The Media War on Cycling

[Dogtrousers]

I had a go on a Fordson Dexta once. No cyclists got in my way. Too scared probably.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

This is another arrogant pri#k one that does the rounds every year. Shame you don't see tractor drivers being considerate to other road users very often🤡👹

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From a pissed off farmer:

A polite-ish notice to all cyclists on country roads during harvest.
Please understand I have zero issues with you using the roads to ride your bicycle, I’m all for exercising and if slipping in to a lycra suit and impaling your self on a dick shaped bike seat for hours keeps you satisfied then each to their own.
If I’m driving a car I always give plenty of ‘safe space’ when passing cyclists which is only fair, we know how sensitive you are to your requested road space, you have just as much right to the roads as anyone....

HOWEVER,
if I’m coming at you in a fecking great tractor with 20 tons behind me on a single track road, do me and yourself a favour and STOP for one second, either move as far over to your side of the road or just step on to the verge if there is one, so I can pass safely, do not just continue at full speed and then piss and moan as you go past because if it goes wrong you’ll end up being pressure washed off a tractor wheel.

Unfortunately for you we take all your space and we can’t help it, so unless you want to lend a hand either changing a tyre that’s blown out or shovelling up a spillage, then we’re not dropping our wheels into drainage grips so that you can continue your bicycle ride. Cars, horse riders and runners are capable of it, I seem to be missing something with cyclists, I presume either you don’t want to get your special bike dirty, you’re trying to beat your PB or more than likely you’re just a complete cock in general.
Regards your Road Safety Advocate for North Down 😂

Photoshopped bollocks

 

[classic33]

Photoshopped bollocks

Nay lad, cyclist and a JCB Fastrac following on (too) close behind.

And with a numberplate missing to boot.

 

[Slick]

I had a go on a Fordson Dexta once. No cyclists got in my way. Too scared probably.

I was more a major man.

 

[Ajax Bay]

This is another arrogant pri#k one that does the rounds every year. Shame you don't see tractor drivers being considerate to other road users very often🤡👹

From a pissed off farmer:
A polite-ish notice to all cyclists on country roads during harvest.
Regards your Road Safety Advocate for North Down 😂

Great image!
I think that's a pretty reasonable plea from someone trying to do their job during the long hour days of harvest, but in a way that entertains. If a cyclist can't read that and enjoy the joke, and resolve to give a tractor (coming towards them) plenty of space (eg by getting on the verge) then they need to rebalance themselves and consider reducing their 'Karen' quotient.

In what way is that 'arrogant'? What do you want a tractor driver to do on a narrow lane only just wide enough for their agricultural machinery? Have you found tractor drivers to be inconsiderate to other road users more than the general population of motor vehicle drivers?

 

[albion]

This country needs a climate change friendly one Sunday a month ban on cars.

 

[classic33]

Great image!I think that's a pretty reasonable plea from someone trying to do their job during the long hour days of harvest, but in a way that entertains. If a cyclist can't read that and enjoy the joke, and resolve to give a tractor (coming towards them) plenty of space (eg by getting on the verge) then they need to rebalance themselves and consider reducing their 'Karen' quotient.

In what way is that 'arrogant'? What do you want a tractor driver to do on a narrow lane only just wide enough for their agricultural machinery? Have you found tractor drivers to be inconsiderate to other road users more than the general population of motor vehicle drivers?

I can understand a genuine plea, but the threat of being power washed of a wheel destroys any "reasonable argument" put forward by the person who worded that piece.

The picture may well be a country road, but it's clearly not a single track lane. And if the person who "wrote" that piece has ever been behind the wheel of a tractor, I'll be surprised.

The tractor will be over as far right as possible to minimise any possible damage to anything on the rear, as it tends to hang out to the right of the tractor. Damage that and any delay will be longer than a few minutes trying to pass a cyclist. Whether that's from head on or behind.
On which side is it safe to pass, or let it pass if you don't know how far out anything behind is? The simple answer is it isn't, pass each other where the road is wide enough, and it's safe for all concerned to do so.
Remember that where there's one there's a high chance of a second lighter tractor following behind.

