Kids on bikes rant

AlasR

Well not so much about the kid on the bike as much as the red shirted idiot on a red road bike who nearly ran him over on FCN 1 in Edinburgh yesterday afternoon.
Seriously, maybe it's just me, but if you can clearly see a young child who is just learning how to ride do you:

a: Come screaming up behind him on a narrow piece of track leaving it far to late to slow down, then brake suddenly when the child swerves a bit causing an almighty shrieking of brakes, then nearly run him over when the kid jumps out of his skin, swerves and nearly falls off under your tires.

b. Realise that there is a child in front on a narrow track, see he looks a bit jittery and slow right up so that there is no danger of an accident, or putting him off cycling for the rest of his life.

I would have thought the latter to be common sense?

anton1r

natch the correct answer is B.
But it's not always as clear as that, it's all about having good judgement on what's happening in front of you. Maybe the red shirted "idiot", wasn't paying attention or thought the child looked more competent on a bike than they are. Either way the he should clearly have been taking more care.

Out of curiosity what's your involvement in this? Innocent bystander? The kid's parent?

On a separate note, I was standing on Lothian Road yesterday about about 5.30pm and it was about 50/50 the amount of people who cycled through the pedestrian crossing in front of the Picturehouse on red and those who didn't. Must say I was pretty surprised as I don't normally see it that bad.

AlasR

I was on my bike about 100 yards behind, even from there you could see the kid was just getting used to cycling. Was just a little shocked that anyone could be that unobservant, or stupid.

anton1r

Ahh fair enough.
Yeah the cycle paths around Edinburgh attract a whole mix of people... it's definitely not the place for speed. If you want to get anywhere in a hurry, get on the road is my opinion not only because there's less people/dogs/kids in the way but the cycle routes around town are fairly indirect.

The Rookie

There is a cycle path in leamington spa that runs parallel with a footpath, all the peds walk on the cycelway and many shout at the cyclists for using 'their footpath' - go figure - I guess Mr 'Red Roady' came from the same gene pool........High six!

Simon

veronese68

Taking the kids for a ride on the shared bike/pedestrian path in Richmond Park is a nightmare at the moment.
Combination of blokes on expensive mountain bikes trying to go as fast as they can and militant pedestrians. With a few sane people just trying to go about their business.
I commute through Bushy Park and it's also busy at this time of year. I accept the fact that dogs, deer and small children are completely unpredicatble and ride accordingly. It's amazing how many people have grown into adults without grasping such basic principles.

Gussio

Veronese68 wrote:

Taking the kids for a ride on the shared bike/pedestrian path in Richmond Park is a nightmare at the moment.
Combination of blokes on expensive mountain bikes trying to go as fast as they can and militant pedestrians. With a few sane people just trying to go about their business.
I commute through Bushy Park and it's also busy at this time of year. I accept the fact that dogs, deer and small children are completely unpredicatble and ride accordingly. It's amazing how many people have grown into adults without grasping such basic principles.

+1

Jason82

As I say to my mates you get good cyclists and crap ones just like you do drivers. Some don't care about anyone else other than themselves I like to call them BMW/Mercedes drivers on bikes.

Jason82

As I say to my mates you get good cyclists and crap ones just like you do drivers. Some don't care about anyone else other than themselves I like to call them BMW/Mercedes drivers on bikes.