Forum Topic

SELF-PORTRAIT OF AN URBAN CYCLIST

SELF-PORTRAIT OF AN URBAN CYCLISTPublished by Peterborough/Daily Mail Friday 18 October 2013Mail to: pboro@dailymail.comOBEY THE HIGHWAY CODE? DON'T BE DAFT!When I’m riding down the pavementIn my skin-tight lycra shortsAnd weaving round pedestriansI have such happy thoughtsI never stop at traffic lights,And what’s a one-way street?Pelican crossings are for wimpsAs I shout at those I meet.In my little wedge-shaped helmetTo protect my empty headAnd my brains quite near my saddlePeople fear I’ll knock them dead.I’ve no licence or insurance,And, of course, I don’t pay tax.I use my anonymityTo cover up my tracksI’m the modern Urban CyclistSo I know I own the road;I’m proud that I’m too selfishTo obey the Highway Code.I’m a self-styled eco-warriorAnd I’m holier than you:So step aside, you fools on foot,There’s an angel coming throughKen Elvy, London EC1

Tony Purton ● 4575d45 Comments

Past your bedtime again?

Nigel Brooks ● 4567d

Nothing unreasonable there..better breaking news than breaking bones. Anyway, are you Robin Taylor in disguise?

Keith Iddon ● 4567d

Do they?If somebody tells me they drive a white van I don't presume they're an idiot driver.Why all these presumptions about people's behaviour based on their mode of transport.Shouldn't we be challenging this instead of just accepting it? ** I will make an exception for Nissan Micra drivers... :D

Paul James ● 4567d

Yawn.

Al Stuart ● 4567d

Take off the blinkers Paul.I's exactly the same as the minority of white van drivers who are absolute ****holes when driving. They do a disservice to the majority of responsible white van drivers.

Nigel Brooks ● 4567d

"And that some cyclists do a massive disservice to good cyclists."I don't get this.I'm a careful responsible cyclist.Why should some idiot that cycles at speed on the pavement reflect badly on me?Serious question.

Paul James ● 4567d

Robert Elms now talking about cyclists on BBC London 94.9FM.Making the point that over 80%of cyclists are drivers. And that some cyclists do a massive disservice to good cyclists.

Ben Owen ● 4567d

Apple cake at Cafe Grove is yours mate!

Nigel Brooks ● 4567d

Paul saying he makes himself very very wide when seeing someone ride on the pavement! Phhh! Not good enough Paul!You need to improve. Take a lesson from the whistleblower!  On Thursday, as I am about to board a E3 bus at the junction of Drayton Bridge Road and Greenford Avenue I see a guy on a bike wearing hi-viz bombing down the pavement. And I mean speeding. With his hi-viz you couldn't miss him on the pavement! He's going so blinking fast I am even asking the bus driver to put his foot down so I can catch up with him because I want to have the chance to tell him to "get the duck off the whaling bike"! He is still on the pavement where Church Road spills out into Uxbridge Road. Still speeding. Swerving around people and cars exiting the petrol station. He is still on the pavement where Eccleston Road and Uxbridge Road meets. Eventually, at long last, he takes to the road. But not for long, he flips to the other side of the road joining the south side of Uxbridge Road where the new Morrisons (old Blockbusters) is. He is now bearing down on people at the 427 bus stop and the E3 bus stop squeezing and wobbling against the makeshift building boards where the new hotel is going to be before dismounting outside Nationwide. That is a mile on the pavement. With hi-viz on too. An utter disgrace to all responsible cyclists.But to restore the balance, guys, once the bus has stopped outside Wilkinson I leapt across the road and nailed him good and proper with a piece of my mind. Even managing to get a passing police officer(who cycles into work) to give him a ticket! (You can buy some Apple Strudel or Cheese Cake on 16 November!) Wouldn't you think he had learnt from that? Oh no, this morning around 10am the same guy - a youngish dark hair slicked back hair Italian man - again wearing hi-viz and a backpack is speeding along Greenford Avenue. He overtakes me (as I walking on the pavement) and I am yelling at him to stop. He brakes and looks over one shoulder and sees it is me! So, he decides not to hang around and makes off. I am legging it down Greenford Avenue to try and catch up with him. But failed guys. Sorreeeeeeeeeee! Message to self: must get fitter. Look out for this idiot guy. He wears hi-viz so very easy to pick out. Really do make yourself as wide as possible. Paul: chasing a pavement cyclist on a E3 bus is bloody hysterical. It gets the endorphins going! Give it a try!

