Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => On The Road => Topic started by: αdαmsκι on 27 August, 2008, 10:33:46 am
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So there I was, cycling along to work this morning. I came up to a line of traffic that was stationary because the traffic lights were on red, so after checking over my shoulder, I moved to the right to filter past the traffic. However, I had to slow down a tiny bit because there was a solitude vehicle coming towards me and there was no point going head to head with this vehicle. Once that vehicle had gone past I continued to filter past the traffic, only to discover that another cyclist had decided that it was acceptable to filter past me at the same moment, leaving me very limited room between the line of stationary cars and his bike. From my perspective I had very little space and an instinctive "watch it" escaped my lips. Nob cyclists took offence to this and I was asked what the problem was. I tried to careful explain that his maneuver had felt like it had left me very little space on the road. I was told "You're over reacting" and after further discussion I was then told, in an very aggressive manor "to watch my mouth".
It's no wonder that cars and pedestrians get annoyed at cyclists considering the lack of standards that some people on bikes seem to display. This guy could clearly see what I was doing, but was too impatient to wait the one second as I slowed down to allow the oncoming can to pass me. And as the traffic lights were on red we both ended up at the front of the queue of traffic, so he hadn't even saved any time by his overtaking.
After this I was cycling along a one way street that is wide enough for one vechile and about 100 m long. I was in the middle of the lane, but that didn't stop white van man trying to force his way past me. And 30 m front of us was a car dropping off passengers, so even if WVM had gotten past me I would have overtaken him again ::-) It was pointless and aggressive driving and after the previous incident annoyed me more than it would normally have done
And breathe.
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It's the sheer pointlessness of this sort of behaviour that takes my breath away.
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Frankly, I'm surprised he stopped at red, as he sounds like the sort of idiot who wouldn't.
Levitate back into the Zen Zone TM Nutty
Get Nienke to give you a head & foot massage when you get home. ;)
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Yes, I was actually surprised that he stopped at the red, although it's a nasty junction and the traffic lights are more useful than most.
Are you trying to restore message karma?!
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Some cyclists (not all) are such twunts. In a way I do look forward to the winter because mostly they rapidly disappear and use the gym instead.
I got tutted at by another cyclist - I had braked because two lads (with their accompanying cans of quality cider) had just stepped out into the road.
I said 'don't you dare tut at me'
She said 'you should have looked over your shoulder to check if someone was behind you'!!!
I said 'shut the f*** up, you stupid f***** bitch!'
She pulled in and said 'how dare you swear at me'
I said 'I can f***** well swear at you if I f***** well like'
She pulled away and then went straight through a red light.
Yes I am not proud at swearing, but its darn infuriating to be tutted at.
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Some cyclists (not all) are such twunts.
Yep, London is full of them and the Fulham Road seems to be particularly well populated. They have no interest in cycling as such or in other cyclists welfare. Red lights are universally ignored. I was tutted at and muttered at the other day fro having the temerity to stop at a red light, thereby preventing a twat from sailing on through. It's just part of a widespread arrogance; "I'm more important, everyone else should automatically get out of my way".
I said 'shut the f*** up, you stupid f***** bitch!'
Fair enough IMO.
I was then told, in an very aggressive manor "to watch my mouth"
I think that would have got me riled most severely. >:(
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I like to play a game with other road users when there is a confrontation like this. Swearing, getting upset, etc. means you lose the game. Telling them about their mistake and how it affected you is really satisfying, and the best win is when they admit their mistake. A poor win is when they swear at you, but at least it's still a win.
I had the best sort of win yesterday when a man in a company van apologised when I told him he'd cut back in on me when overtaking, and before he'd actually finished passing me. If he hadn't, I'd have sent the video and a complaint to his company, which would still have been a win for me!
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I was then told, in an very aggressive manor "to watch my mouth"
I think that would have got me riled most severely. >:(
It annoyed me a hell of a lot as well, but at that point I gave up and took up the Zen approach.
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This makes me feel better that its not just me that feels this way.
