Cycling hates

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My hates - newspapers/radio and television reports which distort sentences to make the victim, be he pedestrian/cyclist, the culprit in an accident. If that doesn’t work, then the car is the culprit, never the driver,.

Examples:
"A car lost control on a sharp bend at……" How can a car "lose control" – it’s an inanimate object until someone takes control of it.
"An elderly pedestrian died as a result of injuries he received when in collision with a motor car". (Jeez, he must’ve been walking fast!)

"A cyclist is in hospital recovering from injuries received when in collision with a Ford Capri motor car. The Ford car ended up on its roof." Something similar was in our regional newspaper ten or so years ago. Fuming, I rang the news desk for the name of the injured cyclist. "We can’t give that information sir – anyway, why do you want it?" "Well, anyone who can hit a ¾ ton motor car with enough force to turn it onto its roof must be quite an athlete - we want him in our club – if he survives."

"What’s the point you’re trying to make sir?" "Well, it’s obvious that the driver had lost control of the car, it was probably going too fast, hit the cyclist, then turned over". "Oh" (dripping with condescension) "but we don’t know that sir, and we couldn’t put it like that, it would prejudice any court case which may result". "Yes, but you’ve already prejudiced the matter – you said the cyclist caused the accident – you made him the subject of the sentence"… In the end I gave up – it’s not my place to teach journalists elementary English!

My memory’s hazy now, but I think the driver turned out to be about twice over the booze limit, driving way over the 30 limit. I have no idea what happened to the cyclist, except that he was at least severely injured.

About six months after that two of our senior members were riding home after one our "Evening Ten" events. A car partially overtook them, then cut in and decked them, this on a 4-lane dual carriageway. Scoop Fortescue-Willoughby (or whoever!) from our local rag rang one of them for details, and when asked how the piece would read, he began "two senior members of the ******* cycling club received slight injuries when in collision with a car……." Our man (a solicitor by profession) gave an answer which was was curt and to the point.
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
John

This is a great forum to vent. I am from california just getting back on the bike after a few years. I am now in mississippi (for the moment then off to dc, yippy). There is no bike lanes down here and cars almost get in head-ons trying to pass me and dogs have nothing better to do then get in packs of ten to chase you. Recently, I went on a group ride and one rider said it was going to be an easy ride. I decided to ride with him. I did not know an easy ride was 20mph up hill in a head wind. Then when you see he does everything he can to just ride 30ft in front of you the whole ride. I would catch up then there he would go again pushing the pace up to 25 mph, I would just drop back a bit and down goes his pace to 20 mph. I had a little fun seeing if I could sneak up on him, but he would catch me about 10 feet behind him and off he would go. What is up with this. I am off my soap box now.

Hi Fred,

Been where you are and still there. Pretty simple he wants to feel good about himself and this is his way of doing it. I have guys in my gym, follow right behind me and my friend and must copy everything we do to show "look I can lift that much and do that many reps".

I do not let it get me down and do not let it get you down. Some people would say he is just trying to get his workout and that is part of his training. Really can not win, when I pass a pack they suddenly speed up to catch me and when I am catching a pack they suddenly speed up to not let me catch them. Part of the cycling world...that is why i do alot of touring with friends from like Ny to Boston, NY to Baltimore or SF to LA. These are more relaxed and people stay at a nice steady speed. When you are in a park or some 40k ride eveyone has to go ballz out for the short distance to show something.

To be honest it is those people who make me train harder and will probably happen to you also. Ofcourse those people weigh about 150lbs, 6ft, ?? and you can almost see through them. No thanks I stay a little slower and the way I look...can not forget the chicks. :D

-js


This is a great forum to vent. I am from california just getting back on the bike after a few years. I am now in mississippi (for the moment then off to dc, yippy). There is no bike lanes down here and cars almost get in head-ons trying to pass me and dogs have nothing better to do then get in packs of ten to chase you. Recently, I went on a group ride and one rider said it was going to be an easy ride. I decided to ride with him. I did not know an easy ride was 20mph up hill in a head wind. Then when you see he does everything he can to just ride 30ft in front of you the whole ride. I would catch up then there he would go again pushing the pace up to 25 mph, I would just drop back a bit and down goes his pace to 20 mph. I had a little fun seeing if I could sneak up on him, but he would catch me about 10 feet behind him and off he would go. What is up with this. I am off my soap box now.

