Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

Figuratively speaking.

Literally.

yet you appear to seek verbal confrontation whenever possible on here

Yes, exactly right. I enjoy a debate. I also try to avoid making personal comments, and getting too worked up.

Not serious. ^Not sure if serious?

Ha, ok, point taken. I actually felt that was a bit self righteous after I posted it, but when I came back it was too late to delete. :)

I've only seen two, but the replies are strong:

The problems you are reporting on are a result of the lacklustre infrastructure that Sustrans has supported. Shared use paths don't exist in The Netherlands because they were found to cause exactly the problems that you report, so why are you building this second best infrastructure already known to cause conflicts in the UK ?

You have overcrowding on your paths because they are too narrow and too widely spaced. A cycle-path in The Netherlands which was expected to deal with a large number of cyclists would likely be four metres wide. What's more, if pedestrians were expected there too, we'd have a two metre wide pedestrian path alongside.

Dutch cycle-paths support a wide range of users, including fast cyclists. Commuters don't all have short journeys to make and they don't all want to make those journeys at 10 mph. It's not completely unknown for there to be conflicts, but they are not common as they are in the UK. While it's necessary to slow down occasionally to accommodate other peoples' use of the cycle-paths, it's also possible to maintain good average speeds because the need to slow down is reduced by good cycle-path design.

I find this to be a very disappointing blog post from Sustrans. The problems that you are seeing are largely of your own making.

Yup, strong. I didn't agree with much MH had to say when working there. The natural counter argument though would be they take the "owt is better than nowt" approach, which if they had only proceeded with projects resulting in delivery of Dutch infrastructure standards nowt is what would exist here.

Is there something about folding bikes which turns normal people into desperate, gibbering morons?

the only complaint I can levy against bromptons (owning one myself) is they let 'train people' invade the cycling ecosystem and as such sometimes their riders are still in train mode where it's imperative that you get everywhere ahead of everyone else.

And that most Brompton owners don't have a bike, they always refer to their bike as "my Brompton."

"I have a problem with my Brompton"

"So what is the issue with your bike?"

"My Brompton..."

There a chap on the train I occasionally use to get to work with a Brompton. I avoid talking to him but he cornered a young lady on a Spec road bike on the platform the other day and from what I can gather spent ten minutes while waiting for the train talking about his bike, including some demonstrations. I got the impression it wasn't the first time.

Referring to your Brompton as a Brompton may help to distinguish it from other, non-folding bikes which you may also own and perhaps ride when not commuting into work.

But if commuters on folding bikes really pose that much of a problem, maybe the government should impose mandatory training and tests and some kind of licensing to ensure that riders are suitably qualified? Perhaps there'd even be some kind of bicycle excise duty to pay for such a system.

I agree with DJ on this, all Brompton owners are freaks, I have never met one who is not a freak. They get so bought into the Bromton brand that the bike ceases to become a mere means of conveyance and is instead incorporated into their brand, or rather the owner is incorporated zombie like into the brompton branding machine.

I'll tell you something for nowt, this brompton megacorp is getting worse than starbucks. We need to stop them now, do something to make them fold.

I'm not like that with my brompton.

i mean bike... fuck.

I agree with DJ on this, all Brompton owners are freaks, I have never met one who is not a freak. They get so bought into the Bromton brand that the bike ceases to become a mere means of conveyance and is instead incorporated into their brand, or rather the owner is incorporated zombie like into the brompton branding machine.

I'll tell you something for nowt, this brompton megacorp is getting worse than starbucks. We need to stop them now, do something to make them fold.

watch your mouth sonny...

as h2o said it's a despriptive term I prefer to 'folder'. I call my other bikes by their make/models it's no different

Rather than shouting and using the C word I am going to use a new tactic.

In the style of "the chap" I shall admonish them politely but loudly for lack of manners, tell them it isn't very gentlemanly or British to cycle through zebra crossings when ladies are look to cross. I'll try to do it at the next red light in front of a crowd of other cyclists.

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue though.

"I SAY SIR! How rude, I demand to know when your manners departed, and when they shall return!!"

There's a difference between being confident enough to defend yourself and lashing out at people whose behaviour you dislike.

Spot on, Dublinkevin.

Ha, I now have quite a comical image of myself running away every time I meet a tory or a chelsea supporter.

I have been physically threatened, mugged a few times when I was in my early teens, and attacked on the tube once. The latter was because I am a transvestite, I think he felt threatened by my ambiguous sexuality. I avoid violence these days simply by avoiding confrontation, holding my head high, not acting like a victim and laughing at people's aggression, whether I am in drag or dressed normally. I have not had to run away from anyone in 11 years. I think pursuing a violent confrontation when it is unnescessary is the lowest kind of stupidity there is, especially on a bike.

I did jujitsu for a while and the sensei nearly dislocated my shoulder so I quit. It's rock climbing and bikes for me, from now on. I have nothing against boxing or martial arts.

What do you call it when you have a cock, tits and you wear a dress?
Well many moons ago two of whatever they are called tried to mug me up in Charleston South Carolina. I'm like Iadies all I got is shrapnel I spent the rest on drugs so how about a blow job instead? They are like what you are going to give us a blowjob? I'm like don't be soft you're going to give me a blow job...!!! Anyways to cut a long story short violence is just one option sometimes the way out is to make love not war.

"Pardon, PARDON, you in the Rapha top at the back, yes you on the brompton. I'm sure you are terribly important but running though a pedestrian crossing is very poor form when there are ladies/orphans/midgets crossing" .....................and then once I have their full attention call them a cunt

Maybe pretend to talk to your butler (actually talk to your butler if your names is pooface), "Oh Carruthers, observe that dreadful man endanger all these fine people. He is no gentleman, a ruffian and a scoundrel at best. What's that? Yes, Darjeeling."

I might bring back cucold as an insult... confuse them enough to look it up...ticktick Oi!

i still prefer CUNT!

I just ask my butler to call them a cunt

Surely your butler should be at home, turning the bottles and polishing the silver, rather than accompanying you on your bike ride? Your valet should be the member of the staff out and about. When he's not starching your collars.