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Yes, I was actually surprised that he stopped at the red, although it's a nasty junction and the traffic lights are more useful than most.
Are you trying to restore message karma?!
The Yin & the Yang will equalise when the full moon is in the quadrant of Aquarius, and when there's an "R" in the month.
Anyway, must dash. Just off to York, to then cycle back home. 8)
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I got tutted at by another cyclist - I had braked because two lads (with their accompanying cans of quality cider) had just stepped out into the road.
What were you supposed to do, run into the cider lovers just because she was behind you? ::-)
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Yes, apparently I had to check over my shoulder before braking. Tutting people is worse than swearing in my book, although I should not have sworn.
, although recounting it to my friends makes them smile because I can be an aggressive little rottweiler!
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Stupid cyclist obviously hadn't heard of the 2 second following distance, or of looking ahead and planning.
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I reckon the problem is that loads of people are now on bikes who would under 'normal' circumstances be motorised. They have thus formed the 'motoristys' view of cycling - that it is about arogance, rudeness, law-breajoing and disregard for other people. Once on a bike they put it into practice.
I thought it would be good when the streets were ful of cyclists but actually I think I preferred it when the cyclists were fewer in number but less twitty.
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I reckon the problem is that loads of people are now on bikes who would under 'normal' circumstances be motorised.
Agreed. These are the same people who will drive over the top of you once installed in their motors.
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I like to play a game with other road users when there is a confrontation like this. Swearing, getting upset, etc. means you lose the game. Telling them about their mistake and how it affected you is really satisfying, and the best win is when they admit their mistake. A poor win is when they swear at you, but at least it's still a win.
I try to do that too. Yesterday though, I swore first. It wasn't quite voluntarily due to a very close and fast pass by a burk in an Audi, and I did take a moment to apologise to two old ladies on the pavement. Despite his obvious hurry, the driver was generously able to find time to stop and enquire if I had said something to him. I didn't stop, so he passed me again and pulled across me to make me stop (which I had anticipated and was already slowing). In the exchange that followed - you shouldn't have been in the middle of the road, etc - he actually offered me out for a fight. Since he subsequently failed to get out of car, does that mean I win in spite of the swearing?
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Yes, apparently I had to check over my shoulder before braking.
I'm struggling to understand how this would help the following cyclist.
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I reckon the problem is that loads of people are now on bikes who would under 'normal' circumstances be motorised.
Agreed. These are the same people who will drive over the top of you once installed in their motors.
And they're trying to look cool.
Anybody else noticed this? It's not just the "serious" cyclists in lycra and road-bikes who draft each other up the Uxbridge Road now, everyone's getting in on the act. It's quite sweet when it's teenagers on dilapidated MTBs holding their bars in the middle, one hand either side of the stem, trying (and failing) to look like uber-cool urban fixers. It's less cool when there's fifteen stone of sweaty commuter on a bike where you just know his brakes don't work, trying to draft you through heavy traffic, half an inch from your back wheel (which happened to me this morning). :o
I was tempted to turn round and tell him he wasn't in fact Chris Hoy, but I just pulled over and let him go past instead. He went and clung on to someone else's wheel, lurching all over the road. I was quite pleased he wasn't behind me any more. ;D
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^^^^ Quite. Rainy days are great because the roads are empty of cyclists twits.
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... - he actually offered me out for a fight. Since he subsequently failed to get out of car, does that mean I win in spite of the swearing?
Yes, but you were lucky - you handed him the advantage and he chose to throw it away.
Don't expect this kind of luck every time, next time be merciless.
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If they all got out of there cars and onto bikes, I think it'd be an advantage, though. Seriously, the more the better, and to that end there is value in guarding against taking a "you're not a proper cyclist" attitude. I'm inclined to take the obvious road of citing the Netherlands, where, while there are indeed cyclists in the sense of those who are passionate about it and do it for its own sake, far more than that there are simply people - indeed everyone, pretty much - on bikes. The matter of who is or isn't a proper cyclist because they do it in all weathers, etc., would seem very odd there, I'm certain.
