Viewing 14 posts - 41 through 54 (of 54 total)
  • Tired of getting harrassed: going back to MTB?
  • Big-M
    Free Member

    My road cycling now consists of me commuting sometimes with added miles when the mood takes me.
    I’ve dropped the club runs, as it becoming more dangerous in terms of the volumes of inexperienced golfists who are now riding and the irate care drivers who are also losing patience with the golfists and their inability to ride.
    Really got back into my MTB’ing this summer and intend to keep it that way, I know the risks, where as on the road you can’t account for everyone else.

    toby1
    Full Member

    I have an off road, although tarmaced commute. As a result I haven’t done much riding in traffic this year and I have to admit that I’m not all that comfortable with going back to it. Apparently I’m not alone.

    Also in driving home from the cinema late last night I encountered at least 3 unlit cyclists, so the statistics are probably swaying in their favour. (Cambridge students most likely).

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    last night I encountered at least 3 unlit cyclists

    I can top that, woman riding along, decent lights, only the back one was totally obsured by the big coat she had rolled up and strapped to her rack. 🙄

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    Reluctant
    Free Member

    Fair play to the people who still ride road ~ but it’s not for me anymore. City traffic’s generally fine, ride assertively and deal with it; but it’s different out on the A roads. How can you have any control over the texting trucker bearing down from behind? Aside from general care and attention issues, there are far too many drivers busy with their sat navs and i-phones for my liking.

    unovolo
    Free Member

    Just got back from a road ride and got badly cut up by a Driving Instructor (on her own), pointed to my head to indicate she was’nt thinking, she winded the window down and told me to F*ck off. I would very much like to name the company.

    If its a independent I would book a lesson with her and when she turns up ,roll out with your bike gear on and see if she remembers ,then have a nice conversation about her driving and literary skills.

    I ride road too and have probably one near miss each time,I think the only reason they have not been worse is because I’m expecting some cretin to do something daft and are pretty much on the watch out constantly.

    It doesn’t make for a relaxing ride but I do get home in one piece.

    sparkingchains
    Free Member

    Sad reality is that there are too many idiot drivers. I’m lucky that currently my road rides are on quiet roads, at the weekends in the summer I probably pass more road cyclists than cars on some rides. If there were more cars about I’d give in and just use the mountain bike. All my biking friends in London have a story to tell.

    agent007
    Free Member

    I don’t blame the OP to be honest.

    I used to road bike loads as a teenager, and I was fast, confident and not bothered at all by traffic – until I started driving that is, and realised just how many sh*t, unaware and barely capable drivers there are out there.

    An old guy in our road club got taken out from behind by the side of a large trailer which was considerably wider than the 4×4 towing the said trailer. It took him around 2 years to recover enough to be able to get back on his bike. I converted to MTB shortly afterwards (my road bike had been stolen anyway) and have never looked back.

    At least with MTB the scenery is usually nicer, it’s quieter, the air is cleaner, the descents are more fun, and I get to determine my own level of risk. If I crash it’s entirely my own fault and I’m no longer waiting for the moment that I get wiped, without warning, from the face of the planet by some clueless numpty in a 4×4.

    riderideride
    Free Member

    Grow a pair yolo

    roverpig
    Full Member

    Although I do more off-road than road these days (more fun) I’ve been riding on the roads of NE Scotland for 15 years now and have seen no evidence (either documented or based on my own experience) that it’s got any more dangerous. If anybody has any such evidence I’d be interested to see it.

    oldgit
    Free Member

    Still more than happy to ride on the road, I even commute now. Excluding riding as a kid, I’ve been riding seriously on the road for 38 years. In all that time I’ve had one accident, sadly it was a biggy. Got back on after some time and haven’t looked back.
    Not sure what I can put all those safe years down to? I always see myself as a road user not a ‘cyclist’. I do obey all the rules. I don’t like big groups, reason being too many seem to see group rides a social and fun thing. The roads nowadays aren’t a place for fun, but that’s not to say I don’t see road cycling as pleasurable. I’m courteous and humble i.e I’ll raise a hand in a thanks/sorry way for anyone that waits or I’ve held up, nearly always get a hand in thanks back or a quick flash of the indicators.
    Another thing is driving where you ride. Strewth the roads are bad, I’d hate to encounter a cyclist where I ride!

    That said all those years, i had a bit of a shocking incident last week. Going though a village at about 6.30pm. My lights were on L&M’s. I see a driving centre car parked on the right facing the wrong way. As I draw parallel they moved out….wtf. I put my foot out and tapped his windscreen with it as he was drawing that close. That finally woke him up.
    This reminded me. ‘A’ what did you say…’A’ didn’t hear you.

    Just got back from a road ride and got badly cut up by a Driving Instructor (on her own), pointed to my head to indicate she was’nt thinking, she winded the window down and told me to F*ck off. I would very much like to name the company.
    Self employed or Franchise?

    If its one of the big schools I’d be making a complaint, if a local then I’d be getting in contact to politely discuss and then make my next move based on how they handle it.

    smell_it
    Free Member

    Anyone else?

    Not me, road racer and daily cycle commuter in central Manchester. Sorry but I love it 🙂

    speckledbob
    Free Member

    I came over from road about 7 years ago mainly because every time I went out I’d come back in a bad mood. The last road ride I had I had to jump off my bike and pull it onto a grass verge to get out of the way of a bloke in a 4×4 who was trundling towards me on a single track road. He actually looked me in the eye as he went past about 12 inches from my face. No aggresion, just a slightly distant look in his eyes.

    Can’t believe I didn’t mountain bike earlier though. Can’t see me going back now.

    simmy
    Free Member

    My Road Bike is staying on the Turbo for the time being as I’m not confident about going out in this cold and slippy roads after my off on a roundabout the other night.

    Also I’m sick of drivers doing daft things. Pity I’m feeling like this but where I live its a hell hole on the roads. Had one character overtake then turn left, I braked, obviously too hard locked the back wheel and nearly came off and I got the horn off one women simply as I’d gone through a gap as she was stuck behind a car turning right.

    MTB again for a bit I think. I’ve ordered some better tyres for the Road Bike so gonna put them on and nip out in the day on a quiet road near me and try the grip out.

    mdavids
    Free Member

    Another thing is driving where you ride.

    This is great advice. I know my local roads very well and there’s some, particularly fast busy A-roads, that I will literally go the extra mile to avoid riding on and plan my road rides around routes with the least traffic.

    Also I live oop north where I think the arsehole ratio is slightly more favourable.

Viewing 14 posts - 41 through 54 (of 54 total)

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