The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

[jules21]

the road rules actually prohibit speeding up when being overtaken

[jasonc]

the road rules actually prohibit speeding up when being overtaken

well he did dob himself in as the dumb cyclist...

[wizardhat]

It was dumb of me. I get angry at car drivers who feel the need to over take when I'm travelling at the speed limit .

[VRE]

It was dumb of me. I get angry at car drivers who feel the need to over take when I'm travelling at the speed limit .

Take comfort in the fact that you're not the only cyclist who finds it annoying: I do, too. For some stupid reason, a lot of motorists see a cyclist in front of them, and their instant reaction is to overtake the cyclist as soon as possible, regardless of the consequences and whether or not it's safe to overtake. But I guess that belongs in the 'Idiot motorists' threads, doesn't it?

[ColinOldnCranky]

Guys - it's not just cyclists.

And while some of it may be because they anticipate a slower vehicle, it can also be that they prefer to take out what is not such a common vehicle that acts and reacts a little differently.

But in general we ALL ge passed on a regular basis even when we are at the speed limit when we are in cars. It is not all about cyclists.

London to a brick that you have all done it to a bus or a truck or an L-plater. Indeed I used to try and do the same with buses on the way home along Canning Highway. And I was RIDING! Just so we didn't both play leap frog all the way home.

Get over it guys. Don't take it personally. Most times it is not all about you being a cyclist.

I do however see much to complain of when drivers pass you then turn left across you to exit the road.

[Kemp]

You have to take into account (with cars, anyway) the perceived speed and actual speed. I know that my car speedo is about 4km/h shy of my actual speed, so I often drive where it sits at 64 because I know I won't get booked for it as I'm still doing the legal limit. But I might pass someone on the way who sees 59 on their speedo and is actually doing something like 54-55. Two people supposedly doing the limit but one will pass the other. Just happens.

[g-boaf]

I have a similar regular occurrence while tootling around the lake. I regularly have to go bush to avoid a particular group of 3 mothers (walking 3 abreast, totally occupying a path that's probably over 2mt wide) pushing strollers who blatantly ignore me, regardless of bell, or verbal requests. There is no danger, as I rarely go faster than 10-15 kph on the path, but it is bloody rude. l often feel like be parking my trike across their path, and making them go bush. I bet they'd acknowledge me then. However, while it annoys me briefly, the aggro actually doing so would cause has not yet been worth killing the good mood the rest of the ride gives me.

Dent.

Ah yes, I've had the pram-pushers going very boldly side-by-side, even when they could see others coming towards them. They'll make others go off the path (even other pedestrians), rather than going single-file for a short period of time. They look, roll the eyes and don't care.

It happens, nothing much you can do about it - just stay upright and keep on going. It's only a momentary interruption.

[jules21]

Ah yes, I've had the pram-pushers going very boldly side-by-side, even when they could see others coming towards them. They'll make others go off the path (even other pedestrians), rather than going single-file for a short period of time. They look, roll the eyes and don't care.

It happens, nothing much you can do about it - just stay upright and keep on going. It's only a momentary interruption.

make lots of noise and wake their kids up

[Big_Red]

Ah yes, I've had the pram-pushers going very boldly side-by-side, even when they could see others coming towards them. They'll make others go off the path (even other pedestrians), rather than going single-file for a short period of time. They look, roll the eyes and don't care.

It happens, nothing much you can do about it - just stay upright and keep on going. It's only a momentary interruption.

make lots of noise and wake their kids up

Air Zound them at 20 paces? Ooh, that'd be mean.

[Baalzamon]

I have a similar regular occurrence while tootling around the lake. I regularly have to go bush to avoid a particular group of 3 mothers (walking 3 abreast, totally occupying a path that's probably over 2mt wide) pushing strollers who blatantly ignore me, regardless of bell, or verbal requests. There is no danger, as I rarely go faster than 10-15 kph on the path, but it is bloody rude. l often feel like be parking my trike across their path, and making them go bush. I bet they'd acknowledge me then. However, while it annoys me briefly, the aggro actually doing so would cause has not yet been worth killing the good mood the rest of the ride gives me.