But, having said that, the Dutchies tend to know enough to not be dangerous.
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If they all got out of there cars and onto bikes, I think it'd be an advantage, though. Seriously, the more the better, and to that end there is value in guarding against taking a "you're not a proper cyclist" attitude. I'm inclined to take the obvious road of citing the Netherlands, where, while there are indeed cyclists in the sense of those who are passionate about it and do it for its own sake, far more than that there are simply people - indeed everyone, pretty much - on bikes. The matter of who is or isn't a proper cyclist because they do it in all weathers, etc., would seem very odd there, I'm certain.
But, having said that, the Dutchies tend to know enough to not be dangerous.
Yebbut - in Holland they are all riding around on comfortable situpand beg town bikes. Here they are all on gofast MTBs, or roadbikes etc and convinced they are 'Chris Hoy' or 'Uber cool' etc. It is quite different to POB's. It is like cycling as an alternative to racing a hot hatch with a beancan exhaust. Roll on winter!
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Despite his obvious hurry, the driver was generously able to find time to stop and enquire if I had said something to him. I didn't stop, so he passed me again and pulled across me to make me stop (which I had anticipated and was already slowing). In the exchange that followed -
There shouldn't have been an exchange. In this situation either repass them or stop and wait behind. If they force you into the kerb or get out of the car, mount the pavement and ride back the way you came. You have a legal excuse which is a genuine fear of an assault.
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Despite his obvious hurry, the driver was generously able to find time to stop and enquire if I had said something to him. I didn't stop, so he passed me again and pulled across me to make me stop (which I had anticipated and was already slowing). In the exchange that followed -
There shouldn't have been an exchange. In this situation either repass them or stop and wait behind. If they force you into the kerb or get out of the car, mount the pavement and ride back the way you came. You have a legal excuse which is a genuine fear of an assault.
You're right, there shouldn't have been, I didn't seek one, until it actually happened I didn't realise there was going to be one, and if I hadn't got angry I could have avoided it entirely.
I didn't swear initially to antagonise him, but out of genuine alarm, and he didn't stop so quickly as make me think he was up for an argument. I actually thought he was just pulling in to the kerb, so carried on past. It was only when he shouted at me out his window that I realised he'd stop to argue.
After I'd ridden past him there's a pinch point and roundabout, so when I heard him moving off again, I slowed to let him pass before we got there because I didn't want him sitting behind me gunning his engine and being a twerp. I didn't think he was going stop again, until he angled across me. He wasn't very close, but his intent to stop me was clear.
I'm not entirely sure what he said as I was a bit back on passenger side and I couldn't see him, but there was something in there about if I didn't like it I shouldn't have been in the middle of the road, and how dare I disrespect him. I didn't say anything, neither did his two passengers (one of whom stared ahead, the other just goggled at me out of the window), until he said something about how he should get and give me a good hiding. I'd had enough of his ridiculous posturing and asked him to have a go, which in retrospect was a bit silly but I wasn't being entirely rational at the time. He drove off. I'd like to think it was my manly presence, but it was more likely because he was blocking a junction and someone was waiting to turn into it. Can't hold up traffic now, can we?
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If they all got out of there cars and onto bikes, I think it'd be an advantage, though. Seriously, the more the better, and to that end there is value in guarding against taking a "you're not a proper cyclist" attitude. I'm inclined to take the obvious road of citing the Netherlands, where, while there are indeed cyclists in the sense of those who are passionate about it and do it for its own sake, far more than that there are simply people - indeed everyone, pretty much - on bikes. The matter of who is or isn't a proper cyclist because they do it in all weathers, etc., would seem very odd there, I'm certain.
But, having said that, the Dutchies tend to know enough to not be dangerous.
When I mean a proper cyclist I mean one with manners. Doesn't jump red lights and almost run over pedestrians and force other vehicles to avoid them. I know minor red light jumping IMO is OK but do it with some curtouesy such as apologising if you made a mistake.
