Your rants here.

Emilia · July 2008

biondino wrote:

Hi Emilia - are you local? I live on Upper Richmond Road, near the Dover House Road turn-off, and I guess I am used to the danger spots you mention, but I haven't had that much trouble. Maybe it's just in comparison to commuting into Soho most days - plenty of spots on that route are a lot dodgier!

I'm local-ish. Upper Richmond Road is part of my commute from Tulse Hill to Southall.

biondino wrote:

Also (and I am aware I've started to do the devil's advocate thing) they have widened the Upper Richmond Road cycle lanes significantly which I guess is worth applauding, although of course you're right, it's a fat lot of good when cars ignore it regardless.

I know - I don't even remember them being there before, so I guess it's an improvement. But then again, is it really? I'm sure lots of cyclists - and lots of drivers - are now much more complacent than they were, and assume that there's far less likelihood of a collision when, if you ask me, there's far more. But that's just me rising to the bait...

biondino · July 2008

I suspect on a wide road like Upper Richmond Road it's probably much of a muchness, as you're seldom fighting for space with cars when you're just pootling along. But my ex used to refuse to cycle on it because the cycle lane was too narrow - this struck me as bizarre and contrary but perhaps a wider cycle lane will have the beneficial effect of making less confident riders feel safer (without being complacent - maybe).

Do you have to navigate that big square roundabout in Tulse Hill? That ain't fun!

Bassjunkieuk · July 2008

biondino wrote:

Do you have to navigate that big square roundabout in Tulse Hill? That ain't fun!

Do you mean the one by the station? If so I have done it heading into London as I go that way to Brixton - coming from Norwood Road I then head up Tulse Hill. Normally OK as I just get in the RH lane at the lights and follow that round, until you get the usual tw@t that pushes in......

Haven't done it the other way yet as I find that tricky in a car, let alone on my bike, so I normally go home via Streatham when on the bike! Might try it next week tho if I'm feeling sadistic and want to try getting up Knights Hill

Emilia · July 2008

biondino wrote:

I suspect on a wide road like Upper Richmond Road it's probably much of a muchness, as you're seldom fighting for space with cars when you're just pootling along. But my ex used to refuse to cycle on it because the cycle lane was too narrow - this struck me as bizarre and contrary but perhaps a wider cycle lane will have the beneficial effect of making less confident riders feel safer (without being complacent - maybe).

Do you have to navigate that big square roundabout in Tulse Hill? That ain't fun!

Yes! I live on Harpenden Road, so it's on my way home no matter where I'm coming from. I just slow right down (good leg-braking practice) and signal like a mad thing. It's not too bad when you're used to it.

I think I know what your ex means about narrow cycle lanes though. I may be wrong, because I don't drive, but I assume that drivers will think they're not going to hit you as long as there's a cycle lane and you're in it, whereas if it's very narrow there's still a chance they might clip you, especially if you swerve to dodge some glass. Oh, and there's a bit on the Richmond Road (heading east) where the cycle lane actually runs out right on a bend...

I think I should stop ranting about the Richmond Road now!

biondino · July 2008

Haha, it's entertaining for me - and I think I know the bend you mean (by Jim Thompson's pub?) where the lane runs out and the road narrows, and because of the shape of the kink cars will without even thinking take the apex. Not fun!

Yesterday I kept coming across riders having squabbles with each other - nary a badly driven car in sight but no end of grumpy finger-pointing and vocal abuse from within the cycling fraternity. We're all the same, no matter what we choose to propel ourselves around with

richlong28 · July 2008

the only regular commuting i do is to work on a saturday and sometimes a sunday but its only a 10 min cycle, but its through a few dodgy places on the outskirts of plymouth city centre, had tones of abuse from drugged up chavs

although i tend to find when i'm cycling on the road i'll get cars shout at me to get off the road, and then if i go on the pavement i'll get people shouting get on the road, whats a boy to do?!

Emilia · July 2008

biondino wrote:

Haha, it's entertaining for me - and I think I know the bend you mean (by Jim Thompson's pub?) where the lane runs out and the road narrows, and because of the shape of the kink cars will without even thinking take the apex. Not fun!

