Is it a brave new world?

Re: #1
Some decades back, when I was young (I'm guessing around 10 yrs old), I was cycling along a fairly narrow shared-use path (was once an old railway track), when a chap on a race bike came barrelling up on a race bike at some speed.
He shouted "on your right", or "keep to the left", or something like that. I was not expecting it and it completely spooked me, so in the heat of the moment, I panicked and ended up going right.

Race bike chap had to emergency brake and we both ended up still upright, having not collided, on the grass at the right hand side of the path. I apologised of course and he was grumpy but not angry.

As I reflect on this, I can't help feel that had he slowed down a little and just carefully worked his way past me (I was a child - I would not have been hard to overtake), rather than yelling at me at speed, the incident would not have happened. And the path was neither a race track, nor the open road.

Not sure this story really adds anything to this thread, but thought I'd share

When did it become normal to shout 'on your right' when overtaking a stranger on the road? These calls are for race situtions, like lapping someone on a 'cross race, especially in a narrow section. On the road shouldn't you just overtake like any other vehicle? Next you'll be telling me you sound your horn when you overtake cyclists in the car; or do you wind the window down and shout at them?

1 & 2 - people, whatever mode of transport they use, are sometimes quite inconsiderate. If its not endangering your life, just say 'tsk tsk' to yourself and move on. Its not a new trend, it has always been that way.

3 - since when is one obliged to acknowledge everyone who happens to be using the same mode of transport as oneself? Are you one of those oddballs who insist on trying to make conversation with complete strangers on the bus (or, worse, the Tube) or saying hello to unknown pedestrians in the street?

Stop doing that! It's very unnerving. Just scowl and ignore everyone else's existence like what normal people do.

230548 wrote:

There are also a great many 'look how expensive my bike is' types out there who have carried there insular aggressive car habits into the biking world

I think I encountered one of them this morning, when riding my motorcycle to work.

Two cycle gear wearing occupants in a Silver Range Rover, the driver just chopped me out of the left hand lane.

If I had done it when I am driving I would expect to cop an earful of abuse.

I am afraid we are from another age i have been in all the similar situations described cycling is no longer the fraternity it was and although there are a great many competent and helpful cyclist out there. there are also a great many 'look how expensive my bike is' types out there who have carried there insular aggressive car habits into the biking world

The OP sounds totally unhinged.

If you'd chased me down for not acknowledging you I'd be bloody petrified that some nutter was about to cause me harm. I say hi or nod to other cyclists regularly but sometimes I'm just cycling home thinking about what I'm going to cook for tea and I don't notice every single person I pass.

Needlessly shouting at another rider and then speeding up to run a group off the road? Pretty dreadful behaviour.

Also, get over your judgeypants snobbery about team kit. People enjoy their sport in different ways, and I'd prefer to cycle with a keen rider in team kit than with someone with an angry superiority complex.

Get over it.
I rarely acknowledge other cyclists, I'm out doing my thing they're doing theirs.
Riding a bike isn't a membership to an elite club like you think, it's a sport and hobby.
If you'd have had a go at me like in 1 or 3 I'd probably have given you a black eye...

No 1 - Even if the guy didn't have earphones in he still may not have heard you. I was out a few days ago and there were a number of times when there were cars behind which I hadn't heard until my companion moved ahead or behind to go single file and let the car past. I couldn't hear very well because of the rush of wind in my ears.

No 2 - They should have been more considerate and moved but was there any need for you to speed up or swear at them?

No 3 - I don't always notice other cyclists, especially if I am concentrating on the road or thinking about something. I tend to acknowledge other cyclists when I see them and contrary to what a lot of people say it's usually the ones in lycra gear who nod or wave back. The ones who are apparently cycling to work tend to be the ones who ignore me. I just don't take it personally.

I had the same ignorant pass by a cyclist this morning. Pulling out of the end of my road I saw another cyclist coming along the lane. Has I had just started cycling building up momentum. He comes sailing by, I glanced across for him to completely blank me. Maybe it was that I was wearing a backpack( loaded up with prudential 100 kit) or my Mtb cycle shorts. I don't know? After a few hundred yards I was up to speed a began to reel him in, then as I passed him with my weighty backpack and uncool shorts I nodded politely and left him behind, smug git

I had a similar conversation with a group of friends recently regarding point 3. Mate was a little upset at some 'arsehole' who didn't acknowledge his cheery "hello". The conversation then targeted elitist arseholes from a local club who always refuse to acknowledge anyone.

