I always beat myself up over tiny little mistakes.

[vickster]

I saw her again today. It was a bit awkward and I was nervous being around her, luckily there was another cyclist in-front of me so it wasn't too bad. I'm going to leave my house a little later so that hopefully I avoid running into her. Upon looking at her, I'm not trying to be rude but she doesn't look like the friendliest person on earth. The best thing to do is give her a wide-birth, but also if I see her I might just hang back a little bit as well.

Thanks to everyone for this thread - I made it because I knew it would help release some bottled up thoughts from not only me but all of you too! Cheers!

Perhaps you could hop off and walk your bike past her instead with a cheery hello

 

[mjr]

Perhaps you could hop off and walk your bike past her instead with a cheery hello

Why? Are you one of those nuts who thinks cyclists have tons of rights to the carriageways but no rights to cycleways?

Also, walking a bike is wider and more obstructive than riding it - and not even physically possible for some people. Be cheery, but we've got to educate fools on foot as much as fools in cars, not pander to either.

I guess Increasingly numbers of cyclists on shared paths must have an impact on folks that have been on these path for many decades. And many of them have no idea that cyclist have a right to use them. That should not deter our use of the path but expect these little confrontations to occur.

Many shared paths are built as such. Pedestrians haven't been there any longer than bikes, yet still some cause conflict. We no longer want roadside shared paths, but we shouldn't surrender all of the ones that were built. They are useful options for times when we want to opt out of the stress and punishment passes, until there's more Road Justice.

 

[vickster]

It was a suggestion in response to the OP actually changing her (I think) routine. I prefer to be accommodating and avoid confrontation, the like of which which has evidently upset the OP quite a lot

And please don't refer to me as a nut

 

[mjr]

And please don't refer to me as a nut

I asked if you were a nut...

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Lass might be pushing it a bit but definitely of the female persuasion. I didn't like to mention it.

Bit like me on a Saturday night, bugger did I type that out loud.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I saw her again today. It was a bit awkward and I was nervous being around her, luckily there was another cyclist in-front of me so it wasn't too bad. I'm going to leave my house a little later so that hopefully I avoid running into her. Upon looking at her, I'm not trying to be rude but she doesn't look like the friendliest person on earth. The best thing to do is give her a wide-birth, but also if I see her I might just hang back a little bit as well.!

I wouldn't change my routine for her, in fact I would just pass & actually make a point of saying a cheery 'Good Morning' maybe followed by a 'Nice Day' or 'Terrible weather' as appropriate, to engage her, assuming you don't so it in a stalker type of way.

 

[Jody]

I wouldn't change my routine for her, in fact I would just pass & actually make a point of saying a cheery 'Good Morning' maybe followed by a 'Nice Day' or 'Terrible weather' as appropriate, to engage her, assuming you don't so it in a stalker type of way.

It maybe me, but if I had a confrontation with someone and they said any of the above I would take it as they were trying to antagonize me. Regardless of how nice they said it.

I would prefer to ride past as per normal. Make eye contact and just cycle past.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

It maybe me, but if I had a confrontation with someone and they said any of the above I would take it as they were trying to antagonize me. Regardless of how nice they said it.

Do you live oop North or Darn Sarf?

 

[Jody]

Oooop north serry.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Strange then, up ere we're friendly folk which often confuddles suverners especially if you talk to them on a tube or train if I am every forced to go to that God forsaken hovel Lundinium

 

[simongt]

On cycle paths, there is a strange phenomenon locally. When cyclists are on the road, we all cycle on the left, but when I'm on said cycle paths around the fair city of Norwich, there appears to be an compunction among other cyclists to insist on cycling on the RIGHT. In fact a few months ago, I had a right ding dong with another cyclist who was so hellbent on staying on the right hand side of the path that I had to go off the path to avoid him - ! Am I missing something - ?

 

[mjr]

Yes. A sense of proportion. You ran off the path rather than pass on the right?!?

More seriously, if you hold your left hand out flat on the bars, palm forwards, most people take that as an indication you'll keep left and so pass on your right.

The theory is that where cycleways run alongside roads (inner ring between Duke and Barn roads, for example), then riding on the right means the rider by the road gets towed by the motor vehicles and the rider furthest away isn't getting blown back by them.