To the arsehole in Stockwell

Porgy · February 2008

In case he reads this - can I say to the complete arsehole riding a bike past Stockwell tube station around 6.30 pm yesterday that random abuse aimed at pedestrians crossing the road is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

I had just locked my bike up, met up with my wife and we were about to cross the road. There was no traffic so we started to cross the road. From the gloom I suddenly saw a cyclist approaching - no reflective gear and only one quite dull LED to make him visible. We were about a third of the way across and we stopped to let him go past. From him came the words - I paraphrase - 'its a green light you f.ucking wankers'. At that moment - if I could have kicked his spokes in I would have. And I'm a cyclist. I can imagine what non-cyclists think of us if this is their common experience.

To that gentleman I say this - just who is the f.ucking wanker? Have a think.

Harry B · February 2008

Well said

fidbod · February 2008

Agreed - 99.xx% of the cyclists on the clapham road are fine but there always has to be an idiot like that to ruin it for the rest of us

Random Vince · February 2008

i have to admit that i was supprised to see how invisible, even the better lit up cyclits in london are!

can hardly see some of them, and they'd got proper lights, not little LED thingys

iainment · February 2008

Porgy wrote:

In case he reads this - can I say to the complete arsehole riding a bike past Stockwell tube station around 6.30 pm yesterday that random abuse aimed at pedestrians crossing the road is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

I had just locked my bike up, met up with my wife and we were about to cross the road. There was no traffic so we started to cross the road. From the gloom I suddenly saw a cyclist approaching - no reflective gear and only one quite dull LED to make him visible. We were about a third of the way across and we stopped to let him go past. From him came the words - I paraphrase - 'its a green light you f.ucking wankers'. At that moment - if I could have kicked his spokes in I would have. And I'm a cyclist. I can imagine what non-cyclists think of us if this is their common experience.

To that gentleman I say this - just who is the f.ucking wanker? Have a think.

err, was the light green for him and red for you? Just asking. He may well have been wrong and going too fast for the conditions but crossing in "the gloom" on a red light is not exactly the brightest decision is it.
If you have to rlj make sure it's safe to do so before you go - as I always do.

btw the abuse wasn't random, it was specific and aimed at you.

Clever Pun · February 2008

I can see his point of view though... he's gunning it happily along and joy the lights are green and dirty peds are making the crossing hazardous...

Cyclists get grief when they rlj why shouldn't peds if it affects road users.

EDIT: ok he didn't verbalise his annoyance very well, but I'm on his side overall I think

Porgy · February 2008

iainment wrote:

If you have to rlj make sure it's safe to do so before you go - as I always do.

btw the abuse wasn't random, it was specific and aimed at you.

This is irrelevent - it's not illegal for peds to cross when the road appears to be clear. It was the cyclist's responsibilty to ensure he'd been seen - or heard. A polite shout - or use of the bell - or -heaven forbid - slow down a bit to go through a busy junction outside a tube station during rush hour at night. That is my usual approach.

I had stopped - and had been stopped for some seconds when he passed - he was clearly aware we'd seen him - I gave him eye contact. There was no need for the abuse he gave me. I can only assume that he was still upset about a previous incident - but that is no excuse.

Porgy · February 2008

Clever Pun wrote:

I can see his point of view though... he's gunning it happily along and joy the lights are green and dirty peds are making the crossing hazardous...

Lots of motorists feel like this too - and about cyclists. It's not an excuse that works.

Clever Pun wrote:

I Cyclists get grief when they rlj why shouldn't peds if it affects road users.

EDIT: ok he didn't verbalise his annoyance very well, but I'm on his side overall I think

So we should all behave like irresponsible animals then eh?

iainment · February 2008

Porgy wrote:

iainment wrote:

If you have to rlj make sure it's safe to do so before you go - as I always do.

btw the abuse wasn't random, it was specific and aimed at you.

This is irrelevent - it's not illegal for peds to cross when the road appears to be clear. It was the cyclist's responsibilty to ensure he'd been seen - or heard. A polite shout - or use of the bell - or -heaven forbid - slow down a bit to go through a busy junction outside a tube station during rush hour at night. That is my usual approach.

I had stopped - and had been stopped for some seconds when he passed - he was clearly aware we'd seen him - I gave him eye contact. There was no need for the abuse he gave me. I can only assume that he was still upset about a previous incident - but that is no excuse.

ahh but you didn't say that originally did you. I still think you should have been more circumspect though given that whatever the legality it was "gloomy".

Pip pip.

Happy weekend.

Red Rock · February 2008

I agree, there was no need for the abusive language.

I would have slowed down and thanked you for giving way to me. On the whole I think most people are polite to each other, whether it's a driver, cyclist or pedestrian. You just have to accept that a small percentage of the population are simply arrogant. But like you said, maybe he was having a bad day and was still upset about a previous incident, but it doesn't condone the abuse.

Red Rock

nwallace · February 2008

Red Rock wrote:

I would have slowed down and thanked you for giving way to me.

I believe the rule is that if a pedestrian is on the road the driver of a vehicle (that includes riders) must give way to them

SteveR_100Milers · February 2008

nwallace wrote:

Red Rock wrote:

I would have slowed down and thanked you for giving way to me.

