Abuse by fellow cyclists.

[Drago]

Evwn when jogging i shout "make way for the fat man" when approaching people from behind. It gives them suitable warning, and usually makes them smile with the humour of it...until they see how fat I really am!

 

[I like Skol]

Evwn when jogging i shout "make way for the fat man" when approaching people from behind. It gives them suitable warning, and usually makes them smile with the humour of it...until they see how fat I really am!

Yes but, a combination of breathlessness and auto correct gone mad means you actually shout 'Out of my way fat man' to which they reply by planting a fist in your teeth......

 

[smutchin]

The most annoying thing I get on a fairly regular basis is when walking to dogs along a shared path near me. The number of times a cyclist (All classes of bike) will whizz past from behind with no warning of approach is unbelievable. Pedestrians appreciate a warning call or a bell in these situations, especially when they are walking a dog which is likely to be startled into a sudden lunge. I have never had any aggro from a pedestrian when I've cycled behind them and given a friendly shout of "Bike behind", or rung the bell on the trike.

I've become much more sensitive to this since becoming a dog owner myself. I think a lot of cyclists just don't realise that dogs jumping up and barking is not aggression but a defensive reaction to being startled because the cyclist has passed too close and/or too fast. I always try to slow down and pass as wide as possible when dogs are about but I don't think I understood quite how slow and wide you need to be to avoid startling some dogs.

Of course, there's an onus on dog owners not to be a nuisance to cyclists as well, and I'm trying train my dog to remain calm regardless of how fast and close cyclists pass. A lot depends on his mood. Some days, he's fine and doesn't react at all, other days he can be more unpredictable. In any case, I'll keep him on a short lead if there are likely to be cyclists about.

Mostly it's just about sharing the space with your fellow humans. And canine companions.

Generally, I take the view that it doesn't hurt to be the one to give way. I'm only interested in enjoying my walk/ride, not in making a point about who has "priority" or whatever.

 

[pjd57]

But the worst one is Kelvingrove park, I try to avoid it at peak times.
It's the random dogs more than the pedestrians!

Random dog owners !

I don't use the Kelvin path at weekends, it's a nightmare.
They need to do something about the pub at Kelvin bridge. They're totally taking over a path that's been there for as long as I can remember.

 

[welsh dragon]

This thread makes me glad that


A) there are no cycle paths or shared paths to cause confusion to anyone. There is 1 in town that is about 2 miles long and very few use it so no unpleasantness there.

B) the few cyclists that are here are very laid back and do not harrass each other, and if there are walkers around everyone gets on with each other.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Today I got a tirade of abuse by a woman cycling on the right hand side of the shared path, because I was riding on the left and would not get out of her way.
Well, one does not know what to do, because they might swerve in my direction if they realize they are on the wrong side, or, like in this case, we might collide if they are convinced to ride correctly.
I normally stop before collision, obviously.
It is mostly tourists on city bikes that ride on the right, but this one was definitely local!
Once I witnessed the exact same: a rider showered another with abuse, this time the shouter was right, it was the other riding on the wrong side.
Another time it was a jogger that got sarky "which way are you going??"
Well, 'ya muppet", you are jogging into me, I'm where I'm supposed to be - did not say that of course
Again, on the quite narrow riverside path, a bunch of tourists on city bikes take the whole path.
When I politely suggested they keep to the left because there will be fast riders coming from round the blind corner, one says "do you want me to take a license to ride a bike?"
All right mate, get run into then
With this sunny weather the shared paths are busy, we must have a system ... or not?
Should we just ride slalom like, hoping for the best?
I don't think my cycling skills are up to this

Should have given her a Glasgow kiss.

 

[Mugshot]

Evwn when jogging i shout "make way for the fat man" when approaching people from behind. It gives them suitable warning, and usually makes them smile with the humour of it...until they see how fat I really am!

