The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #172617   Message #4179733
Posted By: Steve Shaw
23-Aug-23 - 04:21 PM
Thread Name: BS: Bleeping Cyclist
Subject: RE: BS: Bleeping Cyclist
I know that two wrongs don't make a right, and I've never held back from criticising badly-behaved cyclists (check my posts!). But, like motorists and even pedestrians, (and dog-walkers), cyclists are street/road users and all street-users need to show tolerance and understanding. Mostly they do, but in this thread we're singling out cyclists for special excoriation. I'm not sure that's entirely fair, though I wouldn't hold back on criticising the few badly-behaved ones. I think it's fair, and not thread drift or whataboutery, to point out that cyclists as a genre may not be the worst street offenders, not by a long chalk.

A few years ago I'd just emerged from the superb Bude butcher's shop (sadly, John the butcher died last year) with a couple of pounds of sausages in a carrier bag. As I made my way up towards Sainsburys a thuggish type of chap, somewhat Neanderthal in appearance, scruffy, hoodie, sort of thing, was heading towards me. He had a huge, vicious-looking dog on a heavy metal chain lead. As we passed each other his hound smelled the bangers and made a sudden lunge for my carrier bag, behind his owner's back. The chain wrapped itself round the chap's legs and he was well and truly decked. Excellent...