Hooray. The nice guy won. Sorry, I've been busy.
And, yes I do know how many years Carlos spent with Manolo Saiz, and how long he's been under the wing of "Mr 60 percent" at CSC but I don't care. He won with a daring breakaway on a crucial stage, he's got two very cute kids and he's not Cadel bloody Evans.
Speaking of arrogant Australian arseholes, I'm still puzzling over an incident on Sunday.
After 30 years, I'm immune to the fact that some drivers are clueless. These days, it really doesn't bother me much. I used to get into fights on a regular basis but after a particularly gruesome confrontation in the late eighties between me on my Colnago and a bread van driver in Maida Vale, I came to my senses.
I worked out the logical conclusion to my behaviour -- I would either end up killing someone, or be killed myself. Neither was to be encouraged.
Ever since, I have been a model of Zen calm on the bike -- trying to ride fast, on "the high side" as recommended by Richard Ballantine, but courteously. I stop at lights and wave pedestrians over crossings with a smile. In return, most of my rides are relatively stress free and pleasant.
Incidentally, is it just me or, since the departure of Matt Seaton, has the Guardian's "Two Wheels" column become a soapbox for mithering old moaners doing their best to scare people off riding a bike?
I digress.
Sunday morning. Clear blue skies, light wind -- Richmond Park. Myself and my regular riding partner are circling at a fair clip -- just under 40kph, (I've recently replaced the battery in my Cateye and can't be bothered to reset it to mph). Some of the time we're riding each other's wheels, mostly we're side by side -- no more than a handlebar's width apart.
Suddenly, another rider appears and begins shouting angrily, in an Australian accent.
"Are you going to f****ing overtake or what?", before riding off ahead. My riding partner, not a man to be trifled with in matters of bike etiquette, sprints to catch up and harsh words are exchanged. The Australian -- wearing nasty white sunglasses and what appear to be baggy mountain bike shorts -- undermines his cool further by cocking up a gear change and being left behind.
But, ten minutes later -- he's back with us, shouting again -- slightly less aggressively -- about "showing respect to other riders", and "making way for people coming up behind you".
Did I miss another memo from Cycling Headquarters?
I'm genuinely not aware of any rule or convention that says two people can't ride side by side on an open road because they might block "faster" riders. If a pack of riders were coming through at speed, I'd certainly pull back to single file (especially if they were London Dynamo, but that's a different issue).
Otherwise, if I'm riding on my own I'm perfectly happy to pass small groups of riders if they're going slower than me. Perhaps it's different elsewhere.
Perhaps that's why Cadel Evans is so miserable.
3 comments:
Could you just clarify what is meant by the "high side" - having been doored recently I'm still getting back into my rhythm and perhaps riding a little less aggressively.
Oh, and I'm late in saying it but welcome back!
Thanks Simon. Sorry to hear about your accident.
I first came across "the High Side" in Richard Ballantine's Bicycle Book in the early eighties -- though I suspect he got it from Foresters' Effective Cycling. It's well worth reading Richard's book, and I think he's also brought one out recently which is specifically about riding in town.
Put simply, it just means riding as an integral part of city traffic -- not being forced into the gutter or too close to parked cars or other obstacles. It relies on you riding appropriately fast for the traffic conditions and being decisive and clear -- but it's liberating. Don't unnecessarily hold up cars or vehicles that want to overtake, but if there isn't room for them to get past safely, pull further out so they're not tempted, and make them wait. You're probably going as fast as them anyway, and you're within your legal and Highway Code rights.
Don't slalom in and out of parked cars, and don't go too tight round corners -- it's best to leave room for pedestrians stepping out, and discourage cars from squeezing round the corners at the same time.
If you're going a reasonable speed and it's clear what your intentions are, I find most drivers are pretty OK -- especially if you make eye contact with them and signal. If you're indecisive and wobbling -- they'll take advantage.
Oh, and stop at red lights.
Take it easy.
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