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Abused By a Cycle Courier This Evening
So yeah was abused by a cycle courier this evening on my ride home from work, I was basically riding over the bridge heading towards North Sydney and when I got on the bridge, I could see a light in the distance so put some effort in to try and catch up, basically I managed to pass and over take this soon to be abusive rider and continued and infact increased my speed on the downhill before getting to the steps.
However Mr Courier person did not like this as, he proceeded to bark at me "Up Up" over take me and then proceed to abuse me for passing him and swearing at me as well.
Now seriously is there any need for this kind of behaviour? 2 other riders witnessed this and thought it was absurred.
No wonder the public have a bad opinion of bike riders, with the likes of this idiot being allowed on the streets.
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I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's why he's a bike courier instead of in a better paying job doing something with greater value-add like you are.
I wondered the other day whether there was any bike rage around, just after I'd copped a serve from another cyclist? In my case I'd stopped at the pedestrian/cycling crossing at the lights, lent against the pole and hit the crossing button, a few guys coming the other way decided not to wait. I notice and checked to my right only to blinded by the sun and decided to wait, stationary leaning against the pole, as the other guys came across one says "keep to the bloody left will ya"! I wasn't even moving!!
Told him to get over it and waited until the lights changed and enjoyed the rest of my training ride, not my commute to work! As I said it did make me wonder?
AD
Haha. I copped a serve from a cyclist over my Ayups the other week.
It was probably because I beamed him, but he didn't help his case by having a wimpy flasher that was only just visible against the background light clutter. I'd just come up the ramp from The Argyle Cut when I only just saw this vague dim light and wasn't sure of it was a bike or what, and because it was so weak I found it real hard to tell how close he was and how fast. I thought "WHAT'S THAT?!" so I swung the helmet beam up to check it out, and yes it was a bike. He lets fly with a whinge and got both barrels back about being invisible.
Interestingly, 4 out of 5 guys coming up the Epping Rd cycleway out of the city near Ryde on Tuesday night had Ayups or similar.
Just yeah was surprised thats all.
Just made me think what a tool.
Strange that on the mtb trails, its always smiles, nods and g'days.
On the roads however its very much the opposite and a gentle nod from another rider is cause for celebration.
Yes, mtb is more of a release and leisure riding, whereas roadies tend to be about getting to a destination for the majority.
But cmon, lets have a bit of courtesy out there and have one common enemy .... politicians! (y'all thought it would be car drivers huh ... well it comes in a close second).
Strangely enough, when I see another mtb'er sportin a rig on their car roofs, I always give them a nod or a high beamer flash like bus drivers do
Sad isnt it ...
I reckon you can tell those road bike riders who also ride a mtb. If you're riding your mtb somewhere that requires bit of road riding (such as West Head) and you pass a road rider when you are on the road, you get a nod from a few and nothing from others. Then I was riding my road bike in the same place, came across some guys on mtbs and found myself giving them a nod and wave as I went past.
The "bad" part about this mtb chumminess, I tore a sidewall going around Manly Dam and had to walk the bike back to Allambie. With the number of people that stopped to see if I was ok and then with the discussion that would go into tyres, rims, etc. ,etc., I reckon it took me twice as long to walk back as it should have!
It is unfair of you to dismiss this guys Job, as somehow worthless, none of us know his situation nor the reason for his outburst.
I have work as a cycle courier and pedal cab pilot between jobs rather then getting on the Dol. it was the most fun I have had and 2 on an average I could earn between 600 & 800 take home perweek not bad for shite work that contributes no “Value Ad”
The next time you need something delivered across the city in under 15min don't call a cycle courier.
I work in the city and know there are some cow boys out there but I still love the way they cut through George St at lunch time as good as any single track.
Since when was earning potential related to value-add? And I presume you mean contribution to society? That's not the kind of response if would have expected from you mate...
While I certainly don't condone the behaviour of Andy's 'mate', sweeping statements and gross generalisations offer little constructive feedback or advice to any situation.
Let's not become one of 'those' forums...
on your ipod then they can say whatever they want and you are oblivious to their abuse.
Works for me.
This type of behaviour isnt needed, certaintly I wouldn't act like this on my bike even if I had had a bad day etc. I dont agree with the fact that cause he a cycle courier he is lower than me in my job. No way.
As for the Ipod, personally I would never ride with a Ipod on, it makes you oblivous to other noise around you which I consider really dangerous as you can garner a lot of information from the feedback you get in your ears, including a bloke shouting on your right or whatever.
In fairness the vast majority of the Couriers I think do a great job and I admire their skills and ability, but yeah there always seems to be one.