Oh yes, that's the one!

toshmund · July 2008

My company signed upto the "cycle to work" scheme. Sadly the Halfords one! We get an annual productivity bonus, which I try to spend on something for myself...not the electricity bill. Worked out that with the savings, a Boardman Road Comp would be about the exact sum. Read the good reviews about it etc etc. Order my bike, they turn this into a bit of a fiasco - talk of "oh it will be when the container ship arrives now!" Twiddle your thumbs, and double the phone-bill trying to get anything out of them.

Bike arrives - does look lovely. I invested in a Top Peak computer, with the cadence facility. They fit it on the wrong side, the side which has about 3 mm's clearance between the chain guide and the crank. The 3rd ride...brake lightly coming up to a country road junction, thankfully. The front brake mechanism comes off and finishes up in the spokes of the front wheel. Looking at the threads on the bolt, looks like the nut was only wound on 2 or 3 threads. Did not realise I needed to inspect it so intensely, to be honest.

I have given up on Halfords, the bike is in a local independent bike shop...a couple of chips to the fork. Trying to be positive about it, I have £650 worth of kit for £380 and a decent bike for the price. I am not chasing it up with them, with their performance so far I will only lose more hair. Which I cannot afford to do. Rant over!

st199ml · July 2008

This morning an utter plonker tried to kill himself on Elephant and Castle roundabout by running a full red. The same utter plonker then tried to kill a few peds by riding across a busy pedestrian crossing on red just seconds later.

He made my blood boil. Only because he was wearing headphones did he not hear the stream of abuse I launched in his direction.

Thankfully a nice lady cyclist was on hand to say, wearily: "He gives us all a bad name." It was enough to calm me down a little.

downfader · August 2008

I had to have a go at a driver on friday, walking across a pedestrian crossing a guy decided to drive around me and carry on. So I started shouting at the guy. :evil:

Then it happened again today! :shock: :x So again, there I am shouting in full yellows at the guy. I didn't swear as he had his kids and wife in the car but I gave him a lecture on stopping. :roll:

Tried to email the local bobbies about it, found the website, sent email and then realised it was for the wrong country. :shock:

Sent immediate applogy.. Ahh its been a long day.

chuckcork · August 2008

biondino wrote:

Also (and I am aware I've started to do the devil's advocate thing) they have widened the Upper Richmond Road cycle lanes significantly which I guess is worth applauding, although of course you're right, it's a fat lot of good when cars ignore it regardless.

Doesn't making them wider, what with the lack of any enforecment by the boroughs, just make them easier to park in by every man, woman, their builders, postmen, couriers and his dog?

Tried a while back to get Richmond council to do something about drivers parking in cycle lanes, as I was always going around 5 or 6 such on my way to work in Surbiton. Response was that if they weren't parked over a double yellow line then they wouldn't do anything. My response was "they are", to which I was told, oh I guess we'll send an parking enforcer down there, sometime.

And lo and behold, the problem was still there for the next year, though I did once see a police car stopped and asking a driver why they were parked there across the cyle lane

....of course, I always saw plenty of parking officers in the local, resident parking permit controlled streets, but never, ever any on the non-permit streets that always had parking all over the place and which was actually obstructing traffic.

Revenue raising, anyone?

girv73 · August 2008

What is is with "jokers" at pedestrian crossings who shout things at you as you pass through?

I had a kid yesterday go "BANG!" (literally, he just said "bang!") as I went past him. I figure I was supposed to think either (a) I'd just got a puncture or (b) he'd just shot me, but neither of those requires a noise that sounds remotely like a random minichav shouting "bang!". What am I missing?

downfader · August 2008

girv73 wrote:

What is is with "jokers" at pedestrian crossings who shout things at you as you pass through?

I had a kid yesterday go "BANG!" (literally, he just said "bang!") as I went past him. I figure I was supposed to think either (a) I'd just got a puncture or (b) he'd just shot me, but neither of those requires a noise that sounds remotely like a random minichav shouting "bang!". What am I missing?

Put your hand to your chest and lay in the road?

Heres a new rant from me: READ THIS and you'll see why I have been complaining to the council atleast once a month about the state of southamptons roads - too many rogue contractors "repairing" the roads down here. :roll:

girv73 · August 2008

downfader wrote:

Put your hand to your chest and lay in the road?

You know, I'd like to think he'd feel bad and rush to my aid, but realistically I suspect he'd just point, laugh and possible try to steal my shoes.

attica · August 2008

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!

