Sharing abuse
slowbike
Posts: 8,498
Why would any cyclist shout abuse at another cyclist?
Because they've cut you up?
Because they've got lights so bright you think it's the appocalypse ...
or because you're fat ....
https://thelonelycyclist.wordpress.com/2015/08/16/skinny-cyclist-not-likely/
that one pisses me off - not because I'm fat .. I'm not (although I could shed a couple of pounds) ... but just why?!
I don't mind having a laugh and a joke - but if what she's said is true then it's just outright abuse ...
I just hope those giving out that abuse now suffer the PF on every ride
Because they've cut you up?
Because they've got lights so bright you think it's the appocalypse ...
or because you're fat ....
https://thelonelycyclist.wordpress.com/2015/08/16/skinny-cyclist-not-likely/
that one pisses me off - not because I'm fat .. I'm not (although I could shed a couple of pounds) ... but just why?!
I don't mind having a laugh and a joke - but if what she's said is true then it's just outright abuse ...
I just hope those giving out that abuse now suffer the PF on every ride
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Comments
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It doesn't surprise me that something like that happens very occasionally but twice in one day seems unlucky. It did cross my mind that the guy shouting nice cornering love at her might have been being sarcastic too but maybe I need to stop looking for the worst in people...
Let's be honest - anyone that aims personal abuse at a complete stranger - especially one who they know can't catch them and probably couldn't inflict damage on them if they could is a complete **** but then some people are.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
She cried because someone she doesn't know called her fat?One plays football, tennis or golf, one does not play at cycling0
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Women have to put up with alot of shitty sexist comments in life so getting them on the bike follows from that, being able to ride a bike doesnt automatically turn the sort of person that makes these comments into a civilised person. That being said, and maybe im being overly cynical, but I'm not entirely convinced the comments happened. It has gone viral now so job done.
If it did happen and she is on strava then the flyby feature would be useful, name and shame the guys in question!0 -
I agree with the entirety of your post Omar, plus it doesn't take huge empathy to imagine that many people may have insecurities regarding aspects of their appearance and for complete strangers to make comments preying on those insecurities would be very hurtful.
Good on you Joeblack if you can just shrug everything off but not everyone can, it may be a weakness but having weaknesses is human.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
She cried because someone she doesn't know called her fat?
yes - it* was a hurtful comment - she wouldn't have cried if they'd said "hard work today isn't it" or "nearly there" ... doesn't matter if she knew them or not - of if it was a he or she - it's pretty low to insult someone because of their physicality.
*again - if it's true - it might just be made up - but we don't know ....0 -
A while back I passed a couple of blokes on a climb and they shouted "f****n w****r", you don't mind that abuse from your mates but not from a total stranger.0
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Seen a similar thread on another cycling forum, guess there are more with this story floating around. Does anyone know if it is true?
Two things abuse is wrong, getting a discussion going about abuse and good manners among cyclists is a good thing. Even if this is a fabrication it is getting cyclists talking about behaviour. I hope it is not true but at least if it is true and if it makes any idiot on a bike think about their actions and hold back from abuse then perhaps job done.0 -
I don't particularly object to abuse of fat people - 99/100 it's self-inflicted and its only right that such a condition should not be recognised as the norm. But when a fat person is actively doing something to put it right, abuse is definitely out of order. Yes, they may look funny (thinks of the bloke with huge ass squeezed into cycling shorts who provided superb slipstream the other day, for the 15 yards I was behind anyway) but they don't need other people making it even more difficult for them to get motivated to exercise.
As for did it really happen - I ride those exact roads twice a day most of the week (but I'm away ATM, so I have an alibi). Without bringing up the waving debate again, these riders are not the friendliest bunch I've ever met, but I've never witnessed anything remotely out of order...Job: Job, n,. A frustratingly long period of time separating two shorter than usual training rides0 -
I had a quiet evening in and stumbled upon the story breaking on twitter on Sunday night. She is a reasonably prolific blogger. As is common, she tweeted about her blog which was picked up by the London girl-cyclist Twitter community - some of whom are followed by podcasters who then retweeted it etc etc.
