spoozbucket
Likes Dirt
Today I felt a bit embarrassed to be a bike rider, here in Newcastle we have this nifty thing called The Fernleigh Track, after years of planning and saving our local councils and some Government funding turned an old train line in to a pretty damn cool walking/cycle path.
I went out for a nice leisurely roll along the Fernleigh Track and as usual had a few faster riders duck past which is cool, today however was different, it was as if I missed the sign that said I was on the Fernleigh race track. Riders were just being flat out stupid, overtaking in packs not caring if riders or walkers were coming in the other direction or weaving in and out of people whilst riding at almost race pace.
Sadly the return leg was much worse as there was a tail wind and many of the bloadies(bloated middle aged 'roadies' in lycra) must have realised that if they ride in a small peloton they may be able to slash seconds off their precious Strava time. After having a few riders pass by at sane speeds I cross at a crossing and go to ride around an older person when a group of riders blow straight through the crossing and past myself and the older person who was in the end almost hit by me as they were so freaked out from the other riders passing.
So yeah, today at the end of my ride I had a sort of (to quote Jackass) I'm not mad, I'm just ashamed, sort of feeling going on.
In my opinion riders really shouldn't trying to be improving their times or pro/elite level fitness on a public walk/cycleway when it is occupied by normal people out trying to enjoy some peace and quiet with their kids, dog or whatever, it just isn't the place, if you are too scared to ride the road go to the gym and ride a bike that goes nowhere.
Riders have whined about dangerous drivers for years and some are too fearful to ride on many roads, however on the bike paths they seem to be causing the same problems they face when sharing roads with motor vehicles.
This is all just my opinion of course, I apologise for the grammaz, I am no wordsmith.
EDIT- Oh yeah, and to the night riders, you don't need six billion lumens aimed 300m up the path to see where you are going, it sucks riding in the other direction!
I went out for a nice leisurely roll along the Fernleigh Track and as usual had a few faster riders duck past which is cool, today however was different, it was as if I missed the sign that said I was on the Fernleigh race track. Riders were just being flat out stupid, overtaking in packs not caring if riders or walkers were coming in the other direction or weaving in and out of people whilst riding at almost race pace.
Sadly the return leg was much worse as there was a tail wind and many of the bloadies(bloated middle aged 'roadies' in lycra) must have realised that if they ride in a small peloton they may be able to slash seconds off their precious Strava time. After having a few riders pass by at sane speeds I cross at a crossing and go to ride around an older person when a group of riders blow straight through the crossing and past myself and the older person who was in the end almost hit by me as they were so freaked out from the other riders passing.
So yeah, today at the end of my ride I had a sort of (to quote Jackass) I'm not mad, I'm just ashamed, sort of feeling going on.
In my opinion riders really shouldn't trying to be improving their times or pro/elite level fitness on a public walk/cycleway when it is occupied by normal people out trying to enjoy some peace and quiet with their kids, dog or whatever, it just isn't the place, if you are too scared to ride the road go to the gym and ride a bike that goes nowhere.
Riders have whined about dangerous drivers for years and some are too fearful to ride on many roads, however on the bike paths they seem to be causing the same problems they face when sharing roads with motor vehicles.
This is all just my opinion of course, I apologise for the grammaz, I am no wordsmith.
EDIT- Oh yeah, and to the night riders, you don't need six billion lumens aimed 300m up the path to see where you are going, it sucks riding in the other direction!