How I hate the school hols...

[col]

Good point,but im afraid its not that simple,they cross the road pretending not to see you,all the time they are watching you in the corner of their eye and most times try to put themselves in your way on purpose but try to make it look like they are just crossing the road with out looking happens a lot im afraid

 

[sykes]

you could always carry a water-bottle give the a squirt as you ride by?!
just prob not a good thing to do whilst going up hill!

 

[Monty Dog]

Run the little F***ckers down I say!

 

[goo_mason]

Had another one yesterday; a girl of around 10. Three kids walking up the path towards me; they move to the sides of the path to let me through whilst I was still some way off. As I get close, one of the girls runs diagonally back into my path, yells with pretend 'surprise' that someone on a bike has almost run her down and then they all start laughing as I let go of the brakes and cycle off.

Has this been shown on TV or something recently ? It's like some kind of semi-suicidal epidemic.

Pick up the Airzound tonight - they delivered it on Monday when I was at work and the card through the door told me I had to wait 48hrs before going to get it from the sorting office. I really could have done with it last night !

I'm sooooo looking forward to using it in anger

 

[Alcdrew]

ooo I actualy feel la little sorry for the next child that tries to walk in front of you. There going to have to get a clean pair of pants after you zap them with the zound. But not that sorry that I'd tell you not to do it, go get em!

But I have been biking a long what can only be a walk to school way as there seem to be hundreds of children (secondary school age) and I haven't had any problems like that, get the odd one who really doesn't see me, but my little bell wakes them out of there daydream world enough to get them to move out of the way.

Lets us know how high the little blite jumps.

 

[HJ]

you could always carry a water-bottle give the a squirt as you ride by?!
just prob not a good thing to do whilst going up hill!

At the speed Goo rides I don't think that would be a problem, he not an easy man to catch up with...

 

[goo_mason]

Hairy Jock - have I been spotted ? Give me a shout next time so I know who you are to say "Hi !"

Got the Zound last night and am scared by the sheer filling-rattling volume of such a wee thing. I gave it a toot in the kitchen before fitting it on the bike, and spent the next 5 minutes giggling hysterically at the thought of how much it'll put the wind up anyone I use it on. Obviously it will be reserved only for very special occasions.

On the flip side - last night I found the path ahead completely blocked by a large family with about 5 kids on foot, one in a buggy plus Mum and Dad and large dog. One of the girls looked like the one who run in front of me the night before, but I couldn't be sure. Anyway - I gave them lots of advance warning that I was approaching by dinging my wee bell and slowing to a walking pace as I got close. As they moved aside, possible-suicidal-runner-girl start repeating at the top of her voice, "Finally ! At last ! Someone who's been well brought-up and who has some manners rather than bargin' past !"

It made a nice change - but then again, she probably wouldn't leap into my path with her folks there to see it....

I'll let you all know how the first use of the 'Zound "in anger" goes.

 

[peejay78]

i love the school holidays.

but then again, i'm a teacher.

 

[domtyler]

I would say that the type of 'man' who uses an Airzound on a small child should be taught the error of their ways from said childs father, preferably accompanied by one or two of his big mates.

I have an Airzound and I know they are only meant to be used on busy roads at people in vehicles. You should try and think how you would feel if someone frightened the living daylights out of one of your kids. They are only children playing FFS, get a life and start acting like a grown adult.

 

[TheDoctor]

Yes, I've encountered one of these 'children playing'. My collarbone healed eventually, which is more than my bike did.

 

[col]

I would say that the type of 'man' who uses an Airzound on a small child should be taught the error of their ways from said childs father, preferably accompanied by one or two of his big mates.

I have an Airzound and I know they are only meant to be used on busy roads at people in vehicles. You should try and think how you would feel if someone frightened the living daylights out of one of your kids. They are only children playing FFS, get a life and start acting like a grown adult.

What you have to remember is that these kids are going to cause serious injury to themselves and others,or worse because of them being just wickle kids(most five foot tall and some six footers),perhaps they should be taught the danger of their ways in a more direct manner?any suggestions?
Because there is nothing more dangerous than a parent backing his little angel when they are being anti social and dangerous

 

[goo_mason]

Dom,

When you have these idiots risking both themselves and you by playing this suicidal new variation of 'chicken' when they run into your path at the last second, you'll know why I've bought an Air Zound. It happens to me almost every second day, and sometimes twice a day at the moment and eventually someone is going to come off worst when they misjudge their prank. One almost did last week, when he was so bloody stupid that he forgot that the trick is to stop and not get totally in the cyclist's path.

Had I hit him, this toerag would in all likelihood have lied through his childish teeth and claimed that he didn't see or hear me coming and I would have landed with 100% of the blame. This way I can give a quick toot if I spot the trick coming so they don't have that excuse should an accident happen. Unless they're deaf, they can't claim not to have heard an Air Zound.

Would you rather I stopped well in advance of any groups of two or more kids and dismounted and walked past them just to make sure they weren't going to jump in my path for a laugh ?

I don't know what the kids are like your way, but some of the little neds round this way are dangerous; they know all of their rights but none of the responsibilities that go along with them. When you've had bottles thrown at you from bridges over the path and been threatened with one waving a brick at you and yelling "f**k you, mister - COME ON, THEN !!" when simply cycling along the path, you know it's no longer a case of "FFS - they're only children playing !"

As some of the other posters have commented, they have had experience of the same types of kids and their 'games' as I have and TheDoctor especially so. If they were kids like mine, I'd agree. But these kids act like little hoodlums who have no fear of anyone or anything. A toot of a horn is the least harmful thing that'll happen to them if they continue to play this 'game'. One day some poor cyclist will hit one of them and then there'll be trouble....

Oh, and I checked the box carefully and nowhere does it state that you should only use your Air Zound on the road and against vehicles. And I'm a proper 'man' and everything too - I just checked in my pants that it's still there...

 

[col]

Another worrying thing is these idiots do it with cars and buses all the time,and one day when one of them gets killed or maimed(which is bound to happen some time) and claims all bright eyed and innocent"i didnt see it honest"its the poor driver or cyclist that is going to have to live with something they shouldnt.

 

[goo_mason]

..... You should try and think how you would feel if someone frightened the living daylights out of one of your kids.

I meant to say that if I found out that my daughter had leapt into a cyclist's way at the last second for a laugh, I'd shake the cyclist by the hand for frightening her and hopefully teaching her a lesson about the stupidity of her actions. And then she'd be grounded and lose access to the DS Lite and her DVDs for a fortnight !

 

[goo_mason]

Another worrying thing is these idiots do it with cars and buses all the time,and one day when one of them gets killed or maimed(which is bound to happen some time) and claims all bright eyed and innocent"i didnt see it honest"its the poor driver or cyclist that is going to have to live with something they shouldnt.

Happened when I was on a bus last year - Master Burberry-Baseball-Cap-And-Tracksuit steps into the road in front of the bus I was on making the 'come on' gesture as his swaggering mates looked on from the pavement. Fortunately the driver slammed on the anchors and stopped before he made jam of the ned. Unfortunately, the old lady who was walking to the front of the bus to get off at the next stop went flying and had to be carted off in an ambulance.

Tsk tsk. I hope his parents come round and sort out the nasty bus driver who might have frightened the poor dear by honking his horn. He did run off very quickly afterwards so was obviously scared by the nasty man at the wheel. I mean, he was only a kid playing.