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Too many cycling twits!
Oh lordy-lord y'all what to do? On my daily commute back and forth into and out of the city of London I am encountering an unfeasibly large number of cycling twits and feel no love for them at all.
Not you obviously, you're alright mate, but you know who I mean right?
Yeah you do. You've seen em, I'm talking about the posers. The people riding bikes that cost more than my car and its a pretty damn-nice car too! Clad in team Sky colours, posing with energy gels at traffic lights - cutting you up and riding around at night, with no lights wearing all black thinking that they are invincible Ninjas. You're not f@ckin Ninjas OK!
Worst of all seems to be the growing number of people that get into daily slanging matches with car and bus drivers.
I've even seen and been on the recieveing end of arguments with fellow cyclists. Where's the solidarity brothers and sisters?. How many people have to die before you are going to understand the simple rule: Biggest Wins!
Dont fight cars you are going to lose. Surely deference is the key for all us road users to get along.
It never used to be this way. Will it ever revert or has the lid to Pandora's box fallen off its hinges?
What do people think?
Will the sea of cycling twittery eventually recede back and allow a return to good times?. Shoud I just get over it, grow a beard, drop a grand in Rapha and remortgage my house to buy a bike that I am too fat to ride properly?
Someone said to me recently "Cycling is the new Golf". The shock has worn off but the pain hasn't gone away.
Your answers on a postcard please.
Big Love
Uncle Badger (Trainee Old Git)
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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127 comments
And there we have it. You are exactly the sort I was referring to. The last idiot who tried unclipping and kicking me, didn't understand that I know that particular tool of the FPKW trade. I heard the click, pushed on, he totally missed and ended up weaving in front of a van. I nearly fell off I laughed so hard.
Oh what a wonderful human being your are. You'd probaly wish I did miss you as well.
Isn't this the same as as those choppers that burst themselves to get ahead of you, race you when you're just on a steady ride, burn themselves out and then you have to keep overtaking them because they aren't able to keep the pace up?
Nope, they are a totally different game altogether. If I come across that lot, I'll just sit beside them, then gradually increase the pace, until they feign a technical and disappear.
Meh, I do find it a bit odd that people commute on a top spec road bike wearing incredibly expensive kit - I'm guessing these are people who have secure lock-ups at work and... nope, can't really find the logic in wearing your best kit for the grind through town. Save it for the countryside, that's what I say.
Still, it's a lot of fun dropping those people when I'm wearing jeans and trainers and riding a scrappy singlespeed that's 2 sizes too small for me. A roadie in disguise, fun humiliation points.
I don't think it's worth getting upset about. There's far worse things.
The only reason you feel that way because you are jealous. Not attacking you.
Its applies to anything expensive really. Some buy it because it is status symbol some buy it because they really like it.
I wear rapha stuff but I didn't buy them from the beginning. I just really like it and not wearing it riding to win any races or trying to make anyone feel inferior. You buy what you like and what you can afford and live within your own ability.
I have tried so many different brands from very cheap to the very expensive and I go for Rapha or Vulpine stuff all the time.
Jealous? If you were to read between my lines you'd realise I own far too much overpriced bike clobber, and several too many expensive bikes. Not a brag, not trying to make anyone jealous - I'm a bike addict and I buy too much stuff I do not need. But I save the stuff I don't need for when I do actually need it - that would be out on the open road, not commuting into town.
This has turned into a weird willy waving contest.
Nothing wrong with good clothes and good bikes. Not a fan of the Sky stuff myself, but whatever floats their boat.
You seem to be really just a bit jealous. Faster, better bikes and clothing. The other bits about the arguing with cabs and buses just seems to be by way of justification. The people that worry me in London are those that have no bike etiquette, whether that be waiting at red lights, or just being observant of their fellow cyclists. I'm not going to generalise like you, because bad cycling happens whether the perpetrator is on a cheap fixie or a carbon racer, and your personal bigotry has no place on the roads or here.
I think that's at the unpleasant root of all this. Why should anyone care what someone else is wearing?
You see other cyclists when you go out?
I've been out 3 times today (OK, 2 were very short rides) and I only recall seeing 2 other bikes. One kid on the pavement doing his paper round and one guy on a roadie who looked to be commuting.
Car and van drivers on the other hand, 3 acts of idiocy during a ride of less than 2 miles. Can anyone top that?
Idiots and lovely people are everywhere. Some drive cars some wear rapha and some eat carrots. Get used to it.
