So writes Allan Ramsay of Road peace in the Bolton News Readers' Letters.
Err. there's a sayin' about seagulls and pigeons and their "natural instincts"
No matter where I park up.. them birds do
things
But what's he written
Well.. he was replying to another reader who wrote that he thought cycling in large groups was plain selfish.
Allan Rooadpeace Ramsay wrote:
It's hard to believe this reader sees groups of 15 cyclists holding up traffic several times each week
Indeed .. they are all on the pavement
In fairness, the only time I've been annoyed has been when I missed the first part of a West End Show I'd paid good hard earned cash for and spoiled a special treat for my wife.. because of the muesli munchers on a CM
Given he lives in a burb somewhere in Greater Manchester per the letter page... I would also be surprised if this area has huge groups "several times per week". I reckon we are talking of the odd Cycling Club or CTC groups weekend jolly. Family down in the Manchester/Bolton/Bury/Stockport/ " rectangle" are not reporting such sightings of lycra clad seagulls, pigeons or cyclists
Unfortunately Allan spoils what was a promising rant at the other reader's daft comment by going off on one again..
I was impressed with the start anyway.
No one here disputes the rights of any other road user by the way. One attacks daft comments though.. and Rule 66 is pretty straightforward
courtesy and I follow that rule just as much as HC rules 144-147.
NOTE
Al who probably lurks I quote from the most recent book which proves I at least read and revise it
Do you?
One has to ask given the content of all letters to date which seem to be tirades at all other road users other than cyclists.
BRAKE and Roadpeace were not set up to do this. I am ex-BRAKE member and I was one of the early members too. I applaud and fully support a number of BRAKE initiatives still. We only have the fall -out over scam politics.
in reality - plus the "revenge" innuendo in some of their PR. Accidents ... affect all involved. Even if the person who made the dreadful mistake warrants a jail sentence.. that person is still shell shocked and still requires help all the same. You only need to be a fly on the wall in A&E to appreciate this.
In fairness to BRAKE .. they are not using their campaign to promote cycling grievances either.
But Al.. if you lurk on this site.. please reply. I will listen to you and hopefully we can all discuss without winding each other up.
To Al.. on assumption he does lurk
I am not ( being rude to you .. but your opinions are a bit .. well ..
odd I hope you do not think so anyway
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
The average motorist has held up more by motorway crashes
Road works..,
density .. and rubber necking breakdowns on hardshoulder
more.
and
Quote:
inconsiderate parking which holds up lorries and buses
Unless there are yellow lines or other restrictions.. my sister was told by a WPC who had parked her car across sis's driveway and was blocking access ..
[quote=WPC neighbour to one of my sisters after she complained about being blocked by her despite her own empty driveway]
that one can park where one jolly well wants to. [/quote]
Actually . she was wrong.
Wildy posted up a query in PH and DVD and the gang ,, as well as IG in private gave my sister the ammo required to shoot her neigbour in the proverbial foot over it .
. (Not literally .. my sister does not go around shooting anything .. apart from goals in matches between staff and pupils at the School she teaches at
)
But difficult to park anywhere in that rectangle around Manchester as the traffic wardens there swoop down like vultures on anything parked up foir more than a second.
But then we have the ultimate "hold up" and quite daft comment from a Roadpeace official
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
And what about horses?
A horse rider is still another road user. As much right as anyone else to be there. Admittedly you have to be jolly careful as horses can "spook" if surprised or taken by surprise.
But again it;s showing respect to another road user and if Al is complaining about horse riders.. then he is being "intolerant of another road user"
Horses are not in Bolton town centre.. though you do find police horses at match days around the stadia in the area.
Besides if he is talking about pony treks on the rural outbacks .; like Rivington/Blackrod Moors .. the horses were around before bicycles as means of transport and where there are stables and farms.. there are animals..
Cyclists as well as motorists have to be careful and considerate around livestock who are a fact of life in any rural setting.
I know he lurks on 'ere
C'mon Al.. Chat back to us over this one!
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
I've been cycling for the best part of 60 years.
As an 11 year old I toured Scotland with my grandad.. riding 40 miles per day and staying in youth hostels.
As a lad .. we toured in a car, stayed in nice hotels and HIRED a bike when we wanted to.
