I think I'm done with road...
Discussion
I’ve cycled in France, Corsica, lots of islands in Greece and more recently Spain and never had UK issues. In Spain the police ran a campaign prosecuting close passers. The Spanish drivers are very considerate giving plenty of space and holding back where necessary.
Edited by ian in lancs on Thursday 18th April 06:25
Most of my journeys are by bike and it is true we have some of the worst drivers in the world when it comes to how they treat cyclists.
Then again we probably have the worst cyclists as well. Roadies in central London at rush hour time just look completely out of place - I can sort of understand why it annoys some drivers.
I would feel the same about a distance runner in vest and trainers running through Oxford Street at 10mph pace.
Then again we probably have the worst cyclists as well. Roadies in central London at rush hour time just look completely out of place - I can sort of understand why it annoys some drivers.
I would feel the same about a distance runner in vest and trainers running through Oxford Street at 10mph pace.
272BHP said:
Most of my journeys are by bike and it is true we have some of the worst drivers in the world when it comes to how they treat cyclists.
Then again we probably have the worst cyclists as well. Roadies in central London at rush hour time just look completely out of place - I can sort of understand why it annoys some drivers.
I would feel the same about a distance runner in vest and trainers running through Oxford Street at 10mph pace.
I can't understand why would you be concerned with what someone is wearing, and conflagrating that with being a bad cyclist?Then again we probably have the worst cyclists as well. Roadies in central London at rush hour time just look completely out of place - I can sort of understand why it annoys some drivers.
I would feel the same about a distance runner in vest and trainers running through Oxford Street at 10mph pace.
272BHP said:
Most of my journeys are by bike and it is true we have some of the worst drivers in the world when it comes to how they treat cyclists.
Then again we probably have the worst cyclists as well. Roadies in central London at rush hour time just look completely out of place - I can sort of understand why it annoys some drivers.
In my opinion we get the cyclists because of the way people drive. Normal, safe, ordinary (and slow) people and families stay in their cars, which also includes me to a great degree. Then again we probably have the worst cyclists as well. Roadies in central London at rush hour time just look completely out of place - I can sort of understand why it annoys some drivers.
nickfrog said:
Daveyraveygravey said:
nickfrog said:
I agree the anti-cycling sentiment is awful. I also agree that de-humanising someone because they happen to be on a push bike ("bloody cyclist") is utterly absurd.
Cyclists are no better or worse as human beings, just a little fitter.
And there lies my main issue. Which is going to make me controversial.
Some cyclists react precisely how some people react to them being on the road, with hatred, bias and rage.
There is a small but very vocal fringe of cycling activists who give the cycling community I belong to a bad name and fuel the anti-cycling prejudice by de-humanising drivers, "bloody drivers".
Not sure this is true, maybe in the vaguest possible terms. The reactions of most cyclists are because of the awful behaviour of drivers, whether that is deliberate or just ignorance of what good driving is. What possible reason could bad drivers have for their behaviour? 85 people a day are killed or seriously injured on our roads, every bloody day. And almost every one of them is down to a driver, not a cyclist or a pedestrian. Almost every one of them could be avoided. Drivers pick and choose which laws they obey, and they make up laws they think cyclists should obey. There are some drivers who think because they haven't actually hit you with their vehicle, you've nothing to complain about. There are some drivers that don't hit you with their vehicle because they think the metal is too precious.Cyclists are no better or worse as human beings, just a little fitter.
And there lies my main issue. Which is going to make me controversial.
Some cyclists react precisely how some people react to them being on the road, with hatred, bias and rage.
There is a small but very vocal fringe of cycling activists who give the cycling community I belong to a bad name and fuel the anti-cycling prejudice by de-humanising drivers, "bloody drivers".
Nothing vague at all. I come across them rarely but with worrying regularity.
