Cycling UK Forum

Discamper90 wrote:I had a couple of dopey looking chavs fly past on scooters with L plates stick out their thumbs shouting 'WEHEY!' earlier today. It was nice to have a friendly reaction to be honest. I've only had the ICE for just over a week now and I've done about 200 miles on it and haven't had any abuse as such. Just a few cocky comments from kids here and there but when they see me laugh it probably makes them give up trying to get a rise out of me.

There's still time for some angry bar steward to pull over and try to crowbar me though! Hope not...

You had a nice reaction but your reaction is to call them dopey looking chavs.


The old people of today

NUKe wrote:

Discamper90 wrote:I had a couple of dopey looking chavs fly past on scooters with L plates stick out their thumbs shouting 'WEHEY!' earlier today. It was nice to have a friendly reaction to be honest. I've only had the ICE for just over a week now and I've done about 200 miles on it and haven't had any abuse as such. Just a few cocky comments from kids here and there but when they see me laugh it probably makes them give up trying to get a rise out of me.

There's still time for some angry bar steward to pull over and try to crowbar me though! Hope not...

You had a nice reaction but your reaction is to call them dopey looking chavs.


The old people of today

I'm 26! Haha.

Not quite a shout out but rather than start a new thread seemed like the best place,
This morning whilst visiting the bread shop on the grasshopper, approached by a chap who concerned for my welfare said he sees me most mornings, and was worried I didn't stand out very well. He said I stood out when I wear my red hat (which I don't have), and suggested I wore something reflective on my head. He added My front light was very bright.but not my back one . I have dlrs run off a hub dynamo.
I then got lectured at about the young ninja cyclists in black. He then told me he was cyclist too. Funny how its always the cyclists who think recumbents are invisible. I have a theory on this, in that we all have a level of risk/mitigation we are comfortable with. If someone else seems not to follow those m itigations we will perceive it as reckless.

Used to have a van driver and passenger who would draw alongside and shout abuse with monotonous regularity

Just ignored them, then edited together about 20 minutes of abuse from the head cam and sent it to the Company's Head Office

Problem sorted.

I am into education....

I often let people sit on the machines, and occasionally (with judgement, and kids, wife left as a deposit!) allow the occasional spin around a car park

That is usually all that is needed to transform a sceptical audience to supporters

Cunobelin wrote:I am into education....

I often let people sit on the machines, and occasionally (with judgement, and kids, wife left as a deposit!) allow the occasional spin around a car park

That is usually all that is needed to transform a sceptical audience to supporters

Can I have a go?
I'll leave the wife and kids as collateral........




.......Then when I don't come back you can keep them .

Fair exchange is no robbery.

Cunobelin wrote:Used to have a van driver and passenger who would draw alongside and shout abuse with monotonous regularity

Just ignored them, then edited together about 20 minutes of abuse from the head cam and sent it to the Company's Head Office

Problem sorted.

Cunobelin for PM or transport minister at least!

What does your pseudonym mean?

My favourite one: "oi, you're on a lazy-bloke's bike".

It's 20 years since Cycling Plus tried a few bents and said words to the effect 'nothing gets you more attention unless you get a Ferrari'. Sometimes you forget about it, wrapped up in your ride, but you frequently get reminded it's still true. In the main it's just funny, even the less friendly ones can be funny. Like when I passed the border sign for Essex, and the very next car's passenger threw a plastic bottle at me.... reinforcing all my prejudices. Van driver's comments normally revolve around aspects of anatomy; clearly a major focus of their mental world. But it is the experienced cyclist "very brave" that has riled me most, now I'm ready with a rejoinder "I'd rather crash feet first than head first".

Still, I understand the first cycle tourist faced aggressive reactions from locals, so it seems novelty has always provoked those so inclined.

NUKe wrote:He then told me he was cyclist too. Funny how its always the cyclists who think recumbents are invisible. I have a theory on this, in that we all have a level of risk/mitigation we are comfortable with. If someone else seems not to follow those m itigations we will perceive it as reckless.

Look at the comments thread on any story about helmets... People will pick up the culture (including prejudices) of the people around them. It's completely normal, and is picked out in Ben Goldacre's "Bad Science" in the chapter entitled Why clever people believe stupid things.

Pete.

NUKe wrote:Not quite a shout out but rather than start a new thread seemed like the best place,
This morning whilst visiting the bread shop on the grasshopper, approached by a chap who concerned for my welfare said he sees me most mornings, and was worried I didn't stand out very well. He said I stood out when I wear my red hat (which I don't have), and suggested I wore something reflective on my head. He added My front light was very bright.but not my back one . I have dlrs run off a hub dynamo.
I then got lectured at about the young ninja cyclists in black. He then told me he was cyclist too. Funny how its always the cyclists who think recumbents are invisible. I have a theory on this, in that we all have a level of risk/mitigation we are comfortable with. If someone else seems not to follow those m itigations we will perceive it as reckless.

He told you he was a cyclist. Maybe he was lying. Maybe he was a non-cycling cyclist, like the non-travelling reserves in football

I unfortunately drive more than I cycle, but I am a cyclist first!

Alternative facts welcome

Yep, cyclist are particularly concerned with the height issue, so it seems odd so many of them wear black helmets.

My response is to tell them that if they think they can be reliably seen above the roofline, with all the 4*4, SUV & Vans around then 'good luck' with that.