Ben Owen ● 4568d

"Pavements are full of lamp posts bins, broken paving, kerbs, pedestrians and all other manner of street furniture"That was me.This was you, with what I think is a fairly unreasonable response:Keith IddonDate/Time: 27/06/13 09:37:00Breaking news...pavements are full of pedestrians.How dare they impede cyclists on the FOOTPATH.

Paul James ● 4568d

I thought so. No evidence it was I. You do come across as someone who, maybe subconsciously, treats pedestrians as 'obstacles'(your word) on the footpath.

Keith Iddon ● 4568d

Yes, but then in another thread you posted a link to a page which you described as "reasoned" but which was nothing more than a very (very) long diatribe against most everybody and everything except cyclists.Your judgement is therefore in doubt.

Tony Colliver ● 4569d

I'm a pedestrian too Keith although it looks like you want to see me as just a cyclist glued to my bike, along with all the negative connotations associated with being "a cyclist". Us people that sometimes ride bikes, also walk, fly in planes and drive cars.I can tell you, I make myself vveerryy wide when faced with somebody cycling on the pavement where they are not supposed to be in a way that's overly selfish, and certainly make it clear to them that they must give way to me if they choose not to.I do the same on crossings for cars and cyclists that don't stop.

Paul James ● 4569d

Paul,At the risk of repeating myself ad infinitum, my ONLY beef with cyclists is cycling on the pavement. And your post seems to refer pedestrians as 'obstacles'.If I could I would draw you a diagram.

Keith Iddon ● 4569d

Tax is irrelevant. If you are pretending you drivers should have road prority over cyclists because you pay road tax, you don`t. You (and I as a driver) pay vehicle excise duty for the dirth nasty fumes we pump out. Lets just all slow down and watch out for eachother, instead of shaking our fists....

Tom Clifford ● 4569d

To add"You re-enforce the idea of the selfish mind set of some cyclists Paul"I'm sure there are "cyclists" that you or I would describe as selfish, they are human beings after all (As difficult as that might seem to some on here).Want to say the same about some motorists too Keith?

Paul James ● 4569d

I'm not going to hunt that down amongst the recently ramblings.It might not have been you Keith, but when I listed the presence of pedestrians as a good reason to avoid pavements I was chastised in the form of "this bloody cyclist is saying that pedestrians shouldn't be on pavements so they can cycle on them".

Paul James ● 4569d

Evidence please.

Keith Iddon ● 4569d

The last time I listed the presence of pedestrians as a reason not to ride on the pavement I got chastised; by YOU I think!

Paul James ● 4569d

"I would not for motorists who are largely restrained within a tonne of metal box with crumple zones other than one's skull."Despite motorist receiving a massively disproportionate  number of head injuries compared to the rest of the population?And here's an article that shows that car drivers are less careful around cyclist that wear helmets:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/5334208.stm

Paul James ● 4569d

You re-enforce the idea of the selfish mind set of some cyclists Paul, possibly including yourself, by leaving out pedestrians from your list of reasons not to cycle on footpaths. Unless of course you regard pedestrians as 'obstacles'. People who are hit by cars are more likely to be killed because the car weighs a ton and is a metal box.

Keith Iddon ● 4569d

"If you think compulsory helmets are a good idea, many more people as a percentage get head injuries from falling over whilst walking, or having a car crash, do you think they should be forced to wear helmets?"My daughter teaches children with profound learning difficulties many of whom have severe balance problems and who wear helmets. However I would not advocate them or the 'general pedestrian' as I would not for motorists who are largely restrained within a tonne of metal box with crumple zones other than one's skull."riding on a pavement is silly" AND AGAINST THE LAW!

Nigel Brooks ● 4569d

>Around three quarters of cyclists killed have major head injuries.(same source) - still think helmets are a bad idea Paul?I think it should be personal choice. Me personally, helmets are not a good idea on an individual or group level. Plenty of evidence to show that wearing a helmet INCREASES the risk to cyclists. Helmets are a side show, the real issue is cyclist safety, i.e. best to have a safe environment to ride in in the first place.If you think compulsory helmets are a good idea, many more people as a percentage get head injuries from falling over whilst walking, or having a car crash, do you think they should be forced to wear helmets?>Pavement cycling still a good idea, Paul?No, I never said this, riding on a pavement is silly, it's full of bumps, lumps and obstacles. I'd never recommend riding on the pavement.

Paul James ● 4569d

"0.5 people a year." You can't 'half-kill- someone. Over 20 people have been killed by cyclists in the last ten years (source DofT).118 cyclists were killed in 2012 alone with over half of these deaths in rural areas (same source).Around three quarters of cyclists killed have major head injuries.(same source) - still think helmets are a bad idea Paul?The second most common contributory factor attributed to cyclist's deaths was 'cyclist entering the road from the pavement' (source RoSPA). Pavement cycling still a good idea, Paul?