I think you have to be particularly cynical to suggest she made it up. Other female cyclists from around there have reported similar comments (though I think this was especially bad that day) so it does seem like it happens. How pathetic a human being you have to be to make such a comment to another person is unbelievable. How is it possible that people think that is acceptable? It makes me ashamed to be a man sometimes, I cannot wrap my head around it.We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
I disagree about abuse, self inflicted or not it is still abuse and wrong but each to their own view.
Round here most cyclists seem pretty friendly bunch. Is that a different attitude in the south vs north or just town and country?0 -
couple of months ago I passed a rider and he shouted "you b&st&rd" at me .... but then he is a club mate and he was my 2 minute man on the TT ...A while back I passed a couple of blokes on a climb and they shouted "f****n w****r", you don't mind that abuse from your mates but not from a total stranger.
I don't mind any banter - especially from club mates - actually I think that's a requirement!0 -
So... fat person exercising = abuse is out of order; fat person not obviously exercising = abuse is acceptable and even to be encouraged?[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682705#p19682705]steadyrollingman[/url] wrote:I don't particularly object to abuse of fat people - 99/100 it's self-inflicted and its only right that such a condition should not be recognised as the norm. But when a fat person is actively doing something to put it right, abuse is definitely out of order.
Sometimes I despair...0 -
so it does seem like it happens. How pathetic a human being you have to be to make such a comment to another person is unbelievable. How is it possible that people think that is acceptable? It makes me ashamed to be a man sometimes, I cannot wrap my head around it.
shame - but somehow I'm not surprised...
I have ridden with a few larger ladies - some faster than others, all of them happy enough to chat and banter - they can even joke about their own size - but that's their choice - not mine and it's not my place to be derogatory about their size ...0 -
it seems a bit far fetched, I've been riding these roads every week for years and that is not my experience of other cyclists at all, in 12 years of cycling around Surrey I've had one single insult from some weekend pro because I was too slow for his liking
in fact when I see an OAP or someone overweight struggling up box hill I think it's brilliant, they me be slow but they are putting just as much, probably more effort into it than I am, at that point even though I may be faster than them they are working harder that I am, probably feeling the same pain that Froome did up Alpe d'Huez this year, at that point they have my respect
I'll be keeping my ear out in future, if I ever witness anything like this for real I'll go batshit0 -
my first thought when reading it was 2 or 3 insults in one ride?!?! maybe she's making it up to get blog views, but could it be possible that as a bloke I'm just totally unaware of this because insults are directed mainly at women? it's a horrible thought tbh, what if I'm passing or being passed by a woman and she might be apprehensive about it because of past experiences, I don't want to be associated with thatI think you have to be particularly cynical to suggest she made it up. Other female cyclists from around there have reported similar comments (though I think this was especially bad that day) so it does seem like it happens.
if that's the case then these people aren't just harming women, they're giving other men bad rep too0 -
my first thought when reading it was 2 or 3 insults in one ride?!?! maybe she's making it up to get blog views, but could it be possible that as a bloke I'm just totally unaware of this because insults are directed mainly at women? it's a horrible thought tbh, what if I'm passing or being passed by a woman and she might be apprehensive about it because of past experiences, I don't want to be associated with that
if that's the case then these people aren't just harming women, they're giving other men bad rep too
ThisTo err is human, but to make a real balls up takes a super computer.0 -
I'm very skinny but a couple of times recently I've had chubby people who were riding in the other direction shout abuse at me because I wasn't smiling.
Once at the bottom of a very tough local climb when I was going balls out for a PB.
And the other time I was in a lot of pain due to an injury.
Do they think that skinny people should always have a smile on their face when riding a bike ?0 -
Ar$es, the lot of them. Anyone who shouts abuse at anyone is not behaving like they're worth listening toSpecialized Roubaix Elite 2015
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[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682772#p19682772]Hamish McTavish[/url] wrote:
So... fat person exercising = abuse is out of order; fat person not obviously exercising = abuse is acceptable and even to be encouraged?[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682705#p19682705]steadyrollingman[/url] wrote:I don't particularly object to abuse of fat people - 99/100 it's self-inflicted and its only right that such a condition should not be recognised as the norm. But when a fat person is actively doing something to put it right, abuse is definitely out of order.
Sometimes I despair...
I don't see why not - I really hate the way that fat is becoming the new norm these days, or at least being seen as some sort of disability.It isn't, and it's (usually) their decision, or within their control, to get like that.
