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Drafting RLJer rear-ends car at Clapham South.

DonDaddyDDonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
edited July 2009 in Commuting chat
I'm Riding up Balham hill and heading to the lights by Clapham South. I can see the lights ahead going through the amber to red sequence, it has quite a long amber stage.

I can see a cyclist heading towards the lights/junction and I'm thinking "There is no way he is going to beat the lights and he isn't making shapes to stop."

He also drafting an electric blue VW Polo and the lights turn red. The Polo stops abruptly, obviously not anticipating the lights changing either, and the cyclists rear-ends the car in spectacular fashion with his head smacking the spoiler, his rear tyre in the air, his chain completely derailed and him eventually and utterly on the floor.

Now I'm not entirely ashamed to admit that my initial reaction wasn't just "Is he all right?" It was a more simultaneous reaction of "Is he OK/GOOD serves him right for trying to RLJ and draft a car at a junction" Which he has done before.

He got up kinda laughing to himself and he got sympathy from one girl but not anyone else including the cyclists immediately behind him who asked "If he was alright" but nothing else.
Food Chain number = 4

A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
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  • Agent57Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    Serves him right, really. Good that he wasn't seriously hurt, but he doesn't deserve any sympathy.

    Even regardless of red lights, draughting vehicles at speed is just asking for trouble. All it takes is an emergency stop (or even just an un-anticipated slow-down) for things to go pear-shaped.

    Not that I claim to be an angel in the case of draughting (I am an angel WRT red lights). I do sometimes ride too close to the car in front - a few days ago, a car tried to "brake-test" me. It was obviously deliberate as there were no lights, crossings, junctions or anything else in the road to slow for. I just went round him and carried on in front.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • bluesacsbluesacs Posts: 95
    This schadenfreudenism doesn't become you.
  • bigmatbigmat Posts: 5,111
    That was me you heartless bar-stewards! Only joking... what did the guy look like, wonder if it was one of the regulars along that stretch?
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  • cjcpcjcp Posts: 13,345
    :lol:
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    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • DonDaddyDDonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    MatHammond wrote:
    That was me you heartless bar-stewards! Only joking... what did the guy look like, wonder if it was one of the regulars along that stretch?

    I am half expecting the person to turn up on the site....

    He is a regular on the route, white, red and black bike oldish bike, I'd say between 30 and 40 white guy. Couldn't tell you much more, was late for work so rode off once it was established he was OK.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • Agent57Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    bluesacs wrote:
    This schadenfreudenism doesn't become you.

    Was that directed at me? If so, the comment is misplaced. I don't take pleasure in the fact he crashed; I'm just not particularly sympathetic at something he brought upon himself. My attitude would be softer if he'd actually hurt himself.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • Greg TGreg T Posts: 3,266
    bluesacs wrote:
    This schadenfreudenism doesn't become you.

    It becomes me just fine.

    If you draught (and I do occasionally) and you get caught out and end up stacking then tough nuts hombre that's the way the nacho crumbles.

    I'd have laughed. They guy wasn't hurt.

    I saw three roadies draughting a coach on the E last night - must have been doing 35 right up his backside - obviously a very dangerous man-ooo-ver fun but dangerous.

    If they'd have stacked iot would have been serious - maybe I wouldn't have laughed but I'd have limited sympathy.
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • DonDaddyDDonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    I side with Agent 57 on this. He could have easily gone through her rear window, she could have had kids in the back. In fact I was checking to see if she had.

    I'm glad the cyclist wasn't hurt but what he did was not only a danger to himself but to others. It's the latter part of the sentence that makes me have a lack of sympathy.

    People need to be held accoutable for the actions and others shouldn't be made to feel afraid of saying it.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • roger_merrimanroger_merriman Posts: 6,155
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    I side with Agent 57 on this. He could have easily gone through her rear window, she could have had kids in the back. In fact I was checking to see if she had.

    I'm glad the cyclist wasn't hurt but what he did was not only a danger to himself but to others. It's the latter part of the sentence that makes me have a lack of sympathy.

    People need to be held accoutable for the actions and others shouldn't be made to feel afraid of saying it.

    indeed i'm glad he wasn't hurt but he was the maker of his own downfall. silly sod.
  • O'DayO'Day Posts: 26
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    I side with Agent 57 on this. He could have easily gone through her rear window, she could have had kids in the back. In fact I was checking to see if she had.

    I'm glad the cyclist wasn't hurt but what he did was not only a danger to himself but to others. It's the latter part of the sentence that makes me have a lack of sympathy.

    People need to be held accoutable for the actions and others shouldn't be made to feel afraid of saying it.

