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Peter B
July 15th 03, 09:07 AM
Ring-a-ding to all.

Everybody we came across, walkers and cyclists, on an off-road ride in the
peaks on Sunday was cheerful except one old git (old gits, please don't take
offence, I'm one as well) who I slowly approached from behind, slowed to
near stationary and then called out "good afternoon" in a polite manner.
He moved aside but as we passed by the comment was heard: "What's wrong with
an good old fashioned bell?".

Probably nothing, apart from them occasionally packing up, IMO but what's
wrong with a good old fashioned "Good afternoon"?

Would the old git be happier if I went tear-arsing up to him manically
ringing a bell?
Should I greet everybody in all walks of life with a ringing bell?

Yours, confused.

Ambrose Nankivell
July 15th 03, 09:29 AM
In ,
Peter B > typed:
> Ring-a-ding to all.
>
> Everybody we came across, walkers and cyclists, on an off-road ride
> in the peaks on Sunday was cheerful except one old git (old gits,
> please don't take offence, I'm one as well) who I slowly approached
> from behind, slowed to near stationary and then called out "good
> afternoon" in a polite manner.
> He moved aside but as we passed by the comment was heard: "What's
> wrong with an good old fashioned bell?".

Lots, in my opinion. Owners of bells tend to come up behind people ringing
them in the same manner that Mr Toad parps his horn. It might be OK if
they're straying across a path designated for the use of cyclists, or if
you're overtaking another cyclist, but what normally happens is that it's a
shared path, and the cyclist doesn't slow down at all, but expects the
pedestrian to jump out of their way. Myself, I just slow down to walking
pace until I'm noticed, or go around them at a slow pace. Either way it's
still a pain, but it's better than being rude.

A

chris French
July 15th 03, 10:06 AM
In message >, Ambrose
Nankivell
>Myself, I just slow down to walking
>pace until I'm noticed, or go around them at a slow pace. Either way it's
>still a pain, but it's better than being rude.
>
I find having something that rattles on the bike works well at getting
you noticed.
--
Chris French, Leeds

Seamus
July 15th 03, 10:11 AM
Along the busy with cyclists Chesterfield canal on Saturday one couple
remarked, as I rang my bell, "at last. Someone with a bell."

Usually though, the idiots stand in the way ging, "what's that ringing,"
if they pay any heed at all!



--
Seamus
Byke Kultuur Never at...
http://uk.geocities.com/bykekultuur/never.html
Cycling Movies Big List at...
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>--------------------------<
Posted via cyclingforums.com
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Tony W
July 15th 03, 10:20 AM
"Ambrose Nankivell" > wrote in
message ...

>
> Lots, in my opinion. Owners of bells tend to come up behind people ringing
> them in the same manner that Mr Toad parps his horn. It might be OK if
> they're straying across a path designated for the use of cyclists, or if
> you're overtaking another cyclist, but what normally happens is that it's
a
> shared path, and the cyclist doesn't slow down at all, but expects the
> pedestrian to jump out of their way. Myself, I just slow down to walking
> pace until I'm noticed, or go around them at a slow pace. Either way it's
> still a pain, but it's better than being rude.


I find a polite ding-ding is by far the most effective method of moving
pedestrians out of the way without giving offence. It says bike --
especially to the old gits. The sound seems to carry further than 'good
afternoon' and the pedestrian is less likely to turn into your path and try
to engage you in conversation -- normally of the 'yes but this weather makes
my piles ache something awful' variety.

Of course it doesn't work if the pedestrian has a dog -- especially one on
an extending lead -- because all pedestrians with dogs leave any brain they
may have at home when walking their beloved mut.

T

elyob
July 15th 03, 10:28 AM
"Tony W" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Ambrose Nankivell" > wrote in
> message ...
>
> >
> > Lots, in my opinion. Owners of bells tend to come up behind people
ringing
> > them in the same manner that Mr Toad parps his horn. It might be OK if
> > they're straying across a path designated for the use of cyclists, or if
> > you're overtaking another cyclist, but what normally happens is that
it's
> a
> > shared path, and the cyclist doesn't slow down at all, but expects the
> > pedestrian to jump out of their way. Myself, I just slow down to walking
> > pace until I'm noticed, or go around them at a slow pace. Either way
it's
> > still a pain, but it's better than being rude.
>
>
> I find a polite ding-ding is by far the most effective method of moving
> pedestrians out of the way without giving offence. It says bike --
> especially to the old gits. The sound seems to carry further than 'good
> afternoon' and the pedestrian is less likely to turn into your path and
try
> to engage you in conversation -- normally of the 'yes but this weather
makes
> my piles ache something awful' variety.
>
> Of course it doesn't work if the pedestrian has a dog -- especially one on
> an extending lead -- because all pedestrians with dogs leave any brain
they
> may have at home when walking their beloved mut.
>

