Re, Idiots on bikes

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Ben@Forest
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by Ben@Forest »

Edwards wrote:I am not sure I would want to get in the way of solders even retired ones and start shouting the odds at them when they are marching to remember their dead friends.


As a former soldier I would say that at the average Remembrance Day service there are no soldiers who are marching to remember their dead friends. There are increasingly few soldiers from WW2 nowadays and many of the survivors are no longer able to parade or stand outside in cold weather for any length of time. Of course there are many soldiers from conflicts since (I am one of them) but the losses were far fewer and once out of the army (or whatever service) you are unlikely to be be with a whole load of veterans from your unit.

I served on three operational tours and in that time no-one I directly or indirectly knew was killed by enemy fire. A few that I knew were killed in road traffic accidents and one committed suicide, I presume they are also remembered, but overall I think nowadays very few servicemen will, thankfully, experience having their friends killed around them.
Flinders
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by Flinders »

I don't like the current trend for regarding anyone not wearing a poppy as in some way wanting in respect.
My grandfather fought in the trenches in WW1, and lost many of his friends. He was, to say the least of it, unenthusiastic about the red poppies, IIRC partly because the charity itself used to be called the Haig Fund - little short of an insult to the fallen.

I'll give money to it if asked, but in remembrance of him and his friends, I don't wear a red poppy (though used to wear a white one when there used to be some around, haven't seen one for years).
Mike Sales
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by Mike Sales »

Flinders wrote:though used to wear a white one when there used to be some around, haven't seen one for years).


You can convert a standard poppy by substituting white petals.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Postboxer
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by Postboxer »

Is a 'marching band' a band who are marching, or the band members of a band who march? It seems almost unbelievable that anyone would shout at a marching band of the first kind, whilst they're playing music and marching together. More believable that maybe some cyclists came across a group of musicians stood in the road, maybe not in formation, maybe tuning/practising, so maybe the cyclists shouted in order to be heard over them. Perhaps also the road closures weren't signposted very clearly, or the cyclists hadn't come across the signs yet. Maybe it was just one rude member of a group of polite riders, who shouted several times.
Bonefishblues
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by Bonefishblues »

Postboxer wrote:Is a 'marching band' a band who are marching, or the band members of a band who march? It seems almost unbelievable that anyone would shout at a marching band of the first kind, whilst they're playing music and marching together. More believable that maybe some cyclists came across a group of musicians stood in the road, maybe not in formation, maybe tuning/practising, so maybe the cyclists shouted in order to be heard over them. Perhaps also the road closures weren't signposted very clearly, or the cyclists hadn't come across the signs yet. Maybe it was just one rude member of a group of polite riders, who shouted several times.

Can't move for musicians in the road round here, too.

My money's on this being one of them there urban myths, especially, as said earlier, Google's not your friend on this incident.
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foxyrider
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by foxyrider »

Unlikely it was roadies - they all wear black! :lol:
Convention? what's that then?
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Phil Fouracre
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by Phil Fouracre »

Is it me? Just a little suspicious, as others appear to be, that this might not be quite as described.
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity
VanDriver
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by VanDriver »

[quote="Chris the Sheep"
What worries me, and it's very difficult to say this without putting my foot in it, is that Remembrance Sunday is no longer quite the dignified, understated affair that it used to be. With the combination of WW1 and D-Day anniversaries, and continuing tragic waste of life today, 'poppy day' has acquired a prominence it didn't have for decades. These cyclists could have ridden into the scouts' St George's Day parade and not encountered anything like the same level of condemnation; we seem to be in a new age where anyone not wearing a poppy is seen as not supporting our service personnel, an age where freedom of personal reflection and expression is overruled by a largely media-inspired expectation of how we should behave. Millions of men and women have died to give us that freedom, most of them wouldn't have thought of themselves as heroes, and the current national mood makes me uncomfortable.[/quote]

Very well put. There are some people who can hardly wait to take vicarious offence at something or other.
puffin
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by puffin »

Edwards wrote:I do not know if this tale is true or not.

