The only reason I mentioned this chaps race was because I was intreagued to know if anyone on here knew who he was...
Oh, that makes sense since you asked who he was after you described him. Except you didn't, you just mentioned his race, and nothing else, in passing and without explanation.
I'm not aware that there's a significant social problem with carbon bike owner prejudice in this country. Are people with carbon bikes routinely discriminated against?
Give over 🙄
He's explained why it was mentioned as part of the story already.
Either do it properly and call him a racist outright
or pipe down.
... you just mentioned his race, [b]and nothing else[/b], in passing and without explanation.
No he didn't, he also said he was "rather large".
If you are going to nitpick, you need to at least be accurate.
binners - Member
Were any of them ginger? I bet they were!
You mean Ed Clancey?
you'd be aggressive having to listen to this all day 😉
Give overHe's explained why it was mentioned as part of the story already.
Either do it properly and call him a racist outright
or pipe down.
Ooh get her.
I never said he was a racist. Stop being 'professionally offended'. 😛
Crying 'PC gone mad' at every opportunity seems to be an increasingly popular pastime.
Can you really not see how mentioning someone's race while slating them seems a bit off?
Expect Peter Sagan would be the same if there was a Mercedes in his way.
Bet he would! He comes across as a bit of a d!ck to me anyway.
Were any of them ginger? I bet they were!
If they were ginger AND wearing red I'd be VERY offended, and feel the need to mention it on this forum.
I'd even WRITE IN CAPS occasionally to show the extent of my OFFENSE.
[i]most of the dicks on road bikes are mountain bikers [/i]
Dicks on bikes are just that, dicks. There's been a massive explosion of guys on road bikes it is the new "go to hobby" some of the people now riding are dicks in every aspect of their lives, and now they have a whole new way of expressing just how much of a dick they can be...
OP, shit happens, pedal away and leave them to it
+1 for the "some people are aggressive, all cyclists are people" lobby.
Crying 'PC gone mad' at every opportunity seems to be an increasingly popular pastime.
Which is not something I've said.
Political correctness is fine by me.
What annoys me is people who pick at little details at every opportunity, and lay the groundwork for suggesting someone is racist. But don't actually have the balls (or the evidence) to actually do it properly.
As others have said you get angry people and non-angry people, both types ride bikes.
I'm not very comfortable with the 'including a large Afro-Caribbean Gentleman' either. Why would you describe the race of one of the group? Yeh, yeh I know you've given some sort of 'explanation' now. The whole 'gentleman' thing is a bit 70's 'on the buses' type race comment too.
What annoys me is people who pick at little details at every opportunity, and lay the groundwork for suggesting someone is racist. But don't actually have the balls (or the evidence) to actually do it properly.
How would I know if he's a racist or not? I just don't think mentioning the guy's race was really necessary or appropriate. I don't find the explanation that convincing either TBH.
I suspect it was just a bit thoughtless rather than actually racist. Interesting that you get so upset about this though.
+1 for the "some people are aggressive" comment.
To balance things out, I went on my first ride with the local club yesterday. Everyone I met was friendly and had time to chat, no one appeared to be a nobber, and we had a jolly good time riding around some lovely country lanes. Drivers we encountered seemed to give us lots of time and were considerate when passing. I do however live out in the sticks 🙂
Cliched post get cliched responses shocker...
Some fundamental truths about rants on this forum:
1. All bad cyclists are wealthy (carbon bikes, expensive gear, Audis/BMWs etc.)
2. All bad cyclists come from down south (London usually)
3. All bad cyclists attack / abuse motorists/ other cyclists without the slightest provocation
4. OP always gets huffy when less than 100% of the responses don't say "yes you are right, I agree completely with your version of events and the resulting opinion you have formed"
etc.
What annoys me is people who pick at little details at every opportunity
It's those "little details" that keeps the day-to-day alienation of certain groups going though. It's what makes people think that "you always hear about *group of people* doing *bad thing* so there must be some truth to it!" - because some people are often described as part of a group whether it's relevant or not (it rarely is), whereas a blonde person misbehaving is just "an idiot".
