Cycling
- Thread starter Naughty_Felid
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I'm sure he's only too aware of this, which makes it worse - it was a completely avoidable accident with no-one else involved.
Re putting on clothing layers, this happens fairly often eg after climbing a mountain & getting enormously hot & sweaty they get to the top, it's cold & they need something to stop them freezing on the way down when they're going at high speed but not expending so much energy. The difference is they're not going at top speed at the summit so not so dangerous to add another layer.
They normally wouldn't attempt to put more clothes on when going at full pelt.
Re putting on clothing layers, this happens fairly often eg after climbing a mountain & getting enormously hot & sweaty they get to the top, it's cold & they need something to stop them freezing on the way down when they're going at high speed but not expending so much energy. The difference is they're not going at top speed at the summit so not so dangerous to add another layer.
They normally wouldn't attempt to put more clothes on when going at full pelt.
The amount of cycling chops that riders like Chris Froome have is off the scale - they do everything on the bike often while riding at stupidly high speed in a group of cyclists. They eat, drink, p**s (and worse, on occasions), take off arm-warmers and waterproofs, have cuts cleaned and dressed etc etc. Every so often something will go wrong, and this is one example, no matter how experienced you are. I can't believe how nasty and painful-sounding his injuries are; I've broken collar bone, humerus, finger, toe etc (I must stop playing football) but nothing like his range or severity of injuries all incurred at once.
As for the toilet thing... many years ago during a Tour of Italy stage I was in the Linda McCartney team car in role as a cycling journo. And I was bursting for a pee. Handily the team manager/driver (the legendary Sean Yates) needed to go as well. We stop, do our stuff quickly, but the mechanic who was also travelling in the team car couldn't pee on demand so had to hold it in... for a few more hours!!
As for the toilet thing... many years ago during a Tour of Italy stage I was in the Linda McCartney team car in role as a cycling journo. And I was bursting for a pee. Handily the team manager/driver (the legendary Sean Yates) needed to go as well. We stop, do our stuff quickly, but the mechanic who was also travelling in the team car couldn't pee on demand so had to hold it in... for a few more hours!!
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Yeah .. I'm split minded about the vid. On the one hand, he's technically correct .. I can't even ride my mountain bike round my way anymore, it's too dangerous because of rules ignoring drivers or flat out cyclist hating bully drivers deliberately cutting me up. On the other hand, there's also go pro twat cyclists who go out of their way to be antagonistic to drivers just because they have a go pro instead of only using it for safety recording reasons instead.
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He is completely correct, yes - on a matter of principle. They are in the wrong. But he was seemingly waiting for something like that to happen so he could be a twat about it, so he could make a viral video. Do the police even take notice of this stuff anymore? I dunno. Maybe they should reprimand this couple.
I re-found-out that my grandfather was president of the North Rd cycling club. My brother has a '50 years of the club' book dated 1935 written by him, so it started in 1885. One of the first cycling clubs in the country.
They used to cover some impressive distances, men & women - browsing through it I found reports of a Barnet to Doncaster & back again ride in 1897, a distance of 300 miles. The winner did it in 20 hours - not bad going when you consider the bikes were probably fairly heavy with minimal gears. No cars, or very few, to worry about of course. Don't know what sort of condition the roads were in at that time. There was a photo of a 4 man cycle, which I don't think I've seen before. A track machine rather than road.
The club is still going & I think he's going to offer them the book if they don't already have it.
They used to cover some impressive distances, men & women - browsing through it I found reports of a Barnet to Doncaster & back again ride in 1897, a distance of 300 miles. The winner did it in 20 hours - not bad going when you consider the bikes were probably fairly heavy with minimal gears. No cars, or very few, to worry about of course. Don't know what sort of condition the roads were in at that time. There was a photo of a 4 man cycle, which I don't think I've seen before. A track machine rather than road.
The club is still going & I think he's going to offer them the book if they don't already have it.
Where I live there have been cycling clubs since well back in the 19th century. There were plenty of people to maintain bikes as the area was founded on heavy and light engineering.
Besides, it's nice and flat. Everybody cycles here! Techy's home town is much hillier so there's not the same cycling tradition.
Besides, it's nice and flat. Everybody cycles here! Techy's home town is much hillier so there's not the same cycling tradition.
On our regular tootle just now, Techy was nearly splattered on a crossing by a car. 
The lights were on green for us. As usual I held back for a second before crossing to make sure any vehicles approaching unseen were stopping*, and so hadn't set off at the same time as Techy. The car came round the roundabout from our right and I saw it accelerate after the bend.
I shouted 'He's not stopping!' and Techy braked hard and turned his front wheel away from the car. It ended up parallel to the car body as the wing mirror hit his elbow, and he leaned on the wing, glaring at the driver.
The driver and passenger were both horrified and apologetic. We carried on crossing and set off home to change our pants.
When I looked back the car was still there, possibly for a couple more minutes, before moving off. I suspect the driver was trying to pull himself together.
*Couple of years back I was nearly splattered in exactly the same way on another crossing about 200 yards away! I always wait an extra second to see the whites of drivers' eyes. Caution pays off.
The lights were on green for us. As usual I held back for a second before crossing to make sure any vehicles approaching unseen were stopping*, and so hadn't set off at the same time as Techy. The car came round the roundabout from our right and I saw it accelerate after the bend.
I shouted 'He's not stopping!' and Techy braked hard and turned his front wheel away from the car. It ended up parallel to the car body as the wing mirror hit his elbow, and he leaned on the wing, glaring at the driver.
The driver and passenger were both horrified and apologetic. We carried on crossing and set off home to change our pants.
When I looked back the car was still there, possibly for a couple more minutes, before moving off. I suspect the driver was trying to pull himself together.
