Nodderpocalypse Now!

DonDaddyD

Today on my commute I must have encoutered well over 100 cyclists. Maybe even 200 considering an entire 1mile stretch of road was filled with cyclists - no gaps.

It is also a majore commuting route with 1 of the first 2 cycle lanes. So I'd argue its harder to avoid Nod-troopers.

dhope

DonDaddyD wrote:

So I'd argue its harder to avoid Nod-troopers.

Break out the Ion Cannon and nuke them from space? It's the only way to be sure.

Sorry, I'm mixing my geek references there

tarquin_foxglove

DonDaddyD wrote:

... the entire stretch of Clapham Rd/A3 (Stockwell Tube to Oval tube), the full width of the bus lane was filled with cyclists of various proficiencies.

The numbers of cyclists were overwhelming.

So jealous.

Last week I had one other commuter on my route twice and that in itself is noteworthy.

rolf_f

DonDaddyD wrote:

Today on my commute I must have encoutered well over 100 cyclists. Maybe even 200 considering an entire 1mile stretch of road was filled with cyclists - no gaps.

Lol - I think I encountered 4 in 24 miles

roger_merriman

Rolf F wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Today on my commute I must have encountered well over 100 cyclists. Maybe even 200 considering an entire 1mile stretch of road was filled with cyclists - no gaps.

Lol - I think I encountered 4 in 24 miles

most days I encounter zero and I do live inside the M25 there are some big bike clubs near by. but most days I don't see any bikes, the few I do see are cheap dual suspension MTB's so the rare run in with any thing even vaguely worth chasing down is worth of mention.

SmellTheGlove

I have a lonely route all just inside London's north circular - even on a bright November or February day the bike numbers swell only to drop off again when the clouds roll over, but most will be crossing my path rather than following it. I like seeing that ebb and flow.
A cheap washed-up two-bit clairvoyant could predict there will be many more motorists on bikes out there this year than in recent summers. Personally, I'll embrace that surge. Sure to be some entertaining "attitudes" to observe along the way.

Dudu

Clever Pun wrote:

Dudu wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

More cyclists good... we were all rubbish once

Some of us read up on it and gave it some rational thought before we started.

Richard's Bicycle Book, 1979 edition.

oh please...

even with all the theory in the world you don't pick up on things like "that tw@t is going to left hook me"

Time on the road gives you experience and that'll help you avoid trouble

Actually, that (and riding to minimise that) was one of the things I read up on. The experience has only reinforced it unlikelihood to the extent that i can't remember when it last happened.

itboffin

Clever Pun wrote:

More cyclists good... we were all rubbish once

just be nice and let people know where they are being a tool and then show them dust as you cycle off at a speed they can only hope to attain with a motor

Aye wot he said

Chill dude 8)

tarquin_foxglove

tarquin_foxglove wrote:

Last week I had one other commuter on my route twice and that in itself is noteworthy.

Yesterday, someone pulled in front of me at the lights and on my way home I saw someone I knew, actually on a bike. :shock:

And then outside the teeming metropolis that is Durham, on a rural road no less, a 3rd bike! After I'd overtaken them, for the next couple of miles I perceived cars to be giving me a wider berth, being more considerate as they overtook me.

Safety in numbers finally reaches Durham.

This morning though, back to being the only cyclist on the road.

ste_

For the 2nd time since I started commuting at the beginning of January I saw another cyclist yesterday morning.

I imagined him tucked in behind me sucking my wheel and I rode a lung-busting pace for about 2 miles. Not wanting to give away that I'd clocked him and was in maximum attack I was breathing through my eyeballs and refusing to check over my shoulder for his proximity. When I eventually glanced back, which I dressed up as a nonchalant traffic check to move out around a cracked drain I realised he was nowhere to be seen at all and the noise that I thought had been another cyclist in close formation was my rear mud guard slightly rubbing.

gtvlusso

This morning nodderness:

Podgy bloke, childs helmet on, old mountain bike - comes to tricky road junction, so, rides on pavement up to a set of lights on the main raod, where he meets with a lady with a double buggy with kids in. Ducks through her and drops onto the road at the lights where I am waiting - no hint of a shoulder check....straight through red light and off. Caught him in seconds, even though I sat at the lights for a while.

Another bloke coming towards a box junction, I overtook him before the box junction as he was slow, then stopped at the red light. He carries on past me, through the junction even though peds are crossing.....WTF?!

Once again, few seconds later, caught and scalped.......

I am not sure that it is car driver we have a bad name with, more likely to be pedestrians thats hate us, especially with the antics of these two nodders.

alan_sherman

Classic last night. I'm at a T junction wiating to turn rigtht onto the main road. Cyclist comes up on my right and sits just over the white line - I guess thinking he would 'overtake' when making the turn onto the road. This nodder can't have been that bright though as he didn't see the car waiting to turn right into the road we were on...... Where did he think he was going to go?

Of course he was wearing a helmet, flouro jacket and had lights so was obviously 'safety' conscious to some degree.