I had a good one the other day. Three people walking down by the river, a
polite ding-ding which they heard but didn't register. A last ding-ding,
cover the brakes, and stand on the pedals. Sure enough, they started to
move. Unfortunately, one into my route, other two all over the shop. So I
came to a stop, and a trackstand. No idea what the woman was shouting at me,
as I had my headphones on. Smile, continue journey. Anyone who says
headphones are dangerous, well, they kept me out of a slanging match. :)

Wallace Shackleton
July 15th 03, 10:28 AM
The tactic I use is to start pinging my bell a good way from the
pedestrian, if there is no reaction then assume that they are deaf and
pass slowly.

An friendly acknowledgement / greeting never goes amiss.

--
Wallace Shackleton,

Kinross,
Scotland.

Cycling in Kinross-shire www.cyclekinross.org.uk

Perth & Kinross Cycle Campaign www.bycycle.org.uk

Dave Larrington
July 15th 03, 11:45 AM
Daniel Auger wrote:

> Personally, I am finding my bell very useful when passing through
> Cambridge city centre. Many visitors are not expecting cycles, and a
> quick ring on the bell is a remarkably effective way of converting a
> dopey and stochastic pedestrian into something more alert and
> deterministic.

I've tried that, most notably in the streets around Borough Market, where
the accepted method of pedestrian perambulation is:

o down the centre of a one-way street sporting a perfectly adequate
pavement, with
o ones back to the oncoming traffic, and
o with a Walkman or hands-free phone earpiece blocking out the sordid
reality of SE1 at 8:30 in the morning

'tis the latter which conspires against the efficacy of The Bell as an
Audible Warning Of Approach, and after three polite "dings", I usually have
to shout "Earth Calling" at Sergeant-Major level. At which point you can
see the words "lycra lout" forming behind their dull, glazed eyes and hear
the mental cogs grinding slowly as they strive to file the event in memory
so that the "Daily Mail" can be duly notified. I hate them.

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

Dave
July 15th 03, 12:54 PM
"chris French" > wrote in message
...
> In message >, Ambrose
> Nankivell
> >Myself, I just slow down to walking
> >pace until I'm noticed, or go around them at a slow pace. Either way it's
> >still a pain, but it's better than being rude.
> >
> I find having something that rattles on the bike works well at getting
> you noticed.
> --
> Chris French, Leeds

Seriously squeaky brakes (leather lined brake pads) on my road bike work
really really well. Peds will jump off shared use paths into THE ROAD, to
avoid the squeaky brake monster. Quite amusing really. Doesn't need to be
done aggresively either !!
However, my hand operated horn (honk-honk) on my MTB is effective up to the
point where it's being used on canal towpaths. Then folks just seem to think
it's geese or somesuch behind them and totally ignore it :-(...this is where
the 'bike coming up left/right' shout works well and they look embarrassed
about misunderstanding the signal (hee-hee!!)
Dave.

Peter B
July 15th 03, 01:08 PM
"chris French" > wrote in message
...
> I find having something that rattles on the bike works well at getting
> you noticed.

Yebbut, I was on me bike rattling ;-)

Pete

Dave Larrington
July 15th 03, 01:33 PM
Geraint Jones wrote:

> Individually, I trust. I mean, hating them as a class would
> be little better than hating, say, cyclists as a class.

Oh, absolutely. It's the same with Americans. I've had both pedestrians
and Americans inside Larrington Towers and I didn't even bother to cover the
furniture first...

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

wafflyDIRTYcatLITTERhcsBOX
July 15th 03, 01:49 PM
>Oh, absolutely. It's the same with Americans. I've had both pedestrians
>and Americans inside Larrington Towers and I didn't even bother to cover the
>furniture first...

Standards slipping at Larrington Towers then?

Cheers, helen s ;-)



~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~

Peter Connolly
July 15th 03, 02:21 PM
> He's probably just a bad-tempered old fart with his piles giving him a bit
of
> agony and you happened to be about at the wrong time ;-)
>

And he's got a sister in Derby! I had a similar occurrence, when I was
practically at a standstill waiting to get past a number of crumblies. I was
going so slowly I was able to point out that with hands, bar bag, computer,
HRM, brakes and gear shifters, there wasn't actually any room left for a
bell!

