Oh my god, it's a minefield

[Xiorell]

So as some of you may know, I recently got myself a cycle with the full intent of "getting into it" (or back into it, if you count my teen years).
So far I've just been zipping to and from work on various routes, some direct, some a bit more round the houses etc, and I've been enjoying myself a great deal.

Today I took off my on first loaded trip, carrying almost all of my fishing kit to me, and headed off to a lake near-by which I have never been to before. It's not that far, about 5miles eachway, but it's almost all A-Road.

Oh, my f**k. People just do not look for you at all, they totally ignor you because "it's only a bike", I guess, seem to think they own the road.
Those speed bumps where you're supposed to give way and wait? Nope, I'm half way over it and some dickhead decides to disregard highway code and just go anyway despite me have right of way.
People driving way over on the wrong side. Waiting at a red light (me being first one there) and people cutting right up to you then pulling across your path at the green.

I could go on, and that was just a 10mile round trip.

I can see myself giving someone a propper slap if they trying getting shitty with me, I am a boxer and a bouncer and I can't imagine keeping my cool if someone thinks it's safe to be abusive just because they're in a tincan.

I have of course known for... well all my life, that roads can be dangerous but the vulgar display of ignorance I witnessed today was something of a suprise.

 

[EdgEy]

I can see myself giving someone a propper slap if they trying getting shitty with me, I am a boxer and a bouncer and I can't imagine keeping my cool if someone thinks it's safe to be abusive just because they're in a tincan.

Hah, not advocating violence but that sounds excellent - once they get out of the car, who's the bigger vehicle now?

 

[david1701]

if you don't think they can get past safely then don't let them try. Take the middle of the lane and move back in when it is safe for them to pass

 

[ramses]

Yep, welcome to the world of cycling on British roads, and sharing it with the ignorant impatient B**TARDS in their tin cans, that can't possibly wait a further 2 seconds for you, because of the extreme effort it takes to flex an ankle to go faster, which is obviously far more strenuous that cycling!!!

Ah... That feels better!

 

[Davidc]

Unfortunately you have to defend yourself in the UK, we're not civilised like the Dutch, Germans French and so on.

A lot depends on positioning, as david1701 says. If you get hold of a copy of cyclecraft it gives a lot of good advice on how to stop the 6u99er5 from causing you problems.

 

[PK99]

Those speed bumps where you're supposed to give way and wait? Nope, I'm half way over it and some dickhead decides to disregard highway code and just go anyway despite me have right of way.


Waiting at a red light (me being first one there) and people cutting right up to you then pulling across your path at the green.

Where were you positioned for those?

In each case if you were "hard left" you were inviting drivers to do what they did.

in each, you should have been central in the lane.

Last year i followed a less experienced cycling friend through a set of road works in central London: Lanes narrowed by cones, ramp. Pretty standard stuff. He went through, hard left on the cones. Car went through the gap he left, he wobbled and got cross, then shouted unkind words as the car disappeared in front of him. I followed, central on the lane giving a "i know you are there, stay back" signal with my right hand, and a thumbs up to the driver who had stayed patiently behind as he passed me.

 

[Globalti]

You don't have to carry all that fishing kit you know. Just stop at Asda and buy a tin of sardines, they're delicious.

 

[Xiorell]

Where were you positioned for those?

In each case if you were "hard left" you were inviting drivers to do what they did.

in each, you should have been central in the lane.

No no, I was in the middle, or as close as dammit anyway, this prick just came barging through anyway

 

[neil earley]

be carefull out there as they just dont care if they force you off the road !!!

 

[forwater]

Slightly off-topic: Did you catch anything?

 

[Xiorell]

Slightly off-topic: Did you catch anything?

lol. Yeah, 5 roach, 2 bream, 2 rudd and 3 poxy bloody crayfish

 

[uphillstruggler]

eat the crayfish, they're lovely!

 

[fungus]

lol. Yeah, 5 roach, 2 bream, 2 rudd and 3 poxy bloody crayfish

Don't eat the crays unless they are signals, the little British ones need all the help they can get.