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Oh, but this 'gotta be first' thing is actually the quintessence of British road culture. Someone hasn't moved off immediately from the lights? Lean on the horn. A cyclist has held you up momentarily? Punishment pass. And I see cyclists cutting people up who have gotten in their way, stupidly racing people they think are inferior, mocking people who are less full kit wanker than they. Cyclists are learning to ride like car drivers - selfish, sharp-elbowed, dismissive and rude about 'lesser' road users. Like the 'nodders' thing.
h2o-
Oh, but this 'gotta be first' thing is actually the quintessence of British road culture.
Meditation On The A30 by Sir John Betjeman
A man on his own in a car
Is revenging himself on his wife;
He open the throttle and bubbles with dottle
And puffs at his pitiful lifeShe's losing her looks very fast,
She loses her temper all day;
That lorry won't let me get past,
This Mini is blocking my way."Why can't you step on it and shift her!
I can't go on crawling like this!
At breakfast she said that she wished I was dead-
Thank heavens we don't have to kiss."I'd like a nice blonde on my knee
And one who won't argue or nag.
Who dares to come hooting at me?
I only give way to a Jag."You're barmy or plastered, I'll pass you, you bastard-
I will overtake you. I will!"
As he clenches his pipe, his moment is ripe
And the corner's accepting its kill. -
Someone hasn't moved off immediately from the lights? Lean on the horn
As someone who has some traffic lights outside their house, this boils my piss.
ffm
pifko
Sitting at a red light in Borough this evening, roughly a metre from the kerb. Gent on a road bike rolls up and sits on my left, but slightly in front of me. Sigh, annoying that now I have to worry about him as I'm moving off, but nothing too unusual.
Another gent rolls up on my right and sits slightly in front of me there. Now, having been first at the lights by a good 15-20 seconds I'm sitting at the back. Feeling frustrated I let loose a sardonic "Everyone has to be at the front..." which is met by surprised looks from both parties and a "That's the way it is these days mate."
Yeah, yeah, I know everyone on two wheels is a friend, and I'm making a mountain out of a molehill like the nitpicking dickhead that I am, but I've started so I'll finish.
Why is it that people who would never dream of jumping the queue at an ATM or at the supermarket suddenly feel that nipping to the front and denying the cyclist there the chance to move off quickly is OK? If you find yourself behind someone when you reach a junction, why not stay there?
OK, I know there are bigger things to be worrying about, and more dangerous issues, but y'know... What are these threads for if not for ranting to strangers on the internet? Fin.