Tosspots on my Travels

[Phill057]

Yes that is one I cannot understand is the "Must pass Cyclist Before traffic light and Junction. It is a disease near me. The best solution I have is to hug the white line so if they want to pass they have to cross the the white line which is dificult for them when there is on coming Traffic. For them going on the inside I do not find as dangerous and I tend to let them especially if I am going Right or if they are going Left. On a further note on this I find that the guy with the new pride and joy car will keep well away from you as they are affraid of scratching the car. That is the only reason that prevents them.

 

[Hip Priest]

I've had a real spate of peds stepping out in front me recently. They're relying to much on their ears. Luckily, they're usually easy to predict so I can slow down in time to avoid them. But the other day a bloke looked right at me, then stepped out.

I was doing 20mph in the wet and only just missed him.

 

[Matthew_T]

I forgot to add, one which I have often in the evenings or on busy days.

Peds who think that a quick glance at a set of traffic lights means that they can cross and the peds who just dont care and cross even when there is traffic coming in a steady flow.
I had a couple a few days ago walk out on me in the middle of a very well lit town at night. My front light had just run out of battery power and I was heading home, taking the most lit route I could think of. I was wearing a hi viz jacket and was the only on in the road in primary (noone behind me). The lights were green for me and I went through the junction with no problem. At the end of the junction, this couple started to cross on the red man and I barely swerved around them. I just didnt expect them to walk out in front of me. I would not have had time to stop at all.
As I passed, I said "Look at the f****** lights!" to which the guy replied "Where is you light? T***!". I was contemplating turning around and explaining that my battery pack had died and I was travelling straight home but thought better of it.

What goes through these peoples minds to just walk out in front of traffic? Even then there are loads of cars about?

 

[Hip Priest]

I tend not to shout and swear at peds. I always remember they're more vulnerable than me.

 

[ianrauk]

As I passed, I said "Look at the f****** lights!" to which the guy replied "Where is you light? T***!". I was contemplating turning around and explaining that my battery pack had died and I was travelling straight home but thought better of it.

He made a very valid point though.
So a tip for every commuting cyclist is to carry a spare light for back up.
Doesn't have to be a huge light. I carry a small Knog which cost £6.00 I think, just in case.

 

[Matthew_T]

He made a very valid point though.
So a tip for every commuting cyclist is to carry a spare light for back up.
Doesn't have to be a huge light. I carry a small Knog which cost £6.00 I think, just in case.

This was the mistake I made. It was the second time with my new light which has a battery pack instead of AA's. I now use my new and old together as it provides more light and doesnt dazzle drivers.

 

[Crankarm]

reading this makes me smile - they are all potentially dangerous if not downright life threatening incidents and yet it's something that happens every day, which is not a good advert for pedestrians or car drivers, or the odd cyclist. i'll add to it:

to all of the cycle commuters who blat down the bridge on hills road, cambridge...get on your brakes and stop at the frikin red lights you nearly all blow through at the bottom without a second thought - one of you is going to end up very dead, very soon and it will be your own fault. instead, try achieving a decent speed up the slope, that would be far more impressive.

I've nearly been crashed into or taken out by RLJing cyclists on this road around the bridge area, either on foot, in my car or on my bike when I have been legitimately crossing the junction on green . Pox on them all.

 

[PedalCat]

• The left hook. Driver overtakes me then immediately brakes and turns left across me into parking space. Once stopped i remonstrate with him, he advises me that 'according to the highway code, cyclists must obey car users'.

Like "Simon Says"?
You've now got to carry a copy of HC at all times and hope to spot him again, so he can show you which page that rule is on.

 

[BlackPanther]

• The shared-use path Nazi. Part of my route is on a shared use path. That's fine, i give peds distance and berth and always ring my bell coming up behind them. With thanks to the 70 year old lady who insisted not only was i travelling too fast but the best way to slow me down was to deliberately step into my path to tell me so. We both almost died. Congratulations.

I regularly use a cycle/ped path. There's a clear line to separate cyclists from peds. Occasionally a ped will be in on the cycle part. 90% of the time ringing my bell has no effect whatsoever. Ding Ding Ding. Now I'm 10 feet behind and crawling along. I have an Airzound which I really don't like to use 'off-road', but sometimes it's either that or shout for them to get out of the way.....both of which are not really appreciated. The same goes for slow cyclists, they just don't hear a bell (or if they do, chose to ignore and make no effort to move aside.) Fortunately, 95% of my commute I can do on the roads. I don't envy people who have to mix it with other cyclists/peds most of the time.

 

[Crankarm]

Yesterday I had to ride for about 50yds along Jesus Lane, turning right off it into an entrance. Checked it was clear both ways, yep, pushed off onto the road. All of a sudden an engine being revved like mad, looked around as I was scared sh1tless and this knob in a white BMW 5 series was screaming down the wrong side of the road trying to pass me. I had my right arm out to turn right off the road into entrance. Mr BMW kn0bhead slammed on his cars brakes. As I wobbled and turned right Mr Kn0bhead shouted "Fecking wanchor!" at me from his wound down drivers window. I arrived at my destination in a fragile state. On reflection my only crime from Mr Kn0bhead BMW's point of view was to be on the road. I only went 50 yds on the road and this d1ckhead tried to kill me. I did absolutely nothing toward him just a cyclist in front of him. I can't ride along the pavements on Jesus lane as they are a little bit to busy at the moment, full of Jocastas, Tarquins, Cecilias and Mirandas as it is the start of the new term for students. There were quite a few people around as well who probably also thought what a fat bald d1ckhead.

 

[tadpole]

I’ve a new one, tosspots on cycles who despite being adults, find themselves unable or unwilling to cycle in what could pass as a reasonably straight line. They meander all over the quite wide cycle path, whilst texting or speaking on their phone, or even ride both hands in pockets whilst moving really slowly with a supper fact cadence, whilst wearing black and having no lights.
I cycle past one on Friday, and my admonishment to “Pick a freaking side and keep to it” as I passed him was followed by him cycling off the path and onto the wet grass, and almost him crashing in to a warning sign.

 

[freewheelwilly]

The only tosspots i encounter on my commute in London are cyclists. Too many poor riders out there now its embarrassing.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

One day I will stop my bicycle and block the road when a motorist is revving behind me when I'm already tanking along at 30mph in a 30mph zone.

By which I mean I won't, because life is too short and there are just too many pillocks out there to try and educate anyone through being a stubborn lummock.

 

[Arjimlad]

I’ve a new one, tosspots on cycles who despite being adults, find themselves unable or unwilling to cycle in what could pass as a reasonably straight line. They meander all over the quite wide cycle path, whilst texting or speaking on their phone, or even ride both hands in pockets whilst moving really slowly with a supper fact cadence, whilst wearing black and having no lights.
I cycle past one on Friday, and my admonishment to “Pick a freaking side and keep to it” as I passed him was followed by him cycling off the path and onto the wet grass, and almost him crashing in to a warning sign.

Sounds like you woke him up - have some consideration - some of us are trying to sleep !

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Sounds like you woke him up - have some consideration - some of us are trying to sleep !

Much like the early commuter trains I used to take, try breaking out an ipod on one of those trains and someone will threaten to deck you! Hee hee, 'deck' I haven't heard that for years, well read it on a forum, and I guess I've probably never read it on a forum because the last time I said it out loud was pre-Internet. I've wandered off topic again...