Inept abuse...

[Christopher]

So one nice day I am cycling back into Preston wearing a bright yellow Campagnolo jersey. I pass three lads, one of who spots me and shouts: "Hey lads, it's Neil Armstrong! Alright Neil!!!" Then I hear one of the others say "No, you prawn, it's Lance Armstrong" "Oh. HEY LANCE!"... by which time I was some way down the road & chcuckling to myself...

On another ride I bloke in van pulled out of a side road near me, not in a dangerous fashion, leant out of his window and shouted "Hey boulder!" at me as he passed going the other way :?: . Pretty sure he said that and not "bend*r" which would have least had made sense.

and finally in Warrington one time I was stopped at a red light. There was no cross-traffic at all and a pedestrian came up to me and said "Why are you stopped?" "Because it's a red light. Cyclists are supposed to stop at them". "But there's no traffic, lad. Go-ooon, now. Goo-ooon" and waved his arms at me. "No thanks, I'll just wait". He shook his head and walked off. .. well not abuse but never been urged to RLJ by a pedestrian...

 

[Moodyman]

Cycling is seen as a freakish activity by many folk.

Only you know the joy it brings so ignore 'em and keep riding with a smile.

"What, we just took the piss and he's smiling & waiving?"

 

[youngoldbloke]

Toiling up a long hill out of Bradford on Avon - passed a couple of youths loitering outside the local newsagents - 'On Yer Bike' shouts one of them - 'Correct' I responded.

 

[BAP]

Nice one! I like the Armstrong one. Better than getting a belt of an apple!

 

[sabian92]

Loads of yobbos don't have the nouse to have a clever comeback if you state the obvious in return to their heckle.

That being said, a lot of people don't really cycle so to them we're the nutters. What if I wanna be a nutter that rides around in lycra? Ever thought of that?

 

[cloggsy]

"But there's no traffic, lad. Go-ooon, now. Goo-ooon" and waved his arms at me. "No thanks, I'll just wait". He shook his head and walked off. .. well not abuse but never been urged to RLJ by a pedestrian...

Maybe he was videoing you and wanted to get some footage for YouTube?

 

[ColinJ]

I rode my Basso Viper up a local climb in July a few years back when Armstrong and Basso had been trying to out-climb each other in the Tour de France. A bunch of lads sitting outside a pub heckled me in a good-natured fashion. One of them spotted the Basso brand name on my bike and called out to me "Oi Ivan, watch out - Lance is catching you!" which I thought was a step up from the usual "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanker!"

 

[Christopher]

Very surprised that a lad knew who Basso was! It's a pretty good comment I think.

TBH I get very little abuse on the bike. Another time I made eye contact with a youth outside a rough-looking pub in Deepdale, Preston (not the good part of town) and all he said was "Awright, chief?" in a genuinely friendly manner.

My other fave was when I was passing a group of three schoolkids who all politely stood aside to let me past. Just as I was opening my mouth to say thank you, one went "Oh, you're welcome" in a bitingly sarcastic voice. Made me laugh and I apologised for being ungracious.

 

[Melonfish]

and finally in Warrington one time I was stopped at a red light. There was no cross-traffic at all and a pedestrian came up to me and said "Why are you stopped?" "Because it's a red light. Cyclists are supposed to stop at them". "But there's no traffic, lad. Go-ooon, now. Goo-ooon" and waved his arms at me. "No thanks, I'll just wait". He shook his head and walked off. .. well not abuse but never been urged to RLJ by a pedestrian...

Hah, nuff said, we are a strange little town.

t'other day in the pi**ing rain i'm heading over midland way and as i reach the top some nut fresh out the hosi with crutches shouts at me "NICE LIGHTS!" but in that derogatory tone as if he'd just said something really witty.
i just replied "thanks" and off i tootled.

 

[jayonabike]

I had a couple of lads on 50cc scooters coming towards me pretending to pedal, tooting the horns and got an "Alright mate" as they passed at the weekend.

 

[Rob500]

Returning home one day after one of my longest outings (40 miles), two young lads, 9 or 10 yrs, messing about on their bikes.

Lad: Hey! - Are you a professional cyclist?
Me: No mate. Just a very tired one.
Lad: Why've you got one of them bikes then?
Me: Are you a professional BMXer - why've you one of them bikes?

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

I try to return abuse or mockery with a cheery wave and am often rewarded with smile; hopefully someone else now convinced that we're not all two-wheeled yobs and some cyclist, in a future encounter, spared the same abuse: "You'll catch more flies with sugar, than shoot."

 

[2PedalsTez]

"You'll catch more flies with sugar, than shoot."

Good point.. I like that analogy

 

[growingvegetables]

I'm toiling up a long hill through a wee village. Two 15 year olds start yelling and pointing "Hey mate, your back wheel".

I look quickly - seems OK.

They shout again, waving furiously.

I stop, get off and look more carefully ........... like a numpty













"Hey mate, it's following the front one!"

 

[NotFabian]

and finally in Warrington one time I was stopped at a red light. There was no cross-traffic at all and a pedestrian came up to me and said "Why are you stopped?" "Because it's a red light. Cyclists are supposed to stop at them". "But there's no traffic, lad. Go-ooon, now. Goo-ooon" and
waved his arms at me. "No thanks, I'll just wait". He shook
his head and walked off. .. well not abuse but never been urged to RLJ by a pedestrian...


Maybe it was apollo179 out for a walk...:-)