OK so I was being perhaps a bit passive agressive, coming downhill through a village today there's a couple of hundred metre section that's been dug up and resurfaced terribly, so I took the primary. Speed limit 30mph, my speed, 27ish.
Yes there was a queue of traffic behind me, yes there are solid white lines at the centre of the road.

A motorbike comes past me, fair enough, then some pillock in a massive Mercedes squeezes past me with only inches to spare.
I lost it, screaming obsenities into the wind and perhaps gesturing a little at the Merc.

Mr Merc was obviously in such a rush seconds before, but now he was trying to intimidate me by standing on the brakes. I sat up, both hands beckoning a "come on then" gesture. (he was far ahead enough to do this even if he did stop)
Now I'm not going to kid myself, I'm less than 11 stone and not what you'd call intimidating, but Mr Merc Mentalist decided against the confrontation (I would have kept it verbal as best I could, promise) and sped off to wait at the queue for the traffic lights ahead.

I know what I did won't exactly further our cause, but frankly, my life was endangered and I saw red.

The biggest part of my rant is the fact that there is an almost permanent queue for the traffic lights half a mile further down the road, the A**h0le in the Merc endangered my life in order to spend maybe two more seconds stationary in that queue than he would have if he'd managed just a little patience.

Hurry up and wait, seems to be the car drivers motto, it's all so frickin pointless.

<rant ends>

richk · August 2008

Got told at work today that cyclists should be banned from roads on 'health & safety' grounds.

Asked said person if he had any idea of how many people were killed by cyclists & how many were killed by motorists. Obviously didn't have a clue, so I gave him an indication of the relevant stats.

So asked him who he now thought should be banned from the roads on health & safety grounds? "Cyclists" was the answer. Then he claimed to be a cyclist.

grrrr

Fortunately, others (not cyclists) in the office took in my point & told him to stfu.

AndyManc · August 2008

Attica wrote:

I know what I did won't exactly further our cause, but frankly, my life was endangered and I saw red.

Time to get helmet cams .... everyone of us.

attica · August 2008

I'm not sure about the usefullness of helmet cams as demonstrated here
http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12582411&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

It never looks as bad on video

BUICK · August 2008

Have had a really good run of it recently with lots of considerate motorists leaving space for me and gesturing me in with smiles. Today a kid came tearing out of a steep side street on a bmx and turned INTO the cycle path in the wrong direction. I had time to slow and steer around him as there (strangely) wasn't any traffic to my right at that point (there ALWAYS is at that point of the road). I said: 'What are you doing? Use your brain!' and he spat at me. Coming home in the other direction a car parallel with me swerved into the cycle lane to get around a car turning right and I got abuse from the cyclist behind me who'd been drafting when I had to slam on the brakes.

Then a driver going in the opposite direction to me cut across my path turning right rapidly to get through a barely existant gap in the traffic - cue me having to brake so hard I slide and have to turn my wheel to the side so he can get past... with the passenger staring right at me and grinning.

Result? I'm bloody fed up. I'm not cycling anymore...

...today! 8)

chuckcork · August 2008

BUICK wrote:

Have had a really good run of it recently with lots of considerate motorists leaving space for me and gesturing me in with smiles. Today a kid came tearing out of a steep side street on a bmx and turned INTO the cycle path in the wrong direction. I had time to slow and steer around him as there (strangely) wasn't any traffic to my right at that point (there ALWAYS is at that point of the road). I said: 'What are you doing? Use your brain!' and he spat at me. Coming home in the other direction a car parallel with me swerved into the cycle lane to get around a car turning right and I got abuse from the cyclist behind me who'd been drafting when I had to slam on the brakes.

Then a driver going in the opposite direction to me cut across my path turning right rapidly to get through a barely existant gap in the traffic - cue me having to brake so hard I slide and have to turn my wheel to the side so he can get past... with the passenger staring right at me and grinning.

Result? I'm bloody fed up. I'm not cycling anymore...

...today! 8)

Had another cyclist a while ago tell me to get out of a cycle lane...which I was stopped in as I'd just removed some rubbish from it, as I didn't particularly see that it was good to leave it there for any other cyclist to get caught up in.

Did try to catch up to him, but he was too far ahead of me by the time I started the chase, and then ran a red light so no catching him.

