Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

There's a tall bloke who consistently hammers through Liverpool street on a geared Specialized with a Rapha backpack. I've been cut up by him twice and I just see him flying through red lights and causing cars to take action to avoid him. Completely infuriating.

Saw two fellas cycling this way last night on my way to RP. Just said Fuck me I would not do that to myself and toddled along the path. The traffic moves so fast,it's three lanes ......

There's a tall bloke who consistently hammers through Liverpool street on a geared Specialized with a Rapha backpack. I've been cut up by him twice and I just see him flying through red lights and causing cars to take action to avoid him. Complete rapha cunt... completed that for you ;)

Easy way to fix this: find pothole. Bunny hop it.

@Daveypants trying to hide the evidence?

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/304845/#comment13632914

(Not serious)

What's a polite distance to ride behind someone? I guess it depends on the speed. 3 metres at 18mph sound reasonable?

A distance that allows you stop safely in an emergency

This, obviously, but I was thinking also about etiquette, and what people find annoying.

I think people find you annoying, proximity is not so relevant.

It gets lonely sometimes doesn't it James.

I think it's maybe why sometimes I ride to close, because I'm lonely.

I usually leave/would appreciate 4 or 5 bike lengths. I don't do races or playing at pelotons. Plus there's an entire fucking planet to ride a bike on, why ruin your ride by having your nose up someone else's jacksy?

Natural selection nearly at work there.

why ruin your ride by having your nose up someone else's jacksy?

Loneliness.

To the chap I tried to have words with on Clapham High Road at about 6:20 this evening:

That bus had been indicating for a good 5 or 6 seconds before it started its manoeuvre to pull into the stop - which it had indeed started when you blissfully rolled into the ever-narrowing gap. Don't get fucking angry at the poor driver - it's not his fault you're riding with all the foresight of that publisher that turned down the Harry Potter books. That blue paint isn't bus-proof.

I don't know why I bothered trying to call you out - I'm not your mother. Have at it, you dumb cunt.

Saw the worst cyclist I think I've ever seen on the ride in this morning.

had a big white reflective X sewn onto his rapha jacket (could tell it was because he had the reflective bum cape hanging out to ensure top visibility because it's important people can see you and not kill you when you ride like a complete and utter cunt) who was riding a bike laden with 2 panniers, a bikepacking front bag and possibly a frame bag.

in spite of his encumbered state he rode like he was trying to escape the blast radius of an explosion behind him in a lethal weapon movie (except he was clearly the lethal weapon in this instance).

he first crossed my path by literally crossing my path as he pulled out of a side street right in front of me forcing a near emergency stop somewhere in clapham.

he then did the wobbliest, creep forwardest fake-trackstand from the middle of a pack of people in the asl outside clapham north, nearly falling onto about 3 separate people until he was literally in the middle of the junction whereupon he put his footdown the second the lights turned green and everyone started moving.

at the next set of lights, a bus was blocked from zooming down the bus lane by a bit of a car in his way so we had to wait for a few seconds but not our intrepid hero, he shot past doing about 18mph on the standard width pavement which was littered with pedestrians.

as is the way those in the biggest hurry move the slowest on open roads the commuterton had caught up to him by oval just in time to see him once again riding at full tilt down the pavement literally outside the station exit scattering pedestrians, he then nearly crashed into a car still clearing the junction as the lights changed and was off into the distance.

I genuinely hope I never encounter him again.

in other news I feel obligated to give myself a minor demerit under extenuating circumstances for blowing through a crossing.

in my defense, I had seen the woman on the pavement and was about to slow in case she turned towards the crossing when some utter bellchief pulls alongside me with about 10 inches of space(both doing ~20mph) and then wobbles as if he's about to swerve into me. this distraction made me pause long enough that had I attempted to stop for the crossing probably would have seen my go over the bars.

the woman had yet to step onto the crossing and I passed in the middle of the two northbound lanes so plenty far away but she was waiting for us to stop and I heard the tut and as that's entirely the opposite of my riding style usually I still feel bad for it.

I enjoyed reading that
Edit: the bit about the laden bellend

Top rant, the guy sounds like a total dick. All those separate shit things piss me off and are a regular occurence, but to see one guy do all of them is incroyable.

in spite of his encumbered state he rode like he was trying to escape the blast radius of an explosion behind him in a lethal weapon movie (except he was clearly the lethal weapon in this instance).

Very good.

I've noticed most shitcunt riders dress to be noticed

I've noticed that most riders that I notice have reason to be noticed. Take notice.

In other news, most things that I hear make noise.

Link

The signs just before say your not allowed. Would like to have a go at the westway one day

Just pulling away from the lights on Larkhall rise I was surprised by a bike hurtling downhill past me through the small gap to my left. As he had a big red triangle flashing on his head it was easy to catch and question. When quizzed, his reasoning was that it was an ok thing to do as I was stationary.

I have thought up numerous puns on the subject of stationary and this man but all I really hope is that because I spoke to him, at some point today he will be sitting quietly and think, oh yeah, that was a dick move.

I'm also sorry I was abusive to his answer but he was being a bit of a cunt and I am a bit tired.

A regulation up-the-left-of-the-left-indicating-lorry on Southwark Bridge Road this morning. Luckily the lorry driver saw the bloke before he became a statistic.