Arrogant cyclists really anooy me, you know the one all the sports gear and new bikes and looking down at me as I comute on an old ridgeback Java hybrid, and wear shorts over my cycling shorts and a bib top.
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Despite his obvious hurry, the driver was generously able to find time to stop and enquire if I had said something to him. I didn't stop, so he passed me again and pulled across me to make me stop (which I had anticipated and was already slowing). In the exchange that followed -
There shouldn't have been an exchange. In this situation either repass them or stop and wait behind. If they force you into the kerb or get out of the car, mount the pavement and ride back the way you came. You have a legal excuse which is a genuine fear of an assault.
You're right, there shouldn't have been, I didn't seek one, until it actually happened I didn't realise there was going to be one, and if I hadn't got angry I could have avoided it entirely.
I didn't swear initially to antagonise him, but out of genuine alarm, and he didn't stop so quickly as make me think he was up for an argument. I actually thought he was just pulling in to the kerb, so carried on past. It was only when he shouted at me out his window that I realised he'd stop to argue.
After I'd ridden past him there's a pinch point and roundabout, so when I heard him moving off again, I slowed to let him pass before we got there because I didn't want him sitting behind me gunning his engine and being a twerp. I didn't think he was going stop again, until he angled across me. He wasn't very close, but his intent to stop me was clear.
I'm not entirely sure what he said as I was a bit back on passenger side and I couldn't see him, but there was something in there about if I didn't like it I shouldn't have been in the middle of the road, and how dare I disrespect him. I didn't say anything, neither did his two passengers (one of whom stared ahead, the other just goggled at me out of the window), until he said something about how he should get and give me a good hiding. I'd had enough of his ridiculous posturing and asked him to have a go, which in retrospect was a bit silly but I wasn't being entirely rational at the time. He drove off. I'd like to think it was my manly presence, but it was more likely because he was blocking a junction and someone was waiting to turn into it. Can't hold up traffic now, can we?
I wouldn't beat yourself up about it.
On Monday night my OH had the mirror on here motorbike clipped as she was going to slow before a left turn that a car drier was taking.
He was then quite unhappy being called a Cnut. Then he chased her long storey short police involved and hes claiming crimianl damage and racial abuse. OH is not english and I wonder how much different he would have been if I'd been there and shown him the polite way to treat people.
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It's less cool when there's fifteen stone of sweaty commuter on a bike where you just know his brakes don't work, trying to draft you through heavy traffic, half an inch from your back wheel (which happened to me this morning). :o
You're missing a trick here Liz.
When the sweaty fat lump gets your back wheel, ease off a bit. He'll think he's got you beat and will pass you. You are now free to slipstream a 15 stone windbreak. I'll gaurantee you, that his male machismo will stop him from slowing down until he has dropped a wheelsucking female Liz.
If he does exhaust himself, you can pass him and he'll be too stuffed to sit on your wheel.
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'You're missing a trick here Liz.
When the sweaty fat lump gets your back wheel, ease off a bit. He'll think he's got you beat and will pass you. You are now free to slipstream a 15 stone windbreak'
Bloody brilliant, that is something which I am going to have to cultivate. We all have to accept that there are quicker people on our commutes but sometimes you have to teach them that although they have thinner wheels it ain't necessarily that they are fitter than you although they may think they are :)
Don't you think its freaky seeing really big chaps on thin bikes/bromptons etc? I start feeling sorry for the bicycle..
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This thread is beginning to give me a complex.
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Me too ...
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I had a wheel louse the other day who overhung my rear wheel on the right, thus stopping me from following a smooth line. When I asked him to either overtake, drop back a bit or keep right behind me he told me to stop being a wuss.
I was a bit pissed off, but just dropped my speed until it was clear he'd either have to overtake or lose any benefit, he sprinted off and I was free to continue on my way.
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'This thread is beginning to give me a complex.'
Oh lord, I should zip up my mouth sometimes, but seriously wowbagger I have seen photos of you and you are nowhere near big!
Is overhanging on your rear wheel mean being really really close to your back wheel then?