Still, a right plonker.

Almost as good as stopping at a red light for a pedestrian crossing, waiting the requisite forever, then starting off when the lights are still red, but the peds have crossed. 4-5 seconds later have another cyclists scream at me in passing whether I new what the red lights were for, which I responded to appropriately...last I saw of him he cut a hard right at a T-junction across the front of a bus which had to brake hard to avoid hitting him, before mounting along a footpath at considerable speed and disappearing.

Again, there is always one who claims to know the law and then gives a good example of doing the wrong thing.

Kieran_Burns · August 2008

Damn you all... I'd forgotten about my reason for a rant until I read this thread

Bridleway on Friday - coming round a long right hander to the first of the three bridlegates (chains to keep shut) Clearly and I mean CLEARLY in view of the 'old gentleman' (with wife) as I come up to the gate... he looks right at me and still closes and locks the damn gate! ARGH!

You inconsiderate, petty-minded, little t*ss pot!

I get through the gate, hop on the bike and what happens? Mr Old Fart and Ms Fartess walking side by side down the bridleway and tut at me as I politely ring my bell to remind them that the cyclist they looked at 20 seconds ago is still there and would like to come past.

Grrr..... normally I get thanked for the considerate bell ring and ALWAYS say thank you as I go past.

I know it's only minor, but Gawd it does get up yer nose sometimes, and that's my favourite part of the commute as well.

JoeSoap76 · August 2008

Does anybody else ever have cause to cycle around the Paisley area?

I was out this evening for the first run in a while (owing to a broken rib - now un-broked) and decided to head through Paisley for a change. I was coming down Caplethill Road towards the town centre and found myself having to slalom around dozens of (to me, anyway) massive potholes.

Unfortunately I had a car pass a little too close at one point and when I looked back to the road after remonstrating with him (not that he noticed) there was a big b*gger of a hole right in front of me. I didn't have time to avoid it, just to do my best to stay in the saddle and try and hop the thing best I could. Managed with the front wheel (and I think that's what kept me upright) but the rear wheel took a bit of a thumping.

The only damage seems to have been the loss of a favoured (but cheap) water bottle that found itself bouncing away under the wheels of the cars behind

I've just written to the council with words like 'fatal' and 'waiting to happen' but I doubt that they'll do much about it because I can't say that any of the other roads I've cycled in Paisley have been much better.

Another nice route struck from my list

chuckcork · August 2008

JoeSoap76 wrote:

Does anybody else ever have cause to cycle around the Paisley area?

I've just written to the council with words like 'fatal' and 'waiting to happen' but I doubt that they'll do much about it because I can't say that any of the other roads I've cycled in Paisley have been much better.

Another nice route struck from my list

I suggest the CTC's project http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/ might be of some assistance, though given that there approach is to apparently only fix 26% of reported hazards I wouldn't hold your breath.

What doing so might help with though is that if you or someone else are injured, you could easily enough establish that a hazard was there and they should have done something about it. Even with damaged wheels you could start a small claims action

I read in the CTC magazine a while ago of such being done where a rider had numerous punctures from carelessly undertaken roadside hedge trimming, in the end he added all the costs of chasing the council for damages costs up and it was more than just a few tubes worth, and they decided not to fight and coughed up!

thomsonn · August 2008

Last week, coming back from Canary Wharf, somewhere round the back of Royal Mint Court / the minories, clear dry road, no traffic within spitting distance, leaning into a bend, 2 pedestrians on the inside pavement, look, see me, decide to wlak out. CRASH. I rant at them stating if I were any other vehicle they woudl nto have stepped out - police turn up (just passing) and threaten to nick me because I wasn;t claming down - sorry but 2 idiots just endangered my life, caused me to crash, ripped my bib shorts , scuffed my brake leavers and they are threatening me. "protect and serve" - didn;t see much of that myself.
PS gave up on cable street - cycle lanes are more dangerous there than good

downfader · August 2008

Attica wrote:

I'm not sure about the usefullness of helmet cams as demonstrated here
http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12582411&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

It never looks as bad on video

Had another run in with a pillock today. He overtook me (all on camera - but I'll probably decline posting it up for the reasons you mention) with barely an inch around my right handlebar. My instinct was to decellerate and brake or face being knocked off. Caught up with the guy later- he'd been waiting at the lights for 5 minutes so I went down the ASL infront, as you do.