I used to be a bit of a road-rager when it comes to idiotic drivers. The truth is that you never know what you're dealing with on the road. Could be some blue-haired granny, senescent, mind half-vapourized on medications, or it could be some steroid-saturated musclebeast who will literally stove your head in with his boots.

Case in point, guys:

http://www.citynoise.org/article/2770

This is in 'cosmopolitan' Toronto, where you might not expect to find violent intolerance.
>>>> THATS A GOOD ONE!!!!:) :) :) :) :) :D :D :D :D :D

Hi fellow pedalers,
Just today on the way home on the bike from swimming I was passing a parked car when the DUMB woman opened the door, I politely but sternly replied " Next time LOOK" that's all I said, truthfully. Her even DUMBER husband then jumps out the passenger door and starts chasing me up the street on foot yelling something like #@**%!!!X!@##@# at me, so naughty old me yelled back "Shut up ya FAT SLOB", well then it was on. Funny thing was this idiot keeps chasing me on foot, screaming his head off, cursing more and more and I'm just spinnin' along yelling "FAT SLOB", I just can't help myself!!!
Then it starts to get serious, they start chasing me in the car and cut me off, right across the bike lane, he jumps out, lunges out at me, I swerve to miss, my ears get another mouthful, I keep going, they keep chasing, maybe I shouldn't have yelled "GET A LIFE". They come pass, he opens door to scare ( hit??) me, gives me the evil eye, then goes away AT LAST.

The moral of this sad saga is even when you are RIGHT, keep your mouth shut!!!!. Sure I could have made his teeth stick out the back of his head, but what's the point?? Once he recovered, other cyclists would suffer from this idiot.

STAY SAFE
KEEP RIDING

Vehicles that get to a 4-way stop sign intersection immediately before me and then think they have the friggin' right of way.:confused: Unless your laws in LA are different than ours in South Africa the person hitting the stop line at a 4way first has right of way. If we disobey this rule here we can be sure to end up in hospital. Only during a controlled race with marshals at these intersections can we go and even then have to watch out for the chancers.
Erich

What to do at a four-way stop is a very basic rule, one of the first you learn in drivers' ed.
1. You always have to stop.
2. If you are alone, or the first one there, then you may proceed when it is safe.
3. If two cars (or vehicles) arrive at EXACTLY the same time, then you should yield to the vehicle on your right. I have found that this principle is also works for boats on the open water and airplanes in flight. Airplanes and boats have red lights on their left sides and green lights on their right sides.
4. I don't know what they do in England.

:confused: Unless your laws in LA are different than ours in South Africa the person hitting the stop line at a 4way first has right of way. If we disobey this rule here we can be sure to end up in hospital. Only during a controlled race with marshals at these intersections can we go and even then have to watch out for the chancers.
Erich

PPS. fat chicks in lycra, not a good thing either.
What about idiots that say dumb insensitive things like that?

Yep. That's what I hate.

Steve

i've got a couple things

1.yesterday's ride, a dog got after us aggressively. one of the guys who hit a dog recently and broke many bones gets off the bike and goes after the dog. the owner (woman) comes running over and yells at him with some choice words and he says that he was recently severely injured and asked her to leash her dog (county law anyways). she says i own 55 acres and my dogs are free-roaming. i'm not going to put them on an f-ing leash. she then says can't u just spray them with something to get rid of them. our guy said ya, a 4x4 chevy pickup!

2.people that buzz you when there's no oncoming traffic

3.rednecks that yell at you as they go by

4.riders that will let you go a little ways on a group ride where half the group went one way and they went the other, then tell you they want to ride alone(was two guys) and tell you to catch the other guys.(one of the two was my teammate)

5.shifting problems, especially on long climbs

Why should we stay on the side of the road when people overtake so recklessly and people randomly open doors. Much Much safer to take the whole lane and make the cars change lanes.

Oh year and people who have to overtake to get to the next lights first- dickheads.

Why should we stay on the side of the road when people overtake so recklessly and people randomly open doors.Good point, take a look at: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/recent_media_unit_information?sq_remote_page_action=fetch_url&sq_remote_page_url=http://customscripts.police.nsw.gov.au/news/details_media.php?MediaID=6412

regards,

auto drivers with either NO situational awareness and drivers who are out to f*ck with any cyclist they see, just cause they're asshats.

springtime in alaska means lots of dust from the winter and dry month of march, and some drivers dust you on purpose while others don't realize what they're doing, cause they're on the phone, eating, chattin', puttin' on makeup, acting catatonic, etc.

also drivers who sneak up on you and lay on their horn and scare the bejeezus out of ya

f*ck em all, let Satan sort em out

Swallowing bugs it happened twice to me last summer.A good source of protein

How about road rage against a cyclist coming from a cop? Yes, it happened to me!