Regards,

Pete.

David Hansen
July 15th 03, 02:28 PM
On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 08:07:29 +0000 (UTC) someone who may be "Peter
B" > wrote this:-

>one old git (old gits, please don't take
>offence, I'm one as well) who I slowly approached from behind, slowed to
>near stationary and then called out "good afternoon" in a polite manner.
>He moved aside but as we passed by the comment was heard: "What's wrong with
>an good old fashioned bell?".

They tend to produce one of four reactions, in declining percentage.

1) No reaction.

2a) How dare that lycra lout ring their bell at me.
2b) Thank you nice cyclist for ringing your bell.

3) A cyclist! Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic.


>Would the old git be happier if I went tear-arsing up to him manically
>ringing a bell?

Possibly. More likely he would have moaned just as much.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

Tony W
July 15th 03, 02:30 PM
"David Hansen" > wrote in message
...
>
> They tend to produce one of four reactions, in declining percentage.
>
> 1) No reaction.
>
> 2a) How dare that lycra lout ring their bell at me.
> 2b) Thank you nice cyclist for ringing your bell.
>
> 3) A cyclist! Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic.
>
>
> >Would the old git be happier if I went tear-arsing up to him manically
> >ringing a bell?


At last -- a rational reason for a bent. You could slice through
pedestrians with the front mounted meat cleaving device :)

Peter Clinch
July 15th 03, 03:08 PM
Tony W wrote:

> At last -- a rational reason for a bent. You could slice through
> pedestrians with the front mounted meat cleaving device :)

HP Velotechnik are No Fun At All and put a guard over the crank :-( The
Orbit didn't have one, though, so I always felt happy in the knowledge
that if some fool tried to door me they'd be left with an interesting
line of puncture marks in the steel if they timed it wrong...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Dave Larrington
July 15th 03, 03:25 PM
Peter Clinch wrote:

> HP Velotechnik are No Fun At All and put a guard over the crank :-(

True, though it takes nobbut a few minutes to remove it...

The Mgt wishes to make it quite clear that it does not condone the practice
of removing chainguards from recumbents merely to allow the rider the
satisfaction of leaving a neat line of half-inch pitch holes in an errant
ped, accompanied by the sort of undignified noises more commonly heard
emanating from unhappy Spaniards lying at the roadside with an assortment of
snapped limbs. Or in the door of a tin box. No Sir, not us.

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

James Hodson
July 15th 03, 07:27 PM
On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 08:07:29 +0000 (UTC), "Peter B"
> wrote:

>Ring-a-ding to all.
>

You could begin by not doing any Terry Thomas impersonations, you cad.

Actually, Peter, it's a tricky one. On the one hand you are castigated
for not ringing your bell. OTOH, you're blamed for scaring the OAPs.

James

--
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.butty/Dscf0632.jpg

Andy Dingley
July 15th 03, 07:48 PM
On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 08:07:29 +0000 (UTC), "Peter B"
> wrote:

>He moved aside but as we passed by the comment was heard: "What's wrong with
>an good old fashioned bell?".

What' wrong with it is that even the cheeriest of bells won't make
someone who is clearly A Miserable Git cheer up for a moment.

Andy Dingley
July 15th 03, 07:50 PM
On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 10:20:02 +0100, "Tony W"
> wrote:

>I find a polite ding-ding is by far the most effective method of moving
>pedestrians out of the way without giving offence.

Although mooing loudly can also be quite effective.

Just zis Guy, you know?
July 15th 03, 08:32 PM
On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 19:48:52 +0100, Andy Dingley
> wrote:

>>He moved aside but as we passed by the comment was heard: "What's wrong with
>>an good old fashioned bell?".

>What' wrong with it is that even the cheeriest of bells won't make
>someone who is clearly A Miserable Git cheer up for a moment.

Solution: use an Air Zound and scare the old fart to death ;-)

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony.
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Mr R@t \(2.3 zulu-alpha\) [comms room 2]
July 15th 03, 08:32 PM
"Peter B" > wrote in message
...

> Would the old git be happier if I went tear-arsing up to him manically
> ringing a bell?
> Should I greet everybody in all walks of life with a ringing bell?

it is a good thing for the old gits sanity he does not live anywhere near
Reading. I am the sort of chap who is always accumulating disused electrical
/ electronic tat from old buildings, and I very often thus obtain large
electric bells from burglar and fire alarms.