I think there ARE issues with cycling in London, but none of the above really make it very high on my list. The whole environment is so choked and frantic and dysfunctional that it puts pretty much all road users on edge to such a degree that they start blaming their angst on apparent, visible targets, like other people. And their clothes.
I think a lot of the things you've listed are irritations and distractions. Concrete is where a lot of the problems start, but concrete is a lot harder to be angry at.
That's what I think, anyway.
I'm just waiting for something we can all hate as one.
But don't worry it's coming.
Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists will all hang back 30 feet from those irrational, driverless cars- which way is it looking? No idea it's got no face. Which way is it going? No idea. Collectively we travellers can shake our heads as we watch the robot do its taking-over-the-world-one-step-at-a-time thing. The hate will bring us all together.
I'm obviously very lucky as i dont have to cycle into or through a major city on my current commute. I used to cycle through Newcastle and the vast majority of drivers and cyclists were spot on.
As for wearing team colours, wear what you want , when you want is my opinion and who should say otherwise
Sorry, but I have zero empathy for you. Your post seems motivated by pettiness. Are these 'newbies' on road bikes going too fast for your tastes? And who cares what they are wearing; it is undoubtedly true that you do not see Sky jerseys everywhere. This is a stereotype you have just pulled out of your hat to stoke up replied for your post. Hadn't you noticed that cycling team ARE like football teams and sell kit to their supporters to generate revenue?
I would actually expect a person with a bike and kit as you describe to ride more proactively and predictably. Or perhaps you are like the muppet I encountered last week who braked rapidly for a large puddle right in front of me leaving me boxed between his backside and an overtaking Nissan Micra. He did not react positively when when I verbally pointed out that his temerity was dangerous and he should be more aware of other road users.
This is one of the most fallacious posts I have seen on the forum in a while.
Neither should he, you were too close. You'd be pretty upset if a car was tailgating you the same way you were riding behind him.
You are incorrect. I was not tailgating him. I was approaching from behind at a pinch point beside a pedestrian crossing. The puddle was beyond it and in front of a parked car, with a car overtaking at the same time. He stopped dead in the road at what is already a dangerous spot on the road just because he didn't want to get a bit more wet than he already was. You should be looking up the road 50m ahead for hazards instead of 5m ahead. The number of times I see people jagging back around parked cars instead of just holding a straight line between is unbelievable.
Nice try at a reversal, but you weren't there, it was dangerous. I suppose I was also 'tailgating' a guy who kept coasting randomly in front of me, again where I could not overtake due to passing cars. I was forced to brake a number of times and when I finally did overtake him he was eating a carrot. I'd rather be following a Skyboy any day.
"when I finally did overtake him he was eating a carrot."
Lol! Will have to remember to take a carrot or two on my next ride - who the hell does that!
But its the responsibility of the following vehicle (or cyclist) to manoeuvre and watch out for the one in front. The one in front has no obligations to look out for the person behind them. That seems to have always been the view of this forum, when we are talking about motorists coming up behind cyclists, so why would this be any different? He "kept coasting randomly in front of [you]"? So what? It might not have been random to him (perhaps it was a dam fine piece o' carrot?) Well then you hold back until its safe to pass, or you go full on and pass him, or you decide now is a good time to pull over and pretend to check your phone until he's a safe good long distance ahead.
I got cut up by a car this morning going through Tooting. I clipped the back passenger side, but managed to stay upright. The driver jumped out and I could see he was livid and just looking to throw one at me- frothing at the mouth and swearing. So I rode away with him running behind me just far enough not to catch me - with me telling him to run faster - for about 60 yards until he got tired.
This place is going crazy...
You're lucky for sure, It's a shame you didn't have a helmet cam, you could have shamed this idiot on YouTube because it sounds way funny!
A lot of what the OP says is true. The way people ride in London is shocking and they wonder why there are so many getting squashed by trucks. You dont pick a fight with 15 tonnes of metal at a junction. Wearing Sky jerseys is not my thing but it is no different from wearing the same football jersey as your favourite team or all buying a barbour quilted jacket because someone else wears one and you think its trendy. Not a reason to slag someone off in my view. Same if someone has worked hard and earned enough cash to spend thousands on a bike then good luck to them. You dont have to be a super fit pro to enjoy riding a quality bike and if they are riding 25 miles to work in London every day then wearing good kit and riding a good bike makes the experience more enjoyable surely. I like to leave my best bike at home and ride the cheap and hopefully less attractive to thieves single speed round London. My choice and if it means someone looks down on me thats their problem I couldnt care less. respect for all road users and especially in London the pedestrians is bad. Ride with a smile it makes the day better
Interesting idea. Pity that the majority of the people getting squashed are the "deferent" ones following the infrastructure which leads them up the inside of trucks to be squashed at the junctions.
