Oiks shouting stuff at cyclists

[Chris S]

Weirdly on Tuesday Simon and I were shouted at a couple of times, which is rather unusual in these parts. It also happened on Saturday up on the Mendips. We were wondering if it is something about being on a tandem that seems to invite it. It could also have been explained by passing within 5 miles of Bridgwater tbh.

Being in a tandem invites much more attention, nearly all of it good-natured and smiley.

Only once, have we attracted a "Waaaannnnkaaaaaahhh" - that from the School bus at Retford, which (in keeping with Bridgewater) probably explains everything.

[tonycollinet]

Passed two gaggles of teenagers last night resulting in two lots of cackling. In fairness, I was on the trike, so cackling is probably justified.

[Kim]

Yeah, it's an occupational hazard when you're on an unusual bike.  Over 50% of what I get is well-intentioned, if sometimes badly timed.

[henshaw11]

I don't even need to be on a bike to have things shouted or gestured at me from time to time - probably summat to do with the possession of some long hair and a clearly offensive beard, and working on the outskirts of Staines..

This morning walking to the office I hear 'a beeep, beeep' and look up to see the twatty 18-yr old driver of an approaching white van signalling with his hand...presumably he was so pleased to see me that he was going to crack one off later..
(Which would seem a bit of a silly thing to do in a sign-written van, but I didn't catch what the company was)

One other occasion some years ago when I was unicycling between home/station/office - similar thing, with 3 blokes crammed across the front seat of a tiny japanese van, tossing (notionally) in unison...actually quite funny, since they looked even more ridiculous than I did.

[Jacomus]

Not an oik... A passenger in an Aussie Movers van, who shouted at a cyclist as they both passed me when I nipped out for a coffee.

Passenger: "Whhhhahaaarbgle- gaaaaaaarble!!!!"
Cyclist: [Ignore mode]
Passenger: "Whhhhahaaarbgle- gaaaaaaarble!!!!"

Then when they both stopped at the lights a little further down the road I saw the passenger lean out of the window and hand a hat (possibly a woolly bobble hat) to the cyclist, which resulted in some thumbs-upping by the cyclist as the van pulled away.

I've no idea how the van passenger got hold of the hat, or the van's rego, but fired off a quick e-mail to Aussie Movers anyway.

 

[clarion]

Conversely, this morning, I was riding up to Mitcham Junction station and heard a regular 'fap fap' sound.  Now, I know it's a bit wooded round there, but... Aaaaanyway, I was then passed by a car with a very flat tyre.  I pulled in front of her in the queue and called out and pointed, while she gazed vacantly.  Two other cyclists tried to explain as well, but I don't know if they got through.  She didn't pass me again, so maybe she'd turned off into the car park to get it fixed.

I've recently been yelling at cars every night.  Those ones with no lights on in the dark.  A couple of nights ago, one realised I wasn't just a random maniac, switched the lights on, and flashed the hazard lights, presumably in a gesture of thanks (unless it was a genuine warning of danger).

Hijack over...

[Butterfly]

Conversely, this morning, I was riding up to Mitcham Junction station and heard a regular 'fap fap' sound.  Now, I know it's a bit wooded round there, but... Aaaaanyway, I was then passed by a car with a very flat tyre.  I pulled in front of her in the queue and called out and pointed, while she gazed vacantly.  Two other cyclists tried to explain as well, but I don't know if they got through.  She didn't pass me again, so maybe she'd turned off into the car park to get it fixed.

Hijack over...

Wasn't a small red car was it? I saw one by the lights on the common this morning. I couldn't see how they thought that driving it was a reasonable thing to do It was a small enough car that I would have attempted to change it myself.

[clarion]

No.  This would have been rather later, and the woman was completely unaware of...everything.

[L CC]

We had a lovely one on Saturday.
Melton Mowbray, Pubbe O'Clock on a Saturday Night.
"You are MENTAAAAAAAAAAL".

