Bad cyclist

[Josey]

I was cycling along a cycle-way today, the sort that's a combined cycle path
and pedestrian footpath, but with no dividing lines.

There's a section that's a /slight/ downhill and a couple of quick bends.
visibility is not compromised.

I slowed down to follow a lady cyclist through this section, probably 50, on
a bike half the age. She's going pretty quick, considering there were half
dozen people walking away from us on the second bend. Uh oh, I think, she's
going too fast, as they are well spread out. I back well off (she didn't
know I was behind her). She doesn't brake, or make any warning noises at
all.

Just as I'm about to make my presence known, I'm amazed to see her plough
straight through them like a bowling ball through 9 pins. She knocks two
over, and falls off herself. She then gets up and rants at them (really
rants) for them not getting out of her way!

Thankfully they didn't appear badly hurt.

Jc.

 

[Adam Lea]

"Josey" <nospam@josey> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I was cycling along a cycle-way today, the sort that's a combined cycle
>path and pedestrian footpath, but with no dividing lines.
>
> There's a section that's a /slight/ downhill and a couple of quick bends.
> visibility is not compromised.
>
> I slowed down to follow a lady cyclist through this section, probably 50,
> on a bike half the age. She's going pretty quick, considering there were
> half dozen people walking away from us on the second bend. Uh oh, I think,
> she's going too fast, as they are well spread out. I back well off (she
> didn't know I was behind her). She doesn't brake, or make any warning
> noises at all.
>
> Just as I'm about to make my presence known, I'm amazed to see her plough
> straight through them like a bowling ball through 9 pins. She knocks two
> over, and falls off herself. She then gets up and rants at them (really
> rants) for them not getting out of her way!
>
> Thankfully they didn't appear badly hurt.
>
> Jc.

Pity the pedestrians concerned didn't give her a smack across the face.

You simply shouldn't expect to do things like that and expect no
retaliation.

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>
Josey <nospam@josey> wrote:
> I was cycling along a cycle-way today, the sort that's a combined cycle path
> and pedestrian footpath, but with no dividing lines.
>
> There's a section that's a /slight/ downhill and a couple of quick bends.
> visibility is not compromised.
>
> I slowed down to follow a lady cyclist through this section, probably 50, on
> a bike half the age. She's going pretty quick, considering there were half
> dozen people walking away from us on the second bend. Uh oh, I think, she's
> going too fast, as they are well spread out. I back well off (she didn't
> know I was behind her). She doesn't brake, or make any warning noises at
> all.
>
> Just as I'm about to make my presence known, I'm amazed to see her plough
> straight through them like a bowling ball through 9 pins. She knocks two
> over, and falls off herself. She then gets up and rants at them (really
> rants) for them not getting out of her way!
>
You missed a great opportunity to knock her over and complain that she
didn't get out of the way.

 

[Dave]

"Josey" <nospam@josey> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I was cycling along a cycle-way today, the sort that's a combined cycle
path
> and pedestrian footpath, but with no dividing lines.
>
> There's a section that's a /slight/ downhill and a couple of quick bends.
> visibility is not compromised.
>
> I slowed down to follow a lady cyclist through this section, probably 50,
on
> a bike half the age. She's going pretty quick, considering there were half
> dozen people walking away from us on the second bend. Uh oh, I think,
she's
> going too fast, as they are well spread out. I back well off (she didn't
> know I was behind her). She doesn't brake, or make any warning noises at
> all.
>
> Just as I'm about to make my presence known, I'm amazed to see her plough
> straight through them like a bowling ball through 9 pins. She knocks two
> over, and falls off herself. She then gets up and rants at them (really
> rants) for them not getting out of her way!
>
> Thankfully they didn't appear badly hurt.
>
> Jc.
>
>

Things like that do nothing to help cyclists.

I read in the Metro today (may be old news) that the Government are looking
at making it compulsory to have a bell on your bike and to sound it
regularly.

With fines of upto £2500 or imprisonment.

Apparently all bikes are supposed to have one now - but many people remove
them. That will become an offence too, with an on the spot fine.

The CTA are wondering how this will be policed, the Government say it will
help when the Cycling Proficieny Test is re-introduced.

It then goes on to say that 12 pedestrians have been killed as a result of
an accident with a pedal cycle in the last 5 years compared with 671 in the
last year involving motor vehicles.

