# Is it harassment by cyclist ???



## M london (28 May 2020)

Good people
During these indoor times, I was teaching my four year girls to ride a bicycle on the road. Now i live on a very quite road with maybe one car in 15 minutes. At all times I would walk behind her and with a good visibility of both ends of the road, will move to the side on slightest hint of a car entering the road.

Now on three occasions now a cyclist who is coming down the hill (on end of our road) at a speed definitely more than 30 mph. As always I would move out of the way for any vehicle, however this person would start screaming and swearing that we should get out of the road, even though when we are very watchful and by the kurb.
On first occasion i didint know what happened and I shouted that person to stop and talk, but i think they didnt want to give away the momentum of downhill. On next occasions i dealt with them in the same coin i.e exchanged pleasantries and asked them to stop and talk. Their swearing and shouting has really scared my little girl.
Now i want to ask you learned people, firstly am i wrong?? If yes, i will not take my girl to the road if not what can I do about this.
I am sure a lot of parents out their and they would understand the rage it can bring if you see your little one scared by someone
so so so sorry for the detailed account


----------



## raleighnut (29 May 2020)

M london said:


> Good people
> During these indoor times, I was teaching my four year girls to ride a bicycle on the road. Now i live on a very quite road with maybe one car in 15 minutes. At all times I would walk behind her and with a good visibility of both ends of the road, will move to the side on slightest hint of a car entering the road.
> 
> Now on three occasions now a cyclist who is coming down the hill (on end of our road) at a speed definitely more than 30 mph. As always I would move out of the way for any vehicle, however this person would start screaming and swearing that we should get out of the road, even though when we are very watchful and by the kurb.
> ...


There are idiots who use many vehicles, I would suggest that this was someone new to riding a bike who would normally be in a car shouting at Cyclists to 'Get Off The Road' who is carrying on that behaviour. The majority of regular Cyclists who saw someone teaching a young child would react by slowing down and thinking "Ah Bless" if they saw you.
Hope your little girl is OK and as for that pillock well you get them in all walks of life but I would describe him as a 'bloke on a bike' not as a Cyclist.


----------



## I like Skol (29 May 2020)

Same here, there are idiots in all walks of life, this one just happens to be on a bike.
Ignore them and carry on as you are. I hope your daughter is getting the hang if it and manages to enjoy her cycling without being scared of the unpleasant loser. Once she masters riding a bike she will gain freedom that many people never experience


----------



## Fab Foodie (29 May 2020)

M london said:


> Good people
> During these indoor times, I was teaching my four year girls to ride a bicycle on the road. Now i live on a very quite road with maybe one car in 15 minutes. At all times I would walk behind her and with a good visibility of both ends of the road, will move to the side on slightest hint of a car entering the road.
> 
> Now on three occasions now a cyclist who is coming down the hill (on end of our road) at a speed definitely more than 30 mph. As always I would move out of the way for any vehicle, however this person would start screaming and swearing that we should get out of the road, even though when we are very watchful and by the kurb.
> ...


You are NOT wrong. In fact you're far more right that the idiot coming downhill.
Can you get a photo and report the incidents to the Police? Dates/times etc. This guy clearly needs a talking too and if he's on a regular ride our friends in Blue 'may' be able to do something.


----------



## Dogtrousers (29 May 2020)

M london said:


> am i wrong??


No.

Sorry to hear of your experience.


----------



## dodgy (29 May 2020)

Lots of new riders, some of them will hang around and improve - hopefully.


----------



## fossyant (29 May 2020)

Obviously not a 'cyclist' - we'd never react like that to kids on a bike - we all started somewhere. I'm coming across loads of new cyclists whilst out and I always give way and exchange pleasantness. 

I assume this is the 'same' idiot.


----------



## alicat (29 May 2020)

Welcome @M london. I echo what everyone has said. I would just caution that bike brakes are not very powerful and riding down that hill might be the only fun the person on a bike is getting at the moment. Is there anywhere else for your daughter to practise, like the park? Hope you can find a solution that works for you and you and your little girl.


----------



## CanucksTraveller (29 May 2020)

I sympathise, we all learned somehow and my girl only learned fairly recently. She started on a basketball court although she's now on the road and I have to say, drivers and other cyclists are behaving well around her. This guy needs his attitude adjusting, I agree with Raleighnut that this guy probably goes around screaming his entitlement no matter what he's on or in, bike, white van, pub. Most cyclists would slow down and give some encouragement as they passed, a great many did when my daughter was starting out!


----------



## Electric_Andy (29 May 2020)

No you're not wrong. My biggest peev with that situation would be that he's shouting at, and more importantly swearing in front of your daughter. I'm not going to act the hard man, but I would take this as a serious threat to my child's wellbeing and want to have words if I saw them again. Similar thing happened with my son when he was 4, but with a dog walker. My son was petrified of even going out for a walk for about a year and is still a bit nervous around strange dogs.


----------



## monkers (29 May 2020)

Usual caveats - ''I am not a lawyer'' etc apply here.

The law does not permit cycling on the pavement by a person of any age. Children must therefore cycle in the road. The age of criminal responsibility begins at age 10. There is no speed limit for riding a bicycle on the road - exceeding the vehicular speed limit on a bike is not an offence. There is an offence of 'furious cycling' but these laws tend to apply to cases where injury or death has resulted from a cycle being ridden in a dangerous manner - prison sentences are available. The expectation is that a child below the age of being competent to ride safely on the road (say 12) is to be supervised by an adult.

