Having a debate whilst cycling!?

[Miquel In De Rain]

[car mode]Bloody Cyclists don't pay road tax.[/car mode]

 

[hennbell]

So, this has happened to me twice now, the latest being this morning:



2. This morning, I'm cycling down Horseferry Road to turn right into Smith Square, I wait for a car to pass before I turn but see a cyclist to my right cut the corner in front of the car to get ahead. Just a bit ahead, the cyclist then stops at the square and ushers 2 pedestrians across his path and mine. The pedestrians were the 'I'll cross and not bother to look' types so I called him dangerous. Coming out of the square to turn right on to Tufton St, he cuts another corner to get ahead again and asks me (while we're cycling) what I said.
Me: I think you're a dangerous cyclist
Him: Why?
Me: You shouldn't usher pedestrians across the road, you don't know what's behind you
Him: I was going slowly
Me: So? (and we cycle on)
We come to a stop next to Westminster Abbey and he continues:
Him: And another thing [I roll my eyes] if the pedestrians are crossing, you have to stop...
Me: I'm not having a conversation with you while I'm in the road.
Him: ...it's in the highway code. Come on, they're pedestrians, you have to let them cross.
Me: [Unable to resist the bait] Even if they don't look? It's also in the highway code that they have to look before crossing.
Him: No, it isn't
Me: Actually, it is.

We then part our ways.

Both times, it's been posh-ly accented middle aged men unable to admit they're in the wrong and to compound their mistakes, they want a full on discussion whilst actually cycling. I know, I shouldn't say anything and if they start, I need to ignore it but ay-karrumba it's difficult!

So you initiate the the discussion then decide you don't want to talk while your in the road, that makes no sense to me.
All I know is if the first thing a person says to me is "I think your a dangerous cyclist" the rest of the conversation is not going to be polite.
In your opening pronouncement to your fellow cyclist you ensure that well meant advise is totally lost.

Your options are
1 - learn to be more diplomatic in your approach
2 - Keep your opinions to yourself.

and stick with 2 until you get 1 sorted out

 

[Melonfish]

This is simple. if anyone stops to say anything at all, just look at their crotch, look them straight in the eye and say "nice package" a suggestive wiggle of the eyebrows may also help.
guaranteed that they'll leave you alone after that.

or you may get a free dinner out of it. depends really.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

D

This is simple. if anyone stops to say anything at all, just look at their crotch, look them straight in the eye and say "nice package" a suggestive wiggle of the eyebrows may also help.
guaranteed that they'll leave you alone after that.

or you may get a free dinner out of it. depends really.

Does that work?

 

[Cyclopathic]

I was out cycling the other day and this bloke on another bike asked me if I thought that the ontological argument for the existence of god was unassailable to which I said that it was but only because it requires that the definition of god is flexible enough to be able to simply be existence itself.
Unfortunately he wasn't really asking my opinion because he wanted to know what it was but more as an opening gambit to be able to just spout his own ideas about what he thought on the subject. I find that this is the case in a lot of debates whilst cycling so I try and stay away from them as they can be very frustrating and ultimately unsatisfying.
Also as sods law dictates if you do ever start to get to the nuggets of truth of a particular matter you will no doubt be heading off in different directions at the next junction. Sometimes literally, sometimes metaphorically. Either way it's dissapointing.
I've decided to stop riding along the same route Melvin Bragg takes to work. Not least of all because I live in Leicester.

 

[Dan B]

Even if they put your (and their own) safety at risk?

Unless they're responsible for the direction of of one tonne masses in a public place (which by virtue of being pedestrians and not car drivers they typically are not) then I suggest they are more "in danger" than "dangerous". Imagine how much safer _and_ more pleasant the E&C would be if everybody driving cars just slowed down a bit: if brave pedestrians are prepared to help that dream become real by walking out in front of them, well done brave pedestrians say I. I'm certainly not going to start lecturing them

 

[Davidsw8]

So you initiate the the discussion then decide you don't want to talk while your in the road, that makes no sense to me.
All I know is if the first thing a person says to me is "I think your a dangerous cyclist" the rest of the conversation is not going to be polite.
In your opening pronouncement to your fellow cyclist you ensure that well meant advise is totally lost.

Your options are
1 - learn to be more diplomatic in your approach
2 - Keep your opinions to yourself.

and stick with 2 until you get 1 sorted out

Totally agree Henbell, I think I might have Tourette's or something because I instantly reacted verbally to the 2nd of 2 bits of very bad cycling. My intention wasn't to initiate a discussion but you're right, say nothing and let em carry on...

 

[J.Primus]

I got chased around Old St Roundabout by some homeless looking guy on a bike screaming about "jamming at the lights" a couple of months ago. He might have wanted a debate but he also might have wanted to jam a broken bottle into my neck for all I knew so I left him to it. Seemed like the best thing to do at the time.

 

[defy-one]

I got chased around Old St Roundabout by some homeless looking guy on a bike screaming about "jamming at the lights" a couple of months ago. He might have wanted a debate but he also might have wanted to jam a broken bottle into my neck for all I knew so I left him to it. Seemed like the best thing to do at the time.

Did he come up from moorgate or the East! Lol.
Great roundabout

 

[J.Primus]

Did he come up from moorgate or the East! Lol.
Great roundabout

Followed me from the lights at Moorgate all the way to Moorfields Eye Hospital. Maybe he had a grievance but he just struck me as a complete loon. I don't even know what jamming at the lights would entail.

But yes it is a fun roundabout especially if you hit all the green lights going north. Not so fun going the other way in morning rush hour traffic!

 

[Gary E]

This is simple. if anyone stops to say anything at all, just look at their crotch, look them straight in the eye and say "nice package" a suggestive wiggle of the eyebrows may also help.
guaranteed that they'll leave you alone after that.

or you may get a free dinner out of it. depends really.

Or a D lock in the face

 

[J.Primus]

To the OP I'd agree with a lot of the other posters that most cyclists are not going to be receptive to any critiques on their cycling whilst their riding.
I'd definitely try and keep a lid on swearing at other cyclists unless you'd be happy to react the same if they were just stood in front of you.
Just because they're in the wrong doesn't mean that a situation might not escalate.

 

[J.Primus]

Or a D lock in the face

I read that as something very x-rated at a glance

 

[Gary E]

I read that as something very x-rated at a glance

Oh dear
I think that says more about you than my post

 

[J.Primus]

Oh dear
I think that says more about you than my post

I blame the suggestive content of the post you were replying to.