Friend insanely close passed by team sky coach

[Dogtrousers]

[QUOTE 4458269, member: 45"]What's a bloody amateur cyclist???[/QUOTE]
Well obviously it's someone who does that cycle sport racing thing but isn't good enough to be paid for it.

I might have to ignore this thread. It just gets more and more annoying. I'm off to look at some pictures of kittens.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

When I was a Taxi driver, or when I was a LGV driver, or for that matter a PCV driver, then I was professional as I used to get paid to drive, now I'm an amateur as nobody pays me. I don't think it's unrealistic to add the word amateur in when they are recounting a story about a professional cycling team, it distinguishes that the unfortunate rider was not part of a race.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

[QUOTE 4458294, member: 45"]No, you're not now an amateur driver. That's a ridiculous suggestion.
It's completely the wrong terminology. It says that cycling is a sport.
A bicycle is a mode of transport which some people happen to be paid to race on.
A bike is a normal part of everyday life. It's not an item of sports equipment that people use for practical activities. Putting it in those terms sends the message that it's not the machine that it is.[/QUOTE]
Seriously! it's too early to have an argument over such a trivial thing, if you're that annoyed send an email, or take a deep breath & get over it & move on.

 

[Brandane]

Is cycle awareness a mandatory part of HGV / bus training? If not then that is what should be campaigned for.

I have the DSA driving manual for HGV's in front of me, albeit from 2003 but I doubt if much has changed.
According to the index, cyclists are referred to on 12 different pages, and a quick read through those pages shows that it does explain the need for proper observations (especially on the driver's nearside), effects of wind draught caused by large vehicles, GIVING ADEQUATE SPACE, etc.. There are random questions in the theory test referring to cyclists too.
I have to say that on the whole, I find drivers of large vehicles to be MUCH more aware of cyclists than your average plonker in a car. Obviously there are going to be the odd exceptions as in this case.

 

[Brandane]

[QUOTE 4458294, member: 45"]No, you're not now an amateur driver. That's a ridiculous suggestion.[/QUOTE]
This whole business of "professional driver" is a red herring IMHO.. It shouldn't make any difference. If you have passed the DSA test of competence to drive a particular class of vehicle, then you should be able to drive that vehicle properly whether or not you're getting paid to do so!

I have passed tests for motorbikes, cars, class 2 HGV's, and class 1 HGV's (in that order). The day after passing my class 1 HGV test I was qualified to be out on the road driving a 44 tonne artic. Does that give me some sort of magical abilities? I think NOT! Even now, more than 10 years after passing my test, I only drive the things occasionally because TBH it's a crap job and crap money. So I certainly don't look upon myself as "professional", but I do like to think that I am "competent".

 

[Spinney]

I have the DSA driving manual for HGV's in front of me, albeit from 2003 but I doubt if much has changed.
According to the index, cyclists are referred to on 12 different pages, and a quick read through those pages shows that it does explain the need for proper observations (especially on the driver's nearside), effects of wind draught caused by large vehicles, GIVING ADEQUATE SPACE, etc.. There are random questions in the theory test referring to cyclists too.
I have to say that on the whole, I find drivers of large vehicles to be MUCH more aware of cyclists than your average plonker in a car. Obviously there are going to be the odd exceptions as in this case.

In my bimbling around the local roads, some of which are country lanes and some, although B roads, are lorry routes to/from quarries and 'cutting the M4/M5 corner', the close passes that have me making rude gestures or swearing are almost all from cars, not lorries. Indeed, I am often inclined* to remember the time, place, and name on a lorry and email a thank-you for an extremely courteous pass - the hanging back until clear having been done at a comfortable distance, the driver using all of the other side of the road, etc, etc.

*although by the time I get home I've usually forgotten!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

[QUOTE 4458315, member: 45"]I'm not that annoyed.[/QUOTE]
Are you sure? It sounds like you are, is it really worth it?

 

[Milkfloat]

[QUOTE 4458294, member: 45"]No, you're not now an amateur driver. That's a ridiculous suggestion.

It's completely the wrong terminology. It says that cycling is a sport.

A bicycle is a mode of transport which some people happen to be paid to race on.

A bike is a normal part of everyday life. It's not an item of sports equipment that people use for practical activities. Putting it in those terms sends the message that it's not the machine that it is.[/QUOTE]

In this case the cyclist is a 'sport cyclist'. He wears lycra, rides a sports road bike and follows the racing. Of course there are many forms of cycling, but in this instance I think it is fair to call him an amature cyclist.

am·a·teur
(ăm′ə-tûr′, -tər, -cho͝or′, -chər, -tyo͝or′)
n.
1. One who engages in an art, science, study, or athletic activity as a pastime rather than as a profession.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Driving a bus, a taxi, or a lorry only means you've passed a test of basic competence to handle that vehicle safely, it's not an award of an advanced driving qualification.

These people are commercial drivers and should be referred to as such. Calling them professional has the danger of bestowing on them, as most of them appear to believe, a higher status. This is wholly undeserved.

They're no more a professional driver than my local pizza delivery boy on his moped, or some of the cycling courier nutters I see in the city...


GC

 

[Dogtrousers]

[QUOTE 4458315, member: 45"]I'm not that annoyed. [/QUOTE]
Just for the record, I am that annoyed.

 

[Dogtrousers]

In this case the cyclist is a 'sport cyclist'. He wears lycra, rides a sports road bike and follows the racing. Of course there are many forms of cycling, but in this instance I think it is fair to call him an amature cyclist.

a) How do you know. All we know is that he has a camera. Nothing else.
b) Occam's razor: How the hell is that even relevant?
c) Amateur, not amature

 

[Tim Hall]

a) How do you know. All we know is that he has a camera. Nothing else.
b) Occam's razor: How the hell is that even relevant?
c) Amateur, not amature

If he had one of those hidden electric motors he could be an armature cyclist.

 

[Milkfloat]

a) How do you know. All we know is that he has a camera. Nothing else.
b) Occam's razor: How the hell is that even relevant?
c) Amateur, not amature

Look at his twitter feed.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Look at his twitter feed.

Why?

Just because he owns a pair of lycra shorts and watches a bit of racing doesn't make him an "amateur cyclist". Jeez, even I qualify for that. Not that I ever wear lycra shorts as there are no pockets for my chewing gum.

I am Mr Angry today. I need kittens.

 

[Brandane]

c) Amateur, not amature

Don't know about that one; I consider myself to be a mature cyclist!