Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

I use the secret language of trackies and just move my right elbow out to the right very slightly.
I assume everyone knows this means I am about to pull out and therefore don't bother looking over my shoulder

I hope the* 'life partner'* knows this as well.

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.

for sure

In my opinion if you see a cyclist doing something dangerous of which they are seemingly unaware then perhaps have a quiet, unpatronising word.

Shouting 'Red!' at RLJ-ers probably won't have much effect and will only result in them thinking that you're a bit of a dick and might even make the situation more dangerous.

I don't buy into this whole, 'cycle as if you represent the whole cycling 'community'' idea, no other form of transport does it. Are there forums of pedestrians saying 'if you walk out into the road without looking, cyclists think all pedestrians are brain dead zombies'? Are there driver forums where people say 'If you change lane or turn without indicating, cyclists think all car drivers are unpredictable twats'? So why should we consider ourselves in the same way and take this defensive stance?

The kind of driver that thinks all cyclists are RLJ-ing scum will always have a reason to hate cyclists, they hate anyone who gets in their way, it has nothing to do with us breaking traffic code Every road user breaks the highway code from time to time. These same people will often say 'why not ride on the pavement?' (unless they happen to be on the pavement). They will never be satisfied so why bother?

Lets say for arguments sake every single cyclist in Britain stopped RLJ-ing tomorrow, how many years would it be before these small minded, hate filled and self centred drivers stopped thinking of cyclists in this way? They just want you out of their way. As with all prejudiced people they are happy with their stereotype and their logic is totally flawed (if every cyclist became a car driver their journey would be twice as long) so don't let their attitude have any bearing on how you ride or how you perceive others to ride because it will make no difference, and even if you spend the rest of your life screaming 'Red!!' you won't stop people RLJ ing, you'll just end up with throat cancer or some other stress related shouting disease.

Cycling and expecting every other cyclist to ride as if they represent the whole cycling community reinforces a road hierarchy and perpetuates the idea that we are guests on the road, that we need permission to be on the road and we don't! If someone accuses you of being RLJ-ing scum simply ask if they have seen you do it? Use logic at them, it tends to completely floor them. Just ride with caution and consideration yourself and only intervene when others are riding in a(n actual as opposed to perceived) dangerous way. But I reiterate, it's my opinion.

Tl:Dr Cyclists don't or at least shouldn't represent every cyclist in the world, don't cater to the attitude of prejudiced dicks.

Massive bellend this morning in full Galicia kit on a road bike heading to Waterloo from Elephant. First of all you very kindly swerved from left to right across a full (empty) lane without looking for no apparent reason, thus cutting me up. I then watched you stop next to a van at the next sets of lights and then deliberately swerve out in front of the van to slow the van down when the lights turned green, the van driver called you a cunt, he was pretty much on the money. You then started to admonish a motorbike rider for sitting in the ASL a bit further on, unfortuntately your tit behaviour removed any right to the moral high ground.

I also really was too polite to you when calling you out, which I now regret.

Next time

Idiot on the Lea Bridge Road this morning in full wraparound glasses, yellow helmet, yellow top and shorts, tried to undertake a left turning white van that had its indicator on and then started to berate the driver - He had been indicating for ages too! I just went round the right hand side of him, no problem. What is wrong with some people?

The young girl who 'kissed' the National Express coach last night on CS7.

You might want to consider leaving a bigger gap between you and large vehicles, pay attention to moving vehicles in front of you and, possibly, get your brakes looked at urgently.

Rodies thinking they're more pro than the pros

Yorkshire divs road race. - YouTube

Fuckin sportive...

And LOL's to the left arm behind the back pointing to the right.

That would typically indicate a parked car. The rider doing the signalling would have already looked right before moving over and it's done to stop people coming up the inside in a bunch. Of course, in Regents the guy hasn't looked and there's no one near him to do anything with the signal anyway but perhaps they're practicing for their bunch rides :)

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

That's how bunch riding works, yes.

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

There's no harm signalling to no one is there so it's hardly moronic.

Right arm out means that you are turning right. Arm round the back means that you are moving out to avoid an obstacle.

This.

But I guess a lot of people here have never done bunch rides or been out with a club so don't know. They fear what they don't know...

Meh, if they've looked before they manoeuvre and they know no-one is there, why signal?

That'd be "car down" though.

No. You lot have it backwards like everything else.

Fuckin sportive...

"I've organised 54 races!!"

and then Bellendme rider just rolls right into the bunch.

Self-important nodder hoards. Oh noes, might not get my bronze time medal!

Rodies thinking they're more pro than the pros

Yorkshire divs road race. - YouTube

What are these people saying?

t'de France, pet

No. You lot have it backwards like everything else.

Sorry, your lot are wrong. As usual.

A car comes up from behind, not down.

The end.

back, actually.

This.

But I guess a lot of people here have never done bunch rides or been out with a club so don't know. They fear what they don't know...

No, and I'm not sure what your point is as commuting isn't nor should be treated as a bunch ride or race.

No, and I'm not sure what your point is as commuting isn't nor should be treated as a bunch ride or race.

Who said anything about commuting?

There's no harm signalling to no one is there so it's hardly moronic.

It's useful to get into the habit of only signalling if there's someone behind you, thus you get used to look back regularly.

I actually find the 'moving around obstruction' signals very useful as in London most of the time you are, to all intents and purposes, riding in a group. Usually with people likely to try and ride into / through you at any second.

Anyway there seemed to be a lot of bad cycling on display this morning, I guess everyone is getting confident / complacent after a week of good weather. It must be catching as I almost stacked it earlier