Nigel Brooks ● 4569d

>Most cyclists, in fact the vast majority, are just that Gerry. It is the inconsiderate, unthinking, law-breaking minority that you notice however and what raises hackles.And as you can see, it doesn't just raise hackles, people get very animated about it.Yet in the same way a tiny minority of motorists are inconsiderate, unthinking, law-breaking.People being silly in cars kills hundreds of pedestrians a year, cyclists being silly on bikes kill like 0.5 people a year.However, we don't see several threads devoted to deriding motorists as a whole popping up on messages boards within days of each other.Why?

Paul James ● 4570d

I must take heed of what you've all been saying.

Jim Lawes ● 4570d

Gerry, I promote cycling.  I think it is wonderful that kids now have the chance to do cycling proficiency in school nowadays.  I think it was something that happened in the past and has been resurrected in some form.  Brilliant.There are going to be a lot more pedestrians on the pavements and a lot of them will be struggling with their own mobility.  Ending up in hospital is a nightmare for anyone but in particular for the elderly.Perhaps the problem is that people have much less consideration for others nowadays?  We are all busy. Life is much more complicated with bureaucracy.  We all have to go places and do things! It is a growing battle.You hear quite a bit about assertiveness training but perhaps there should also be training to show people how to consider what others think and feel and what havoc their actions might cause.

Philippa Bond ● 4571d

Most cyclists, in fact the vast majority, are just that Gerry. It is the inconsiderate, unthinking, law-breaking minority that you notice however and what raises hackles.

Nigel Brooks ● 4571d

Why is everyone(most people) against cyclists? As an observant pedestrian, I think almost all cyclists are careful, polite and environmentally sound - give 'em a break!

Gerry Tan ● 4571d

"If, as a pedestrian, you're going to get injured or killed by something jumping a red light, statistics show it'll be a car, not a cyclist."Both my husband and I on separate occasions have been nearly run down by cyclists.My unforgettable experience was outside the Town Hall.I was crossing at the lights - the cars were stopped - it was my turn and a cyclist overtook the stopped cars and parted my hair for me.  I didn't see him.  He came up from behind and was speeding past the cars.I am very lucky (and so is he) that he missed me.  Riding at that speed he would definitely have damaged me - how severely and whether I would ever recover who knows?  Whether he actually ever noticed me I will never know.  It was a very frightening experience.Also when driving down South Ealing Road and stopped at the lights, a car in front of me was edging out of a side road on the left wanting to turn to go in the opposite direction to me.Just as the lights started to change while the line was still stationary I became aware of a buzzing sound as a scooter came up fast from behind overtaking the queue presumably hoping to beat all the cars through the lights.Unfortunately he did not notice the car which was already out of the side turning and now poking through on its way to turning to go up South Ealing Road.  (The driver sits quite a way back from the front of a car.)There was suddenly a big bang as the scooter hit the car side on and the rider was thrown off and up into the air.It happened very quickly.  The cars behind started to hoot as the lights had now changed and their journey had been interrupted.  I was shocked and shocked and irritated at their impatience and needed to stop to make sure that the scooter rider was OK. He was sitting up when I left with other people there to help. This is a situation where it is very dangerous to overtake.

Philippa Bond ● 4571d

"...the more the merrier. Let's turn it into a board-wide meet-up for coffee and cake."Nigel and Ben, count me in if you're gonna arrange a general 'get-together'. We could meet in the morning somewhere in central Ealing - The Grove Cafe in The Grove W5 or The Kings Arms perhaps.

Gerry Tan ● 4574d

Maybe we should tell the Police in case there is a breech of the peace?!The only thing that will breach if we meet at W7 emporium or the Clock Tower (OK with these?) is probably my belt from their lovely cakes :-)I'll say it until I am blue in the face, I've no issue with the vast majority of cyclists (or other road users) it's the ones that break the law that hack me off.PM me Ben and suggest some dates, it would be good to meet the face behind the name and, the more the merrier. Let's turn it into a board-wide meet-up for coffee and cake.

Nigel Brooks ● 4574d

Last time I saw a car DRIVING on the pavement was on Monday evening when the driver used the pavement as an overtaking lane to get himself round me into a position to jump the lights.Masses of footage on You Tube cars jumping red lights. Type in "car jumping red lights" to find the truth!Bollards: new cleverly placed bollards have been installed on the SHARED footpath outside Grange Primary School to slow cyclists down to walking pace. A VERY good thing.Yes, Nigel, it would be good to meet. Let's PM each other to sort out a date. Having done that we can announce it on here if others want to come. Maybe we should tell the Police in case there is a breech of the peace?!Ealing Today  are looking at this study quite carefully:http://road.cc/content/news/96009-city-bolivia-passes-law-making-it-compulsory-ride-bikes

Ben Owen ● 4574d

"I suspect part of this is because most cyclists (80% I think) also own a car."I really hope that the minority who cause the issues that raise so many hackles drive a damned sight better than they ride.

