Why must others annoy me on my commute.

DonDaddyD

Lovely bright spring day, not hot, quite windy but along some roads, at some angles the sun against my skin felt glorious. Shame I live in London where at any 95% of the time I'm surrounded by absolute ^&(^!@&)_&(

The first incident didn't involve me but was pretty scary to watch.

Fairweather commuter coming from a side road on the right to join the main road. They were obviously on the left hand side of the road they were leaving and decided to cut across the car behind literally inches from their ever approaching bumper. One minor tap on the accelerator and that would have been it, crash. - What bothers me most about this and watching other fairweather commuters is their tunnel vision and inability in knowing how their actions on a bike affect others.

Then along Clapham Common I'm stopped at the lights, beside the curb and between two cars. I can't make it to the ASL. So I wait. A fairweather roadie, (new shoes, kit and bike all had that shinny 'new glow') I guess was over eager with his new toys and pulls up alongside me and stops right next to me, he was so close we have to lean away from each other so that we are not touching. :shock: What is the point of that!!! He's blocked me in I can't go without knocking him over into traffic and behold, once the lights go green he steams along at 15mph. I drop him while looking at him in annoyance and continue on my commute.

Along Coldharbour Lane I'm passing a junction and a Cab driver comes out from behind me and cuts across me from the right to turn left. I had to turn my wheel away from him it was that close, he drove off with other traffic beeping him and me shouting "You stupid fcuking !diot!"

Needless to say this morning wasn't the most relaxing commutes I've had.

shoulder_of_orion

DonDaddyD wrote:

A fairweather roadie...once the lights go green he steams along at 15mph. I drop him while looking at him in annoyance and continue on my commute.

You should be happy with that. It's a scalp

What you are describing sounds like road rage. Try not to let it bother you, I now try to proceed in a zen-like fashion without allowing idjiots to put me off. They are everywhere on every mode of transport after all. Admittedly, this has taken years to perfect.

The other day a WVM was about 2 inches from my rear wheel, honking, shouting and screaming abuse at me because he felt I should be riding in the gutter so he could pass. Eventually he got past me and after I caught up with him again after less than a minute at the lights, he got out of his van, squared up to me and started screaming "Pervert, you FECKING PERVERT".

I'm not sure why he chose that particular epithet, perhaps it was the lycra shorts? I tried to remain above the fray by simply smiling at him, which seemed to enrage him even more and he spat at me (but missed thankfully). At this point another cyclist who had witnessed the entire episode then squared up to WVM. I said "It's not worth it, let it go" to him, which in turn seemed to enrage fellow cyclist.

The whole thing was a pointless exercise in futility. I did find it funny though.

Christophe3967

Shoulder of Orion wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

A fairweather roadie...once the lights go green he steams along at 15mph. I drop him while looking at him in annoyance and continue on my commute.

You should be happy with that. It's a scalp

What you are describing sounds like road rage. Try not to let it bother you, I now try to proceed in a zen-like fashion without allowing idjiots to put me off. They are everywhere on every mode of transport after all. Admittedly, this has taken years to perfect.

The other day a WVM was about 2 inches from my rear wheel, honking, shouting and screaming abuse at me because he felt I should be riding in the gutter so he could pass. Eventually he got past me and after I caught up with him again after less than a minute at the lights, he got out of his van, squared up to me and started screaming "Pervert, you FECKING PERVERT".

I'm not sure why he chose that particular epithet, perhaps it was the lycra shorts? I tried to remain above the fray by simply smiling at him, which seemed to enrage him even more and he spat at me (but missed thankfully). At this point another cyclist who had witnessed the entire episode then squared up to WVM. I said "It's not worth it, let it go" to him, which in turn seemed to enrage fellow cyclist.

The whole thing was a pointless exercise in futility. I did find it funny though.

