Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

the "laguna seca" section coming off Lambeth bridge

Been round there hundreds of times and never thought about the Corkscrew. Now I won't be able to think about anything else.

Not done that, need to do it and imagine I'm in an Oreca Viper.

There was a cab driver today who gave me (and other cyclists) loads of room, drove at a considerate pace when he was using the same lane as us, stopped in good time in front of all ASLs, and didn't cut anybody up or do anything at all to indicate that he was a fucking maniac.

I kind of wanted to go and knock on his window and thank him for being genuinely considerate but I didn't want him to think I was being sarcastic.

Last week, heading down Gower St, a black cab swung from the second lane to the nearside lane where I was riding. Not really dangerous but braking required.

Stopped at the lights he wound down his window and apologised.

Not done that, need to do it and imagine I'm in an Oreca Viper.

I'll take a Desmosedici GP11

I feel a little bit ashamed of berating a lady so much that she chose to ride a different route home to avoid me, but she almost killed me and refused to believe she was in the wrong. I was filtering on the outside of traffic, she was on the inside. She decided to go between cars to go on the ...

...else on her other route home but don't worry if you get yourself killed, it won't be a big loss.

If you've taken the responsibility to look out, then, for your own sakes take the responsibility to shout your presence to the idiot.

Also, filtering is like running the gauntlet at the best of times, best not to risk if it's busy

Not being rude but the only reason you'd be filtering exactly because it is busy, no?

There was a cab driver today who gave me (and other cyclists) loads of room, drove at a considerate pace when he was using the same lane as us, stopped in good time in front of all ASLs, and didn't cut anybody up or do anything at all to indicate that he was a fucking maniac.

I kind of wanted to go and knock on his window and thank him for being genuinely considerate but I didn't want him to think I was being sarcastic.

I went around the "laguna seca" section coming off Lambeth bridge going Sarf the other day, with a cab parallel to me, perfect road positioning from the cabblie allowed us both to go through the reverse S bend at speed.

I was tempted to thank him, but he buggered off.

If you really want to increase road peace then thank them. Surely it shouldn't just be for the purpose of dishing out a berating that we communicate to others? People love being thanked. To be thanked from a group so despised by the masses would be a great thing imho.

I always wave thanks to drivers who have been considerate. I like to think it helps balance out the rest of the swearing and gesticulating at crapheads.

I always wave thanks to drivers who have been considerate.

That's what I plan on doing, just waiting for the time to come now.

^ this. I even thank people who I have slowed down for a few seconds, if they wait and pass safely. Especially buses, who I am conscious are doing an important job. I hope that the more bus drivers I thank for waiting behind me at 18/20mph rather than overtaking then cutting infront at the next stop, the more will do so in future.

I always wave thanks to drivers who have been considerate. I like to think it helps balance out the rest of the swearing and gesticulating at crapheads.

+1

Especially the ones that hang back to let you overtake a bus that's stopped in a Bus Lane. Always give them a thumbs up. They don't need to do that.

Especially buses, who I am conscious are doing an important job.

Yes, how would we fill our atmosphere with diesel particulates and nitric oxide, and prevent the easy flow of traffic in London's narrow and bendy streets, if it were not for 3 people who could perfectly well cycle getting chauffeured about in a 10 ton truck.

[QUOTE=middleofnowhere;2494577

It's impossible to win an argument on the roadside, if you start shouting at someone they will just get all defensive and swear black is white. I find it best to stay calm and say a few things that they might think about later. Come over all parental or teacherly.[/QUOTE]

Yes; this is how we would want to be talked to if we made a mistake, which we all do from time to time.
Being able to filter is one of the great advantages of riding a bike in a congested city. But it is not always safe to filter at much more than walking pace for the reason NurseHolliday describes. The hazards of filtering on the outside are, more or less, drivers deciding to do a u-turn without looking or signaling, drivers opening their door without looking and pedestrians or other cyclists moving out between cars without looking. So you have to be going slow enough to be able to stop if any of these things happen and to be watching out for them.

+1

!?

^ +1 ?! rare my ass

I was being sarcastic.

Yes, how would we fill our atmosphere with diesel particulates and nitric oxide, and prevent the easy flow of traffic in London's narrow and bendy streets, if it were not for 3 people who could perfectly well cycle getting chauffeured about in a 10 ton truck.

All buses are empty.
All drivers are cunts.
All pedestrians are idiots.
All cyclists are wankers.
All generalisations are useless.

oh, wait...

p.s. nitric oxide, isnt that laughing gas?

Nitric oxide (NO) consists of one nitrogen atom and one oxygen atom. In contrast, nitrous oxide has two nitrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Nitrous oxide, commonly known as "laughing gas", is an anesthetic. In addition, nitrous oxide has very different chemical properties compared to nitric oxide. Nitrous oxide is not a free radical nor is it produced in the body.

No it is different.

was wonerding why I didnt end up in fits of giggles every time I came up behind a bus.

I saw a chap on a singlespeed on OKR this morning wobbling and swerving alarmingly all over the road as he slowed for several sets of lights and then stabilising a bit as he picked up some speed again. He had the classic swaying head/upper body + left/right pedal mash of a newish cyclist but he was barely in control of his bike at low speed.

Mystery solved when I went past him to see he had chopped his bars to about 25cm like what those couriers do.

The combination of twitchy steering and no core stability is proper scary to see in the wild.

Another thing I was going to say (but has probably been mentioned a million times already, so sorry about that) but what is it about people putting red lights on the front of their bikes?

Last night I saw two people on my cycle home with no light on the rear but a red light on the front.

you sure they weren't just riding backwards?

I always wave thanks to drivers who have been considerate. I like to think it helps balance out the rest of the swearing and gesticulating at crapheads.

Really helps too - seems to have a calming effect on drivers. I often wave to say thank you before I need to maneuver past a car and they often let me past with no issues. Maybe they're thinking they waved me past but had forgotten...

Another thing I was going to say (but has probably been mentioned a million times already, so sorry about that) but what is it about people putting red lights on the front of their bikes?

Last night I saw two people on my cycle home with no light on the rear but a red light on the front.

This^ is proper weird.

I was cycling along a narrow road, on an evening roadie spin, a couple nights ago. When I saw what I thought was a cyclist going in the same direction, ahead. For a minute or two, I thought I most have been going at an truly amazing pace, to catch them so rapidly.

you sure they weren't just riding backwards?

Rather strangely both were pushing bicycles down roads rather than riding them. Maybe they need a run up to start going backwards?

The other evening I saw someone who had a front light that switched between flashing white and red. Just to confuse you.

......or was that really quick 180's?