Your rants here.

dawebbo

goycoolea wrote:

this morning in Camden a lady appeared from behind standing traffic on the middle island of a zebra crossing - I am aware these crossings give pedestrians right of way, but pushing a buggy out into the road when there are cyclists approaching who are too close to stop is unsafe, you are not meant to do this...

"Always check that the traffic has stopped before you start to cross or push a pram onto a crossing" - Highway Code rules for pedestrians 18.

By a miracle I managed to stop by heaving on the front brake, rear brake, and instinctively skid-stopping my rear wheel at once (fixed gear, but I never normally skid). Front wheel was onto the zebra crossing by the time I stopped, narrowly avoiding a "Fixie skidder murders child, pays no Road Tax" Daily Mail headline.

Felt quite shaken up by this, mainly because of the blasé attitude displayed - I just can't imagine the same lady would push her kid in front of a car she could see coming, forcing the driver to make an emergency stop.

Perhaps you should pay attention more and employ a bit of common sense, rather than militantly pointing at who should do what according to the hwc.

W1

dawebbo wrote:

goycoolea wrote:

this morning in Camden a lady appeared from behind standing traffic on the middle island of a zebra crossing - I am aware these crossings give pedestrians right of way, but pushing a buggy out into the road when there are cyclists approaching who are too close to stop is unsafe, you are not meant to do this...

"Always check that the traffic has stopped before you start to cross or push a pram onto a crossing" - Highway Code rules for pedestrians 18.

By a miracle I managed to stop by heaving on the front brake, rear brake, and instinctively skid-stopping my rear wheel at once (fixed gear, but I never normally skid). Front wheel was onto the zebra crossing by the time I stopped, narrowly avoiding a "Fixie skidder murders child, pays no Road Tax" Daily Mail headline.

Felt quite shaken up by this, mainly because of the blasé attitude displayed - I just can't imagine the same lady would push her kid in front of a car she could see coming, forcing the driver to make an emergency stop.

Perhaps you should pay attention more and employ a bit of common sense, rather than militantly pointing at who should do what according to the hwc.

I think him paying attention and applying common sense prevented the accident. Unlike the stupid ped. Common sense and paying attention applies to all road users - pedestrians aren't exempt (even though they often act as though they are)...

dawebbo

I think him paying attention and applying common sense prevented the accident. Unlike the stupid ped. Common sense and paying attention applies to all road users - pedestrians aren't exempt (even though they often act as though they are)...[/quote]

Agree that no-one is exempt. But expecting everyone else to behave in a sensible way is naive and such near misses can often be avoided by realising this.

hatbeard

dawebbo wrote:

I think him paying attention and applying common sense prevented the accident. Unlike the stupid ped. Common sense and paying attention applies to all road users - pedestrians aren't exempt (even though they often act as though they are)...

Agree that no-one is exempt. But expecting everyone else to behave in a sensible way is naive and such near misses can often be avoided by realising this.

there was a mantra in my first development job that was appropriated from x-files I think but it rings true for most things... TN1 (or trust no one)

if you assume everyone is an idiot and will do the opposite of the correct thing then you can only ever be pleasantly surprised when they prove you wrong.

EKE_38BPM

I don't know if the process of childbirth gives mothers pushing children in pushchairs/prams a cloak of invincibility, but that cloak (if it exists) doesn't apply to the kid in the pushchair/pram.
I've seen LOADS of mothers push their sprog into the road assuming that the traffic will stop for them and I've even seen a push chair hit (very, very slowly) by a car. The mum went ape (understandable even though she was in the wrong) but me and a few other witnesses backed the driver up.

Sound to me like did everything right and if they didn't things would have been a lot worse.
dawebbo, if someone steps into your path within your stopping distance (whether riding a bike, driving a car/bus/van/truck, piloting a helicopter) you will not be able to stop. Maybe you are the perfect cyclist and never ever have anything unexpected happen to you, but most of us haven't been bitten by a radioactive spider and our spidey senses are not as heightened so can only observe and react to the situation as it develops, not before it has happened.

Oh, welcome to Commuting Chat.Goycoolea. First post and its a rant!

dawebbo

:-)

I wish I did have spider senses EKE! I would websling my way along clapham high street

Having been in near misses and not misses (none of which would have technically have been my fault I hasten to add...) I've become increasing more cautious and in hindsight I think I could have avoided all of them if I'd been a little more alert to likely hazards. Not to say everything is avoidable, but many cases are.

