailbacks in this area can be significant. Cue the abuse. Sigh.

Having ridden since 1986 on the road, and driven since 1987 I find the idea that your hold-ups are caused by cyclists rather than other cars/lorries impressively unbelievable.

[CountyAFC]

I stopped riding on the road years ago.

My boss was killed on Boxing Day (when roads are generally quieter).

He only went out to test the cycling clothing and accessories his kids had bought him the day before.

That was it for me.

[President Merkin]

Castrol for a knave said:

They seem to have a different view on the continent. I've had an early in the morning blue light escort up and through the summit finish of a Tour stage by a bunch of laughing gendarmes, a guy on a really nice Ducati who slowed to give me a tow while riding into a horrible headwind near Alicante and old boys offering glasses of red as I rode up the Plateau de Beille.

It is different there. A minority branch of cycle sport looks like this whenever it rolls into Les Gets. Suspect if this were held here, people would be complaining they couldn't park outside KFC.

[Evanivitch]

Roads are just the boring part before the forestry tracks. Can do a 100+km gravel once you get off the flat stuff. Thank you managed forestry plantations and wind farms.

[Mr Penguin]

CountyAFC said:

I stopped riding on the road years ago.

My boss was killed on Boxing Day (when roads are generally quieter).

He only went out to test the cycling clothing and accessories his kids had bought him the day before.

That was it for me.

Roads are quieter but the drivers are drunker. Also quiet roads encourage some people to drive more recklessly because they think nothing will be coming the other way.

I also think that riding on the road is horrible now compared to 15-20 years ago.

[highway]

Seasonal Hero said:

Having ridden since 1986 on the road, and driven since 1987 I find the idea that your hold-ups are caused by cyclists rather than other cars/lorries impressively unbelievable.

I find your view entirely predictable as befits someone unwilling to view any opinion or experience different to their own.