Nigel Brooks ● 4574d

Suffice to say I inhabit a fair few cycling bulletin boards, and never see the sort of hatred directed towards motorists as one group as you see in local message boards like this against cyclists as one group.I suspect part of this is because most cyclists (80% I think) also own a car.

Paul James ● 4574d

"Show me where motorists as a group are singled out for such baseless, factually inaccurate, stereotypical slandering."Probably on every cycling bulletin board populated by Lycra-clad, unlit, uninsured, and pavement riding, law-breakers who live in a state of permanent self-denial about their anti-social actions.

Nigel Brooks ● 4574d

Ah you see, motorists will be divided into groups when people feel the need to generalise and stereotype.Middle lane hoggers, white van men, BMW drivers, Audi drivers etc...Cyclists as a whole will generally be put in one group and assigned the same negative behaviours (they ALL jump red lights, ALL ride on pavements, they're all criminally minded).About the only general group of motorists that you'll sometimes see slandered as a whole "sub" group is female drivers.

Paul James ● 4574d

While we are on the subject of motorists - what about the White Van Man????? They are a law onto themselves!

Jean F Fernandez ● 4574d

Stuff and nonsense Nigel.We're discussing this in this very thread, started with a poem about how cyclists (all of them) disobey road signs, don't pay tax (???), don't have a licence (not a requirement) or insurance (not a requirement).Show me where motorists as a group are singled out for such baseless, factually inaccurate, stereotypical slandering.Jeremy Clarkson once said that he thought cycle helmets were useless until somebody found that wearing them might increase the risk of injury to cyclists, indicating that the more are injured or killed the less there are on the roads.You simply won't find this level of hatred directed at motorists as a group.You've only got to do a search on twitter to reveal some pretty horrific posts aimed at cyclists. https://twitter.com/search?q=hate%20cyclists&src=typd

Paul James ● 4574d

Speaking of anti social roadusers and cyclists, I do object to car drivers with overloud music blaring from the open windows of their cars(usually in the summertime) and cyclists who use footpaths and pavements at high speed. Also, car drivers who use their phones whilst driving. Hope I'm not being a bigoted pedestrian when I say they should be fined or arrested(as they are in other countries...like Singapore for example).

Gerry Tan ● 4574d

"Yet motorists as a target of derision on message boards appear to escape this right? Despite there being motorists who are very badly behaved when behind the wheel of a car. Why? Serious question."Oh no they don't. Have a look at moneysaving expert.com, truckersreport.com and hundreds, and I mean hundreds, of other message boards and you will see bad drivers routinely castigated and, on some, 'named and shamed'.You really must not let you own pro-cycling prejudice get in the way of facts Paul.Most drivers are as miffed as anyone about the poor practice that they see. However we are talking about the minority of cyclists who consider themselves above the law, something about which you appear to be in denial.

Nigel Brooks ● 4574d

If, as a pedestrian, you're going to get injured or killed by something jumping a red light, statistics show it'll be a car, not a cyclist.Not to excuse people on bikes that jump red lights, it's wrong, and they shouldn't be doing it. Some perspective is required though as in the grand scheme of things they simply don't cause the carnage implied.And I think the minority point is valid. Society is full of minority groups that are abused, bullied and victimised by others just for appearing to be different, nay subversive, in the eyes of the observer.On here (and other message boards) I can see that there are people that probably think a person should be committed or imprisoned simply for thinking about riding a bike right? They would certainly like to see cycling banned.I bet your person who is willing to hate all cyclists by highlighting the least tasteful behaviour of a few does it to other groups to. It's basic prejudice.Yet motorists as a target of derision on message boards appear to escape this right? Despite there being motorists who are very badly behaved when behind the wheel of a car. Why? Serious question.

Paul James ● 4574d

I'm afraid that the trend towards more people cycling is not necessarily because it is better for the environment but is far more self-centred as it is quicker and healthier (just don't breathe in all those fumes).There are too many head-down speeding cyclists overtaking at lights/running the lights without consideration and thought for pedestrians legitimately crossing for there to be a great green stereotype.

Philippa Bond ● 4574d

What is it that motivates people to post such bigoted stereotypes?Is it that they can't express their desire to spout prejudices about other groups of people these days and people on bikes are the only target left for them to be bigoted about; in public at least?

Paul James ● 4574d

Love it.

Philippa Bond ● 4574d