Lycra clad bladdy idiots..

butcher of bakersfield

I'm sure you're every bit a committed cyclist as the rest of us on this forum, but referring to the miscreant as Skin Suit Man just makes you sound like every other Daily Mail cycle-hater spouting bile.

Yep. And while you may disagree with them strongly I'm sure the guy has his reasons for being on the road, even if it is that he's simply not aware of the cycle path or doesn't know how to get on to it. Surely it is worth questioning these things before directing your anger towards him? At the end of the day I doubt it was as big an issue as you make it out to be. I've never came across a cyclist that has posed anything other than a mild inconvenience. Is it really worth getting angered over?

What it comes down to is the perception of right of way. i.e. Cyclist shouldn't be on the road. This is mine. And when even cyclists take this attitude then it's going to re-enforce the negative opinions of the average motorist tenfold. So I certainly don't buy the idea that these people are to blame for the the behaviour of their aggressors. That behaviour comes from self-righteous beliefs bred into people from the culture and the peer groups they've grown up around. Feeding it really isn't helpful.

southdownswolf

Am I missing something? The cycle path in the OP's post is about 3ft away from the carriageway. If the bloke the OP is refering to doesn't know how to get onto it, then he doesn't know how to walk.

Or is there another link I missed?

butcher of bakersfield

But this is cycling, not walking. And are you sure the guy is aware that it is a shared path?

Yes, I too would use the cycle path, every single time, even if it meant getting off my bike to get on to it. However, this guy is not actually doing anything wrong. The perceptions here are based on what an individual believes to be right. Which is fair enough. But it needs to be remembered that there are people out there who believe you shouldn't be on the road at all. Any road. And they are every bit as entitled their opinion as we are to ours.

I think it's worth bearing that in mind when we feel frustrated and get the urge to vent. Because it is just different levels of the same thing, and there's no good to come out of it.

Spread a little bit of love instead.

cheaterkiller

In answer to OP, some people are just utter morons. They have no rational explanation or reason for their actions, they just do what they do.

negativelycra

Lol, i fear a forum lynching!

I aceept that the cyclist here has the right to be on the road if he wishes, but imo choosing to put yourself in danger whilst slowing the main bypass to 20 odd mph is not just selfish, but also massively daft.
I'm sorry if i came accross as a daily mail type, my rant is mainly because at some point, some neckbeard that was wound up by this bloke will take it out on another innocent cyclist at a later date. Whether that is via shit driving, or the alternative route of not getting more brilliant facilities like the a34 cycle path ("as cyclists dont use it anyway") it makes me sad.

Re the lycra comment - not aiming to spit any bile, i just find it funny that some people regularly get so togged up to ride their bike, they're effectively getting dressed in full man u kit (including socks) to go for a kickabout in the park...

neeb

Negativelycra wrote:

Re the lycra comment - not aiming to spit any bile, i just find it funny that some people regularly get so togged up to ride their bike, they're effectively getting dressed in full man u kit (including socks) to go for a kickabout in the park...

If you did any proper cycling you would know that lycra is the only comfortable and practical option for anything other than a sedate urban commute. Are you suggesting that people should go out for fast 60 mile rides in shorts and t shirts? Sounds like you just don't like cycle sport (as opposed to commuting / recreational cycling) or don't know much about it.

butcher of bakersfield

Preparing the noose now, Negativelycra

It just riles me a bit that there is a culture in cycling that dictates we must back motorists by pointing the finger at 'bad' (and in many cases law abiding) cyclists.

I get the reasons behind it. But I think it generates the opposite of the intended effect by re-enforcing negative stereotypes of cyclists, and supporting popular opinions of where they belong, i.e. not on the road, or in the gutter at the very least. This can only lead to more aggression on the roads.

negativelycra

Neeb, i agree cycling kit is essential - but imo there is a difference between wearing cyling clothing, and "full team kit man." if i have somehow caused offence i apologise, it was not my intention.

neeb

Negativelycra wrote:

Neeb, i agree cycling kit is essential - but imo there is a difference between wearing cyling clothing, and "full team kit man." if i have somehow caused offence i apologise, it was not my intention.

Well, road cycling clothing is generally lycra bibshorts/longs and various layers of tight-fitting lycra etc. on top, so the only difference between cycling clothing and "full team kit" is the logos/colours. Some people buy their clothing in team colours because they think it looks better or they want to show support for a team, but it's the same stuff basically. So if your kit happens to be "team kit" that's what you would wear when you went out.

No offence caused (to me at least) in this regard, sounds like you just don't know much about the type of cycling the bloke you saw was probably doing.

Anonymous

Your post is titled 'Lycra clad......', not Full team kit........., so it seems more a problem with people wearing the correct clothing for cycling than the fact it might have been in team colours, or even what he was doing!
You also said it was a skin suit. So what was it, skin suit, team rep skin suit, team rep bib/jersey or just normal cycling bib/jersey that most people on here would wear?

I'll ask again. What type of cycling do you do and what do you wear whist doing it?
Sounds as if you are either wearing the wrong clothing, or you do so little cycling that you are really just a motorist and not the car driving cyclist you mentioned at all!

Cyclists cannot use 90+% of cycle paths because they are not designed for actually cycling on.
A lot of car drivers (and you sound like one of them) do not understand this (as well as many other things about cycling/aspects of the highway code) and just do not like to having to share the road with bicycles.

dodgy

His username provides a clue also.

Anonymous

I had not even noticed that. I must pay more attention :roll:

Surely offering such a username should trigger some kind of instant entry refusal and IP ban

Mike39496

I made the schoolboy error of missing the dropped kerb the first time I went along this road - It was about 1pm in the afternoon so barely any traffic but still quite scary having the cars tank it past you! Fortunately the gap between the kerb and white line is easily wide enough to cycle in so there really isn't that much of an issue.

I do always use the path now though as it's like riding on silk

ror3h

I commute up and down that road everyday, and it's a great cycle path, great surface and plenty of space. However, the access to and from it is rubbish, you have to jump on at a pedestrian crossing at the north end, which can be a bit hairy coming straight off a busy roundabout. At the south end it's a little better, but it's still easy to miss. Also, there are no clear signs that it's a shared path until a few hundred yards along the bypass, from either end.
I have seen a few people on TT bikes cycling in the road, but I wouldn't fancy it myself!

thegibdog

Indeed, when I first cycled down that road I missed the cycle path due to the fact there is no obvious entry point for cyclists and it just looks like a path at first. I'l always use it now though as it is such a great surface. Not sure why they opted for a shared use path when they could easily have had separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists - I would prefer a wide, well segregated cycle lane rather than a shared use path.

ednino

Negativelycra wrote:

Neeb, i agree cycling kit is essential - but imo there is a difference between wearing cyling clothing, and "full team kit man." if i have somehow caused offence i apologise, it was not my intention.

Whats the difference between cycling clothing & full team kit?