Lost it on the way home tonight

woodford2barbican

Don't really know why - the minicab driver did nothing that does not happen everyday.......but I sure as hell vented a fair bit of pent up frustration on him!

So if anyone saw / heard a posh bloke having a rant on Hackney Road - that was me!

I would feel sorry for the guy, but whilst he did not wholly deserve it, I feel a lot better now than I did when I left work.....

prj45

I lost it too; my cadence magnet attached to my left pedal arm that is.


It's part of my edge 705 bike sat nav setup, so not only do I have the joy of paying £20 inc pp for a new one, I also know exactly where it dropped off the bike, just after Admiralty Arch heading west bound whilst I was in the middle of the road, didn't spot it was gone until eight miles later.

They sweep that place twice a day so there's no change of it being there when I pass the spot tomorrow morning.

Ho hum.

downfader

woodford2barbican wrote:

Don't really know why - the minicab driver did nothing that does not happen everyday.......but I sure as hell vented a fair bit of pent up frustration on him!

So if anyone saw / heard a posh bloke having a rant on Hackney Road - that was me!

I would feel sorry for the guy, but whilst he did not wholly deserve it, I feel a lot better now than I did when I left work.....

I did the same thing a few weeks back. Orange metallic legane (spelling?) overtook me with about an inch to spare - it had been about the 5th car to do that to me in the space of 10 minutes from leaving my doorstep. So I lost my rag and screemed "DON'T DRIVE DOWN MY F***ING SIDE YOU STUPID B*****!!" :oops: I'm usually a whole lot more reserved than that I promise.

Funny thing is, the next day I went down the same street and who should overtake me. The orange car. The funny part is that she drove miiiiilllleeessss around this time.

I always tell people that if they're unsure how far they're supposed to be my golden rule is: if I can reach out and touch your vehicle with my hand, then you're too close.

Oh and for taxis, as you remind me... Once had a "run in" with a local cab. I was cycling down a main road in town, doing about 20mph and easily keeping up with traffic. Right at the last second a taxi swung out of the taxi bay and tried to do a u-turn infront of me. I only just managed to stop, and I could see the guys face looking at me going "f***ing cyclists" so I let rip on him. Most of my friends who drive or ride seem to tel me its the taxis around here that they keep running into. :shock: :oops:

prj45

downfader wrote:

I always tell people that if they're unsure how far they're supposed to be my golden rule is: if I can reach out and touch your vehicle with my hand, then you're too close.

Us people on bikes are a tad hypocritical about this though, we can scream and shout if a car brushes our arm hair when it passes us, but when we go by them in queues we often do the same.

Slightly different I know, but we do buzz cars.

Also, I've been passed waaay to close many a time by a fellow cyclist.

downfader

prj45 wrote:

downfader wrote:

I always tell people that if they're unsure how far they're supposed to be my golden rule is: if I can reach out and touch your vehicle with my hand, then you're too close.

Us people on bikes are a tad hypocritical about this though, we can scream and shout if a car brushes our arm hair when it passes us, but when we go by them in queues we often do the same.

Slightly different I know, but we do buzz cars.

Also, I've been passed waaay to close many a time by a fellow cyclist.

I do agree with you, but feel that passing cars that are stopped at the lights to be significantly safer than cars passing a moving vehicle. I always try and overtake fellow cyclists in much the same manner - the thing being that they may swerve in and out a little more than cars. God knows I wander a little on an incline. :oops:

always_tyred

prj45 wrote:

downfader wrote:

I always tell people that if they're unsure how far they're supposed to be my golden rule is: if I can reach out and touch your vehicle with my hand, then you're too close.

Us people on bikes are a tad hypocritical about this though, we can scream and shout if a car brushes our arm hair when it passes us, but when we go by them in queues we often do the same.

Slightly different I know, but we do buzz cars.

Also, I've been passed waaay to close many a time by a fellow cyclist.

With respect, this is nonsense, and as such you can excuse yourself passing a line of stationary traffic.

Its like comparing tail gating to parallel parking.

When the car is moving, it weight in the region of 150-200 times as much as you and is moving (for example) 50% faster than a bike is when its passing traffic on the outside. Conservatively therefore, that's about 350 times the amount of kinetic energy.

THAT'S why its much safer when you pass stationary or slow moving traffic, but it is dangerous when traffic passes you and why the two situations are more than slightly different.

ChrisLS

...I have taken to just muttering under my breathe, there are too many nut cases out there...driving cars does strange things to peoples minds...

prj45

prj45 wrote:

They sweep that place twice a day so there's no change of it being there when I pass the spot tomorrow morning.

Ho hum.

Ha ha, it was there, on the floor in the middle of the road exactly where it should've been.

If I die tomorrow I'll be a happy man.

JoeSoap76

Woah, did I just lose it royally on the way home.

I'm happily peddling up Paisley Road West when a p*ick in a Passat pulled out of a side road (on the right). He'd clearly made eye contact with me (even braked a little when he saw me) but decided he was going anyway. Nearly sideswiped me before pushing his way by without so much as a look.

Unfortunately for him, Paisley Road West is festooned with traffic lights. Almost 2 miles later and I'm still with him (despite his best efforts) when the lights ahead turn to red. He pulls into the left hand lane (Pasiley Road West is a dual carriageway) because there's a car in the RHL in front of him, but he does stop at the ASL.

By this stage I'm not that fussed that the guy pulled out on me - he's spent the next 2 miles going no faster than me and that's justice enough - so I didn't think anything of filtering past and stopping in the advanced box.

Lights go green and I pull off. Car in the RHL pulls off. P*ick in a Passat also pulls off and duly overtakes me, squeezing between me and the car in the RHL. He was so close that I could have just reached a hand up and slapped his window.

Red mist descends and I'm racing after the guy to the next set of lights (maybe 500m)**

Caught up with him and he pulls up, winds his window down and is looking at me with a particularly smug grin on his face. I'm ashamed to say that I let rip with both barrels. Along the lines of:

"What the f' do you think you're playing at, you f'ing idiot? You stopped at the f'ing ASL - did you not think that meant I might pull up in front of you?"

Only loud - very loud... and in front of quite a few people coming out of the local shops (all with a slightly shocked look on their faces).

Then I pointed at my helmetcam and told him I'd be contacting the police with the video. He drove off.

Just looked at the video and I can't see the police doing anything about it at all. It's the kind of thing that happens so often and you just ignore... but I had a bad day at work and this guy nearly hit me twice in two miles.

Grrr... angry with myself for losing my temper now. Moral high-ground well and truly abandoned there... :?

----

** Only plus here is that the guy gave me the adrenaline push needed to get up to 30mph. I've broken 30mph on downhills a few times but this was my first on the flat. Gave myself a bit of a shock :shock:

chewa

I wasn't cycling today as I needed to get out of town for something at lunchtime so took the motorbike.
I got cut up on the way home by a Smart. He moved out without looking as I was overtaking. I gave him a finger and he drove up my inside flashing his lights and honking the horn.Very close and (having had a very stressful day at work ) I completely lost it!

I followed the guy for ages, (despite him signalling me to pass) and he eventually pulled in. We had a "discussion" - without me getting off the bike- and he apologised (he was bigger than me but obviously a pussy, brave in the car) .

I tell you being a balding (formerly red headed) does mean I have a short temper!

Anyhow- it ruined my ride home. I just felt I was so tense that I wasn't flowing like I was in the morning. Felt like I'd gone psycho - following the guy, but I was so angry. A move like that nearly cost me my right foot 11 years ago.

So, in the future I'm going to try to achieve a zen like state and let it wash over.