Talking about the ride over the bridge I will put my hand up and say I hate being overtaken and will do all I can to stick to the blighters back wheel if they do. Is this a bad thing? I certainly don't mean it against the other rider, but treat it as a test of myself. If they are going a good lick, staying with them is enough for my ego, I certainly wont try to overtake again or bad mouth them. That said I don't really like having people tail me, but if they do it pushes me to go faster which again I treat as a good thing. Whilst I realise most riders out there are just getting to and from work, If they are going that fast I imagine they are like minded and are up for a challenge.
I've been slagged off a few times for overtaking people, but I just assume they don't like the shape of my butt. I don't like it though, leaves a nasty memory.
I think thats a good thing, personally the majority of us on this forum probably do more than ride from Point A to Point B on our commutte to work and the majority of the time are probably pushing ourselves to a certain extent, which is a good thing. I know I always am and normally take a fairly indirect route to get the additional K's in my legs etc, sprint up hills etc.
I mean, really does like getting overtaken and dropped...no one really I guess.
I do it frequently when i am clearly faster than the person in front and i can see there is no oncoming... I don.t see what the problem is except perhaps some people aren't expecting it and get a fright. Although why you'd think you are the only cyclist around and /or the fastest person at anytime i don't know.
Whenever i have lights on in the early mornings i hold my hand over the front as i draw nearer to oncoming cyclists to shade the glare. Noone ever does that for me however...Luckily, i am not a moth.
Unless you see it as a challenge to keep up, so what if you're overtaken and so what if someone is coming the other way, has shiny lights, stops at the lights, etc., etc. We live in a big city which has certain advantages of which a nice ride to work is one of them and that means that, inevitably, other people will want to do the same thing. If people are going to get upset about perfectly reasonable behaviours then they should pack up and move someone in solitude. It's like those people that get upset when you sit next to them on a packed bus, or brush against them on a busy street or one of the other million things that are part and parcel of living everyday surrounded by lots of other people.
People need to remember that rarely does anyone go out of their way to do something to upset other people, it just happens as a matter of course and the best answer is a smile and then move on. The should lighten up and enjoy what we all have!
Incident I posted on Sydney Cyclist a few months back:
So there we were this morning, about 8 bikes and one or two Vespas, stopped at the lights on Oxford St near Woolys Wheels citybound. (Just past Victoria barracks).
All the bikes were at the front of the leftmost lane, about 3 abreast and maybe 3 deep.
All of a sudden there's yelling from behind, words to the effect of "shove over, out of the way". A full-kit roadie is flying down the hill behind us, intent on gunning the red, and looking for a way of gassing it through the stopped cyclists.
Realises it's not gonna happen, jams on the brakes. Just as well, the oncoming traffic gets a green arrow and a cab goes flying through the intersection.
Be careful out there folks, it's moron season.
Not dismissing the job as worthless, but you do generally only get paid a share of the economic value add you create for someone, and never more than the payer's next best option. If you want to earn more economically you need to be more valuable - economically.
That's a separate matter entirely from the "worth" of the individual.
I was physically shouldered aside and told to get out of the way (in more colourful words) one day whilst stopped at a set of lights by two roadies (tight space between pole and vehicle for mtb bars to fit through:-).
They knew I was displeased when I gave chase on my Blur and managed to hit almost 50km/h for a good distance before giving up. Saw the bright side in the fact that my MTB can get and up go when it needs to! But would have loved to have .... ....caught them of course.
...ride faster.
Gees!
I would like to apologise for this blokes behaviour, One of my work mates spotted your post and talked about it during morning coffee. We had one guess as to who it was then quizzed him about it. I would like to say that it was one of the newbies but it wasn't. The guy is known as Crazy Chris and he is a bit of a black sheep in our community. He means well but has very low self-esteem and may have inhaled a few too many paint fumes during his previous career as a panel beater (either that or he has abi from past vices). You know his name now so say hi next time you see him.
His defence was you put a lot of effort into overtaking then slowed him down straight after you pulled in front. We've heard his bs excuses one too many times so we ostracised him a little by asking him why he always has these issues and other bike couriers don't, he went a little bit shy and cycled away after that (although he won't admit it i think he's sorry).
Just to clarify Hawkeye: I and many other bike couriers choose this occupation because we love it, We may not make as much money as some of you but we are happy with the choice we made and i'm a little surprised that you wouldn't want to get paid to ride your bicycle. Considering i get paid to do something i love, i consider myself to be very lucky.
Also high beam is bad etiquette. In the future please show some consideration for other road users when you take to the streets. If you insist on using Ayups for your commute please angle them down.
Its hard for people to see you when your blinding them.
nice reply Doddsy,you obviously enjoy your work you are one of the lucky ones!
There is no way I could of slowed down because by that stage we were heading down hill towards the steps and I had increased my cadence so yeah just a BS excuse imo. However your reply is valued.
Thanks