What a ridiculous thing to say!!!

[hobbitonabike]

My husband and I have both started road cycling in the last year. One day hubby was chatting to the neighbour when he came out with this little gem....apparantly my hubby and I are both selfish to ride road bikes when we have children as it is too dangerous and we will orphan them!!!
Anyone else had pearls of advice that double up as the most ridiculous thing to leave a persons mouth???

 

[Bike_Me]

I hope either one of you smacked him...

 

[hobbitonabike]

I wasn't there tragically. Hubby just laughed at him. Best part is up until a few years ago he had a high powered motorbike!! Go figure!!

 

[hobbitonabike]

Oh he knows it all!! Always at the gym...wonder if he knows how lethal rowing machines are??? Might mention it next time I see him!! Ha! Suprised we didn't get a visit from social services when Father Christmas brought child one a road bike!! Hahahahahaha

 

[ColinJ]

I think the best response would have been "We don't want to die young from living unhealthy sedentary lifestyles so we took up cycling so we could live longer"! Point out that the health benefits outweigh the risks by a significant margin - cyclists live on average 14 months longer than car drivers.

 

[snorri]

I hope either one of you smacked him...

I wouldn't condone violence, but...............

 

[TVC]

I was told by a colleague at work that the tyres on my bike were dangerous because they had no tread on them and I would aquaplane in the rain. (22mm Conti Grand Prix by the way)

Bless him

 

[BigonaBianchi]

How about this one...uttered at me from a passing (too close) window...

" would you like me to throw this (coke can) at you?"

 

[Night Train]

When Mrs R and I cycled LEJOG in 2011, we stopped for a rest day in Hawes, a place we know very well. Mrs R called in at the local shop to buy some provisions and was asked by the aged owner why she was dressed in cycling gear. She explained that we had cycled up from Lands End and that we were going on to JO'G. His exact response was "What would you want to do that for?"

I'm not sure if he was being wise or simply didn't understand

Ahhhh, you should have been doing Jo'G to LE, all down hill then!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

A high up boss of mine once called my into work urgently. I got there within the hour. She scowled at me disapprovingly: "you didn't take the bike, did you?"
I mean, from where I live cycling to work is even faster than taking a taxi, by the time you wait for it

 

[yello]

cyclists live on average 14 months longer than car drivers.

Only 14 months? Cripes, not sure I can be bothered just for that

 

[ColinJ]

Only 14 months? Cripes, not sure I can be bothered just for that

I was surprised at how low that figure was, but they also took into account the negatives of accident rates and the ill effects of breathing in polluted air. I reckon the figure would be a lot higher for cyclists who tend to stick to quiet country roads.

Anyway, the improvement in quality of life is what matters to me. It's not only a case of living longer, but also living better!

 

[marzjennings]

I was told by a colleague at work that the tyres on my bike were dangerous because they had no tread on them and I would aquaplane in the rain. (22mm Conti Grand Prix by the way)

Bless him

Bless 'em, is about all you can say.

One time a bunch hikers took the time to explain the trail ahead was root and rock strewn and quite a nasty downhill trail. They didn't understand why I whooped with joy and sped off in the direction they just warned me against.

 

[ColinJ]

Okay, here's a much more impressive result!

 

[Davidc]

It clearly doesn't apply to most people, but I can truthfully say to the "how can you possibly do such a dangerous thing" and "you'll get killed doing that" brigade that I'd have been dead 4 1/2 years ago if it wasn't for being a cyclist. (The source for that is the cardiology consultant who fixed my ticker, though he did add "more likely than not")

I've got annoyed enough with a few people to say that to them and it shuts them up quite well.