Sounds like WVM is heading for an early grave with that attitude, but that's the only consolation. I think any zenniness I may have had would have expired by the time the spitting started, so chapeau for not losing it.

artaxerxes

Agree with you about the fairweather cyclists with tunnel vision, they seem to think that anything behind them doesn't exist.
Also had a red bus pass dangerously close to me this morning on City Road. Why do so many cars/vans/buses try to pass at pedestrian crossings when there is only room for one vehicle?

cee

linoue wrote:

. Why do so many cars/vans/buses try to pass at pedestrian crossings when there is only room for one vehicle?

Agreed....why?

I have seen some islands however with signs that say 'Do not overtake cyclists at island.'

Superb idea.......only flaw lies between seat and steering wheel.

shoulder_of_orion

Christophe3967 wrote:

Sounds like WVM is heading for an early grave with that attitude, but that's the only consolation. I think any zenniness I may have had would have expired by the time the spitting started, so chapeau for not losing it.

I think it might have been quite different had he hit me with his spit...

The other thing was, I think we he got out of the van I think he thought he could intimidate me. But here was a silly little rotund man at least 15 years older than me and he clearly would have been no match for me had things got physical. I just found the whole situation ridiculous.

Whether driving, on the tube or cycling in London it is easy to allow the rage to spiral out of control. I think I have realised it is just not worth it.

Having said that and having re-read my post above it does sound a little holier-than-thou, and you only need to look at my avatar to know my reaction in certain situations...

AndyManc

Why must others annoy me on my commute.

Do you wear a t-shirt that says "Please annoy me , thankyou" on the back of it ?

:roll:



.

Crapaud

Shoulder of Orion wrote:

... I tried to remain above the fray by simply smiling at him, which seemed to enrage him even more and he spat at me (but missed thankfully). ...

Next time blow him a kiss - that's always good for a giggle with these types.

nation

I got yelled at on my way home, which hasn't happened for a while.

I was following a fairly slow moving car on a slight downhill, so no pedalling, just coasting along behind it. The driver started swerving around, braking suddenly, and sounding the horn (initially I didn't realise it was them, I thought it was a vehicle behind in response to the swerving, but there wasn't anything following).

I wasn't going to pass it while it was doing that, so I hung back until it joined the back of the queue at the next set of lights, and filtered past. The driver yelled (I think) "What are you going so fast for, you prick!"

Still haven't really figured that out, given that I wasn't. Oh well.

OldSkoolKona

The other nuisance is the 'Must overtake cyclist (MOC)' manoeuvre.

Cycled into central London on Sunday morning with Mrs OSK, great ride, went over to Liverpool Street, had brunch and came back. Not a problem through central London (pretty quite that time of day/week, plus Embankment is a good wide stretch of road), it wasn't until we got back closer to home, coming through Putney, Barnes, where we had three incidences of MOC'ers, so pointless. People in cars get so focused on overtaking the cyclist, only to have to swerve back in to the flow of traffic, narrowly missing you. :roll:

nation

OldSkoolKona wrote:

The other nuisance is the 'Must overtake cyclist (MOC)' manoeuvre.

I get this a lot as well. Of course, since I commute along a rat run at rush hour, I only end up passing them a few hundred metres down the road.

People actually do this even when there's a stationary traffic queue a few car lengths ahead of them.

Jay dubbleU

I figure its their ulcer not mine ommmmmmmmmmmmmmm 8) 8) 8)

Nearly hit two pedestrians today who leapt out of their car and crossed the road without even looking - turned round fairly quickly when my brakes started squealing in their ears

OldSkoolKona

Jay dubbleU wrote:

I figure its their ulcer not mine ommmmmmmmmmmmmmm 8) 8) 8)

+1

Make you realise how stressed up these drivers are, stuck in a tin can. I'm always more chilled when I cycle to work compared to when I drive. Best to count to ten, and chill. No point getting wound up with them, or about it.