That said, unfortunately I've been brought up too well to even comment on it, never mind abuse them. I say 'unfortunately' because I worked with a girl who occasionally would have the brass neck to criticise my appearance - which coming from someone who was turned away from a gliding experience due to exceeding the weight limit (17st since you ask) is pretty rich. Yet not once could I bring myself to say even something mild like 'have you looked in a mirror recently?'Job: Job, n,. A frustratingly long period of time separating two shorter than usual training rides0 -
In decades and thousands of miles cycled I've never heard any abuse from other cyclists. Motorists - occasionally.
I guess she was a soft target for the ever so brave nobs hurling abuse. I bet they'd not have said a whisper had it been a chubby rugby bloke on a bike. And cycling usually brings out the best in people. Imagine what vile characters they are for the rest of their lives ?0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682955#p19682955]steadyrollingman[/url] wrote:[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682772#p19682772]Hamish McTavish[/url] wrote:
So... fat person exercising = abuse is out of order; fat person not obviously exercising = abuse is acceptable and even to be encouraged?[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682705#p19682705]steadyrollingman[/url] wrote:I don't particularly object to abuse of fat people - 99/100 it's self-inflicted and its only right that such a condition should not be recognised as the norm. But when a fat person is actively doing something to put it right, abuse is definitely out of order.
Sometimes I despair...
I don't see why not - I really hate the way that fat is becoming the new norm these days, or at least being seen as some sort of disability.It isn't, and it's (usually) their decision, or within their control, to get like that.
If it's only "usually" and not "all the time" then how would you know if which one you're hurling abuse at? and if they're riding a bike then they're excersising - perhaps they're doing that to take control, or perhaps they're just enjoying the ride - eitherway, what is hurling abuse going to achieve? Surely some encouragement would be better?!
If they are taking it easy, how do you know they're not on a recovery day or on their way to or back from the gym ? Perhaps they've got a condition that doesn't allow them to excersise too hard - and perhaps that wasn't brought on by lack of excersise ...
That's the whole thing isn't it - you DON'T KNOW what/why/when/where and in any case, abuse isn't going to help them in anyway ...
Karma would be the abuser getting a P&nct^re at the top of the hill and no spares .... whilst the abused rides past ...0 -
Weight is not always the fault of the person involved. I can say that because I had a potentially serious weight problem. I was seriously underweight through most of my childhood and into adulthood. I only became within the ideal BMI range at about 30 years old. At one point I was fully grown at 6'5" tall and about 9 stone at best. i was healthy and relatively fit just very skinny. It was worse as a kid because i was not eating well at all, not through lack of my parents' attempts to feed me well. I was about 2 stone underweight in early primary school which is seriously underweight. I also had a pot belly back then which is a sign of serious problems, enough to get the GP worried and I was put on liquid meals at one point (I thought I was drinking strawberry milkshake which was my favourite drink).
I only say this because I had a weight problem and got abuse in my late teens and right up until I put weight on. Lanky streak of p1$$ was a mild comment. It does not do anything good to your self esteem and if the perpetrators of such abuse knew how it can affect someone you would hope they would be ashamed.
Before anyone says anything about abuse of underweight people not being the same I can assure you it is.0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682955#p19682955]steadyrollingman[/url] wrote:[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682772#p19682772]Hamish McTavish[/url] wrote:
So... fat person exercising = abuse is out of order; fat person not obviously exercising = abuse is acceptable and even to be encouraged?[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682705#p19682705]steadyrollingman[/url] wrote:I don't particularly object to abuse of fat people - 99/100 it's self-inflicted and its only right that such a condition should not be recognised as the norm. But when a fat person is actively doing something to put it right, abuse is definitely out of order.
Sometimes I despair...
I don't see why not - I really hate the way that fat is becoming the new norm these days, or at least being seen as some sort of disability.It isn't, and it's (usually) their decision, or within their control, to get like that.
If it's only "usually" and not "all the time" then how would you know if which one you're hurling abuse at? and if they're riding a bike then they're excersising - perhaps they're doing that to take control, or perhaps they're just enjoying the ride - eitherway, what is hurling abuse going to achieve? Surely some encouragement would be better?!
If they are taking it easy, how do you know they're not on a recovery day or on their way to or back from the gym ? Perhaps they've got a condition that doesn't allow them to excersise too hard - and perhaps that wasn't brought on by lack of excersise ...
