Urban v Rural commuting

[Longshot]

1 - what gives you the right to call anyone not residing in the city of london a "bumpkin" ? Obviously anyone outside this sacred area is living in a third world agricultural ghetto saying "oo arrr" at the very sight of one of them new fangled automobile things.
The only contribution london seems to make to the country is to produce pollution, shuffle lots of paper and electronic money, give politicians and financiers somewhere to stay while they work out how to spend everyone else's tax money [usually on themselves or the city] and hold the olympic games the benefits of which I am still awaiting.
And 2 - even in the tiny rural villages of manchester, newcastle, leeds,birmingham etc [where there are a few automobiles about these days] some cyclists still manage to give a nod or even a smile to each other. Maybe not everytime but at least we don't hate everyone. Perhaps it's all the jellied eels that causes your sour outlook.

If you took my post even remotely seriously you need to have a long, hard look for your sense of humour because, frankly, it's gone AWOL.

 

[dellzeqq]

one thing - as Gaz says you do see people you know in the city. If I ride from Streatham Hill to Islington, or home again, chances are I'll see someone I know two or three days out of five.

 

[Drago]

1 - what gives you the right to call anyone not residing in the city of london a "bumpkin" ? Obviously anyone outside this sacred area is living in a third world agricultural ghetto saying "oo arrr" at the very sight of one of them new fangled automobile things.

In the dibble orificers from outside The Big Smoke are unerringly known as 'carrots', because they know we're too thick to shoot an innocent illegal immigrant or take a bribe from a journalist and not get caught.

Damn straight.

 

[sidevalve]

If you took my post even remotely seriously you need to have a long, hard look for your sense of humour because, frankly, it's gone AWOL.

Oddly I didn't realise I would have to explain that believe it or not this view IS taken seriously by many more people than seems to be realized. Further if you read my post you may notice that it is slightly OTT. Perhaps our senses of humour have run off together ?
I still fear we may have a long time to wait for the "benefits" from the olympics however [and that includes most of london].

 

[Rupie]

These kind of posts can be taken two ways, either in jest or as a narrow minded attack on another group of people. Personally its the kind of attiude I would expect from londoners towards other parts of the country.

I live in this "countryside" but also commuted to work at the Olympics for 4 months. From my experience there are a few major differences in commuting in the two areas. London is very busy and I found it hard to not turn the commute into a "battle" with everyone else in the road, you do have to keep an eye on everything at all times and anything could happen at any time, although generally the traffic is slower, or stationary. I tried to obay the highwaycode as much as possible. I had close calls with cars but also with other bikes, ridden by people who had no respect for other road users. In fact most of the other things I saw were caused the cyclists had no regard for the road laws, and was shocked then pedestrians thought they had to give way to cyclists on the pavement. I never spoke to anyone commuting as I was the only one not on the pavement and always on my own, stopping at the lights.

In the countryside, things are quite different. The roads are in worse condition but the main difference is the speed of others, things can be quiet one second then suddenly HGV's can appear around the bend, comming both ways, other vehicles forget you maybe around then have to react suddenly. Many people overtake you at 60mph, in the rain, just inches from you, and it can catch you out. There are also a lot of debris, mud and gravel on smaller roads. The other main danger is that most are unlit. Cars and lorries commuting home at night in the dark, on wet roads struggle to see cyclists, even if bikes have lights and glow in the headlights, it becomes vary hard to judge distances and speeds, in these conditions. The times I have repeatedly come close to accidents is mainly cause by people who make mistakes because they are just going too fast or cannot judge your speed, in relation to their own.

As for you typical London based view of the countryside, based on Radio 2, The Daily Mail and Downton Abby, if it keeps people like you away then fine, and yes the wicker shopping basket does slow you down and the rose bush thorns do give you punctures.

 

[Longshot]

The irony is I live in a small village 30 miles outside of London, surrounded by fields and countryside. I've never lived in London and would never choose to. Jeez, get over yourselves - your persecution complexes are showing. It was supposed to be funny. If you didn't think so, fine - that's OK. Don't take it so damn personally.

As for narrow minded attacks, do you not think that those of us who live or work in a city get sick to death of being told that we're all miserable or rude by itinerant visitors?

 

[Rupie]

Ive been guilty of putting posts in jest that other dont get as funny, but I dont get this one.

