Fed Up

Max_Man

My usual commute is about 8 miles each way along a nice cycle track through a pretty rural area, I'm trying to increase my fitness so I'm now taking to the roads to get more miles in. I consider myself a good road cyclist but the last few days (since starting my new route) I've been absolutely bullied by wreckless drivers, it's really getting me down, I really couldn't afford to be off work injured at the moment.....think I'll change my route. :roll:

Hats off to you lot putting up with this crap.

chrisb177

I nearly got hit twice this morning, one by some one in a car overtaking me, I was tight to the left as well and there was no oncoming cars but he just missed me and then some guy in a van just pulled out on me without looking and pulled over to blame me :shock:

snooks

These things happen...Are you claiming your piece of tarmac? riding in the primary when you need to and all that?

Assertive riding, and being able to predict was some rsehole is about to do is one of the many ways to stay on the black stuff without having to do a close inspection of it.

There are usually many routes, I cycle further cos A) it's flatter and I don't have to cross as many roads with rouns abouts or lights, but it works for me, I do a detour every now and again to see if another route is better.

Really, keep at it, the more you do it, the better you become and the more you'll enjoy it.

karl j

yes sadly it does happen Max, to all of us from time to time, and changing your route may help you avoid the loony tunes, but of course you may just encounter a different bunch of em.

In some ways drivers are like kids - most are ok, sadly it's the odd few who get the attention for all the wrong reasons.

Keep at it mate, it's worth it.

passout

Yes be assertive & alert in order to minimize risk to yourself. I can put up with bad drivers and accidents it's the delibrate acts of aggression by a minority that gets me. Don't let them put you off.

As some wise Roman once said, 'don't let the bastards grind you down'.

lost_in_thought

Absolutely right all of the above...

Ride assertively, take the middle of the lane if you feel you need to, but be aware that motorbikes will pass you anyway with inches to spare... one did that to me this AM, made me jump!

There's a good piece on defensive cycling here...


http://www.slowtwitch.com/Training/Defe ... g_362.html

snooks

lost_in_thought wrote:

Motorbikes will pass you anyway with inches to spare... one did that to me this AM, made me jump!

Why do they do that?? And not being funny (or wanting to sound like an old man), but they also travel so fast...just inches away from me. I'm doing between 20 and 25mph...they must be doing 40-50...and it's usually in the same place, going towards Vauxhall Bridge along the Embankment....so I chase after them to give then a piece of what's left of my mind, they make the lights and I'm left waiting for 3 years for the lights to change

Bring on the bike rocket launcher!

I've been told that they aren't real motor bikers...they are couriers, which aren't real bikers (apparently)

Much the same way that taxis aren't cars I s'pose

ride_whenever

screw this 'defensive cycling' lark, take the fight to them with aggressive cycling...

Pad up and if some a***hole pulls out on you, cycle into them... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

of course you'd never actually do this, but changing your mindset seems to work wonders.

lost_in_thought

I know, I'm getting used to it now, but just occasionally the motorbike men do make me jump, particularly today as I was signalling to change lanes to the side that he overtook me on, heard him coming and pulled my arm in, luckily, but he was still very close. Eeek!

@ride_whenever:

I do wonder, particularly with motorbike men, who would come off worse if we had a side-to-side collision... of course I would never actually bump someone deliberately, but I do wonder. I suppose their machine is heavier so it would be us...

ride_whenever

You say that, but if you're doing the bumping (or not doing it officer, i was swerving to avoid a pothole) then you are prepped for it and so will certainly come off better, you only need to nudge the motorbike into oncoming traffic, or a kerb, or any obstacle.

lost_in_thought

You make a very interesting point...

Also, my biker buddy relies more on the forward propulsion of his bike for balance than we do ours, a sideways bump might not be something he's used to dealing with. I'm proud of having kept my balance through several low-speed sideways nudges, usually thanks to buses.

No! Bad LiT! Don't even consider trying it!

Joking, obviously. Thou shalt not bump thy fellow 2-wheeler... 8)

biondino

ride_whenever wrote:

screw this 'defensive cycling' lark, take the fight to them with aggressive cycling...

Pad up and if some a***hole pulls out on you, cycle into them... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

of course you'd never actually do this, but changing your mindset seems to work wonders.

An Aston Martin very very nearly left hooked me the other day and somehow I did have the time to consider whether I should let my brake lever or, better yet, pedal make contact with his door and rear wing. I decided against it - thanks, self-preservation instinct - but it was an appealing wicked thought.

ride_whenever

exactly, but when cycling with friend walking, they;ve never made me put a foot down... i've knocked them over though.

I'm sure if they fly-tackled me we'dd all end up on the floor, but that just wouldn't be cricket. And before someone kicks up a fuss, we were on a very quiet, short road in north oxford, not on the pavement.

spen666

snooks wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Motorbikes will pass you anyway with inches to spare... one did that to me this AM, made me jump!

Why do they do that?? And not being funny (or wanting to sound like an old man), but they also travel so fast...just inches away from me. I'm doing between 20 and 25mph...they must be doing 40-50...and it's usually in the same place, going towards Vauxhall Bridge along the Embankment....so I chase after them to give then a piece of what's left of my mind, they make the lights and I'm left waiting for 3 years for the lights to change

Bring on the bike rocket launcher!

I've been told that they aren't real motor bikers...they are couriers, which are real bikers (apparently)

Much the same way that taxis aren't cars I s'pose

Can anyone explain this highlighted piece please

snooks

spen666 wrote:

snooks wrote:

I've been told that they aren't real motor bikers...they are couriers, which are real bikers (apparently)

Can anyone explain this highlighted piece please

Sorry should have read:
I've been told that they aren't real motor bikers...they are couriers, which aren't real bikers (apparently)

Hope that makes sense, but probably not if I've written it...

My mate rides a motorbike...and he keeps saying that motorbike couriers aren't real bikers....lowest on the food chain on the motor bike food chain if you like...much the same way that taxis don't represent the actions of all the car drivers...and people cycling on a pavement aren't true cyclists...if you get what I mean

spen666

snooks wrote:

spen666 wrote:

snooks wrote:

I've been told that they aren't real motor bikers...they are couriers, which are real bikers (apparently)

Can anyone explain this highlighted piece please

Sorry should have read:
I've been told that they aren't real motor bikers...they are couriers, which aren't real bikers (apparently)

Hope that makes sense, but probably not if I've written it...

...

Cheers for that- I spent ages trying to work out where there should have been a negative