Zombie cyclists!

[purplebargeken]

Interesting debate, sadly one that will go on forever. I drive cars, ride bikes and until 2005 I was an avid biker.

I live in North London (and hate it), I tend to cycle fairly short distances, sometimes along the A10. There is a lovely cycle lane that runs alongside the A10 and in 5 years I have seen 5 cyclists use it, one of them was me. There is one bloke who cycles along the A10 in rush hour each day. He looks like he is trying to find his mates in the Tour de France. He obviously fancies himself as a pro-cyclist, so why the hell doesn't he use the cycle lane?

I also cycle along the banks of the River Lea, and very nice it is too. However, to get there I have to brave the bunch of mad bastards who drive like morons along the road to Meridan Way. I don't ride on the road there. I ride on the pavement and will continue to do so until people drive safely. This may be when hell freezes over. Sorry but I don't wish to die just yet. I have 4 cars to restore before I go. If I have to ride on the pavement, I don't bomb along, I try to avoid those people who choose to amble along on the pavement, despite them doing their very best to aim for me as I go past.

I stop at traffic lights, mostly when they are on red. I always use the rear observation 'life saver' before pulling out to pass parked cars and before turning. I am very lucky to have a place in France. The small town near to where we are is famous for it's cycling events. They are normally held on a Sunday morning and roads are closed to cars. No-one minds. Car drivers are mindful of them and give them every courtesy. Lovely. Mind you it is awe inspiring to see 80 and 90 year old blokes in lycra and shades, with builds like racing snakes, hurtling along on machines that obviously are at the high end of the market. Damn them lol++.

[andy_d]

Bring back Bull bars/cow catchers.
soon sorts them out.

and before you start im a biker, its well known car + bull bars = twit driver > avoid and expect it to be driven like a ,,well a cycle rider would ride there bike, no respect or clue for any other road user, totally above the law and ,,well Worse than a bmw/audi driver....


*goes n gets the 4X4 landrover with bull bars out the garage,,,,,,

[222s]

Originally Posted by toxophilus

The best form of audible warning is a well-developed pair of lungs, fully functioning vocal chords and a big mouth.

I use an air horn, running off a bottle mounted in the water bottle bracket, that is pressurised to about 80psi using a foot pump .

Works very nicely, and car drivers certainly hear it!

[rod]

where i live cyclists are fortunate enough to have dedicated cycle paths to the next village, which is absolutely brilliant, apart from the ar?ehole cyclists from local cycling club who think that sharing a cycle path with mere mortals is nothing less than disgusting, in fact they are loathed to even share the road with cars, so much so that they cycle 3 abreast and WILL NOT yield to anyone coming up behind them. Tossers.

[chrisnjulie]

Originally Posted by rod

where i live cyclists are fortunate enough to have dedicated cycle paths to the next village, which is absolutely brilliant, apart from the ar?ehole cyclists from local cycling club who think that sharing a cycle path with mere mortals is nothing less than disgusting, in fact they are loathed to even share the road with cars, so much so that they cycle 3 abreast and WILL NOT yield to anyone coming up behind them. Tossers.

Ah - the 'lycraboys'. Mind you - I have no objection to following a shapely female lycra-clad bum or two, but concentrating on the road becomes very difficult..................

[rod]

most of the aforementioned ones do have a rather large cup size but unfortunately they are moobs!

[rippedoffagain]

Originally Posted by fowlerman

A swift kick on my passenger door would result in a swift smack in the mouth for said cyclist.

When I used to do a lot more cycling than I do now, I found that car drivers are generally only hard when they are in their cars and can easily get away. I once nearly got forced off the road by a car that just cut over towards me. The driver then shouted some abuse. About a mile down the road I saw his car parked at a pub so went over. Suddenly he was extremely polite and very apologetic about nearly forcing me off the road, claiming he didn't see me.

Originally Posted by catch22

What I'm saying is if cyclists expect motorist to over take them when it's safe to do so. Why when they come up against walkers, do they not do as they preach on the roads. You want to get past me, then go around, don't just think I have to get out of your way. Some say thank you, others just pedal past as if they have a god given right...about fifty fifty I'd say.

Ah, the old walker vs cyclist bit. You're right, but as always there are two sides to the story. There are various off road trails I like to use. They are mapped and signed as cycle routes, but walkers may use them too. Sometimes the walkers will give way, sometimes they walk in their big groups taking up the whole path. This is because many walkers, or 'ramblers' as they prefer to call themselves (because most people can walk, but you have to be elite to be able to ramble) hate off road cyclists. Many of them make no secret of this, campaigning for cyling routes to be closed to protect the landscape, while they hack the ground to bits with their unneccessary spikey sticks (I must be fitter than them because when I walk I don't need spikey sticks). When I'm on my bike and I see these militant ramblers deliberately blocking my way while staring at me with their most menacing face they can muster, I slow down and nod first to show courtesy, but if they still stand fast I just pedal up again and aim straight at them. They then get out of the way.

I do understand that some mountain bikers upset walkers quite understandably. If you go belting past flicking mud and gravel at walkers, they have a right to be upset. But if everyone shows courtesy to everyone else, there is never a need for factions to fall out.

Originally Posted by rod

where i live cyclists are fortunate enough to have dedicated cycle paths to the next village, which is absolutely brilliant, apart from the ar?ehole cyclists from local cycling club who think that sharing a cycle path with mere mortals is nothing less than disgusting, in fact they are loathed to even share the road with cars, so much so that they cycle 3 abreast and WILL NOT yield to anyone coming up behind them. Tossers.

Yes, I know these sorts. When I ride my bike I wear whatever is comfortable and more sort of plod than sprint, except when going down a nice fast hill where I can see plenty in front and there is nobody to run over or flick mud at. I encounter the 'gear tossers' who scowl at me for having obviously paid less than a million billion quid for my bike, and for obviously having a life beyond riding my bike. How dare I use the cycle paths on my sub £500 mountain bike? How dare I go less than 30mph down some skinny track that might have dog walkers or kids playing just round the next blind bend? I must be the scum of the earth for having the audacity to slow down to little more than walking pace when passing walkers on a muddy trail, or, God forbid, I'm almost ashamed to say this, how dare I stop and wait if I see walkers walking round the edge of a deep puddle and if I rode through it I'd surely soak them?