Follow the rules: ride assertively and take primary.
Not disputing the infrastructure is also appalling and contributes to some of the sad incidents. But I see every day trucks already stopped and waiting at a red light with a tiny gap between them and the curb, often due to narrow roads, and a cyclist will attempt to get infront of the truck just as the lights change to green. They are in the blind spot for the driver and are either lucky to get past before the truck moves or have to suddenly stop and lean over the pavement. That is not assertive riding it is stupidity. Waiting for the truck to move first would have cost them 10 seconds and not potentially their life.
I'm with the OP on the sentiment of the post more generally.
It's apparent that there are lots of newcomers to the "sport" of road cycling, invariably riding the bandwagon of recent Olympic and Tour success and cycling being all fashionable.
It's all willy-waving. If your employer gives you a big enough bonus then it's easy to pop down the nearest store and splash 5 grand or more on a bike, together with all the matching high-end kit, simply to show off. They've probably got a similarly expensive set of golf clubs gathering dust in the garage right now. bigmel is quite right, those people will soon disappear once cycling is no longer trendy.
But, as a utility cyclist as much as I am a sport cyclist, I naturally see more people on bikes as a good thing. I'm not in London, and so don't experience the same daily hostility towards cyclists as some living there clearly do, but the more people we get on bikes, the more that people will accept cycling as a means of transportation, and the greater likelihood that we'll get the funding and infrastructure (and respect from other road users) that we all want.
'peoples general attitude to other people '
'we are becoming a very selfish nation'
This is exactly the problem. Some people have no respect for anyone who has actually achieved anything with their lives. So they ride around town wearing team jerseys.
I'm with you on all your comments apart from the 'sky cycling clothing' and 'sipping gels'. Who are we to judge if what they wear, as long as they abide to the rules of the road then wear/eat what you want!
Unfortunately, I can only see it getting worse as more people take to 2 wheels. I've seen a decline in driving behaviour over the years, peoples general attitude to other people in society is getting worse, just look how some people speak to others on this forum at times!! We are becoming a very selfish nation and I find more and more people are out for themselves and after personal gain. Unfortunately this usually results in the neglect of others around them.
All we can do is our little bit, stand up and speak out for what we believe to be right and hope it makes a bit of a difference.
Some of what you say is valid, but I have to disagree on some points.
"Worst of all seems to be the growing number of people that get into daily slanging matches with car and bus drivers.
I've even seen and been on the recieveing end of arguments with fellow cyclists. Where's the solidarity brothers and sisters?. How many people have to die before you are going to understand the simple rule: Biggest Wins!
Dont fight cars you are going to lose. Surely deference is the key for all us road users to get along."
NO! Biggest does not win, and you shouldn't have to bow down and grovel along just because another road user is in a vehicle. I don't "fight cars" but if any fecker thinks that they can drive badly around me, I will point out what they are doing wrong. Loudly and with a lot of arm waving. I used to swear and call them effing c's, but have calmed that down a bit. A lot of cyclists think it is useless, but if it makes one driver take a bit of care then it is worth it. I have seen it work; when a car does a close pass and I call them out, usually the next two or three cars cross over the white line and pass properly, and I acknowledge them.
"It never used to be this way. Will it ever revert or has the lid to Pandora's box fallen off its hinges?"
Er, no again. I have ridden for 35 years, and there have always been careless or aggressive drivers who don't think cyclists should be on the road and think it is ok to drive badly around them.
"Someone said to me recently "Cycling is the new Golf". The shock has worn off but the pain hasn't gone away."
Yeah, I don't like that one either, golf has never appealed to me.
When I read the post initially, I thought to myself, the road is for all, and we should not judge, but then I got thinking there are good drivers and bad drivers, equally there are good cyclists and bad cyclists.
I think I have pretty much seen every kind of bad cycling (and driving) there is, more recently I observed
- A fellow cyclist jumping a red light during a charity ride (wearing a charity top - great advert!) in front of hordes of people.
- An impatient cyclist not allowing a car to do a complete three point turn - weaving in front to gain those precious seconds - resulting in swearing and gesturng from both parties.
- And just last weekend, two cyclists with CTC tops rounding a junction on the pavement because they couldn't wait one minute for the lights at a crossroad. GRRRRRRR.
Some people on bikes think they are pros, above the law and just too cool to have to stop, slow, or lose time.
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