Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

did you take it like a man?

I responded politely that the lane was free of traffic, and it wasn't dangerous. Well not for me anyway. We then went our seperate ways...

Chapeau

calling out bad drivers (busses)?

This morning I was zipping along in the cycle lane (all clear ahead of me) when a bus accelerated past me and immediately cut across my path breaking hard to stop at a bus stop. A bit of evasive action and swerving around the bus into a busy lane of traffic (thankfully there was a small gap) and everything was fine. But, had it not been for the lucky timing of a gap in the traffic things could have been a lot worse. As I wen't past the bus I gave a quick exasperated slap on the driver's window and then stopped at the next bus stop and took a photo so that I could identify the offending vehicle.

Nothing bad came of my near miss, no witnesses and no evidence - I find it hard to believe that either the bus company or the police will take any action, so I see little point in reporting the incident. 90% of me just doesn't care - everything was fine and it was just another instance of stupid driving, but the remainder feels that had I been less experienced or less lucky then I could have been seriously hurt and that such instances of bad driving should at least be flagged in the hope that they reduce the chances of an accident in the future. At what point do we start calling out bad drivers (especially professional drivers)?

I think the general quality of riding has to be seen to be improvable. To be honest I'm someone who's been riding a fair bit in my yoof but spent a fair time on the old public transport before re-discovering my love of two wheels again. I suppose you could say I'm a weekender and low miler. But I'm aware how treacherous it can be out there and I'm increasingly aware of etiquette as regards other cyclists. The reason I frequent this forum is to pick up insight into this stuff from those more experienced. I'm becoming a better cyclist as a result. It's all about education... Just acknowledging that I'm not a 2 wheeled super hero and that I should spend as much effort staying alive as improving my cadence helps a bunch. Pissing down with rain today so I took a couple of MPH off and made survival my priority. I'm learning, why can't others?

Nothing bad came of my near miss, no witnesses and no evidence - I find it hard to believe that either the bus company or the police will take any action, so I see little point in reporting the incident.

There's no harm in reporting.

Even if you feel it's useless, least they have a record of the incident of which may be useful for future reference, for instance another run-in with a cyclists.

calling out bad drivers (busses)? ...
Most of the bus drivers in Oxford are pretty good around cyclists, could be worth reporting it and asking the company to remind all drivers to take extra care around more vulnerable road users.

The cycle lanes in Oxford are crap, best to take up a more primary position. The council has obviously realised that a lot of people cycle, therefore cycle lanes are required. The problem here is that the roads aren't wide enough to accomodate a proper cycle lane so we have some pretty awful lanes. But that's another issue entirely.

Glad to hear you got away unharmed.

Just tired of rlj mass debates.

That was a mental image I did not need

who will be first off the line!

The weather has scared the fair weather cyclists of the streets; the remaining ones seem, as far as I have seen, to have a significantly higher average road sense and IQ. Fewer cycling morons on the road, more room to deal with them. Liking the weather.

Total nobhead kid dressed in black, on a black bike, riding down the wrong side of the road, at night, with no lights on, no helmet, and playing with his phone as he rode towards me. I was in the car,and would've wiped him out if I hadn't jumped on the brakes, and he hadn't swerved back to the correct side of the road.
Awesome!

why do people do this? surely the bike was purchased with two perfectly good, functioning breaks, assuming it was an OTP bike, as SS's so often are - why remove one?

is keeerazy!

I had to do this on the Ladies Brighton Ride. Clefty lent me a freewheel and a back brake & I neglected to do bike maintenance and fit a front brake. We probably had one. I was shit scared going down those massive hills & feathered the brakes. I've already gone over the handlebars braking suddenly while going downhill fixed.

Has anyone posted this?
http://road.cc/content/news/27189-hove-bike-rage-attack-police-appeal-remorseful-cyclist-come-forward

and do you think he should be "called out"?

Ok was it some genius from here that posted this?

Clearly the driver should have been wearing a helmet. Opening car doors can be dangerous.

Rep.

Is it wrong for peds that have green lights to cross to push RLJing cyclists off their bikes?

Yes

Oh and the answer is it is wrong to push them off their bikes, clotheslining them is the only way they'll learn. Aim for thier windpipe using the edge of the hand.

If you rlj near enought to someone and fast enough that a clothesline takes you out, it's your fault.

(I do rlj and I'm as tired of these discussions as everyone else, I just can't help but argue about it sometimes!)