They may already know;

 

[mjr]

Generally, I take the view that it doesn't hurt to be the one to give way. I'm only interested in enjoying my walk/ride, not in making a point about who has "priority" or whatever.

That post was going to get a like until that final sentence implied that anyone cycling to get anywhere on a reasonable schedule is wrong.

 

[smutchin]

That post was going to get a like until that final sentence implied that anyone cycling to get anywhere on a reasonable schedule is wrong.

Not sure how you deduced that implication.

Whether I'm walking, running, cycling or driving, I find that I'm more likely to get to my destination in a timely fashion if I don't get sidetracked by confrontations.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The most annoying thing I get on a fairly regular basis is when walking to dogs along a shared path near me. The number of times a cyclist (All classes of bike) will whizz past from behind with no warning of approach is unbelievable. Pedestrians appreciate a warning call or a bell in these situations.

Warnings only work on alert clued-up people. If the pedestrian ahead is some muppet who has got their earphones wedged in their lugholes and are totally oblivious to everything going on around them, you're wasting your time. Their dog will probably hear you coming before they do.

 

[mjr]

Not sure how you deduced that implication.

Whether I'm walking, running, cycling or driving, I find that I'm more likely to get to my destination in a timely fashion if I don't get sidetracked by confrontations.

Rightly or wrongly, it read to me like an accusation that anyone not giving way in a 50-50 must be trying to make a point, rather than just trying to get to work or home in a reasonable time.

 

[HLaB]

On Tuesday I got the mimical type of abuse from a tw@t.

Cycling through Cambridge CC you have to be very aware of the muppets who aren't. On Tuesday I spotted a pavement cyclist about to jump off the kerb into the road straight into me on the road. So I eased off and shouted out in a friendly manner 'On your left Mate'. To which he replied with the exact same in that sarcastic manner mimicking my accent. Maybe the next time I should shout out aggressively 'Watch where you are going Tw@t'

 

[smutchin]

Rightly or wrongly, it read to me like an accusation that anyone not giving way in a 50-50 must be trying to make a point, rather than just trying to get to work or home in a reasonable time.

I was only talking about myself. In the past, I have been in situations where I asserted what I perceived to be my priority, leading to a confrontation. These days, I prefer to give way if I think the other person isn't going to. I find it makes no meaningful difference to my overall journey time. It's about using your experience and intelligence to predict the best outcome in any individual situation. There are no hard and fast rules, but avoiding confrontation (or even collision) is a sound guiding principle in my view.

I'm not a fan of the idea that your desire to get to your destination on time trumps all other considerations.

 

[mjr]

Maybe the next time I should shout out aggressively 'Watch where you are going Tw@t'

You've just reminded me of last night's case of abuse OF a fellow cyclist. We were heading home along Route 1 about half 9 on a section which I think is 5m wide and a mixed group of walkers and cyclists were spread across the full width heading the same direction but more slowly.

No problem, I'm on the front so I ring a bell from well away and most of the group sorts itself out to the left but one cyclist moves right... at which point, one of the walkers starts shouting various things at him, until the cyclist rides onto the right-hand verge... and as we pass, the shouter pleads with us to "just give him a slap - go on - give him a slap - !*@#ing t#@!". Needless to say, we didn't, rode between the cyclist and his "friends" and left them to it.

You get all sorts around here and that's why we love it

 

[mjr]

I was only talking about myself. In the past, I have been in situations where I asserted what I perceived to be my priority, leading to a confrontation. These days, I prefer to give way if I think the other person isn't going to. I find it makes no meaningful difference to my overall journey time. It's about using your experience and intelligence to predict the best outcome in any individual situation. There are no hard and fast rules, but avoiding confrontation (or even collision) is a sound guiding principle in my view.

I'm not a fan of the idea that your desire to get to your destination on time trumps all other considerations.

Me neither and that's not what I'm saying, but there are times where one can legitimately decline to give way without causing a collision or confrontation and doing so is not necessarily trying to make some point about priority or whatever. Your reasons for doing it are your own.