Growing hostility towards Mountainbikers and Cyclists

[k-rod]

Well - between the radical feminist movement, the myriad special interest movements, the gender-blurr grey-zone movements, and all the rest of the madness out there ... middle-aged Caucasian males seem to be barely holding on to the very very shitty end of the socio-cultural stick these days ... is it any wonder that many of them might be choked?

 

[yagamuffin]

Well - between the radical feminist movement, the myriad special interest movements, the gender-blurr grey-zone movements, and all the rest of the madness out there ... middle-aged Caucasian males seem to be barely holding on to the very very shitty end of the socio-cultural stick these days ... is it any wonder that many of them might be choked?

No excuses for acting like a see you next tuesday.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

I ride 24 miles a day through London (SW to East via Tower Bridge) - and I can't say I see it in quite the same light as some of you guys. It's not like it's a relaxing pootle through the wilderness but I enjoy it, and I very rarely get any kind of aggression aimed at me. I see plenty of daft road users, but that covers pedestrians and cyclists, I don't feel like there is some kind of Hollywood dystopian war of the roads happening just that there are too many cars and not enough cycling specific infrastructure.

 

[al-onestare]

I ride 24 miles a day through London (SW to East via Tower Bridge) - and I can't say I see it in quite the same light as some of you guys. It's not like it's a relaxing pootle through the wilderness but I enjoy it, and I very rarely get any kind of aggression aimed at me. I see plenty of daft road users, but that covers pedestrians and cyclists, I don't feel like there is some kind of Hollywood dystopian war of the roads happening just that there are too many cars and not enough cycling specific infrastructure.

Amen to this. Same mileage and opposite direction to you (SE to Southwark).

There's always an exception, like anything in life, but in general if I've acted like a goon I'll be called out for it. So, not acting like one results in a stress free ride.

 

[Baulz]

Here's some perspective from rural Missouri. The car (or more specifically the Truck) is King and there's a complete lack of Bridal paths, RUPPs, Bikeways and other cycle friendly routes outside of some of the State and City Parks. The State Government was recently considering two measures to pass into law. The first, was that bike riders on public roads would be obliged to pull over to the side of the road, stop and dismount when a vehicle wanted to pass. That is asinine, but the second measure on the table is even more ludicrous. Under this new proposed regulation all cyclists would be required to mount a 15' tall pole with a fluorescent orange flag on top to their bike.

I could see the orange flag being used for target practice.

 

[We_are_Stevo]

Re:

I don't think there is any concerted 'anti-cycling' agenda as such, so much as 'anti-nonconformist...'

If you think riding a cycle singles you out as a figure of hate, try finding somewhere to shoot an air rifle these days!

With the full collusion of the Media, this Government has demonised everyone from disabled benefits claimants through anyone having the audacity to live in 'Social' housing (see how they renamed it to make it sound like every Council Tenant is a Benefit scrounger!) and vulnerable women to Blue-Collar workers in general: and as for the anti-NHS Brigade!

We live in an age where everyone has been brainwashed to not give a flying f*ck about anyone but themselves: anyone one who doesn't sit glued to the Soaps and 'Reality' TV every night is regarded as 'non-conformist' and a legitimate target.

Cyclist's are no better nor worse than anyone else, they're just more visible...

Royce Creasey wrote an excellent article in 'Bike' in the 70's that has stayed with me ever since: the basic tenet being 'If you want to do something that other people don't approve of (riding a motobike fast in this particular case) then don't draw attention to yourself!'

His point being that he could hoon around on his Velocette Clubman at highly illegal speeds because he did so quietly, instead if bolting on a straight-through 'LOOK-AT-ME!' exhaust, thus advertising ones presence a couple of miles in advance...

It's still relevant today: if you want to do something, don't deliberately do it in a manner guaranteed to f*ck off every anally retentive, tofu-eating, liberal rug-mucher within a five mile radius!

No-one objects to the rush hour flocks of 'normal' cycling commuters going about their mundane pursuit, but add one selfish turd who thinks he's Bradley f*ck*ng Wiggins, steaming out of your blind spot, and see how quickly everyone's tolerance drops off the scale!

Oh yes, I've ridden through Central London (on my Cro-Mega no less!) and thoroughly enjoyed it: even negotiating the lunacy of Hyde Park Corner and living to tell the tale - it was actually easier than being in my van!

No, I don't have much sympathy for anyone who attracts negativity as a direct consequence of their own irresponsibility...

...especially when it then impacts upon my own ability to responsibly enjoy myself, at something I've been doing for the last 50 f*ck*ng years without any issues!

 

[legrandefromage]

http://metro.co.uk/2016/03/08/thugs-hav ... l-5739360/

 

[tintin40]

I ride 24 miles a day through London (SW to East via Tower Bridge) - and I can't say I see it in quite the same light as some of you guys. It's not like it's a relaxing pootle through the wilderness but I enjoy it, and I very rarely get any kind of aggression aimed at me. I see plenty of daft road users, but that covers pedestrians and cyclists, I don't feel like there is some kind of Hollywood dystopian war of the roads happening just that there are too many cars and not enough cycling specific infrastructure.

Agree. When i cycled the ten miles to work in central London. When i did have problems it was other cyclists.

 

[Totoro]

Most of the fat unhealthy car drivers hate cyclists, funny that.

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

There's not much love shown from the baying suited city types mob when I'm trying to alight with a bike from the train at Waterloo – they can see you're trying to get off but they clearly can't wait so try to push past as I'm leaping off. Some of them are then really surprised when they become acquainted with old skool bar ends and other pointy bits, unfortunately. Then there's the ticket barriers, the concourse crowd and the black cabs to get navigate through. It's a nice slice of hell with jam and cream on, at the end of a day.

And well done to the Darwin Awards contender with his coffee this morning, stepping out in front of me (with the rest of London traffic hot on my rear wheel). Looking in the right direction before stepping out might prolong your life.

But a big "Feck Off" must really go out to the two Jeremy Hunts later on this morning (both on expensive stealth roadies). One actually brushed my right elbow as he flashed past unannounced between me and a back cab. The other one decided to pull up in front of me as I was wheeling my bike through Smithfields Market and proceeded to clear his nose out without checking around first. Why is it always the roadies who have to clear their noses out whilst riding and particularly when in amongst others commuting by bike?