Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

^ yeah - I saw that Orbit in Action21. Really sweet frame, couldn't justify snapping it up at the time - wish I had seeing the price being asked for it now!

I was chatting to my mum, mentioned how more people were cycling in London now, in a pleased kind of way - she immediately says "London cyclists are awful. So rude and aggressive." and tells me a couple of stories of the last time she was there:

1. Crossing at a raised crossing in Hyde Park - cars stop, she crosses, cyclist comes through at speed, shouts at her to look where she's going. Mum seemed especially put out that it was a woman.

2. Someone shouting "OI!" as her friend is crossing at a pedestrian crossing - red man but clearish road. She couldn't clarify whether she was in the way or not, said "it was a clear road - there were no CARS", i'm not sure what really happened.

Anyway, that kinda burst my bubble as i'd been feeling pretty happy after pootling about the city over the weekend. Tried to explain that the "OI!!" might not have been rude, might have just been a look out, and that a lot of pedestrians have a sort of cyclist-shaped blind spot. Tried to explain that bikes should be treated like other vehicles and you don't assume they will or should stop for you (if there isn't a red light/ green man). Got the usual - "but they are so rude to pedestrians, they don't follow any rules, think they own the road" etc. What's depressing is not just that mum know i cycle, but that she is a regular cyclist - just not in London.

The first scenario - if traffic slows down to allow pedestrians to cross, whether they're at a crossing point or not, I really feel that cyclists should do so as well. It's just polite. Nicer for everyone. Like when peds cross on the blinking green man - generally cars don't rev and barge through but just wait a few more seconds - it would be seen as excessively aggressive - but i've often seen cyclists shout at, swerve past or just cycle straight through as soon as the lights change, sometimes forcing pedestrians to stop halfway across the lane. A couple of weeks ago this happened - someone still crossing after the lights had changed, I'm waiting, a car's waiting, another cyclist overtakes between me and the car, swears at the pedestrian as she swerves around him - she would have clearly seen what was happening in front, even a bit of slowing down would have meant she wouldn't have come close to the ped, and therefore it was a deliberate "assertion". I kinda hate that.

What do other peeps think? Bad cycling or absolutely right?

I do find i cycle a bit differently in Cambridge and London - there's a different pace, different expectations of and from other road users, i have to sort of flick a little switch when i get off the train, but i enjoy both. I just wish people could be a bit nicer to each other, y'know, learn to share.

What do other peeps think? Bad cycling or absolutely right?

It's bad cycling any way you slice it but to be honest behaviour like that is from the minority of cyclists (London or otherwise), and rude fuckers are more common in cities anyway. I've had people shove me out of the way and walk into me in the street without a hint of apology (while on foot, natch) in London but that hasn't yet led me to the sweeping conclusion that all London pedengers are douchehats.

Agreed. I also think a lot of these time-trial, can't-stop-for-a-second commuters would enjoy their ride a lot more if they adopted a more relaxed attitude.

Twice last week pedestrians in Fulham went out of their way to stop and thank me for stopping at a red light and a zebra crossing as though it was some miracle that a cyclist didn't race through in the first few seconds of a red light. Not great for the collective image.

But that said there's nothing wrong with #2 on your list. I'd be politer if I could, but when someone's obliviously stepping out into your path and you're going at speed, then there's only time for an instinctive monosyllabic yelp to prevent a crash.

It always shocks me when people thank me for stopping when they have the priority/right of way. Though occasionally i have possibly come closer to people than they would like when they have walked out when I have the priority.

+1, oi is the only thing I can do loudly, it may seem rude/make peds jump but then if they'd followed the green cross code when I have priority I wouldn't have to shout...

But that said there's nothing wrong with #2 on your list. I'd be politer if I could, but when someone's obliviously stepping out into your path and you're going at speed, then there's only time for an instinctive monosyllabic yelp to prevent a crash.

Oi is def. the way forward.... when required... but given a choice I'd always rather smile at another road user and say 'thank you'...... more happy people required.

(that said if the bus driver from y'day's reading this.... driving five feet from my rear wheel down the Camberwell New Road is not going to make me 'smile' at you... Tit.)

I prefer "Hey" (possibly less rude-sounding?)

I just wish people could be a bit nicer to each other, y'know

ah...