Unfortunately respect for the deceased is not unheard of in recent years.

There are many instances of road rage and general unpleasantness by many different types of road users towards Funeral Corteges.
But as this thread is about idiots on bikes if I may I would like to recall one such instance.
I live near a Cemetery and Crematorium and one day I witnessed on such idiot holding up a Hearse with Coffin in it. He was shouting that it had not given way and he had right of way going around the roundabout that he had just left the footway to join the road at.

.


From the other side... when I did LEJOG I was on a hillside lane north of Tebay when a funeral cortege went past. I took my hat off as you do, but was surprised to see a strong show of gratitude from the ushers, which suggests people don't do it enough.
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661-Pete
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by 661-Pete »

Regarding the Bakewell incident (or not), I suppose we'll never know the truth of the matter. It may have been a genuine instance of offensive behaviour, or it may have been a story fabricated by someone with a grudge against cyclists (there are a few about!! :? ).

Someone could, I suppose, contact the RBL Bakewell branch and find out what actually happened. If you google them, you'll find a phone number. But I don't advise it - I certainly wouldn't do it myself. The caller might well be taken for a journalist 'looking for a story' - no way!

Best to let the matter rest.
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kwackers
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by kwackers »

661-Pete wrote:or it may have been a story fabricated by someone with a grudge against cyclists (there are a few about!! :? ).

I doubt it's a grudge.
The similar stories I found were just too similar to be coincidence. I've definitely come away with a feeling that a few words have been swapped and the story reposted.
Some people just like creating a bit of drama - they get lots of 'likes' on their story along with people agreeing with them and being outraged. These days 'likes' are a form of currency and for some folk finding like minded folk to be outraged with is a decent substitute for a real friend.
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661-Pete
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by 661-Pete »

kwackers wrote:These days 'likes' are a form of currency and for some folk finding like minded folk to be outraged with is a decent substitute for a real friend.

....and I'm really glad we don't have them on this forum. I hope things stay that way - for ever and ever....
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).
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TrevA
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by TrevA »

We had an eventful Sunday ride. We meet by a War Memorial but we moved along the road a bit out of respect. Out into the countryside and 2 seperate encounters with horses. First was near a stud farm and 3 skittish racehorses. They pulled over on to the verge, but clearly didn't like the sight of us and started spinning around. We came to a complete stop and asked what they wanted us to do. They tried walking the horses past us, but in the end went up to a T junction 50 yrads away to get out of our way. Next, into the village of Plungar, where there was a service going on, but they were only taking up half the road and we got past OK. Then some more horses on a narrow lane. Again, we slowed right down until the horses appeared under control and managed to ride past slowly.

Horse riders usually appreciate the fact that you've slowed down or even stopped for them. We're in no hurry. If only motorists showed the same respect to both us and the horseriders.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
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Psamathe
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by Psamathe »

For me, remembrance is more about reflecting on the stupidity of war and the disappointment that the human race seems totally committed to continuing fighting and killing. But I don't need a Remembrance Day to make me reflect on that. Just watching the new most days makes me think of it.

But if it helps some think about just how daft "going to war" really is, great. But I think for many it has become as much of a ceremony to be followed as a true reflection. And others failing to participate in the ceremonial aspects will upset some; who consider it an obligatory ritual. Failing to participate in the ceremony does not mean one does not reflect on the sacrifice, etc. So I suspect the reported "incident" may easily have been somewhat exaggerated. If it really happened as described I have no doubt it would be in local press, on the internet, etc.

Ian
Bikefayre
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Re: Re, Idiots on bikes

Post by Bikefayre »

Totally dumb as I'm sure there's a Cycling Pals Battalion somewhere from the First World War. Hang your head in shame guys for doing that at a parade!! Cyclists died in both wars and bicycles helped shape the war, think BSA Para bikes and the bicycle movements done by the Dutch public during the Second World War.
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