Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

Personally, I'm probably a faster than average cyclist (fat as fuck but cycling's my only exercise so I try and make it count) but I also am happy to sit in traffic if needs be. I'm not too fussed to sit in primary as people squeeze down the sides of traffic, it doesn't make a great deal of difference in the big scheme.

However, I will ocassionally say things to people I see doing terminally stupid manouveres, trying to squeeze between a bus and a truck where you have to paddle yourself along with your hands, going up the inside of a left-turning vehicle when you clearly don't know the traffic light sequence, that kind of thing.

I get exasperated at the senseless knobs, the first thing my non-cycling friends talk about are RLJers, etc, but those who stand a real chance of serious injury you've got to say something.

As an aside I jump one light on my way to work, the red just near the waitrose/morrisons on Tollington road because the Holloway road junction is so terrible that that's the safest way to do it (in my view). Crossing two lanes of heavy traffic just isn't fun. It is a junction that's crying out for decent cycle infrastructure, doesn't even have an ASL at the moment.

Maybe he needs some advice on better clothing choices.

Latex catsuit..?

If a cyclist RLJs in a forest and no one is around to see it, does it make a sweet skid?

lunch is lunch.

^^^^Do ASL's make that much positive difference if they aren't going to be used properly?
I know I said I'm backing out of this thread but this morning riding up to the top of Tooley Street (passing London Bridge on my left) and a cyclist is in front of me so I choose to hang back and let them get to the front first. Given my experiences I've now taken to asking folk on my left at junctions (on red lights) which way they are going as I'm definitely turning left.
The reply: "I'm going right" [over London Bridge]. I suggest that the position either in the middle or to the right of the single lane is surely better than sitting totally on the left but the cyclist is insistent that they are fine where they are. I point out the taxi behind us -that got to the queue first- and still has it's left indicator flashing but she is adamant that she is fine and that she'll be quick enough. Given the panniers and the speed she went up the little hill I had my concerns but give it the benefit of doubt.
Lights go green and I haven't really 'gone for it', yet whom am I nearly T- boning?

Fear and ignorance are powerful things and there are so many that ride within it's clutches. I guess I'm trying to say it's worth being patient with folk and dropping all attitude from encounters. I'm glad it didn't all shouty or passive aggressive - not that I have the stomach for that stuff ATM. Maybe she'll think a little more about it in quiet moment over coffee at work.

Calling myself out this morning. Made an idiotic thoughtless move, fortunately whilst off the bike, but still idiotic.

hey fixie cunt on tooley street. dont ride on the wrong side of the road and over a ped crossing into a bus pulling away from a just changed to green light and expect to get away with it. the driver rightly called you out and your paddington bear stare and wanker sign was just proof of how much of a dickhead you are

^^^^Do ASL's make that much positive difference if they aren't going to be used properly?

They would help here as it's a 4 lane road with a long traffic light phase so a lot of cyclists head down the left lane and then come across into one of the middle lanes and sit in advance of the stop line with later cyclists getting stuck in the traffic. If they're going to do it anyway then at least an ASL would be slightly better.

Personally I think one of the middle lanes being converted into a big cycle lane with an ASL would be the best idea but that's never going to fit into the traffic smoothing agenda.

^^^^Do ASL's make that much positive difference if they aren't going to be used properly?
I know I said I'm backing out of this thread but this morning riding up to the top of Tooley Street (passing London Bridge on my left) and a cyclist is in front of me so I choose to hang back and let them get to the front first. Given my experiences I've now taken to asking folk on my left at junctions (on red lights) which way they are going as I'm definitely turning left.
The reply: "I'm going right" [over London Bridge]. I suggest that the position either in the middle or to the right of the single lane is surely better than sitting totally on the left but the cyclist is insistent that they are fine where they are. I point out the taxi behind us -that got to the queue first- and still has it's left indicator flashing but she is adamant that she is fine and that she'll be quick enough. Given the panniers and the speed she went up the little hill I had my concerns but give it the benefit of doubt.
Lights go green and I haven't really 'gone for it', yet whom am I nearly T- boning?

Fear and ignorance are powerful things and there are so many that ride within it's clutches. I guess I'm trying to say it's worth being patient with folk and dropping all attitude from encounters. I'm glad it didn't all shouty or passive aggressive - not that I have the stomach for that stuff ATM. Maybe she'll think a little more about it in quiet moment over coffee at work.

Probably not, she hasn't been burned yet.

Probably not, she hasn't been burned yet.

Yep, some people can only be educating via the means of a good old fashioned bollocking.

Saw a great one today. Old chap rides past me up to lights, which are on red, at the junction of Tollington Park & Hornsey Road. As he rides past I notice it says "Only Go on Green" on the back of the hi-vis vest. Nice sentiment I thought. He then proceeds to RLJ. Priceless

Stoner reference?

Must have been.

My friend last night 19:50-ish A501 in Angel.
He is a cyclist but was riding his motorbike at the time.

"Had a split second decision to makewhile riding my motobike just now. Hit the light jumping cyclist or drop the motorcycle. Luckily for the cyclist I did the latter."

"I'm good. Just got a sore back. Don't know how the bike didn't get major damaged. I do have the number and picture of the guy. He did claim it was his fault so I give him credit for that. The light had been green for awhile before I went though after other traffic."

Seriously! If you're "on here" you're lucky.

Wondering if the fact that my friend IS a cyclist made a difference and if a non-cycling biker would take the former course of action, in an act of self-preservation.

My friend last night 19:50-ish A501 in Angel.
He is a cyclist but was riding his motorbike at the time.

"Had a split second decision to makewhile riding my motobike just now. Hit the light jumping cyclist or drop the motorcycle. Luckily for the cyclist I did the latter."

"I'm good. Just got a sore back. Don't know how the bike didn't get major damaged. I do have the number and picture of the guy. He did claim it was his fault so I give him credit for that. The light had been green for awhile before I went though after other traffic."

Seriously! If you're "on here" you're lucky.

Wondering if the fact that my friend IS a cyclist made a difference and if a non-cycling biker would take the former course of action, in an act of self-preservation.

http://indifferent-cats-in-amateur-porn.tumblr.com/

NSFW natch

This is amazing

@ bigchainring

^^^ Seems like a reasonable and relevant post to me. Why so dismissive??

@ bigchainring

^^^ Seems like a reasonable and relevant post to me. Why so dismissive??

Why not be so dismissive? We must have just about every Dailymail reader in this thread now.

Having just caught up on 2 days worth of posts it seems there could be a candidate for my first ever 'ignore'......

who would that be?

Is it Sarge?
No.

Is it Rosemary, the telephone operator?
No.

Is it Henry, the mild-mannered janitor?
Could be....

who would that be?

Seems like quite a sensible solution, much better than name calling.

Was it Snoop Dogg? Tupac? The entire Wu Tang Clan?

I bet it's someone who's PROPER gangsta...

Danny Dyer then.

Stop. Collaborate. Listen.

I bet it's Vanilla Ice. He's right gangsta.