There is no legal requirement to have a bell on a bike - the rider may choose to shout a warning. Swearing may be another matter, and there is an element of subjectivity. As far as the law goes, I think that the case is problematic, especially as far as harrassment.

Having said all of that, this person sounds like a real prat. Most reasonable people would have no problem with a 4 year old girl learning to ride her bike on the pavement outside their house - you'd require a humanity by-pass otherwise I will say. Nor should they have a problem with a supervised child learning to ride on a road as quiet as the one you've described.

It sounds to me that you've been entirely reasonable and it may be a mistake to engage with them. Unless things have changed, every area is still covered by a community police officer, if you have one, I think I'd be tempted to ask them to engage this person.


----------



## JPBoothy (29 May 2020)

Welcome to the forum @M london 

Sadly as fellow members and 'proper cyclists' have said already, you will always get an idiot who shouts in public. They probably even brag of how their 'bravery' frightened a child to their fellow idiots later on.. Please let you daughter know that she has done nothing wrong and use the idiot as an example of how not to cycle. When they are young a scare/shout from an adult can be interpreted as them being in the wrong and stick with them for a long time. My 'children' are teenagers now but will still hug the curb when a vehicle passes despite me constantly telling them to be confident and not be intimidated but, I think the honking horns and impatient drivers from when they were learning has stuck with them. Good luck to her and tell her to stick with it


----------



## oldwheels (29 May 2020)

alicat said:


> Welcome @M london. I echo what everyone has said. I would just caution that bike brakes are not very powerful and riding down that hill might be the only fun the person on a bike is getting at the moment. Is there anywhere else for your daughter to practise, like the park? Hope you can find a solution that works for you and you and your little girl.


Do his brakes actually work?


----------



## Brads (29 May 2020)

Next time leave the kid in the house and blat him off his bike onto his arse and remind him to moderate his language in front of your little girl.

That should fix it.


----------



## Milkfloat (29 May 2020)

I would exert my right as a pedestrian to cross/walk along the road in front of him and have a frank discussion with the nobber.


----------



## tom73 (29 May 2020)

No you're not in the wrong he is you get idiots in all things he just happens to be on bike.
As cyclists we love seeing someone learning how to ride it's how it all starts after all. Many of use if we'd been following on a bike would have had a word or two to say to him.If it's the same bloke at the same time I'd be having a word or time it right so you and your her can enjoy the time together. If you can practice at a park or something maybe that's worth a go as you don't want some loon putting her off going out. 
Is he a neighbour or just pass though? If he is local then a friendly word from police will help. 
Keep us informed of how you get on and if you need any help or advice helping her to get use to things. 
We are a friendly bunch and always willing to help.


----------



## M london (1 Jun 2020)

All of you thank you very much, I didnt have a reponse for some time so thought I am not getting one. I really appreciate responses from all of you.

Why has everyone assumed its man, its actually a woman 

It has actually scared my girl, I really have to encourage and convince her that we are in our right and that person is silly.

The trouble is that she would not stop to have a conversation, and I do not know where she lives, I think a few streets down. Next time i think instead of stooping to her level of foul mouthing I should run after her and have a conversation with her when she stops and if that doesnt get anywhere seek help from the men in blue.

Once agin a big thanks to you all


----------



## sotal (23 Jul 2020)

She might be trying to get a best time on a Strava segment, if that is the case, install Strava on your phone and record your movements as mine often shows me fly-bys of other Strava users who passed at different points on my ride. That would then tell you who it is and would allow you to send them a message to calmly explain what they are doing is upsetting your child.

Of course they might not be on Strava but might be worth a try?!


----------



## Johnno260 (31 Jul 2020)

I had a similar issue, I was on a small road farm track, I have seen a car once in all the times I used it, when the farmer allowed people to use it.

I had my little girl on her balance bike, and saw an approaching cyclist so I ushered my little one to the side, and gestured the guy on the bike to slow so I could move her to the edge I spoke loudly to my daughter and my voice carries, but no he tried to thread his bike between myself and child, totally douche move, he ended on the verge he had flat shoes but didn't put his foot down and rather dramatically fell over then threw his bike at me narrowly missing my child.

Now this totally made me mad and as his riding buddy came along and said you better move along, in all honesty he is lucky I didn't force feed him the bike.

A few days later by chance his buddy saw me in my front garden and said the bike was damaged and he needed a replacement shifter, I said sorry throw your bike like that then things break, his response was so you wont pay? lol I also said I had a shifter for sale but not to him.

So douche bags are in every walk of life, sad fact is the farmer witnessed this incident and has barred adult cyclists from using this track now, it's his and private land so his choice, but he does allow under 18's to use it.

I have also seen this same rider when I'm out, overtaking other cyclists very wide when there is on-coming traffic and he never stops at red lights, he is pretty much the epitome of a cyclist that gives us a bad name.


----------



## Chris S (7 Sep 2020)

Johnno260 said:


> A few days later by chance his buddy saw me in my front garden and said the bike was damaged and he needed a replacement shifter, I said sorry throw your bike like that then things break, his response was so you wont pay? lol I also said I had a shifter for sale but not to him.


According to the Highway Code the vehicle in front has priority. If there had been any damage to your bike then he would have been liable for it.


----------

