The *right* thing to do

00rush

My semi-regular commute takes me from Liverpool Street in the City of London through to Wanstead in East London. Its about 12.5 km, and a relaxed 35min ride through Victoria park and some quieter side streets in Hackney and Leyton. There is one part however (Ruckholt road / Eastway) which gets quite busy. It is an 'A' road, with lots of HGVs coming to and from the olympic construction site.

Yesterday I was behind a couple of guys doing the same route. They seemed to be new-ish commuters (shiny expensive looking high-res jackets, nice new hybrid bikes), and indulged in some down right crazy riding. Filtering in and out of traffic, persistent RLJ-ing, and the worse was cutting right in front of a HGV which had to do some heavy braking. Clearly the two guys were egging each other on.

I was tempted to go up to them and ask them to stay calm before they became road kill. But I didn't. Figured I would look like a preaching a$$hole. What would you have done?

lost_in_thought

I'd have left them to take their accident elsewhere. From what you've said, it seems talking to them would have had no impact on their actions.

MadammeMarie

lost_in_thought wrote:

I'd have left them to take their accident elsewhere. From what you've said, it seems talking to them would have had no impact on their actions.

But an accident can cost somebody's life and put a driver through an awful situation.

if I had caught up with them, I would have said something. Maybe coming from a fellow cyclist the advice is taken a bit more seriously (that's just a guess).

ketsbaia

Scalp them, then give them a piece of advice over your shoulder as you ride off into the distance.

rjsterry

I've thought about 'having a word' with a few lunatic riders, but so far have always thought better of it/chickened out. Mainly because, when I have seen others try, they've usually received a mouthful of abuse or blank incomprehension. Nobody likes being told that they're acting like a tool.

kelsen

Very often, those who need advice the most are the ones who refuse to listen to it, and perhaps the only people whom they might listen to are their parents or the police.

asprilla

But they were wearing hi-viz! Surely that means they are indestructible and any freak accident would be the other road users fault........

00rush

There is nothing more discouraging than being knocked off your bike the first or second time you try the commute (or indeed being pancaked by a HGV when RLJ-ing on a blind turn). I think next time, if nothing else, I might just ask people to be careful, and ride off. Will probably get an earful of abuse though :shock:

On a side note, since the country is broke, I guess we are going to have to get used to pot holes on the road. I almost came off my bike on Bishopsgate (after the station - towards norton folgate) because of the huge potholes on the road..

kelsen

00rush wrote:

On a side note, since the country is broke, I guess we are going to have to get used to pot holes on the road. I almost came off my bike on Bishopsgate (after the station - towards norton folgate) because of the huge potholes on the road..

This might have saved you...

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/822785-the- ... n-potholes

Mickey Eye

Heh, from just this morning. Doing the transition from a road with dead end to the next section of road, so on pavement for about 12 meters and cycling very slowly. My disk brakes squeal and cause a woman walking ahead of me to jump. I apologize to her and slowly trundle past. Just as I pass her... WOOOOSH, Old man on a hybrid snakes between us and nearly takes her down. I went to give chase but got stopped by lights. I see him in the distance getting shouted at by another pedestrian while running another light.
I really really wanted him to cause a van to emergency brake or something, just to wake himself up.

spen666

Isn't the appropriate action for the OP to D lock the 2 of them? :?: :?: :?: :?:

Clever Pun

spen666 wrote:

Isn't the appropriate action for the OP to D lock the 2 of them? :?: :?: :?: :?:

only if they talked back after you gave them sage advice