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Oh lord, I should zip up my mouth sometimes, but seriously wowbagger I have seen photos of you and you are nowhere near big!
:-*
Only 16½ stone! :)
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I'd assume "overhanging" in this context means overlapping his front wheel with your back wheel so that you can't pull out without crashing. It's a really dumb thing to do.
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I'd assume "overhanging" in this context means overlapping his front wheel with your back wheel so that you can't pull out without crashing. It's a really dumb thing to do.
I assume the same and frankly don't worry too much about the guy behind. He'll back off after the first scare he gets when you pull out to avoid a hole.
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Yebbut it's always the bloke on the back that goes down when wheels clash like this.
If I wasn't on my best bike, I'd be inclined to have a quick wobble and see how tight his sphincter control is...
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Yebbut it's always the bloke on the back that goes down when wheels clash like this.
Exactly. No point in worrying about a rider who is behind you.
Alex's new friend was really doing him a favour. No extra danger to Alex, and overtaking vehicles will see a wider cyclist, thus tending to give Alex even more room. Bonza.
(The other guy is still an idiot!)
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Yebbut it's always the bloke on the back that goes down when wheels clash like this.
If I wasn't on my best bike, I'd be inclined to have a quick wobble
That's why you've now got a Mundo.
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Yep, as long as their front axle is behind your rear axle, any contact will leave the lead bike standing (admittedly the rider will probably suffer a Brown Moment) and the rear bike will in all likelihood end up on the deck.
This is seriously sub-optimal, but someone overlapping your rear wheel is unlikely to hurt you.
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Yebbut it's always the bloke on the back that goes down when wheels clash like this.
If I wasn't on my best bike, I'd be inclined to have a quick wobble and see how tight his sphincter control is...
Beat me to it. It's the back one who goes down unless he's Major Taylor [1]. Rather than wobble I'd just move steadily further and further from the kerb. At some point he's going to have to drop back and switch to the inside. Then start moving him back to the kerb. Repeat as necessary. The wuss comment is completely out of order.
[1] Marshall "Major" Taylor was the first black World cycling champion and the second black World champion in any sport. He excelled on the track where he had to overcome blatant racial discrimination. Other competitors would try to box him in to prevent him winning. He was so skilled he could discourage them by tapping their rear wheel with his front until they were sufficiently unnerved to let him through.
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'I''d assume "overhanging" in this context means overlapping his front wheel with your back wheel so that you can't pull out without crashing. It's a really dumb thing to do.'
Thats unbelievably stupid - I don't think that has ever happened to me before, its like caging whilst moving, very dangerous!
Wowbagger - you ain't got nothing to worry about, that must be 16 and a half stone of muscle, whereas I wish I could persuade my 18 stone of husband to do some exercise : )
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Once upon a time I was been slipstreamed by a total knobhead when I stopped, that a Lady with a pram and small child on each arm might use a zebra crossing. Mr Knobhead rode smartly into the back of my steed, bounced off the tailbox and collapsed in a heap in the middle of Hampstead Road, to my considerable amusement.
Me: Are you OK?
Mr Knobhead: Yes.
Me: Pity...
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<snip>
...whereas I wish I could persuade my 18 stone of husband to do some exercise : )
A few sly comments about how he isn't able to, ah, perform, with the same vigour as he used to should get him hitting the gym quick sharp! ;)
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Gym? He's never seen the inside of a gym. He never got taught how to swim nor cycle in school, could not imagine that happening to me!
Seriously he is cutting down a lot on food and alcohol which is good as his exercise (apart from the obvious) is nil.
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Unnecessary Overtaking Manoeuvres are so common, I've abbreviated it and frequently mutter to myself 'another UOM'. Maybe it's hard wired into the cultural conscious that "bicycle is slow vehicle, must overtake". It becomes, "must not read the road ahead, must overtake" with the attendant last minute braking at traffic queues. Then of course, you'll filter, they'll fume. I try and remember 'it's their heart attack'.
