Inconsiderate Parking On Douglas Prom

[Loki]

Why do cyclists nearly always insist on riding in groups of two or three across the road instead of single file?

 

Do they not realise that at the slower speeds they travel at, they are a hazard on the road especially when they are cycling up hills?

[=^..^=]

I think to be honest that cycling aswell as every other mode of transport, and life in general, has its fair share of idiots.

 

An idiot whether they are in a car, on a bike, in a van or on their own two feet is no less of an idiot. All that changes is the amount of damage they can cause when they take someone else out.

 

Rog - don't get wound up about cyclists. We are not all idiots. Because you've had a bad experience with one you will notice every single thing that a cyclists does that is wrong. The only consolation is that at least the idiot wasn't in a white van - although your mum might have at least had a chance to hear it...

 

Loki - they do it to make sure drivers have to slow down and give them a wide berth. Its all about making drivers think rather than trying to fit through a gap which is too small for them. Its a chicken and an egg situation - if the drivers respected the cyclists then they would probably be ok to ride singly, but drivers won't respect them as long as they ride two wide...

 

I've been hit by a few cars (and a van) wing mirrors before when they've misjudged the gap and pulled left as they were passing me.

 

I don't ride two wide - I just ride a mountain bike and get out where the cars aren't !

[slinkydevil]

Sorry Stuart I have no sympathy, if you are in control of your bike you shouldn't have had a problem. I used to race in cycling week and crossing the tramlines is a hazard, but there are two ways. Take it at more of an angle or bunny hop, all possible on 19mm wide tyres! If you are not confident in either maneuver, then use brakes and slow down. You were obviously going too fast and not in control of the situation. You know the tramlines are there. Either avoid them and ride elsewhere, or deal with them with caution. Perhaps stop and walk round obstacle or go through on inside of the van, slowly. If the van was parked, you should have seen the hazard well in advance - perhaps from 100 metres.

 

However lesson learnt - bet you won't do it again.

[Speckled Frost]

When I'm driving pedestrians and cyclists and f***ing idiots.

When I'm cycling motorists and pedestrians are f***ing idiots.

When I'm walking cyclists and motorists are f***ing idiots.

[Rog]

Extracted from “Why I Really Hate Cyclists”

by David Thomas. And slightly ‘tuned’ to align with my feelings

 

Cyclists presumption is of moral superiority. They believe that the moment they pull their brown rice-stuffed torsos into a lurid Lycra body-sausage, or put on a helmet shaped like a Mr Whippy ice cream, the normal rules of the road cease to apply.

 

In cities, they routinely ignore traffic lights, race along pavements, overtake on the inside and maneuver without signaling - all contrary to the Highway Code.

 

Some - the so-called 'bicycle guerillas' - are aggressively antisocial, daring anyone to cross them as they blatantly defy the law. Others - usually middle-class Guardian-reading types - are marginally less criminal, but no less irritating.

 

They wear their self-righteousness like a suit of armour, and are constantly on the lookout for the chance to fling four-lettered abuse at any petrol-powered capitalist who provokes their disapproval.

 

In the country, cyclists (a substantial proportion of whom sport beards, baggy shorts and thin, white, hairy legs) use different tactics to enrage motorists. Their favorite is to ride very slowly, wobbling and wiggling, two or three abreast.

 

This enables them to occupy an entire lane. Since rural roads are often winding, with few opportunities to pass, motorists are forced either to crawl behind them at 5mph or risk their lives by overtaking around blind corners.

 

Should one dare to toot the horn or politely suggest that they might care to occupy rather less of the road, a volley of real ale-quaffing, folk-singing, sandal-wearing abuse is guaranteed.

 

And as for being polution free? Purleese! They come in to work smelling of sweat but worst of all is the manner in which they fail to realise their impact on greenhouse gasses where by holding back the motorist they result in him having to drive in a less efficient manner so raising the fuel consumption of his vehicle.

 

Cyclists? Tax 'em, licence 'em, make 'em pay insurance, and flog them at every opportunity say I.

[monkey_magic]

Did you let your kids ride bikes when they were growing up, or were you a weird parent?

