Are cyclists a different breed to the rest of us?

[Bombadier Botty]

Is this another thread about the appalling treatment of captive dolphins at Seaworld Florida, who can swim hundreds of miles a day in the wild but are kept in tiny tanks, if so give it a rest, it's getting a bit frickin' tedious now! I pay my entrance money and can make my own frickin' choices ta very much. #tediocre

 

[fat old seagull]

I am I guess getting just slightly miffed with SOME cyclists, that having coerced various councils to build dedicated cycle lanes, still persist in riding along the pavement, sometimes at high speed. This isn't all cyclists just as it isn't all dog owners that don't pick up poo. But I'm afraid all to often the innocent get tarred as well.

 

[Notters]

I am I guess getting just slightly miffed with SOME cyclists, that having coerced various councils to build dedicated cycle lanes, still persist in riding along the pavement, sometimes at high speed. This isn't all cyclists just as it isn't all dog owners that don't pick up poo. But I'm afraid all to often the innocent get tarred as well.

Yes, but if you're going to think like that then we may as well wipe out the human race, as some pedestrians are scum, some football fans are scum, some artists are scum, some accountants are scum, some botanists are scum, some women are scum, etc. etc.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'll admit to not being a fan of the lycra-clad brigade either, having to avoid them repeatedly on the pavements of Worthing when I am out running.

I know they'll be a very small minority of cyclists, but I'm happy to hate them all as a whole. It's easier than trying to segment them into distinct groups.

I am I guess getting just slightly miffed with SOME cyclists, that having coerced various councils to build dedicated cycle lanes, still persist in riding along the pavement, sometimes at high speed. This isn't all cyclists just as it isn't all dog owners that don't pick up poo. But I'm afraid all to often the innocent get tarred as well.

No roadie should ever ride on the pavement, it's just too dangerous.

As much as I appreciate inconsiderate road use is annoying to drivers, it's still preferable to shared cycle lanes and the pavement.
I can't understand why anyone would put themselves in the position of doing the harm.
The thought of a dog or god forbid small child straying into the cycle lane at the exact moment I'm storming past at 20-25 mph is too frightening for words.
If anyone is going to get killed to death I'd much rather I was the kill-ie than the killer.

That said I cycle along the promo with the jnr stats at a very sedate speed, while reminding the kids that here the pedestrian is king.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Yep, some of them sure are and deserve the kindhearted pointers they're so often provided as to what they're doing wrong. As I'm often on a bike myself when providing said pointers ('stop running the bloody red lights and wondering why people hate you' etc) it does slightly diminish any moral superiority they perceive themselves having if I were instead in my car.

That said, I find joggers far more bloody irritating on a day-to-day basis. Of course you want to take up the entire pavement/seafront by all jogging next to each other and loudly discussing your latest 10k triumph and yes, we're all very sorry that by having to move around someone occasionally your PB might get ruined, life really isn't fair.

Still, it's a tiny tiny minority, so I'll keep my ire focussed on those that deserve it rather than tar everyone. For now anyway.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Sunday cyclist who doesn't wear lycra...van driver the rest of the week who doesn't read the Sun..i knew i was going wrong somewhere

 

[LamieRobertson]

Yep, some of them sure are and deserve the kindhearted pointers they're so often provided as to what they're doing wrong. As I'm often on a bike myself when providing said pointers ('stop running the bloody red lights and wondering why people hate you' etc) it does slightly diminish any moral superiority they perceive themselves having if I were instead in my car.

That said, I find joggers far more bloody irritating on a day-to-day basis. Of course you want to take up the entire pavement/seafront by all jogging next to each other and loudly discussing your latest 10k triumph and yes, we're all very sorry that by having to move around someone occasionally your PB might get ruined, life really isn't fair.

Still, it's a tiny tiny minority, so I'll keep my ire focussed on those that deserve it rather than tar everyone. For now anyway.

You've forgotten dog owners...the ones with leads that stretch 2 miles..annoying buggers

 

[spanish flair]

No roadie should ever ride on the pavement, it's just too dangerous.

As much as I appreciate inconsiderate road use is annoying to drivers, it's still preferable to shared cycle lanes and the pavement.
I can't understand why anyone would put themselves in the position of doing the harm.
The thought of a dog or god forbid small child straying into the cycle lane at the exact moment I'm storming past at 20-25 mph is too frightening for words.
If anyone is going to get killed to death I'd much rather I was the kill-ie than the killer.