DaveB

 

[Yet Another Graham]

"Josey" <nospam@josey> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Just as I'm about to make my presence known, I'm amazed to see her plough
> straight through them like a bowling ball through 9 pins. She knocks two
> over, and falls off herself. She then gets up and rants at them (really
> rants) for them not getting out of her way!
>
<Sigh> Typical Lycra Lout ;-)

 

[david lloyd]

"Josey" <nospam@josey> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I was cycling along a cycle-way today, the sort that's a combined cycle
path
> and pedestrian footpath, but with no dividing lines.
>
> There's a section that's a /slight/ downhill and a couple of quick bends.
> visibility is not compromised.
>
> I slowed down to follow a lady cyclist through this section, probably 50,
on
> a bike half the age. She's going pretty quick, considering there were half
> dozen people walking away from us on the second bend. Uh oh, I think,
she's
> going too fast, as they are well spread out. I back well off (she didn't
> know I was behind her). She doesn't brake, or make any warning noises at
> all.
>
> Just as I'm about to make my presence known, I'm amazed to see her plough
> straight through them like a bowling ball through 9 pins. She knocks two
> over, and falls off herself. She then gets up and rants at them (really
> rants) for them not getting out of her way!
>
> Thankfully they didn't appear badly hurt.
>
> Jc.
>
This is the type of thing that reflects badly on us all. Josey, what did you
do when you caught up with this woman? I hope you made it clear that her
actions were not acceptable to you, as a cyclist, let alone to pedestrians.

--
Dave Lloyd
So open minded, my brains dribbled out.

 

[[email protected]]

david lloyd wrote:

> This is the type of thing that reflects badly on us all.

That's why I don't ride through red lights, even though it's
fashionable and frequently it's even safe. If we expect to have any
protection from the "rules" (such as car drivers being expected to stop
after an accident) then _we_ have to do our bit too.

 

[[email protected]]

> > Just as I'm about to make my presence known, I'm amazed to see her plough
> > straight through them like a bowling ball through 9 pins. She knocks two
> > do when you caught up with this woman? I hope you made it clear that her
> actions were not acceptable to you, as a cyclist, let alone to pedestrians.

I saw a flagrant bit of riding once and the culprit once heard to speak
was clearly barking mad.Do you think she might have been afflicted
rather than bad?Or blind.
TerryJ

 

[Josey]

"david lloyd" wrote in message

> This is the type of thing that reflects badly on us all. Josey, what did
> you
> do when you caught up with this woman? I hope you made it clear that her
> actions were not acceptable to you, as a cyclist, let alone to
> pedestrians.

I stopped to check the pedestrians were OK, and then didn't catch her back
up.

At least they knew all cyclists were not like her.

Jc.

 

[Simon L]

> >
> This is the type of thing that reflects badly on us all. Josey, what did you
> do when you caught up with this woman? I hope you made it clear that her
> actions were not acceptable to you, as a cyclist, let alone to pedestrians.
>


I don't think it's up to cyclists to police other cyclists, drivers,
peds... by all means confont activities which have an impact upon your
own safety but most people in flagrent breach of road use standards
know they are - perhaps the lady in question will learn by her
collision that one needs to be cautious cycling on shared use paths?

The world is too big to start reminding all other road users of their
responsibilities - that's a job for government, coppers, road safety
organisations...

That's my 2p for the day.

 

[david lloyd]

"Simon L" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> > >
> > This is the type of thing that reflects badly on us all. Josey, what did
you
> > do when you caught up with this woman? I hope you made it clear that her
> > actions were not acceptable to you, as a cyclist, let alone to
pedestrians.
> >
>
>
> I don't think it's up to cyclists to police other cyclists, drivers,
> peds... by all means confont activities which have an impact upon your
> own safety but most people in flagrent breach of road use standards
> know they are - perhaps the lady in question will learn by her
> collision that one needs to be cautious cycling on shared use paths?

By the 'London Appology' that she gave, I don't think this woman could get
it through her thick skull that what she did was wrong.

>
> The world is too big to start reminding all other road users of their
> responsibilities - that's a job for government, coppers, road safety
> organisations...
>
> That's my 2p for the day.
>
Authorities can't be bothered on an individual incident basis. They are only
interested about one-size-fits-all solutions, like banning all cycles from
shared paths just because of the actions of one or two idiots. IMHO, if you
see an idiot harming our interests, it is our duty to tell them that they
are unfit to ride. It should also be made clear to those that were harmed
that the riders actions are not condoned, otherwise we will have more 'all
cyclists are evil' type letters to newspapers.

