Stupidity of other road users

[Footie]

OK, having had a second stupid incident, I am forced to express my dismay at the stupidity of others, who seem to think it’s a joke to try to cause me to have an accident on my electric bike.

The first (few weeks ago) three kids walking along the pavement, who waited until I was almost beside them, screamed, shouted and made as if to run out in front of me. Resulted in me having to violently swerve out into the road, luckily nothing there to run me down.

The second incident (today) cycling along the road with heavy traffic. Some ass-wipe passenger in a Land Rover screamed and shouted "WAHAY, BIKER BOY" just as they passed. The sudden screaming/shouting (almost in my ear) made me jump and caused me to swerve and nearly end up in the ditch.

I am seriously thinking about getting one of those action cameras, then should something happen again and I crash, I would have recorded evidence of what happened and who caused it. However, at £100 each they are not cheap, so it needs some more serious thought.

Apart from the obvious hand signs and signal in response to dickhead drivers, anyone have any tips to deal with these very dangerous ass-wipes?
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[flecc]

I sympathise Footie, but you are so obviously in a fairly country area in remarking this.

Both these are a virtual daily occurrence for me in and near my London Borough, the sudden loud yell from passengers with their windows down sometimes happening more than once on a trip. Vans and lorries are usually the worst for that.

As for bunches of kids anywhere near the pavement edge, I treat them as if I'm passing a parked car, moving several feet out as I approach to avoid them having the opportunity.

We live in an age of morons where a very low IQ is seen as a reason for pride.
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[Beeping-Sleauty]

Go placidly amid the noise and haste...

OK, having had a second stupid incident, I am forced to express my dismay at the stupidity of others, who seem to think it’s a joke to try to cause me to have an accident on my electric bike.

The first (few weeks ago) three kids walking along the pavement, who waited until I was almost beside them, screamed, shouted and made as if to run out in front of me. Resulted in me having to violently swerve out into the road, luckily nothing there to run me down.

The second incident (today) cycling along the road with heavy traffic. Some ass-wipe passenger in a Land Rover screamed and shouted "WAHAY, BIKER BOY" just as they passed. The sudden screaming/shouting (almost in my ear) made me jump and caused me to swerve and nearly end up in the ditch.

I am seriously thinking about getting one of those action cameras, then should something happen again and I crash, I would have recorded evidence of what happened and who caused it. However, at £100 each they are not cheap, so it needs some more serious thought.

Apart from the obvious hand signs and signal in response to dickhead drivers, anyone have any tips to deal with these very dangerous ass-wipes?
.

It's a jungle out there......

not a lot you can do Footie,

wise head cautions still tongue,

it is of course wildy stupid to distract a cyclist with the intention of causing a mishap, but there are too many miscreants, dossers, drongos, drunks, druggies, feeble minded, mad children and other genetically challenged trouble makers, to ensure perfect safety from this type of threat.

i think the camera would be a waste of time & money, you never know where these 'scoundrels' will attack from, and it's usually all over by the time you can point the device.

a lady cyclist i knew used to counter stupid drivers with a small ball-pein hammer which slotted nicely into the velco straps meant for a pump, if they got too close she would whip it out and leave a lovely, neat little dent in whatever part of the vehicle she could reach, She used to brag about following a very troublesome idiot in his brand spanking new BMW into the city of London, waited until he had parked & walked away, whereupon she hit every panel on the car with her little hammer, just once, took thirty seconds, good as 'wrote off' the BMW

These days of course, you could be arrested for carrying an offensive weapon with intent.

you have my commiserations,

 

[Rod Tibbs]

Holes in the head

On August 12 last year I was riding my Powabyke in Newmarket High Street. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, sunny and with little traffic about. Suddenly something appeared from my left and the next I knew was waking up in an ambulance. Apparently a pickup had reversed into the main road, collecting me on the way.

Five weeks later I lost the use of my right arm, leg, fingers and toes and part of my voice. I was again rushed into hospital and they diagnosed a 'chronic subdural haemotoma' or a blood clot on the brain. I had to have two holes drilled through my skull and the blood flushed out. The improvement was immediate but it took weeks to get over the full effects of the operation. Apparently bleeding can take place over many weeks when you have had a bang on the head.

