View Single Post
  #22  
Old March 16th 19, 11:17 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Simon Jester
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,727
Default Pedestrian mows down cyclist

On Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 4:31:44 PM UTC, Peter Parry wrote:
On Sat, 16 Mar 2019 06:49:14 -0700 (PDT), Simon Jester
wrote:

s I have said many times it is not about what cyclists do but who they are.


No, its what _ some_ of them do where "some" is unfortunately a large
number. Cyclists are not a single community. There are at least two
major groups .

The first don't even consider themselves cyclists and wouldn't dream
of joining a club for it. They are the ever declining group of
utility cyclists. Largely invisible on roads they go shopping and
post letters. They push their bikes up hills, stop at junctions and
traffic lights and give pedestrians on crossings priority and a smile.
They go out in the same clothes they wear daily. At places like
school entrances they will slow down and may dismount and walk not
because they have to but because it is the right thing to do. Nobody
minds them in the least. Wholly un represented by cyclist pressure
groups they would like more cycle tracks and think 5 or 6 MPH is good
going. Holland is still full of them.


That is 99% of UK cyclists and the number of utility cyclists is increasing.

The second group are the combat cyclists, Alfa minus males in the
statutory uniform of lurid Lycra festooned with advertising slogans,
rainbow sunglasses and fingerless gloves. Nearly all are male and
between 25 and 45.


0.1% of UK cyclists.


They are the people who run things as "cyclists representatives" They
hate mention of dedicated cycle lanes and go on about the "right to
ride" as a quasi religious ideal. They think the very young and the
elderly should stop being wimps and take the lane as vehicular
cyclists 6ft in front of 40 tonnes of articulated lorry.


Cyclists do have a right to use the roads. If decent cycle facilities are provided cyclists will use them.


Obsessed with Strava times they go as fast as they can no matter how
inappropriate that speed might be. It doesn't matter as speed limits
don't apply to them.


And no motorist in history has ever broken the speed limit.
Why do you think speed li its were introduced?

They know it is always safer to steam through red lights than it is
to stop. Pedestrian crossings are invisible (as are any unfortunates
trying to cross using them). The warning signal is a scream of "get
out of my f*****g way cos I'm not f*****g stopping". You will rarely
see them in Holland.

There is a steep tree lined hill leading to a main road near here
which illustrates the two types quite well. The utility cyclists
wouldn't dream of cycling up it mainly because few could but also
because they would see it as antisocial to hold up everyone else if
they tried. They push their bikes up the footpath, stop for a bit of a
rest on the bench half way up and have a chat with others stopped at
the same place for the same reason.

The Lycristas ride up in the middle of the road making it impossible
for anyone to pass. They manage about 2MPH.

Guess which group people remember?


Keep your religious fantasies to yourself.


Ads
 

Home - Home - Home - Home - Home