Shall we just start greeting them all by saying: "Nod on you muppet"?

notsoblue

alan sherman wrote:

Shall we just start greeting them all by saying: "Nod on you muppet"?

Oh god, please no...

There is so much elitism here! Don't you remember what it was like when you first started cycling?

Cafewanda

Nope. Selective memory kicked in last year...........

Dudu

notsoblue wrote:

alan sherman wrote:

Shall we just start greeting them all by saying: "Nod on you muppet"?

Oh god, please no...

There is so much elitism here! Don't you remember what it was like when you first started cycling?

Child cycling, aged 11: Yes, it was on a quiet suburban backstreet in a quiet provincial town. Soon graduated to riding around town, to school and out into the bundu. On dirt roads.

Adult cycling, aged 30: Yes. I used all the stuff I learned to get my motorcycle licence.

DonDaddyD

notsoblue wrote:

alan sherman wrote:

Shall we just start greeting them all by saying: "Nod on you muppet"?

Oh god, please no...

There is so much elitism here! Don't you remember what it was like when you first started cycling?

Nope I don't accept that it is. When I was new I didn't do idiotic things that purposely endangered everyone around me. I used common sense.

Nodders are a select few with a reckless attitude to cycling awareness and are deluded about there ability. They are probably likely to be as dangerous behind a wheel as they are on a bike and this sttitude extends beyond experience.

the_hundredth_idiot

Cafewanda wrote:

Nope. Selective memory kicked in last year...........

Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for the availability of every single post ever made on Bike Radar (unless, of course, it's one of mine where I'm being an absolute dick - been known to happen, surprisingly).

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away:
Cafewanda, Fri May 8, 2009 8:26 pm

Hi all. I'm a 46yo newbie commuter. Only been at it since September. New to cycling really as got my first ever bike 4 years ago and took 3 years to have lessons/build up my confidence. 'Chicken' was my first name

Anyway, my route is Balham to London Bridge and I've noticed over the past 2 or so weeks an increase in cyclists. Great BUT why is there a need to race? Hopefully I cycle with due care and attention, but am unnerved by those who feel the need to whiz by so close to me they could ride my bike at the same time and that's when the road has more than enough space! When there is abuildup of traffic, I join the line. Others will slide up the inside, go on the outside for squeeze down the middle. Are they all late for work, or I am a wuss for taking things easy? Sometimes I have to shake my head and hope drivers don't punish me for the actions of others, but I'm sure some of them do especially on my homeward journey

On Wednesday, a fellow cyclist managed to knock me off my bike at the lights. He was way too close, on my right side. Lights change and I slowly moved off. He appears, touches my bike and instead of stopping, carries on moving forward so I lose my balance and over I go. He did stop and saw that I was ok, as did others. No apology because that would be an admission of guilt right? I strongly advised him to refrain from getting so close and to stop moving if he tangles with another cyclist.

I have to admit to being one of those who do not use hand signals only because I'm still not comfortable taking one hand off the handlebars, but I'm getting there. However, my frequent head turns left or right seems to have the same effect and drivers, generally, slow down to let me do what I need to (thanks!).

gtvlusso

Hmm - slight amount of rain in the air this morning, not enough to justify waterproofs.

Anyway, bonus, no nodders...nice clear run through the traffic.

Bless 'em

:-)

Paul E

Just a few this morning on my way in from SE London, nothing to get all worked up about, even in pootle mode still had enough to just cruise past them, I do notice they all over dress for the cnoditions, I would boil in the things they wear even at a pootle.

gtvlusso

It is quite bizarre, but I guess that quite a few people on this forum come from a "Sporty" background. So, they know about wicking kit and importance of hydration and not overheating - blah blah blah. I guess we are judging an element of society that has decided to cycle to work, without any prior sportyness or interest in fitness activities and are just doing what they feel is best on their budget.

Chapeau to them in all their wonderful guises - but please ride on the road and not the pavement!

wgwarburton

notsoblue wrote:

alan sherman wrote:

Shall we just start greeting them all by saying: "Nod on you muppet"?

Oh god, please no...

There is so much elitism here! Don't you remember what it was like when you first started cycling?

I agree completely that there's no room for elitism, here, but I don't get the "remember when you started?" thing... I learned to ride a bike when I was about five years old and have been doing so ever since. I've had the odd gap when I didn't ride for a while because of circumstances (eg very young children and no spare time, living abroad without a bike) but surely this is a pretty normal experience.
FWIW, I don't really do "sporty", lycra, technical gear etc. I'm just riding to work, you know, not pretending to be an athlete... :-)

I would expect "taking up cycling" as an adult to be relatively rare, though the transition from "leisure" cyclist to "commuter" might be pretty common and result in some wierdness while climbing the learning curve...

Cheers,
W.

EKE_38BPM

I'm with Buns, apart from a few breaks, I've always cycled.
I do wear technical gear though. The way I sweat, I'd be a mess if I didn't and I'd rather wear out my cycling gear than my work or non-cycling gear.

Also cycling gear seems more resiliant, I seem to wear through the crotch on jeans particularly quickly when I wear them on a bike.

