Don't ride in groups or we will be stopped cycling completely.

[glasgowcyclist]

It's worth being vigilant while out riding as there are some deranged people who have a grudge against people who cycle.

At least a dozen riders suffered punctures this morning on a stretch of the canal path in Clydebank. Some arsewipe had scattered tacks along the path.

It's bad enough to do that in normal times but to do it now is beyond all reason.

(Edit to correct typo)

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Some arsewipe had scattered tacks along the path.

Not that I condone it or even think of a situation where it is acceptable, but there are some cyclists out there who have no regard for anyone else on a shared path, as such I can see frustration mounting up to the point of somebody doing this, in a that'll teach them attitude.

 

[Slick]

It's worth being vigilant while out riding as there are some deranged people who have a grudge against people who cycle.

At least a dozen riders suffered punctures this morning on a stretch of the canal path in Clydebank. Some arsewipe had scattered tacks along the path.

It's bad enough to to that in normal times but to do it now is beyond all reason.

That's a real shame but all it takes is one screwball to ruin it for so many. Like lots of people, I've done that route loads of times without any hassle so sorry to hear someone thinks it's okay to do something like that now.

 

[srw]

We’re just saying they are so unlikely as to be not worth worrying about

Four months ago most of us would have said the same thing about a global pandemic that might shut down the British economy...

 

[Drago]

A lot of canal boat dwellers think they own the towpath and deeply resent anyone else using it. I had one have a right pop at me once and refused to let me pass until I offered to give him an impromptu swimming lesson. I'd done nothing more than cycle up towards his boat, and I'd slowed to a walking pace as I approached but that wasn't good enough for captain pugwash.

 

[ColinJ]

I don’t buy pot holes being big enough they can make a wheel unrideable but small enough you don’t spot them.

You are absolutely wrong on that one! Here's an example that I have mentioned before on the forum...

Don't forget to register the pothole at fillthathole and make a point of mentioning that fact to the council, emphasing their legal responsibility to fill the hole now that they are aware of it.

I did that for a really dangerous pothole near here. It was on a very fast downhill, on the racing line and the slope of the road was such that you couldn't see it until you were right upon it. I reported it after my mate hit it on his MTB. Its big knobbly tyres made the bike tough enough to survive the impact but it would have destroyed a roadbike wheel with catastrophic consequences for the rider...

I soon got a reply email from the council. Tellingly - they had forgotten to delete the messages from within the various council departments so I could see exactly what the reactions were as my message was forwarded from one person to another up the food chain! It went something like this: "Fred - here's another bloody pothole complaint" to "John - get someone to have a look at this when you can" to "Pete - this pothole sounds like a bad one and the guy has sent a copy to a third party so we will be up s**t creek if someone gets hurt now" to "Mick - go and fix this pothole - NOW!!!"

Within 24 hours I had an email from 'Mick'. He gave me an OS grid reference for the pothole and forwarded a photograph of his repair. He asked me to confirm that this was the one that I'd reported. Result! The repair job was done properly. I've checked it a couple of times, and it is still sound, unlike a lot of botched repairs that fail again once a few HGVs have driven over them.

PS What I didn't mention in that post was that I had encountered the same pothole a few days before when I was on my road bike. It is a very fast descent - if the usual headwind is absent then it is easy to get up to well over 80 km/hr. I think I was doing nearer 60 km/hr when I nearly hit it. I was paying attention to the road but saw no sign of the hole until the last possible moment. (The road surface dropped away there at exactly the right angle to mask the hole.) I had oncoming traffic and instantly came to the conclusion that a violent swerve would be too dangerous so I bunnyhopped the hole instead. I know for sure that if I had hit the hole at that speed on 23C tyres then I would have wrecked my front wheel and crashed.

The hole was deep and its far edge was very sharp.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Not that I condone it or even think of a situation where it is acceptable, but there are some cyclists out there who have no regard for anyone else on a shared path, as such I can see frustration mounting up to the point of somebody doing this, in a that'll teach them attitude.

But it’s such an indiscriminate attack. Not only will it affect all those who ride carefully and responsibly, it’ll injure people’s dogs.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You are absolutely wrong on that one! Here's an example that I have mentioned before on the forum...



PS What I didn't mention in that post was that I had encountered the same pothole a few days before when I was on my road bike. It is a very fast descent - if the usual headwind is absent then it is easy to get up to well over 80 km/hr. I think I was doing nearer 60 km/hr when I nearly hit it. I was paying attention to the road but saw no sign of the hole until the last possible moment. (The road surface dropped away there at exactly the right angle to mask the hole.) I had oncoming traffic and instantly came to the conclusion that a violent swerve would be too dangerous so I bunnyhopped the hole instead. I know for sure that if I had hit the hole at that speed on 23C tyres then I would have wrecked my front wheel and crashed.

The hole was deep and its far edge was very sharp.

