Am I the only one who's not in a hurry?

[Amanda P]

There's a lot of talk of "scalping", and "I was doing 32 mph in a 30 zone when..." and "this guy was sucking my wheel" and so on.

There are also (unfortunately) all-too-frequent reports of accidents.

Am I the only cyclist who isn't flat-out-caning-it all the time?

If somebody passes me on the road, I feel no particular urge (usually) to try to keep up with them, and I don't feel it a blow to my pride to be passed. They're in a hurry/training/doing a time trial/late for work/trying to get fit/whatever. I'm not. I'm just enjoying my ride.

I've had my share of near misses, but I've never had a serious accident, and I can't help thinking that some accidents may occur partly because the cyclist was going flat out and so didn't have enough time to brake or anticipate a foolish manouvre by someone else.

I ride all year round, yes, even when there's ice about. When I suspect ice, I ride very circumspectly, and slowly. I have been known to slip and even fall off, but if this happens at low speed, it's not a problem.

So why all the rush? Slow down and smell the flowers!

 

[J4CKO]

I personally dont go flat out all the time, I cant but if there is some action to be had then I will have a go, all good clean competitive fun, better than doing it in cars like the local boys do, real men have races where its just down to them how fast they go, not how big their car loan is.

 

[karlos_the_jackal]

I don't really race or scalp. Not fit enough for that yet! am a bit competitive sometimes.

 

[John the Monkey]

Depends on the day - my legs are knackered this week, so I've been taking it easy. Some days I feel like doing that anyway.

Other days, it's nice to blow the cobwebs away by pushing yourself a bit.

I've had two "accidents" in the time I've been riding.

1) Bus tailgates me then tries to beat me around a parked van, cutting in too soon and knocking me off. (Not sure how I could have avoided that, regardless of speed, as I impacted around the centre of the bus)

2) Lady can't be bothered to wait for me to exit a roundabout and drives into my back wheel.

 

[Bigtwin]

Some people ride for fitness/training/competition with themselves/others. "Smelling the flowers" is not what they are about.

 

[shunter]

Somedays it is good to slow down and smell the flowers but the majority of time I like to get as hard a work out as possible. If cyclists appear on the horizon I tend to go for it. On my commuting route there appears to be quite a few other cyclist who like a competitive cycle as well. Have been a few unofficial challenges with various results, retirements and traffic halts play endings.

So far in all my years cycling and motorcycling I've never had an accident that was caused by me. To each their own I suppose.

I think I'm just making up for all the years I was a couch potato!

 

[numbnuts]

I ride only for pleasure so the slower I ride the longer the pleasure
I have emphysema so going fast is out for me, but I happy if I can do my rides with an average of 13 mph

 

[jack the lad]

Some of us have to speed up to smell the flowers or they would bloom, wither and die before we get there! Just because I'm slow doesn't mean I'm not trying.

 

[eldudino]

The only people I scalp are real slow-pokes, I may brag about them but it's probably akin to a slug getting excited about scalping a snail.

 

[spandex]

I can't say much as there is a lot of you on here that know how I ride!

 

[fossyant]

Erm...... I use the commute as training, so generally ride flat out, or just below it. Helps keep the fitness up for the ruddy hills - means you enjoy them better.

Had two big off's commuting, one was at about 30 mph, me inside lane, van on outside lane then just turns left without looking - hence me doing superman impressions - 1 boken bone in hand, 1 written off bike - driver legged it. The other was last December - I was going slowly round a roundabout (wet conditions and it's used by busses and trucks = diesel) - car approaching roundablut...driver doesn't look, bam...hit's me at about 30mph....

None of them were caused by excessive speed on my part. Had a few near misses caused by folk not realising how fast a bike can go......usually quickly followed by me shouting 'Oi' as I fly past the drivers window.....

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I don't want to smell the flowers, I have hayfever.

I enjoy the cut and thrust of moving fast with the traffic, and pretty much always go flat out (well, depending on energy levels)... if I'm going to sweat (which I will) there might as well be a good reason for it!

 

[swee'pea99]

"this guy was sucking my wheel"

 

[HJ]

I have to admit to enjoying the odd bit of speed, now and again...

 

[Bodhbh]

Generally on weekend rides I'm pootling and stopping off at cafes every 20miles, on the commute - it's only 5-6miles each way - I'll hammer it. Might as well add some interest and get maximum benifit out of something which is a nessecity.

But then sometimes the legs are too knackered on the commute and don't feel like it, or sometiems get warmed up on the weekend runs and want to start pushing things.

Had an off due to speed, but not really my fault, where someone saw us 100yards down the road, then pulled out in front without looking and not expecting the distance to be closed so fast (it was very slight downhill must have been going 25mph).