Pedestrian solipsism

One day I will structure arguments as well as Oliver

Amen.

They really seem to love stepping out when your cornering through a junction.

Even when you've indicated and they've seen you.

Fucks.

Well I gotta relate this one. I learned to ride a bike late in life (i.e. age 14). On my very second ride in town one woman jumps out in the road with her right arm raised. It was too quick for such a rookie as I was, I didn't know what the fuck to do so I just ducked under her arm. I kept riding happy to have avoided the collision --without looking back, it didn't seem cool. I sometimes wonder whether she noticed anything in the first place.

13 stone of me

Carrying a bit aren't you?

@ fedster Are you sure this isn't a commercial for Right Guard you've mixed up with a memory?

Quite. People on foot are the most dominant mode of traffic in London in the peak hour. You may notice cars more, but there are a lot more pedestrians about than drivers.

It is perfectly possible to avoid issues with pedestrians altogether. As ever, some cycle training (or reading Cyclecraft by John Franklin) will help address that in your riding. Scan the footways as you ride along, especially when there aren't any cars coming. Make eye contact with pedestrians who look and communicate with them in this way. With those who don't look, take evasive action. There aren't many of them. Don't try riding too fast through areas of heavy pedestrian traffic. There's no point. As a cyclist, you are using a mode of urban transport that is superior to both motoring and walking, so show your superiority by being traffic without conflict. Never assume that you have a right of way in a complex urban environment where people's paths intersect more often than they run in parallel. It's a place of interaction, not of ignoring people and trying to travel without acknowledging them.

you must be basking in self righteous bliss 24 hours a day.

@ fedster Are you sure this isn't a commercial for Right Guard you've mixed up with a memory?

Nope, that's the kind of stuff that gets well impressed in your memory because it's early in your cycling experience (wasn't london btw, and I'd find it difficult to remember any british commercial due to the fact I ain't from here and I don't watch TV). Being 14 at the time means I was probably quite a bit shorter than now.

Quite. People on foot are the most dominant mode of traffic in London in the peak hour. You may notice cars more, but there are a lot more pedestrians about than drivers.

It is perfectly possible to avoid issues with pedestrians altogether. As ever, some cycle training (or reading Cyclecraft by John Franklin) will help address that in your riding. Scan the footways as you ride along, especially when there aren't any cars coming. Make eye contact with pedestrians who look and communicate with them in this way. With those who don't look, take evasive action. There aren't many of them. Don't try riding too fast through areas of heavy pedestrian traffic. There's no point. As a cyclist, you are using a mode of urban transport that is superior to both motoring and walking, so show your superiority by being traffic without conflict. Never assume that you have a right of way in a complex urban environment where people's paths intersect more often than they run in parallel. It's a place of interaction, not of ignoring people and trying to travel without acknowledging them.

Plus one. Rep added.

Riding past the Lloyds Building twice a day you get used to it, had people look straight at me then step out, even saw a woman look then walk out in front of a van (she came of worse!).

There may be some intelegent people in that building but not a lot of common sense!

When I was a boy my parents had a dog that constantly ran away whenever local bitches were on heat. He would generally sneak off when we were not looking but if there were people around he would close his eyes and skulk off, as if to say - I cant see you, therefore you cant see me/dont really exist.

I am amazed at the number of pedestrians who use this as a modus operandi for crossing roads.

Classic ones are having a phone in hand and walking out, umbrella users etc.

This morning I watched a girl with a newspaper folded over her head just walk straight out into the path of an oncoming car. Her scream as the car narrowly missed her was quite blood curdling.

Is it about time for the green cross code to be advertised again on TV?

Solipsism may not be quite the right term, but was the closest I could come up with.

This sounds like a good mate of mine, every time we're in a bar / club / supermarket / on a bus

you must be basking in self righteous bliss 24 hours a day.

Not sure if you're being serious or not, but Oliver is a very nice, humble guy. If his posts come across as self-righteous at all, chalk it up to his German precision.

The one-way cycle path on Pitfield St (left at the Foundry) is amazing for this. I live on this road and have seen so many clashes as peds just walk into it without looking. It's crazy. They seem to lob themselves off the curb like lemmings.

But yes. Ol said it best. Sound advice.

I'm very wary of pedestrians after some slightly unsettling encounters (including being chased for a short distance by a huuge muscle-mountain of a guy shouting "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING A FUCKING CUNT?!" at me after he stepped out causing me to do an inadvertent sideways skid in front of a bus). Learned the lesson that being small and fluffy is only limited protection against the craziness of the general populace, and now adopt a more cautious approach.

