stupid cager

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Had an interesting confrontation this morning on the way to the
station...

I was behind a car that had stopped at a mini-roundabout, but since the
road was clear I assumed the car was going to be moving off any moment,
so performed a "track stand" (is it a genuine track stand on a bike
with a freewheel?) rather than putting my feet down.

After a few seconds of waiting like this, there was no sign of the car
moving - instead the driver appeared to be getting agitated, and
gesturing to her son in the passenger seat. Then she starts honking her
horn wildly.

Since she clearly wasn't intending to move off, I decided to go around
her and proceed on my way. As I passed, she started yelling out of the
window and it was at this point I realised her agitation and honking
was directed AT ME! - it seems she thought I had been leaning on her
precious car (a [censored] old banger at that).

I thought it best not to react and just rode off, but it was an
interesting lesson in the perceptiveness capabilities of some
motorists, not to mention their obsessive pride in their vehicle,
however [censored] it may be.

Ho hum!

d.

LOL, there's no helping some people is there. I think you should have shown
her what you were doing though, that way you would have removed her
perceived cause for stress, and left her feeling embarassed.

davek said:

Had an interesting confrontation this morning on the way to the
station...

I was behind a car that had stopped at a mini-roundabout, but since the
road was clear I assumed the car was going to be moving off any moment,
so performed a "track stand" (is it a genuine track stand on a bike
with a freewheel?) rather than putting my feet down.

Probably a stupid question, but:

a) What's a track stand?

b) If you were behind her, why did she think you were touching her car.

I can't picture this.

Paul D popped their head over the parapet saw what was going on and said

Quoted message said:

Probably a stupid question, but:

a) What's a track stand?

AASHTA

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_tp-z.html
--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

Paul D said:

a) What's a track stand?

When you stand still on the bike while keeping your feet on the pedals
- so called because it's a tactic sometimes used by track cyclists in
sprints (they go slower and slower until they come to a standstill in
order to maintain their position behind their opponent). Best done with
a fixed gear bike on a banked track.

Quoted message said:

b) If you were behind her, why did she think you were touching her

car.

I'm a bit bemused myself as to how she got the impression I was leaning
on her car. But there's no explaining the thought processes of some
motorists. I expect she couldn't see me properly, but by the same token
she had no way of knowing I had my feet still on the pedals.

d.

Paul D said:

davek said:

Had an interesting confrontation this morning on the way to the
station...

I was behind a car that had stopped at a mini-roundabout, but since the
road was clear I assumed the car was going to be moving off any moment,
so performed a "track stand" (is it a genuine track stand on a bike
with a freewheel?) rather than putting my feet down.

Probably a stupid question, but:

a) What's a track stand?

Ask Google:"track stand".

Quoted message said:

b) If you were behind her, why did she think you were touching her car.

Ask her.

Quoted message said:

I can't picture this.

I can't imagine anyone being so stupid ................ as the woman in the
car. ;-)
--
Michael MacClancy

soup said:

Paul D popped their head over the parapet saw what was going on and said

Quoted message said:

Probably a stupid question, but:

a) What's a track stand?

AASHTA

Gesundheit

Quoted message said:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_tp-z.html

Thanks

davek said:

I thought it best not to react and just rode off, but it was an
interesting lesson in the perceptiveness capabilities of some
motorists, not to mention their obsessive pride in their vehicle,
however [censored] it may be.

It's not pride in the vehicle, it's defence of territory. Man is a
territorial animal, and one of the reasons motorists become so
aggressive is that their own little bit of territory moves along with
them. It actually extends a little beyond the confines of the car which
explains why they get so upset when someone, such as a cyclist at an
ASL, nips in front of them.

--
Dave...

Paul D said:

Probably a stupid question, but:

a) What's a track stand?

Balancing on the bike without substantial movement fore and aft..

dkahn400 said:

It's not pride in the vehicle, it's defence of territory.

