The youth of today ...

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Geoff Crowther

"... travel far, not fast", Ted Simon
My lovely wife's recently taken early retirement whereas I finished with the world of work some while back.
Today I suggested a short bicycle excursion around Derwent res in Yorkshire. Those who know the place will know it's part tarmac and partly easy gravel, shared use trail. I used my mountain bike whilst my OH was on her trusty Giant hybrid. She's not overly confident on trails but we were enjoying the outing as she bimbled, a touch unsteadily, south from Slippery Stones. She was ahead as we approached two older (listen to me) ladies walking the same way. I was awaiting Chrissie's bell, knowing she's very good at alerting other trail users, gently to our presence before passing when, unannounced, another MTB rider flashed past me and then squeezed past Chrissie on her left side in a space barely wide enough, causing my nervous wife to stop, in alarm, almost falling over in the process.

I called to the rider, "Some warning would have been nice".
She, for it was a member of the fairer sex, stopped and asked me what the problem was.
I reiterated that a warning of approach might have been useful, whereupon she set about asking why we didn't know what was behind us..
"Don't you use lifesavers," quoth she.
" Not unless I'm changing direction," I replied.
" But she (Chrissie) was. She was weaving about all over the place."
This may well have had some truth in it, but I don't remember being asked for any certificate of competence before we embarked on our quiet little sojourn.
" So you don't think a bell would have helped. Oh, I see you don't have one." I said.
"Bells are dangerous. You should know what's going on behind you!"

Now, at this point I realised i was dealing with a young lady of the most arrogant nature who clearly thought that her startling my dear wife was not her fault but, in entirety, the result of Chrissie's inability to know, at all times, what was behind her, as she nervously negotiated her first trail route in a long time. So, realising I was unlikely to be able to re-educate this charming young woman in the short time I had available, I chose the shorter option and suggested she leave the scene, using some choice anglo saxon phrase. I know ... I should know better.

But, is it just me? I hate myself for saying this, but at 60 years of age I find it hard to take instruction from some arrogant yoof (she must have been in her 20s or early 30s) who's clearly only just graduated from stabilisers.

Her parting shot to me was that, "YOU are far more dangerous than WE are." Thereby categorising both herself and her mates as separate from us. Presumably "they" are red hot MTB gods whilst "we" are bumbling old farts? This, without knowing anything about our experience.

I'll restate this though. We were on a shared use trail, populated with cyclists of all persuasions, hillwalkers, kiddies afoot, little ones on bikes, folk with pushchairs ... you name it, NOT a dedicated, full-on, hardcore MTB route. And, I might add, littered with helpful little signs asking cyclists to consider other trail users and slow down on approach, not to mention one reminding us to call out or use a bell to warn of approach.

She was obviously a much cleverer person than me. However, in her excitement, she could not identify someone riding a hybrid bike, nervously down a shared use trail and amend her progress accordingly.

Interestingly, as I enjoyed this exchange, one of her mates quietly apologised to my OH for her friend's behaviour.

And the two lady walkers? I apologised to them for my poor language but one replied, " Well someone needed to point out the error of her ways."

I'm still ticking now. It's a cliche I know, but folk like her really do get cyclists, and especially MTB riders, a bad name. Wonder if she's on here?
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
I don't think it's an age thing, just an inconsiderate person.

If she noticed that your wife wasn't keeping a straight line then all the more reason to give her space, though to be honest it sounds as though they weren't going at a speed appropriate for the type of path anyway.

I hope it hasn't put your wife off going again!
 
OP
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Geoff Crowther

Geoff Crowther

"... travel far, not fast", Ted Simon
I don't think it's an age thing, just an inconsiderate person.

If she noticed that your wife wasn't keeping a straight line then all the more reason to give her space, though to be honest it sounds as though they weren't going at a speed appropriate for the type of path anyway.

I hope it hasn't put your wife off going again!
Thanks. I'm sure you're right, it's not about age, that's just the way I was feeling at the time.
And no, Chrissie's far too sensible to let one silly person put her off.
 

ScotiaLass

Guru
Location
Middle Earth
I agree. It's sheer inconsideration combined with bad manners!
I am a fairly competent MTB rider, but I have balance issues (juxtaposition there!).
If someone darts past me without warning, I do wobble and have been known to have to stop before I fall off!
I would never do that to anyone else as I am all too aware how it feels!
It's called a SHARED path for a reason, something I have had to point out to various users on several occasions!
 

simo105

Senior Member
If I come to pass anyone on footpaths I will always give them a shout and inform them. Unfortunately I am part of the youth today but we are not all that bad lol. Its just a case of meeting a inconsiderate person and theres plenty of them! Your best to let them get on with it cus most of them will nevet change the way they ride.
 
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Geoff Crowther

Geoff Crowther

"... travel far, not fast", Ted Simon
I forgot that, at one point, after I'd cursed her, she blocked my way with her bike saying, "No, wait." in an attempt to continue her tirade. I pointed out to her that THAT was completely inappropriate, if not against the law.
 
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Geoff Crowther

Geoff Crowther

"... travel far, not fast", Ted Simon
If I come to pass anyone on footpaths I will always give them a shout and inform them. Unfortunately I am part of the youth today but we are not all that bad lol. Its just a case of meeting a inconsiderate person and theres plenty of them! Your best to let them get on with it cus most of them will nevet change the way they ride.
Cheers simo, forgive me for focusing on the youth thing and thanks for your comments.
And you're right. I could tell nothing I could say would amend her attitude.
 
She sounds like a thoroughly unpleasant piece of work. I hope her pal gave her a good talking to afterwards.
 
When downhill skiing, the uphill skier ALWAYS has to yield to skiers in front of them:

  1. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them. People down the hill from yourself are not expected to turn their heads uphill to make sure they do not get in your way. YOU must yield to them. When coming up on skiers below you slow down, pattern them, plan your line, and then ski around them. However, be sure to give them a lot of space and I strongly recommend against passing them on the inside when on a trail’s edge, they could break out of their pattern and cut off your line forcing you to go off of the trail or worse.
    Remember, those people downhill from you have a responsibility to avoid those downhill from them. If everyone is playing by that rule all should be fine.
taken from http://www.wi-ski.com/skier-responsibility-code/

Common sense and should be applied to cycling.
 
OP
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Geoff Crowther

Geoff Crowther

"... travel far, not fast", Ted Simon
When downhill skiing, the uphill skier ALWAYS has to yield to skiers in front of them:

  1. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them. People down the hill from yourself are not expected to turn their heads uphill to make sure they do not get in your way. YOU must yield to them. When coming up on skiers below you slow down, pattern them, plan your line, and then ski around them. However, be sure to give them a lot of space and I strongly recommend against passing them on the inside when on a trail’s edge, they could break out of their pattern and cut off your line forcing you to go off of the trail or worse.
    Remember, those people downhill from you have a responsibility to avoid those downhill from them. If everyone is playing by that rule all should be fine.
taken from http://www.wi-ski.com/skier-responsibility-code/

Common sense and should be applied to cycling.

I REALLY like that Dayvo. Couldn't have put it better myself.
 
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