--
Dave Lloyd
So open minded, my brains dribbled out.

 

[Pyromancer]

Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as
[email protected] gently breathed:
>david lloyd wrote:

>> This is the type of thing that reflects badly on us all.

>That's why I don't ride through red lights, even though it's
>fashionable and frequently it's even safe. If we expect to have any
>protection from the "rules" (such as car drivers being expected to stop
>after an accident) then _we_ have to do our bit too.

Seconded. That's why I despair of all the "but lots of cars go through
red lights" posts - doing something wrong just because lots of other
people do it is not a valid justification.

--
- DJ Pyromancer, The Sunday Goth Social, Leeds. <http://www.sheepish.net>

Broadband, Dialup, Domains = <http://www.wytches.net> = The UK's Pagan ISP!
<http://www.inkubus-sukkubus.co.uk> <http://www.revival.stormshadow.com>

 

[Peter Amey]

Pyromancer wrote:
> Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as
> [email protected] gently breathed:
>
>>david lloyd wrote:
>
>
>>>This is the type of thing that reflects badly on us all.
>
>
>>That's why I don't ride through red lights, even though it's
>>fashionable and frequently it's even safe. If we expect to have any
>>protection from the "rules" (such as car drivers being expected to stop
>>after an accident) then _we_ have to do our bit too.
>
>
> Seconded. That's why I despair of all the "but lots of cars go through
> red lights" posts - doing something wrong just because lots of other
> people do it is not a valid justification.
>

I think that is a legitimate response who seek to portray cyclists as
uniquely ill-disciplined. When I hear "cyclists are always jumping
lights" I usually reply "so do car drivers, both are wrong, nothing
would please me more than the even-handed application of all traffic
laws". Since the moaners are usually equally vociferous about the
iniquities of speed cameras I find this usually shuts them up nicely.

Peter


--
www.amey.org.uk

 

[Adam Lea]

"Pyromancer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as
> [email protected] gently breathed:
>>david lloyd wrote:
>
>>> This is the type of thing that reflects badly on us all.
>
>>That's why I don't ride through red lights, even though it's
>>fashionable and frequently it's even safe. If we expect to have any
>>protection from the "rules" (such as car drivers being expected to stop
>>after an accident) then _we_ have to do our bit too.
>
> Seconded. That's why I despair of all the "but lots of cars go through
> red lights" posts - doing something wrong just because lots of other
> people do it is not a valid justification.
>

Otherwise known as the "Tu Quoque" fallacy.

 

[Adam Lea]

"Simon L" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> I don't think it's up to cyclists to police other cyclists, drivers,
> peds... by all means confont activities which have an impact upon your
> own safety but most people in flagrent breach of road use standards
> know they are - perhaps the lady in question will learn by her
> collision that one needs to be cautious cycling on shared use paths?
>

Problem is some people are never wrong, thus they can never learn.

 

[Colin McKenzie]

Adam Lea wrote:
> "Pyromancer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as
>>[email protected] gently breathed:
>>>david lloyd wrote:
>>>>This is the type of thing that reflects badly on us all.
>>>That's why I don't ride through red lights, even though it's
>>>fashionable and frequently it's even safe. If we expect to have any
>>>protection from the "rules" (such as car drivers being expected to stop
>>>after an accident) then _we_ have to do our bit too.
>>
>>Seconded. That's why I despair of all the "but lots of cars go through
>>red lights" posts - doing something wrong just because lots of other
>>people do it is not a valid justification.
>
> Otherwise known as the "Tu Quoque" fallacy.

Not a fallacy as such in this context, which is a limited budget for
road law enforcement and decisions needing to be made on how to spend it.

Note the distinction. Is it right for cyclists to break the law? No.
Is it right for traffic law enforcement to concentrate on cyclists? No.

The logic is: 90% (guess) of road users routinely break the law - can
we stop them all? - no - which cause most danger to others? - let's
concentrate our resources there.

The illogic we actually get is: 90% (guess) of road users routinely
break the law - can we stop them all? - no - which are an easily
identified minority? - let's jump on them.

Make no mistake. We are experiencing a backlash against cycling from
those who are frightened by the recent increases in cycling in London,
and are looking for any way to reverse the trend.

Colin McKenzie

--
On average in Britain, you're more likely to get a head injury walking
a mile than cycling it.
So why aren't we all exhorted to wear walking helmets?