The fabled "evil cyclist" (™ angry motorists) spotted!

[MissTillyFlop]

Now, we've all heard tell of this ninja, RLJ-er, pavement-cycling, wobbly menace, but we all believed him a work of fiction, invented by angry motons.

And so did I until I met him, cycling up Brixton Hill on Friday night.

I caught sight of him almost knocking over some children on the pavement at first, (he was dressed head to toe in dark grey), then he caught sight of me and my obvious disapproval and thought he would try and impress me with his on-road skills. This may have worked, had actually possessed any.

He bike-flopped down the kerb (on his rather nice 80s road bike), which made me wince to start with, then proceeded to wobble erratically across the entire width of the bus lane, his legs going like the clappers (he'd have been really impressive in a spinning class), making a real meal of it all. He seemed quite peed off when I overtook him, even though I gave him a REALLY wide berth (read: " I moved into the other lane").

He then overtook me at the red lights, where he was nearly hit by several vehicles turning right as they simply couldn't see him.

He then attempted to bunny hop the kerb, but only succeeded in falling back into the gutter and nonchalantly trying to look like he MEANT to do that, before shooting off at about 3 miles an hour across the housing estate.

It took me a while to believe this actually happened, but I feel privileged to have seen this rare creature in his natural habitat.

 

[Globalti]

There's a big difference between cyclists and people who happen to be riding bikes. I'd be willing to bet that it's the latter who do most of the damage to cyclists' image.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

Was it Boris Johnson?

No, his day-glo hair would have shone like a beacon, thus removing the ninja element.

 

[XmisterIS]

The trouble is we're a minority, and members of minorities get tarred with the same brush by the majority.

 

[swee'pea99]

That wasn't The Evil Cyclist. That was just a moron. He's just as cool on foot.

 

[postman]

RFead the thread again ,but imagine David Bellamy voice.

 

[Night Train]

And what is it with men (and it has only men men so far) who ride with the saddle so low thay their knees are hitting their chin(s) and in the lowest gear possible?

 

[MissTillyFlop]

And what is it with men (and it has only men men so far) who ride with the saddle so low thay their knees are hitting their chin(s) and in the lowest gear possible?

Izz cuz izz lyke so cool! You don't at all look lyke a man on a toddler's byke, innit?

 

[Night Train]

^^^^

 

[GrumpyGregry]

There's a big difference between cyclists and people who happen to be riding bikes. I'd be willing to bet that it's the latter who do most of the damage to cyclists' image.

I know we say this. I know what we mean when we say it. But the general public don't get it. Anyone on a bike is a cyclist. Those of us campaigning locally need to come up with a better answer than "they aren't cyclists, a cyclist wouldn't do that" if we are to convince sceptical locals of the worth of shared used paths amongst other things.

 

[Beebo]

I know we say this. I know what we mean when we say it. But the general public don't get it. Anyone on a bike is a cyclist. Those of us campaigning locally need to come up with a better answer than "they aren't cyclists, a cyclist wouldn't do that" if we are to convince sceptical locals of the worth of shared used paths amongst other things.

It's a tricky balancing act and I doubt you would get a concensus. Whilst cyclists dont want to be associated with POB's I would imagine that most POB's dont want to be associated with cyclists either.

 

[snorri]

It's a tricky balancing act and I doubt you would get a concensus. Whilst cyclists dont want to be associated with POB's I would imagine that most POB's dont want to be associated with cyclists either.

I have difficulty in differentiating between the two.

 

[User482]

It's a tricky balancing act and I doubt you would get a concensus. Whilst cyclists dont want to be associated with POB's I would imagine that most POB's dont want to be associated with cyclists either.

I don't believe that the actions of a reckless motorist have any bearing on others' perception of my driving abilities. Something I like to tell people when they're assuming I'm personally responsible for the behaviour of every other cyclist.

 

[ufkacbln]

The though of an Albino Ninja dressed in white amuses me!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I don't believe that the actions of a reckless motorist have any bearing on others' perception of my driving abilities. Something I like to tell people when they're assuming I'm personally responsible for the behaviour of every other cyclist.

Rarely is that assumption made ime. Rather more often the point is made, by the sort of people one typically finds on neighbourhood councils and in community partnerships, that the shared facilities we are seeking are fine, and pedestrians safe as a result, only if all cyclists act responsibly. A significant minority don't, and by disclaiming them we don't do anything for our credibility.