W1

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I don't know if the process of childbirth gives mothers pushing children in pushchairs/prams a cloak of invincibility, but that cloak (if it exists) doesn't apply to the kid in the pushchair/pram.
I've seen LOADS of mothers push their sprog into the road assuming that the traffic will stop for them and I've even seen a push chair hit (very, very slowly) by a car. The mum went ape (understandable even though she was in the wrong) but me and a few other witnesses backed the driver up.

The push-chair is a simple traffic detection device.

jds_1981

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I don't know if the process of childbirth gives mothers pushing children in pushchairs/prams a cloak of invincibility, but that cloak (if it exists) doesn't apply to the kid in the pushchair/pram.
I've seen LOADS of mothers push their sprog into the road assuming that the traffic will stop for them and I've even seen a push chair hit (very, very slowly) by a car. The mum went ape (understandable even though she was in the wrong) but me and a few other witnesses backed the driver up.

Don't forget the pushing into ankles if they think you're in the way...

redvee

Newly relaid bus lanes hurt your bare legs. A bus lane I use was relaid yesterday, tarmac with fine red chippings. Despite the fact that the buses have been using it for the last 12 hours I managed to find some loose chippings that found my bare shins
Raindrops falling from the sky I can handle but when they get sneaky and gather on the back of the helmet and drop down the back of my neck ain't funny.

u05harrisb

the bike im looking to get according to reviews it great for beginners however im far from it!!!!

jamesjarvis

To the chap on the Kuota with clip-on TT bars riding west along the Embankment at around a quarter past six this evening, who moaned "Get out of the f****ing way" at several cyclists pulling away after stopping for a red light.

Don't be such a ****. It's rush hour; it's pissing with rain; it's neither the time nor the place to play at being Cancellara. Have a bit of decorum. And take your headphones off.

tailwindhome

No. Double yellow lines is not reserved parking for people carriers

wheeled_warrior

Drivers-side wing mirrors are really useful.

With one fitted, it's less likely you'll cut up a cyclist filtering down the off-side of stationary traffic, if you randomly decide to move over towards the right.

And no, it doesn't count if you only have the plastic housing, sans silvered glass.

ride_whenever

wheeled_warrior wrote:

Drivers-side wing mirrors are really useful.

With one fitted, it's less likely you'll cut up a cyclist filtering down the off-side of stationary traffic, if you randomly decide to move over towards the right.

And no, it doesn't count if you only have the plastic housing, sans silvered glass.

If they can't use them properly then take them away.

Jay dubbleU

To the tosser who tried to push past us on the cycle track to Marlborough - either say excuse me or get a bl@@dy bell

suzyb

My Gran has fallen again, 4th or 5th time snce December last year

Mother and Father are away to the hospital so fingers crossed she's been as lucky as before and not broken anything.

hatbeard

first off thanks to the 4 odd people walking in greenwich park when I went running today who saw me coming the other way and made room on the path for me to squeeze past.

to the remaining 500 people who either looked straight at me and didn't move even though your little group were taking up twice the space needed or you did move only to step INTO my way I hope you all stepped in dog poo without noticing and walked it home through your carpets.

tailwindhome

"Why"
"Silly Question"
"Warning"


These aren't suitable thread titles.

Stop it.

Stop it now.

nich

Trains suck, especially when it's raining and there's a few leafs.

That is all.

SimonAH

Ingrown and angry hair exactly on the point of my sitbone. Grrrrr

hatbeard

TailWindHome wrote:

"Why"
"Silly Question"
"Warning"


These aren't suitable thread titles.

Stop it.

Stop it now.

Warning, this may be a silly question but why?

hatbeard

just effing remembered... turning at the lights off king street onto gresham street there's a car pulled up with it's engine going sat at side of the road, van in front of me goes past him and then the car just starts rolling forward at about 2 mph, no indication to say he's pulling out, he just starts moving. I slow in case he pulls out on me. but he doesn't he's still slowly rolling forward but not going anywhere in particular I pull out giving him a wide berth and as I pass the stupid ****er is sitting with both hands holding a newspaper across the steering wheel (hand not on the wheel itself), just rolling along the road.

it's the first time I've actually sworn at a motorist since I started commuting

redvee

Me for only boiling enough water in the kettle for 1/2 a cup of tea

rjsterry

TailWindHome wrote:

"Why"
"Silly Question"
"Warning"


These aren't suitable thread titles.

Stop it.

Stop it now.

You think that's bad? Now we seem to be trying to fill page 1 with threads that rhyme with 'rants'. Only trouble is, we seem to be struggling to back up those thread titles with anything worth reading (I know, get me).

W1

rjsterry wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

"Why"
"Silly Question"
"Warning"


These aren't suitable thread titles.

