XmisterIS
Purveyor of fine nonsense
Or that's how it feels at least!
I've not been on the bike so much recently due to illness but I'm getting back out there again! (woohoo!)
Whether I'm on my bike, motorcycle or in my car, I always try to be as courteous as possible - e.g. when someone gives way to me I thank them, or when I should give way to someone else, I do so.
Many car drivers have the "two wheels are invisible" attitude - i.e. if I give way in my car they'll thank me, but if I give way on my motorbike or bicycle, they just come roaring past as if I don't exist.
Anyway, I digress. Most of my time over the last 5 weeks has been spent in the car or on the motorbike and I've noticed that a fair few cyclists are just as dismissive of cars as car drivers are of two-wheelers! E.g. I was unpleasantly unsurprised to be reminded just how little regard many car drivers have for cyclists when they carry out the "must pass cyclist" close-pass manoeuvre when I was out on my bicycle on Sunday - and the very same day, in the evening, I was out on my motorbike when a cyclist who should have known better (nice looking road bike and all the gear) went straight out directly infront of me on a roundabout (I was about 10 feet from him), without looking right, and then stopped on the roundabout to shout threats and abuse at me when I pipped my horn at him to let him know I was there. Note: "pipped", not even "beeped" - and used correctly as per the highway code - i.e. to alert another road user to one's presence.
My philosophy is that so long as I do the polite thing, then I'm doing what I can to be courteous and conscientious on the road and also promote the good image of whatever vehicle I am riding/driving in the eyes of users of other vehicles. I'm certainly no saint, I do get pissed off, but I don't act out on it, and if I make a mistake I apologise.
Can you imagine how pleasant and cheery travelling around would be if everyone did that?! Wow, it would be just fantastic! Seriously. My message to anyone getting on the road is keep your wits about you and, for God's sake, leave your anger and aggression at home and like Bill and Ted said, "be excellent to each other!" When I'm out on the road I don't fancy being the butt-end of someone else's miss-placed aggression or victim to their one-sided view of road use (often that everyone else is in their way).
I've not been on the bike so much recently due to illness but I'm getting back out there again! (woohoo!)
Whether I'm on my bike, motorcycle or in my car, I always try to be as courteous as possible - e.g. when someone gives way to me I thank them, or when I should give way to someone else, I do so.
Many car drivers have the "two wheels are invisible" attitude - i.e. if I give way in my car they'll thank me, but if I give way on my motorbike or bicycle, they just come roaring past as if I don't exist.
Anyway, I digress. Most of my time over the last 5 weeks has been spent in the car or on the motorbike and I've noticed that a fair few cyclists are just as dismissive of cars as car drivers are of two-wheelers! E.g. I was unpleasantly unsurprised to be reminded just how little regard many car drivers have for cyclists when they carry out the "must pass cyclist" close-pass manoeuvre when I was out on my bicycle on Sunday - and the very same day, in the evening, I was out on my motorbike when a cyclist who should have known better (nice looking road bike and all the gear) went straight out directly infront of me on a roundabout (I was about 10 feet from him), without looking right, and then stopped on the roundabout to shout threats and abuse at me when I pipped my horn at him to let him know I was there. Note: "pipped", not even "beeped" - and used correctly as per the highway code - i.e. to alert another road user to one's presence.
My philosophy is that so long as I do the polite thing, then I'm doing what I can to be courteous and conscientious on the road and also promote the good image of whatever vehicle I am riding/driving in the eyes of users of other vehicles. I'm certainly no saint, I do get pissed off, but I don't act out on it, and if I make a mistake I apologise.
Can you imagine how pleasant and cheery travelling around would be if everyone did that?! Wow, it would be just fantastic! Seriously. My message to anyone getting on the road is keep your wits about you and, for God's sake, leave your anger and aggression at home and like Bill and Ted said, "be excellent to each other!" When I'm out on the road I don't fancy being the butt-end of someone else's miss-placed aggression or victim to their one-sided view of road use (often that everyone else is in their way).
