Random Irritations

GreiginFife

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Just had a bizarre run in with a cyclist when I was out getting lunch. Decided I wanted something from the bakers for lunch, a wee change. So jumped in the car to head to the next town (about 8 miles round trip).

Got to the traffic lights in the village, red light and I'm the only car there, and a cyclist draws up along side me and proceeds to take a wee lean on the top of the A pillar of my car. Just having a wee rest and casually leaning on my car.

So I roll the passenger window down and politely ask him to remove himself from my car and he goes off on one, effing and jeffing that he wasn't causing any damage to the car and that he has a right to pull alongside if space allows (it didn't, it left less than 1m to the kerb).

He was extremely fast off the mark and through the red light when I opened my door to "have a word"...

What the hell is wrong with these people?
 

Rooter

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Just had a bizarre run in with a cyclist when I was out getting lunch. Decided I wanted something from the bakers for lunch, a wee change. So jumped in the car to head to the next town (about 8 miles round trip).

Got to the traffic lights in the village, red light and I'm the only car there, and a cyclist draws up along side me and proceeds to take a wee lean on the top of the A pillar of my car. Just having a wee rest and casually leaning on my car.

So I roll the passenger window down and politely ask him to remove himself from my car and he goes off on one, effing and jeffing that he wasn't causing any damage to the car and that he has a right to pull alongside if space allows (it didn't, it left less than 1m to the kerb).

He was extremely fast off the mark and through the red light when I opened my door to "have a word"...

What the hell is wrong with these people?

Lifes idiots use all kinds of transport.
 
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Rooter

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Sorry, not sure I follow. Or is this an automatic defense of cyclists?

My issue is not his mode of transport but his lack of basic manners and respect for other people's property coupled with just basically being a dick when accosted.

Maybe a little defense of cyclists, purely because of society's hatred of them right now which is stirred by social media and the gutter press.. I agree with you, he acted like asilly person, I have leaned on cars. no one has ever asked me not to, but if they did I certainly wouldn't launch a tirade of abuse!!
 
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GreiginFife

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Maybe a little defense of cyclists, purely because of society's hatred of them right now which is stirred by social media and the gutter press.. I agree with you, he acted like a knob head, I have leaned on cars. no one has ever asked me not to, but if they did I certainly wouldn't launch a tirade of abuse!!
Why would you lean on someone else's car?

I have no issue with cyclists per se, as long as people follow the rules of the road and not just act like there are no rules (applies to all users). Having sustained nearly £1k of damage to one of my cars from a cyclist, I would prefer ALL road users to be insured but that's not cyclist's fault, that's the fault of the current rules. I'd also prefer all road users to require a test of some sort too that ensures they do actually know the rules, but that may be a step too far.
 

Dando

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Maybe a little defense of cyclists, purely because of society's hatred of them right now which is stirred by social media and the gutter press.. I agree with you, he acted like a knob head, I have leaned on cars. no one has ever asked me not to, but if they did I certainly wouldn't launch a tirade of abuse!!
what gives you the right to lean on someone's car?
 

BiMGuy

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Sorry, not sure I follow. Or is this an automatic defense of cyclists?

My issue is not his mode of transport but his lack of basic manners and respect for other people's property coupled with just basically being a dick when accosted.
Was he on a road bike and full kit w⚓️?

I’d have been emptying my screen wash the second he touched my car. And moving so he had to get let go.
 

GB72

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Why would you lean on someone else's car?

I have no issue with cyclists per se, as long as people follow the rules of the road and not just act like there are no rules (applies to all users). Having sustained nearly £1k of damage to one of my cars from a cyclist, I would prefer ALL road users to be insured but that's not cyclist's fault, that's the fault of the current rules. I'd also prefer all road users to require a test of some sort too that ensures they do actually know the rules, but that may be a step too far.

As a start, and so as to not discourage the benefits of cycling to the general public, I would like to see people who cycle for a living to have insurance and even a form of licence. I have had more near accidents with Just Eat and Deliveroo cyclists winding through traffic and people I known in cities have similar issues with them and with bike couriers.
 

Rooter

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To answer why, I will assume he was a Lycra-clad 'cyclist' and not someone on a bike. If so, it's a 99% chance he was wearing cleated shoes, which means your shoes are physically attached or 'clipped in' to the pedals. When waiting at the lights, having something to lean on makes it faster to get away as you do not need to unclip, put your foot on the floor and then reclip in, which at times is not successful on the first attempt, and when on a busy junction for example, its not ideal as you can't pedal with full power to get back up to speed.

To answer what give you the right... Come on, it's not like he is asking to marry your sister, resting your hand on a car roof or a lamp post, or a bin as per my explanation above works best for everyone...
 

Rooter

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Yeaahhh, was my first thought but it's empty :ROFLMAO:

He wasn't full kit, just mountain bike and helmet.

Yeh, thats hilarious....

Well they guy was a silly boy then to be honest and lazy. On a MTB in street clothes, its safe to assume he has flat pedals, so was being lazy as there was no reason for him to do it, and then it turns out, he was also a silly boy.
 
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Whereditgo

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To answer why, I will assume he was a Lycra-clad 'cyclist' and not someone on a bike. If so, it's a 99% chance he was wearing cleated shoes, which means your shoes are physically attached or 'clipped in' to the pedals. When waiting at the lights, having something to lean on makes it faster to get away as you do not need to unclip, put your foot on the floor and then reclip in, which at times is not successful on the first attempt, and when on a busy junction for example, its not ideal as you can't pedal with full power to get back up to speed.

To answer what give you the right... Come on, it's not like he is asking to marry your sister, resting your hand on a car roof or a lamp post, or a bin as per my explanation above works best for everyone...
I wear cleated shoes, the shoes have carbon fibre soles too so they are as slippery as.......but I would never dream of leaning on someone's car and would be equally hacked off if a cyclist did that to my car while I was stationary.
 
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