GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
Dear Tragic Hipster
I'll start with an apology. I'm sorry that you feel the streets of London are no place for a highway code obeying red light observing relatively old man on a Brompton. It must be terribly frustrating for you to ride though every red light on the Euston Road only to find that the old man just breezes past you when you hit the tail of the next queue. So frustrating that it clouds your judgement more than a little. All that time and effort to colour match your rims to your hubs and fit all those Nitto parts gone to waste in a case of all show and no (legal) go..
First of all it is unwise, and desperately uncool, to 'mouth off' by way of shouting obscenities at total strangers on bikes and tell them to get out of your way. She wasn't in your way. She wasn't in anyone's way; there was no 'way' to be had as you discovered when you passed us. Still at least you had the good grace to pipe down when this was pointed out to you. I did think your attempt to track stand in a box junction was ill judged but when that car horn sounded and you jumped out of your skin I did think it a little funny.
Second, the filtering... how to put this... it doesn't count if you are actually touching a bus with your left elbow and a white van with your right. That's not filtering but a bid for a night on a trolley in the nearest A&E. Another word for is is 'leaning', not sure the other road users are necessarily prepared for you to do that.
Finally, after I had passed you five times, yes my life is so sad I was actually counting, I was stunned, in fact astounded, by your determination to pass me on my left when I pulled into the gap between those two cabs. You see, I did that because I judged that the gap between the kerb and the cement mixer lorry wasn't wide enough for me to get through. Obviously your skinny jeans allow you to pass through gaps where someone of my girth fears to pedal, even when the lorry isn't parallel to the kerb and you are riding into a narrowing corridor which gets narrower once the lorry starts to roll.
I honestly thought you were going to die for a split-second, and whilst I reject everything you and your tragic tribe stand for, I wouldn't wish that fate on my worst enemy let alone a stranger whose lack of bike control skills are only paralleled by their near suicidal impetuosity.
I was relieved when you attempted your first bunny hop onto the kerb, albeit that the required sideways motion was more than somewhat missing, as it signalled you had recognised the hazardous situation you were in. Only afterwards did it dawn on my that perhaps you might have been planning to hit the pavement all along so as to cut the corner. Thus in my naivety I was rooting for you when you made your second attempt, even though by then, the cement mixer had passed you.
Forgive me. Please. I did laugh. And out loud too. You lofted your front wheel, you even managed to change direction, albeit I'm not sure you did both at once. Had you managed to get the rear wheel airborne you may even have managed to get your whole bike, and you, still upright, onto the kerb as you intended. But when you face planted at the feet of those astonished pedestrians, their faces were a picture you total utter complete cockwomble. Quite made my evening and cheered me up no end.
Thanks
Greg
I'll start with an apology. I'm sorry that you feel the streets of London are no place for a highway code obeying red light observing relatively old man on a Brompton. It must be terribly frustrating for you to ride though every red light on the Euston Road only to find that the old man just breezes past you when you hit the tail of the next queue. So frustrating that it clouds your judgement more than a little. All that time and effort to colour match your rims to your hubs and fit all those Nitto parts gone to waste in a case of all show and no (legal) go..
First of all it is unwise, and desperately uncool, to 'mouth off' by way of shouting obscenities at total strangers on bikes and tell them to get out of your way. She wasn't in your way. She wasn't in anyone's way; there was no 'way' to be had as you discovered when you passed us. Still at least you had the good grace to pipe down when this was pointed out to you. I did think your attempt to track stand in a box junction was ill judged but when that car horn sounded and you jumped out of your skin I did think it a little funny.
Second, the filtering... how to put this... it doesn't count if you are actually touching a bus with your left elbow and a white van with your right. That's not filtering but a bid for a night on a trolley in the nearest A&E. Another word for is is 'leaning', not sure the other road users are necessarily prepared for you to do that.
Finally, after I had passed you five times, yes my life is so sad I was actually counting, I was stunned, in fact astounded, by your determination to pass me on my left when I pulled into the gap between those two cabs. You see, I did that because I judged that the gap between the kerb and the cement mixer lorry wasn't wide enough for me to get through. Obviously your skinny jeans allow you to pass through gaps where someone of my girth fears to pedal, even when the lorry isn't parallel to the kerb and you are riding into a narrowing corridor which gets narrower once the lorry starts to roll.
I honestly thought you were going to die for a split-second, and whilst I reject everything you and your tragic tribe stand for, I wouldn't wish that fate on my worst enemy let alone a stranger whose lack of bike control skills are only paralleled by their near suicidal impetuosity.
I was relieved when you attempted your first bunny hop onto the kerb, albeit that the required sideways motion was more than somewhat missing, as it signalled you had recognised the hazardous situation you were in. Only afterwards did it dawn on my that perhaps you might have been planning to hit the pavement all along so as to cut the corner. Thus in my naivety I was rooting for you when you made your second attempt, even though by then, the cement mixer had passed you.
Forgive me. Please. I did laugh. And out loud too. You lofted your front wheel, you even managed to change direction, albeit I'm not sure you did both at once. Had you managed to get the rear wheel airborne you may even have managed to get your whole bike, and you, still upright, onto the kerb as you intended. But when you face planted at the feet of those astonished pedestrians, their faces were a picture you total utter complete cockwomble. Quite made my evening and cheered me up no end.
Thanks
Greg
Thanks Greg that has cheered me up.
