Do you tell off other cyclists

matt@theforce

I do tell other cyclists off, I'm fed up of them giving cyclists a bad name.

Having said that I've noticed different towns/citys seem to have different cycling standards. I commute into Sheffield & I thought the standard around here was bad until I started cycling with my brother on our days off during the week, York is a horrible place to cycle/drive. The cycle lanes don't tie up, there's too much traffic and too many pedestrians/tourists making it a dangerous place for everyone.

I also took a trip over to Manchester/Stockport last week and again the attitude of cyclists running red lights was appauling but I guess this is because every junction I came to with a cycle box at the lights had a car in it creeping forward to get through the lights as quick as possible

bigmonka

matt@theforce wrote:

Having said that I've noticed different towns/citys seem to have different cycling standards. I commute into Sheffield & I thought the standard around here was bad until I started cycling with my brother on our days off during the week, York is a horrible place to cycle/drive. The cycle lanes don't tie up, there's too much traffic and too many pedestrians/tourists making it a dangerous place for everyone.

York definitely is very busy, it's an appalling place to try and drive around - particularly at busy times. I regularly beat cars for the first 5 miles of my commute (the the roads open up and the cars take the lead!).
But what I can say about York is that in my experience the standards of cycling are actually pretty good. You notice the red light jumpers and poor over/undertakers because there aren't actually that many of them.
You're very right about the random cycle lanes which don't meet up, some of them are hilarious!

matt@theforce

Yes, York is certainly somewhere I don't like to cycle anymore, unless heading away from it . I grew up in York and spent many years commuting from Clifton to the town centre & YCFHE when it was up opposite Tadcaster Road Tesco's.
I never noticed cycling standards back then but do now, its a beautiful city, its just a shame it's so busy.

On my day's off a friend and I have started catching the train to different towns/cities and cycle back to Sheffield, we usually cycle between 60-90miles per day and always use the Sustran's routes and cycle paths/lanes, so far, Manchester & Stockport are the worst places we've seen for poor cycling & driving not too mention cycle paths/lanes that are plain daft, they obviously have been created by people that don't cycle and I think that is the biggest problem, more people (including myself) would use them to commute on if they were better surfaced/organised

andrewc3142

No.

BigLights

Perhaps it should be a bigger culture, of 'advice'. Those who are knowingly and wilfully putting themselves in danger can be left to themselves, but I do see Borisbikers (if we're going to stereotype) in particular do things that are crazy. I think some of them are genuinely unaware of the dangers they put themselves in and in that scenario I reckon it's not just OK, but perhaps morally obligatory to have a word if appropriate.

bushu

Natural selection at its finest.. though i did appreciate one 'driver' telling me i forgot to turn my rear light on once

Now RLJ are just twats and i'll end up having to smack some chavtastic prick for taking this frustration out on other cyclists, probably a good kick to the dérailleur to dismount and see what you've to say for yourself, you dont see too much where i commute but i've seen some proper eijiot leeds city commuters.. glad they are all kept away from me, dont tolerate many fools but understand where the thread is coming from.

That said, on the mtb i have an urge to jump curbs just to ride the grass verge as the tyres are like velcro on the road.. but i know i then have to stop at junctions as such like a pedestrian! Not hard is it!

Stevo_666

I normally don't bother but would love to have some sort of artificial voice machine that says extremely loudly 'That t0sser's jumping the lights' when you press a button.

drlodge

BigLights wrote:

...but I do see Borisbikers (if we're going to stereotype) in particular do things that are crazy. I think some of them are genuinely unaware of the dangers they put themselves in and in that scenario I reckon it's not just OK, but perhaps morally obligatory to have a word if appropriate.

This ---^ Saw a borisbiker this morning, asian looking chap with no helmet, weaving in and out of cars without a care in the world and generally being very annoying. I'd catch him up after every set of lights, only then for him to weave his way carelessly to the front of the next set of lights.

The other annoying breed are those who just have to go as fast as possible on London's streets, over take everyone and get to the front when the lights are red. I just let them go, it saves them sod all time and I just sit back a little behind some girl cyclist with a nice backside and enjoy the view

MrChuck

Chris Bass wrote:

the question you should ask is, will me saying anything make them any less likely to do it agin in the future?

the answer is pretty much always no.

the other question is, will me saying something get me a whole load of abuse.

the answer is pretty much always yes.

This, basically. I wouldn't take kindly to a stranger approaching me in the street and telling me what they thought I was doing wrong, even if on reflection they were right. And IME most people aren't very good at the 'on reflection' bit and are generally quicker to take offence than I am, which leads me to believe I'd be wasting my breath. I do tell people about stuff like obscured lights though, and if someone was really causing a problem it might be different.
It is hard though sometimes- a couple of mornings lately I've been out early and seen people riding on the pavement next to a virtually deserted road, when it seems to me they're at far more risk of getting hit by someone reversing out of their driveway than they would be on the road. Don't say anything though...

craker

I told off a RLJ last week. Actually, when I got into work I was a bit wound up at getting into a confrontational situation. Whether or not it makes any difference in that one case I don't suppose I'll bother again soon.

jimmypippa

MrChuck wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

the question you should ask is, will me saying anything make them any less likely to do it agin in the future?

the answer is pretty much always no.

the other question is, will me saying something get me a whole load of abuse.

the answer is pretty much always yes.

This, basically. I wouldn't take kindly to a stranger approaching me in the street and telling me what they thought I was doing wrong, even if on reflection they were right. And IME most people aren't very good at the 'on reflection' bit and are generally quicker to take offence than I am, which leads me to believe I'd be wasting my breath. I do tell people about stuff like obscured lights though, and if someone was really causing a problem it might be different.
It is hard though sometimes- a couple of mornings lately I've been out early and seen people riding on the pavement next to a virtually deserted road, when it seems to me they're at far more risk of getting hit by someone reversing out of their driveway than they would be on the road. Don't say anything though...

I did mention that to a guy I saw on the pavement. I purposely did not tell him off, but did suggest that he'd find it easier on the road. He later thanked me. Most people I don't tell because I don't think they'd get it but I thought there was a chance in this occasion - he looked otherwise quite competent. Some of the incompetent slow riders - I think might be better off on a deserted pavement than on the A6.

fatsmoker

Had an altercation with a motorist on Friday evening who changed lane while on his phone as I filtering on the right-hand side towards some traffic lights. My legs turned to jelly afterwards, took ages to get back on it.

CJ Bill

Had some berk cycle right at me on the canal yesterday (whilst I was on the far left of the path). When I shouted "oi" at him he told me to go eff myself. When I replied "What?!" he replied that I'd heard him. Turned round and caught up with him in 30 seconds and proceeded to give him some choice words as a response. I think he was a bit surprised although on reflection when he called me a psycho nutter he may have been right: in my defence indicating next time he tried that stunt he'd be in the canal was pretty true though.

BigLights

I had a right go at a good friend of mine on Sunday. We were on a nice fast 45 miler and he was running every single red light we encountered on the way out. I tried to lead by example, tut tut, (and he was forced to stop and wait for me anyway) but by the time we got to Hampton Court and I watched him go straight through 2 reds in a row outside the train station on a very busy sunny Sunday at about 25mph, including swerving to dodge a toddler about the same age as my daughter, I went properly ballistic on him. I think at first he thought I was having him on but I made it clear I was genuinely angry, it's just totally not on at all.

Anyway...rest of the ride was wonderful, and I think he may be rethinking his riding etiquette. so that's good.