I actually had a slight inclination towards buying a bike if not for two separate incidents that happened in the last month.
I was unicycling along a rather narrow path when I noticed three bikes behind me in a line. So I moved towards the side of the path and gave way to them. The first guy comes through but because I’m on a uni, he assumes I’m unstable and tries to slow down to an extent that he probably wouldn’t have done if I had two wheels. This causes his bike to wobble in my direction. I swerve to avoid him and hit a rock on the side of the path and flew off. I rolled away from the path just before the other two cyclists hit me - they stopped in any case so they wouldn’t have injured me too badly if they did.
I understand where the first guy’s coming from. He probably thinks it’s a nice gesture to be that extra cautious towards me but well, the gesture’s terribly misplaced especially when he’s not very good with his bike. Still, that’s not as bad as…
Today, I was unicycling home, keeping to a side of the path (because there are pedestrians). This guy on a bike who’s been eyeing my uni from way behind - mind you, I’m talking about a middle-aged pot-bellied dude on a crappy 26" bike - speeds up to overtake me from the back. The path is HUGE but he swerves out to my right before cutting in in front of me with minimal allowance AND THEN slows down. I slow down abruptly but not enough to fall off. The guy then tries to race me.
Now, I’m riding a 20" uni and he’s on a 26" bike. Everyone knows that I can’t outspeed him so what’s there to prove? Is it fun to cause accidents? If I did ride into him, I’d bet that he’d fall too given his speed. And I’d most certainly be annoyed and yell at him a fair bit. Asshole.
this kind of thing happens to me all the time:( i was going up a hill a cyclist crossed to the outher side of the road to avoid me so when he got off to rest (it was a big hill) i did the same to him he wasn’t pleased:)
take advatage of people slowing down for you and make tham wait really really long.
or if you have full control ride during night (where you are still a little visible) and swerve and wave your hands in front of cars when they go past. freak them out. that is fun.
for the guy who wanted to race say yup i will race you that way (different direction) then keep going the way you were going
take advatage of people slowing down for you and make tham wait really really long.
or if you have full control, ride during night (where you are still a little visible) and swerve and wave your hands in front of cars when they go past. freak them out. that is fun.
for the guy who wanted to race say yup i will race you that way (different direction) then keep going the way you were going
I think the thing I hate the most is when they look at you and just either shake their head with a look that says, “what a fricken loser”, or they just laugh at you–and loudly–as if to say the same thing. But most are really cool and complimentary.
Can i rant about people who let two isolated incidents turn them off a great sport and good source of economical and environmentally friendly transport instead?
yeah, nobody really knows how the two wheeled mind thinks…Id stick to unicycles.
I barely ever ride in populated areas, like it town and stuff. There’s so many stories you come back with like this. Its so annoying. Ive never had anything like that happen to me with bikers…they usually are kewl about it. But just “normal” people walking along can be annoying and stupid. Sometimes I feel like wheelin my Large Marge around and running then down…eh? eh?
what annoyed me was our “group” went into a carnival for fun, and rode behind a truck. some PCSO told us to get out and go on the pavement. a minute later she was having a go telling us that we were being dangerous by swerving in and out of people instead of bashing into them on the pavement and if we didnt get off she would fine us. we said there was no specific laws on unicycling, but she said you can be fined £30 if you have any wheels on the pavement. Then after she left us alone, a bike went past her and she did nothing. Stupid ugly PCSO abusing her job just because we are different.
You should see the stuff two wheelers say about those crazy one wheelers.
I ride both, never really had a problem. It seems it’s just kids who think they’re too cool for one wheel who will talk smack. They’re usually walking.
I had this group of cyclists (about the same age as me) the other day cycle past me and attempt to race me.
Obviously i didnt as i was on a 20". But when they were like 100 meters ahead of me, they stopped and just stared at me, waited for me to catch them up, and when i did, they just laughed - of which i laughed back in their faces, giving their bikes strange looks.
Indeed, I’d like to rant about people who belittle my most used form of transport.
Your problem is not people on bikes but people who are pillocks, whatever form of transport they are or aren’t using at the time. Your rant would be better directed at them.
This is what I normally use to get to and from work:
Hatred? Sorry, no can do. Remember where your unicycle evolved from. Plus my garage has five bikes in it…
Some people are going to be a@@holes, no matter what they’re on. I can sure agree with that, like Phil said. I have also experienced cyclists (and cars) who are afraid to pass me and create more of a problem than they solve by either hovering behind, or passing sloppily. But over the years I’ve come to notice that it’s a common thing people do, which means they’re going to keep on doing it no matter how we respond. So I allow for it, just as I allow for small children on bikes to zig-zag all over the bike path with no thought to what’s behind them. That’s just what they do.
The rant should be against idiots on bike paths. It’s not the fact that they happen to be on a bike that makes them a problem. It’s the fact that they’re an idiot. Doesn’t matter if they’re just walking on the trail, jogging, inline skating, pushing a baby stroller, walking the dogs, or riding a bike. There are all kinds of idiots on a bike trail that you have to watch out for.
I’ve been riding my bike on a popular Seattle bike trail. I’ve been using the bike more for commuting style riding for when I have some place to go and it’s not necessary to take the car. A ride to North Seattle is a 40+ mile round trip almost all on dedicated bike path completely separate from the road. Too far for the Coker but trivial on the bike. So I use the bike (it’s a singlespeed road bike).
If you ride on a popular bike path you’re going to have close calls due to idiots. I’ve had my share of close calls while on the bike. Near head-ons from clumsy idiots swinging wide on corners. People walking who just suddenly walk onto the trail without bothering to look. People walking 3 abreast. Moms with a doublewide baby stroller and one or two dogs taking up the entire trail. Bikes riding two abreast. People just generally not looking. Bikes going for personal speed records and not bothering to slow down when there is congestion ahead.
Popular bike trails are like that. You have to deal with it.
In congested areas of the trail I keep my speed down and my alertness up. In the open areas I’m not against kicking up the speed, but when I see people ahead I slow down. If it’s not safe to pass in an area I’ll slow down and wait for a safe spot to pass. But there have been times when I’ve done that and gotten passed by bikes myself while going around a blind turn on the trail.
Bike trails are special situations with lots of mixed use traffic and lots of novice clumsy users. You have to be alert and ride defensively and even then you’re going to have close calls.
ohhhhhhh the people who stop and spend a min thinking of somthing to say to me… and then dispite the long time all they can come up with is “f_ucking clown”.
Nope, I’m specifically targeting my rant at idiots who ride a bike. Dumb pedestrians are another issue altogether. Some idiots will stand in front of you or run out so that you’ll nearly hit them (I’ve a good intention to fall into one of them one day). But no, those are harmless because they haven’t got a bigger, heavier metal object to ‘bully’ you around with.
I’m talking about cycling assholes who feel that because their bikes are bigger and/or nastier, they should announce their presence by forcing you off the road or showing off. On another note, I’ve had another guy on a bike stop horizontally in front of me, nearly forcing me into the main road (ie the one where cars whiz by). Pedestrians usually know that they’d get more hurt than you if you were to fall into them.
Like I mentioned, I wasn’t on a popular bike trail at all. I was on an empty wide path where everyone has plenty of space WITHOUT cutting into anyone’s path. I wouldn’t rant at all if I were on a popular bike trail and stuff like that happens.
I find most cyclists to be quite alright around here. I myself ride a lot, between my Mum, Dad and I we have 11 bikes, 4 of those are mine, so I tend to show a bit of consideration to cyclists anyway
