BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
You can't be riding in London then, or your exposure is tiny.
Is Leeds soooo different??
- Thread starter andyfromotley
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
ajc
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Bingley, W.Yorkshire
I agree with redjedi, I don't feel like I'm being bullied or treated as second class. I still find most drivers to be courteous, well, in Leeds anyway 
.
I was cycling behind a guy yesterday and a woman driver struggled to get past us. She did nothing wrong, gave us a lot of room and stayed back until it was clear to overtake. For some reason she beeped her horn as she went past, I cheerily waved at her. However, we caught up with her at the next junction and the other cyclist had a real go at her, which was not justified and just makes one more driver think we are pain in the backside. He swore at her, she said "do you mind not swearing I have children in the car" then she told him to eff off !
.I was cycling behind a guy yesterday and a woman driver struggled to get past us. She did nothing wrong, gave us a lot of room and stayed back until it was clear to overtake. For some reason she beeped her horn as she went past, I cheerily waved at her. However, we caught up with her at the next junction and the other cyclist had a real go at her, which was not justified and just makes one more driver think we are pain in the backside. He swore at her, she said "do you mind not swearing I have children in the car" then she told him to eff off !
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Let's face it, most drivers are courteous and caring towards other road users. There are a few bad eggs in all vehicle types who are not, however, and it's ludicrous to suggest that you don't experience poor driving or bullying ever. I'd be quite happy to accept it doesn't happen very often though, as that's Magnatom's and my experience too.
There are two approaches to bad driving here:
1) Ignore and carry on
Simply put, this is quite good from a personal zen approach where you just ignore bad behaviour from other road users. It's very bad from the point of view that it increases how acceptable this sort of driving is.
2) Record it
This is Magnatom and my approach, as well as that of many other cyclists. With the video camera it's easy to knock off a youtube video and write to the company when you encounter an identifiable vehicle. This is the socially responsible option, it brings a consequence home to drivers who otherwise are likely to be quite casual towards cyclists and other road users.
I also think it's quite funny how "Magnatom has so many incidents". Speaking for myself, I have very few that are actually dangerous, whilst the rest are just examples of embarrassingly bad driving, or chances to improve my own riding through feedback on here.
There are two approaches to bad driving here:
1) Ignore and carry on
Simply put, this is quite good from a personal zen approach where you just ignore bad behaviour from other road users. It's very bad from the point of view that it increases how acceptable this sort of driving is.
2) Record it
This is Magnatom and my approach, as well as that of many other cyclists. With the video camera it's easy to knock off a youtube video and write to the company when you encounter an identifiable vehicle. This is the socially responsible option, it brings a consequence home to drivers who otherwise are likely to be quite casual towards cyclists and other road users.
I also think it's quite funny how "Magnatom has so many incidents". Speaking for myself, I have very few that are actually dangerous, whilst the rest are just examples of embarrassingly bad driving, or chances to improve my own riding through feedback on here.
BentMikey said:
I commute 5 days a week, 7.5 miles each way from Brentford to Willesden, going through Kew, Chiswick and Shepherd's Bush.
Not the most demanding of routes, and I have never ventured into central London on my bike yet (just the thought makes me a bit nervous).
There are quite a lot of cyclists on my route, so perhaps the regular drivers are more used to dealing with us.
I do have incidents which could wind me up if I let if get to me, but whats the point. If I catch up to an offending vehicle I usually just give a bit of a stare, and leave it at that (except this morning).
But I am a very easy going person, perhaps it was too much weed when I was younger ??
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
redjedi said:
So really, you're not very different to Magnatom or myself then, in terms of incidents. Perhaps you should apologise to him for your earlier comment.
BentMikey said:
Bad driving yes, often, but I don't have time to stop all the idiots and give them driving lessons, if they would listen anyway.
Bullying I have not really experienced yet. Perhaps when I get a few more miles under my belt.
This is probably my way. I'll probably give a stare or a shake of the finger as I go past, but I won't stop and make a big deal (unless it was life threating, which hasn't happened yet *touch wood* )
But does using a camera, mean that you are more likely to look for examples of bad/dangerous driving, highlighting the problem even more?
BentMikey said:
Perhaps my experiences aren't so different, just how we deal with them.
Do you mean this quote?
I don't think there is anything to apologise for there.
I'm probably more worried for his blood pressure, as he seems to get quite angry in some of his vids.
But having watched quite a few, they have definately helped me in my cycling, and for that I thank him.
Ooooh! I haven't been paying attention to this thread, but I had a feeling that someone was talking about me.....
redjedi,
Don't worry about my BP. In fact I used to have high BP (not stress related I might add, bad genes I fear!). In fact I took some tablets for it. Amazingly since I started cycling daily my BP has dropped and I no longer need the tablets. Very unusual my doc says, but there you go.
Look closely at my videos. I don't get angry at all, a little dismayed maybe, but certainly not angry. The only times I swear are at the point of incidents itself, which I feel is understandable.
As Bentmikey has pointed out, I think I have only had one incident where I really felt my life was threatened. The rest of the time, they were just annoying incidents that I was capable of dealing with, by either braking, swerving or continuing as I was. As you admitted yourself, incidents like this happen to everyone, it's just without the aid of the camera, we often forget them.
However, by having the camera, I am raising the issues that face cyclists from time to time when they commute. Most people on the road have experience of driving or at least being a passenger in a car, so they understand the road from a drivers perspective. However, only a minority of people have ever been a road cyclist. Therefore, it is important that the public are made aware of some of the incidents that cyclists face, with the hope that maybe a few drivers might start to understand, why cyclists need room, why we sometimes cycle in the middle of the lane, why we stay away from car doors etc.