Had I encountered such a person, I would be minded to attach an 8-10" gong
underdome bell to a pannier rack, and ensure the old git is alerted to my
presence in a suitably robust manner ;)

Alex

Farmer Alfalfa
July 15th 03, 10:06 PM
"David Marsh" > wrote in message
...

> [1] they may be hard of hearing, always a possibility rather than
> bloodymindedness..

I bet you that people who are genuinely hard of hearing learn to turn round
periodically to compensate for their disabilty. Thois who don;t and ignore
bells are predominantly hard of thinking (or hard of caring).


> Poor design is part of the problem as well. I reckon that a shared route
> *needs* either a sign or a painted bike symbol at least every 250m so
> that there is *always* either a sign or a symbol within view to act as a
> *constant* reminder to goldfish-like pedestrians "Expect bikes here,
> expect bikes here" (and to provide a hard and fast counter-argument to
> the "How dare you cycle on my path?" element who Just Don't Get the
> concept of sharing and that we have a *right* to be there).

....or why not just go the whole hog and accept that shared use is simply
impractical - you don't see "shared use" pavements and roads - do you?
Walking and cycling do not mix.

It is just not possible to re-educate the British public (or any other
public) how to walk. Walking is a life skill acquired naturally and not
taught.

If any re-education is mandated it will inevitably be for cyclists and we
don't want that - do we?

F A

Velvet
July 16th 03, 12:01 AM
"Just zis Guy, you know?" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 19:48:52 +0100, Andy Dingley
> > wrote:
>
> >>He moved aside but as we passed by the comment was heard: "What's wrong
with
> >>an good old fashioned bell?".
>
> >What' wrong with it is that even the cheeriest of bells won't make
> >someone who is clearly A Miserable Git cheer up for a moment.
>
> Solution: use an Air Zound and scare the old fart to death ;-)

Talking of which - when loading bike into car be very careful if you have
all the doors/boot shut (yes, mine goes INSIDE) except the one you're
leaning in through - inadvertently leaning on the button for the Air Zound
whilst adjusting bar/front wheel position leads to ringing ears and a risk
of cracking head on the door opening...

Velvet

wafflyDIRTYcatLITTERhcsBOX
July 16th 03, 07:09 AM
>inadvertently leaning on the button for the Air Zound
>whilst adjusting bar/front wheel position leads to ringing ears and a risk
>of cracking head on the door opening...

Would that timely warning be as a result of a personal experience???

Cheers, helen s ;-)


~~~~~~~~~~
This is sent from a redundant email
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h$**$*$el$**e$n$**$d$**$o$*$t**$$s$**$im$mo$ns*@a$ **o$l.c$$*o$*m*$
by getting rid of the overdependence on money and fame
~~~~~~~~~~

Dave Larrington
July 16th 03, 11:27 AM
Farmer Alfalfa wrote:

> ...or why not just go the whole hog and accept that shared use is
> simply impractical - you don't see "shared use" pavements and roads -
> do you?

You do round Borough Market... And outside Liverpool Street station. I
think someone is pumping Stupidity-Enhancing Drugs into the ventilation
system at Liverpool Street.

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

wafflyDIRTYcatLITTERhcsBOX
July 16th 03, 11:48 AM
>How on earth did you guess :-)
>
>Velvet

Oooh??? Telepathy?? My huge intellect??;-)

Cheers, helen s


~~~~~~~~~~
This is sent from a redundant email
Mail sent to it is dumped
My correct one can be gleaned from
h$**$*$el$**e$n$**$d$**$o$*$t**$$s$**$im$mo$ns*@a$ **o$l.c$$*o$*m*$
by getting rid of the overdependence on money and fame
~~~~~~~~~~

Tony W
July 16th 03, 12:29 PM
"wafflyDIRTYcatLITTERhcsBOX" > wrote in message
...
> >How on earth did you guess :-)
> >
> >Velvet
>
> Oooh??? Telepathy?? My huge intellect??;-)


Nah -- I recon it was the PSF on a giggle.

July 16th 03, 06:42 PM
On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 19:50:49 +0100, Andy Dingley > wrote:

>On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 10:20:02 +0100, "Tony W"
> wrote:
>
>>I find a polite ding-ding is by far the most effective method of moving
>>pedestrians out of the way without giving offence.
>
Doing it *right* behind them is asking for a bubble of trubble, but give them a tinkle(!)
from some forty yards back, if you can, and the more distant sound is less of a command,
more of a "Hullawrerr, china! - Howzitgaun the day?"