I enjoy stopping at zebra crossings:

1) To see the guy who wants me to run it's face full of disappointment becasue he can't shout at me (despite being able to see him mentally preparing the abuse from the snarled look of concentration on his face.).

2) General surprise from lots of people

Saw a young lady on a hybrid this evening. Thought she did not have any lights on her bike, turned out she did but the battery was practically flat and the light bracket was so low down that the light was obscured by her rear wheel.

Pointed this out to her and she was v thankful.

I guess it depends on how the subject is broached.

I've thought about printing up Cycle Training cards and handing them out to offenders on my commute.

But previous experience tells me people don't like to be TOLD.

HA! I've thought of this kind of thing before...
Would be awesome to have some sort of un-removable (is that a word?) glue to stick big stickers on cars who have been total wankers, we're talking hit you from behind then bollock you for being on the road and then drive off!

Monsta

You are two years too late

http://whatacunt.co.uk/

It works both ways. Peds need to show the same respect for other road users. (For obvious reasons) I get really narked when peds wait at lights- no differently to the specialized hybrid time trialists mentioned- they look up at the lights and see it (the man) is red but then still decide to amble across the road taking no care to check what is happening in the road. If you're going to get across like Akabusi why bother looking up at the lights?

When you do ask what they're doing, many give the same kind of abuse that cyclists do. The crossing on King William St. (just before London Bridge) traveling southbound from Gracechurch st. anyone? Bloody hell.

Me: zoning out, following the endless chain of bikes along the hipster route east, riding up the left of cars, just as one turned... Thankfully a whitevanman called me out.

@DancingJames - AWESOME!!!

I like to think of lights, whether as a pedestrian or cyclist is a signal to pay attention rather than a do or don't (I know thats not right, but with common sense should be fine).

For instance if I'm on a quiet road, only person around and a pedestrian crossing goes to red, I'll slow down and still cross it slowly while paying attention. However if it's a big junction with lots of cars/people, I'll wait patiently for my turn.

A return to common sense I think is needed across the board.

I did get shouted at this morning by a overpriveledged blonde woman on her mobile because my front wheel had edged onto the pedestrian crossing at Exmouth Market. I guess she was right that I should have been 6 inches to a foot further back, but there was a good 15 foot worth of crossing! Those kinds of right or wrong opinions are beyond me.

To expect to not have to slow down ever is rediculous, heaven forbid you might have to actually stop at a red signal! The vast majority of lights I stop at, mainly because I don't miss the few extra minutes it takes, also give me a chance to practice the ol' trackstand. Coming off the back of my touring this summer I'm also pretty rapid these days so I ususally catch everyone who ran the red in any case. If I'm approaching a zebra, toucan or signalled ped crossing I stop if anyone is waiting or on it, or at least slow down enough to let them pass and then ride through behind them. People nearly always say thankyou. Courtesy costs nothing and makes for a much more relaxed vibe on the journey.

I did get shouted at this morning by a overpriveledged blonde woman on her mobile because my front wheel had edged onto the pedestrian crossing at Exmouth Market. I guess she was right that I should have been 6 inches to a foot further back, but there was a good 15 foot worth of crossing! Those kinds of right or wrong opinions are beyond me.

Did you say you were deeply sorry to the bottom of your heart ask her if she wanted to go and get a coffee at your expense? Usually snaps people out of their Anger stupor pretty quickly.

It works both ways. Peds need to show the same respect for other road users. (For obvious reasons) I get really narked when peds wait at lights- no differently to the specialized hybrid time trialists mentioned- they look up at the lights and see it (the man) is red but then still decide to amble across the road taking no care to check what is happening in the road. If you're going to get across like Akabusi why bother looking up at the lights?

When you to ask what they're doing, many give the same kind of abuse that cyclists do. The crossing on King William St. (just before London Bridge) traveling southbound from Gracechurch st. anyone? Bloody hell.

completely agree. It annoys me in equal amounts when cyclists jump red lights and cause peds to jump out the way as the peds that see it's a red man and decide to walk slowly in front of you anyway. The worse crossing I've found is the one by the traffic works at St. Pauls. Yes there are temporary traffic lights there, that's not a reason for you to just fucking cross without looking. And if you look at me approaching then decide to cross anyway, don't look fucking surprised when I shout in your face so I don't hit you, you retarded cretin.

