Your rants here.

Sailorchick

Almost ran over a lady and her little boy (about 8-10 year old) this morning. Filtering past very slow moving traffic so not exactly going at any speed and she just steps out dragging him with her. The only thing that stopped the collision was how slow I was going as my brakes are in need of replacing and it was wet so even worse. Her response to my shout of Oi! as I hit the brakes and get a foot down was - its not easy crossing here!!!!! Well its a damned sight easier if you actually look before walking out!

mattisard

The Running Man wrote:

I think I've found my spiritual home

So I'm heading up the A4 out of Bath through Box and I approach a set of traffic lights with a straight on lane and right hand lane to turn right up to 5 Ways. Before you hit the lights there's an island in the middle of the road with a bollard on it. These always hack off drivers who try and squeeze through on your outside only too find it's too tight and they have to brake sharpish.

So there's a couple in a car behind me who've just done exactly that. It's useful for me because I can then "safely" signal and move out to the right to take the turn up to 5 Ways.

Woman in car decides to accelerate on the inside lane then pull out in front of me into the right hand lane and causes me to brake. I shake my head. She hits the horn BUT .......

The lights turn red. I pull up alongside and smile and tap on her window. Man in car glowers. I politely suggest she didn't need to blast her horn at me. She says I swerved out in front of her to the right and she only just missed me.

I suggest she either didn't see me because I did clearly signal so she either wasn't paying attention to the road or she was driving too close to me - so which is it as she can't have it both ways.

Boyfriend weighs in with a load of really aggressive verbal - shouldn't be on the road, I'm an effing tw*t, etf*ckingcetera.

At this point I politely invited him to leave the vehicle and step out onto the side of the road where we could continue to have an informed discussion or if he'd prefer I could spread him all over the f*cking pavement and make him wish he'd spent the afternoon driving 6 inch nails through his penis.

That seemed to do the trick nicely and they shut up just in time for the lights to go green ....

:roll: :roll: :roll:

NICE ONE...

i usually just end saying something polite along the lines of 'thank you for that' or 'well done you nearly hit me'

mattisard

mini roundabouts are my biggest issue, when you are already on the roundabout, and someone pulls out on you. Normally they cut the mini bit in the middle, or sheepishly slow down as i glare at them. But once earlier in the summer, i entered mini roundabout, and car proceeded onto roundabout. Looking like he was getting close, i unclipped my right shoe. He got close enough that he hit my shoe and there was a small scuff on his car. He pulled over in the road and jumped out the car in a very threatening manner. I stopped and waited......meanwhile the car behind me also stopped, a cyclist no less, got out of the car and had a go at the driver for pulling out.

The matter was resolved...he got back in his car and drove away and i thanked the driver behind me that stopped.

knappers

Boyfriend weighs in with a load of really aggressive verbal - shouldn't be on the road, I'm an effing tw*t, etf*ckingcetera.

At this point I politely invited him to leave the vehicle and step out onto the side of the road


It's amazing how much Dutch Courage a metal box can offer isn't it?

Eau Rouge

As bad as "Car Shaped Object"* drivers are for being crap at overtaking, I've learned to just ignore them, wave a "WTF" wave at them, more in the hope that the sheep driving behind doesn't just copy them and remembers to make their own driving decisions and overtakes me properly
It's a little harder to ignore a police driver, marked car, speeding (no way was he doing 30mph) overtaking far too close. He's a lucky officer that he didn't have to stop anywhere I could see him.

*Like a Bike Shaped Object. A car Jeremy Clarkson would hate. It could only be bought by someone who doesn't actually like driving, doesn't see it as a skill to be learned, and consequently, aren't any good at it. These people are far worse than BMW drivers.

rolf_f

Eau Rouge wrote:

*Like a Bike Shaped Object. A car Jeremy Clarkson would hate. It could only be bought by someone who doesn't actually like driving, doesn't see it as a skill to be learned, and consequently, aren't any good at it. These people are far worse than BMW drivers.

Analogy doesn't work too well IMO. Firstly, Clarkson loves loads of car shaped objects (eg badly made Mercs, the Ford GT40 rep that can't fit down roads due to its width etc) and secondly, unlike bikes where very cheap = very crap, often the best cars are the cheapest. Eg little Korean things that are totally reliable, don't waste excess width and length on the roads and aren't meant to be over-priced, excessively heavy disposable designer goods (eg Audi TT).

Generally, if there is a relationship between cars and car shaped objects based on cost, it is an inverse one. That doesn't alter the fact that the cheap cars are often the most badly driven - just that they are anything but a CSO (though to me CSO is a combined sewer overflow but never mind!).

downfader

Well.. was nearly rear ended this morning. Riding uphill there is a traffic island that I have frequent problems with, so I will keep a strong eye on traffic behind and brake before drivers have a chance to off me.

