You should ride on the road if you don't want to be slowed by another rider. Kids cycke in cycke lanes they can be slow. Either be patient or go in the road.
Pedestrians & earphones.
- Thread starter simongt
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Wolf616
Über Member
Such a straw man, I'm not talking about a kid here but a fully grown adult. Obviously a child gets more patience. Having said that, I've never seen a child cycling on the CS2, which is pretty much what I'm talking about here
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Why do you propose different treatment for a child versus say a nervous cyclist?
If you can cycle at speed get on the road, leave cycle lanes for those that need them
My wife has a proper sit-up-and-beg bike and works in tower hamlets. She's buildng up fitness to ride to work. Will she be allowed to cycle on your cycke lane as she's really very slow? Please let me know as she's on the edge of her seat waiting for your approval.
Either that or you can go fudge yourself, we're undecided.
Either that or you can go fudge yourself, we're undecided.
Wolf616
Über Member
Haha. Oh dear, I knew I was opening a can of worms with my original post but not quite this.
At no point was I talking about a 'nervous cyclist', a 'child cyclist', or even necessarily a 'slow cyclist'. I was talking specifically about a slow cyclist, hogging a whole lane that does have overtaking room if said cyclist is paying attention. However, because they have earphones in they are not paying attention and therefore can not really engage with the world around them as they cycle.
Everyone throwing these other scenarios at me are just making up straw man arguments for the sake of it. I am not a fan of 'elite fast cyclists' who disdain anyone who goes slower than them, which is what some people in this thread are trying to paint me as. I appreciate some cycle lanes are only really fit for single file, and I should have made it more clear in my original post that I meant a wider one than that. Having said that some of the responses have been ridiculous - particularly considering the fact my original post was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek anyway!
Not to mention the fact that cycle lanes are not necessarily just for cyclists who are uncomfortable on the roads. I bet many a confident and 'skilled' cyclist used to traversing busy roads has been hit by a car before - the whole point of many cycle lanes (CS2 included) is that it separates you from that risk.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
You may as well save us some time and say you want everyone to be considerate of your requirements on "your cycle path". You sound more and more like the motorists I meet daily who say I shouldn't be on "their" road
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
And as I've said many times before: cycle paths are just a diversion from the real issue which is the education of all road users into how to behave.
Wolf616
Über Member
Headphones make a cyclist at least twice as wide. You wouldn't think it just looking at them, but get out your tape measure next time and check.
I like cycling in the middle of cycle paths - it feels much safer than hugging the edge/the curb. Fine. However I also understand that if someone wants to overtake me - particularly on a segregated path where there's no way to get on the road - then its no skin off my back to move over slightly to create space. I won't know whether there's anyone around me doing that if I can't hear them, though.
No argument here. I'm not saying don't be on the road (or cycle path) I'm saying that doing so requires attention to what is happening around you - regardless of whether you are a cyclist or a motorist. Unfortunately having earphones in (or very loud music on speakers for that matter) might make that more difficult.
I don't understand the vitriol I've attracted here. I'm not saying anyone has more of a right to a cycle path than anyone else. I'm arguing that we should be respectful and considerate towards others in our cycling. It works both ways. Why is that so contentious?
andyfraser
Über Member
- Location
- Bristol
I wish! I use headphones to listen to podcasts[1] while cycling and don't seem to be any wider.
[1] I don't have it loud. I was able to have a conversation with a police officer the other Friday while Kermode and Mayo wittertained my ears.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
No, but I do sometimes like to boogie when a good tune comes on
Hip Priest
Veteran
My commute takes me along a shared path twice a day. If I'm going to pass someone, and they can't hear me for whatever reason, then I slow down almost to walking pace. There is no excuse to scare pedestrians on a shared path.
glenn forger
Guest
Peds get freaked sometimes, I sometimes pass them as they walk up the road through the cemetery and I very gently say "To the right, sorry, ha ha!" and they recoil in horror and step way over leaving me a ridiculously large gap. You just can't win.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Maybe it's just the way your wording has come across which is basically "I'm going faster than you and I want you to get out of my way. However cos you're an inconsiderate b******d wearing headphones you can't hear me asking/telling/ringing my bell at you so now look, I've had to slow down"
Now it may be that isn't what you meant, but that's how it read.
