Cycling UK Forum

Patrickpioneer wrote:Reading all the messages here I am so glad I live where I do because these things with pedestrian, dog walkers or horses never happen to me. Is it perhaps just large cities where people may have forgot how to be pleasant to each other?

No, it's Britain. Our country is broken.

A couple of times recently i've had a similar scenario whilst riding on the multi use Monsal Trail in the PD. As Peds almost universally ignore my bell ring I generally approach with a cheery 'excuse me' which seems to work quite well.

However, twice now, even this has been ignored, i've had to stop and repeat the request to pass only to be told 'you should use a bell'! The latest occasion I did point out that I had used a loud verbal warning that they'd ignored which suggested they'd equally ignore the quieter bell. They just muttered to my departing back.

I've been doing a lot of trail riding this winter and generally the Peds have been friendly and appreciative of the verbal alert to my approach. Both 'bell' incidents have been with hardcore walkers, boots, rucksacks etc rather than doggies or families.

I do give a load warning approaching horses from the rear too which seems to get a favourable response and often a cheery reply too.

londoncommuter0000 wrote:

londoncommuter0000 wrote:I've had pedestrians scream [ abuse ]

Oh, for crying out loud .. WHY ? Why the stupid censorship? What is the average age of the poster here - is it nine?

No but some readers may be nine, or at workplaces with strict obscenity policies and the colourful language doesn't add enough to discussions to outweigh losing those readers. If you'd like to discuss it with the moderators, may I suggest posting in the support forum?

mjr wrote:

londoncommuter0000 wrote:

londoncommuter0000 wrote:I've had pedestrians scream [ abuse ]

Oh, for crying out loud .. WHY ? Why the stupid censorship? What is the average age of the poster here - is it nine?

No but some readers may be nine, or at workplaces with strict obscenity policies and the colourful language doesn't add enough to discussions to outweigh losing those readers. If you'd like to discuss it with the moderators, may I suggest posting in the support forum?

I'd be interested to know about these 'strict obscenity policies' - or more accurately, in what way the presence of a 'cockney' variant of a 'bad' word is going to be detected by an employer, or 'sanctioned' by one.

As for nine year olds, I'd be very surprised if they didn't already know far worse than what I wrote.

But, whatever. This is one of those 'it's my website, and if you're not happy, there's the door' situations. It doesn't make it right. Like for example, the looneytunes who owns 'crazyguyonabike' is vegetarian (note: I've vegan so I'm not claiming 'non-meat eater = looney'), so systematically deletes any mention of hunting. The subsequent and inevitable distortion of the discussions just detracts from the website.

But ... *shrug*

... What is the average age of the poster here - is it nine? ...

AIUI, when this forum was set up, the CTC as it then was, was concerned that it should not degenerate into the state of many online forums, but rather that it should be family-friendly. The average age of posters on here is probably nearer to ninety than to nine years old, but it ought to be possible for anybody to visit the forum in comfort.

The auto correct gadget is a bit of built-in bowdlerisation. It's basic and comes up with some silly results, partly because of its American origins.

Overall, it's the difference between being grown up and "adult."

thirdcrank wrote:Overall, it's the difference between being grown up and "adult."

Hmm. Indeed. Then there's the school of thought that says that getting 'offended' over what in 2019 are pretty anodine 'expletives' is neither grown up, nor adult.

fastpedaller wrote: … Car pulled alongside and woman got out, shouting abuse and saying how I was going too fast for her to overtake. I replied that she had a 1600 Cortina (it was many years ago ) and if it wasn't safe for her to overtake then what's the problem? ...

But I thought all motorists believe that cyclists go far too slow and hold up traffic... Was this woman saying you were going far too *fast* and holding up traffic??

londoncommuter0000 wrote:As for nine year olds, I'd be very surprised if they didn't already know far worse than what I wrote.

Not all of them...

There is a difference between quoting an obscenity shouted at you, and using it in conversation. But the forum cannot know the difference. Yes, it's a blunt instrument, yes it's tuned to American language, but it is at least consistent.

I can't tell if it would make the clbuttic mistake (google that, it's generally SFW), but it is perfectly possible to have a conversation without expletives/obscenities. The filter does help stop this place turning into a slanging match every five minutes.

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:<SNIP>
BUT last ride approached said person on cycle path head on, wet and leafy, small path in middle which I and person were sharing all was well and plenty space BUT at last moment when we came close and I had reduced my speed accordingly, said person shoulder barged me
<SNIP>

Get a camera on your helmet / bike and record any such incidents......report them to the police.... I never leave home with out my camera now..

I've had a ' you should use a bell' thrown at me a few times now. At which point i reply 'Ding-ding!'

Works for me.

I must live in a bubble !
50 years of Cycling without a single pedestrian attempting to abuse me in any way .... Thousands and thousands of miles of "good mornings" ... "after you" .. "sorry about the dog" ... et al .....
Smiles, encouragement, waves etc .....
I've been a cycle club member every where from Dundee to Hastings, ridden all over the UK and Ireland .....
Roads, towpaths, lanes, forests, mountains .....

I wonder, is my positive behaviour towards pedestrians causing the positive responses i receive .....

landsurfer wrote:I must live in a bubble !
50 years of Cycling without a single pedestrian attempting to abuse me in any way .... Thousands and thousands of miles of "good mornings" ... "after you" .. "sorry about the dog" ... et al .....
Smiles, encouragement, waves etc .....
I've been a cycle club member every where from Dundee to Hastings, ridden all over the UK and Ireland .....
Roads, towpaths, lanes, forests, mountains .....

I wonder, is my positive behaviour towards pedestrians causing the positive responses i receive .....

You and your bubble of positivity, you

Bonefishblues wrote:You and your bubble of positivity, you

LOL .... ok ... reality check ... been hit by 3 cars and suffered serious head injuries after being knocked off by a cyclist .... but apart from that .......

Hi,
No matter if its a dog a pedestrian or another cyclist, it can happen to anyone on a shared path.
I use shared paths every trip.

I thinking..................it was safer than the road but now I am not so sure.

In fifty years of cycling only had contact with one car......If I ignore the parked one
Knocked off............driver spoke with a foreign accent and did not bother to move off resting his arm on roof of car fifty yards down road..implied I need to signal to go straight on

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:In fifty years of cycling only had contact with one car......
Knocked off............driver spoke with a foreign accent and did not bother to move off resting his arm on roof of car fifty yards down road..implied I need to signal to go straight on

Foreign accent ... from Essex i suspect ..... most of Cornwall and Devon is owned by those from London and Essex ....