Ravenbait
Someone's imaginary friend
- Location
- The Seventh Level of Hell
To the red light jumper I berated last night for running the red at the junction of Lower Granton Road and Trinity Crescent,
I was sitting in the ASL at the front of a queue of traffic on my well-lit tourer when you sailed through against oncoming traffic on your black bike in your black clothes with a black helmet and no lights. You'll remember me because I caught up with you a couple of minutes later and told you in no uncertain terms that you shouldn't run a red light.
You proceeded to sit on my offside, which I don't like at the best of times, and laugh at me for being angry. The short explanation for my anger, as I told you at the time, is that drivers will not remember the well-lit bike obeying the traffic regulations. They will remember the inconsiderate cyclist in stealth mode going through on a red in the face of oncoming vehicles. Next time I suffer abuse from frustrated drivers who accuse all cyclists of being dangerous muppets who dress like ninjas and run red lights it will partially be because of the experiences they have had with thoughtless peabrains like you.
I have a degree of understanding and sympathy for the cyclists who head off just before their light turns green; those who ignore an empty pedestrian crossing when there is no one else around; and, indeed, those who find themselves stuck at lights that refuse to acknowledge their presence. However, to ride straight into oncoming traffic negotiating a blind dogleg during poor light conditions is foolhardy at best and downright idiotic at worst.
What I failed to mention to you at the time, as I had somewhere to be and didn't want to hang around at your pace, was that your personal safety would be much better served by observing the rules of the road as they apply to bicycles and fitting some lights to your bike than it is by the plastic hat you had perched on the top of your head.
Hope that helps.
Sam
I was sitting in the ASL at the front of a queue of traffic on my well-lit tourer when you sailed through against oncoming traffic on your black bike in your black clothes with a black helmet and no lights. You'll remember me because I caught up with you a couple of minutes later and told you in no uncertain terms that you shouldn't run a red light.
You proceeded to sit on my offside, which I don't like at the best of times, and laugh at me for being angry. The short explanation for my anger, as I told you at the time, is that drivers will not remember the well-lit bike obeying the traffic regulations. They will remember the inconsiderate cyclist in stealth mode going through on a red in the face of oncoming vehicles. Next time I suffer abuse from frustrated drivers who accuse all cyclists of being dangerous muppets who dress like ninjas and run red lights it will partially be because of the experiences they have had with thoughtless peabrains like you.
I have a degree of understanding and sympathy for the cyclists who head off just before their light turns green; those who ignore an empty pedestrian crossing when there is no one else around; and, indeed, those who find themselves stuck at lights that refuse to acknowledge their presence. However, to ride straight into oncoming traffic negotiating a blind dogleg during poor light conditions is foolhardy at best and downright idiotic at worst.
What I failed to mention to you at the time, as I had somewhere to be and didn't want to hang around at your pace, was that your personal safety would be much better served by observing the rules of the road as they apply to bicycles and fitting some lights to your bike than it is by the plastic hat you had perched on the top of your head.
Hope that helps.
Sam
