Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Mark1978
Posts: 4912
Joined: 17 Jul 2012, 8:47am
Location: Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by Mark1978 »

He was trying to be nice, in the way only some people can manage... So to fly off the handle with him would have been uncalled for.

Fact is as soon as you mention cycling to anyone the roads are always the first thing they say.
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by TonyR »

I would have been inclined to ask him if he cycled. You'd probably find out that he was a keen cyclist in his younger days and was just having a nostalgic moment
Grandad
Posts: 1451
Joined: 22 Nov 2007, 12:22am
Location: Kent

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by Grandad »

My experience of being approached by former cyclists is that they are very keen to tell me that they used to ride a bike - and about 50% of them used to have a Claud Butler :D
User avatar
661-Pete
Posts: 10593
Joined: 22 Nov 2012, 8:45pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by 661-Pete »

mercalia wrote:you get 0/10 for understanding
Oh I understood well enough. I'm trying to explain my point: I nearly snapped out of irritation at the same old canard coming up, but I didn't. Isn't that worth a plus?

you will get old one of these days
I already am. :?
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
User avatar
Paulatic
Posts: 7804
Joined: 2 Feb 2014, 1:03pm
Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by Paulatic »

I'd agree
When I rode a Claud Butler there was forever a stream of OAPs with a twinkle in their eye saying "I used to ride a CB"
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
User avatar
661-Pete
Posts: 10593
Joined: 22 Nov 2012, 8:45pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by 661-Pete »

I'm always concerned about the bad press cyclists are getting and the image we need to project to counter this. That video that appeared recently, where a motorist overtook a cyclist (reasonably considerately, in my view), then turned into a supermarket car park, and the cyclist went after her like a pack of hounds and tore a strip off her - well I found that excruciatingly embarrassing to watch. That kind of publicity for cycling is what we could do without!

But I kept wondering, could that have been me? I often fall into the trap of swearing quietly, when I'm annoyed at another road user. It does bother me that I may 'lose it' one day in public view. The person to whom I refer in the OP, meant nothing wrong, as several people have pointed out, he was just being friendly - but I nearly snapped at him for no good reason. I feel thankful, with hindsight now, that I didn't.

I just feel, I'm not the only one.
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
jgurney
Posts: 1212
Joined: 10 May 2009, 8:34am

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by jgurney »

What does worry me are the number of motorists who seem to think that we
661-Pete wrote: "must be very brave, cycling on those roads, I wouldn't dream of it, far too dangerous"..
but do not seem to reflect that the cause of that alleged danger is their fellow drivers incompetence or malice, and the solution is in their collective hands.
User avatar
hondated
Posts: 2472
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 7:59am
Location: Eastbourne

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by hondated »

Yes in my opinion you were wrong to think that. That guy could have been me as I too would of approached you to talk "bikes " as I find it can lead to some interesting conversations.
Now you have got me going so ....
I remember coming out of Bromley Bikes and seeing a very old lady resting on her shopping trolley looking at my bike which I had left leaning on the window.
Striking up a conversation she told me how her and her deceased husband before the war use to tour all over Europe. We must have chatted for nearly an hour and during that hour I learnt so much from her and hopefully she walked away at lease thinking " Cor that was good talking about my days of cycling ".

Pete also be warned living in Eastbourne I am not too far away from you so it could be me approaching you one day.
User avatar
661-Pete
Posts: 10593
Joined: 22 Nov 2012, 8:45pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by 661-Pete »

hondated wrote:Pete also be warned living in Eastbourne I am not too far away from you so it could be me approaching you one day.

Ah yes - but you'd use a different line of conversation. So I'd know.
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by mjr »

8/10 for keeping your cool, but lose two for starting to flare up over a relatively common if mistaken point said without any malice?

al_yrpal wrote:On RLJing, a chestnut to beat us with for a lot of motorists. You often see motorists go through reds just as the lights change but I dont think I have ever seen a motorist stopped at a light, then when its clear but still red blatantly drive off through the red light.

I rarely see cyclists do it (around here, they're far more likely to ride off-road for a bit and completely ignore the junction!) but I've seen so many motorists do it that I've even see one do it when the car behind him/her and in front of me was a police car who immediately blue-lit and stopped them! :twisted: I don't know if the motorist didn't look in the mirrors or couldn't see the police car because of it's hi-viz urban camo. :lol:

661-Pete wrote:That video that appeared recently, where a motorist overtook a cyclist (reasonably considerately, in my view), then turned into a supermarket car park, and the cyclist went after her like a pack of hounds and tore a strip off her - well I found that excruciatingly embarrassing to watch. That kind of publicity for cycling is what we could do without!

