I was a bit late for the train home last night so rode the wrong way down a one way (empty at the time), hopped onto the pavement and into Waterloo. Didn't hit anyone and didn't make anyone jump out of the way.

As it was the train was delayed so sat there for a couple of minutes waiting for the train to leave.

Bloke gets on looks at me and says 'I saw you go down that road the wrong way'

me: Sorry about that but I thought I'd miss the train.
him: That's not the point
me: Okay, sorry anyway
him: But it was one way
me: I was only going one way, sorry, as I said I was late
him: You could have caught the next train
me: Yes, as I have said, I am sorry if I upset you but no harm was done.
him: That's not the point
me: What is your point then? I have agreed I was in the wrong and apologised if I offended you.
him: Load tut, shakes his head and walks further down the carriage way

Anyone got any idea what he wanted me to do/say?

Agree with him that you acted like one of the cycling-cocks that make all other road-users hate us?

(I am one of those too – rode on a permissive footpath, moved over to let a walker past and he shoulder-barged me off my bike because I 'shouldn't be on a footpath').

Most of us are guilty but it doesn't make it less wrong.

He didnt look like this did he?

He was looking for an argument. You wisely admitted you were wrong and apologised, which diffused the situation and disappointed him. Then you asked the killer question (What is your point?) at which he realised he could now do nothing and felt stupid.
Well handled I think
🙂

Agree with him that you acted like one of the cycling-cocks that make all other road-users hate us?

I think WCA virtually did that, didn't he?
🙂

Sounds like a bit of a cock really. I'd not have said sorry to him though.

Hang on where's the sly Big Bike Bash spam in this thread?

Big Bike Bash? What's that then? 😉

Yes

Yeah, sounds like he was just after a fight.

I'll tend to mention to drivers in London when they've done something wrong (the number of taxis that jump red lights and go through pedestrian crossings!), in an attempt to redress the balance of cyclists' reputation, but I'm too lazy to make a big deal of it.

I'm not sure about this but I don't think one-way roads are specific to cycle traffic – I can't recall where I've read/seen or heard this but there is something in my mind that is telling me one-way road systems don't include push bikes.

Saying that, I've never had to ride down a one-way road the wrong way so I don't have anything to back this up.

I wouldn't have apologised but I would have asked what his point was…I'd have also pointed out that getting the next train would have made me late…sounds like he was looking for an argument and also sounds like you didn't give him the argument…

A cockney spoke to you,he probably wanted a date, or a ride on your bike.

I think WCA virtually did that, didn't he?

Yeah I know, but reading the post he kinda brushed the concerns off in a non-confrontational way rather than show real remorse.

(I think he handled it well – the other guy just wanted him to break down sobbing or something).

you should have rode back up it the right way scooted round and back in and still made the train on time, then said 'satisfied?'

Well done WCA. I would've probably said but 2 words to the chap. The second one being "Off".

Taking the wind out their sails in a polite way is always a good move. I was riding down Guildford high street the wrong way a little while ago. An old chap with a big, white beard accosted me when I stopped at the NatWest:

"Excuse me, but did you know this is a one-way street?"

Me: "Erm, yes"

Him: "Then why were you cycling down it the wrong way?"

Me: "Because I'm lazy and irresponsible?"

Him: "Harumph!" exit left

Thinking about this, I once rode down a ginnel that was no cycling. I KNOW that no cycling is allowed on it as it is just around the corner from my house.

BUT – there is only a sign on one end of the ginnel and I was riding from the other end. An old guy stopped me and told me off saying 'didn't I see the signs, it says No Cycling'. I, quite correctly, said there were no signs and watched him as he checked and couldn't find any at the end I had ridden from.

🙂

My brother has a response for this kind of thing. He says "Are you a policeman?"
"No"
"Then what the f… has it got to do with you?"

Witty huh? 🙂

I, quite correctly, said there were no signs and watched him as he checked and couldn't find any at the end I had ridden from.

it was one way…

DickBarton – Member

I'm not sure about this but I don't think one-way roads are specific to cycle traffic – I can't recall where I've read/seen or heard this but there is something in my mind that is telling me one-way road systems don't include push bikes.

bikes are traffic, one-way rules apply to you unless there's a specific direction otherwise (e.g.a contra-flow bike lane)

"Excuse me, but did you know this is a one-way street?"

