Annoying little things

[Jezston]

10. Those that you overtake who then RLJ get ahead of you so that you have to overtake again.

LOL they don't annoy me, I just find them funny! It always makes me laugh when I overtake some 'all the gear' type on my hybrid and they are clearly utterly incensed by this and start riding like a lunatic, breaking the rules to get ahead. And then I casually overtake them again with my feet on the handlbars

My only bugbear:

12. Groups of kids on BMXs/BSOs riding around lightless and reckless on the pavement and weaving about on the road, jeering at and trying to 'race' other cyclists. Same kids will be in groups on scooters when they turn 16 and be groups of boy racers shortly after they turn 17, and will never have developed any responsibility and with a group mentality that encourages recklessness.

 

[iAmiAdam]

LOL they don't annoy me, I just find them funny! It always makes me laugh when I overtake some 'all the gear' type on my hybrid and they are clearly utterly incensed by this and start riding like a lunatic, breaking the rules to get ahead. And then I casually overtake them again with my feet on the handlbars

My only bugbear:

12. Groups of kids on BMXs/BSOs riding around lightless and reckless on the pavement and weaving about on the road, jeering at and trying to 'race' other cyclists. Same kids will be in groups on scooters when they turn 16 and be groups of boy racers shortly after they turn 17, and will never have developed any responsibility and with a group mentality that encourages recklessness.

Bmx's are generally 20" wheels and therefore allowed on the pavements because they're classed as a childs toy. But I do agree on the racing us proper roadies side, one tried to race me up a hill where I was waiting for a car to come down, he quickly realised he was an idiot.


I don't commute, so I don't get all these 'annoyances' on the country roads, but seriously, life's too short to worry about these things which all seem like nothing tbh.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Bmx's are generally 20" wheels and therefore allowed on the pavements because they're classed as a childs toy. But I do agree on the racing us proper roadies side, one tried to race me up a hill where I was waiting for a car to come down, he quickly realised he was an idiot.


I don't commute, so I don't get all these 'annoyances' on the country roads, but seriously, life's too short to worry about these things which all seem like nothing tbh.

I have before come up to another cyclist on a hill etc, and passed them at speed only to slow down again, the reason why is because if I passed them at my speed, it would take me ages to get by.

I have though, done this one to an older looking gent and totally killed myself (end of my long journey) for him to pass me again just after the top when I was trying to wind down a bit (he actually passed me close and pointed out my rear light was on, no shoot sherlock).


Anyway - the oncoming car is understandable, but the "racing past" might be just to complete the overtake.

 

[fimm]

I only really get annoyed at the people who cycle on the busy pavement by Haymarket Station - they can't go faster than walking pace anyway, so what are they gaining by it apart from pissing people off?

 

[mickle]

I learned a valuable lesson last year when in The Netherlands and saw two teenage boys with no helmets riding a motor scooter up a bicycle lane through a pedestrian zone full of people.

If they'd done that here everyone would have been all over them in a tsunami of tuts and disapproval, called the Polis, got them arrested, sent to young offenders institution, a criminal record and a life of crime.


But absolutely no one batted an eyelid because they weren't bothering anyone or endangering anyone's safety.

So that's my attitude now - do whatever you like, if it doesn't endanger or inconvenience anyone else.


(But threaten my wellbeing and I'll jump up and down on your bike..)

 

[Dan B]

Bmx's are generally 20" wheels and therefore allowed on the pavements because they're classed as a childs toy.

A common viewpoint, but to the best of my knowledge an incorrect one (and I'd really liek to know where it comes from). Do you have a source for this assertion?

 

[Dan B]

I only really get annoyed at the people who cycle on the busy pavement by Haymarket Station - they can't go faster than walking pace anyway, so what are they gaining by it apart from pissing people off?

Perhaps they're going to catch trains? I sometimes have to cross a very busy pavement to gain access to the cycle parking in the pedestrianised area on the other side of it. My choices are to cycle at walking pace or to wheel the bike, and having tried both I found that cycling (or scooting while astride the bike, but that's a bit complicated on a fixie) generally inconveniences fewer people simply because I take up less space than I would if walking beside the bike.

 

[fimm]

You must have a very large bike then. I push my bike along that pavement every day in order to catch a train, and I don't feel the need to ride it.

 

[iAmiAdam]

A common viewpoint, but to the best of my knowledge an incorrect one (and I'd really liek to know where it comes from). Do you have a source for this assertion?

Back when I used to ride trials, I explained this to many a CPO(I don't know their official acronym) and once they had checked it out, I was never given a penalty notice etc.

 

[400bhp]

I don't commute, so I don't get all these 'annoyances' on the country roads, but seriously, life's too short to worry about these things which all seem like nothing tbh.

It's just a bit of banter-perhaps the thread title should have been toned down a bit.

 

[400bhp]

Bmx's are generally 20" wheels and therefore allowed on the pavements because they're classed as a childs toy.

Interesting. Does that mean Bromption type bikes are classified as such?

 

[iAmiAdam]

\

Interesting. Does that mean Bromption type bikes are classified as such?

If the law is right, I heard it from another trials rider, tried it, and it worked.

 

[Brommie77]

Hmmmm, is that a good or a bad thing for us brompton riders......

 

[iAmiAdam]

I don't fully believe it myself, might need checking out before anything is said...

 

[suecsi]

Hmmmm, is that a good or a bad thing for us brompton riders......

State of my local pavements (where the road is sufficiently busy it might be an option) is so s*dding bumpy (including the painted on pavement cycle lane on one side) and full of broken glass and other crap, be easier on the road!

It looks nice and smooth on Google Maps (which is a summer picture) but the weather has played havoc with the road surface, the parked cars reverse out without seeing you, the delivery van for the corner shop parks over the start of the lane on the wider side (even though there is plenty of other space) and as for the other side - the pavement is so much narrower and tends to have a lot of pedestrians. I do confess in the evenings to going the wrong way up the wider pavement lane as the other one is so narrow, drops on and off the road several times, and the debris outside the metalworks is horrid.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=ut...d=gKAgJ6-qT2Fy_hPavmrTzQ&cbp=12,81.69,,0,14.2