Annoying colleague rant

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Jezston

Über Member
Location
London
Whether the 'annoying' in that title refers to the colleague or the rant is up to you :ohmy:

I have a colleague who appears to be somewhat anti-cycling. I do not understand why so many people seem to be so anti cycling, of all things to have a particularly negative viewpoint of. Often has a sneering, pissed off looking expression on his face whenever I am seen in my gear or so match as mention anything relating to cycling in his presence.

Got a lift off him home the other day, mentions how ALL cyclists jump red lights ALL of the time. I mention TFL study that states only about 15% do, and thats in a city notorious for this, although I can understand his perception as it is a fairly high percentage, and it annoys me too. He doesn't seem to be happy with me pointing out these facts. I mention how it annoys me when drivers park in ASLs as a comparison. "Oh I always stop in them" he says, with utter indignance.

I'm starting to feel he's actually just a bit of a ****.

Ah, thats better. Thanks!
 
Oh yes, know it well.

Approvingly, he nodded towards my hi-vis and stated (in his mind this was a compliment) "I nearly knocked someone off because they weren't wearing one of those". (and not, "I nearly knocked someone off because I wasn't paying attention")

He is of course a faultless driver and everyone else on the road is an idiot (one of those that drive in such a way that they are not rear-ended once, but umpteen times, which suggests that the driving is somewhat erratic and unpredictable, even if technically it is the car behind at fault).

  • It is someone else's fault that his daughter's car has a dent in the wing from when he was driving it
  • A mysterious dent has appeared on his own car that he is unusually quiet about
  • He complained to the company wanting them to pay for repairs because "some idiot put a metal stillage behind my car while it was parked on the forecourt" (he didn't get anything more than a "didn't you look behind before you got in and reversed into it?")
Yes, it's cyclists not wearing hi-vis that cause accidents :ohmy:
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Is he a colleague or a friend.

it's worse when you "suddenly" find that one of your mates is actually a latent arse.

Funny sometimes, when you find an interest in something and begin to open your own mind about it be it fly fishing, cycling, Keep fit, wearing ladies underwear on a Sunday afternoon...ahem....or whatever you realise just how closed your own mind and those of your mates, has been all along.

Its not his fault, he just hasn’t seen the benefit yet...perhaps try to show him.
 
Had an argument today and told him to stop talking 5h1t when he said i had an incident every week which isn't true.Not of today's proportions anyway.The motorists seem to be the one with the poor attitude to me and make the worst mistakes.Break all the rules.
 
OP
OP
Jezston

Jezston

Über Member
Location
London
He is also somewhat of a friend. We generally get on well, however I have a bit of a related issue with him at the moment with the fact he can be INCREDIBLY rude with me (and only me for some reason), especially when I say something he disagrees with. I often feel I'm treading on eggshells all the time when talking professionally as if I ever say anything he disagrees with he gets really, really arsey with me. I believe it started when we were discussing some option for something and I was very keen to try something he wasn't familiar with as I thought it would solve a particular problem we had, and while extolling it's virtues one point he suddenly just angrily spouted "yeah well you don't know what your talking about" and stormed off. This isn't helped by him being senior to me. I think perhaps he sees me as a bit of a threat or something.

He's planning on getting a motorbike soon. Hopefully this will change his attitudes about road use somewhat, although I just remembered he has similarly negative attitudes towards lorry drivers.

I'm beginning to get so sick of feeling often like some kind of opressed minority just because of the mode of transport I use.
 

karan733

New Member
I know this is completely, terribly, utterly unhelpful but...








It might just be because he is from Nottingham? :ohmy:
 

karan733

New Member
hackbike 666 said:
No it may be because he is a moron.

Yes, thats what I meant isnt it? :ohmy:
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Jezston said:
He is also somewhat of a friend. We generally get on well, however I have a bit of a related issue with him at the moment with the fact he can be INCREDIBLY rude with me (and only me for some reason), especially when I say something he disagrees with. I often feel I'm treading on eggshells all the time when talking professionally as if I ever say anything he disagrees with he gets really, really arsey with me.
.

If this is important to you working (you'll know if it is) then you need to stop this now before it grows and is taken for granted.

Taking a leaf out of some old management training, I would suggest the next time he reacts this way (especially in front of an audience), stop the discussion, look him straight in the eye and ask, "Is there a problem?".

He will most likely reply with an off hand comment or get uncomfortable at which point you ignore his reply and continue "its just that whenever i suggest something that apposes your view, you react very negatively towards me...and only me, so I want to know…is there a problem?"

alternatively, if he reacts like this in private, stop the discussion, make physical contact (like a hand on the shoulder...I know it sounds odd but you need to do something "odd or different "to get his attention) and ask, "(Name), what is it that makes you feel that it is acceptable to react in this manner... because I am finding it uncomfortable?"

Both of these will only really have any effect if you know and “like” the guy (or at least share some mutual or professional respect)
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Take it all with a pinch of salt. At the last place I worked, I had colleagues openly say they'd run me over...I'd knock them back and say they would have to catch me first.

They were all serious mickey takers. One senior bloke was always crashing his E Series Company Merc. On one occasion, when brand new, he'd scraped it along a wall that had always been there at work. Someone got hold of the info, and came up with a mock Merc advert, photoshopped a 'bumper car bottom' onto an E class and emailed everyone......

The guy will most likely come to his scenses or crash when he gets a motorbike.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
In Britain, as in North America, many people still think of cycling as a leisure activity.

In their minds, you only cycle to get somewhere if you're a hippy eco-warrior. They are baffled by utilitarian cycling.

"Why would you cycle 12 miles when you have a car at home?" I was once asked.

"errrmmm.....Because I can and I want to" I replied.

A bemused silence followed.
 
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