Dent.

Ah yes, I've had the pram-pushers going very boldly side-by-side, even when they could see others coming towards them. They'll make others go off the path (even other pedestrians), rather than going single-file for a short period of time. They look, roll the eyes and don't care.

It happens, nothing much you can do about it - just stay upright and keep on going. It's only a momentary interruption.

If that happened to me in my trike. On go brakes sit in their path and if they start to go off at me, I would just simply grab a muesli bar and start eating it. Still there, well unclip and just settle back and wait haha. I've got a lounge chair and I'm going to use it

[twizzle]

Had to drop my daughter off somewhere today, so was in my neighbourhood around 2pm.

There's a guy riding on the road with a baby seat on the back (unoccupied), but towing a trailer complete with a baby. No helmets, no flags, no flashing lights. The baby also had no sunnies or hat or covering, and UV was rated "extreme" today. The road he is on is a two-lanes-each way, 70kph on a long sweeping left-hand corner, so he's not visible until a car (and quite often semi-trailer) is quite close. I myself won't ride on this sucker, it's suicidal in my opinion. Not 50 metres from where this guy was riding... last year, the neighbours 18yr old daughter wrote off their car by putting it under another car which had slowed to take a side road.

I know the probability of something bad happening is actually quite low, but why the hell would you take the chance with your child? Why would you trust that all other road users are being observant on the day?

[Biffidus]

I was the dumb cyclist today. Took the old mountain bike over my shiny new commuter for nostalgic reasons. Why would I do that?

[jasonc]

Ah yes, I've had the pram-pushers going very boldly side-by-side, even when they could see others coming towards them. They'll make others go off the path (even other pedestrians), rather than going single-file for a short period of time. They look, roll the eyes and don't care.

It happens, nothing much you can do about it - just stay upright and keep on going. It's only a momentary interruption.

make lots of noise and wake their kids up

Air Zound them at 20 paces? Ooh, that'd be mean.

challenge....accepted

I was the dumb cyclist today. Took the old mountain bike over my shiny new commuter for nostalgic reasons. Why would I do that?

weight training

[InTheWoods]

Air Zound them at 20 paces? Ooh, that'd be mean.

challenge....accepted

Sigh. I'm going to have to stuff a potato or something in yours

[jasonc]

Air Zound them at 20 paces? Ooh, that'd be mean.

challenge....accepted

Sigh. I'm going to have to stuff a potato or something in yours

i'll just use yours

[Big_Red]

Air Zound them at 20 paces? Ooh, that'd be mean.

challenge....accepted

I was the dumb cyclist today. Took the old mountain bike over my shiny new commuter for nostalgic reasons. Why would I do that?

weight training

I'm about this ---||--- far from including an air zound in my next order where i can get a frame pump for the road bike + air zound from T7 delivered for less than i can get a frame pump from the LBS. I could have done with an AZ today with the cagers rolling though stop signs/give way signs in front of me!

Jason = mean bugger

+1 to weight training & it builds character...

[jasonc]

Jason = mean bugger

+1 to weight training & it builds character...

see what happens when I can't ride - I become mean. my wife hates me at the moment, more than normal anyway.

[g-boaf]

challenge....accepted

So mean!!!

Jason = mean bugger

+1 to weight training & it builds character...

see what happens when I can't ride - I become mean. my wife hates me at the moment, more than normal anyway.

I didn't ride yesterday either due to a buggered chain, I was grumpy all night.

[ColinOldnCranky]

This morning I was riding along the Kwinana Freeway PSP when a rider overtakes from behind and, a little to close to me, slows down to engage me with something like "How do you ...". Unfortunately he was riding with what I assume is his son who, I guess, had been riding to his outside and who he had to move across to to pass. In slowing down his sons pedals came up against Dad's, who tottered and wobbled and then came over on me. It was all in slow motion and I was focussing on not being mangled on top of the short little cyclone fence that is along there. I did wind up on it with a little bit of forward motion but no damage from it.

