Oiks shouting stuff at cyclists

[ian]

Not even on a bike, but I was walking with a rucksack on my back someone leaned out of their car window and went 'urrggghhhhh backpack!' and seemed really pleased with his effort.

I genuinely don't get it.

[Jakob W]

First day out with the bakfiets in sunny Walsall; apart from the bemused looks, I had a 'smashing it!', a couple of 'sick's, and the odd 'bwaaargh' from various spotty oiks. I got the impression any given response was a mix of mockery and grudging appreciation.

[Katie]

"You're meant to stop at a red!"

To be fair to them, it was quite a witty response given the situation.

New cycling trousers are shinier than previous pairs. The bike stopped at a red light, my arse kept moving.

[Graeme]

Bloke in a transit van extended a metal tape measure out the window after they'd passed me.

Two possible interpretations came to mind.

I concluded he was impressed with the size of my self-confidence and trying to see if he measured up.

[Blade]

Me, sat at a set of traffic lights on my recumbent trike.
Car pulls alongside.
Passenger winds down window and says 'That looks comfortable'.
My reply, 'Yes, it's like sitting in an armchair in my front room'.
Passenger says, 'where's your telly then' ?
I reach over, tap my Garmin and say 'Just here' 

[Morat]

The usual response to two MAMILs on a Tandem wearing Fat Bastard shirts is laughter. I'm happy with that

[Tigerrr]

I cycle twice a day with my dog Bosun on an extension waist lead. He is a very active Bearded Collie cross with chase and behaviour issues so can't go off lead - given he needs about 10-15 miles a day of running this is the only way I can keep him fit and healthy. For him it is the morning/evening patrols and he sees it firmly as his 'job'.
After a few offs in the early months, he's become an expert at pacing alongside, anticipating which side to cut as we overtake and which side of the bollards etc I am going to go. When he is working he simply ignores all distractions - squirrels under the nose, cats in the way, rats by the river, and all the other inquisitive or barmy dogs who want to have a go. On a mission.  Off the bike - he is a menace. He was in the last chance saloon after an incident with a horse rider in Richmond, and the cycling has effectively saved his life. It was the suggestion of the top (most expensive) dog behaviourist in the UK after vet and other behaviourist consultation. Still got a lot of work to do but he may yet make it to old age.
Every few weeks I get someone tell me I am being cruel to the poor animal, and I am a lazy irresponsible so and so etc.  I respond by asking exactly what their professional qualifications for the allegation are in case they have something useful to say - not yet - and then they get the full works. I then spend the day feeling bad.

[greenmeansgo]

<indecipherable>!
Me: what's that?
Car passenger: 30! You're doing 30!
Me: 30? Really? ... Nice!

I don't have a speedo on my Langster, so I can only guess my speeds. Nice to get an occasional update!

[Pancho]

I don't get much of this really (beyond "morning!" from fishermen).

But I did get laughed at the other day by a gaggle of girls coming out of a school. I'd have laughed too - I don't think it's possible to look anything but comical when fighting a gale, wearing a sodden cape, and trying to hold a sou'wester on one's head. Uncool? Me?

[HTFB]

I cycle twice a day with my dog Bosun ... with chase and behaviour issues so can't go off lead ... he is a menace. He was in the last chance saloon after an incident ... in Richmond ...

"Bosun", hur, hur, sounds a bit like "Fenton".

[TigaSefi]

I cycle twice a day with my dog Bosun on an extension waist lead. He is a very active Bearded Collie cross with chase and behaviour issues so can't go off lead - given he needs about 10-15 miles a day of running this is the only way I can keep him fit and healthy. For him it is the morning/evening patrols and he sees it firmly as his 'job'.
After a few offs in the early months, he's become an expert at pacing alongside, anticipating which side to cut as we overtake and which side of the bollards etc I am going to go. When he is working he simply ignores all distractions - squirrels under the nose, cats in the way, rats by the river, and all the other inquisitive or barmy dogs who want to have a go. On a mission.  Off the bike - he is a menace. He was in the last chance saloon after an incident with a horse rider in Richmond, and the cycling has effectively saved his life. It was the suggestion of the top (most expensive) dog behaviourist in the UK after vet and other behaviourist consultation. Still got a lot of work to do but he may yet make it to old age.
Every few weeks I get someone tell me I am being cruel to the poor animal, and I am a lazy irresponsible so and so etc.  I respond by asking exactly what their professional qualifications for the allegation are in case they have something useful to say - not yet - and then they get the full works. I then spend the day feeling bad.

