101 wankers

After reading the Cycling Lawyer blog thought ought to check out where we were on the '101 hankers' total, only up to 16 it seems. Hope cyclist OK after last post referred to them becoming invisible.....

It's a top blog and I'll be sure to keep an eye on it, but I have a general question responding to Wankers Number 14. Dawn went with the retaliatory approach, smacking the aggressors car and (albeit accidentally) breaking his arial. Now I have positively no love for guys like him and frankly it does sound like Karma, but once we raise a hand (unless in self defense) and damage property our argument is greatly diminished is it not? We've all palmed a window or shouted to alert some no-mark to our vulnerability from time to time, but...

So here's the question;
Fuck em - it's war?
or stay frosty people - we're representing out there?

I go with the latter, hearts and minds and all that.

On a sit up and beg bike, I was plenty tall enough to hit his roof. I sped up, whacked his roof, but also his aerial, which to my surprise came clean off in my hand. I wasn’t about to apologise, or let him jump out of the car, so I hopped onto the pavement, cycled to the edge of the bridge, threw it into the river and looked back at the car, before beating a hasty exit.

Hahah.

I meet a BMW in london bridge the other day. I was pulling away from the lights which just turned green when i felt some scraping on my rear tyre. This grew more pained whenceupon i felt a slight tapping on the back of my right heal. I look down and see the front bumper of a black BMW almost pushing me along at this point. I shit myself and speed up out of his grasp, look round and stare at the driver, who I now notice is looking in his lap and texting. He is also indicating right for no reason.

I was more dumbstruck than angry and just made a WTF gesture at the prick, who didn't notice me until his passenger, who was well aware, began shouting at me making that "look where you're going" sign language.

Brilliant

I reported the same incident via Cannon's website. Got nothing back.

same.

Has anyone else noticed an increase in people shouting shit since the Olympics? Of both the lucky saddle and the alright Vicky variety. I suppose it's a sign of cyclists being more prominent in the general public's tiny little mind which is good but it's still fucking annoying.

Had "Bradley Wiggins!" a few times, by children.

I'm always getting shouted at.

It's usually stuff like 'Get out of my garden!' or 'Put some fucking clothes on, there's kids around!' or 'You're not the gas man! Help! Help!'

My advice is to just ignore it and go about your business.

Had "Bradley Wiggins!" a few times, by children.

Did they mistake the side burns of your child catcher costume for Bradley's chops?

Something oddly unsettling seems to have happened since the tour/olympics.

There has been a upswing in the amount of positive banter from cars and pedestrians!

2 evening rides in a group through the city centre have generated genuinely friendly waves and shouts from passers by and i got a cheery "allez!" on my way to work last week.

As my default setting when yelled at whilst riding is indignant rage/frustration i am finding this new welcoming atmosphere challenging!

In Leeds too which isn't exactly renowned for its welcoming populace!

about the time of the Tour De France last year, some one shouted out there window along the lines of "come on lance, got a tour to win!"

I was just in jeans and a hoody riding my fuji track in a rush, so they were obviously taking the piss, hardly the worst thing some one has said to a cyclist, but just saying how it can be turned around to take the piss...

Something oddly unsettling seems to have happened since the tour/olympics.

There has been a upswing in the amount of positive banter from cars and pedestrians!

2 evening rides in a group through the city centre have generated genuinely friendly waves and shouts from passers by and i got a cheery "allez!" on my way to work last week.

As my default setting when yelled at whilst riding is indignant rage/frustration i am finding this new welcoming atmosphere challenging!

In Leeds too which isn't exactly renowned for its welcoming populace!

+1

nobody has tried to run me over around the Leeds area since the Olympics, and that's saying something for Leeds drivers.

Had "Bradley Wiggins!" a few times, by children.
I had this in Bristol about to do the Exmouth Exodus. He had something to say about being in green top and called me Wiggins. I was in the sharkpit jersey.

Felt weird.

Yeah, despite the uncanny feel of it its really pleasant! A very clear shift in attitude very suddenly.

That said my commute has shifted to not include Harehills so maybe thats what it is actually

Someone just shouted some obscene filth at me in the street - I wasn’t even on a bike, I just seem to attract the weirdos.

I reckon I’m shouted at just as much while riding as before the Olympics, though now I do get the occasional “Pendleton!” in amongst the random abuse.

about the time of the Tour De France last year, some one shouted out there window along the lines of "come on lance, got a tour to win!"

Well, at least it was funny. Ish.

(And audible. I think the only thing anyone's ever shouted at me has been Nnnngrh grrrrkh ftyyyyddshhh.)

(In pure east end London talk) Look at you, on your bike, you poncey little cunt.... Ow old are ya anyway? I've got a fuckin daughter your age you little ponce...

Sick burn dad!

my response of choice when visiting the smoke...

What are you, some sort of cunt?

Always does the trick, which in this case was him attempting to steer into me a few times, then when faced with the arrival of another (more vocal than myself) cyclist joining the debate, driving off in a cloud of smoke.

On a more positive side, whilst cycling through France I got alot of "Cavendish, CAVENDISHHH!!!"

not sure if it was my world champ jersey, my keen sprint, or my beer belly.

About a few months ago, i was riding home at night from the gf's as usual, not many cars around, just cruising along down a hill, then some twats in a golf drove past and squirted me with a water pistol right in my face! i'm sure they found it absolutely hilarious, but i was going down a hill and i ended up hitting a pot hole, i could of easily come off, not funny for me.

they even came back to try again, but i slammed on my brakes and swerved so they completely missed

Walking down the road in Dagenham about 4 years ago, 23:00, got a full 2 pint bottle of whole milk thrown at the back of my head by a moving car. That fucking hurt.

Walking down the road in Dagenham about 4 years ago, 23:00, got a full 2 pint bottle of whole milk thrown at the back of my head by a moving car. That fucking hurt.

It's a sad day when milk floats resort to drive by attacks.

must have left you pretty shaken up

It's a sad day when milkmen resort to float-by attacks.

Fixed.

I reckon it was a professional hit.

Someone paid to have you gold topped.

I'm always getting shouted at.

It's usually stuff like 'Get out of my garden!' or 'Put some fucking clothes on, there's kids around!' or 'You're not the gas man! Help! Help!'

My advice is to just ignore it and go about your business.

We should do business.

Oh, Hai Balks! :)