Oh and I've just watched gaz's silly cyclist videos... Number 7 is my favourite. Wish all days were like that (also wish I'd seen that this weeks silly cyclists was taking submissions before today!)

Useless balding man, jeans riding a white beater, possibly italian, swerved in front of me so close this morning on Old St he touched my right arm.

I'm still not sure why you like to ride so close to other people but I had fun asking you to explain for a mile or so. Oh and sorry but you seemed a little out of breath on that hill at Clerkenwell so I had to leave you.

To act like a prick you should at least be fast enough to get away.

Hope to see you soon asshole.

Wow, there’s a lot of pent up aggression on this thread!

I’m just glad that when I accidentally clipped another cyclist the other day they accepted my apology and we spent the next half a mile laughing about what a tool I had just been.

Wouldn't have made much of a story when I got to work I suppose. Maybe I should have lamped him one for being in the way of my erratic steering.

Wow, there’s a lot of pent up aggression on this thread!

I’m just glad that when I accidentally clipped another cyclist the other day they accepted my apology and we spent the next half a mile laughing about what a tool I had just been.

Wouldn't have made much of a story when I got to work I suppose. Maybe I should have lamped him one for being in the way of my erratic steering.

Yes but it that acknowledgement you've done something wrong and apology that makes all the difference. I know I've had cars cause me to come off in the past and if they've acknowledged their mistake and apologised etc it's not bothered me as much - it's when some dickhead does something monumentally stupid but then has a go at you for pointing out their mistakes that makes my blood boil. I always remember seeing a cyclist undertake a left turning (and indicating) HGV and having a pop at me when I tried to discuss what he'd one might be a tad dangerous...

I think you are right about the acceptance and apology thing. Also, when somebody puts me at risk through a mistake or doing something dangerous the red mist descends and its very hard to keep calm when calling them up on it.

I have noticed that if I generally give myself until the next set of lights before I talk to the perpetrator I'm more likely to get a favourable response. Maybe its because the red mist has cleared and I sound less confrontational.

On the other end of the scale was the time a few weeks ago where I accidentaly RLJ'd and a van driver followed me for half a mile screaming "I hope you die you c**t" out of the window. Apologising and accepting my mistake wasn't going to help me there!

apologies are the best scenario. unfortunately they're quite rare.

i explained to the guy described above that i thought he'd cycled too close. his reply was along the lines of fuck off. the only problem for him was that he couldn't loose me and i'm not a great fan of fucking off.

on the other hand i explained to a scooter the other day that it was dangerous of him to have undertaken me. he apologised and i watched him head off overtaking the other cyclists ahead correctly.

it just depends on who you're dealing with really.

Plastic Po-Po here riding in the gutter, with very tired knog's not really making them show up in the dark. Maybe they were working undercover, fluoro and blue PCSO panels didn't help that argument though. Didn't even acknowledge my ting ting and hello as I passed them nice and wide.

Edit - yeah, they were trying to have a chat, but riding single file so front officer was talking over his shoulder all the way. What a mess.

This morning, 0830hrs, from Parliament Square to Blackfriars Bridge, there was...

• the Boris Biker spinning like mad, who RLJ'd his way along the road, overtaking all and sundry on the inside... Why?

• the black lycra clad City worker who thought it was amazingly clever to cycle 3 inches off my rear wheel for the entire journey, before blasting away at Blackfriars Bridge? If I'd had to bang on my brakes we'd both have been under a bus...

• the part lycra clad City worker on his VERY expensive white and black plastic fantastic.... if you do wish to over take me, perhaps you'd like to give me slightly more than 3 inches.... just in case I happen to be focussing on something else.... like the bloke above cycling on top of my back wheel.

• the one handed Brompton rider.... congrat's on not needing both hands, but with respect if I'd come off due to either of the blokes above, we'd all have been having a nice cuddle in the gutter by now....

Right Rant Over... as you were.

p.s. And yes before anyone asks...

1) I have had cycle training
2) Yes I was in primary position for the entire journey, allowing room for others to overtake as required
3) No I was not holding anyone up
4) No car, taxi, moped, motorbike or lorry drivers were upset to my knowledge by the manner in which I was cycling.... though one cabbie and I exchanged glances at the RLJ'ing

has anyone seen these.. compelling viewing..

YouTube - Silly Cyclists - Episode 15

^apologies if these have been posted..

There's goes the afternoon.. Settling down for ep's 1-14

fuck.. Hope I don't feature..