So this morning check behind before entering the zone of doom between the kerb and island (which is JUST wide enough for a standard bus or lorry) and see a people carrier a fair bit off.. as I just enter the zone of door I hear tyres sliding uphill behind me!! :shock: I turn around and see the people carrier, which must have been travelling at a fair old lick, has locked its brakes and is right up my buttocks. How he stopped is only down to luck - it was fairly wet and rainy and I had nowhere to go technically - a stupidly large car to use on the road. I put my right palm out in a "WHOA!" moment

Exit the zone and he overtakes. I can clearly see he's playing with something, he gives me an odd look and drives off whilst I just shake my head.

Idiot.

jedster

Can I join in?

My pet hate is blind bend overtaking. There's a couple of really good blind bends on the country leg of my commute. I've learned to take the lane ahead of them (cue occasional revving and flashing) because quite frequently drivers seem to say

"can't see anything coming, what the hell, I'll give it a shot"

The reason they can't see anything coming is because its a blind fookin bend!!!

A typical annoying situation happened tomorrow.

I approach the bend and hear a car accelerating towards me. Shoulder check. Yep they look like they're planning to "give it a shot". better stop that so I move to take the lane. They sit on my @rse round the bend. As soon as I can see round the bend, I move to secondary so that they can go through. But do they? Oh no, they can see an oncoming car in the distance and decide not to overtake.

Here's the thing:

1. blind bend = I'll give it a shot even though their coud be a truck round the corner
2. open road with an oncoming car miles away giving them plenty of space to overtake safely = oooh better not risk it

Absolute muppets...

J

downfader

jedster wrote:

Can I join in?

My pet hate is blind bend overtaking. There's a couple of really good blind bends on the country leg of my commute. I've learned to take the lane ahead of them (cue occasional revving and flashing) because quite frequently drivers seem to say

"can't see anything coming, what the hell, I'll give it a shot"

The reason they can't see anything coming is because its a blind fookin bend!!!

A typical annoying situation happened tomorrow.

I approach the bend and hear a car accelerating towards me. Shoulder check. Yep they look like they're planning to "give it a shot". better stop that so I move to take the lane. They sit on my @rse round the bend. As soon as I can see round the bend, I move to secondary so that they can go through. But do they? Oh no, they can see an oncoming car in the distance and decide not to overtake.

Here's the thing:

1. blind bend = I'll give it a shot even though their coud be a truck round the corner
2. open road with an oncoming car miles away giving them plenty of space to overtake safely = oooh better not risk it

Absolute muppets...

J

Do you have a time machine?

redvee

Coming through Newfoundland Circus in the rain tonight going straight across from Bond Street into St Pauls parellel to a pedestrian crossing there is an umbrella crossing correctly then it diverts across the road I'm about to go into, St Pauls Street, without looking. No chance of me slowing on 25's in the rain and no doubt with a car up my ar$e so I go to the far right and give the umbrella some verbal instrucions on how to cross a road "Look before you cross" I was 2 foot away from the umbrella at this point and did raise my voice somewhat.

00rush

Talk about the bane of my commute. Live in a nice quiet part of East London, but the daily commute involves cycling down the hellish Whitechapel Road / Mile End road stretch to Stratford. Broken glass on the road, aggressive drivers (especially on the Bow flyover), reckless motorcycle couriers, but by far the worse are the bendy bus drivers on route 25. Overtaking and then cutting in straight after to the bus stop. So annoying, especially with those stupid Extra Long buses. I am glad they are getting rid of them.

On a side note, does anybody know a route from Snaresbrook or Wanstead in East London down to the city that is not full of traffic lights (Lea Bridge Road - Clapton - Hackney) or just super busy (Leytonstone - Stratford - Mile End - White Chapel).

attica

00rush wrote:

Live in a nice quiet part of East London

Surely that's an oxymoron?

el_presidente

Thsi is a rant at myself for losing my rag with a car and slapping the bodywork, I must really stop doing this. the car had pulled out of a side road in front of the rider in front of me , i.e. none of my business. DON'T PICK FIGHTS WITH RANDOM CARS

jedster

Do you have a time machine?

of course, don't you? :oops:

Tempestas

What is the point of my pc telling me I have just plugged a headphone jack in?

I know I did it!!!!

Skippy2309

been a while since posting in here so here's the latest..... in no particular order

Take the missus and my father out on a nice 2hour ride, outward trip was nice, trip back have a lady push her bike out into the path with her headphones in. its a bloody canal path and I skid to a stop trying not to end up in the canal, I get the what the hells wrong with you look, while she faffs about and then sets out down the canal.