I think empty cans is gone, but the person behind empty cans isn't gone....

http://www.lfgss.com/member19832.html

keeps trying to sell his TT bike in different threads (which he got from the cycle place he was volunteering in, which he mentioned before), with a link to his flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joesphotographicness/sets/72157624578763788/

bikes seem to match up to the bikes he said he owned, questionable spelling, joined right about the time empty cans left....

well done you spotted me, but what ever i changed...

To expect to not have to slow down ever is rediculous, heaven forbid you might have to actually stop at a red signal! The vast majority of lights I stop at, mainly because I don't miss the few extra minutes it takes, also give me a chance to practice the ol' trackstand. Coming off the back of my touring this summer I'm also pretty rapid these days so I ususally catch everyone who ran the red in any case. If I'm approaching a zebra, toucan or signalled ped crossing I stop if anyone is waiting or on it, or at least slow down enough to let them pass and then ride through behind them. People nearly always say thankyou. Courtesy costs nothing and makes for a much more relaxed vibe on the journey.

Nobody ever thanks me at a crossing for stopping for them. Ever. I always stop, but nobody actually thanks me for it. If anybody ever did I think I'd fall off my bike in shock.

I did have the pleasure last night of having to swerve around two women with a little kid who had been standing in the road (ha!) by a bus stop who waited until I was about 2 feet away from them before sauntering out to cross. As I gawped at them incredulously while swerving I saw one of them point a finger dreamily at me as though I'd just appeared out of thin air and was composed entirely of fucking ectoplasm. So not only acting like a pair like a cunts but putting a toddler at risk of serious injury at the same time? Nice!

I don't really want to turn this into a whinge about peds but I guess my point is that courtesy should really go both ways. The whole concept of right-of-way exists for a reason, innit.

It disappoints me that so many pedestrians look with fear as cyclists approach them crossing junctions when they have the right of way. Giving a nod, a smile and stopping frequently elicits words of thanks to which I generally make some comment like "its your turn."

It's the ones who actually wait at the edge of zebra crossings and then only cross when you stop that bug me.

If I see them, I'll slow down - aiming to hit the crossing well behind them/after they've crossed, yet still they stand there gaping until I'm 2 feet from them, despite a friendly nod to cross.

Why do they do this? Because other cunting cyclists won't stop.

It's the ones who actually wait at the edge of zebra crossings and then only cross when you stop that bug me.

If I see them, I'll slow down - aiming to hit the crossing well behind them/after they've crossed, yet still they stand there gaping until I'm 2 feet from them, despite a friendly nod to cross.

Why do they do this? Because other cunting cyclists won't stop.

Not just cyclists, either. in London it's 50-50 whether anyone will stop. I certainly never cross in front of a Volvo in Stamford Hill; the Hasidic types seem to think that the appropriate response to a ped on the zebra crossing ahead of them is to accelerate loudly and screech to a halt at the last possible moment only if you haven't leapt out of the way.

I did have the pleasure last night of having to swerve around two women with a little kid who had been standing in the road (ha!) by a bus stop who waited until I was about 2 feet away from them before sauntering out to cross. As I gawped at them incredulously while swerving I saw one of them point a finger dreamily at me as though I'd just appeared out of thin air and was composed entirely of fucking ectoplasm. So not only acting like a pair like a cunts but putting a toddler at risk of serious injury at the same time? Nice!

I know what you mean here. Yesterday an idiot pleb woman marched her spawn straight ontl the cycle path with her back to me, I was going moderately fast,a nd immediately locked up both brakes, skidding to a stop about two inches from her backside. Even with her back to me she startled (no doubt to me involuntarily shouting "FUCK!") but then proceeded to pointedly ignore me while she continued her perilous journey. all 25 metres from a zebra crossing. and she'd been dodging between cars which is why I didn't see her.

I've seen fucking mallards with better road sense. I can't imagine what road crossing skills that kid's going to develop. Where's Alvin Stardust when you need him?

I make a point of not RLJ-ing and I always stop for zebra crossing users - like many others, the number of people who say thanks is surprising. That said, I try to acknowledge when other road users are driving considerately of me too, even when technically they're required to.

I've seen fucking mallards with better road sense.

When Easts was still at the Royal Inn on the Park near closing time we often saw a fox cross the road using the zebra. That fox should start a ped training business....