Clever Pun

A lot of these 'cyclists we're seeing are just new to it, they will pick up the rules of the road in time, sometimes a friendly chat can help..

with the WVM... maybe your shorts were a little see through... or he thought you were a bird and liked the look of you, eventually saw you as a bloke and was upset

DonDaddyD

I'm glad today is over.

I was low on power today and just wanted to enjoy a 11 - 14mph commute. I don't understand why a grandma insisted on riding shoulder to shoulder with me along a busy road or why a girl decides to run across the road not looking left or right.

I'm glad today is over.

Tomorrow I'm riding with anger!

Crapaud

DonDaddyD wrote:

... I was low on power today and just wanted to enjoy a 11 - 14mph commute. I don't understand why a grandma insisted on riding shoulder to shoulder with me along a busy road or why a girl decides to run across the road not looking left or right. ...

She was trying to scalp you?

neslon

OldSkoolKona wrote:

The other nuisance is the 'Must overtake cyclist (MOC)' manoeuvre.

Indeed. I had one not long ago. had to go so fast & wide to get past that he slammed right into the stationary car ahead. I took great pleasure in giving my details to the innocent victim, and telling plonker how much I would enjoy acting as a witness to his witless driving!

Bhima

Yeah, those MOC'ers do my head in. It's even worse when you're out training and they start to get all competitive when you overtake them at 32mph. :roll:

woodford2barbican

How about fair weather commuter swerving between children on a pedestrian crossing. He got me angry and also got a mouthful of educative abuse from me.

AdilDobbs

OldSkoolKona wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

I figure its their ulcer not mine ommmmmmmmmmmmmmm 8) 8) 8)

+1

Make you realise how stressed up these drivers are, stuck in a tin can. I'm always more chilled when I cycle to work compared to when I drive. Best to count to ten, and chill. No point getting wound up with them, or about it.

Although I fully agree with this I find it hard to put into practise. Once I get out on my bike I do tend to get my 'mr angry' head on when drivers cut across me etc.!

jedster

How about fair weather commuter swerving between children on a pedestrian crossing. He got me angry and also got a mouthful of educative abuse from me.

Yeah, that pisses me off royally. It's about the only thing that causes me to berate other cyclists. If I'm feeling restrained it's "you know you really are an utter pillock" as I catch them further down the road.

J

DonDaddyD

Yep, terrible commute day 2

Today's encounters.

I was ahead of a Green Van he attempted to, at the same time, overtake me and undertake a car turning right. This meant he drove me up on the curb.

In a fit of rage and determination to catch and shout at the van. I overtake a hybrid and put distance and room between him and I as I move over to the window of the van and slow down to the van's speed. Next thing I hear is the F-word as the hybrid behind me doesn't anticipate me slowing down (clearly I've moved over purposely to the van, so why follow me) and has to swerve (I didn't slow down sharply so he must have been freaking close).

So my anger was redirected from the van to the hybrid to which I responded "Next time don't ride up so close to me then!" I friggen hate drafters.

Then stopped at the lights by Clapham Common, a complete and utter to$$er in an Audi A3 hurtles down to the lights at +40. Gets to the lights, which are red, and hurls abuse at me telling me to move out of the way, asking - I suppose this is his logic - "Whether I'm going to move off faster than a car". What a complete and utter dip sh!t. Only reason I'm not over to the left is that I'm in the right lane preparing to ride in that lane and turn right onto Acre Lane - this is the correct road position regardless of any vehicle.

THEN, Along Coldharbour Lane I'm stopped behind a bus, foot on the curb, I cannot go anywhere. A van behind me to the right and a lady fairweather behind me trying to overtake... "trying to go where!" I ask her! She backs off, when the bus moves us she does it again, her front wheel over my back wheel and pedal so I'm blocked in with the van trying to negotiate both of us. I wouldn't even have minded but after I let her go, she continued to bimble along the road at 5mph.