As you have said yourself, you have learned from my videos. That is what it is all about. By that, I don't mean that I am teaching you, far from it, I think I have probably learned just as much as you from my videos as you have, possibly even more. In fact I looked at a full commute of mine from August last year the other day. I spotted 3 things in it that I would not do now (overtaking past lorries where I can't see beyond them, overtaking when there is oncoming traffic that I might imped or from their point of view that I might imped, and undertaking where cars could pull across to the left).
I really enjoy commuting by bike. I hate going by car. The vast majority of my commutes are incident free. I did a rough calculation recently that I post incidents from only 3% of my commutes. 97% of the time I have nothing to report.
So don't worry about me redjedi. However, thanks for the concern! B)
redjedi,
Don't worry about my BP. In fact I used to have high BP (not stress related I might add, bad genes I fear!). In fact I took some tablets for it. Amazingly since I started cycling daily my BP has dropped and I no longer need the tablets. Very unusual my doc says, but there you go.
Look closely at my videos. I don't get angry at all, a little dismayed maybe, but certainly not angry. The only times I swear are at the point of incidents itself, which I feel is understandable.
As Bentmikey has pointed out, I think I have only had one incident where I really felt my life was threatened. The rest of the time, they were just annoying incidents that I was capable of dealing with, by either braking, swerving or continuing as I was. As you admitted yourself, incidents like this happen to everyone, it's just without the aid of the camera, we often forget them.
However, by having the camera, I am raising the issues that face cyclists from time to time when they commute. Most people on the road have experience of driving or at least being a passenger in a car, so they understand the road from a drivers perspective. However, only a minority of people have ever been a road cyclist. Therefore, it is important that the public are made aware of some of the incidents that cyclists face, with the hope that maybe a few drivers might start to understand, why cyclists need room, why we sometimes cycle in the middle of the lane, why we stay away from car doors etc.
As you have said yourself, you have learned from my videos. That is what it is all about. By that, I don't mean that I am teaching you, far from it, I think I have probably learned just as much as you from my videos as you have, possibly even more. In fact I looked at a full commute of mine from August last year the other day. I spotted 3 things in it that I would not do now (overtaking past lorries where I can't see beyond them, overtaking when there is oncoming traffic that I might imped or from their point of view that I might imped, and undertaking where cars could pull across to the left).
I really enjoy commuting by bike. I hate going by car. The vast majority of my commutes are incident free. I did a rough calculation recently that I post incidents from only 3% of my commutes. 97% of the time I have nothing to report.
So don't worry about me redjedi. However, thanks for the concern! B)
Glad to hear your BP is good.
I suppose it's like a lot of things in life, in that you hear a lot more of the bad experiences than the good.
I often read bad reviews of items, like electrical item or movies, when in reallity this is a small percentage of people, and the item in question is used/seen by many with no problems at all, but it's not very often people take the time to write something unless there's something to complain about. B)
I probably wouldn't watch a video titled " Daily commute....nothing happened".
I used your videos as an example, as I have only really seen yours, and thinking back to when I first started commuting I was doing a lot of things wrong, which was putting myself in danger, probably due to the fact that I don't drive a car.
Yours and others alike (as well as Cyclecraft) helped me to cycle safely.
I suppose it's like a lot of things in life, in that you hear a lot more of the bad experiences than the good.
I often read bad reviews of items, like electrical item or movies, when in reallity this is a small percentage of people, and the item in question is used/seen by many with no problems at all, but it's not very often people take the time to write something unless there's something to complain about. B)
I probably wouldn't watch a video titled " Daily commute....nothing happened".
I used your videos as an example, as I have only really seen yours, and thinking back to when I first started commuting I was doing a lot of things wrong, which was putting myself in danger, probably due to the fact that I don't drive a car.
Yours and others alike (as well as Cyclecraft) helped me to cycle safely.
I have been tempted to post my whole commute on the web in the past. I never got around to it because of time and the need to compress it in some way. Now I don't want to because I don't really want everyone knowing my full route, as I appear to have become a bit of a target!! B)
However, what it would show is that most drivers are very good and give plenty of room. As you say though footage of good driving is not interesting, and it is very difficult to show on video how someone was good and hung behind you a good distance, otherwise I would post it.
However, what it would show is that most drivers are very good and give plenty of room. As you say though footage of good driving is not interesting, and it is very difficult to show on video how someone was good and hung behind you a good distance, otherwise I would post it.
OP
OP
andyfromotley
New Member
- Location
- Otley, west yorks
BentMikey said:
ermmmmmmmmmm no. that was exactly what i was suggesting in this thread. Sorry.
andy
The thing I don't like about Leeds from a cyclists point of view is that it is a hilly city. When I lived there every trip seemd to involve a long slog up some incline and there are some quite steep hills too, including Buslingthorpe Lane and the climb from Roundhay Rd up Harehills Lane. I'm glad to be back in Manchester which is as flat as pancake and ideal for cycling.
OP
OP
andyfromotley
New Member
- Location
- Otley, west yorks
crikey simon thats a bit extreme!! i mean flat groung is nice and all that......but moving east of the pennines. Madness
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
andyfromotley said:
Do you really not experience any bullying or poor driving? Maybe I've misunderstood you?
oldredeyes
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Roundhay, Leeds
I've been commuting from Roundhay into the City Centre (through Harehills and up and over the Headrow into Park Lane for those who know the place) for the last 14 months and I can't say I've had too many problems.
In fact, the only problem that I have is that since getting my helmetcam for Christmas, I've only had one incident of note to post on Youtube (thank you, Embers Fireplaces).
In fact, the only problem that I have is that since getting my helmetcam for Christmas, I've only had one incident of note to post on Youtube (thank you, Embers Fireplaces).