The simple point is: Get over it! Your exclusive community has grown, all those Olympic successes, Team SKY, cost of fuel etc. has made some of the most unlikely people jump on bikes. Is it fair to get angry because of their apparent stupidity? In the same way is it fair to hate on every pro rider who doesn't always say wave back?
Take a cross section of modern society, would you put them in a room and expect everyone to get on? No, so why should adding a bike into the mix be any different.

I wave because I want to, not because I demand respect back. I and I suspect others want to believe you were maybe having a bad day, but if this is you behaving normally I kind of hope not to meet you from whichever direction you might attack.

I always nod/ wave etc., but never actually waste any time in checking its acknowledged!

The real mamil issues I see on the lanes and hills ride in groups and have developed a style of riding they think is acceptable, similar to 2) above and other issues, obviously none have ever been in a club or rode with dyed in the wool roadies or tourers. Their favourite tricks:

1) passing lone riders then freewheeling and boxing you in.
2) pushing off from the roadside without looking behind them ( as they're listening for cars not looking for bikes)
3) taking up ten whole width of lanes and not knowing what to do when someone comes the other way.
4) after 1) doing it again when you pass them.......

The OP is also the individual that admitted on this forum to causing criminal damage to a fishing rod.

With his/her latest utterances is it any wonder that cyclists get a bad press.

Riding to work on one of these awful shared use cycle paths, I spot a roadie in full kit preparing to turn left into the road ahead of me. Make eye contact, nod him through. He says thankyou.

Out running with group of runners, at back of group on trail. Hear some MTBs coming up behind me, shout at group to go single file to let the riders through.

And in past half hour, coming up to junction with LH and RH lanes. Shoulder check, driver slows, eye contact, to let me take RH lane. Nice guy.

Brave new world? I'm hopeful. Little baby steps from all of us, and a better overall environment - political, infrastructure, legislative - and we might get there. We're gonna need more cake though. And coffee. Maybe another cake.

Number 1: If you're able to give someone 1.5 m clearance when overtaking, there's no need to get their attention.

Number 2: If you see illegal activity, report it to the police. Don't take the law into your own hands. I certainly wouldn't antagonise the criminal element by shouting expletives at them.

Number 3: Get over yourself. I'd wager the fellow did see you, but simply offered an excuse for terminating the conversation with an apparent nutjob as soon as possible. Chasing someone down because they didn't meet your arbitrary politeness standards is absurd.

"I embraced the raised profile that British cycling has gotten from all the good stuff that has happened, but out on the road I am not so sure if it's been a good thing?"

If it's exposed more folk to people with as short a fuse and with as little patience, empathy, understanding or manners as you then, no, probably not a good thing. Calm down mate, some of that sounds annoying but please read it back to yourself and see if you still think your reactions are proportional.

Why do I get the feeling that on some other cycling forum somewhere there is an perplexed individual posting about the crazy guy who chased him down because he didn't wave at him?

There are many reasons why he may not have returned your friendly greeting:
-he may not actually have seen you
-he may not have been expecting someone to act as if he was his brother-in-arms simply because both of you chose the same mode of transport
-you don't know how far or hard he had ridden before hand-he could simply have been cooked and more focused on getting himself home rather than lookinga round at what other cyclists are up to

Honestly if these are the three worst things about your bike ride then thank your lucky stars. If you are driving, let someone out of a junction and they don't wave back then would you chase them down as well?

So just to check,
1. You swore really loudly at someone
2. You ran some people off the road for no good reason
3. You chased down someone who has no connection with you other than a chosen mode of transport because they offended you by not doing some Masonic wave?

Sorry, who's got issues again?

<-- "Cyclist" earlier today

Pretty dodgy stinky bait but there's a rise for ya

Number 1 depends how quick the OP was going. I don't typically call out to pass on my own, but blasting along on a chaingang can scare people because of the speed we pass them , so I call it then.

Number 2 is a bit inconsiderate of them. Forcing them off isn't great though.

Number 3, ok maybe chasing him was a little OTT!

Bad day in the office?
Number 1. You would have looked silly if he was deaf Why shout at someone you are catching up with?
Number 2. They would have got out of the way, they probably wonder what is up with you.
Number 3. Who cares if 'they' don't wave back?
I ride a bike, have done so for years, acknowledge everyone (even mtb riders ) Offer assistance, try and be the all round good guy...
Still got a arse clenching punishment pass from a c**t in a 7.5t Royal Mail lorry on my last ride (on a nice straight empty road); these people are the real problem.
I am out there for the buzz of tyre on tarmac, wind in the hair, the wiz of the chain, trying to beat my times on Strava... All that old bollox....
I know 'we' get judged by the behaviour of others, but can you honestly say your behaviour was exemplary? Discuss