I didnt challenge the guy, I have to say, just shook my head in disbelief while it occured.

Lights go green I pull off. Doing about 25mph I would imagine as its downhill and I was in high gear. Couple of cars overtook with loads of space, said Ford Explorer driver from earlier came past again, did the EXACT SAME ****ING THING but hammered on his horn, giving me the verbal. :evil:

I saw red and shouted "whats your bleeping problem!!!?" But he'd sped off by then and I doubt he'd heard me with al the windows up.

I spoke to my brother about it later and he thought it was shocking but asked how far from the curb/parked cars i was. So i said about a meter at most, to avoid the crap like glass and litter. His remarks were that i was an inconsiderate cyclist. You just cant win. :roll:

JoeSoap76 · August 2008

chuckcork wrote:

I suggest the CTC's project http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/ might be of some assistance, though given that there approach is to apparently only fix 26% of reported hazards I wouldn't hold your breath

Thanks

Form filled in and (not holding my breath) I'll wait and see what comes of it.

downfader · August 2008

JoeSoap76 wrote:

chuckcork wrote:

I suggest the CTC's project http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/ might be of some assistance, though given that there approach is to apparently only fix 26% of reported hazards I wouldn't hold your breath

Thanks

Form filled in and (not holding my breath) I'll wait and see what comes of it.

I've been nagging the local council for 10 or so years on various road problems. How long CAN you hold your breath?

JoeSoap76 · August 2008

downfader wrote:

I've been nagging the local council for 10 or so years on various road problems. How long CAN you hold your breath?

Thinking of ringing the council... had an interesting chat with a bloke from the Land Services department at Glasgow Council over the summer. One of the parks on my commute runs alongside a school and (presumably the two are connected) the cycle path is always covered in broken buckfast/Irn Bru bottles. I make a habit of filling in one of their online forms every few weeks to get the path swept but this particular day I knew there was an organised (by the council) 'family cycle ride' through the park so I gave them a ring to make sure they got the message.

The guy I spoke to was absolutely furious. Not with me... with the 'idiots' who organised the event without bothering to let his department know about it. "We’re not mind readers, you know". Anyway, the entire park had been cleaned up by the time I was on my way home.

Maybe that's the trick. Just make up some event and call 'just to let them know'. Maybe they'd catch on eventually, but I doubt it

downfader · August 2008

JoeSoap76 wrote:

downfader wrote:

I've been nagging the local council for 10 or so years on various road problems. How long CAN you hold your breath?

Thinking of ringing the council... had an interesting chat with a bloke from the Land Services department at Glasgow Council over the summer. One of the parks on my commute runs alongside a school and (presumably the two are connected) the cycle path is always covered in broken buckfast/Irn Bru bottles. I make a habit of filling in one of their online forms every few weeks to get the path swept but this particular day I knew there was an organised (by the council) 'family cycle ride' through the park so I gave them a ring to make sure they got the message.

The guy I spoke to was absolutely furious. Not with me... with the 'idiots' who organised the event without bothering to let his department know about it. "We’re not mind readers, you know". Anyway, the entire park had been cleaned up by the time I was on my way home.

Maybe that's the trick. Just make up some event and call 'just to let them know'. Maybe they'd catch on eventually, but I doubt it

I do worse. I tell them about the accidents that their road surfaces have caused. I also tried to get money out of my council for the wheels I'd busted on their pothole 2 years back but no joy.

Different council now though, slowly some of the major problems (like Shirley Road) are being sorted. I'm told its costing a fortune - but the way I aproach this is that if they had paid out the money at the first signs of damage they could have saved this fortune.

Kieran_Burns · August 2008

Typical - I compliment the drivers around here for courteous behaviour and half a mile from home I get a toss-pot in a Focus almost total me.

Long straight road between my village and the next and nothing coming the other way, this utter, utter tw*t came by so close to me I actually felt his wing mirror brush my elbow - I mean literally barely touch.

Scared the living hell out of me of course and I couldn't help think that a 1/4 inch more would've destroyed my arm as he went flying past (another one who doesn't bother slowing for the 40 as you approach my village)

Gods I hate some people.

Your rants here.

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