Reaping a dividend from all them Golds

samoff

Could it be there's a trickle-down increase in respect for cyclists following all the medals won in Beijing?
I may be imagining it, but it feels like I'm getting a couple of extra inches of road this week.

spen666

I wondered if that would be the case- but in respect, I think it could make things even worse for us.

The man in his car now sees cycling as something that is properly done only on an indoor wooden track. I can see more and more motorists resenting us using the roads when we can use ALL those lovely indoor tracks.


We could do with people like Wiggins, Cavendish, Newton etc who are also roadies as well as trackies, coming out and banging the drum for respect for those on the roads

spen666

I hope I am wrong with the pessimistic view I expressed above

dang65

spen666 wrote:

The man in his car now sees cycling as something that is properly done only on an indoor wooden track.

Whilst ironically seeing Formula One as something which should be tried by anyone with a car on public roads.

dafruk

Naysayers are out already.

BBC blog

If anyone else wants to jump on this guy and give him abuse I'm sure it would be welcome.

Wish I was out riding not just stuck here dreaming of it...

Taita

I'd say you were wrong, I almost got deliberately rammed off the road twice this morning, and I got pulled by the Police.

farrell

Interesting.....I have felt the same as the OP..loads of space given when I'm out training and no mental manoeuvres......The OP even crossed my mind today when I had a few cars driving behind me at least 2 car lengths .....

I think the Olympics has raised the profile of cycling - However, it won't stop numpty cyclists breaking the law or riding like idiots on the road.

prj45

Taita wrote:

I'd say you were wrong, I almost got deliberately rammed off the road twice this morning, and I got pulled by the Police.

I toppled into the side of a queing van on Piccadilly, and the guy smiled at me, even gave me the thumbs up when I put his wing mirror back the way it was.

fossyant

I and another fella (both of us on on commuted up MTB's) were two up TT'ing hitting 28 MPH coming out of Manchester last Friday...on the A34.

As we passed the back of Man Uin/MRI, some fella on the side of the road shouted 'Olympics'......we were still doing silly speeds by Fallowfield when we parted company.... it was mad........ knew he was fit when he pulled away from the lights near the Aquatics Centre as I only just pulled past him accelerating...then the mad TT started.....

alfablue

Nothing to do with the Olympics, but when I was touring in Wales last week I was struck by the numerous car drivers and even their passengers who waved at us / gave the thumbs up. This happened dozens of times per day. Seems they respect cyclists there (west Wales) for some reason. I think the disrespect is at it's worst in the urban "everyone for themselves" rat race.

I am hoping, nevertheless, that the Olympic success has raised the profile of cycling and has elevated it in the public consciousness to that of at least a legitimate activity rather than some sort of subversive threat to society!

samoff

alfablue wrote:

I was struck by the numerous car drivers and even their passengers

Sounds awful

Paulie W

alfablue wrote:

Nothing to do with the Olympics, but when I was touring in Wales last week I was struck by the numerous car drivers and even their passengers who waved at us / gave the thumbs up. This happened dozens of times per day. Seems they respect cyclists there (west Wales) for some reason. I think the disrespect is at it's worst in the urban "everyone for themselves" rat race.

I am hoping, nevertheless, that the Olympic success has raised the profile of cycling and has elevated it in the public consciousness to that of at least a legitimate activity rather than some sort of subversive threat to society!

Hahahahahaha.

Sorry: it's just the idea of West Walians respecting cyclists. I commuted to work there for 6 years and I can tell you its not a lot different from London - except the cars come past you at 70mph instead of 30.

alfablue

Paulie W wrote:

alfablue wrote:

Nothing to do with the Olympics, but when I was touring in Wales last week I was struck by the numerous car drivers and even their passengers who waved at us / gave the thumbs up. This happened dozens of times per day. Seems they respect cyclists there (west Wales) for some reason. I think the disrespect is at it's worst in the urban "everyone for themselves" rat race.

I am hoping, nevertheless, that the Olympic success has raised the profile of cycling and has elevated it in the public consciousness to that of at least a legitimate activity rather than some sort of subversive threat to society!

Hahahahahaha.

Sorry: it's just the idea of West Walians respecting cyclists. I commuted to work there for 6 years and I can tell you its not a lot different from London - except the cars come past you at 70mph instead of 30.

Hmmm, strange. Maybe they just found me amusing!

dondare

I've just come back from Pembrokeshire and I found that the motorists were all very considerate to cyclists, whether this was an Olympic effect or not I couldn't say. It is likely that most of them weren't locals but holiday-makers. I'm also not surprised that the first cycling event of the Olympics was won by a Wesh girl considering that most of it involved riding up-hill in the rain.
But ask yourself this: has Olympic success ever raised the public image of people who sail very small yachts or ride horses? Britain used to excel in shooting but that didn't stop it being stamped out in Britain after one nut-job was incorrectly granted a FAC in Dunblane. My guess is that more British kids might be inspired to cycle (if their parents let them) but it'll be a long time before that translates to more respect for cyclists on the road.

downfader

dondare wrote:

My guess is that more British kids might be inspired to cycle (if their parents let them) but it'll be a long time before that translates to more respect for cyclists on the road.

Given some of the people I work with who are parents and having spoken to them about cycling I would doubt they'd be allowed. Even before I started cycling to work seriously again (about 5 years back) there was this beleif that the roads were too dangerous.

I have also heard one or two recent comments from people to the effect of "see... its a track event.." in the past 2 weeks.

Gavin Gilbert

I've noticed that I've been given a little more room too. And we had spectators out for this Wednesday's evening 10.

chuckcork

I took part in a very, very well publicised (in Ireland anyway) event yesterday, still didn't stop boy racer in his cr@ppy little car passing me and a group of maybe 12 with less than a foot of room, when he had plenty of road to use in overtaking us; or the 18-19 year old motorbiker on a bike that in retrospect was way too powerful for his ability/maturity to ride without being an utter pr!ck doing the exact same.

On the flip side of course that was only 2 complete and utter f*ckwits in a day where there was a decent if not large amount of traffic, and some very helpful motorbike marshals who were quite encouraging when I was ready to fall sideways near the end....and being a large event there wasn't a gardai (Irish Police) far away when I passed by boyracer no.2 as he stopped to have a chat with his revhead mates :twisted:

Finally and let it be said: A cop when you needed one!