Well, *I* think so.

So there.

Pull the pins out to reply direct.

Danny Colyer
July 16th 03, 07:52 PM
Velvet wrote:
> Talking of which - when loading bike into car be very careful if you
> have all the doors/boot shut (yes, mine goes INSIDE) except the one
> you're leaning in through - inadvertently leaning on the button for
> the Air Zound whilst adjusting bar/front wheel position leads to
> ringing ears and a risk of cracking head on the door opening...

LOL

I've also found several times that if you have a bent with USS and with
the horn nicely positioned to be used with the heel of the left hand,
and which you regularly carry backwards through the front door, it's
quite easy to accidentally catch the button on the doorframe...

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny )
Recumbent cycle page: http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Mark van Gorkom
July 16th 03, 09:17 PM
>You just *do not* see pedestrians exhibiting such stupidity or
>head-in-the-clouds non-awareness of their surroundings on shared routes in
>countries where cycling is commonplace: they know they need to leave a
>space for bikes to pass, and they _know_ that they will be rightly
>remonstrated against if they don't play fair and *share*.
>Walking x abreast blocking the whole path? Doesn't happen.
>Walking across the path without looking for bikes? Doesn't happen.
>Walking on the 'bike' part of a segregated path? Certainly doesn't happen.

That's, sadly, less and less true in Holland: people seem to cross
using only their ears (bad strategy anyway, in a town with near-silent
trolley busses), or just walk on the cycle lane while there's a
perfectly good and wide pavement directly adjacent. Happily I have a
really loud bell. (The 4" kind usually found on mopeds and carrier
bikes.)

Mark van Gorkom.

Mark van Gorkom
July 16th 03, 09:17 PM
Chris Malcolm wrote:

>One of the advantages of those motorcycles which follow the fashion of
>being built like chromium plated tractors, including front forks like
>minor tree trunks, is that you can adopt a useful teaching strategy to
>oops-never-saw-you door-openers. You simply don't have time to stop.
>Apologies all round. Obviously he failed to look. You ride off, he
>can't close the door. It's a learning experience.
>
No need to get motorized, a carrier bike would do just fine! Used to
have a pre-war one with just a back pedal brake, which got a lot of
respect from motorists. Never met a door, regetfully; always wondered
if it would come off completely, or just fold all the way over...

Mark van Gorkom.

James Hodson
July 17th 03, 02:20 AM
On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 07:40:27 +0100, "Mark South"
> wrote:

>> Actually, Peter, it's a tricky one. On the one hand you are castigated
>> for not ringing your bell. OTOH, you're blamed for scaring the OAPs.
>
>Suddenly this thread seems more interesting: tell me more about scaring
>OAPs, James.
>

I live in Worthing, for goodness sake. The place is full of OAPs.
Also, I've been unable to find Google Groups post I'm after.

James

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David
July 17th 03, 10:11 AM
As I said way back in the mists of 2002:

On long routes a la Sustrans where you have lots of peds mixed with
bikes, I use a bear bell velcroed to the bars which jangles with the
movement of the bike. They hear it and look, but because you haven't
*made* it jangle, you get less of the "don't you ring your bell at me"
malarky. Of course it's useless for everyday use beacause it would
drive me insane...

Best

David

James Hodson
July 18th 03, 12:00 AM
On 17 Jul 2003 02:11:49 -0700, (David)
wrote:

>On long routes a la Sustrans where you have lots of peds mixed with
>bikes, I use a bear bell velcroed to the bars which jangles with the
>movement of the bike. They hear it and look, but because you haven't
>*made* it jangle, you get less of the "don't you ring your bell at me"
>malarky. Of course it's useless for everyday use beacause it would
>drive me insane...
>

There are two types of ped. in this world, or so it seems to me. The
first sub-species will politely, and with little fuss or bother, move
to the side of the path and wish you a cheery "Hello". The other
sub-species will not move at all; indeed, they'll do their very best
to prevent you passing, even if their actions inconvenience
themselves.

