How I hate the school hols...

[col]

Thats another good point Goo,the innocent people on buses that get hurt because the driver has to brake suddenly,obviously a "man" and a couple of burly mates should point the error in these dangerous peoples ways,well it seems to be ok according to another post

If an elderly person falls on a bus because these "kids" play suicide games,and the elderly person breaks their hip,it can sometimes mean the begginning of the end for them,but its only kids playing isnt it.

 

[wafflycat]

I like the school holidays as in my locality I see loads more kids out on bikes (on the roads too) and that's got to be a good thing overall.

Kids will be kids & I expect them to do the things kids do and that includes being 'idiots' at times. When I've been cycling along & a local 'yoof' has pedalled alongside this middle-aged bird on a road bike, on his crappy Halfrauds MTB, looking as if he *may* be considering doing something silly, I've found a 'nice bike you've got there' said in a tone which suggests I may mean it, can act as an icebreaker as they end up with a very surprised expression on their face and a "Uhh, thanks, missus" and the puzzled look remains as we part company with no hassle experienced.

Mind you, it is nice, just occasionally, to burn them off as they really don't expect a middle-aged fat bird on a road bike to be able to go faster than they can. Heh

 

[col]

On the positive side(i know for a change)im impressed with the kids skill on bikes sometimes,i once saw a 14/15 year old cycling on his back wheel for as long as he wanted down a long straight road,it was clear with no junctions,and its something i wouldnt condone,but i was impressed,also iv seen a bmx type bike flying along at near 20mph,his legs where a blurri cant help thinking that some of these kids would do well in some competitions?

 

[yenrod]

I, depending on the mood ignore or try and kill them now as they simply need telling.

Once I was out running and was totally hammered and a few corners from home seen some kids rocking a full length streetlight: how they got it shaking I dont know but I went at all of them and they ran off but I'm sick off this beligerance and disrespect in society - pity everybody has this attitude of 'not my problem'...PITY

If I have just one more kid pull that gag where they see you coming, whisper to their mates, turn sideways and suddenly walk backwards into your path 'pretending' they don't know you're coming....

Next time my elbow might accidentally be sticking out a little too far as I have to swerve behind the little sods.

Grrrrr. Roll on the end of the hols. I'm tired of having this old chestnut performed on me on an almost daily basis - I may invest in an Air Zound so that they can't claim they didn't know I was coming.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Ok...Kids can be a pain in the rear end...especially in groups. However jus tyesterday i was struggling up a hill...out comes this young girl on an mtb...she is maybe 8 years old at a guess...she is riding on th epavement, me in the road in th esame direction. As she sees me approaching she starts to step on the gas and quickly matches my speed.....we cycle along level for a few moments and she is determined not to let me go faster than her.....I turn to her and say...."Wanna race?"

she looks at me...smiles and said..." Why, I've already beaten you!"

...it was just one of those good kid moments.

 

[goo_mason]

I often marvel at how kids on bikes seem to be able to give their pals a 'backie' and still go at the same kind of speed that they normally do without getting knackered, even though they're carrying double the weight.

If only I could still muster up that kind of energy !

 

[yenrod]

Ok...Kids can be a pain in the rear end...especially in groups. However jus tyesterday i was struggling up a hill...out comes this young girl on an mtb...she is maybe 8 years old at a guess...she is riding on th epavement, me in the road in th esame direction. As she sees me approaching she starts to step on the gas and quickly matches my speed.....we cycle along level for a few moments and she is determined not to let me go faster than her.....I turn to her and say...."Wanna race?"

she looks at me...smiles and said..." Why, I've already beaten you!"

...it was just one of those good kid moments.

For some reason that reminds me of the time I was cycling up a hill soo steep the back wheel was slipping (it'd been raining) and some peds. where walking just at pavement beside me and said go on lad you can do it - it was at that point ~ I thought; ff@ck this for laugh (as encouragement when on the bike has the reverse effect on me ) then quickly retracted the thought because if I would have stopped then I prob. wud have keeled over as the road was that steep and wet AND i was clipped in..the embarrasment wud have done to end.

 

[domtyler]

Dom,

When you have these idiots risking both themselves and you by playing this suicidal new variation of 'chicken' when they run into your path at the last second, you'll know why I've bought an Air Zound. It happens to me almost every second day, and sometimes twice a day at the moment and eventually someone is going to come off worst when they misjudge their prank. One almost did last week, when he was so bloody stupid that he forgot that the trick is to stop and not get totally in the cyclist's path.