*Couple of years back I was nearly splattered in exactly the same way on another crossing about 200 yards away! I always wait an extra second to see the whites of drivers' eyes. Caution pays off.
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The sooner cyclist have to pay a road tax and carry full insurance the better.
I had one prick on a bike once draw alongside me as I was waiting to turn a a junction and remarked 'you should be driving a bus'.
I pointed out to him that if it wasn't for the taxes motorists pay the roads would be totally unsuitable for him and his skinny tires machine to ride on.
Cyclists are a pain in the arse. They don't even seem to realise that riding a bike on a pavement is illegal
(oh yes it is, look it up. £30 fine for first offense)
They should observe the rules as everyone else does.
INT21.
I had one prick on a bike once draw alongside me as I was waiting to turn a a junction and remarked 'you should be driving a bus'.
I pointed out to him that if it wasn't for the taxes motorists pay the roads would be totally unsuitable for him and his skinny tires machine to ride on.
Cyclists are a pain in the arse. They don't even seem to realise that riding a bike on a pavement is illegal
(oh yes it is, look it up. £30 fine for first offense)
They should observe the rules as everyone else does.
INT21.
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You have had warnings in the past about attacking all members of a group as if they all think and act the same. Please don’t go down that route again.
Also you don’t pay for the roads from your car tax, that comes out of your council tax. And yes cyclists should observe the rules of the road as should all road users.
Also you don’t pay for the roads from your car tax, that comes out of your council tax. And yes cyclists should observe the rules of the road as should all road users.
He has no right to stop traffic. Only the police have the power to stop traffic as we in construction are always advised when our traffic marshals stop traffic to allow HGV’S to move safely on and off a construction project.
I noted he had nothing to say to the cyclist who was also on the wrong side of the road.
I noted he had nothing to say to the cyclist who was also on the wrong side of the road.
Gorgon Rutter,
Actually all the taxes finish up in one pot. If road tax was used solely for the purpose of maintaining the roads the roads would be in a far better state.
I aimed a blanket attack on all cyclist as I find them to be committed to the idea that they are generally a superior life form and beyond the reach of the law.
We hear people who should really know better saying the world will be a better place if only people would get on their bikes and out of their cars. Oh Yes, well try that when it comes to winter and the weather is atrocious. Or you need to go shopping.
I did ride a bike when I was younger (much younger) and even the slightest thing wrong with the machine (no rear mudguard, a missing rear reflector) was enough to have the local bobby haul you off to your parents for a lecture.
Now the roads are infested with lycra clad people on bikes that for some reason can cost as much as a family car. Charging along at speeds they can't stop from if something appears in front of them.
And what is the average bike used for in the average working class town ? Drug running.
Ideal for slipping away from the law down the alleyways. Cars can't chase them down. in fact they are not allowed to endanger the lives of the escaping criminal; so they let them go.
The first thing kids on stolen scooters or motor bikes is discard any helmet they may have been waring.
INT21.
Actually all the taxes finish up in one pot. If road tax was used solely for the purpose of maintaining the roads the roads would be in a far better state.
I aimed a blanket attack on all cyclist as I find them to be committed to the idea that they are generally a superior life form and beyond the reach of the law.
We hear people who should really know better saying the world will be a better place if only people would get on their bikes and out of their cars. Oh Yes, well try that when it comes to winter and the weather is atrocious. Or you need to go shopping.
I did ride a bike when I was younger (much younger) and even the slightest thing wrong with the machine (no rear mudguard, a missing rear reflector) was enough to have the local bobby haul you off to your parents for a lecture.
Now the roads are infested with lycra clad people on bikes that for some reason can cost as much as a family car. Charging along at speeds they can't stop from if something appears in front of them.
And what is the average bike used for in the average working class town ? Drug running.
Ideal for slipping away from the law down the alleyways. Cars can't chase them down. in fact they are not allowed to endanger the lives of the escaping criminal; so they let them go.
The first thing kids on stolen scooters or motor bikes is discard any helmet they may have been waring.
INT21.
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Fridewide,
York area is bike friendly, and quite flat. Hull also has had cycleways for years.
I'm from the hilly part of Yorkshire, And I can agree it is damn hard work on a bike.
Gordon Rutter,
I actually wrote..If road tax was used solely for the purpose of maintaining the roads..
But I'll drop the cycle comments.
INT21.
York area is bike friendly, and quite flat. Hull also has had cycleways for years.
I'm from the hilly part of Yorkshire, And I can agree it is damn hard work on a bike.
Gordon Rutter,
I actually wrote..If road tax was used solely for the purpose of maintaining the roads..
But I'll drop the cycle comments.
INT21.
Techy and I each own cars, which we tax, insure, MOT and fuel, and then leave on the drive while we go cycling.
It's highly enjoyable to pedal past traffic queues while the drivers burst with hatred and frustration. Simple pleasures.
Oh yeah, and we are a happily married couple who enjoy each other's company. That seems to wind people up too. Even more fun.
Anyway... I must point out that when I saw the car approach Techy, but he didn't, and I shrieked 'HE'S NOT STOPPING!!' at the top of my voice, and he stopped in time to scrape along the side of the car rather than be hit head-on; that's the first time a man has ever listened to my advice.
It's highly enjoyable to pedal past traffic queues while the drivers burst with hatred and frustration. Simple pleasures.
Oh yeah, and we are a happily married couple who enjoy each other's company. That seems to wind people up too. Even more fun.
Anyway... I must point out that when I saw the car approach Techy, but he didn't, and I shrieked 'HE'S NOT STOPPING!!' at the top of my voice, and he stopped in time to scrape along the side of the car rather than be hit head-on; that's the first time a man has ever listened to my advice.