James

--
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.butty/Dscf0632.jpg

Paul Kelly
July 18th 03, 10:14 AM
In ,
James Hodson > typed:
> On 17 Jul 2003 02:11:49 -0700, (David)
> wrote:
>>
>
> There are two types of ped. in this world, or so it seems to me. The
> first sub-species will politely, and with little fuss or bother, move
> to the side of the path and wish you a cheery "Hello". The other
> sub-species will not move at all; indeed, they'll do their very best
> to prevent you passing, even if their actions inconvenience
> themselves.


and two types of cyclist too. the reasonable, who act with consideration
toward pedestrians and the f**kwits who act with gross disregard for the
safety of pedestrians (and other cyclists) and as a result give all cyclists
a bad reputation resulting in the petty territorial battle you describe.

pk

Andrew Sweetman
July 18th 03, 11:48 PM
Mark van Gorkom > wrote in message
...
> Chris Malcolm wrote:
>
> >One of the advantages of those motorcycles which follow the fashion of
> >being built like chromium plated tractors, including front forks like
> >minor tree trunks, is that you can adopt a useful teaching strategy to
> >oops-never-saw-you door-openers. You simply don't have time to stop.
> >Apologies all round. Obviously he failed to look. You ride off, he
> >can't close the door. It's a learning experience.
> >
> No need to get motorized, a carrier bike would do just fine! Used to
> have a pre-war one with just a back pedal brake, which got a lot of
> respect from motorists. Never met a door, regetfully; always wondered
> if it would come off completely, or just fold all the way over...
>

Fold all the way over (and then get as far as 90deg to car when trying to
shut it)

Paul Kelly
July 18th 03, 11:57 PM
In ,
James Hodson > typed:
> On Fri, 18 Jul 2003 09:14:56 +0000 (UTC), "Paul Kelly"
> > wrote:
>
>> and two types of cyclist too. the reasonable, who act with
>> consideration toward pedestrians and the f**kwits who act with gross
>> disregard for the safety of pedestrians (and other cyclists) and as
>> a result give all cyclists a bad reputation resulting in the petty
>> territorial battle you describe.
>>
>
> I wouldn't disagree with that.


Thanks for coming back positively on that. In the short time i've been
reading this group there has seemed a depressing & aggressively defensive
approach to all things cyclist. Two (unmotorised) wheels, good : Anything
else, bad. If that's just a symptom of letting off steam after being carved
up by some pillock then ok. But - as i said a little while ago - let us not
pretend that all cyclists are paragons of roadusing virtue.

From a post i made in 'the other place' earlier today:

>>I'm a cyclist (and driver) I was alomost knocked off my bike on wednesday
evening. I was turning right out of a traffic light protected T_junction
when i was almost hit by a cyclist going striaght across the T ignoring the
red light - I had to take evasive action to avoid the errant cyclist and the
car following me out of the junction, the f**kwit cyclist ignored me and
carried on.<<

pk

Nick Kew
July 19th 03, 01:04 AM
In article >, one of infinite monkeys
at the keyboard of James Hodson > wrote:

> There are two types of ped. in this world, or so it seems to me. The
> first sub-species will politely, and with little fuss or bother, move
> to the side of the path and wish you a cheery "Hello". The other
> sub-species will not move at all; indeed, they'll do their very best
> to prevent you passing, even if their actions inconvenience
> themselves.

As a cyclist, I don't seem to encounter the second kind. Or at least
only extremely rarely.

OTOH, as a ped, I occasionally encounter a cyclist whose arrogant and
inconsiderate behaviour inclines *me* to do nothing whatsoever for
their convenience. It's not common, but it happens more often than
obstructive peds.

--
Axis of Evil: Whose economy needs ever more wars?
Arms Exports $bn: USA 14.2, UK 5.1, vs France 1.5, Germany 0.8
(The Economist, July 2002)

g.harman
July 20th 03, 06:45 PM
On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 20:32:46 +0100, "Mr R@t \(2.3 zulu-alpha\) [comms
room 2]" > wrote:

>
>it is a good thing for the old gits sanity he does not live anywhere near
>Reading. I am the sort of chap who is always accumulating disused electrical
>/ electronic tat from old buildings, and I very often thus obtain large
>electric bells from burglar and fire alarms.
>
>Had I encountered such a person, I would be minded to attach an 8-10" gong
>underdome bell to a pannier rack, and ensure the old git is alerted to my
>presence in a suitably robust manner ;)
>
>Alex
>
>
If he is a really ancient old git he will start looking for a Tram.
I think I have mentioned on here before that on occasions i fitted a
bike with a Horn off a locomotive and brewery Co2 cylinder
Like an airzound on steroids, which you needed to cope with the extra
weight.
I wonder what size pressure vessel you can fit on a trailer,i have got
a large steam whistle and a hooter offa minesweeper lying around.

G.harman who also seems to collect tat.

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