I do wonder if it cruel to ride with a dog on a lead especially if the dog isn't that big to start with (small legs and no resting). I won't butt in and say you shouldn't do that and if the vet agrees, then who am I to argue. It doesn't sit right with me personally and I wouldn't recommend it but don't feel bad either

[Pancho]

From the description, it's more a matter of tethering a semi-controlled half-wolf-beast than dragging a handbag dog down the street tied to your bike.

[TigaSefi]

From the description, it's more a matter of tethering a semi-controlled half-wolf-beast than dragging a handbag dog down the street tied to your bike.

In that case, carry on as he were then! 

[Morat]

It definitely depends on the dog. If you tried it with a Basset hound you'd fall off everytime it smelt something (which is every 6 inches) and turned 90 degrees to investigate. I'd imagine a Dalmation would love this sort of thing, being bred to follow carriages.

[valkyrie]

I was once walking up a long boring forest track to get to a remote Munro in the NW of Scotland. A farmer in a Landrover stopped and offered me a lift. His Collie was in the front seat so he just let it out to let me in. He then proceeded to thrash the landie up the hill at about 30mph with the dog running in front of us. After about 6 miles we got to where I was going and he stopped to let me out. The collie threw itself in a ditch at the side of the road to cool off but seemed to have enjoyed the run. I very much doubt if a mere cyclist could tire one of those dogs out.

[Arellcat]

While riding home this evening and necessarily waiting in line with the car drivers because there wasn't enough room to filter, an oik on a BSO passed me, shouting, 'YOU'RE NOT A CAR!!'

Well, quite.  Appearances can be deceptive, but it does say "Velo" on the side in eight-inch tall letters.

Two people walking along the road at the time said out loud, 'What was that about?' at about the same time as I was murmering to myself, 'What was that about?'  In my imagination I concocted a splendid reply about his powers of observation and why on Earth shouldn't my bike have a brake light and have its wheels hidden on the inside?

[Kim]

"Aren't you cold?" from a man in thick orange hi-vis who didn't really qualify for oik status, while I was queueing in traffic.

"Only while I have to wait for the cars to get out of the way." I replied, in a rare moment of lucidity.

[Kim]

"Hey you!  Do you know the person who doesn't see sense like Blackheath like that?"

Or at least that's what it sounded like.

They were scary-looking and wielding a can of Special Brew, so I didn't hang around to find out what they actually meant.

[Basil]

I assume that there is a 'bentist in Blackheath.

Well?  Do you know them?  Do they see sense or not? 

[Jakob]

Lady with her dog (off leash) , blatantly ignoring the red light and walked out in front me. I told her "Thank you!" and got a torrent of abuse in return. If it hadn't been for the dog, I doubt I would have slowed down...

[Kim]

Yesterday:

"GAAAAYYY!!!"

"[inaudible] yer boike!"

+ about a dozen smartphone photography incidents.  And an exchange of the unusual vehicle hand wave with a onesie-clad couple on a motor tricycle^[1].


Today:

"Oh look, a recumbent." From an old man at a bus stop on a Bastard Hill.

"G'waaan ya slaaag!"  (In the football voice)  From a ~13 year old boy, in the company of a slightly younger boy and a male adult.

+ about zero smartphone photography incidents.


_{[1] I'd seen them approaching in my mirror, and thought it was another motor-tricyclist who I see on an irregular basis.}

[Kim]

"G'waaan girl!", from random car passenger making an approving fist gesture as I span a trailer load of stuff up the annoying steep bit of the Pershore Road under Rule 9 conditions.

[Basil]

Again?  You aimimg on filling that dump yourself? 

[Kim]

Again?  You aimimg on filling that dump yourself? 

Combination of a couple of new office chairs (hence having to dispose of a couple of knackered office chairs), plus an improbable amount of cardboard, due to barakta's DSA equipment supplier being extremely enthusiastic about courier-proof packaging.  And I've been tidying up, but most of that has gone in the normal household waste.

[Basil]

I've only been to Llifford Lane once with the bike and trailer.  All the way there I was wondering what tactic I would use if there was a giant queue.  As it turned out, there wasn't.  Only 2 or 3 cars, one of which moved up to the customs/immigration post as I arrived.  So I just took my place in line.

What do you do?  Ever had a giant queue?