Thank you Ford Explorer man

[Dubbledratt]

Just a note of thanks to the Ford Explorer driver who this morning pointed out the cycle path on the
A4 between the Gillette building and the M4. Obviously he realised I had missed it and his pointing
out would ease my journey to work. The loud blast on the horn whilst 2m from my rear wheel was also
appreciated as otherwise I may have missed his kind gesture. Undoubtedly his Ford Explorer would
cope well with the dreadful surface and repetitive junctions / kerbs on said cycle path.

I hope he appreciated my kind gesture in reply.

Somehow I doubt many Ford Explorer owners read uk.rec.cycling. Actually I doubt many Ford Explorer
owners can read.

Sorry if this wasted your bandwidth but really.....

 

[Adrian Boliston]

"DubbleDratt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Just a note of thanks to the Ford Explorer driver who this morning pointed out the cycle path on
> the A4 between the Gillette building and the M4. Obviously he realised I had missed it and his
> pointing out would ease my journey to work.

You could have asked him why in god's name he was not using the *M4* which was intended to take
motorised traffic *off* the old A4 road.

 

[Toby Barrett]

"DubbleDratt" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Just a note of thanks to the Ford Explorer driver who this morning pointed out the cycle path on
> the A4 between the Gillette building and the M4. Obviously he realised I had missed it and his
> pointing out would ease my journey to work. The loud blast on the horn whilst 2m from my rear
> wheel was also appreciated as otherwise I may have missed his kind gesture. Undoubtedly his Ford
> Explorer would cope well with the dreadful surface and repetitive junctions / kerbs on said
> cycle path.

Is it spring in the air or is there another reason for the sudden increase in this type of
behaviour. Three times already this week I have received helful instructions from drivers. They seem
to think that I am unaware that there is a good meter to meter and a half between me an the verge.
Now that they've pointed it out, that I should cycle a few centimeters from the edge. Especially at
pinch-points where they could then overtake with a few more centimeters to spare.

Or they may even be suggesting I do something illegal - cycle on the pavement.

> I hope he appreciated my kind gesture in reply.

I too have been making such kind, one-fingered gestures. One day they will get me into trouble....

Toby

 

[Lardy Ninja]

"DubbleDratt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Just a note of thanks to the Ford Explorer driver who this morning pointed out the cycle path on
> the A4 between the Gillette building and the M4. Obviously he realised I had missed it and his
> pointing out would ease my journey to work. The loud blast on the horn whilst 2m from my rear
> wheel was also appreciated as otherwise I may have missed his kind gesture. Undoubtedly his Ford
> Explorer would cope well with the dreadful surface and repetitive junctions / kerbs on said
> cycle path.
>
> I hope he appreciated my kind gesture in reply.
>
> Somehow I doubt many Ford Explorer owners read uk.rec.cycling. Actually I doubt many Ford Explorer
> owners can read.
>
> Sorry if this wasted your bandwidth but really.....

Was there a full moon yesterday or what? Had a bloke who was so desperate to overtake me and my
friend on a narrow road. First he resorted to using the horn and driving right up behind me. After
that proved futile he mounted the pavement at speed and almost knocked over my friend as he
reentered the roadway. Caught up with him at the lights (sigh when will they learn) and it was a
middle aged bloke with a suit. Waved and smiled as we cycled past him and he went appoplectic.
Screaming and shouting (inside his cage so couldn't understand) but I could see his little face
getting VERY red. I like to think I brought him a little bit closer to a well deserved heart attack.

LN

 

[Tim Woodall]

On 12 Mar 2003 09:23:59 GMT, Toby Barrett <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Is it spring in the air or is there another reason for the sudden increase in this type of
> behaviour. Three times already this week I have received helful instructions from drivers. They
> seem to think that I am unaware that there is a good meter to meter and a half between me an the
> verge. Now that they've pointed it out, that I should cycle a few centimeters from the edge.
> Especially at pinch-points where they could then overtake with a few more centimeters to spare.
>
I would like to know the reason for this too. Apart from the 2000%+ increase in the near miss
"idiots" I've had the first deliberate attempt on my life in 2003 this week and one near miss that
literally was a half an inch either way and I would have been off (possibly not killed depending
on which way I fell if my wheel hit the kerb or my arm/handlebars hit the rear wheel of the lorry
- not HGV)

The only thing I can think of is that the number of cyclists has definitely increased this week
which, IMO, has been the first week that you could work 9-5:30 and ride without lights (I'm still
using lights but, by the time I get home I would guess that 50% of cars have their lights on) Prior
to this week all the cyclists were "legal" road users. A significant number of the new cyclists are
using the pavement and as we all know so well, car drivers are unable to distinguish between a
cyclist doing 20mph and a cyclist struggling to maintain balance at 3mph up a (short[1]) hill.

Tim.