Fortunately I was wearing a crash helmet when the accident occurred otherwise I would not be writing this now.

So I know all about idiots on the road. I am 74 and how I did not break a bone I just do not know. The driver responsible was taken to court. At first he pleaded not guilty. Then they produced video from three CCTV cameras. He changed his plea and was subsequently fined.

As a cyclist there is little you can do apart from being extra cautious, wearing a helmet always and wearing a high vis yellow jacket or something like that.

I have been back on the road again for many months and today took my new Synergie Mistral out for its inaurgural ride.

The moral of this tale is that trouble can strike even when you are least expecting it! Happy riding everyone.

Rod

 

[Footie]

.... As for bunches of kids anywhere near the pavement edge, I treat them as if I'm passing a parked car, moving several feet out as I approach to avoid them having the opportunity ....

I think you may have a good solution to troublesome kids flecc, although I did actually do this but they still jumped a third of the way out into the road. I think I was 'off guard' - just need to be more prepared for it I guess.

I see there was a court case of a cyclist colliding and killing a girl recently. One naturally feels for the girl’s family and while this is not the same, it proves that kids these days seem to think everyone will get out of THEIR way. Rather a dangerous philosophy if you ask me

Cyclist handed 'laughable fine' after girl's death - Yahoo! News UK

On August 12 last year I was riding my Powabyke in Newmarket High Street. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, sunny and with little traffic about. Suddenly something appeared from my left and the next I knew was waking up in an ambulance. Apparently a pickup had reversed into the main road, collecting me on the way ....

.... Fortunately I was wearing a crash helmet when the accident occurred otherwise I would not be writing this now ....

.... The driver responsible was taken to court. At first he pleaded not guilty. Then they produced video from three CCTV cameras. He changed his plea and was subsequently fined.

Thanks Rod for sharing your experience. Glad you are recovering well and back in the saddle

I have to admit, I don't always wear a helmet. Scary when you realise Cornish hedges are mostly made of granite. With these recent incidents it seems danger lurks in totally unexpected areas. I may look into buying a new helmet. Perhaps that may encourage me to wear it more.

Rods experience with CCTV helping him in the courts, backs up my thoughts about an action camera. Perhaps next month - if the finances allow it
.

 

[HarryB]

You have my sympathy as well Footie. I had a very bad week last week with many selfish drivers, ending with a van driver literally trying to take me out for no reason I could see. When I caught up with him his response was (peppered with about 5 F words) "you were in my way, get out of my way" etc, etc. I was livid and happened to meet a policeman on a bicycle further on the way home and gave him (politely) a piece of my mind about the low priority they give to bicycle safety in London. Their only response is to set up road blocks at lights to stop bicycles. I consider this to be a side show pandering to the motoring lobby. They constantly moan about those who go through red lights but then proceed to try to mow you down when you set off after waiting 'till a green - believe me, we cannot win. I asked my policeman if he knew of any prosecutions of drivers overtaking too close (highway code rule 163). I consider this the worse danger I face on the road - everything else at least I can see happening before me. His response was 'none' so I rested my case with him at any rate.

I think recent reports about the cyclists killing the pedestrian http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/2428-cyclists-like-we-dont-need.html do a great deal of harm. This gets things out of perspective - a cyclist killing somebody is an incredibly rare event (and that is why it gets in the news). In fact I would say it is more a freak accident but I see this level of agression (and more) by car/van/taxi drivers every day on the roads. Substitute "out of my way I am coming though" with the blast of a car horn. My friend at work was left my the side of the road (and spent 2 weeks in hospital with head injuries) with a missing pedal. How did he get there? We will never know, because the police simply weren't interested. CCTV? There are so many of them nobody has the time to go through the footage even if they were interested.

 

[Footie]

Had a third incident today but to be honest I was able to see a funny side to it - which may seem contradictory considering how tense I've been getting with stupid drivers.

So there I am, happily cycling away with my bright high-vis jacket on. This time I had my MP3 player on so could not hear any silly remarks from passing dickheads - thought I had finally cracked it.

That was until I got a good washing down from some plonkers windscreen washers as he passed - what can one do
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[flecc]

Had a third incident today but to be honest I was able to see a funny side to it - which may seem contradictory considering how tense I've been getting with stupid drivers.