Cliched post get cliched responses shocker...
Dude, it's an Internet forum, not the Turner Prize.
Nice to know you've worked this place out though.
just a bit thoughtless rather than actually racist
As a general thought (in response to the quoted rather than a comment on the OP), I would disagree that those are two separate, different things. I reckon more of the racism (and other -isms) I encounter is not intentional than the rabid, EDL hatemongering. Doesn't make it any less real. All together now...
"I'm not racist, but..."
I think the point here is that - to other road users at least - all cyclists represent the cycling community and cyclists have a vested interest in keeping an eye out for each other and that means challenging bad behaviour. I have notified the club of this posting so as they can decide if it needs acting on.
Interesting that you get so upset about this though.
Is it ? I would be interested to hear what conclusions you are jumping to.
Or as you will say you aren't jumping to any conclusions, at least tell me what is interesting about it.
grum - Member
I suspect it was just a bit thoughtless rather than actually racist. Interesting that you get so upset about this though.
😆
Is it ? I would be interested to hear what conclusions you are jumping to.Or as you will say you aren't jumping to any conclusions, at least tell me what is interesting about it.
I just think its a weird thing for you to get upset over. Do I have to 'have the balls' to say you're definitely a neo-nazi in order to have an opinion?
I don't think the OP is a racist as in I highly doubt that he dislikes black people in general, or thinks that they should be discriminated against.
Saying 'there was this black guy being a ****er' (among a group of presumably white people also being ****ers) is a bit dodgy IMO - likely to reinforce negative stereotypes.
There was some research showing that with people of a different race to you, you are much more likely to remember negative incidents than positive or neutral ones, and this can create confirmation bias so you are more likely to then notice negative behaviour by people of that race in future.
There was some research showing that with people of a different race to you, you are much more likely to remember negative incidents than positive or neutral ones, and this can create confirmation bias so you are more likely to then notice negative behaviour by people of that race in future.
which is, of course
a bit thoughtless
but, nevertheless and regardless of intent, also, at the same time
actually racist
Y'see?
It could be a London thing, I had the same experience at a rugby match, I usually watch Exeter at Sandy Lane, all very pleasant, now hassle, lots of people drinking. Went to a Harlequins game in London, as the number of offensive drunken arses was staggering and the language appalling. I sude to watch newcastle UTD FC at St James' if anyone started swearing like that he'd be told off by other members of the crowd because kids were presnt.
That being said most roadies are ****s
Sounds about right. Plenty of road cyclists act like ****s when in groups.
totally agree
seen far too often the Chester Road Club taking out young riders (13 year olds) in groups and then let them race down the Greenway in Chester (a shared tarmac path 2-3m wide) in a mass pack on a Sunday lunchtime when all the young mums and grandparents are walking their toddlers and dogs - madness
i was riding in the opposite direction and had to get off the path as well and as soon as i'd asked them to slow down, the elder club member riding at the back with the tail enders promptly responded with - "**** off" - right in front of a pregnant women trying to pull her 3 year old child/dog and elderly mother off the tarmac path to get out of their way
i ended up apologising to the family - just wanted to say not all cyclists are idiots like that
and you wonder why people have such a negative view of cyclists - and that was a proper road club
Chester Road Club all think they should be in Hollyoaks.
As well as being a mountainbiker, I ride with a club (sometimes road too!!), am a football fan, male, a car driver, and a Londoner. Despite all that, I've never behaved that way to anybody and never would, and I reckon there are thousands and thousands of people who would say the same thing as me.
There is a danger in generalising about these things and supporting the negative stereotypes that only apply to small numbers of individuals in reality. That sort of behavior just isn't acceptable in society regardless of which section you belong to.
Just my opinion.
I think the point here is that - to other road users at least - all cyclists represent the cycling community and cyclists have a vested interest in keeping an eye out for each other and that means challenging bad behaviour.