Edited by nickfrog on Wednesday 17th April 15:17
There is a well known group round here - The Big Dogs. Utter a
holes and ride like cocks, antagonising all other road users, including other cyclists. Yesterday rode directly through central, as I do regularly, zipping in and out of traffic, and not hanging about to Regents, where I do 3 or 4 fast laps, then return. Whitehall /Leicester Sq / Regents St / Parliament Sq. This was at midday. I was the only cyclist in full gear, £3k aero road bike, tight lycra, the works.
I saw an abundance of other cyclists - but they were all deliveroo, or tourists. These weren't cyclists, they were people on bikes meandering about going to stuff.
Guess who were the ones weaving all over the place and going through lights, and who was the one making progress but doing so without causing inconvenience. Its not an issue if you know how to ride. Even in regents park, only a handful of other proper cyclists present.
I saw an abundance of other cyclists - but they were all deliveroo, or tourists. These weren't cyclists, they were people on bikes meandering about going to stuff.
Guess who were the ones weaving all over the place and going through lights, and who was the one making progress but doing so without causing inconvenience. Its not an issue if you know how to ride. Even in regents park, only a handful of other proper cyclists present.
And yes, I do feel like I stick out like a sore thumb, but that's a positive. I am the anomoly for waiting at the front of the queue for the light to turn green, then checking behinf before setting off to ensure motorbikes / others can get past me. And generally I am away and gone as the limit is 20mph anyway so I am up to and at that or slightly beyond it in seconds.
Buses and HGVs see positivity when I either give them a wide berth, don't try and get round them, or go round them whilst static and then ensure I am within their vision as I settle and we all wait to proceed - usually by a look round and eye contact or similar.
Buses and HGVs see positivity when I either give them a wide berth, don't try and get round them, or go round them whilst static and then ensure I am within their vision as I settle and we all wait to proceed - usually by a look round and eye contact or similar.
Julian Scott said:
....are they not just commuters? I can't think of anyone that would choose to ride as a leisure/exercise/sports pursuit in central London at any time, let alone at rush hour time.
Commuters would choose a sensible bike to commute with surely? Road bikes make absolutely no sense in the city in rush hour.What’s meant to be sensible commuter bike for London then?
I used to commute 15 miles into London regularly, and so used my road bike, in Lycra. Should I have rode in jeans on a hybrid?
Anyway, have found commuting in Surrey to be worse. Just started riding with a Passpixi https://passpixi.com/ ‘Camera badge’ on my rucksack and that does seem to help with avoiding quite so many close passes.
I used to commute 15 miles into London regularly, and so used my road bike, in Lycra. Should I have rode in jeans on a hybrid?
Anyway, have found commuting in Surrey to be worse. Just started riding with a Passpixi https://passpixi.com/ ‘Camera badge’ on my rucksack and that does seem to help with avoiding quite so many close passes.
272BHP said:
Commuters would choose a sensible bike to commute with surely? Road bikes make absolutely no sense in the city in rush hour.
Road bikes make perfect sense because of the narrow handlebars and the light weight helps with all the stopping and starting. Have you ever ridden a road bike?272BHP said:
Julian Scott said:
....are they not just commuters? I can't think of anyone that would choose to ride as a leisure/exercise/sports pursuit in central London at any time, let alone at rush hour time.
Commuters would choose a sensible bike to commute with surely? Road bikes make absolutely no sense in the city in rush hour.Donbot said:
Road bikes make perfect sense because of the narrow handlebars and the light weight helps with all the stopping and starting. Have you ever ridden a road bike?
Not as stable or manoeuvrable, aggressive riding position, lack of visibility, thinner tyres, delicate frames and usually sporting clip-in pedals.They make no sense in the city.
272BHP said:
Donbot said:
Road bikes make perfect sense because of the narrow handlebars and the light weight helps with all the stopping and starting. Have you ever ridden a road bike?
Not as stable or manoeuvrable, aggressive riding position, lack of visibility, thinner tyres, delicate frames and usually sporting clip-in pedals.They make no sense in the city.
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