Idiots in the sun

[BigAl68]

I haven't been out for my usual Sunday morning ride as I cycled to Bristol last night for some drunken shenanigans with my mates. Having just been to pick my bike up and cycle back to Bath along the cycle path I was astounded by the amount of inconsiderate and plain dangerous cyclists. Sunday afternoons the path has plenty of family's out enjoying some exercise and you make sure you slow down as you pass the wobbly mums and their little kids. But this afternoon the number of idiots on road bike pushing their bikes as if it's the TDF and threading between family's and not dropping speed has astounded me. If you want to beat you strava segments get out early or come out late, don't try it when other cyclists are out enjoying the day. Rant over

 

[MontyVeda]

Hopefully things'll calm down after all the TdF silliness is over.

 

[Ansome]

With you there, personally think that Strava should not allow segment creation at all on family cycle path routes, it's just asking for trouble and creating conflict for gleeful misrepresentation really.

 

[summerdays]

The bottom end of the cycle path is like that most mornings I'm afraid (from about Whitehall onwards), it's far more easy going in the afternoon, though there still are some idiots around.

 

[summerdays]

With you there, personally think that Strava should not allow segment creation at all on family cycle path routes, it's just asking for trouble and creating conflict for gleeful misrepresentation really.

I still like recording my segments for my personal view but perhaps the way to do it would be to nullify all segments that recorded above a certain speed for an individual on the busier sections of the cycle path.

I also use the ring road cycle path a lot and there are very few pedestrians apart from near the MOD and UWE, so there isn't the same conflict between cyclists and pedestrians.

 

[Ron-da-Valli]

I thought Strava was a fancy coffee

 

[BigAl68]

I ride the path almost every day as it's my commute and normally makes up part of my Sunday longer ride with my mate. I commute at 5am and that's when I put my head down and record my journeys as it's good to keep an eye on my daily speed etc. In the afternoon on the way home it's a far more leisurely ride unless you can see the path is clear. Today though there must have been at least 5 idiots either buzzing kids at 30kph plus and even one threaded between me who had slowed to 5mph and a family. Makes my blood boil as it's idiots like that who ruin it for all of us.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I thought Strava was a fancy coffee

I thought it was the capital of Georgia.

 

[BigAl68]

I still like recording my segments for my personal view but perhaps the way to do it would be to nullify all segments that recorded above a certain speed for an individual on the busier sections of the cycle path.

I also use the ring road cycle path a lot and there are very few pedestrians apart from near the MOD and UWE, so there isn't the same conflict between cyclists and pedestrians.

I like the ring road on a Sunday morning as it's only a few roadies out and everyone paying attention.

 

[yello]

personally think that Strava should not allow segment creation at all on family cycle path routes

I'm in full agreement with your aim but I doubt Strava knows anything about family cycle paths - it's just a compooter treating routes equally. Computers are stupid really. If only people realised that and used a bit of common sense when using sat navs!

In honesty I don't think we can realistically blame Stava for people acting like dicks. Strava can only ask, the rest is up to the individual.

 

[BigAl68]

@yello totally agree the people on the bikes are the ones to blame not the software that choose to provide them with their virtual kudos. Anyway been sat in the garden giving the bike it's Sunday deep clean and polish with a cold beer and a cheese and onion roll so my world is once again in equilibrium

 

[Ansome]

The only thought I have re Strava sections/segments whatever they're called is that may I be right in thinking that the sort of paths that are being talked about are purpose built, maybe Sustrans backed leisure-focused shared-use pathways that are not subject to highway laws ie are not roads shared with motor transport? I would have thought that this sort of facility would be easy for computer software or whatever remote entity checks on 'reported' misuse to distinguish? But what do I know, I've had a pint or two since this was started!

 

[EltonFrog]

I thought it was the capital of Georgia.

That was on my mind

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I've barely touched Strava, but I do know you can flag Strava segments as inappropriate or dangerous, and that's what I'd be doing if someone recorded speeds around 30km/h on a shared path, particularly if they recorded it on a weekend.

 

[deadhead1971]

I'm with Victor on this, if a segment is dangerous you can flag it. This has the immediate effect of making the leaderboard for that segment invisible thus taking away the competitive element of those going for KOM glory.
Of course many people use Strava to compete against themselves, and it won't affect those folks.

In order to flag a segment as dangerous, you must have ridden the segment yourself.

It's very sad to think that people are putting children at risk for the sake of their egos.