Ah, then, I'm sorry. Two days ago, a motorist overtook me and then I chased them down... and thanked them for the good overtake and told them their left brake light had failed ;-)
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
old_windbag
Posts: 1869
Joined: 19 Feb 2015, 3:55pm

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by old_windbag »

hondated wrote: hopefully she walked away at lease thinking " Cor that was good talking about my days of cycling "


This is another reason why you should give a few minutes time to converse with passers by. Many people of all ages, but maybe more prevalent in older years with natural loss of friends, can be simply lonely. Thats not "sad" as many would remark but lonely in respect of never having the chance to talk about things they love or enjoy looking back on. People on their own have to have the mental fortitude to experience a sort of "solitary confinement" at times, I can go for a week or more without conversation simply by the circumstances of my life now. The modern world probably exacerbates the problem which seems upside down with the avenues of communication we have, but many of these are shallow, unfulfilling and many perhaps not what a lot of older people wish to use or pay for. So giving someone a few minutes ( or an hour ) of conversation may make them feel much better than anything issued by their doctor. I always think of it as a "conversation battery" inside all of us that needs frequent topping up to keep us contented and part of the community. Even older married couples may have little to talk about between them other than grumbling which isn't what lifes about, laughter keeps you young.

Thinks theres a documentary on tonight about loneliness in modern society.
gbnz
Posts: 2554
Joined: 13 Sep 2008, 10:38am

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by gbnz »

Mark1978 wrote:He was trying to be nice, in the way only some people can manage... So to fly off the handle with him would have been uncalled for.....


I'd agree. He's tried to start off a conversation concerning a mutual "love", prior to offering praise and a bit of flattery

I had a similar conversation July '14 outside a Lidl's in Bristol. Old gent gave some excellent advice on the best route up the west coast (I had a fair idea already of a preferred route, but suggestions for getting out of Bristol were great)
Tonyf33
Posts: 3926
Joined: 17 Nov 2007, 3:31pm
Location: Letchworth N.Herts

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by Tonyf33 »

I got called a doorknob (if you catch my drift) at a NY eve party, this was a female police officer whom I vaguely know through mutual friends and was at the same shindig. She does ironman(half and full) triathlons and I was interested in what she was doing, lordy knows how the conversation got around to H@@@@TS but I made the mistake of saying I didn't wear one. "You're a @@B" was her response, me offended then went into why I wasn't...stony ground tbh.
Types like her (being plod as well) truly can't get their head around it (pardon the pun) and so ends up in name calling and casting aspersions in your directions, I really did feel like raging but kept my cool and gave her all the facts, she still didn't want to know and repeated that people not wearing them are @@@S :x

It's that kind of thing from other cyclists that gets my goat more than anything else, saying the roads are dangerous/red light jumping doesn't bother me in the slightest, I just say actually it's more dangerous for motorvehicles and pedestrians and more motors run red lights as a fact. I've had more insults & wild accusations regarding not wearing a helmet (& hi-vis) from other cyclists than I have anything else. :evil:
Shootist
Posts: 537
Joined: 20 Sep 2012, 8:50pm
Location: Derby

Re: Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by Shootist »

661-Pete wrote:This didn't actually happen 'on the road' but it is about cycling: I was loading up the panniers in the supermarket car park (Waitrose if you please!) when this middle-aged geezer - a complete stranger - comes up behind me and taps me on the elbow (something I detest as a rule). Well, anyway, he starts off with "that's a nice bit of old iron you've got there" (it was my shopping hack, which I've had for nearly 30 years). I mumble something about "yes, it's seen good service for many years". Then he comes up with "you must be very brave, cycling on those roads, I wouldn't dream of it, far too dangerous".

I felt like retorting "Christ, this is Burgess Hill, not bloody Hyde Park Corner". But I didn't. I merely shrugged and rode off. As I was leaving the car park, I found myself wishing I'd come out with "Get back in your ****ing car, drive home and read your ****ing Daily Mail".

But I didn't say either of these things. Am I a baddie just for thinking about uttering those profanities?

I think maybe I'm on a short fuse today. Are others of you in a similar vein?

But I also think I have a point to make. There's still too much public perception of the 'dangers' in cycling.


Can't answer all your questions but...

As I was leaving the car park, I found myself wishing I'd come out with "Get back in your ****ing car, drive home and read your ****ing Daily Mail".


...says a lot about you.

And ...

There's still too much public perception of the 'dangers' in cycling.


...doesn't make sense.

Chill, Winston.
Pacifists cannot accept the statement "Those who 'abjure' violence can do so only because others are committing violence on their behalf.", despite it being "grossly obvious."
[George Orwell]
User avatar
Heltor Chasca
Posts: 3016
Joined: 30 Aug 2014, 8:18pm
Location: Near Bath & The Mendips in Somerset

Do I get 10/10 for keeping my cool?

Post by Heltor Chasca »

That's a pretty extreme reaction Tonyf33. Sorry you experienced an officer like that. I have a couple of friends in the force and they are sound. You get idiots in any profession. Just take me as an example [emoji6] Most gardeners are nice.

Seriously. I have learned loads on here about the merits and science (or lack of) of helmet use. In the past, commuting in London, I wore one. For the past 10+ years I haven't. That sums it up for me: We all have a choice whether we do or don't. I don't mind if you do and I don't mind if you don't. I won't ram either side of the debate down anyone's throat. But I'm not going to like being evangelised at either.
Post Reply