Had I hit him, this toerag would in all likelihood have lied through his childish teeth and claimed that he didn't see or hear me coming and I would have landed with 100% of the blame. This way I can give a quick toot if I spot the trick coming so they don't have that excuse should an accident happen. Unless they're deaf, they can't claim not to have heard an Air Zound.

Would you rather I stopped well in advance of any groups of two or more kids and dismounted and walked past them just to make sure they weren't going to jump in my path for a laugh ?

I don't know what the kids are like your way, but some of the little neds round this way are dangerous; they know all of their rights but none of the responsibilities that go along with them. When you've had bottles thrown at you from bridges over the path and been threatened with one waving a brick at you and yelling "f**k you, mister - COME ON, THEN !!" when simply cycling along the path, you know it's no longer a case of "FFS - they're only children playing !"

As some of the other posters have commented, they have had experience of the same types of kids and their 'games' as I have and TheDoctor especially so. If they were kids like mine, I'd agree. But these kids act like little hoodlums who have no fear of anyone or anything. A toot of a horn is the least harmful thing that'll happen to them if they continue to play this 'game'. One day some poor cyclist will hit one of them and then there'll be trouble....

Oh, and I checked the box carefully and nowhere does it state that you should only use your Air Zound on the road and against vehicles. And I'm a proper 'man' and everything too - I just checked in my pants that it's still there...

Fair enough, they do sound a little unruly, you hadn't mentioned the bit about having bottles and bricks being thrown at you, that changes things.

Just remember though that they are still only kids whatever they do and only act as they do due to their upbringing and circumstances, they probably don't have the opportunities that your daughter has to look forward to. Why can you not just take a different route if you want to avoid them and their pranks?

 

[goo_mason]

It's happened on all parts of my route. Sadly the ned culture is widespread around here and I don't think I could avoid it whatever route I try. You're on a bicycle so you're fair game as far as they're concerned.

It's just part of the everday cycling experience around here. Just glad it's not as bad as it was just before I started cycling when there was a spate of near-decaptitations (wire tied between lampposts at head-height) and people being hit in the face with bricks when cycling (inlcuding Maggie Wynn of TryCycling In Edinburgh).

I also have work colleagues who used to be regularly and openly shot at with air rifles across the canal on their route. The neds had no need to hide or run away as they knew the victims couldn't cross the canal to go after them. They were lucky - one of their victims was our ex-dept-head who was built like a brick you-know-what and a rugby player. He'd have torn their arms off had he caught them....

Having said all that - as yet I have (touch wood) not been hurt by anyone's actions, and the more people that get out on bikes, the less bother there is as you're less likely to be caught on your own with no-one else around. And I still love cycling my daily 20 mile commute, idiots and all. I won't let them win.

 

[Tynan]

grim up North

 

[HJ]

grim up North

North?? This is the south. I dunno what Goo does to them, but I have never had that level of aggravation, may be I just look scarier or something. Maybe you should try growing a beard Goo

 

[johnsienk]

>>They are only children playing FFS, get a life and start acting like a grown adult.

Hahahaha....calling yobs: 'children playing FFS'. Good provocation (that was not for real, WAS IT?)

John

 

[goo_mason]

North?? This is the south. I dunno what Goo does to them, but I have never had that level of aggravation, may be I just look scarier or something. Maybe you should try growing a beard Goo

The closer I get to Leith, the worse it gets. Mind you, the path goes by some of the less salubrious parts, like Pilton. I've not had to use my Air Zound at all since installing it, which is nice. Maybe the mere fact of having one gives me some added 'don't mess' aura

BTW - I think I may have cycled past you today, Hairy Jock, round about the Ravelston Dykes part of the path. I remembered you roughly from a shot on your blog, and I had on of those "wait a minute... that was him !" moments seconds after you'd passed me ! If it wasn't you, it was a similar-looking bearded cyclist...

 

[HJ]

The closer I get to Leith, the worse it gets. Mind you, the path goes by some of the less salubrious parts, like Pilton. I've not had to use my Air Zound at all since installing it, which is nice. Maybe the mere fact of having one gives me some added 'don't mess' aura

I knew sticking to the south side was a good idea

BTW - I think I may have cycled past you today, Hairy Jock, round about the Ravelston Dykes part of the path. I remembered you roughly from a shot on your blog, and I had on of those "wait a minute... that was him !" moments seconds after you'd passed me ! If it wasn't you, it was a similar-looking bearded cyclist...

And there was me thinking I was in stealth mode by being all dressed in black