The_Darkness

I'm interested, how do you define a 'fairweather commuter'? Is is someone who cycles in a way you dissapprove of, or you think is unskilled at cycling?

gtvlusso

DonDaddyD wrote:

Yep, terrible commute day 2

Today's encounters.

I was ahead of a Green Van he attempted to, at the same time, overtake me and undertake a car turning right. This meant he drove me up on the curb.

In a fit of rage and determination to catch and shout at the van. I overtake a hybrid and put distance and room between him and I as I move over to the window of the van and slow down to the van's speed. Next thing I hear is the F-word as the hybrid behind me doesn't anticipate me slowing down (clearly I've moved over purposely to the van, so why follow me) and has to swerve (I didn't slow down sharply so he must have been freaking close).

So my anger was redirected from the van to the hybrid to which I responded "Next time don't ride up so close to me then!" I friggen hate drafters.

Sorry DDD - sounds like you are having a bad week. Have a Martini, on me!

I witnessed a kid get mashed by a woman, in a golf, who jumped a red light at a crossing. She was trying to overtake me and claimed that I had distracted her - to the Police. Heard last night that kid is okay - broken leg and son on - got a phone call from his parents thanking me for quick actions and calling ambulance. Lady in Golf is going to be charged with some driving offence as she jumped the light.

As for the rest of the week, just been windy and a few drivers are ignoring a lane priority change on a round-a-bout I go across - funny watching them all bunch up and beep each other as I glide by.

Keep your shirt on fella and feel the love...and nuke the white van man!

Then stopped at the lights by Clapham Common, a complete and utter to$$er in an Audi A3 hurtles down to the lights at +40. Gets to the lights, which are red, and hurls abuse at me telling me to move out of the way, asking - I suppose this is his logic - "Whether I'm going to move off faster than a car". What a complete and utter dip sh!t. Only reason I'm not over to the left is that I'm in the right lane preparing to ride in that lane and turn right onto Acre Lane - this is the correct road position regardless of any vehicle.

THEN, Along Coldharbour Lane I'm stopped behind a bus, foot on the curb, I cannot go anywhere. A van behind me to the right and a lady fairweather behind me trying to overtake... "trying to go where!" I ask her! She backs off, when the bus moves us she does it again, her front wheel over my back wheel and pedal so I'm blocked in with the van trying to negotiate both of us. I wouldn't even have minded but after I let her go, she continued to bimble along the road at 5mph.

jonginge

The_Darkness wrote:

I'm interested, how do you define a 'fairweather commuter'? Is is someone who cycles in a way you dissapprove of, or you think is unskilled at cycling?

I think, but I may be wrong, that the 'fairweather commuter' designation is being used for the more general term POB=Person on Bike. POB is someone with little or no skill, unaware of those around them and disregards the rules of the road. As soon as there are a few sunny days in spring there are a lot more POBs about on the roads. Some of these are beginners (but even as a beginner I had some road sense) and get better with experience, some just don't give a toss...

DonDaddyD

The_Darkness wrote:

I'm interested, how do you define a 'fairweather commuter'? Is is someone who cycles in a way you dissapprove of, or you think is unskilled at cycling?

That is a hugely loaded question.

I don't define a fairweather commuter as either of the examples you have given.

To add clarity first read this post made by me:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... c&start=20

OK

Beginners aren't numpties. Numpties are numpties. Tw@ts are Tw@ts. Beginners are beginners. Pr!cks are Pr!cks.

I have years of the experience on a flat bar bike of any sort. When I rode my Giant M2 I was a pr!ck. I can look back and say that. Still a beginner to serious commuting I was over confident arrogant and had no concept of the rules of the road (I didn't fully understand how to turn right at a junction or turn right from a main road to a minor - I had yet to pass my driving test).

When I got my first road bike in August 2008, given the speeds I was achieving I quickly realised the importance of road safety and following the rules.

Personally I think its the mentally of the cyclists that determines what category they fall into. you can be a beginner and realise (be aware of) your safety and the safety of others. Or you can be a beginner and have total disregard for those around you. i.e. pr!ck.

