Before I start my rant I just want to clarify, I’m not talking about ALL London roadies (or cyclists for that matter) as I have met some genuinely nice cyclists during my commutes in the big smoke

I’ve always noticed that cyclist in London are always very competitive, first off the lights, racing along that straight, overtaking at every opportunity, which is fine, and quite often I’ll play…you want a friendly race off the lights or down the embankment, I’m game…

What I don’t think I’ll ever understand is the rudeness and snobbery some will carry with it.

The other night, bimbling along on my trusty commuter hybrid, a guy comes speeding past on a fully aero’d out specialised something or other, time to play, put my foot down, caught up and we engaged in a little race for a short period, you could see the genuine surprise on his face that a clearly well used hybrid was keeping up with him…change of mood…

I kept up with him for another mile or so, each overtaking the other on occasion until I’d decided I’d had enough and slowed down to a comfortable pace

This was his opportunity…he sped up, overtook, got directly in front of me, quick glance back and the he did it…cleared his nose, right in front of me, leaving disgusting goo to plant itself firmly on me

I understand every so often you have to clear the nose or bugs from the mouth but really?! In that manner?!

A little bit of care or consideration wouldn’t go amiss, I feel

anyone else experience such proverbial horrors or am I just being sensitive?

What a particularly gross thing to do.

So, one bloke then?

Take a population selected by any means – gender, nationality, age, hair colour, height….. and some of them will be arseholes. Not all, and to be fair depending on selection criteria proportion may vary, but sounds like you got a particularly unpleasant arsehole this time

@theotherjonv you’re right, as I say, have met MANY genuinely nice cyclists through London, and unfortunately, right again, they/we are amongst some real gits

I have met some **** many times before, as you inevitably will, but that was just unnecessary

Well, there is clearly no excuse whatsoever for targeting someone with a snot rocket, but I rather think your own behaviour might well have been a little bit dick-ish.

If you decide to put someone in their place for being up themself you can’t then let them get back in front. A lot of people are [not very nice], it rarely correlates with their choice of transportation on any particular day.

Some people are ****s. Some of them ride bikes.

That is particularly obnoxious though

unfortunately, right again, they/we are amongst some real gits

Well at least one! Certainly a proper git though.

Cause dirty bastads and bastads be just that.

Horrid experience mind.

Must have been the twin separated at birth of Evans cycles owner who ironically has all the gear… 🤪

Well, there is clearly no excuse whatsoever for targeting someone with a snot rocket, but I rather think your own behaviour might well have been a little bit dick-ish.

For what? Daring to keep up with the TT wannabe? 🤔

+1 for ^ – seriously wtf did you read the post and assume he was just out to jolly himself by street racing a plank with all the gear.

Huhhhhhh I hear you type, yes thought so 🙄

Maybe if he was on a TT bike he didn’t want someone catching, overtaking then dropping back a number of times. Might be useful training for 2up TT, but otherwise might be distracting (esp if using aerobars)

Tbh that sounds more like your average Londoner than a London cyclist specifically.

When I lived in London I noticed that other cyclists only started to wave/say hi back once I crossed there M25

Did something similar years ago in Holland. Riding a singlespeed Dutch sitnbeg to Amsterdam (with a binbag for a raincoat) and followed some lycraed up Dutch guy on a racer for miles along the cycle paths. He kept speeding up but couldn’t shake the scarecrow in a binbag behind him. When he eventually pulled off he gave me a wave of acknowledgement. Which – it being Holland and all – was probably the Oranje equivalent of a face full of phlegm!

I should add that I was a bike courier in that there London for nine life charmed months. If I ever had an issue with anyone it was cabbies. W4nk3rs!

Snot rockets for drafting on a hybrid?

That’s definitely not standard behaviour, clearly a person with issues well beyond commuter competition syndrome…

@squirrelking I did wonder as well

@AdamT @imnotverygood not that I want to start any disagreements on here but you can quickly tell the people that are happy to have a bit of a friendly race and those who don’t, he was playing along nicely to a point but there was definitely a change of composure once he’d taken more notice of what I was riding

@robvalentine I live in the sticks in Essex, agreed re: general cycling niceness outside the M25

@funkrodent cabbies / Addison Lee drivers yes, agree on that, when you thought it couldn’t get worse, you now have Uber drivers…

@cookeaa did seem a bit much

Title is a bit misleading. One guy on a bike is a bellend.

TBH I kind of agree with @imnotveryerygood, maybe he didn’t want to ‘play‘ and was just riding his bike. No excuse for blowing a snot rocket at you, but maybe the OP spoilt his ride??

TBH I kind of agree with @imnotveryerygood, maybe he didn’t want to ‘play‘ and was just riding his bike.

Nobody forced him to engage, far as I can tell. If you don’t want to play just keep steady and the other person will get the message.

I’d also suggest that if you want to do an UNINTERRUPTEDULTRASERIOUSHARDTRAININGSESSION then perhaps mixing with commuter traffic isn’t the best move.

If I ever had an issue with anyone it was cabbies. W4nk3rs!

They probably hate cycle couriers as much as motorcycle couriers due to the fact they took a chunk of easy work off the cabbies.

Was amusing the other day when we were working at Waterloo station.
We had to turn a van around/park to unload in the contractor space(s).
Cabbie goes all insulty/sweary (we were turning round before he got there) then joins the cab queue, whilst we get out and wander over to ask if there’s a problem.

One guy on a bike is a bellend.

Clearly more than one but not me this time as I was nowhere near London.

Gross snot rocket aside, which might (you’d hope) have been an unfortunate accident…

You honestly sound my mate years ago when we passed our driving test and he bought a shitty ford escort that was on its last legs. He convinced himself that every other road user was looking down at him and wanted to race. They were not. In part it was just inverse snobbery on his part.

I’d say this is also in your own head. Most likely people are just doing there own thing and not even registered your existence. Racing off the lights is sensible to keep in front of traffic and good fun or training. In your story above sounds like you initiated the ‘race’. He may have joined in, or may have just carried on doing his intended ride wondering why you kept overtaking and dropping back. Who knows.

That’s London. Or any big city.
Take a place where people can get ahead (financially, not spiritually) by literally riding over others, then you’ll see the same bahaviours demonstrated through everyday activities.

Competitive attitudes are fine, I quite like them, but if you’re in London wondering why everyone is so pushy, maybe you’re not in the right place?

Competitive attitudes are fine, I quite like them, but if you’re in London wondering why everyone is so pushy, maybe you’re not in the right place?

This. I’m a Londoner myself, but having spent most of the past three decades living up North (Midlands if you’re a Scot) in Manchester, I find myself shocked by the pace and intensity of London. Wandering around like a hick narrowly avoiding cyclists (ha!), cabbies (grrr) and even high speed pedestrians, all of whom seem bent on mowing me down at every available opportunity..