I'd get them to fill in a questionnaire first
Like I said, if they're on a bike, or doing any sort of exercise, however slow, it's out of order. But if you haven't got the self-respect to monitor your weight to acceptable levels, you shouldn't feel hard done by if you get abuse/lack of respect from others, and I'm not going to criticise those who choose to do that. To reiterate, I don't - butI'm still fuming that when a couple of fat birds shouted something probably derogatory at me last week, I didn't shout back "it wouldn't do your fat arses any harm to get on a bike"
And like Tangled Metal, I was 'ribbed' for being skinny as a kid, though it prob wasn't on the same level as him. It did leave me with a complex though, which is why I took control, hence many years of weight training. Wish I hadn't now though, as far as cycling goes, maybe I could've been a contender...Job: Job, n,. A frustratingly long period of time separating two shorter than usual training rides0 -
In my early twenties the low body weight gave me a great strength to body weight ratio for climbing. I was still strong and with my naturally strong grip strength I could actually hang upside down on a climbing wall for a lot longer than most while working out the next move. Every so often you shake out one arm at a time but being so light it meant I was actually a good climber, well so long as I never actually went too high. Turns out the stuff I did was called bouldering and you can now do that as a specialist type of climbing. Back then everyone was all about the trad climbing up multi-pitch routes. Fear of heights meant I never did anything too high. Anything over 3 pitches and almost 100m was too much.
There are benefits to everything. Like a mate at school who was 6ft tall and probably high teens in weight at 12/13 years. He joined the rugby team and although he could not run far, once he had the ball nobody could knock him over and he was still strong enough to walk halfway up the pitch with the best part of the opposing team hanging from each leg.0 -
This whole thing sounds made up to me. Maybe they muttered something under their breath to each other but were still within ear shot. From my experience in life, most people who are over weight are very sensitive to it and probably make more of things.
As for the rest of the comments in here about people receiving abuse for no reason from other riders, I call BS.0 -
Call what you like - you have no proof eitherway ...I call BS.
It's not as though we're campaigning for a law to be passed - we're just discussing the (non?) issue - that in itself does no harm - if you don't believe it, then fine ...
I would say to you that if you've never been on the receiving end of unsolicited abuse then you're lucky - I have (not just as a cyclist) and many people I know have - most of it seems to be just kids trying to be big and clever ... and normally when they're in a group - any situation where they don't feel vunerable ... just a bully really.0 -
This whole thing sounds made up to me.
As for the rest of the comments in here about people receiving abuse for no reason from other riders, I call BS.
It sounds made up for sure. If I received abuse, I would chase them down and request clarification, rather than writing a sob-story blog to seek validation from random internet people. The internet is already fit to burst with such crap. We don't need more.Giant TCR Advanced II - Reviewed on my homepage
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This whole thing sounds made up to me.
As for the rest of the comments in here about people receiving abuse for no reason from other riders, I call BS.
It sounds made up for sure. If I received abuse, I would chase them down and request clarification, rather than writing a sob-story blog to seek validation from random internet people. The internet is already fit to burst with such crap. We don't need more.
Hmm ... so a faster rider than you, overtakes you and gives you some abuse ... and you'd "chase them down" ... yer right ... in your dreams maybe ...
It sounds made up - therefore it MUST be madeup ... or alternatively it could be true - I'd not be surprised if it was as I've had first hand reports of abuse being given, by people I would trust ...0 -
This whole thing sounds made up to me.
As for the rest of the comments in here about people receiving abuse for no reason from other riders, I call BS.
It sounds made up for sure. If I received abuse, I would chase them down and request clarification, rather than writing a sob-story blog to seek validation from random internet people. The internet is already fit to burst with such crap. We don't need more.
Hmm ... so a faster rider than you, overtakes you and gives you some abuse ... and you'd "chase them down" ... yer right ... in your dreams maybe ...
It sounds made up - therefore it MUST be madeup ... or alternatively it could be true - I'd not be surprised if it was as I've had first hand reports of abuse being given, by people I would trust ...
It's the internet. I can ride at 50kph for 300km.Giant TCR Advanced II - Reviewed on my homepage
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It's the internet. I can ride at 50kph for 300km.
Not even slightly believable .... try harder ...0