Stop it.

Stop it now.

You think that's bad? Now we seem to be trying to fill page 1 with threads that rhyme with 'rants'. Only trouble is, we seem to be struggling to back up those thread titles with anything worth reading (I know, get me).

To be fair, pants are quite funny.

CiB

rjsterry wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

"Why"
"Silly Question"
"Warning"


These aren't suitable thread titles.

Stop it.

Stop it now.

You think that's bad? Now we seem to be trying to fill page 1 with threads that rhyme with 'rants'. Only trouble is, we seem to be struggling to back up those thread titles with anything worth reading (I know, get me).

Here yer go. Here's a page full of words that end with ANT to keep the forum struggling on until Christmas & the New Year, then we can all start again with helmet debates, clothing questions, please help me to make my mind up about buying a pile of tat from Halfords for £199 or a nicked bike off of Ebay for a bit less, and other such here we go again threads.

ends with ant

pianoleo

The punc**** fairy visited last night, on the one day I didn't have a spare inner tube or a spanner (no quick release for me) in my pannier. It was dark, I was nowhere near public transport and running late for work (don't ask!). Ended up abandoning the bike, chained to a lamppost. Better go and rescue it on my lunch break.

Grr.

flicksta

Soem unpleasant language below.

I had the funniest exchange with a 'vehicle' this morning. Daft junction at the bottom of Hampstead Road where it merges with the Euston flyover. Three lanes, I'm in the middle, as I am going straight on to cross the flyover and bear right. The left lane obv goes left, the right lane straight on and the middle lane which I am occupying splits, going both left and straight on. Bloke in a G-Wiz, trundles past me as I coast up to the lights and left hooks me, thinking I am going left.

The thing is, these lights are red for a good minute, which I filled with something along the lines of the following:

"What the fuck was that? Yes you, the fucking speccy twat in the G-Wiz. Why did you just cut me up? Why did you assume I was bearing left in a lane that goes two ways? You cunt. At least have the decency to do it in a proper car, not that fucking piece of shit. Spare me the ignominy of getting knocked off my bike by such a feeble fucking embarassment of a car. In fact, a G-Wiz isn't even a car, it's so shit it's classified as a 'quadricyle' and doesn't even have to pass the most meagre of safety standards. Imagine my headstone, 'Killed by a speccy cunt in an electric quadricycle'. Not only have you killed me, you've humiliated me as well. That said, if you did crash into me your piece of shit would probably just disintegrate and you'd end up with me just sitting in your lap, like some sort of fucking Last of The Summer Wine sketch, you stupid Compo motherfucker. Fucking G-Wiz, fucking fuck off"

I don't usually shout at car drivers (any more) although I particularly enjoyed the Compo reference. Bloke on the bike next to me was pissing himself.

dhope

flicksta wrote:

Soem unpleasant language below.

I had the funniest exchange with a 'vehicle' this morning. Daft junction at the bottom of Hampstead Road where it merges with the Euston flyover. Three lanes, I'm in the middle, as I am going straight on to cross the flyover and bear right. The left lane obv goes left, the right lane straight on and the middle lane which I am occupying splits, going both left and straight on. Bloke in a G-Wiz, trundles past me as I coast up to the lights and left hooks me, thinking I am going left.

The thing is, these lights are red for a good minute, which I filled with something along the lines of the following:

"What the fark was that? Yes you, the ******* speccy fool in the G-Wiz. Why did you just cut me up? Why did you assume I was bearing left in a lane that goes two ways? You ****. At least have the decency to do it in a proper car, not that ******* piece of shoot. Spare me the ignominy of getting knocked off my bike by such a feeble ******* embarassment of a car. In fact, a G-Wiz isn't even a car, it's so shoot it's classified as a 'quadricyle' and doesn't even have to pass the most meagre of safety standards. Imagine my headstone, 'Killed by a speccy **** in an electric quadricycle'. Not only have you killed me, you've humiliated me as well. That said, if you did crash into me your piece of shoot would probably just disintegrate and you'd end up with me just sitting in your lap, like some sort of ******* Last of The Summer Wine sketch, you stupid Compo motherfucker. ******* G-Wiz, ******* fark off"

I don't usually shout at car drivers (any more) although I particularly enjoyed the Compo reference. Bloke on the bike next to me was pissing himself.

meh, it would have been more amusing to have just tipped it over without a word

rjsterry

@flicksta: your Carlton Grand Prix fixie isn't orange with the odd dash of chrome by any chance? I've passed such a bike a few times on Clapham Common heading into London from Balham.

Very like this