Scary screaming cycling lady (the London Banshee)

Best thread ever.

Nobody claims to have seen the London Banshee in months. Do you think she got wind of this thread and has calmed herself down as a consequence?

or moved.

or changed her route.

a leopard cant change his stripes.

sadly it wasn't DJ, unless DJ is a 6ft 2 skinny cockney/Essex lad who cyles about with a pair of horns protruding from the vents in his helmet, noisily venting spleen at the most minor of potential traffic violations.

Have spotted him too, I was picking up my daughter from Nursery and he went past on New Kings Rd - the horns seem to be from a soft toy - my 4yr old asked "is that normal Daddy?"

i dont want to comment on your daughter asking "is that normal daddy?" especially as horny men are being discussed

I applaud other cyclists who point out drivers when they have encroached into the ASL or who are driving dangerously, otherwise it just appears that everyone tolerates such behaviour and the status quo is maintained.

In the last week I have had discussions with a few different cyclists about "should I report this crash" and the fact that if someone causes a crash and damage results that we should claim this off drivers

The only way to change peoples attitudes is positive action, tell them that what they do is not acceptable, explain how they could do it differently and if possibly make their stupidity cost them either folding money or no claims bonus

There's ways, and there's ways...

i dont want to comment on your daughter asking "is that normal daddy?" especially as horny men are being discussed

I applaud other cyclists who point out drivers when they have encroached into the ASL or who are driving dangerously, otherwise it just appears that everyone tolerates such behaviour and the status quo is maintained.

In the last week I have had discussions with a few different cyclists about "should I report this crash" and the fact that if someone causes a crash and damage results that we should claim this off drivers

The only way to change peoples attitudes is positive action, tell them that what they do is not acceptable, explain how they could do it differently and if possibly make their stupidity cost them either folding money or no claims bonus

Everything you say is reasonable. Scary Screaming horny Cockney Banshee man is good for telling drivers off for encroaching in to ASLs. where I find he goes beyond the pale (apart from the horns!) is when he screams at stationary cars merely looking to pull out but who are fully aware of him. "BLLLLLLAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHSSSSSSSSSHHEEEEEQQQQQQAAAAACCCCTCH"
(an aftermath of confused motorists, cyclists and pedestrians are all that is left after the mad banshee wail)

Was driving thro London Bridge on Saturday. An old chap who looked a bit like an Undertaker from a B Movie was cycling on a low budget MTB. He came past us at the lights with his bell ringing like an old police car. He was off the saddle, wailing at random cars all the way down to the Elephant. Long grey hair and a black suit/jacket. He could have been a ghost. To be honest everyone stayed well clear.

sadly it wasn't DJ, unless DJ is a 6ft 2 skinny cockney/Essex lad who cyles about with a pair of horns protruding from the vents in his helmet, noisily venting spleen at the most minor of potential traffic violations.

Have seen this guy in/around Putney, shouting incredibly loudly at pretty much any car nearby. I can't say I could tell what the problems were with the various drivers he was berating, he looked like he just likes shouting at cars and has mental problems. Cycles pretty damn fast though.

Have seen this guy in/around Putney, shouting incredibly loudly at pretty much any car nearby. I can't say I could tell what the problems were with the various drivers he was berating, he looked like he just likes shouting at cars and has mental problems. Cycles pretty damn fast though.

yep thats the one. there doesn't have to be any traffic infringement just a potential traffic infringement "in his mind"

he is fast, I try to keep up with him for the show

I didn't think he had mental problems though i just thought he was a cockney wideboy on a ss

i see this guy kinda regularly.
he rides a brown single-speed on-one.
the "horns" are bunny ears.
he certainly does do a lot of shouting.
he's pretty damn quick as well.

Nobody claims to have seen the London Banshee in months. Do you think she got wind of this thread and has calmed herself down as a consequence?

7.15 ish this morning - Jamaica Road - female cyclist spending most of the time down the middle of the two lanes and very vocal . She got herself to the front of the traffic into the ASL at the lights where alot of vehicles turn left just as the lights turned green - all I caught was "I am ... (shout shout shout) WHAT ARE YOU LOT DOING ?! I'm ... " .
If not the same woman she's obviously a pupil.

Have just spent best part of the morning at work reading this entire thread. Pure comedy gold.

Banshee women (wherever she may be) reminds me of the motorcyclist who has a tinted vizor who always goes into the ASL at Bishopsgate (always going south, never seen him going north) who shouts 'Fuck off, fuck off, fuck off' really loudly 3 times when cyclists roll into the ASL with him. 'cos of his visor I didn't know where the swearing was coming from first time, and I've seen him do it a couple of times. Weird.

Methinks there are some strange and wonderful people out there who we 'share the road' with..!

Tonight, not far from Camberwell Green:
Middle-aged man on a very trashy-looking bike. He was wearing a huuugh helmet peppered with an impressive collection of red LED lights. He stopped just before he reached the crossing and started supplying everybody around him with fuckedifucky comments.

Maybe I have provoked him by closing up too quickly. Yes, I am sure now, it was my fault.

Walking up upper st martin's lane today there was a disparate group of gents in various outfits chasing after random cyclists. They called out to a couple of hipsters going south towards to trafalgar square, but couldn't get their attention. They had more luck with a lad on a bmx and about 6 of them jogged behind him up st martin's lane shouting some bizarre refrain I couldn't quite catch. Possibly promoting a play or shooting an ad, but it was pretty eccentric.

Tonight, not far from Camberwell Green:
Middle-aged man on a very trashy-looking bike. He was wearing a huuugh helmet peppered with an impressive collection of red LED lights. He stopped just before he reached the crossing and started supplying everybody around him with fuckedifucky comments.

Maybe I have provoked him by closing up too quickly. Yes, I am sure now, it was my fault.

i saw this guy in camberwell last week.

he asked me to 'LOOK AFTER MY FUCKING BIKE WHILST I GO IN THIS SHOP"

total joker!

This the guy?

no,

were talking much older, much crazier and the lights are regular led flashing bike lights of various shapes and sizes.

did he have a POLITE badge?

I have seen that guy too - few months back. Couldnt believe the helmet!

I once saw a guy with what looked like a colander on his head with an LED poking through every hole. He was waving at everyone he passed. Very bizarre.

I had a banshee moment myself the other week, on my way home from work. It was one of those trips, peds and cars doing silly, selfish things. Within a couple of miles of home, one more selfish driver caused me to snap. For the next few hundred yards, I bellowed at all the cars, calling them not very nice names. I got a lot of funny looks and tut-tutting......made me feel better though. I then hit the sanctuary of a quiet side street and clamed down.

There is a long history of nutters attaching themselves to bikes. Does anyone remember captin Southfields, I think his name was John. He would stop you in the street and tell you that " they" should build a big wall for the kids to play ball against plus other socail reform banter.

Southfields John is a legend, especially when he's in costume. He lives around the corner and I've seen him variously dressed in a pair of tiny shorts, or as:

Father Christmas
Henley Regatta Straw Boater Type
Top Hatted Victorian Gent

He's always got a bike around too, although I've only seen it used as a prop after four cans of special brew. Bellows "Have a nice day" at anyone and anything that moves.

http://www.welovejohn.co.uk/

Actually a nice character to have about when the tennis hordes appear each summer.

"nutters and bikes go together like bullets and guns"

I have now Met The Banshee, I believe. Ridden cycle route 21 with her. Even been to the pub with her.

That's all I'm sayin'. I roll with legends.