Hatred of Cyclists

[GoLefty!!]

I was riding along Spaanschemacht road this morning through Tokai forest. It was about 7am and there was very little traffic so we were riding two abreast and then I was pulling in behind when I saw a car coming.

This Golf then comes past and as he draws alongside me he hoots. But he was at most about 15cm from me and he hooted at the last second only to scare me. My knee-jerk reaction was to show him the finger. He then pulls over and gets out of his car. So I stopped next to him and he starts swearing and going ape.

I stayed calm and said that I agree that riding 2 abreast wasn't clever but that I didn't see any car when I looked back and he could have hooted when he was 20 or 30m behind me and I would have pulled over.

But clearly any motorist who pulls over and gets out of his car is already past any form of reasonable conversation - so he carried on ranting and was realy aggressive.

The next thing another car goes past and then turns around and stops on the other side of the road. This nutcase hangs out of his window and starts saying "you're all a bunch of w***ers". I mean he's so anti-cyclists that he turns his car around just to get a piece of the action !

I just ignored him but the first guy then seems to now be more pysched up by the presence of the newcomer and he says "someone should just ****you all up".

So I say "who do you mean" ? I'm only one guy. So he says "you cyclists - you think you own the road".

I just told him that he should get some excercise because it will help him de-stress and I rode off.

But I get the feeling that there is a real anti-cyclist sentiment which is growing and these guys hatred of cyclists was incredible.

They have clearly had problems with cyclists in the past. I agree that riding 2 abreast is not advisable where there's trafic ... but then I see some guys riding 3 abreast and then refusing to move when cars come ... or they ride without consideration for anyone else (riding through traffic lights' date=' etc).

I just wish that cyclists would consider the consequences that their actions have on other cyclists.
Is there anyone else that feels the "anti-cyclist" sentiments are growing ?
One day we will read in the papers about a cyclist who's been beaten to death by a motorist.[/quote']

 

 

Unfortunately we South African's do not know about sharing.

The road "belongs" to drivers because they feel they are taxed to use it. The phuquewits clearly don;t relaise that every tax paying citizen pays for the use of them and therefore has th right to use it.

 

what amuses me by the phuquewit motorists who hoot, is they are usually breaking the law by driving too fast when they loose heir temper at the cyclists riding two abreast.

 

it boils down the really immature I'm bigger than you [wipes nose] arguement that livesin the mind of SA Motorists.

 

We are the worst drivers in the world, bar none.

[nellie]

Usually i just smile and wave, then shake my head when they're speeding off in the distance. Sad actually - lots of unhappy people all around while we're doing what we love and just enjoy being out on the road. Maybe they should just wind down their windows and get a bit of fresh air - might do them a bit of good.

 

But luckily we don't have much of that around here, good thing of small towns - most (not all, but the vast majority) are nice people just going along their way and show respect towards us.

 

What does get to me is this two people in our training group - they insist that cars can go around them when they ride almost on the flippen white line! We tell them that it's dangerous and irresponsible over and over again, but they don't seem to listen. Then at a coffee stop (after one particular training ride where 15 of the 20 sat all the way to the middle of the road when there was a lovely yellow lane where 3 people can ride next to each other) i just told them that it is way too dangerous and finally got them to agree. The offenders listen to us a bit more now, but still has that old nack when they're not reminded constantly

[Pickles]

 

if being a christian can rid you of hate' date=' then go for it. i'm not. but my personal beliefs overlap with yours, i'm sure. well done, dude. see you on sunday (the lord's day, haha!).

[/quote']

 

Someone close to me once said while out riding our bikes:"This is my church.  This is where I find my piece"

 

So true!

 

 

I hope the poor oke found his "piece". Was it missing? Or was it his "peace" he was looking for?

[goofs]

Could be piece, piece refers to an object, a bike is an object in which case he found his piece as he was sitting on it.

[boeing]

My buddy once told me that if it wasn't for me being a cyclist he would knock down everyone he saw in his car. Comforting hey! So guys, just pray that my 13 year cycling itch is never relieved!

 

I have another dilemma. Oncoming cars who think it's an amazing idea to overtake one another at speed. Iv had a few close calls by being hit by oncoming cars. Sometimes I throw my water bottle (with giving them enough of a warning first) as to notify them of my presence. I realise that this is never a clever idea, but sometimes if you do not catch their attention, you are going to be the new mascot for the said oncoming car!

 

[Tumbleweed]

My buddy once told me that if it wasn't for me being a cyclist he would knock down everyone he saw in his car. Comforting hey! So guys' date=' just pray that my 13 year cycling itch is never relieved!

