I’m a very experienced cyclist, I’ve been riding in the city for over 7 years just about every day. I was a bike messenger for over 6 years so I know the rules of the road, and I consider myself a very safe rider. Anyhoo here is the situation:
It's Sunday morning I'm hungover and I'm riding home on my bike to go back to sleep, easy ride usually not a problem. Then up ahead I see lots and lots of rollerbladers, they do this group ride where they hold up traffic on the cross streets so they can stay in a group. Ok these guys/gals outnumber me and they are taking up the whole street, I see that most of them are bunched up on the left hand side of the road so I decide to pass them on the right hand side of the road. Mind you I'm hung over so I'm not going fast, I don't want a confrontation I just want to go back asleep. I go to the right hand side of the road and I start calling out "on your right, on your right" so the rollerbladers will move to the left. No real problems here, eventually it seems like I be home in a couple of minutes. Then one fucking jackass calls out "you should pass on the left asshole!". NO SHIT YOU DUMB FUCKER but I decided it would be safer to pass on the right seeing how there are only 20 people on the right side and 50 on the left. Maybe if you dumb fuckers would only take up one lane there would not be a problem.
I normally do not have a problem of group riders but that one fucking jackass made me want the take those fruitboots and shove them up his ass, unfortunelly he has a bunch of sticks up there and I doubt they would fit.
So fuck you motherfucker I hope you die in a horrible freaky rollerblading accident
I’m as keen a skater as you’ll ever meet, be it street, aggresive, speed or hockey. They’ll probably have to bury me in my Koho’s.
This still doesn’t stop me from ripping through a group skate if I’m on my bike. Just accelerate to ramming speed, shout one loud, clear warning, and let them do all the manouvering for you. It’s far easier, and it provides a useful practice exercise for less experienced skaters. Honestly, they’ll thank you for it - at least I’m fairly sure that’s what they were shouting after me
And as for your curse, you lose points - a keen skater hopes to die in a freaky rollerblading accident.
I’m a pretty damn good skater myself. Usually passing the recreational bikers and sometimes drafting the faster bikers. My handle is a reference to what happens to me when I fall. I go on group skates often. They usually include a biker or two.
The above poster is correct. Shout “on your left,” or “on your right,” before passing. Just be ready for me to pass your slow ass on either side.
Also, the activity is “in-line skating.” “Rollerblade” is a brand name of a skate. It is a decent skate, but my “Oxygen’s” are better. Unfortunately, they are out of business. Fortunate for me because I got them for a steal.
I used to bicycle a lot. But my nuts and pecker would get numb, which can not be good. Us skaters will breed better than you bikers.
Let me say from the outset, I skate and I’m proud.
That being covered, you’re absolutely right. I hate running into packs, be in skaters or riders. It seems like the IQ of every person in the group drops to that of the dumbest member. Road rules, common courtesy and common sense seem to go right down the crapper when there are more than three people involved.
It’s almost like they think there’s a democratic principle involved: There are more of us than there are of others; so we can determine correct conduct via majority rule. My generally high level of misanthropy goes up exponentially when I run into this.
BTW, the perfect curse would have been: “I hope you lose both your feet at the ankle, you fuckin’ douchebag.”
Now I’ll just sit back and wait to hear from any double pedal amputees I just offended.
Well you better steer clear of Amsterdam and Berlin next week as I’m hopping the Pond with 71 Yanks and our 144 skates for some excellent urban skating.
You’ll know us when you see us…we come in full battle dress: helmets kneepads and wristguards, while the Continentals haven’t quite grasped the concept of safety gear yet.
We actually do try to get along with bikes ‘n’ stuff, but there’s a little bit of anarchist inside each of us, and, well, you shouldn’t be riding with a hangover anyway!
I skate for speed and distance. My skates have bigger wheels. I handle bumps and curbs as they come, and leave the half-pipes and rails for the agressive skaters. Agressive skates have little wheels, to better perform stunts. Aggressive skaters I hope wear cups for protection.