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Gym? He's never seen the inside of a gym. He never got taught how to swim nor cycle in school, could not imagine that happening to me!
Seriously he is cutting down a lot on food and alcohol which is good as his exercise (apart from the obvious) is nil.
More of the obvious then. Simple innit. :)
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Unnecessary Overtaking Manoeuvres are so common, I've abbreviated it and frequently mutter to myself 'another UOM'. Maybe it's hard wired into the cultural conscious that "bicycle is slow vehicle, must overtake". It becomes, "must not read the road ahead, must overtake" with the attendant last minute braking at traffic queues. Then of course, you'll filter, they'll fume. I try and remember 'it's their heart attack'.
See "Golden Rule".
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I got a little more than annoyed this morning, much to the amusment of several taxi drivers. I just got so fed up af a huge heard of red light jumpers that after about he fourth or fifth junction they sailed through, I shouted very loudly 'you f**kin idiots!', several of them turned around and wobbled all over the place.
they still all went through the next set of lights though
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Unnecessary Overtaking Manoeuvres are so common, I've abbreviated it and frequently mutter to myself 'another UOM'. Maybe it's hard wired into the cultural conscious that "bicycle is slow vehicle, must overtake". It becomes, "must not read the road ahead, must overtake" with the attendant last minute braking at traffic queues. Then of course, you'll filter, they'll fume. I try and remember 'it's their heart attack'.
Coming down the road the other day, going quite fast, probably noodling above the 20mph speed limit, started to slow for a right turn at the t junction ahead. There's an itchy car close behind. As soon as the road opened up just before the junction, the car just had to go. So it overtakes and ends up at the t junction on the wrong side of the road. Amusingly, there's another large wankpanzer attempting to turn into the road. So, it's face off time, because this is south-east London and no one can give way. Remember kids, giving way makes you gay. Or straight, depending on your starting preference.
Lady in the overtaking car then glares at me as I wait at the junction for a gap in the traffic and plaintively cries "why didn't you slow down?" Hmm, I'm stopped at the junction. I'm pretty sure the mechanism for this involved slowing down. It was nice, warm, smug feeling as I turned and left the two drivers snarling at one another.
But it's not just bikes. Coming back from the supermarket on Sunday, we had a Merc hanging like a limpit on our rear bumper. Did the same thing as soon as the junction came into view. Had to cut the corner severely onto a main road at speed, and only by the graces of any deity was there nothing coming down Elmer's End Road, because it would have been a head-on. Astoundingly, the idiotmobile went into a development about 50 metres further up the road. Evidently well worth risking the life of yourselves and others to get to your destination a few seconds earlier.
The horn on a Ford Ka is, incidentally, pathetic. More of a asthmatic parp. Certainly not enough to put errant overtakers in their place. I think some kind of brown noise targeting device would be good in these situations.
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Is overhanging on your rear wheel mean being really really close to your back wheel then?
Actually overlapping. His front tyre was about level with my rear hub. Totally unacceptable. I couldn't see behind me because all I could see was his sweaty red face, couldn't hear properly either since he kept freewheeling.
Looking down my left side was no good either since I still couldn't see clearly past him.
Since I was on my fixed, getting a good hard tap might cause me to kangaroo. Not much fun!
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Is overhanging on your rear wheel mean being really really close to your back wheel then?
Actually overlapping. His front tyre was about level with my rear hub. Totally unacceptable. I couldn't see behind me because all I could see was his sweaty red face, couldn't hear properly either since he kept freewheeling.
Looking down my left side was no good either since I still couldn't see clearly past him.
Since I was on my fixed, getting a good hard tap might cause me to kangaroo. Not much fun!
In that case slow down and force him to pass you (seriously annoying, but safe)
or
Gently move out wider and wider, he will be forced to drop back.
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Try this if you get motons hoggin your back wheel through speed humps.
Speed up just as you approach the hump. I can do the ones across Tooting Bec at about 35-28kph without to much harm to myself (I can "post" over them no probs at this speed). Following cars adjust to keep the gap constant or try to overtake.