Yes, now you mention it, I think you have it absolutely spot on.

Perhaps she felt threatened by my incredible balancing skills, taking
them to be some kind of bizarre cyclist mating ritual.

d.

Paul D said:

Probably a stupid question, but:

a) What's a track stand?

b) If you were behind her, why did she think you were touching her

car.

Quoted message said:

I can't picture this.

A track-standing bike can appear as though it is leaning on an
invisible barrier, particulary if the stand is well performed.

As it is apparently impossible for a bicyclist to come to a complete
stop without either leaning on something or putting a foot down it
follows that the bike must have been leaning on the back of the car.

--
Dave...

dkahn400 said:

davek said:

I thought it best not to react and just rode off, but it was an
interesting lesson in the perceptiveness capabilities of some
motorists, not to mention their obsessive pride in their vehicle,
however [censored] it may be.

It's not pride in the vehicle, it's defence of territory. Man is a
territorial animal, and one of the reasons motorists become so
aggressive is that their own little bit of territory moves along with
them. It actually extends a little beyond the confines of the car which
explains why they get so upset when someone, such as a cyclist at an
ASL, nips in front of them.

Yes, we are mammals, after all, as are dogs, and if there's one time it's not a
good idea to try and make friends with a dog, it's when it's at an open window
of a car.

davek said:

Had an interesting confrontation this morning on the way to the
station...

Quoted message said:

[chop]

I suspect from that that her motives were good. If she thought you were
leaning on her car, she may also have thought it would be dangerous (to
you) for her to move off. Not a happy situation - and one she'd be
legitimately annoyed with you for putting her in.

Best remedy - laugh it off. Both of you!
As with other innocent misunderstandings.

--
Nick Kew

davek said:

Had an interesting confrontation this morning on the way to the
station...

I was behind a car that had stopped at a mini-roundabout, but since the
road was clear I assumed the car was going to be moving off any moment,
so performed a "track stand" (is it a genuine track stand on a bike
with a freewheel?) rather than putting my feet down.

After a few seconds of waiting like this, there was no sign of the car
moving - instead the driver appeared to be getting agitated, and
gesturing to her son in the passenger seat. Then she starts honking her
horn wildly.

Since she clearly wasn't intending to move off, I decided to go around
her and proceed on my way. As I passed, she started yelling out of the
window and it was at this point I realised her agitation and honking
was directed AT ME! - it seems she thought I had been leaning on her
precious car (a [censored] old banger at that).

I thought it best not to react and just rode off, but it was an
interesting lesson in the perceptiveness capabilities of some
motorists, not to mention their obsessive pride in their vehicle,
however [censored] it may be.

A cyclist did lean on my car once at traffic lights. I wasn't too happy
because it was a filthy horrible day and muddy mitts scratch paintwork.
Didn't do or say anything though - I suppose there's a kind of
cyclists' brotherhood thing that stopped me punching him.

Incidentally, someone drove into the back of my car last Friday. The
dent in the plastic bumper is all but invisible but would be noticed by
any buyer making a close inspection. £220 to fix - makes frame
re-enamelling look like a bargain eh?

in message <427908f8.0@entanet>, Zog The Undeniable

(') said:

davek said:

Since she clearly wasn't intending to move off, I decided to go
around her and proceed on my way. As I passed, she started yelling
out of the window and it was at this point I realised her agitation
and honking
was directed AT ME! - it seems she thought I had been leaning on her
precious car (a [censored] old banger at that).

A cyclist did lean on my car once at traffic lights. I wasn't too
happy because it was a filthy horrible day and muddy mitts scratch
paintwork.
Didn't do or say anything though - I suppose there's a kind of
cyclists' brotherhood thing that stopped me punching him.

In the bad old days before clipless pedals, I used regularly to put a
hand on the roof or gutter of an adjacent car while waiting at traffic
lights. I did occasionally get a bad reaction, mind...

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

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No surprises there then!