They don't even pay road tax Joe. **Off topic thread**

In total seriousness, what if that driver had snapped completely and decided to run the cyclist over? Sometimes part of responsible safe defensive driving/riding is recognising that there is a potential hazard close to you and getting as far away from it as possible rather than trying to make a hazard more of a hazard.

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Seriously. She beeped him. Not pleasant, but definitely didn't deserve the reaction of the cyclist. Totally OTT and the exact reason cyclists are despised by so many. Clearly there's a few like-minded in here which is worrying.

I'm with lennymc on this one.

That's only because you're scared of his cans of whoopass....

RainyDay wrote: »

The cyclist may well have had a good reason for taking a defensive position. It may seem paradoxical, but sometimes, the safest place is well out from the kerb, preventing an overtake where there is not enough room to overtake safely.

Yeah, but..... was he wearing a helmet ??????



(it's a Friday after all )

my tuppence

@Rainyday - initially it may well have been defensive riding, but inviting, and provoking someone to move closer to you in a stress filled situation is not defensive riding. There is a basic concept in advanced rider training of a safety bubble - basically all the space between you and everything else on the road. Good defensive riding/driving/cycling says that the road user try's to keep this bubble as large as possible.

@ dermot - maybe she was being a dick. Quite possibly she was. I didn't read it like that however. I would also not consider a beep to let someone know i was there as being rude. Either way, his riding was provocative (I'm struggling to understand why anyone would want to antagonise someone in a ton of metal that could squash you very easily, who is already demonstrating signs of being in a stressful situation.......) Many cases of cars nudging bikes out of the way. Who is to say she wasn't some nut job who decided to ram him. His riding also adds to the perception that all cyclists ride irresponsibly, which indirectly affect me, as I have to share the road with people who witness cyclists behaving like that. What if next time it's you or me in front of her, and she decides, based on previous experience to risk an overtake that goes wrong. Some car drivers are balls of stress. I drive an impreza turbo, and drive responsibly (22 years driving, clean licence, no points, etc etc) and the sheer number of lunatics who see an impreza and nearly crash into other cars to try and prevent me from merging, or changing lane is astounding. This is just normal driving stuff that I can do in my wife's car without anyone batting an eyelid. Perception is a very powerful thing that can result in strange behaviour in otherwise rational people. I bet she won't remember the hundreds of responsible cyclists she passes every day, but will remember this one, and act accordingly. Using public roads should be seen as a privilege rather than a right.

@CatFromHue - Using your analogy - Gaza possesses a massive metal nuke that would wipe out Isreal if Gaza decided it had had enough....

Being in the right, and being safe are not the same thing.

I see a lot of similarities between cyclists and motorcyclists in perceived wrongs on people - a cyclist will generally stick up for a cyclist, a motorcyclist will generally stick up for a motorcyclist etc, but at the end of the day we are all road users and should stick up for other road users and call out people (regardless of what they use on the road) who are dicks.

I like this kind of discussion - i think it helps people think about how they use the road, and maybe think that little bit more about the wider ranging consequences of their actions. anyway, it's a bank holiday weekend - stay safe out there.

lennymc wrote: »

I would also not consider a beep to let someone know i was there as being rude.

She describes it as "a little beep [to get him] to move over", which seems paradoxical. A beep to get someone to move out of your way is generally not little, so it suggests that she's already exaggerating.

Particularly if he was actually cycling at 5kph and she wasn't able to safely overtake him while he was "a bit far into the road", then there must have been some crazy road conditions or she doesn't belong on the road. Then she shouted at him, and blared the horn continuously.

Really, nobody comes out of this looking good. Cyclist seems like a dick whom we should all tell to cop on, and collectively give a punch in the face.

Kinet1c wrote: »

Just discovered Durianrider, quite funny so far!

'Discover' his girlfriend

Kinet1c wrote: »

Just discovered Durianrider, quite funny so far!

'powah meetahh!'
'carbs, carbs, carbs...sugar,sugar,sugar'

My favourite;
'Spinners for winners, dance like Lance'

Quick my dad the pensioner update: Since he started using a cycle computer at the start of the month he's put 300km on it and N+1d with a boardman team Carbon. He's also lost the gut that he hasn't been able to shift for the last decade + in the space of a couple of months.

Cycling FTW...I'm in serious danger of being left in his dust trail.

Cuengo's Knee, not looking the best


Warning - graphic image
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BuREUMNCEAEAzLa.jpg:large

Trying to decide which new helmet to get as my Livestrong one has been cracked!

Kask Infinity or Casco Speedster

Thoughts?