So there I am, happily cycling away with my bright high-vis jacket on. This time I had my MP3 player on so could not hear any silly remarks from passing dickheads - thought I had finally cracked it.

That was until I got a good washing down from some plonkers windscreen washers as he passed - what can one do
.

Yes, that's one I suffer too, and I've even suffered it motorcycling on a busy narrow road and waiting to pass a car. Deliberate too, seeing the occupants look round laughing.
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[oldosc]

Hi Perfectly prepared to be flamed for this..sorry about your episodes Footie (perhaps that should be the other way round)
Dont this come under the heading of "LIFE O" or "life bl**dy O" We live in a different world (well us 70's)bikers in the past were all working men, given credence, and a wide berth Kids would never challenge an adult..retrebution was always swift"..I am now realiasing ()
that I am OLD no longer can I challange a body with "do you wan a piece of me" because they might say yes..principals are for the rich or strong...
Just remember, we are the first generation of oldies to be active enough to want a bike

 

[Mandy]

Sorry to hear about your accidents and close accidents.
Some of the kids nowadays have little or no respect for adults on or off a bike really
I had a close shave the other day on a cycle path, 3 kids on bikes coming the other way, they changed to one behind the other, then one suddenly comes out from behind and is coming towards me, forces me off the kerb where thankfully there were no cars!
If I had landed in front of a car they would have been long gone and the car driver wouldn't have seen what caused it.
Makes me cross!
Mind you I really don't have many occurences thanfully and if I see a group of yobs I would rather go out of my way to avoid them!!
Mandy

 

[the_killjoy]

Sorry Footie, but I think that cycling with an MP3 on is the height of stupidity, you need ALL your senses when cycling.

 

[Jeremy]

I agree about the use of the MP3 player, I'm pretty sure that this was at least part of the reason for the pedestrian who ran across the road in front of me to not realise I was there. I find that I use hearing as much as sight, particularly with regard to traffic that's behind me.

However tempting it is, I would caution against committing any unlawful act by way of retaliation. It's an odds-on favourite that it will be you that will be charged, rather than the original miscreant, and you may well get a heftier penalty, as the bench/court will take into account the degree of premeditation (presuming that, like the lady with the ball pein hammer, one had already thought about retaliation).

The best answer is to ride defensively, assuming that everyone else you see is a plonker, and to just ignore provocation, either by pedestrians or other road users. One thing that would be legal, and might possibly help a lttle, is an extremely loud horn, one of the air powered variety.

Jeremy

 

[Beeping-Sleauty]

horny little rascals

........ and if I see a group of yobs I would rather go out of my way to avoid them!!
Mandy

Wise words, don't even enter the arena, if you can help it,

but trouble with yobs & oiks in cars & vans usually approaches from the rear and there is little or no defence possible,

one problem i constantly suffer on the A12 is idiot truckers who think it funny to give me a 100+ decibel horn blast, just as they draw level, they're usually travelling at 60+ mph, even a wobble would be fatal if i was in the road with them, instead of the service path 2 metres away, seems to be a particularly 'Brit Trucker' problem, don't get it from European lorries.

as Mr Flecc says, Just try & stay safe.

 

[Mandy]

Sorry Footie, but I think that cycling with an MP3 on is the height of stupidity, you need ALL your senses when cycling.

I agree I'm afraid, the amount of times I attempt to pass other cyclists on a wide cycle path and ring my not so loud bell and they have wires hanging from there ears is all too common and really does annoy me a little
I don't like to pass unless they are fully aware I am doing so and this makes it all the more difficult. Cyclists will often not keep to one line on a path and try to avoid lumps and dips as I do.

Don't get me wrong, I love my I pod and use it a lot at home so I am not anti music in the ears, just not on a bike

I want a loud horn and I know that this was mentioned some time ago in another thread but can't find it now. Has anyone got a link to one?

Cheers

 

[Footie]

I agree I'm afraid, the amount of times I attempt to pass other cyclists on a wide cycle path and ring my not so loud bell and they have wires hanging from there ears is all too common and really does annoy me a little

So I'm not the only one who is 'the height of stupidity'

For my own part I am 50% deaf anyway, so I use my excellent vision to compensate for my poor hearing. Ever tried riding a bike with hearing aids in, waste of time.

