Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

no, that was tynan.

Having just spent a week in Bristol, I can confirm that "Britain's top cycling city" is a nightmarish inferno of pavement-hopping, gurning nodderdom. The cycle lanes were also clearly designed by a lunatic. Good pubs, though

Who said Bristol is good for bikes? its a monster, too many multi-laned wide roads that encourage motorists to speed, shit cycle lanes (apart from the one to Bath) and some fiendishly steep hills

My experience in Bristol a few weeks ago.

I get really annoyed on my commute through Bristol having to stop at ped crossings to wait for cyclists to fucking cross the road, the utter cunts. There are several along Coronation Road. Which I ride along despite the annoyance of lorry drivers, as there's an appallingly surfaced pavement/cycle lane along one side.

Myself, changed over my cleats at lunch yesterday in doing so I also loosen the tension on the pedal side. On the way home last night all going well clipping in nice and smooth, got boxed in behind a bus, took my left foot off the pedal free wheeled a bit with my foot resting on the pedal, must of hit a bump but hadn't realised I'd clipped back in, bus hadn't moved when to stop and just fell over as I was still clipped in. Comedy gold for the people at the bus stop..

As I was about cross Upper Thames Street on to Southwark Bridge, thre lights turned green, some bell-end comes straight behind a coach, I stopped he saw me from about 5 meters away, panicked and ploughed head on in to me, on closer inspection he was riding a bargain bike with essentially no brakes, they were there but they looked to be just hanging on, so thanks to him I now have a busted hand.

A busted hand from you smashing his head in for being a plonker?

Boooom. Winner.

I don't get people who try so hard to overtake and then relax straight away afterwards and start coasting, as though there was this imaginary finishing line which we both cross as soon as they overtake me. I don't magically slow down just because you've overtaken me. Perhaps if it takes so much effort to come past me that you then have to slow to a crawl, maybe you should have just stayed behind me.

nurse, I cycle in jeans and polo shirt, about once a month I get roadies busting a gut to..stay level. WTF? One time there were three of the appalling blighters, one overtakes, one sits on my rear wheel, the third flanks me and is riding a foot to my offside. "Hello!" I thought. We rode a quarter mile, no sign they're going to pull away so I drop down and leave them behind. WHY?

Boooom. Winner.

I don't get people who try so hard to overtake and then relax straight away afterwards and start coasting, as though there was this imaginary finishing line which we both cross as soon as they overtake me. I don't magically slow down just because you've overtaken me. Perhaps if it takes so much effort to come past me that you then have to slow to a crawl, maybe you should have just stayed behind me.

That'll be wind resistance. They're sucking your wheel with ease so think they're faster. As soon as they overtake they take the wind and immediately slow up and you get a tow so go faster.

Just keep swapping for the full pro-TTT effect. You're aiming for 35-40mph average to be competitive.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.773392396019194.1073741924.523861794305590&type=1

I dare you not to laugh

http://gifmaker.me/PlayGIFAnimation.php?folder=2014051902LpQXfowQdZ6G6SWzv1KCpR&file=output_cFP8BE.gif

Someone created a gif...

Atgani :-)

Proper sausage fest round Regents Park this morning.
Super Mamils overtaking poor right turning commuters, pointing at objects to imaginary drafters, jumping pedestrian reds. I think there was a race but there seemed to be no clear start or finish line. Bring back the rain I say

Called out a chap this morning for undertaking a cement lorry not metres from last week's fatality at E+C. He seemed genuinely shocked that it was in any way dangerous to do so.

Sigh

pointing at objects to imaginary drafters.

This suddenly appears to be a thing.

My fave is the left hand behind back pointing right just before pulling out thing. So subtle and sexy. Why would you even need to check over you shoulder when you have moves like that?

I always get amused with people pointing out potholes and screaming HOLE!!!! or CAR UP in Regents, or, infact, anywhere inside the M25.

Yes. Thanks mate, we're riding in London. It's just one big pothole and car maelstrom. No need to waste your breath.

The left hand moving out thing can be quite useful when you're riding in a pack, although it's obviously no substitute for having a glance around.

If I see a massive pothole, I'll give a point.

Same here with glass and other such hazards. I'm not sure most of the people understand what I'm doing, but I live in hope of one day stopping a roadie from having their front wheel suck up the remnants of a bottle of becks.

If someone's drafting me and I have to pull out around something they may not have seen, I'll do the behind the back point after shoulder-checking.

If there's a pothole, glass etc just ahead, I'll point to let them know. Just seems like a courteous thing to do. Knowing that roads in London may have potholes is no substitute for someone pointing to one you'll be imminently encountering.

I would draw the line at shouting things though.

Don't get me wrong. Pointing out road dangers are useful in bunch rides. But pointing out things when there in no one behind you round Regents Park in the morning is something else.
And LOL's to the left arm behind the back pointing to the right. Yep seen that move so many times and I love how it means you don't need to look over your shoulder.

If you're riding so close to the bike in front, that you can't see potholes, broken glass and the like, then you are riding too close to the bike in front.

sometimes they're not that easy to spot though. not always due to riding close to someone

So you rely on a stranger being able to spot hazards that you can't and point them out to you?

i have no problem with people pointing out hazards, i'd rather people were thinking about the other people around them than living inside their own little bubble and riding like there's no one else around.

considerate riding > selfish riding > oblivious riding

not sure why it annoys people so much when they're not doing anything to actively interfere with your riding.

If the person you're riding behind isn't aware of your presence or doesn't want you there, yeah you're riding too close. Otherwise it's pretty standard for a fast group ride.

If no one is there to appreciate your signals, then doing them is moronic. As is signalling instead of looking.