Also had this combo in one day!!!! an idiot pulling along side me for a good 30 metres then all of a sudden starts moving to the curb and then starts indicating, wouldnt of minded but the turning was right in front maybe 12 feet tops, full on braking and I still just missed the car as they went round the bend....

same road have a bus driver try and muscle me out as I am filtering through I slow down to near walking pace (i dont like filtering at speed people appear from everywhere) and as I am passing the window he pulls out, I shout Oi to which I get called a stupid C*nt and loads of abuse, I was tempted to stand and argue but decided to carry on instead....

still on the same road (yes its a bloody long one) see a BMW M3 indicating to turn and slowing down to make the turn. Instinctively I slow so the car can go and I do not need to stop, so I am slowing and slowing and slowing to the point where I have both feet on the floor waiting for the bloke to make the turn..... he was a good metre and half into the road part turned in for the turn and not bloody moving.

was a good day :shock:

mattward1979

As tenous a link to a decent yarn as it may be, My old MTB was involved in a scrape or two when my friend borrowed it to do some courier work in the west end...

A Bus pulls out on him, near Oxford st (a routemaster.. this is a long time ago!!) so he stops, and throws the bike at the windscreen of the bus causing several hundred pounds of damage.

Couple of days later, John Prescott steps into the road in front of him, and the only natural reaction is to scream "Get out of the way you fat C**t!"

he Quit a day later lol

cjcp

To the people at Cateye: PM me once you've mastered the art of making lights which don't stop working in the rain. In the meantime, I might stand more of a chance of being seen if I use candles. :evil:

northstar

Never had a problem with cateye's in the rain, maybe you're batteries ran out.

cjcp

northstar wrote:

Never had a problem with cateye's in the rain, maybe you're batteries ran out.

Unfortunately, not. Put new batteries in just to check and had the same result: four or five flashes and then nothing.

northstar

That's a nuisance, I had some rain get in a rear light recently (not a cats eye), refuses to at all now.

jinnan_tonnix

For waterproofing lights, silicone grease is your friend. Use liberally around the rubber gaskets and seals on your lights.

Maplins do a 50g tube (don't get the aerosol) for under 4 quid. This will last ages.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=29006

Only use silicone grease on rubber seals/gaskets; grease made from hydrocarbons (PTFE, WD40, general motor grease, etc) will cause the rubber to perish and crack.

Mr Sworld

jinnan_tonnix wrote:

For waterproofing lights, silicone grease is your friend. Use liberally around the rubber gaskets and seals on your lights.

Maplins do a 50g tube (don't get the aerosol) for under 4 quid. This will last ages.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=29006

Only use silicone grease on rubber seals/gaskets; grease made from hydrocarbons (PTFE, WD40, general motor grease, etc) will cause the rubber to perish and crack.

How is this a rant?

Kazz_uk

Today i met my arch-nemesis on a cycle path.

It was spread out fully across it but for a small gap.

Was pretty much unavoidable.

And i ploughed through it.

Damn you steaming heap of horse sh*t! They should be made to carry poop scoops the size of wheelbarrows...or even wheelbarrows themselves in tow.

Mr Sworld

Bunny hop over it! :P

ride_whenever

most of the non-waterproof waterproof lights, it's just the contacts, sand them a little and they're good to go again.

The Running Man

And another thing ...

I stop this morning at a junction about 2 feet out from the kerb. There's a left, straight ahead and right hand turn and I'm going straight ahead. It's a fairly narrow 2 lane road with traffic waiting opposite to come across towards me.

So I can hear a car coming up behind me and I ignore it as there's more traffic than you can shake a stick at. I expect it to pull up behind me - but no this woman has to pull up alongside me. She now already has her offside out over the central white line. A gap appears in the traffic and a car opposite pulls across towards us and is heading for the car alongside me. The woman in the car pulls of without giving me a second thought and unless I take evasive action I'm going to get squished as she veers into the kerb to avoid the oncoming vehicle. She then has the brass neck to give me the evil eye and various furious gestures for being there.

How does that work??

The Running Man

And another thing ...

I stop this morning at a junction about 2 feet out from the kerb. There's a left, straight ahead and right hand turn and I'm going straight ahead. It's a fairly narrow 2 lane road with traffic waiting opposite to come across towards me.

So I can hear a car coming up behind me and I ignore it as there's more traffic than you can shake a stick at. I expect it to pull up behind me - but no this woman has to pull up alongside me. She now already has her offside out over the central white line. A gap appears in the traffic and a car opposite pulls across towards us and is heading for the car alongside me. The woman in the car pulls of without giving me a second thought and unless I take evasive action I'm going to get squished as she veers into the kerb to avoid the oncoming vehicle. She then has the brass neck to give me the evil eye and various furious gestures for being there.

How does that work??

shouldbeinbed

To the people at Cannondale. Attention to detail is the key when you've just taken £1300 of my hard earned off me, and would it really bankrup you to put a dab of grease on the pedal threads so i can take them off without the labour of Hercules!

and no - a wheel rim and tyre combination which are different sizes are not the dealers fault despite your best efforts to absolve yourselves of any shred of blame and imply that you send a picture of the finished machine to the dealer for him to source the bits and put it all together.

Also would it kill you to put a manual specific to my bike in the pack rather than something which is of absolutely no relevance to the machine i've purchased and it too poor quality paper to even wipe my a**e on.

cocks

Kazz_uk

Dog sh*t and Autumn leaves don't mix well, should have their dog took off them