I believe the rule is that if a pedestrian is on the road the driver of a vehicle (that includes riders) must give way to them

only when (the potential victim) is inebriated. Otherwise fair game? (on the basis that a person must be pretty daft to step into the path of oncoming traffic be that whatever it may be, especially with the "warning" of traffic light signals to give you a hint....

)

c'mon this is cakestop not soapbox

where's the mods when you need them?

Random Vince · February 2008

no, pedestrians only have right of way on zebra crossings, if there is a ped on the crossing, even if it's just their foot, traffic must stop.

Nuggs · February 2008

Random Vince wrote:

no, pedestrians only have right of way on zebra crossings, if there is a ped on the crossing, even if it's just their foot, traffic must stop.

Yes and if you're turning into a road that a pedestrian has started to cross, the ped has right of way.

While I don't approve of the abusive language (where has the politeness gone?), I think the cyclist's got a point. Pedestrians need to take responsibility for looking properly. I've seen the 'sheep' mentality only too often: one ped thinks he can just dash across and a whole herd follow him...

Eat My Dust · February 2008

To be honest one of my pet hates is peds stopping half way across the road to let you past. Do you slow down? Are they suddenly going to move forward? Are they aware of what speed you're doing? I find that I have to slow right down anyway as you never know what's going through someones mind so they might as well cross all the way.

Saying that, there was no need for abuse. Saying that I have found myself giving people abuse that cross the road, see you coming and walk at a snails pace so that you have to stop, but this has always been young little scroats so they deserve it! :twisted:

Noclue · February 2008

As a regular cyclist in this area of London i feel must comment, firstly abusive language is really not on, but pedestrians really need to responsibility for their actions, south Londons roads are littered with numerous pedestrian crossings which sadly seem to be underused by to many pedestrians, only last night i was hit by a ped who with her back to the oncoming traffic just stepped into the road whilst swinging a large suitcase around, i was hit hard in the leg by said suitcase, and even as i sit here typing this i have just seen 3 young adults dodge traffic including cyclist whilst crossing the Old kent road less than 10 meteres from a pedestrian crossing!!! I have lost sympathy with pedestrians who cross when the little man is red or away from designated crossings and then get hit.

Porgy · February 2008

My new approach now is to NEVER swear at pedestrians. I've seen it from the other side - and it makes cyclists look ugly. Going through Victoria this morning - all the peds were crossing against the lights and I slowed down, passed through as peds left a gap, and then speeded up again. No problem - isn't it better to not lose your temper?

Having read some of the posts above I'd like to say that I'm not in the habit of jumping out in front of vehicles in the dark. The road looked clear, and visibility was pretty good despite it being dark. The only dark spot unbeknownst to me was obviously where the bike was when I made the decision to cross. I saw the bike almost immediately and then stopped and waited. I was still carrying my panniers with my LED flashing on and wearing my cycling gear so the cyclist should have known I wasn't going to leap in front of him. I only really lost my temper because my wife was with me and there was no need for the language used. I might have even apologised if the guy had not sworn at us.

I believe that since walking is the natural way for humans to move around, we should always give right of way to them whatever the circumstances. I mean we're all peds aren't we? If we don't behave reasonably towards people walking then we surely can;t expect motorists to.

While I accept there are plenty of pedestrian crossings they almost always seem to be quite badly designed or in the wrong place, or inadequate in some way. I find walking around London to be a very frustrating experience as pedestrians seem to be the lowest of the low on the streets, which is why I hardly ever do it. But even I have to lock my bike up sometimes and cross the street.

Clever Pun · February 2008

Porgy wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

I can see his point of view though... he's gunning it happily along and joy the lights are green and dirty peds are making the crossing hazardous...

Lots of motorists feel like this too - and about cyclists. It's not an excuse that works.

Clever Pun wrote:

I Cyclists get grief when they rlj why shouldn't peds if it affects road users.

EDIT: ok he didn't verbalise his annoyance very well, but I'm on his side overall I think

So we should all behave like irresponsible animals then eh?

No we should all treat each other as we'd wish to be treated... common courtesy

squired · February 2008

My personal belief is that ultimately right of way should be given to pedestrians. Crossings are there to help them cross, but that doesn't mean a car or bike shouldn't be stopping for them elsewhere. The problem is that people on the roads have been conditioned to think that they only need to stop for pedestrians when there is a red light.

I've lost count of the number of times I've had cars run across zebra crossings while I'm waiting, or even already on the crossing. If I try to cross the road by my office on my lunchbreak using the traffic islands cars will not stop (in 7 months I've not seen a single one stop). Your only hope is for a gap in the traffic.

A little while ago I got off the bus near my home. I then had to cross the road, so I crossed to the half way point and waited for a car to stop and let me cross the remaining half of the road. The bus was still stopped, and a car wanted to overtake it to get to the queue of traffic 5 metres further on. Of course I was in the middle of the road, making the manouvere more difficult. He still did it, but opened his window and shouted abuse at me as he went past - "Get out of the road, F'in a-hole". I'm a young guy, and I don't let motorists intimidate me, but I hate to think what it is like for pensioners trying to get around. For them the dangers are even greater due to lack of speed/mobility.

To the arsehole in Stockwell

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