Who needs enemies with friends like these?

[Brandane]

You are quite right, which is why casual speeding, jumping red lights, talking on mobile phones, updating Facebook, etc etc etc make me ashamed to admit that I have a driving licence. If car drivers want to be taken seriously, then as a group we need to put our house in order.

Beaten to it once more by the wise elf!

 

[nickyboy]

Of course, all users of motor vehicles play by the rules, don't they?
Change that round a touch, to "if drivers want cyclists to consider drivers to be just another road user and treat them with respect then this sort of behaviour does US (drivers) no favours". Which is the crux of the matter, IMHO.. Bad drivers don't get good drivers a bad name; so WHY should a decent law abiding cyclist get his knickers in a twist over some idiots on bikes?
I really couldn't care less what other cyclists get up to. The only reason I care what other drivers get up to is that cars hurt when they hit you.

You are quite right, which is why casual speeding, jumping red lights, talking on mobile phones, updating Facebook, etc etc etc make me ashamed to admit that I have a driving licence. If car drivers want to be taken seriously, then as a group we need to put our house in order.

 

[jonny jeez]

I wish I had that many mates that cycled...there were hundreds of them!!!

Shame about the attitude but they will grow up and who knows they may become awesome cyclists.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I wish I had that many mates that cycled...there were hundreds of them!!!

Shame about the attitude but they will grow up and who knows they may become awesome cyclists.

They are more likely to grow up and become crap car drivers.

 

[jonny jeez]

totally amazed never seen any thing like that and even find it hard to believe that was an actual and perhaps every day real life event.

Its not...trust me.

 

[jonny jeez]

They are more likely to grow up and become crap car drivers.

Like everyone else then.

 

[nickyboy]

Not understanding your quote.

OK let me put it another way

I denounce the speeders, texters, status updaters in vehicles as much as the next person. These individuals give safe and responsible drivers a bad reputation by association
Cyclists want to be regarded as "another legitimate and legal road user group"...as I said, I wholeheartedly concur with this position. But where I seem to differ from some is that if cyclists want to be seen in this way then they have a responsibility to follow the rules on the road. So in the way I denounce speeders and texters I denounce rlj'ers and pavement warriors

Of course the argument goes that a speeding car is much more dangerous than a rlj'ing cyclist and that is absolutely true. But I say that if we, cyclists, want other road users to regard us as a legitimate and legal road user group we should not be condoning this sort of cycling.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Like everyone else then.

Not all car drivers are crap, the vast majority are safe drivers who cause no problems. It's the bad ones who stand out.

 

[jonny jeez]

I'm not going along with this idea that we were all kids once, it's doing no harm, what a great wheelie etc argument

There is a fairly commonly themed argument (one that I subscribe to) that roads aren't just for cars. They are for all legal road users. The main issue many face seems to be that car drivers consider roads to be solely for powered vehicles but they aren't

But with the premise that roads are for all legal road users come some element of responsibility and willingness to adhere to the rules in place on the roads. If cyclists actually want car drivers to consider cyclists to be just another road user and treat them with respect then this sort of behavior does us no favours

I think the point is...or at least my point is, that this is a single isolated incident. The kids were rude and dangerous to the pedestrians but at the end of the day its likely to never happen again. I've never seen it before and can recall more "civilised" cycle demonstrations causing far greater inconvenience and delay.

So yes, kids gaining attention for a cause in a perhaps naive way...but a very successful one.

Perhaps grown ups could learn a thing or two about making a scene, being happy to cause a stir.

 

[jonny jeez]

Not all car drivers are crap, the vast majority are safe drivers who cause no problems. It's the bad ones who stand out.

I know, you are right...i was pulling your leg really but we don't know how these kids will grow up. The really scary thought is , from the numbers and diverse age group seen in the video, that one of them will be deciding some part of our lives in the future.

Might even teach us how to pull a decent wheelie.

 

[GilesM]

Sort of thing I'd have really enjoyed doing when I was 15, and I'm just a wee bit impressed to know that some kids still get involved in real reality, instead of being stuck in their bedroom with social media and playstations.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

But I say that if we, cyclists, want other road users to regard us as a legitimate and legal road user group we should not be condoning this sort of cycling.

Speaking as someone who commutes by bicycle daily, I am a legitimate and legal road user.
My status as such isn't dependent upon my criticising other people on bikes who might behave badly.

 

[ozboz]

I thought they where younger than that , still school kids ?

The one I saw were late teens ,
But still , a bit menacing to some however old

 

[swee'pea99]

I'm not going along with this idea that we were all kids once, it's doing no harm, what a great wheelie etc argument

There is a fairly commonly themed argument (one that I subscribe to) that roads aren't just for cars. They are for all legal road users. The main issue many face seems to be that car drivers consider roads to be solely for powered vehicles but they aren't

But with the premise that roads are for all legal road users come some element of responsibility and willingness to adhere to the rules in place on the roads. If cyclists actually want car drivers to consider cyclists to be just another road user and treat them with respect then this sort of behavior does us no favours

Another 'commonly themed argument' (one I don't subscribe to). Fact is, IME most car drivers do 'consider cyclists to be just another road user and treat them with respect', and those that don't won't, whatever any cyclists do or don't do.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

These individuals give safe and responsible drivers a bad reputation by association

No, they don't, and the only reason so many motorists (and many on these fora, it seems) think that these badly-behaving cyclists make all other cyclists look bad is because cyclists are considered an "out group", and therefore any wrong committed by any member of the so-called "group" supposedly reflects on all members of the group. If cycling was considered as normal as motoring, this transfer of responsbility would not occur.