What is it with snowballing? (Birmingham)

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the reluctant cyclist

Über Member
Location
Birmingham
Cycling along this morning - I had to change my route yet again as I now try to avoid the Hagley Road in Birmingham after getting knocked off so now I got under the underpass at the crossroads and up Lordswood Road.

I have to go past the entrance to Lordswood Boys School and as I went past this morning I was shouted at "you're going to get it" and then (I kid you not) about 20/25 snowballs were pelted at me at once.

(Stop laughing!)

I had a bus overtaking me and a lorry behind me at the time but managed to stay on (luckily they were all really crap aims - all those truanting from PE lessons) but it was actually really frightening!

I phoned the school who said all they can do is apologise - I don't think that's good enough - they need to be told how dangerous it is! God knows how I stayed on and if I hadn't I would have been under the bus - at the very least coming off flipping hurts!!!

I think that as this has become massively popular they should have a member of staff outside the schools when it snows which is only about 3 flipping times a year!

Has anyone else been a victim of "Pelt the Cyclist?!"

By the way I am laughing myself now but at the time it was scarey!!!
 

Elmer Fudd

Miserable Old Bar Steward
Dunno the real response to your post, but snowballs in Brum ? November ? The buses will stop running next !
 
Get angry with the school. A threat to go to the press with a "Horror school pupils nearly kill woman - headmaster does nothing" type story might help. I hope you're ok.
 

GrahamG

Guru
Location
Bristol
I personally wouldn't do anything at all, I'd laugh it off. Anything more than a quick phonecall to the head is going a bit far in my book - don't forget that kids aren't even allowed to throw snow balls in the playground so where else can they do it?!
May sound like the 'softer' approach but I normally just join the fight if one comes my way on the street ;)
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
Where else can they do it? In the street, like we all did, but like I'm sure we all did they should stop when theres a 'civilian' passing.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Elmer Fudd said:
Dunno the real response to your post, but snowballs in Brum ? November ? The buses will stop running next !

Yeah, my Mum reckons parts of Leicestershire had inches of the stuff yesterday, albeit quickly melting... Not a flake in York.

I think a call to the school is the right way to go. If they get enough, they'll realise they need to do something. But I'm not sure if a teacher outside would do much good - as far as I can tell, kids aren't bothered by teachers anymore....
 

Maz

Guru
If it's a direct hit to the face, call the school! The combination of the shock of being hit, temporary blindness and having to control the bike in traffic enraged me enough to call the school about it.

I know they got the message to all the kids cos my daughter goes to the same school and she told me it was mentioned in assembly...I bet there was some hushed sniggering when that was read out!

Plenty of snow in Brum sunday evening - I was trying to drive back to Leicester then decided it wasn't worth taking the risk. Car kept skidding on Stratford rd.
 

AtmoLav

New Member
Location
Northampton
How about this...

Get off the bike.

Take a strategic position.

Build a mound of snowballs and strike back. Hit em hard and often. They may have numbers on their side but as long as you get your positioning right and a high enough number of snowballs, I reckon you'll have them running.

It's snowballs. They're kids. They're having fun. What's the problem? Have some fun back.

It really is a sad world we live in if kids are no longer able to throw snow at each other and passers-by.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
AtmoLav said:
It really is a sad world we live in if kids are no longer able to throw snow at each other and passers-by.

Throwing snow at people who are part of the game is one thing, throwing snow, or anythig at someone who is trying to maintain a safe position riding a bike on the road, with other traffic, is selfish and dangerous. Childish I suppose you might say, and OK, they are children, but growing up is a process of learning what is and what isn't acceptable.
 
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