Or how about the semi that tried to take me out on the highway? He drifted on to the shoulder at 55mph and actually touched my thigh.
That's crazy, really???


Or the rednecks that passed me, pulled over on to the gravel shoulder and then shot gravel at me with the accelerator as I approached.
Nice one!



Or the other redneck that pulled past, got out, and wanted to fight.

There was never the slightest provocation in any of the above incidents.
Really???

How about vicious biker-eating dogs that live at the top of a half mile 10% climb? Can't outsprint them. I survive by spraying water at them.
By far my favorite - why does this always happen at the top of that hill???

why oh why does it happen.
Earl would say it's Karma

anyway, so many times I had to re-plan my return route so that I didn't have to run the doggy gauntlet a second time!

This is my new favorite story:

I was nearly knocked off my bike when I was riding in a bike lane, going down this town street. I approach an intersection with a stop light and the light had turned green. A Mercedes SUV was second in line at the light and was waiting behing the car in front of it as the first car was turning left at a stop light. The Mercedes SUV just couldnt wait for the car in front to turn left, and suddenly accelerates from a dead stop, and turns violently to the right going around the car stopped at the light, swerving into the bike lane without looking or checking, nearly knocks me of my bike as I slammed on the brakes and swerve to avoid the rear of the SUV.

I sprint down four blocks to catch the car and it had turnd down a side street, I catch it as it turnd and pulled up along side and waved it down. The window rolls down and it is two friends of mine who looked like I was crazy, had never seen what happened, could not recall what I was talking a bout and even the next day when I saw the guy at a coffee shop he asks me "Which way were you going on such and such street?" Worse yet, they LIVE on that street and know theres a bike lane there.

Even after explaining the whole situation the guy did not understand what had happened...and I think still thinks I was crazy.

One see the two newbies comming from the opposite direction, with no helmet, in soccer shorts and loose cotton Tshirts, chatting and chatting. One shout at them: MOVE TO YOUR RIGHT!!!! but they don't move.

I have learn to take my precautions when I see guys/girls like these. Thing is they think they're cool because they're mountain biking. I don't criticize them, but they're an accident waiting to happen.You know, some of us "noobs" are just out enjoying the weather on our bikes -- we dont need to put on full gear to go riding. Yes I agree that it is incredibly annoying when people take up the entire path, but it is just as annoying when people like you think you are more important because you are wearing your bike shirt, helmet, and man-junk pants.

You know, some of us "noobs" are just out enjoying the weather on our bikes -- we dont need to put on full gear to go riding. Yes I agree that it is incredibly annoying when people take up the entire path, but it is just as annoying when people like you think you are more important because you are wearing your bike shirt, helmet, and man-junk pants.


That makes about as much sense as saying, "I am not going to wear my seat belt because I'm just going to the store." Protect yourself always with helmet and appropriate gear - accidents don't discriminate.

A lot of you seem to train on multi-use paths. I always avoided these paths unless I was running. At over 20 mph, these narrow, congested paths are dangerous. It's downright rude for a cyclist (serious one, travelling at serious speeds) to train on these trails. Perhaps it's location dependent though and in some places you have no other choice for training?
That being said, it's rude for anyone on these trails not to yield the right of way.

And wheel suckers are absolutely fine except in a race. Keep in mind that many of these guys only know cycling from what they've seen on TV so have no clue about etiquette. If we treat them as criminals then we aren't being very good ambassadors to the sport.
If they have hairy legs, so be it. ;)I am just getting into this sport, and I have been reading this thread this morning thinking --- Maybe I dont want to get into this.. Seems all bikers are douchbags that are going to get angry with me because I don't know what I am doing. Then I see a post like this. Thanks!

You know, some of us "noobs" are just out enjoying the weather on our bikes -- we dont need to put on full gear to go riding. Yes I agree that it is incredibly annoying when people take up the entire path, but it is just as annoying when people like you think you are more important because you are wearing your bike shirt, helmet, and man-junk pants.===========================================================
You should ALWAYS wear a helmet on a bike. Whether its legally required or not. Hopefully you have a brain to protect...:o