[Speckled Frost]

He saddled up wallabies and let his kids ride them.

Although he was sensible enough to ensure they hadn't just eaten first.

[Rog]

Did you let your kids ride bikes when they were growing up, or were you a weird parent?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Neither.

[Bill Posters]

I hope they are receiving counseling for their deprived childhoods, then

 

WOT - No bikes?

[Rog]

I hope they are receiving counseling for their deprived childhoods, then 

 

WOT - No bikes?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He had a trike as a young kid but where we lived at the time it simply was not safe to have a ‘bike’.(we had a place at the time in London).

 

Instead he was into horse riding and go-kart racing until we moved overseas which coincided with him taking an interest in yachting and scuba diving.

 

Where we were then living we had a resident gardener / handyman who drove him and Clair wherever they wanted to go. He had neither the need of nor the wish for a bike.

 

He did OK.

[Slim]

Rog, you should try riding a bike on the roads, it might give you some perspective. It's hard work, drivers are blind, they drive without paying attention, you get cut up, especially when cars are turning left.

 

Some cyclists are tossers, riding four in a row, etc. Plenty of drivers are tossers too, putting people at more danger daily than cyclists. Does that make you a tosser too?

[Lonan3]

Call the NSPCC! Quick, it's an emergency!

[Ripsaw]

Roads are Public Highways.

 

They provide a means for movement between two or more given locations for people and goods.

 

Cars, lorries, bikes, horses etc., ALL have equal rights to use them in a safe and courteous manner.

 

No means of transport has more or less right than an other on any public highway, unless it is directed so by the law.

 

Where is the problem understanding this very simple concept and what right to arrogance and contempt towards other highway users?

[ans]

Don't get me wrong, I ride my bike a lot as well, and I'm not trying to support Rog's view... but....

 

It's all very well quoting laws, rights and public highway usage but when a cyclist isn't required to take any sort of test to prove knowledge of this, then it's not really relevant.

 

I'm lucky that I've not been knocked off my bike yet, there are plenty of dickhead drivers about but there's a small percentage of cyclists that are either ignorant of the law or just choose to ignore it. Can't do much about the latter, but the former....

[Ripsaw]

[/start lighten the thread with a twee post]

I left just before three to return. In this quiet backwater of wartime Britain there was very little vehicular traffic in daylight, and none whatsoever at nighttime. The route from Crosby back to Douglas lay down the Ballahutchin Hill, about a quarter of a mile long, past the hamlet of Union Mills, and through the village of Braddan.

 

There was no moon, the sky was heavily overcast, and you couldn't see a hand in front of you. I had no lights on my bicycle but it didn't matter, I knew every inch of the road. Unfortunately for me there was a police patrol car parked without lights at the bottom of the Ballahutchin Hill and two policemen in black uniforms were standing in the middle of the road smoking. I didn't know they were there. As I approached, the glowing tips of their cigarettes resembled fireflies, which puzzled me. I passed between the two men at some thirty miles an hour. At least I didn't hit either of them.

 

By the time they realized what had happened, turned the car round and came after me, I had sailed through silent Union Mills and sleeping Braddan, and was walking into Douglas, pushing my bike so as not to get caught by one of the town patrols, when the patrol car drew up behind me. They nailed me for riding a bike without lights.

 

There was no such convenience as traffic tickets in those days. I went down to the police station to inquire what the procedure was. I learned that a summons to appear in court had been drawn up and passed to Mr. Green, the town bailiff, for delivery to me at my home.

 

That would never do. It was most important to me that my mother not hear about this, so I went up to Mr. Green's house and asked him for the summons. He was both surprised and pleased. His "clients" didn't usually come and collect their own paperwork.

 

On the appointed day I appeared before the magistrate and was shown into the dock. I was charged with riding a bicycle after dark with neither a white light shining to the front nor a red light shining to the rear. A policemen in the witness box gave evidence against me. I pleaded guilty and was fined 10/- (ten shillings) which was something like ten percent of a working man's weekly wage in those days.

 

Source: Teenage Memories

 

[/end lighten the thread with a twee post]