It is not so much a democratic principle as a lemming effect. You see people in front crossing the street and you feel it must be clear enough for one more. This is especially true when a group is skating fast and one is afraid of falling back. It is proper for skaters to call “clear” or “car right/left” or “car/bike/whatever back” so the group can accomodate.
I’d actually thought about starting a thread with a similar theme, but my observations will fit just as well here. I have no problem with skateboarders / rollerbladers doing their thing in appropriate places, i.e. their own property skate parks, empty parking lots (if the owners don’t mind), public parks, roads when they do so courteously, etc.
But have some common sense. If you’re going to ride your skateboard in the school parking lot, pick someplace other than right in front of the exit. When I’m jogging on the jogging path in the park, I am not obligated to get out of your way just because you happen to be either illiterate or inconsiderate. When you cross an intersection, the same rules apply to you as pedestrians, and these rules are for your safety.
And to the asshole wearing the “Skateboarding is not a crime” T-shirt: Trespassing is a crime. Yes, I understand that it’s a vacant lot, and that the concrete foundation for the house that used to be there is a very tempting surface on which to practice your “tricks”. That is why there is a 6 foot tall fence surrounding it covered with “No Trespassing” signs, and a padlock on the gate. I could give you reasons why I dont want you there such as I don’t want to be sued if you injure yourself on my property, such as my homeowner’s insurance rates could go up if there is an accident, such as I may be legally liable for your behavior if I don’t take precautions to keep you out. But really, why I don’t want you there is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that it’s my property and I don’t want you on it.
I’m with the bikers on this one. Those punk rollerbladers annoy the hell out of me. It’s not like I dress in those skimpy shorts (woo-woo!) and the helmet because I think they make me look stylin’. No, it’s a visual warning to all that I come to bike fast. Plus, am I the only one that skaters take up more than their fair share of pavement? I mean, I understand that some side-to-side motion is mechanically necessary, but come on people!
I also hate those families that get their kicks by going “biking” in packs. And of course, they all go slow, so granny and her walker can keep up, and they all feel the need to bike abreast. Form a line people! That’s what they teach the kiddies in school!
You mean you’ve never tried downhill racing? Fantastic sport - mind numbingly terrifying with the chance to get the sort of roadrash that legends are made of.
Gary - I’ve always been a very keen skater, but of late haven’t had any partner or group to go with and as such (being low on will-power) don’t get out so much any more on them.
So, where do you skate? Are you not in London, IIRC? Any chance of joining you some time?
[Roadrash hijack] The first time I downhilled was the fourth time I skated. There’s a great park in Tempe, AZ that runs next to this ascinine man-made lake (yes, in the middle of the Phoenix metro area!- Your tax dollars at work.)
Anyway, as I was driving in, I could see there was a lot of foot traffic in the main area of the park. Not being very (read: any) good yet, I headed down to the other end, which had a big construction area next to a fairly unused, but wide, sidewalk. After all, there’s not much reason for the other park patrons to trudge down a sidewalk that only leads to a construction zone, right?
I was back and forthing on this for a while, getting the feel and gaining some confidence. I decided I’d skate the sidewalk over into the main area and stop at the first concession stand. That way, I could get a hotdog and inflict as little of my incompetence as possible on anyone else.
As I was skating down the walk, I realize - too late- that there was A HILL looming right in front of me, going down. I made sure the feet were straight, tucked and started wishing I wasn’t an athiest, because praying would have felt pretty darn good.
I whipped past a bicyclist who was going down the same hill and thought, “Cool. I’m going to make it,” since I was only about 30 feet from the end of the hill and could just hang until my speed slowed down when I hit level ground.
Of course, as soon as I thought that, my right boot bobbled and I slid part of those 30 feet like I was going into second base. Minor roadrash and a shredded pair of Levis. The real bitch was skating back up the hill, which I made myself do as a reminder to check the route thoroughly next I went out.
Sorry about the delay Kabbes, totally missed this until now.
I’m currently on contract up in Scotland though, so it might be some time before I’m back down in London. I’ll let you know if I’m down anytime soon though…