My Dad was keen on activity .. same as I am with my own brood. We walked.. played cricket.. rugby ..golf... football.. sailed boats.. rode horses.. rode bicycles.
But we have done the cycling holiday in Cornwall and stayed in farmhouses and guest houses.. and I did this on family childhood holidays and later with my own brood. We've also cycled heck of a lot further on the "epics" too.
But then.. grew up in a rural area and now live in one. Ride bikes, drive cars and occasionally ride the odd horse.
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
As a 15 year old I rode to his house in Edinburgh.. 200 miles away
Alone? Well ... Al.. Elf n Safety .. tssskkk
They would not allow you to do that today
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
Inspired by Tom Simpson.. I joined the Prestwich Phoenix Club and started racing I wanted to be a Tom Simpson. Indeed I still do. Millions have done much the same
Hang on Al..
racing 
I thought you lot think speed kills. You go a lot faster than 30 mph these days on a decent racer.
And wanting to be like the Tom Simpsons.. Lance Armstrongs.. is no different from my young son Lukas thinking the world of young Lewis.
I hear the young 13 year old diving ace and Olympic Medal hopeful loves cycling.. and holds Lance as his inspirational hero for determination and perseverance against all odds.
So.. our heroes inspire for many reasons and not just "their personal speeds"
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
Cyclists training, racing and riding in groups for anything like 40 -100 miles is as natural as birds flocking together and for much the same reasons
Except that with the TOB/ Le Tour.. .. Toud de Suisse.. etc.. these are
organised with planned routes/police/marshalls/admin etc. to protect the public.. pedestrians.. drivers and spectators.
If training with a group.. etiquette and plain good manners require a move in to single file to allow others to pass. I also think I should remind that the Highway Code Rule 66 states you should never ride more than
two abreast and ride in single file on busy roads and when riding around bends Ain't it odd how these cyclists who seem to have a problem with car drivers and always condemning them never seem to know these rules or any rule .. yet everyone else is supposed to obey each rule
OK I agree with
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
Support. safety in numbers conserving energy
but not with
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
Unlike car drivers we don't waste energy
But racing is racing. It's hardly using the bike for a commute.. Likewise training for these racing rides.
Sure it's sport. It's fun. I do train myself and I do enjoy watching and even taking part in the odd racey event.. but I do not kid myself that it's for anything other than my own pleasure and thus is not "saving the planet"
Likewise our charity epics.. We train for those as they are a bit long. But we do them for as much our own fun and personal enjoyment as raising some cash for a good cause. We do not pretend that this activity "saves the planet" but the cash we raise might just help save a life eventually all the same.
allan Roadpeace wrote:
Will the "war on our roads never end? The motorists are never satisfied.. always wanting more. It's aggression, intolerance, erosion of courtesy and worst of all destruction of the natural world
Pot, Kettle Black come to mind here given what he writes as constant. Plus the comment that cyclists are pedestrians on wheels and then stating they are part of the traffic and should be viewed in the same way as a car on the road.. plus the contradictory comments over red lights.. with one lot saying if the road's empty and they want to go they can.
(I cannot do this in a car .. and if a bicycle is another vehicle - then the person in charge has to obey this same law
)
contrasted with the "I lose cadence and ooomph if I have to stop" illogic.
Seems to many folk out there as if cyclists are never satisfied
and want and demand far more
Accusing drivers of destroying the planet..
Bicycles appear by magic then and arrive from China and wherever on a magic carpet then
Not to mention all the other gear.
I buy them.. but I do not pretend that my buying a bicycle and riding it fairly often or even doing the odd light shop on it is "saving any planet"
any more than my driving my rubbish to the re-cycling bins or driving all my kids to one destination in one car is plugging the ozone holes by these actions of careful motoring and disposal of recyclable stuff.
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
As for a cycle being a single track vehicle - most driver only cars are 5 seaters and aren;t 4x4s too big for today's roads
If Al lived around here .. he would know that the 4x4 is an essential tool for those who make their living as the stewards of our rural idyll.
If he had as many kids as we do.. a large car to transport them and even shop to feed them all is also an essential tool. Have very small kids. cycling everywhere would not be practical.
Allan Roadpeace wrote:
And please stop parking on pavements and in cycle lanes
Please stop riding on pavements. I did not appreciate being pushed down into the gas works that time.
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