But I did also put what I consider the difference between cycling in towns and countryside.

 

[AndyPeace]

I can imagine that when you country folk walk out of your front door, which is surrounded by a trellis of sweet smelling roses and then saunter up through the herbaceous border to your white picket gate, you wave cheerily at the milkman before heading off out to work. Go round to the barn, pat Dobbin on the head and retrieve the bike from the hay before heading out onto the road for the daily grind. Oh No! A heavy rush hour today - Mrs Gingerbread and Fred-the-Postman are both on the village green at the same time. No matter, a friendly wave and cheery "Hello!" before you're on your way once more without too much delay. The ducks quack a companionable greeting as you spray them with water crossing the ford next to the village pond. Birds are singing, cows are lowing and world is a wonderful place. A quick doff of the old flat cap to Farmer George and you eventually reach the field where you work, refreshed and ready for a tough day picking strawberries or driving a tractor.

Have you been reading my facebook posts?

 

[gbb]

These kind of posts can be taken two ways, either in jest or as a narrow minded attack on another group of people. Personally its the kind of attiude I would expect from londoners towards other parts of the country.

I live in this "countryside" but also commuted to work at the Olympics for 4 months. From my experience there are a few major differences in commuting in the two areas. London is very busy and I found it hard to not turn the commute into a "battle" with everyone else in the road, you do have to keep an eye on everything at all times and anything could happen at any time, although generally the traffic is slower, or stationary. I tried to obay the highwaycode as much as possible. I had close calls with cars but also with other bikes, ridden by people who had no respect for other road users. In fact most of the other things I saw were caused the cyclists had no regard for the road laws, and was shocked then pedestrians thought they had to give way to cyclists on the pavement. I never spoke to anyone commuting as I was the only one not on the pavement and always on my own, stopping at the lights.

In the countryside, things are quite different. The roads are in worse condition but the main difference is the speed of others, things can be quiet one second then suddenly HGV's can appear around the bend, comming both ways, other vehicles forget you maybe around then have to react suddenly. Many people overtake you at 60mph, in the rain, just inches from you, and it can catch you out. There are also a lot of debris, mud and gravel on smaller roads. The other main danger is that most are unlit. Cars and lorries commuting home at night in the dark, on wet roads struggle to see cyclists, even if bikes have lights and glow in the headlights, it becomes vary hard to judge distances and speeds, in these conditions. The times I have repeatedly come close to accidents is mainly cause by people who make mistakes because they are just going too fast or cannot judge your speed, in relation to their own.

As for you typical London based view of the countryside, based on Radio 2, The Daily Mail and Downton Abby, if it keeps people like you away then fine, and yes the wicker shopping basket does slow you down and the rose bush thorns do give you punctures.

Agree with the observations re countryside speed, judgements etc etc, drivers round blind bends, lorries especially, all make for occasionally nervous moments.
Pros and cons as always, summer commuting is glorious in the countryside, winter is bloody hard work, no respite or cover from the wind, colder temps, fog really makes me nervous.

The irony is I live in a small village 30 miles outside of London, surrounded by fields and countryside. I've never lived in London and would never choose to. Jeez, get over yourselves - your persecution complexes are showing. It was supposed to be funny. If you didn't think so, fine - that's OK. Don't take it so damn personally.

As for narrow minded attacks, do you not think that those of us who live or work in a city get sick to death of being told that we're all miserable or rude by itinerant visitors?

FWIW, i took your post in the vein i assume it was intended, a light hearted comparison. But then, i'm a relaxed kinda fella, not averse to taking the mick out of myself, let alone others.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Looks like the OP's post has been misconstrued! Such is the nature of forum humour - sometimes a big joke sign is needed.

FWIW I was born in SE London and I am so glad I had the good fortune to be able to relocate first to Tunbridge Wells and then to Cumbria.

For 15 years I have indeed been a country bumpkin and I love it.

I no longer give a flying fig about who has what, what size my house is or what car I drive. I wear country clothes (fleece, goretex and walking boots most of the time) and have no idea what those with street cred' wear in London. We don't have to lock our house when we go out and it is rare for us to lock our cars out on the drive. And yes, we talk to lots of people all the time in our wanderings.

Lovely - being a bumpkin is sheer joy.