It was a momentary sillyfailure to see what could happen - slow cyclists can be a bit like peds sometimes - assume that time and space will accommodate their meanderings. That was only a marginal qualifier to be on this thread.

But in the course of apologizing, and seeing if I was OK he and h is son's bikes were all over the path and they were standing in the middle of it all. The stupidity was first that. But then I had to TWICE indicate that he needed to pick them up out of the way and to get themselves out of the way too. Despite cyslists weaving past. Surprisingly none vented.

Anyway, I got a decently deep gash on my foot that could do with stitches I would guess and I got to put some fresh water and table salt onto it at my coffee stop. I am expecting that some of those paper sutures will do whatever is required. The rest is just keeping it clean. Indeed it is already starting to bind back together nicely. Now I just have to work out how to fix the damage to my trip meter that got caught up in it all.

[il padrone]

see what happens when I can't ride - I become mean. my wife hates me at the moment, more than normal anyway.

I didn't ride yesterday either due to a buggered chain, I was grumpy all night.

Oh my lordy!!! WTMI

[Daus]

Its silly season again, the weather is fine the sun is up and the road warriors are out in force- fine weather cyclists. I am just an aging commuter and can be found meandering along on a 40 year old steel bike or when the wind is up on my 20 yr old apollo (better gearing)and if it rains my newish giant MTB, however the speed difference between me and the would be racers during the morning commute is considerable and surely you realise as the bunch closes up from behind that I am blissfully unaware that you are behind me and yet you are about to pass on you carbon toys within mm's of my right shoulder risking some very expensive damage to your toys.
I know you don't want to burden your bike with a bell- it would have a huge performance impact on you ultra light racer with the extra weight and I won't even mention the effect on the aerodynamics- but what about yelling out something like "PASSING" so that I can be made aware of your and your teams presence and then I will attempt to maintain a straight course so you can all pass safely and and while you are at it be aware that some of us don't and never have ridden in a bunch and the very close proximity to other riders is unnerving to say the least. So to all you would be racers please try to show a little courtesy to other road users and remember the carbon you save may be your own. On a plus side however you all look the part in your team kit and I understand how someone dressed in faded cotton drill shorts and sleevless cotton t is not worthy of any consideration.
I will be looking forward to the return of the inclement weather so you can all return to your indoor trainers for the duration and maybe on day I will catch up at the coffee shop and point out the error of your ways.
Thanks for the moments- Don

[greyhoundtom]

Hey Don......be grateful you don’t cop them during the wet weather as road bikes generally have no mudguards, and that would mean a grubby shower as well as a close shave.

But yeah you are right........some cyclists are so into their group ride that what they think is normal behavior can be extremely disconcerting to other bike riders.

[Daus]

You don't really think they would be out in the rain do you? But yes I guess I need to maintain my sense of humor about this topic but what happened to courtesy- I even fixed a flat a month back- the rider was alone on an empty stretch of road training for his next tri and had no phone, tools or spares in fact had no idea how to fix a flat- the shop does it for him- riding alongside the glass highway it's inevitable 5Kms from the nearest help.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Like Don, with the return of the dry I have also noticed an obvious increase in risky riding. Likewise they are just as or more than likely to be in expensive kit which leads me to believe that a lot of those who look the part are a little softer than the more pedestrian riders like Don and I. Which is fine if they reduce their hurry and increase their margins.

At this time of year I have cause every trip to reflect more than once on an incident where whether or not someone is seriously injured is not entirely in the hands of the rider. The most common would be squeezing through at speed between me and a rider or ped coming towards me. I can very easily move 10cm to the right or left without any indication and, of late, that margin is crossed at least once every trip.

Ride with consideration and do NOT trust your and everyone else well-being to chance.

A bell would be nice too.

[ldrcycles]

The thing that really bothers me about bunches is when you call out "car back" and no one moves, they just keep riding wherever they want, sometimes 3 or 4 wide. Come on it's just about being polite. You can bet they would be the first to arc up if they get shaved or beeped.