Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

Jenny Bikes:-

https://twitter.com/GreenJennyJones/status/434218055917654016

"
@CycleSystemsAc @festinagirl Ken sent me to Paris in 2004 as Deputy Mayor to check out Velib. I urged him to intro similar b4 2008 election.
"

... and the Lib Dems say that the suggestion first appeared in something drawn up by Lynne Featherstone, who was then an AM, in 2001, based on the Lyon system, not Paris (where it hadn't even started yet). It's not terribly important. Just say 'hire bike', that's completely neutral.

I say Boris Bike because they're big, clumsy, blue and easily associated with corporate sponsorship.

London Velib-style Bike.

Doesn't matter what they're called. You can't do mad slo-mo whip skids on them.

Jenny Bikes:-

https://twitter.com/GreenJennyJones/status/434218055917654016

"
@CycleSystemsAc @festinagirl Ken sent me to Paris in 2004 as Deputy Mayor to check out Velib. I urged him to intro similar b4 2008 election.
"

Jenny Bikes sounds too factual but if it was a case of rolling on down on some jenny jonesies™ then I'm totally in.

What the hell? I have never ridden a barclays bike before so forgive me for being ignorant, but are they really that hard to control? I was just at Holborn and there were several people on boris bikes acting like they've never ridden a bike before. all wobbly like, hopping on to the pavement with pedestrians around and just running through red lights.

One of them rear ended me on a red stop around centre point, apologized and said he thought i'm going to jump the red light... what the hell?

I think its just the hire car scenario for bikes, you have no vested interest in the vehicle so you don't care for it or how you treat it; combined with a lot of these people are people who don't own bikes so just know cycling through reputation

They're very hard to ride if you insist on riding it as you would your regular bike.

Had a fun time with a caricature of a knob-end fixie rider yesterday.
Near Stockwell tube station he jumps a red light just as I merge into the main road that he's on from the right. He sits in the lane to turn left off the main road down to Brixton then decides to undercut me entering the lane to Clapham instead.

I decide to entertain myself and get a little passive aggressive drafting him for about 50m before he turns around grumpily and does a little prepared line "Either pass me or cut that out". I tell him it's a bit rich telling people how to behave on the road given that he'd just flaunted the highway code. To which he replies "I can do whatever I want on the road".

I scoff at his entitled attitude, call him a hypocrite, and annoy him a bit more by beating him in a silly race up the mini rise on bike and gear that weighs twice as much as his stuff.

It was all very antagonistic and silly but it was incredibly satisfying.

Flouted.

I'm not tough, I'm not aggressive and the last time I was involved in anything even resembling violence I was in year 9 but, every time some cunt decides to dash down my inside and swerve madly about whilst doing it I am sorely tempted to introduce them to the pavement.

It really really really pisses me off.

Some nobber calling me out for not signalling when I'm on a roundabout, and he doesn't want to have to slow down and give way...

I forgot a story I had a 2-3 months ago back when I was in London.

Riding down somewhere near Shoreditch High Street, I found myself in a small bunch of riders in the bus lane, bunched up because some guy was in front of the group deliberately swerving about all over the place in the lane, making it unsafe to attempt to overtake.

Eventually he calmed down for long enough for me to overtake, which I immaturely declared 'learn to ride a bike, mate' as I passed.

He took great umbrage to this (perhaps understandably) and sat on my back wheel for the next mile or so while breathlessly and incoherently attempt to shout abuse at me. No idea what he was saying, but I eventally pulled left a bit when stopping a light and noticed he'd gone.

WAC. Wonder if they were on here? They appeared to be dressed as a fakenger.

^ almost certainly on here.

Sorry, it wont happen again

^^^ Wasn't a cock on a red langster, was it? Familiar behaviour.

I don't post on here very often merely read the forums from a distance but felt the need to pipe up on this one.... I've just got back into commuting to work again, London roads scare the shit out of me and I'd slacked off riding for too long. Anyway.... cycling from south to north over the Chelsea Bridge is quite eye opening in the morning, are these lycra clad lot just hooked into Strava or something? I'm happy to pootle along and indicate to move out to the right lane in order to head to Pimlico but it's like a bleeding race track. And don't get me started on the riders filtering between the two lanes in a five hand width space.

On the way home I opt for the left hand pavement, I know the cycle infrastructure over there is shit but there's no way I'm gonna get stuck in a left turning bottle neck to the bridge.

:(

Have you considered having some cycle training

As smug as that might sound Lee - I can recommend it. Did it, learned stuff, got confident, learned how to handle bell ends and stuff...

Agree.

Fair point, I think it's just a case of getting my confidence on the road and fitness levels back though.

This has reminded me that I still haven't taken up Lambeth's[1] offer for free cycle training (Adult Level 2 - On Road).

Some London boroughs offer something via this lot: http://www.cycleconfident.com/sponsors/

1. I work in Lambeth so I qualify for a free course there. Live in Wandsworth but the wording on their website seems to indicate that they don't offer the Adult Level 2 course.
   

Try contacting tfl

https://tfl.gov.uk/forms/12421.aspx

More info here

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/start-cycling/cycle-training?cid=fs033

For more experienced cyclists
Even if you're an experienced cyclist, you can still take advantage of subsidised cycle training. If you've ridden for years, chances are you're pretty comfortable on your bike, but you've probably also picked up one or two bad habits along the way. The advanced refresher course is a chance to challenge your perceptions and improve your safety on the road.

Want to start cycling to work? This is the perfect time to book a cycle training session. The trainer can help you route plan and even ride the route with you. This can be particularly helpful for learning how to tackle some of London's more unusual junctions. To book a training course, contact your local borough.

I don't post on here very often merely read the forums from a distance but felt the need to pipe up on this one.... I've just got back into commuting to work again, London roads scare the shit out of me and I'd slacked off riding for too long. Anyway.... cycling from south to north over the Chelsea Bridge is quite eye opening in the morning, are these lycra clad lot just hooked into Strava or something? I'm happy to pootle along and indicate to move out to the right lane in order to head to Pimlico but it's like a bleeding race track. And don't get me started on the riders filtering between the two lanes in a five hand width space.

On the way home I opt for the left hand pavement, I know the cycle infrastructure over there is shit but there's no way I'm gonna get stuck in a left turning bottle neck to the bridge.

:(

If it's not too out of your way, Albert Bridge is nicer to cycle across (even though there's no cycle lane, the carriageway is reasonably wide and there are width restrictions either end).