If you get it right you get a loud satisfying crunch from behind and no more hassles!
Great fun. I award myself points. I get double points for overtaking through the sequence (easy - cars cannot do more than 20kph across the humps, although they have time and room to overtake me between humps), extra points for crunches etc.
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Is overhanging on your rear wheel mean being really really close to your back wheel then?
Actually overlapping. His front tyre was about level with my rear hub. Totally unacceptable. I couldn't see behind me because all I could see was his sweaty red face, couldn't hear properly either since he kept freewheeling.
Looking down my left side was no good either since I still couldn't see clearly past him.
Since I was on my fixed, getting a good hard tap might cause me to kangaroo. Not much fun!
read my OP ;)
In that case slow down and force him to pass you (seriously annoying, but safe)
or
Gently move out wider and wider, he will be forced to drop back.
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'Amusingly, there's another large wankpanzer attempting to turn into the road. So, it's face off time, because this is south-east London and no one can give way. Remember kids, giving way makes you gay. Or straight, depending on your starting preference.'
Hahahahaha - sounds like sarth-east London all the way mate..in Lewisham it is no different.
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Unnecessary Overtaking Manoeuvres are so common, I've abbreviated it and frequently mutter to myself 'another UOM'. Maybe it's hard wired into the cultural conscious that "bicycle is slow vehicle, must overtake". It becomes, "must not read the road ahead, must overtake" with the attendant last minute braking at traffic queues. Then of course, you'll filter, they'll fume. I try and remember 'it's their heart attack'.
Coming down the road the other day, going quite fast, probably noodling above the 20mph speed limit, started to slow for a right turn at the t junction ahead. There's an itchy car close behind. As soon as the road opened up just before the junction, the car just had to go. So it overtakes and ends up at the t junction on the wrong side of the road. Amusingly, there's another large wankpanzer attempting to turn into the road. So, it's face off time, because this is south-east London and no one can give way. Remember kids, giving way makes you gay. Or straight, depending on your starting preference.
Lady in the overtaking car then glares at me as I wait at the junction for a gap in the traffic and plaintively cries "why didn't you slow down?" Hmm, I'm stopped at the junction. I'm pretty sure the mechanism for this involved slowing down. It was nice, warm, smug feeling as I turned and left the two drivers snarling at one another.
But it's not just bikes. Coming back from the supermarket on Sunday, we had a Merc hanging like a limpit on our rear bumper. Did the same thing as soon as the junction came into view. Had to cut the corner severely onto a main road at speed, and only by the graces of any deity was there nothing coming down Elmer's End Road, because it would have been a head-on. Astoundingly, the idiotmobile went into a development about 50 metres further up the road. Evidently well worth risking the life of yourselves and others to get to your destination a few seconds earlier.
The horn on a Ford Ka is, incidentally, pathetic. More of a asthmatic parp. Certainly not enough to put errant overtakers in their place. I think some kind of brown noise targeting device would be good in these situations.
Isn't Se London great, try Hackney for that real heart in you mouth am I going to die moments.
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Hackney ain't that bad. Or maybe I just cheat by avoiding the main roads.
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Yes I have heard that Hackney is where the special people are.
I followed one of my colleagues routes home through Lambeth, Peckham and thus onto Denmark Hill..my God that is hairy (and we were doing the Sustrans bit). It's when you have to go through the red light at least 10 seconds before the other traffic because you will get pinged otherwise!
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Hackney ain't that bad. Or maybe I just cheat by avoiding the main roads.
When I lived by broadway market every day was life in your hands. People driving up the wrong way on way streets, instant parking, ignoring traffic lights etc.
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Hmm, maybe I have spent too much time in hackney and I now consider those actions 'normal'
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Peckham is bad, but stick to the main road (A20?) and it is pretty plain sailling.
The S.Circular round Tooting area is pure death! Emily and I saw an apartment the other night near Tooting Bec station - our ride home left my nerves so shattered I had to lie down on my own for 20mins when we made it back. I was utterly reliant on just following Emily too, she got me home.