That said I cycle along the promo with the jnr stats at a very sedate speed, while reminding the kids that here the pedestrian is king.

Do you overtake motorized vehicles doing your 25mph that are actually conforming to the many 20mph speed limits in the town, or do you conform to the same speed limits?

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Has something specific occurred to make you feel this way?

He used to love cycling then there was an incident on Hove seafront where a fat, balding ginger tried to kick him off his bike. It was the wake up call he needed and he saw the error of his ways and now hates cycling and all cyclists.

 

[Stat Brother]

Do you overtake motorized vehicles doing your 25mph that are actually conforming to the many 20mph speed limits in the town, or do you conform to the same speed limits?

I don't ride in Brighton and I wouldn't dream of charging through my (or any other) village, for all the same 'shared space' reasons.
However I frequently overtake cars along the A259 because I can.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Oh papa, if there were you and your like would still ignore!

What does that mean?

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

You've forgotten dog owners...the ones with leads that stretch 2 miles..annoying buggers

I had indeed forgotten them, christ knows how.

'Oh, he's just sniffing the plants'...well that's lovely, why not stand next to him whilst he does rather than make everyone wait for your slobbery little angel to finish and toddle back?

 

[spanish flair]

I don't ride in Brighton and I wouldn't dream of charging through my (or any other) village, for all the same 'shared space' reasons.
However I frequently overtake cars along the A259 because I can.

Absolutely, why not if they are stuck in a slow moving traffic, one of the benefits of cycling.

 

[Trufflehound]

Cyclists live longer than non-cyclists. For that reason, I'm in:

http://www.uu.nl/en/news/dutch-bikers-live-six-months-longer

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

With the Summer kids holidays soon, shouldn't t a filter be put in place to stop people posting certain threads more than once, here are my starters

Picking up dog poo
Zamora has just signed (a shirt)
Immigration/money for nothing and your kicks for free
Cycles v Cars
Bus lanes

Please add your own theme that sets up inane bin fests that clutter up the site

 

[Lincoln Imp]

It's wrong to generalise but some of them can be a bit precious.

I drove up Ditchling Beacon last year at the same time as some sort of event. Happy to give them priority but it was unnecessary for them to ride two abreast to avoid anyone ever having the chance of passing them. The official standing at the top tut-tutting as drivers eventually got the chance of overtake didn't help. In the NT car park bikes were everywhere - I saw one middle-aged bloke chuck his Claude Butler against a very nice Audi before going the other side of it to produce a huge cloud of steam from next to the passenger door. His mates joined him. One geezer stood next to his car stripped as far as the waist. Not so bad, but it was from the ground up.

On a related point, motorists have to wear seat belts, motorcyclists crash helmets. Can anyone please explain why cyclists don't have to wear reflective clothing at all times, and daytime running lights?

 

[Notters]

It's wrong to generalise but some of them can be a bit precious.

I drove up Ditchling Beacon last year at the same time as some sort of event. Happy to give them priority but it was unnecessary for them to ride two abreast to avoid anyone ever having the chance of passing them.

I have been stuck behind a car every single time I've cycle down Ditchling Beacon and not once have they let me pass

 

[SAC]

I think cyclists are a different breed. I got a puncture cycling home last night and whilst I was changing the inner tube three cyclists stopped and asked if I needed a hand. No drivers did when I got a last puncture in my car.

I, briefly, get annoyed with drivers jumping red lights or stopping in the middle of a junction blocking the traffic or not bothering to indicate. It happens every day but I wouldn't think of starting a thread about it even though all are more dangerous to others than cyclists jumping lights or wearing cycling clothing.

 

[Albumen]

zzzzzzzz

 

[Nibble]

I have no real problem with cyclists except for the few morons who flaunt all the rules and are reckless with other people's lives but those getting about in their full lycra kit just look like idiots. Unfortunately I live in the area that the Olympic cycling route took and since that fateful summer in 2012 the number of them on the road, especially on weekend mornings has expanded a hundred fold. They are literally everywhere. They are not just irritating on the road but every café on my high street is absolutely overrun with them all day on Sundays. Poncing about in their skin tight gear, their shoe clips clip clopping around. Most of them are well out of shape, lycra encased beer bellies hanging over their thighs as they sup lattes and the women's cellulite riddled, corned-beef legs squeezing past me at face level as they trot about the café.
Surely some of them must catch a glimpse of their reflections in the window and have a moment of clarity? "What the **** do I look like"?