Me: "Erm, yes"

Him: "Then why were you cycling down it the wrong way?"

Me: "Because I'm lazy and irresponsible?"

Haha – nice!

Do you feel compelled to get involved in things unrelated to you?

On the contrary, I often feel compelled to stay out of things that do relate to me.

it was one way…

🙂

This didn't really happen

Do you feel compelled to get involved in things unrelated to you?

LOL! This is STW!

I wondered how many of you would feel compelled to get involved with this thread.

djglover – It did, I was there when it happened.

Just thought of a tenuous link to a particular cycling event. I was riding a Big Bike down the road, if a truck or car had Bashed into me then I would have been involved in the Big Bike Bash!

Now I bet you would have bought tickets to that!

nbt – Member

DickBarton – Member

I'm not sure about this but I don't think one-way roads are specific to cycle traffic – I can't recall where I've read/seen or heard this but there is something in my mind that is telling me one-way road systems don't include push bikes.

bikes are traffic, one-way rules apply to you unless there's a specific direction otherwise (e.g.a contra-flow bike lane)

they've been talking about allowing bikes to use them in both directions in central london. unsurprisingly, this has been met with universal outrage and probably death threats from the threatened, non-cycling demographic. 😆

they've been talking about allowing bikes to use them in both directions in central london. unsurprisingly, this has been met with universal outrage and probably death threats from the threatened, non-cycling demographic.

Weren't they going to put cycle lanes in, running the other direction? There are a couple in Birmingham already. I'm not sure they were just going to say that cyclists could go which way they liked.

DickBarton – Member

I'm not sure about this but I don't think one-way roads are specific to cycle traffic – I can't recall where I've read/seen or heard this but there is something in my mind that is telling me one-way road systems don't include push bikes.

The Highway Code
Rules for cyclists (59-82A)

82A) You MUST obey road direction signs unless you are late for a train.
Then you MAY do what you bloody well like.
=================================

BTW section 62 made me chuckle:
Take care near road junctions as you may have difficulty seeing other road users, who might not notice you.

Well duh!

There are two spots on Gloucester Road coming into town in Bristol where cyclists clearly should be able to legally shoot the lights. Some kind of filter like there is in other places would be perfect…

unrelated but similarly annoying.

my missus is disabled by a chest condition, so we have a blue badge and use it.

It enables her to get close enough to the shop to get in it, giving her a bit of freedom, she meets the mobility requirements etc etc.

However she looks like a hot 30 year old vixen, and doesnt conform to the stereotype of a blue badge holder, so we regularly get reactions varying from dirty looks to people confronting me/her, especially outside waitrose.

Now i just laugh at them, but i did lose it one day, and ended up shouting the odds with a daily mail clutching upper class ****t

However she looks like a hot 30 year old vixen, and doesnt conform to the stereotype of a blue badge holder, so we regularly get reactions varying from dirty looks to people confronting me/her, especially outside waitrose.

Reminds me of a lodger I used to have who had a disabled badge. I was with her once when some righteous c0ck felt compelled to stop putting the shopping in the boot of his car to come over and berate her for parking in a disabled space. After about 60 seconds of lecture she smiled sweetly, took off her trousers and unscrewed her false leg. The look on his face was priceless.

The very happy ending to that story is that when we returned to the car somebody had left her a cheeky note saying he thought she had the best arse he'd ever seen and his phone number.

Happily married now with 2 kids and another on the way!

I'm not sure they were just going to say that cyclists could go which way they liked.

i believe that was the plan, no cycle lanes involved.

Got narked with some bloke lobbing all and sundry into the general waste container down at the tip when there's all the different containers for green waste, cardboard, wood etc which he was lobbing.

Got some bollocks response but was just happy I'd said my piece. Not my style to get involved though unless someones clearly suffering as a result.

I had some bloke come and get all narky at me in the carpark of the Tain Co-Op. I had parked in a disabled space jumped out in my bike gear with my bike on the back of the car etc he steams over and starts shouting at me that its for disabled people, how i was the son of satan, why it was disrespectful etc. I pointed to the very large blue badge on the dashboard then said 'Hang on a sec would you", and went over to help my extremely unwell (in fact terminally unwell) dad the 5m from the door to the passenger seat of HIS car. I then unleashed a quite spectacular tirade towards this stupid knob who just looked utterly stupid.