How many cars over ten foot wide have you passed on single track country lanes?

 

[Slick]

This country needs a climate change friendly one Sunday a month ban on cars.

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/a...ext=On the first Sunday of,on foot or by bike.

 

[matticus]

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/12679/car-free-sundays-return-for-autumn#:~:text=Edinburgh makes history with Open Streets first&text=On the first Sunday of,on foot or by bike.

but but .. surely that's IMPOSSIBLE. The economy will tank, thousands of jobs will go. MADNESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jody]

Thing is, they guy who wrote that stuff above that we're avidly arguing about has never driven a tractor in his life. He's just grabbed an image of a cyclist and a tractor from somewhere and made up a load of bollocks.

and that same bollox has been doing the rounds on faceache for a few years now. Always gets the same response from those who believe it to be real.

Sad thing is that it's usually used by pages just to increase their reach to new users as it generates so much hate and comments.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Nay lad, cyclist and a JCB Fastrac following on (too) close behind.

And with a numberplate missing to boot.

Ha found the source. It was a triathlon in Wetherby in November 2016. Nowt to do with a harvest, nowt to do with single track lanes, and nowt to do with Devon.

 

[matticus]

I think that's a pretty reasonable plea from someone trying to do their job during the long hour days of harvest, but in a way that entertains. If a cyclist can't read that and enjoy the joke, and resolve to give a tractor (coming towards them) plenty of space (eg by getting on the verge) then they need to rebalance themselves and consider reducing their 'Karen' quotient.

Yes, this chap has been more than reasonable:

more than likely you’re just a complete cock in general.

 

[albion]

but but .. surely that's IMPOSSIBLE. The economy will tank, thousands of jobs will go. MADNESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Should be the reverse. Parcels and other stuff might need cargo ebikes to operate that day.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Ha found the source. It was a triathlon in Wetherby in November 2016. Nowt to do with a harvest, nowt to do with single track lanes, and nowt to do with Devon.

What? You mean that "pissed off farmer" isn't a real farmer at all? Just some bloke sitting behind a keyboard making up utter hogwash? My faith in humanity has been destroyed.

The picture appears to have been stolen from Stephen G. Hipperson's photography site. https://stephenhip.wordpress.com/2016/11/12/lady-triathlete/ The image isn't displaying on this link but I've linked it below. You can see that the internet warrior has removed Mr Hipperson's copyright notice from the bottom of the photo.

https://stephenhip.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cycle_mg_0640.jpg

After a bit more digging it seems Mr Hipperson is well aware of this.

 

[mjr]

We are our own worst enemies at times. I know on those occasions when I have to take the car I get pretty angry at cyclists who insist on riding two or three abreast, blocking automobile traffic in the process.

Cyclist groups are now advised to ride two abreast unless the lane is 5+m wide, for their own safety. Lone cyclists should ride central in narrow lanes. Any less than 5m and motorists cannot overtake in-lane without either a close pass or the cyclist riding in the gutter, so a group riding two abreast is shorter and easier to overtake in a gap in oncoming traffic.

It's not cyclists that "block" automobiles. It's other automobilsts occupying the overtaking lane.

We as cyclist complain about automobile drivers not sharing the road but are often the worst offenders.

Climbing in the gutter is not sharing and I've yet to see a lone cyclist occupy 2.5m by 4m road space and 96m headway.

When out on a group ride we seem to forget we are not racers on a closed road with all the pavement available for the use of our group, we need to share as well.

Don't ride on pavements!

I guess I’m saying that we could be a bit less selfish and put a bit more of an effort into sharing the road with the poor clods stuck in their cars. Keeping in mind that most are asleep at the wheel and need a lot of space.

It will never be enough for some motorists. They will take all we give and then more, just like they take the pavements from walkers and use it as parking. No, better to stand our ground and keep all as safe as possible.