    That's it right there. Taking risks on the road like that & you'll usually be taking them for others too, and that's not right.
  • bluesacsbluesacs Posts: 95
    The more you say the more it doesn't become you.
  • lost_in_thoughtlost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    :lol: muppet.

    The guy on the bike, obv.

    Oh and it's not really schadenfreude, it's more taking pleasure in the fact that someone's got their comeuppance.

    Schadenfreude would be if DDD had said 'ha, he hurt himself, I'm happy that he probably has a sore head'.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • bluesacsbluesacs Posts: 95
    [Ger., f. schaden harm + freude joy.]

    Malicious enjoyment of the misfortunes of others.
  • dilemnadilemna Posts: 2,187
    :lol: :roll:
    Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
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  • Paulie WPaulie W Posts: 1,492
    But it's not malicious if anything its righteous enjoyment
  • bluesacsbluesacs Posts: 95
    Righteous it would be if Dondaddy were guiltless and sinless, but as he has admitted he is not.
  • Agent57Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    In what way is it malicious, or even enjoyment? "Serves him right" doesn't inherently imply enjoyment, IMO.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • lost_in_thoughtlost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Hmmmm, I disagree... I still don't think it's what's going on here. There's an underlying implication of malice to Schadenfreude, whereas the above, as I say, is just happiness that justice has been done, perhaps the German definition of 'appropriate misfortune', but the malice just isn't there.

    Oh and I'm aware of the literal translation, thanks!
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • bluesacsbluesacs Posts: 95
    But that's not the way we use it in English, is it?
  • always_tyredalways_tyred Posts: 4,965
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    Hmmmm, I disagree... I still don't think it's what's going on here. There's an underlying implication of malice to Schadenfreude, whereas the above, as I say, is just happiness that justice has been done, perhaps the German definition of 'appropriate misfortune', but the malice just isn't there.

    Oh and I'm aware of the literal translation, thanks!
    No, it really is shadenfreude. But there is a place for shadenfreude. We are not a bad person.
  • lost_in_thoughtlost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    bluesacs wrote:
    But that's not the way we use it in English, is it?

    Well, you're the one who brought German into it!
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • il_principeil_principe Posts: 9,146
    bluesacs wrote:
    But that's not the way we use it in English, is it?

    Who the fcuk cares! Bloke rode like a bit of a d1ck and had an off. Glad he's ok, I'm not gonna take any pleasure in his spill, but if you ride dangerously these things are gonna happen. As someone else pointed out, his riding like that endangers others as well as himself so I have little sympathy. I wouldn't wish harm on another cyclist, but I hope he's learned a valuable lesson. I had a few close calls myself when I first got a roadie, taught me a valuable lesson*

    *which was buy campag brakes :D
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  • Soul BoySoul Boy Posts: 359
    Who really cares bluesacs, the guy got caught out drafting dangerously and attempting a RLJ. He's not hurt and will probably think twice next time. Thats a lesson learned, for him, the hard way.

    Some fella, obvious noob, came haring through the junction at the north end of London Bridge the other week, snaking through those stopped at the lights, realised he couldn't make it across the junction, slammed on his brakes and over the bars. He got up sheepishly, I shook my head. Maybe he too learned a valuble lesson, but I had little sympathy.
  • bluesacsbluesacs Posts: 95
    Well obviously I do. I hope he learns to RLJ properly for his sake.
  • Greg TGreg T Posts: 3,266
    bluesacs wrote:
    Well obviously I do. I hope he learns to RLJ properly for his sake.

    I hope he stops RLJing for my sake.
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • Agent57Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    bluesacs wrote:
    Well obviously I do. I hope he learns to RLJ properly for his sake.

    Obvious troll is obvious.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • Greg TGreg T Posts: 3,266
    Agent57 wrote:
    Obvious troll is obvious.

    What that in German?

    ArschlockunterdemBusistgangenhahahahah
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • bluesacsbluesacs Posts: 95
    Not trolling at all, I don't think we should be smirking because something happens to somebody when they're doing something like drafting or RLJing. People should try to rise above it, so if that's trolling, pass me a dwarf.
  • dirk_van_gentlydirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    Poetic Justice probably covers it.
    However I think we should be careful about taking any delight from this incident, as we become no better than those car drivers who believe we (cyclists) only get what we deserve.
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
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  • biondinobiondino Posts: 5,990
    Agent57 wrote:
    bluesacs wrote:
    Well obviously I do. I hope he learns to RLJ properly for his sake.

    Obvious troll is obvious.

    Need to figure out the difference between trolling and joking... (I laughed, bluesacs :) )
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