Doubling Up On Road

[Bicycle]

I'm absolutely amazed at the Clarkson-like attitudes of some of the posters to this thread that I at least thought were primarily cyclists who drove, rather than motorists who sometimes ride a bicycle. I mean posters who are otherwise reasonable, not the fc troll.

I see by reading across a number of your posts that I am your named & shamed poster boy for 'Clarkson-like attitudes'.

I draw no distinction between cyclists who drive and motorists who sometimes ride a bicycle. I confess to being not entirely sure what the distinction is.

Is there a difference? I see myself as pretty neutral.

The pantomime character Clarkson assumes in his broadcasts and columns is that of a rabid, fossil-fuel-eating, anti-cyclist cyclone. I do not see that as neutral.

I am grateful that you graciously admit that i am 'otherwise reasonable', but I'd love to know which part of my posts you find unreasonable, anti-cyclist or Clarksonesque.

 

[Bicycle]

But!

The phrase "Some of my best friends are ... "must always be followed by "but"

... but some of them are fugitives from the ICTY. There are no members common to both groups.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

And there is the mentality that judges it acceptable to bully and label as loony anyone who has the temerity to question the prevailing extreme pro cycling view . Crawl back under your stone ian with the other knuckle draggers and come out again when youre willing to let other people express their views.

He's let you express your views, and come to an opinion, that you are a loon. I also think that you are a loon, am I allowed to express my opinion, or is it only opinions that support you ( from others who may be loons) that you will allow?

 

[benb]

And there is the mentality that judges it acceptable to bully and label as loony anyone who has the temerity to question the prevailing extreme pro cycling view . Crawl back under your stone ian with the other knuckle draggers and come out again when youre willing to let other people express their views.

We have let you express your views, and no-one has tried to stop you.

 

[Christopher]

Bicycle, the attitude I mean is in the post I referred to previously. I have just re-read it. From my POV you seem to be saying that 'cyclists on the road are alright as long as I don't get held up too much'. That impatience and (misplaced) sense of entitlement to drive on the roads is very Clarkson. And so is stereotyping other groups of people. Although of course you are a long way short of Mr Tight Jeans. To be fair there are a few other posters on this thread who do the same.

 

[Bicycle]

Actually I didn't put it terribly well. It's not driving in itself I dislike - as someone who rather likes going too fast, there is an imaginary realm in which the pleasure of driving still makes sense to me - it is the participation in a largely antisocial activity, the experience of individualism in action, that I don't enjoy. Much as one might be unable to enjoy the pleasure of a private beach in the knowledge that the locals are fenced out. The car as an instrument of liberation is a fantasy.

As for turkeys and Christmas, I give you these words, more eloquent than mine: (Edited out of reply to make room)

First, thanks for admitting you didn't put it as well as you'd wanted to.

As to the wise words by another's pen: This is all very well, but it rather pre-supposes that the subject does not also enjoy walking and cycling.

I'm a 4,000-mile a year cyclist and I spend most of my life in the country. I drive rather more than that, but I do ride and I do walk.

I know and love the whiff of the first coal fires as Autumn becomes Winter.

I love the scent of the roadside woodland after a heavy rain.

Ditto the sight of a buzzard watching me ride past from his telegraph pole and the view ahead of a road snaking up a climb as my finger twitches over the ergo shifter to launch me in the small ring. On regular rides I know where I'm going to see a particular discarded boot or wheel trim in the hedge.

I even play a game of Moo-ing at cows as i ride past and counting how many heads turn. Even my kids have got into that one. it has become competitive, sadly. We do the same for sheep too.

I am not the passenger of your eloquent author's vivid imagination. Few people are.

And I'm not sure driving is anti-social either. I would see little of my extended family if I didn't drive. I feel that I express indivicualism more on a bicycle than I do in a car. I can (and do) pick up hitchers in my car. I can't on my bicycle.

 

[ianrauk]

And there is the mentality that judges it acceptable to bully and label as loony anyone who has the temerity to question the prevailing extreme pro cycling view . Crawl back under your stone ian with the other knuckle draggers and come out again when youre willing to let other people express their views.

Nope, you are a loon. Nowhere have I said you are not allowed to have or express your you own views. Please try harder.

 

[lukesdad]

We have let you express your views, and no-one has tried to stop you.

In a nutshell me thinks. " We have let you express your views " FFS !!!!

 

[benb]

In a nutshell me thinks. " We have let you express your views " FFS !!!!

What? He was complaining that he hadn't been allowed to express his views. He's wrong.
I wasn't implying that I or anyone had the power or the right to prevent anyone from expressing their views, so calm down.

 

[lukesdad]

I thought I was on your ignore list ? After all you did make a rather public statement to the fact.

 

[benb]

I thought I was on your ignore list ? After all you did make a rather public statement to the fact.

True, but I sometimes expand your hidden posts to see if you've said anything interesting.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'm going to read the whole of this thread the next time I get caught in a traffic jam on the M25. Meanwhile, my 0€02 worth is that I have never been substantially delayed by cyclists while driving. In fact, I believe my car journeys would have been slower if only a small proportion of those cyclists had chosen to drive instead. However, if motorised transport were restricted to driving in one lane only on dual carriageways, my cycling journeys would be a lot quicker and safer.

 

[Bicycle]

I'm going to read the whole of this thread the next time I get caught in a traffic jam on the M25. Meanwhile, my 0€02 worth is that I have never been substantially delayed by cyclists while driving. In fact, I believe my car journeys would have been slower if only a small proportion of those cyclists had chosen to drive instead. However, if motorised transport were restricted to driving in one lane only on dual carriageways, my cycling journeys would be a lot quicker and safer.

I like your point about cyclists improving traffic flow by not being in cars. I'll use that one in future discussions.

I dislike your suggestion about closing one lane of dual-carriageways to cars. It would inconvenience me and I just couldn't live with that.

 

[theclaud]

Okay, I admit it. I havent got a clue what that means.

You could always try reading it again...

 

[DonnyDarko]

Wow this thread got a bit huge!

I'll have to read it all when I have a bit more time.