This has now fallen into general conversation.
'You alright?'
'MENTAAAAAAAAAAAL'

[CommuteTooFar]

Several times I have heard the passing pedestrians shout "Nice Bike"

[Gandalf]

Had one of those strange encounters as I was locking up my bike at work this morning.

"You're the one who cycles to work aren't you?"

"Yeah why?"

You're crazy!"

[Dibdib]

Yesterday, cycling past some chavvy Swindonian yoofs swigging Stella along a cycle path at 6pm. "YOU FAT C**T".

Charming, innit.

[Feanor]

Yesterday, as I was on the final hard bit of the climb on my way home, in really quite dense low cloud, a car slowed as it apporached from behind.   It waited a monent, and then pulled past, with the front passenger window down.

I'm used to taking a bit of grief here as I'm wide on the bend to avoid the steep apex, and going slowly.

But no!
It's a car-full of young GURLS, and there was a thumbs-up out the window, and shouts of "Yayy! You're doing well! Nearly there!"
I didn't get their number though!

That was a first.

[recumbentpanda]

Riding the bent past a gang of early teen girls.

One of them roars: 'YOU ARE SO AAWWESOME!'.

Her mate, sarcastically: 'Slap Me!'.

Brief pause.

Same mate: 'OWWWW!!!!!'.

First girl: 'Well, you said . . . '

[Steph]

That reminds me of an old Steve Bell 'If...' strip.

"Give me a hot dog and hold the mustard"

[long pause]

"I'm holding the mustard. What do you want me to do with it?"

[Kim]

And, to mark both my return to Birmingham after today's ride and the end of street-harassment awareness week, I had barely left Mordor Central when I got:

"Hey, bitch - bet that's not the only thing you like to do lying down."

...from one of a pair of (presumably drunken) pedestrians.  The other just made inarticulate football-grunting noises.


Witty comments about the bike go with the territory, but is the random misogyny really necessary?   

[Ham]

And, to mark both my return to Birmingham after today's ride and the end of street-harassment awareness week, I had barely left Mordor Central when I got:

"Hey, bitch - bet that's not the only thing you like to do lying down."

...from one of a pair of (presumably drunken) pedestrians.  The other just made inarticulate football-grunting noises.


Witty comments about the bike go with the territory, but is the random misogyny really necessary?   

I think your alternative is to hang around while they evolve, but that might take a little while

[jogler]

Witty comments about the bike go with the territory, but is the random misogyny really necessary?   

It's because their brain cell is in one of their bollocks

[teethgrinder]

And, to mark both my return to Birmingham after today's ride and the end of street-harassment awareness week, I had barely left Mordor Central when I got:

"Hey, bitch - bet that's not the only thing you like to do lying down."

...from one of a pair of (presumably drunken) pedestrians.  The other just made inarticulate football-grunting noises.


Witty comments about the bike go with the territory, but is the random misogyny really necessary?   

I like to sleep lying down...

[Kim]

It's because their brain cell is in one of their bollocks

I considered that, but it seems to me that any self-respecting bollock would have more sense than to shout abuse at random women.  Contrary to the mission objective, and all that.

[Wowbagger]

I would have thought that the mission of a bollock lodging in the scrotum of a lumpen foopball-supporter type was far more likely to be to provide testosterone to the rest of the body in order to relieve the brain from the onerous task of decision-making, rather than that of procreation.

[jogler]

It's because their brain cell is in one of their bollocks

I considered that, but it seems to me that any self-respecting bollock would have more sense than to shout abuse at random women.  Contrary to the mission objective, and all that.

there is nothing within them or of them that has any respect for themselves,others nor anything whatsoever.Respect is anethma for them

[Gandalf]

I just take comfort from knowing that however challenging or crappy life gets, I'm not one of them, that must be unimaginably awful.

[Wendy]

Had some teenager in a small group shout out See You Next Tuesday, so I turned round and asked them if they'd like to say that again. No, not even when prompted. I called them chickens, still no response. Rode off after that.

[Wendy]

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