Who wants to start it off ?

tribalwings

Spandex cylcists taking ov… Motors

Master and commander Member

On my way to college every day, i am always annoyed at the way the competitive or spandex cyclist allways seem to hog the road, often takin up more space than a truck. On a busy stretch of road here may be a perfectly good hard shoulder 2 or 3 meters wide but yet they feel the need to cycle right out in the middle of the traffic lane. Most of the time when a group is encountered they cycle 2 or 3 abreast and make no effort to let traffic past. Not only is it awkward and causing an obstruction but very dangerous both for themselves and others. I mean a truck or car coming up against them is often foced to slam on the brakes or swerve out. Most of the time, even non-agressive beeps to anounce your presence are met by volleys of vile gestures and outbursts of the most irreverend profanity. They have a right to be on the road of course, but often common sense is not used and to my eye they seem to go out of the way to cause an obstruction. I can understand the theory of cycling 2 abreast so as to force motorists to take notice -safety in numbers but i see no reason why they cannot go in the hard shoulder. Another thing is they almost never use the cycle lane, in breech of the law. If a cycle lane is provided, you must use it by law.

Another thing is their choice of roads to cycle. Always choose the busiest routes where they casue a huge danger as trucks and such try to overtake. I would never dream of cycling on some of the routes they take. I cycle, but i alwasy stay to quiter, safer routes and practically never go out on National primary routes, just to dangerous.

I once came across a guy in town, fully deck out who was coming against me on the street. Plenty room for us both, but he engaged wild hand waving gestures and telling me to "get the f**k in". What a plonker i thought.

I guess my question is this - why the hell are they so belligerent.

Ray Palmer

tribalwings wrote: »

. Most of the time, even non-agressive beeps to anounce your presence are met by ...

Simple a car horn never sounds polite.

Idleater

tribalwings wrote: »

Most of the time when a group is encountered they cycle 2 or 3 abreast and make no effort to let traffic past.

Another thing is their choice of roads to cycle. Always choose the busiest routes ...

:pac:

ashleey

What's spandex? Isn't it called Lycra these days?

ashleey

Plus has anyone here ever had a truck swerve violently OUT of their way?

-Trek-

Is it Friday already?

Doctor Bob

Is this a quote from Motors?

I guess if I want to respond, I know where to find it- probably not much point as the OP presumably isn't watching the Cycling forum in anticipation of my rapier wit.

But just in case...


OOP:

• Driving to college? What is this, 2007?
• Ever notice how all those cars that are in your way also seem to choose the busiest routes? Baffling! Here's a suggestion- if you want to avoid them, try the less busy routes. What's that? They don't suit you? Now that's a conundrum indeed.
• You do know we drive on the left here, don't you?

Oh. I seem to have shot all the fish.

Captain Havoc

I'm off to the motoring forum to ask why they park in cycle lanes :rolleyes:

tribalwings

Yeah sorry its a quote from the Motors forum. Didn't come out the best from the phone. I think its ridiculous

chakattack

I think most replies are a bit tongue in cheek...but I'll answer your question about hard shoulders/cycle lanes.

To the experienced "decked out" cyclist or especially a group relying on the eyes and calls of the people in front the hard shoulder/lane can be a hazard as they generally have the majority of potholes, rutted surfaces, leave, grit and shale or in the case of some badly designed lanes which suddenly leave you in a dangerous road position for left turning cars or having to hop up or down onto a footpath.

They are not in the middle of the road out of righteousness to piss others off and prove a point- they are there for their own safety. Reasonable enough don't you think?

Imagine there was a safe and unsafe part of the road for a car, one smooth and clear, one with craters and bumps - where would you drive?

I think you're exaggerating about oncoming cars and trucks having to swerve out of the way of a group. A legally two abreast group is about the same width as a car. Three abreast is allowed if the third person is overtaking.

I'm glad you recognise that there's safety in numbers.

Some cyclists are so peeved with getting beeped for slowing impatient motorists that they might over react to a gentle and more patient beep (if that's possible??) but most are well used to it and will just smile and wave back at the friendly gesture

Beasty

OK I originally posted a long response to the OP and then realised he was simply quoting from something posted in the motoring forum. The motoring mods, realising the absurdity of that post, quickly closed the thread. There is absolutely no reason to start it off again over here

OP - I suggest you learn how to quote from and link to other posts, as you came across as the author of that.

Thread closed