So you knew the pot hole was there but still rode into it. Plus you said fast descent. Well you can avoid it by descending slowly, remembering the pot hole is there, plus there may be others. Doesn’t come under the not able to spot but wrecked your wheel to be unrideable category I’m afraid. The accident you describe was and is perfectly avoidable at this time.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Better be aware than to pretend these myriad hazards don't exist. Or are as likely as an asteroid.

Myriad hazards? Come on, the incident you described is you took the wrong pump with you. That’s down to your basic incompetence in selecting the right tools before setting off.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

And also bear in mind the possibility of another vehicle interfering with your ride and damaging you and/or your bike. Lots of posts about incidents like that. Well, a lot more than posts celebrating 6 numbers on the lottery.

The are millions of miles being ridden every day. The chances of an accident making your bike unrideable really are tiny. Especially if you watch where you are going, don’t have low spoke wheels and skinny tyres, carry appropriate tools and moderate your speed and tackle roads you are familiar with.

 

[ColinJ]

So you knew the pot hole was there but still rode into it.

FFS... Try reading what I posted next time!

A friend of mine rode into the pothole a few days after I nearly did. HE didn't see it either and he said the same thing as me - you couldn't see it until the last moment.

Plus you said fast descent. Well you can avoid it by descending slowly...

I was riding at well under the speed limit.

So, you are saying that people should always cycle (or drive) at well under the speed limit in case something unexpected happens?

When passing parked cars, travel at, what, a walking pace in case (say) a child runs out between 2 vehicles? (A friend of mine hit a child who did that. He was driving at 20 mph in a 40 mph limit at the time. The child only had minor injuries.)

The accident you describe was and is perfectly avoidable at this time.

I estimate that I would have had to have been travelling at well under half the speed limit to be sure of seeing that particular hole in time to avoid it without taking violent evasive action. That would also apply to car drivers. I'm not sure what the point of a 50 mph speed limit is if the only way for people to safely use the road is to travel at less than 25 mph 'just in case'!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

FFS... Try reading what I posted next time!

A friend of mine rode into the pothole a few days after I nearly did. HE didn't see it either and he said the same thing as me - you couldn't see it until the last moment.


I was riding at well under the speed limit.

So, you are saying that people should always cycle (or drive) at well under the speed limit in case something unexpected happens?

When passing parked cars, travel at, what, a walking pace in case (say) a child runs out between 2 vehicles? (A friend of mine hit a child who did that. He was driving at 20 mph in a 40 mph limit at the time. The child only had minor injuries.)


I estimate that I would have had to have been travelling at well under half the speed limit to be sure of seeing that particular hole in time to avoid it without taking violent evasive action. That would also apply to car drivers. I'm not sure what the point of a 50 mph speed limit is if the only way for people to safely use the road is to travel at less than 25 mph 'just in case'!

Speed limit isn’t a target. The accident you describe is perfectly avoidable and you know it. Let’s not put it anywhere near likely in current lockdown. Child running out isn’t going to make you bike unrideable and you can plan for that possibility when riding. I’d hope you’d do that normally. Besides a longer ride on deserted Welsh roads that not very likely now is it? I really can’t believe you can’t spot kids who might run out when riding your bike. I’d hope you’d ride slow enough and wide enough of the cars to allow for it anyway.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Speed limit isn’t a target. The accident you describe is perfectly avoidable and you know it. Let’s not put it anywhere near likely in current lockdown. Child running out isn’t going to make you bike unrideable and you can plan for that possibility when riding. I’d hope you’d do that normally. Besides a longer ride on deserted Welsh roads that not very likely now is it? I really can’t believe you can’t spot kids who might run out when riding your bike. I’d hope you’d ride slow enough and wide enough of the cars to allow for it anyway.

Great. I'm prepared to accept that bad things will never happen to you, because you are perfect, ride perfectly defensively, never hit potholes, observe every hazard before it even manifests itself, will never be in a collision with another vehicle, and maintain your bike to perfection at all times. I'm very pleased for you.

The rest of us ... well, I'm afraid that shoot happens to us. To a greater or lesser extent.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Great. I'm prepared to accept that bad things will never happen to you, because you are perfect, ride perfectly defensively, never hit potholes, observe every hazard before it even manifests itself, will never be in a collision with another vehicle, and maintain your bike to perfection at all times. I'm very pleased for you.

The rest of us ... well, I'm afraid that shoot happens to us. To a greater or lesser extent.

You are trying to throw our arguments out via calling us perfect and things never happen. None of us ever said that. What we did say is that incidents that render a bike unrideable are vanishingly rare and that still stands. With the caveat that if you aren’t mechanically sympathetic or a novice a longer ride on your own isn’t a good idea. By changing your riding style right now you can reduce that even more.

Don't ride your bike more than 10 miles because it might become unrideable isn’t a good argument.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

So, you are saying that people should always cycle (or drive) at well under the speed limit

Speed limit isn’t a target.

Since when has there been speed limits, is this something new the Boris bunch have introduced?