I am sick and tired of motons

[magnatom]

Jacomus,

With regards to the bad driving, I've been through spells like that where for a month or so, everyone seems to be out to get you. I've never worked out why it happens, probably a combination of bad luck, time of year, local road works etc.

It will pass and as the weather improves and the days draw out I am sure you will get back to enjoying it again. I have been forced off the bike this week and I am itching to get back on. Trust me the alternatives are worse!

I can't offer any advise on teaching your GF. My wife is keen but probably only for off-road (cyclepath) cycling. It's difficult to do at the moment with two young kids.

 

[Twenty Inch]

Her attitude is also very good, doing what I say at the time, but often asking questions after something has happened. I think it would be much harder if she wasn't so willing.

That's the difference then. Mrs TI would question everything BEFORE doing it - making things a little stressy at times.

 

[Maz]

M8, Guilford is just scarey on it's own.

T x

True.
I struggle to keep up with traffic when I'm cycling on the motorway, too.

 

[Arch]

I'm 21, and a student, so I feel justified!

Posters for a student are compulsory! I had loads, and I was 30!

Now I just have a few pictures up, and a poster of Whistlejacket in a clip frame. Not a full size repro of the painting, that would be a lifesize horse....

Anyway, I suggest treating the GF to a copy of the new edition of Cyclecraft (and that way, if you don't have the latest edition, you get to read it too!)

 

[magnatom]

True.
I struggle to keep up with traffic when I'm cycling on the motorway, too.

I wondered about this. Correct me if I am wrong (and I am pretty sure I am wrong here) but isn't the M8 in central Scotland......

 

[John the Monkey]

Going back to the original point, it seems to me that a fairly large number of people have no idea how dangerous their car is (largely to others these days). This leads to the sort of behaviour Jacomus describes, where people are happy to use them as tools of intimidation. (Alternatively they may know exactly how dangerous they are and just not care, which is, in many ways, more worrying).

One of the interviewees (forget the programme, but regarding the sentencing guidelines for causing death by careless driving) on something I listened to yesterday made the point that people would do well to remember that driving their car was possibly the most dangerous thing they'd do in the course of the day.

 

[palinurus]

I've had about three months worth of low-level hassle from motorists this week and it's only thursday. Christ knows what's got into 'em.

 

[gambatte]

Think its about time we investigated what creatures are inhabiting the bodies exhibiting moton like behaviour in 'cyclists'.

Picking up the kids in the cage tonight, 5:30pm, dark. Cyclon(?), ninja style & without lights, riding on the pavement gets to within 1 pavement width of the next LH side road road junction. Drops off the kerb onto the main carriageway, in a STRONG secondary position. About 1/2 a bike length infront of me. Just lucky I'm an 'aware' driver, because he'd made no check of his environment...

saw him pull a similar stunt , crossing the road, in my rear view about 30 seconds later.

Darwin award, waiting to happen

 

[domtyler]

Once the clocks go back things get much, much worse for some reason. The amount of hassle is just ridiculous at the moment. The charge on my Airzound only ever lasts one day now. Every day I set off hoping for just a quiet ride into work without all the confrontation and animosity with motorists but they just don't show any respect at all.

Even with my one year old on the back of my bike going to nursery, a two minute journey, you can guarantee that I will have some kind of trouble. It really is so shoot!

 

[bonj2]

fwiw, I do think it's more of a problem in the south-east than anywhere else. If you're getting stick nearly every time you go out there's gotta be something wrong there. I can appreciate it's not easy, but don't let it get you down. If you can accept that there will be bad driving but make sure you stay safe that's the main thing.

 

[Aperitif]

fwiw, I do think it's more of a problem in the south-east than anywhere else. If you're getting stick nearly every time you go out there's gotta be something wrong there. I can appreciate it's not easy, but don't let it get you down. If you can accept that there will be bad driving but make sure you stay safe that's the main thing.

Good stuff bonj - 10/10

 

[tdr1nka]

London, where no road rule applys!

It is another world of cycling here, the general pace of road life is getting way too hectic, driving styles range from simple arrogant superiority to bloodthirsty competititveness.

How's this for a Documentary TV prog idea?
Two equally matched cyclists swap commutes for a few days and see what transpires?

Hmmm......

T x

 

[yenrod]

JohntheMonkey - has a god point in 'a fairly large number of people have no idea how dangerous their car is'; thats why I say that cardrivers that have been found to have sped' = remove the windscreen. That right foot would miraculously LIGHTEN !

One of my biggest moans is what J-R-G is saying. I often 'sound off' to family firends about this - and Ive had the screech.skid situation AND it really is like have death behind you, chasing [soul-less smiley] something that makes you feel like you are one metre from death...and your appraoching it in a fearful/less way...

Driving is just to dam easy !

The driving test is a joke - all that difficulty for an extremely simple effort.

Its like your average 'CD' is that bored whilst driving that they've got to just cut you close as moving the wheel AN INCH is that difficult...but the ydo it for a luagh - for fun - just to enlighten their driving -

~ WHY

Ive drove: and its inanely boring its you aren't going fast and obviously fast to a ped & cyclist is slow to a CD as they are soo removed from the speed element that a car gives...

I recall upon exiting the vehicle that I'm surprised alot more people dont drive a whole lot faster as you just dont feel your going anywhere - their is NO sensation if anything to show progress, only your eyes and the speedo...

Cycling is a very true point of transport its not a 'via' or indirect form of transport !

And it should be made to be that way too !

The car industry should realise that they aint gonna make drving any different than it is now in the future as you cant do anything to make it any better = yet thats the exact situation if anything they should be making it more exciting is less pretection = more sensation of speed !

Thats what it seems people are now after if they are speeding etc...

Cars & their passengers are simply too removed from wind...

 

[fossyant]

But cycling is easier - you can buy a bike and ride it with no training...hence so many flippin idiots on bikes as well......

Even in a car, there are plenty of other idiot car drivers...been there - you just have to chill - so the idiots for cyclists are the same as the idiots for car drivers.... i.e. those who won't let a bike to pass are the same folk on a motorway that won't move over....that's it.

Chill - it's better like that - you are getting through the traffic quicker...but you don't have a crash protection shell around you, so why should they care (cos that's the mentality). If crashing a car hurt, then folk would behave....

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

There's way too many people believe they can get away with anything. So aggression, competitiveness and stupidity is winning.

I've seen a pedestrian walk blindly across a main road, a petrol station forecourt, a supermarket entrance road and the car park aisles - as cars screech to a halt, swerve and hoot around him, deliberately oblivious.
I've had a kid come out of a side road on his bike 10 yards in front of my car, then ride down the centre of the road, twisted round with his arm outstretched, giving me a 'stay in your place' gesture, for the entire length of the road, while his mate rode down the path creasing himself with laughter.
And I've sat at the side of a road, watching the world go by during a bike ride break, and had a car stop in the middle of the road, wind his window down, and and scream 'FREAK!!!' before flooring it.

I just can't take it seriously any more. I can't ignore how dangerous these events can be, but it's all one big joke. I stopped being intimidated, I don't get 'road rage' any more. I just resist the urge to laugh out loud.

I agree with Mr Monkey. I've been the victim on the bike with only a bit of lycra to protect my bits, so I know how dangerous roads can be. That reflects in my driving.
It's a shame the first few driving lessons can't be conducted on bikes.