The MP3 is not loud just enough to take away the boredom. The strange thing about my poor hearing is I seem to 'feel' low frequencies (lorries drive me mad) so I can still hear/feel engines (cars, etc) when close and dangerous. In fact I wouldn't use my MP3 while walking, I find slow moving cars more dangerous - I can't hear the slow / silent engines at all

As for other cyclists ringing their bell to over take me - it just won't happen
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[john]

So I'm not the only one who is 'the height of stupidity'

I ride listening to the radio so you can count me in too

I agree that it is safer not to, but when quizzed I ask "don't you listen to the radio in your car?"

It doesn't completely drown out background noise and I use a mirror to see what is coming up behind me.

 

[Erik]

Re. MP3

I agree I'm afraid, the amount of times I attempt to pass other cyclists on a wide cycle path and ring my not so loud bell and they have wires hanging from there ears is all too common and really does annoy me a little

I'm an audiobook addict, but I don't have the volume turned up so much that all other sounds are blocked out.

I'm considering an air horn, because other cyclist, mostly middle aged people without earphones, don't move to the side when I want to pass them on the narrow cycle paths.

BTW, if you overtake another cyclist and your handlebars hit each other, I assume that the two bikes will tilt towards each other?

 

[Blew it]

Contact!

Theoretically, The machine being overtaken will swerve violently to the left and most likely fall to the right. The overtaking machine, anticipating the contact, may firm up his grip on the bars and survive after a bit of tank slapping.

What ever happens to the bikes, I suspect the riders might well "tilt" towards each other!

Cheers

Bob

 

[WALKERMAN]

OK, having had a second stupid incident, I am forced to express my dismay at the stupidity of others, who seem to think it’s a joke to try to cause me to have an accident on my electric bike.

The first (few weeks ago) three kids walking along the pavement, who waited until I was almost beside them, screamed, shouted and made as if to run out in front of me. Resulted in me having to violently swerve out into the road, luckily nothing there to run me down.

The second incident (today) cycling along the road with heavy traffic. Some ass-wipe passenger in a Land Rover screamed and shouted "WAHAY, BIKER BOY" just as they passed. The sudden screaming/shouting (almost in my ear) made me jump and caused me to swerve and nearly end up in the ditch.

I am seriously thinking about getting one of those action cameras, then should something happen again and I crash, I would have recorded evidence of what happened and who caused it. However, at £100 each they are not cheap, so it needs some more serious thought.

Apart from the obvious hand signs and signal in response to dickhead drivers, anyone have any tips to deal with these very dangerous ass-wipes?
.

I'm glad I stumbled across this thread today because I am fed up with the morons I pass on my route who make stupid comments, etc.
It was beginning to get me down and recently I spoke to a policeman friend who is also a cyclist and he said you just have to ignore it all, which is what he does when not in uniform.
I feel a bit better now having read all of your comments and now know I am not alone.

 

[Mandy]

So I'm not the only one who is 'the height of stupidity'

For my own part I am 50% deaf anyway, so I use my excellent vision to compensate for my poor hearing. Ever tried riding a bike with hearing aids in, waste of time.

The MP3 is not loud just enough to take away the boredom. The strange thing about my poor hearing is I seem to 'feel' low frequencies (lorries drive me mad) so I can still hear/feel engines (cars, etc) when close and dangerous. In fact I wouldn't use my MP3 while walking, I find slow moving cars more dangerous - I can't hear the slow / silent engines at all.

As for other cyclists ringing their bell to over take me - it just won't happen
.

Sorry to hear about your not so good hearing footie but I would have thought with poor hearing wearing ear plugs to listen to music would probably not help?
I have very poor eye sight and wouldn't dream of riding my bike without my glasses, I would probably have an accident, lol

Eeeeerm, so why is my "quote" the height of stupidity?
My following remark was I quote was "I don't like to pass unless they are fully aware I am doing so and this makes it all the more difficult. Cyclists will often not keep to one line on a path and try to avoid lumps and dips as I do". Certainly not the height of stupidity eh?
So if I was trying to pass you Footie, I would wait
Maybe I didn't make my point clear but I will not pass cyclists if they are not aware I am there, I simply shout "excuse me" very politely if they don't hear my bell and unfortunately I wait if they don't Of course I don't have this problem myself as nothing passes me on the cycle paths