Zombie_donkey

I will be babysitting a nodder on the commute to work from next week.

The trip takes 20 minutes but I have agreed to allow for a 45 minute trip to allow for whining, falling off and pushing up hills.

It's nearly all cycle paths so no one should die.

My main worry is that I don't have a gear low enough to go that slow. It will be Pedal..... Wait..... Pedal.......... Wait................... shout at her and then leave her far behind until her screams of "Wait for me you fat F**ker" fade away with the distance.

tailwindhome

Zombie_donkey wrote:

I will be babysitting a nodder on the commute to work from next week.

The trip takes 20 minutes but I have agreed to allow for a 45 minute trip to allow for whining, falling off and pushing up hills.

It's nearly all cycle paths so no one should die.

My main worry is that I don't have a gear low enough to go that slow. It will be Pedal..... Wait..... Pedal.......... Wait................... shout at her and then leave her far behind until her screams of "Wait for me you fat F**ker" fade away with the distance.

ALMOST A YEAR AGO TO THE VERY DAY ZOMBIE DONKEY wrote:

Anyway. I am mid 30s unfit, overweight - 5'7" 17.5stone, but I used to bike everywhere until I was 20 and had to sell my bike to pay for car insurance. I remember it being fun and cheaper than the car.

I'm thinking of getting an aluminium hybrid bike but I worry about the following.

I will have 4 miles along a reasonably flat cycle path to get to work but there are no showers at work.

I fear I will be sat, drenched in sweat at my desk for much of the morning with a big red face.

Should I just keep using the focus or just go for it and hope my boss has a defibrilator?
And then what about the chafing from my short fat hairy legs?

Comments from anyone else who is / was in a similar situation would be appreciated.

There's a lesson in there for newcomers and old hands alike

Zombie_donkey

I'm now close to 16.5 stone, lost inches off my trouser size and ride a Road bike. And I simply do not need a shower, yes I am hot when I get to work but I recover in no time and would not even bother changing if my boss would tolerate a Mamil in the office.

My colleague cycles 20 miles in to work. We will have 5 new nodders at work this spring who are doing it after realising it has not killed me.

I just sold the Hybrid to help pay for this years car insurance. :oops:

gtvlusso

I give up......

After watching 4 nodders avoid a temporary traffic light by riding down a pavement....no care for the schoolchildren on the pavement........

Watched nodder ride through red light at junction - admittedly, not a busy junction, but one where you cannot see cars approaching from the left....scalped again.

This is just B*ll*x....

We are the shitest road users, without doubt, and it is no wonder that other road users get f*cked off with cyclists. I have changed route to work recently, time to change back to a route where I simply don't see this kind of idiocy.

Cafewanda

gtvlusso wrote:

We are the shitest road users, without doubt.

Actually SOME of us are (Clapham High Street, yesterday evening, an excellent case in point :roll: :shock: )

Try not to let it affect you to a great degree. Shake your head and/or take deep breaths then let it go. It's always to wrongdoers that get the attention not the ones who behave.

notsoblue

Cafewanda wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

We are the shitest road users, without doubt.

Actually SOME of us are (Clapham High Street, yesterday evening, an excellent case in point :roll: :shock: )

Try not to let it affect you to a great degree. Shake your head and/or take deep breaths then let it go. It's always to wrongdoers that get the attention not the ones who behave.

+1

The Rookie

As my commute is across country, the only nodder I ever see is when crossing the Uni campus and its an oldish bloke (even older than me!) on a full sus BSO doing about 6mph, I suspect from the effort he's putting in and the lack of sweat that he only cycles about 2 miles max.

Simon

Kieran_Burns

TailWindHome wrote:

Zombie_donkey wrote:

I will be babysitting a nodder on the commute to work from next week.

The trip takes 20 minutes but I have agreed to allow for a 45 minute trip to allow for whining, falling off and pushing up hills.

It's nearly all cycle paths so no one should die.

My main worry is that I don't have a gear low enough to go that slow. It will be Pedal..... Wait..... Pedal.......... Wait................... shout at her and then leave her far behind until her screams of "Wait for me you fat F**ker" fade away with the distance.

ALMOST A YEAR AGO TO THE VERY DAY ZOMBIE DONKEY wrote:

Anyway. I am mid 30s unfit, overweight - 5'7" 17.5stone, but I used to bike everywhere until I was 20 and had to sell my bike to pay for car insurance. I remember it being fun and cheaper than the car.

I'm thinking of getting an aluminium hybrid bike but I worry about the following.

I will have 4 miles along a reasonably flat cycle path to get to work but there are no showers at work.

I fear I will be sat, drenched in sweat at my desk for much of the morning with a big red face.

Should I just keep using the focus or just go for it and hope my boss has a defibrilator?
And then what about the chafing from my short fat hairy legs?

Comments from anyone else who is / was in a similar situation would be appreciated.

There's a lesson in there for newcomers and old hands alike

That would be:

Don't post anything that will come back and bite you on the arse; as some smart-alec will dig out the post and completely pull the rug out from under your feet?