That may be true, but it's a nonsense that needs challenging. I am no more responsible for other cyclists than I am for other motorists.
drbob65 - Member
It could be a London thing.... I sude to watch newcastle UTD FC at St James' if anyone started swearing like that he'd [s]be told off by other members of the crowd because kids were presnt[/s] go outside and punch a police horse.
ftfy 😉
The trouble with London is that it's full of miserable sods who aren't from London and give us proper Londoners a bad name 😉
Clubber, yesterday:
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
<puts on best mockney accent>
Grr... I've been trying to bury that pic for years
I was indicating left approaching a left turn towards lights and I was watching a rider filtering at speed on the inside approaching from some distance- I kept a check on him and it got to the point where I used my horn to warn him that I was about to turn...
Why are some [s]cyclists[/s] drivers full of anger?!
I mean the alternative to using your horn would have been to simply watch the cyclist through and not drive into them. In the same way it doesn't lessen your injuries being in the right when you're a cyclist in a collision with vehicle, there's no reason why you can't just let a cyclist go when they're not in the right.
In a slightly similar incident recently I overtook a cyclist shortly before a junction - I had plenty of space to do so, and had the junction been clear I would have got out before he got there. As it was there was a vehicle at the front waiting to turn right which I couldn't get past - I was turning left, but didn't pull all the way into the kerb as I thought I'd give the cyclist the choice if he got there before we moved (and it made no difference to me leaving a bit of space). I was indicating left, but watching the cyclist closely in my left door mirror, which he clearly saw as he went down the left and thanked me with a wave. Now personally I wouldn't have gone down the left of a car indicating left, but clearly he trusted me, so I was happy for him to do so (I almost always carry around an off-road unicycle quite visibly in the boot, and I presume he'd spotted that and worked out I was a cyclist).
always carry around an off-road unicycle quite visibly in the boot
See, I have one with two wheels, and I can use that as a means of transport instead of needing a car to carry it in if I want to go somewhere.
😉
That makes you quite unusual on here I'd imagine, edlong!
If it makes you any happier, I rode further for transport than I drove that day - I keep wanting to make that particular trip on a bike, but it's tight on time up a hill to my son's swimming lesson, and he might not be in the best shape if I make him ride there.
As a member of Bigfoot Cycle Club in Bromley , can I ask that you write to the Club President Andy Ivy and give him all the details and we will investigate it. The easiest way will be via the club website.
I can only apologise for the behavior
Suspect them being a cyclist is largely as relavant as them being a black, socialist muslim lesbian on benefits, namely not at all.
They get angry because like some drivers and some pedestrians a percentage are thick, ignorant, unhappy whatever to takes to make you rude.
Not sure if the physical effort required in cycling brings it a little closer to the surface though., possibly?
I don't doubt that what you saw was a poor advert for clubs and does nothing to build relations between drivers and cyclists. However, the reaction seems a little extreem for a driver just not moving off promptly so I expect that there was a previous interaction with the car driver that you didn't see. It would not be the first time that a driver had done something silly or dangerous in the vicinity of cyclists and then had the missfortune to catch a red at the next set of traffic lights and have the cyclists catch up.
I blame Strava.
Im a calm guy and never had many problems in my life but since becoming a roadie (only since september 2012) ive found my temper getting very very short with car/van drivers that seem to cut me up daily, like the ****s that over take me seconds before forcing me to slam the brakes on and unclip cos they want to park in a space i was about to go past.
Dont these dikc haeds know im almost KOM
One day im gonna wrap my bike round someones head, at least it will give me a reason to buy a new bike!
To all those making sweeping generalisations about Londoners & roadies, sort yourselves out, it just comes across as mindless prejudice
I witness a bloke breaking in to a car, call the Police. 20 minutes later the Police ring back saying they have caught a suspect, and ask me to describe him.
I think carefully, can I tell then he only had one leg and was wearing a kappa tracksuit, or is that discrimination against disabled people and chavs?
All the OP did was pick out a distinguishing feature of one of the culprits.
The behaviour though is just pack mentality, you see it at trails centres when people turn up with all their chums.
😆