That said, I do take far too much pleasure in passing very close behind pedestrians who step out without looking and then using my Brian Blessed voice to boom "Look OOOUUT" at them.

When I'm on a cycle path I tend to ride with a weird slightly-looking-left-grimace, thinking "don't step out don't step out don't step out"

Ah has search been used to see if this topic has come up before?

@hanged_up +1 - although no matter how much I will it not to happen it usually does.

Although I agree that charging down the street like a crazy person doesn't usually bode well for either the cyclist or pedestrian, its pretty difficult when you are moving with traffic and peds just jump into the street with the ipod on full blast - one day, they will be got, by bike or motor... the side exit of London Bridge station is a real nightmare for the ipod-clad, latte-carrying commuter... especially if its early and the ped in question hasn't yet cleared the fog of sleep from their eyes.

By the by, yesterday a bus dumped a passenger on the road and he wasn't even at a stop! My nose still hurts from that little collision.

Ah has search been used to see if this topic has come up before?

you may have noticed that this was a discussion thread, involving a childhood anecdote to help with the example

it was not intended to share knowledge or ask a question about a specific thing, just to start a little conversation

hence why no one other than you has tried to flame the thread

you on the other hand asked a series of questions that could all be addressed if you had utfb

how is life at the internet orphanage?

you may have noticed that this was a discussion thread, involving a childhood anecdote to help with the example

it was not intended to share knowledge or ask a question about a specific thing, just to start a little conversation

hence why no one other than you has tried to flame the thread

you on the other hand asked a series of questions that could all be addressed if you had utfb

how is life at the internet orphanage?

But going by your own comments, could this not have been added to another thread of a similar nature?

Using your own acronyms might give you better insight and that it was not a flame but an observation.

Additional - This seems to be a regular gripe on many forums. Is it one that needs repeating or one that does not be added to but added to a rant thread.

I sent some silly cow flying the other week because she stepped out from in front of a bus while texting right into my path, not looking anywhere but her phone. She still accused me (falsely) of jumping a light. I bellowed at her, she did not heed my yell, I went wide to avoid her, she continued walking straight into me and I knocked her on her arse and ended up with a big hole in my elbow. I also need my front wheel trued now.

What annoys me most is that she will spread a bit more cyclist-hate around even though it was 100% her fault. Cunt. It pleased me no end when I saw her with her arm all bandaged up the next day.

But going by your own comments, could this not have been added to another thread of a similar nature?

Using your own acronyms might give you better insight and that it was not a flame but an observation.

Additional - This seems to be a regular gripe on many forums. Is it one that needs repeating or one that does not be added to but added to a rant thread.

you thick cunt with no memory

i referred to use the fucking brain on your thread (that is UTFB not UTFS in case you need me to spell it out to you)

possibly this could have been added to another thread but it was not some idiot asking for help on a subject that they could have addressed themselves if they had utfb!

strangely your thread immediately got flamed (right from the outset) for its utter stupidity, where as people have actually contributed to this one

are you starting to notice a subtle distinction or should you just be banished to the mental ghetto that is the sub forum for the sub normal?

I'm a Michael Bolton fan.

you thick cunt with no memory

i referred to use the fucking brain on your thread (that is UTFB not UTFS in case you need me to spell it out to you)

possibly this could have been added to another thread but it was not some idiot asking for help on a subject that they could have addressed themselves if they had utfb!

strangely your thread immediately got flamed (right from the outset) for its utter stupidity, where as people have actually contributed to this one

are you starting to notice a subtle distinction or should you just be banished to the mental ghetto that is the sub forum for the sub normal?

But did you UTFB? The discussion could have quite easily added to many others.

OK lynx. Time for an Internet Time Out for you.

Put the keyboard down and go away for a while.

We have done this to DJ as well. You're welcome to search for it if you would like.

I've got to agree with Oliver on this one. I remember the best advice my parents gave to me when learning to drive - 'treat every other driver on the road as if they are a complete idiot'. This translates well when cycling too, just slow down and take it easy when things get hectic.

That said, I do enjoy being a bit of a cunt sometimes and flying past pedestrians on the left, leaving them stranded in the middle of the road facing oncoming traffic...

Always assume peds will step out in front of you.
Thats how I roll.
This is London my friend.
+1