I have another dilemma. Oncoming cars who think it's an amazing idea to overtake one another at speed. Iv had a few close calls by being hit by oncoming cars. Sometimes I throw my water bottle (with giving them enough of a warning first) as to notify them of my presence. I realise that this is never a clever idea, but sometimes if you do not catch their attention, you are going to be the new mascot for the said oncoming car!
[/quote']

 

someone should do a survey on how many water bottles riders have lost to chucking at cars and taxisi think kritzie is the worst offender/hero in this regard

[boeing]

alas I have lost many a water bottle 

 

I remember breaking a fancy looking scooped bumper of a juiced up corsa because the boy racer was being a *insert own appropriate word/words*

 

That gave me plenty of satisfaction...

 

[Tumbleweed]

when i was still commuting regularly, i would pop one water bottle in the freezer at work, because there is an intersection near eastgate where everyone tries to push their luck at after the turning signal went off. but as soon as it turned green for me i would crank into the middle of the intersection and cause the "insert word here" drivers to come to a sudden halt. i perfected the art of trackstanding onehanded and lobbing bottles while maintaining my balance. aggressive i knowbut it gave me satisfaction at the time   

[The Guy in Pink]

Cummuting  through Hillbrow in the early 70's I stopped a  traffic lights alongside a Traffic cop. I held onto his roof so as not to take my foot out of the clips and he gave me a thousand words.

When the lights changed to green I opened his back door for him ....... he never managed to catch up to me again in the traffic.

[Tumbleweed]

Cummuting  through Hillbrow in the early 70's I stopped a  traffic lights alongside a Traffic cop. I held onto his roof so as not to take my foot out of the clips and he gave me a thousand words.

When the lights changed to green I opened his back door for him ....... he never managed to catch up to me again in the traffic.

classic. was that on the fixie?

[The Guy in Pink]

No,  That was on my Zini, made by Pablo Zini in Italy, not by Gotty.

Columbus tubing, Campy Novou Record or record thoughout, Cenilli bars and stem.

[boeing]

 

when i was still commuting regularly' date=' i would pop one water bottle in the freezer at work, because there is an intersection near eastgate where everyone tries to push their luck at after the turning signal went off. but as soon as it turned green for me i would crank into the middle of the intersection and cause the "insert word here" drivers to come to a sudden halt. i perfected the art of trackstanding onehanded and lobbing bottles while maintaining my balance. aggressive i knowbut it gave me satisfaction at the time   [/quote']

 

ha ha that is sooooo funny! I could just imagine HR sprinting for the middle of the intersection. Stories like this and the traffic cop incident make me realise how childish, hilarious and legendary things can be..........

 

I love my life!

 

[Tumbleweed]

crikey, that's quite a memory you got there, sir! i did a short commute from eastgate to work in sauer street the other day on the fixie. coming down from the top of kensington into town (and the other way around) was a little hairy. but i reckon i could easily get used to it. loving that bike, you were right about the long cranks, though. clipped them a number of times cornering. gotta be careful of leaning it too far over in the bends.    

[Tumbleweed]

when i was still commuting regularly' date=' i would pop one water bottle in the freezer at work, because there is an intersection near eastgate where everyone tries to push their luck at after the turning signal went off. but as soon as it turned green for me i would crank into the middle of the intersection and cause the "insert word here" drivers to come to a sudden halt. i perfected the art of trackstanding onehanded and lobbing bottles while maintaining my balance. aggressive i knowbut it gave me satisfaction at the time   [/quote']

ha ha that is sooooo funny! I could just imagine HR sprinting for the middle of the intersection. Stories like this and the traffic cop incident make me realise how childish, hilarious and legendary things can be..........

I love my life!

that's so cool to hear.

there's a chapter in bicycle: the noblest invention (every coffee table should have one) about the enjoyment a bike can bring you. lose that innocent appreciation of the greatest machine on earth, and you should forget about cycling altogether

[Kritzie]

My buddy once told me that if it wasn't for me being a cyclist he would knock down everyone he saw in his car. Comforting hey! So guys' date=' just pray that my 13 year cycling itch is never relieved!

I have another dilemma. Oncoming cars who think it's an amazing idea to overtake one another at speed. Iv had a few close calls by being hit by oncoming cars. Sometimes I throw my water bottle (with giving them enough of a warning first) as to notify them of my presence. I realise that this is never a clever idea, but sometimes if you do not catch their attention, you are going to be the new mascot for the said oncoming car!
[/quote']

 

someone should do a survey on how many water bottles riders have lost to chucking at cars and taxisi think kritzie is the worst offender/hero in this regard

 

Now now Holy I have only lost two by accident this year!!! He He!!!!!

[Tumbleweed]

kritzie, is the sister in law on the mend? are you gonna join the 24 hour hubbers for a mtb spin at groenies next sunday?