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“That cyclist” who hit the horse.

richgilb said:
I am fairly easy going and not into any anti-this or anti-that for the sake of it. I get a bee in my bonnet about very few things. But I had to scoop my children off the canal path last summer on a Sunday afternoon bike ride because a large group of mamils were piling down it at 25ish mph. I remember one shouted at us in advance to let us know that they wanted space to get past. Tossers. That sort of thing is not unusual here. It is common.

The reason you see more dangerous driving in cars is probably because there are more cars. Proportionately speaking, I reckon there are more tossers on racers than there are in cars.
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I’ve taken that into account, most cyclists I see on the roads around here are pretty responsible, those that aren’t are usually more of a danger to themselves than anyone else. The only notable experience I’ve had where I was in danger from a cyclist was on the A5 going towards Wall island (an unlit section of dual carriageway) at around 2AM on a Sunday morning, I was passing a truck when I spotted a cyclist in the overtaking lane, right ahead of me, facing me, with no lights or anything. I managed to brake and get in behind the truck, narrowly avoiding a head on impact with him. It’s just a good job I have excellent eyesight otherwise I’d have probably gotten an 85mph (combined speed) headbutt off him. He was apprehended by the police thankfully after I called them from a lay-by... he was probably off his face on drink or drugs though.
 
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drummerman said:
There is another way of looking at it ... I personally find Horses on public roads a nuisance.
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Yes. But I soften a bit at the scene. Horses are magnificent beasts. And riders are usually apologetically waving and thanking all the time. A three grand Bianchi jockeyed by some knob racing against the others / clock / himself shouting at me to get out of the way is an altogether less appealing experience.

In another incident on a single track road in the wolds about three years ago, we somehow ended up on the road as the race was going on. Perhaps due to bad marshalling. They were coming in the other direction. The only thing I could do was park with half the width of the car in the verge so they could all pass. The amount of abuse I got from several of them was a joke.

Finally, you get them shouting at you to get out the way on the Humber bridge cycle path too. Some simply hate using their brakes, even with 5 year olds wobbling along. It's never pissed up people on bikes without lights. It's always people on racers.
 
Tony Lockhart said:
Were they races or time trials?
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I don't fully understand why you draw a distinction. I realise that a race is a mass start and a TT is staged but the competitors are all going hell for leather in either instance surely? You make it sound like there is a great behavioural difference that somehow makes one much more disciplined than the other.
 
Joe said:
but the competitors are all going hell for leather in either instance surely? You make it sound like there is a great behavioural difference that somehow makes one much more disciplined than the other.
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On a bike TT riders are not "going hell for leather". With the possible exception of track races and cyclocross any competitive bike event is about careful metering of effort over the specified distance, it is not like a motor race where every millisecond of every corner is ruthlessly contested. Cyclists are looking for efficiency, clean lines and the max sustainable power over the distance. Which is what I do pretty much every time I get on my bike.
 
drummerman said:
There is another way of looking at it ... I personally find Horses on public roads a nuisance.
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Did you know that horse riders are not liable for damage caused by their horses, unless they are negligent? I was caught by that one when my parked motorbike was kicked by a police horse at a football match. After much argy bargy the police's insurance company refused to pay as the rider was not negligent. Fireworks panicked the horse.
I don't know how that would work if the horse killed a pedestrian, though.
 
cutting42 said:
On a bike TT riders are not "going hell for leather". With the possible exception of track races and cyclocross any competitive bike event is about careful metering of effort over the specified distance, it is not like a motor race where every millisecond of every corner is ruthlessly contested. Cyclists are looking for efficiency, clean lines and the max sustainable power over the distance. Which is what I do pretty much every time I get on my bike.
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And yet only the fastest one wins...so it is a race and they all go as fast as possible to win the race.... efficiently or not. No points are awarded for style.
 
Wow. There’s no difference in a sprinter’s pace and a marathon runner’s pace. Blimey. All credit to Mo Farah and the rest. Incredible.
 
richgilb said:
Finally, you get them shouting at you to get out the way on the Humber bridge cycle path too. Some simply hate using their brakes, even with 5 year olds wobbling along. It's never pissed up people on bikes without lights. It's always people on racers.
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The thing I find terrifying is those kiddie trailers tacked onto the back of cycles. Usually too low down to be visible and totally unexpected. I would like to see some sort of restriction/test/licence if you are going to carry a passenger on a bike, which is effectively what that is. And a passenger who cannot choose whether to be there or not!
 
I was dragged down by one of those child trailers.

The kid was still in it, which was the worst thing.
 
awkwardbydesign said:
That was my very first solo track experience. Stupid, but I survived, just. I ran off at Adenauer Forst but managed to stay on! That was in the old Deutschmark days.
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It's awesome. Terrifying on a bike. I trotted round in 12 mins. Some of those e30s without suspension looked rather unstable watching them corner from the saddle of a motorbike.
 
PsB said:
Think carefully before punching, as "a chap like that" probably repairs motorcyclists every week.
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Ah if it came down to it I'm sure I'd just think murderous thoughts for the next half hour or so, rather than create 'an intervention'.

(If I did ever end up in pre-op awaiting a professional intervention from the chap though, I'd ask them to put the detached limb(s) in a cool-bag and send me (and it/them) somewhere more biker-friendly :) )
 
Tony Lockhart said:
Not as bad as short tempered car drivers though. :)
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On this point I must agree. There is little as unpleasant on the UK roads as the aggressive driver. I see none of this elsewhere. Forget to indicate? Expect someone to do tosser signs at you and offer you out for a fight. IN Europe they seem very relaxed, if a bit more selfish. I don't expect anyone to let me out at a junction in France or Germany. But I'd rather have that than have someone offer to kick my head in for a minor traffic violation.
 
richgilb said:
On this point I must agree. There is little as unpleasant on the UK roads as the aggressive driver. I see none of this elsewhere.
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I've had it in Germany, when on a bike. Amusingly, in Freiberg, one driver went out of his way to show me the route, and the next one shouted at me for not going fast enough! And some drivers squeezed up to prevent me coming back in after overtaking them. Just like in England! Unlike Italy, where I feel much safer on a bike.
 
awkwardbydesign said:
I've had it in Germany, when on a bike. Amusingly, in Freiberg, one driver went out of his way to show me the route, and the next one shouted at me for not going fast enough! And some drivers squeezed up to prevent me coming back in after overtaking them. Just like in England! Unlike Italy, where I feel much safer on a bike.
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I am not far from Freiburg!

There is defo a bit more up yer arse motorway tailgating in Germany. And France perhaps also. I am mostly city driving and it is extremely chilled in Strasbourg and Kehl.
 
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