The above still doesn't define what I percieve a Fairweather commter as but does establish that I don't harbour any resentment to beginners. Given that I've only been commuting on my road bike since August and still within my "rookie" year why would I?

A fairweather commuter in my opinion (and if I cannot use my own opinion then whose can I use?) is a person who only rides a bike when its sunny. This does not indicate or have any relevance on the amount of experience or skill they have as a cyclist.

However, in my experience its the fairweather commuters I encounter that tend to be more of a risk to me, others and themselves than a cyclists who has clearly ridden throughout the year. Albeit it is an assumption to claim that said person I am complaining about is a fairweather commuter. They in actual fact they could have ridden throughout the winter. Alas, the human mind identifies through generalisations, and thus I dub them fairweather commuters.

OR you could just read this:

Jon wrote:

I think, but I may be wrong, that the 'fairweather commuter' designation is being used for the more general term POB=Person on Bike. POB is someone with little or no skill, unaware of those around them and disregards the rules of the road. As soon as there are a few sunny days in spring there are a lot more POBs about on the roads. Some of these are beginners (but even as a beginner I had some road sense) and get better with experience, some just don't give a toss...

+1

jrduquemin

There are some right morons on the roads, people. Let's just be careful out there and watch each others backs...

roger_merriman

DonDaddyD wrote:

The_Darkness wrote:

I'm interested, how do you define a 'fairweather commuter'? Is is someone who cycles in a way you dissapprove of, or you think is unskilled at cycling?

That is a hugely loaded question.


+1

so is the comment "fairweather commuter" to be fair though it's a fairly mild. warm weather certinally does bring out lot more folks on bikes both on the commute and around parks, club runs etc.

i think very few people think that a ride home with a headwind rain in the dark is fun.

also not all all year round commuters do it because they like bikes, my wife does it as she doesn't drive and public transport is rather slow to her work, so she rides though almost all weathers she did draw the line at the snow, as i could drop her off that week early with the car, and since i'm used to driving in snow though land with contours, getting her across the edge of SW london was hardly a problem though did make for a long day for her.

DonDaddyD

I don't see anything wrong calling a person a fairweather commuter. the term itself doesn't denote a bad cyclists. That's others perception of the word.

CiB

DonDaddyD wrote:

I don't see anything wrong calling a person a fairweather commuter. the term itself doesn't denote a bad cyclists. That's others perception of the word.

Being a fairweather anything is to be seen as a lesser proponent of whatever activity is under discussion, and is bandied about by those who see themselves as in the good sector, whether that be those who continue to commute in all weathers and conditions, or football fans who do the metaphorical Grimsby away on a wet Tuesday in November. In football terms being called a fairweather fan is a derogatory term, a johny-come-lately who jumps on the bandwagon when regular finishes in the top half of the Premier League beckons along with winning the League Cup (twice, can you imagine - come on Leicester), but who then soon dropped away when O'Neill left and some dimwit called Taylor navigated the club out of the FA Cup v Wycombe, out of the Premier league and back to gates of 12-15000 and less. Fairweather <activity> is a derogatory term.

DonDaddyD

ChrisInBicester wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I don't see anything wrong calling a person a fairweather commuter. the term itself doesn't denote a bad cyclists. That's others perception of the word.

Being a fairweather anything is to be seen as a lesser proponent of whatever activity is under discussion

In your opinion and only if you live your life by comparison. I've clearly stated what my view of what a fairweather cyclists is.

If a person doesn't want to commute in the harshness of cold darkness that is winter, that's their choice. Perhaps safety is their concern, perhaps they simply don't like it. Taking that decision doesn't make them a worse or better cyclists or a lesser person or lesser proponent of cycling.

Riding purely in good weather makes a fairweather cyclists. Riding dangerously makes a bad cyclists (incidentally I think it is these people who are a lesser proponent of the activity). I think I've said that already.