Should I have lectured him?

[ClichéGuevara]

I was driving my car down a narrow road that had cars either side, so no passing places. I saw a guy in his 30's on a cycle on a side road ahead and to my right hand side and he was approaching the give way at the junction so I slowed down.

He pedalled through the junction and started to pull out to round the first parked car, before realising he had nowhere to go, and braked so hard he gracefully went over the handlebars and landed neatly behind the parked car. I was impressed, because there was no speed involved.

I stopped to check he was okay. Initially he looked angry, but I suspect that was shock and pride. He and his bike were fine and he thanked me for my concern.

Question is, should I have explained the danger of what he'd just done in the hope he doesn't do it again with more serious consequences as cars sometimes go down there way too fast, or should I do,what I actually did, and assume he'd have learned anyway, and leave him with just a cheery smile to think it out himself?

 

[MiK1138]

I was driving my car down a narrow road that had cars either side, so no passing places. I saw a guy in his 30's on a cycle on a side road ahead and to my right hand side and he was approaching the give way at the junction so I slowed down.

He pedalled through the junction and started to pull out to round the first parked car, before realising he had nowhere to go, and braked so hard he gracefully went over the handlebars and landed neatly behind the parked car. I was impressed, because there was no speed involved.

I stopped to check he was okay. Initially he looked angry, but I suspect that was shock and pride. He and his bike were fine and he thanked me for my concern.

Question is, should I have explained the danger of what he'd just done in the hope he doesn't do it again with more serious consequences as cars sometimes go down there way too fast, or should I do,what I actually did, and assume he'd have learned anyway, and leave him with just a cheery smile to think it out himself?

I'm sure the red face and sore elbow from the fall was castigation enough, hoefully a lesson learned

 

[Racing roadkill]

Nah, let Darwinism take care of him.

 

[downfader]

Sounds like he will have realised..

A guy I know at work tried to ride home from the pub "pished as a fisstttt" as he put it. Ended up with a nasty scar down his face.Only reason I said anything there was because I knew him and knew from experience what falling off due to silliness can get you.

 

[Lonestar]

Trouble is if you have a word with these people all you get is a mouth load of abuse.

I stopped to check he was okay. Initially he looked angry, but I suspect that was shock and pride. He and his bike were fine and he thanked me for my concern.

Nice of you,obviously.

 

[winjim]

I know how I'd feel if I made a mistake and some car driver started lecturing me about it...

Trouble is if you have a word with these people all you get is a mouth load of abuse.

Which people?

 

[Lonestar]

I stopped to check he was okay. Initially he looked angry, but I suspect that was shock and pride. He and his bike were fine and he thanked me for my concern.

I know how I'd feel if I made a mistake and some car driver started lecturing me about it...


Which people?

Cycling people.Car people/anyone.

 

[winjim]

Cycling people.Car people/anyone.

Bit misanthropic

But maybe correct, see the first part of my post, after all...

 

[Lonestar]

Bit misanthropic

But maybe correct, see the first part of my post, after all...

Sounds like me.

 

[Profpointy]

i suspect that having gone over the handlebars he might have realised something had gone wrong without a lecture frankly

 

[Lonestar]

My point in a way was more of the early days of RLJers which was generally met in the terms of abuse even though mentioned RLJer has almost been run over or hit a pedestrian.

 

[NorthernDave]

It's a tricky one. Clearly he has now learned a lesson. Perhaps he could have done with a few pointers from a more experienced cyclist.
However, sat at the side of the road nursing his dented pride would probably mean he wouldn't have been in a very receptive mood.

You did the right thing by checking he was OK and leaving it at that.

 

[MartinQ]

Fairly obviously, you should have pointed and laughed

 

[Tin Pot]

People only learn the hard way. A lecture would make no difference.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Fairly obviously, you should have pointed and laughed

View attachment 102736

I have that as my text alert tone on my phone. It's gone off at some really well timed moments.

On one occasion, I'd been visiting a friend in hospital, and a woman was going outside for a smoke, taking all her rigging and paraphernalia with her and she bumped into the door, sending it and her tumbling right in front of me, which was just before I received a text.

Another time was just as the bloke in the urinal next to me was looking down to check his aim.