[1] OK, maybe you can manage 20mph up a long hill but I would describe the sorts of hills where I
can maintain 20mph for more than about 10-15 seconds as "inclines" not hills and this morning
even the "inclines" were 18mph efforts thanks to the wind which is probably why the "new"
cyclist I passed today on the steepest bit of my ride was obviously struggling - I was working
to keep above 12mph, yesterday the same bit was a comfortable 18mph (with I think a slight
tail wind)

--
God said, "div D = rho, div B = 0, curl E = - @B/@t, curl H = J + @D/@t," and there was light.

http://tjw.hn.org/ http://www.locofungus.btinternet.co.uk/

 

[Tony W]

"lardy ninja" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Was there a full moon yesterday or what?

snip

Well let me speak up for the better class of white van man. About an hour ago I was driving back to
my office. I'm coming up to a single lane ribbon between two lines of parked cars through a
'council' estate (i.e. mostly flogged off by Maggie).

At the far end WVN stops and flashes (ooo err Mrs). But there is a bloke on a bike (Halfords
special, h*lm*t, day-glo jacket) plodding along. Its a bit narrow to squeeze him (OK, most cagers
are not so reluctant), so I let him (well, he was in front and did have the right of way -- but most
cagers ...) into the 'lane' and overtake him a few yards further on where it widened a bit.

During all this WVM sits patiently. I wave a thanks and am acknowledged with a smile. Checking my
mirror, he then waits for the cyclist before continuing.

Shirley, a Knight of the Road.

T

 

[Dave Kahn]

"DubbleDratt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> Just a note of thanks to the Ford Explorer driver who this morning pointed out the cycle path on
> the A4 between the Gillette building and the M4. Obviously he realised I had missed it and his
> pointing out would ease my journey to work. The loud blast on the horn whilst 2m from my rear
> wheel was also appreciated as otherwise I may have missed his kind gesture.

I think I've met him in similar circumstances along that very stretch of road. The cycle track
there is in extremely poor condition, full of debris, and very difficult and dangerous at the
intersections. It's also clearly marked as one way but there is usually a steady stream of
complacent helmeted Sam Browne belted cyclists coming the wrong way. The road is much the
better option.

Quite often I'm in the centre lane there as it's a gentle downhill and the motor traffic can be
quite slow. I gave the still-gesticulating
Mr. Ford Explorer a polite smile and a friendly wave one morning as I repassed him. It didn't seem
to relax him though.

--
Dave...

 

[Helen Deborah V]

Thus spake [email protected] (lardy ninja)

> Was there a full moon yesterday or what?

No, it was First Quarter...

> Had a bloke who was so desperate to overtake me and my friend on a narrow road. First he resorted
> to using the horn and driving right up behind me. After that proved futile he mounted the pavement
> at speed and almost knocked over my friend as he reentered the roadway. Caught up with him at the
> lights (sigh when will they learn) and it was a middle aged bloke with a suit. Waved and smiled as
> we cycled past him and he went appoplectic. Screaming and shouting (inside his cage so couldn't
> understand) but I could see his little face getting VERY red. I like to think I brought him a
> little bit closer to a well deserved heart attack.

Until somebody clamps down on that sort of behaviour it will only increase

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected] Edgware.

 

[Ross]

"Adrian Boliston" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "DubbleDratt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > Just a note of thanks to the Ford Explorer driver who this morning
pointed
> > out the cycle path on the A4 between the Gillette building and the M4. Obviously he realised I
> > had missed it and his pointing out would ease my journey to work.
>
> You could have asked him why in god's name he was not using the *M4* which was intended to take
> motorised traffic *off* the old A4 road.
>
>

If he also owns a motorbike then he may well be the *kind* soul who pointed out the bike lane in
North Camp, Farnborough last night. This will be the same bike lane that goes through a bus stop
(with a shed load of waiting passengers), over two junctions and then crosses over to the other side
of the road, down a side road and then over more junctions on the A325. If I'd wanted to extend my
journey time I'd have taken the car.

 

[Andrew]

A few weeks ago I think I had to give a similar hand signal to a BMW driver who felt it necessary to
clean his n/s wing mirror on my gloves. I raised two digits to indicate he was too close.

No doubt he was grateful to me for helpfully pointing this out to him.

--
Andrew

DubbleDratt <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just a note of thanks to the Ford Explorer driver who this morning pointed out the cycle path on
> the A4 between the Gillette building and the M4. Obviously he realised I had missed it and his
> pointing out would ease my journey to work. The loud blast on the horn whilst 2m from my rear
> wheel was also appreciated as otherwise I may have missed his kind gesture. Undoubtedly his Ford
> Explorer would cope well with the dreadful surface
and
> repetitive junctions / kerbs on said cycle path.
>
> I hope he appreciated my kind gesture in reply.
>
> Somehow I doubt many Ford Explorer owners read uk.rec.cycling. Actually I doubt many Ford Explorer
> owners can read.
>
> Sorry if this wasted your bandwidth but really.....