h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm not sure what things are like over there (in Canada?), Dudemeister, but speaking as a generally law-abiding London cyclist, I'm afraid that an worrying fraction of mountain bike riders here are interpreting 'off-road' as meaning 'on pavement' (sidewalk).
I don't think it's the fault of mountain bikes per se, they just give a minority of naturally selfish people the ability to swap between road and pavement at high speed without suffering the proper consequences. It's rather like city-bound 4x4s or sports cars - people buy them, don't really understand what they're for, and then think they've bought the right to drive like complete tossers into the bargain.
What annoys me is that decent, considerate cyclists end up being classed as reckless idiots, and all because of a few a*******s.

Riding without consideration for others is of course inexcusable, but I don't think riding on the pavement is as great a sin as it is purported to be. I work in a busy Casualty department in Leicester, and the number of injuries we see where a cyclist has hit a pedestrian is very low. All of life is a risk and in this case the cyclist is at far greater risk when mixed with other traffic than the pedestrian is when sharing space with the cyclist. There are many issues to consider but pushing forward with creating cycle lanes is part of the best solution. In Leicester many new cycle lanes have been created on pavements and I am sure there will be no deaths as a result. However cyclists lives will be saved in the long run. Looked at in this way it is the lesser of evils. When the environmental issues are taken in to consideration it becomes clearer still.
I like to go mad on specially set by trails myself - see the link to my website on my home page or at http://home.clara.net/garethrobinson/

Hello Bones and Potholer.

I think there is room for the cyclist on the pavement, but only on rare occasions. Short spells on a pavement to, say, go around a parked car on a narrow road rather than cause angst/irritation to brain-dead on-coming motorists if fine by me. You have to think for the drivers when you're cycling in built-up areas and assume that you are invisible to them.

There is of course a whole genre of urban mountain biking which involves trick-riding in shopping precincts or anything concrete-y. This is not just dangerous to pedestrians, but is probably illegal as well. I have seen this form of riding actually condoned and encouraged in mountain bike magazines, wih photos of how to perform some of the stunts.

I myself enjoy nothing more at the weekends than to disappear into the wilds of the Somerset/Wiltshire border countryside in 30-40 mile circuits. 75% of which is trail and the remainder country lane. Cycling off-road is about the best thing ever and I wish I discovered mountain biking ten years ago.

Why anyone would actively choose to cycle in city centres and on main roads, even to get to work, is a mystery to me. It's just too dangerous. And until a lot more people swap their cars for bikes I for one will not ride in busy urban areas.

It's a matter of where and when - there are a few places I'll ride on the pavement, if it's very wide and there are few, if any people. I also take particular care approaching doors or crossing driveways.
However, near where I work, there's a stretch of pavement about 3-4 feet wide alongside a busy, reasonably narrow road with frequent traffic jams. Regularly, idiots hurtle along the pavement at road-cycling speeds, expecting everyone else to get out of the way.

I'd reckon a good rule of thumb is:

'If you keep at or below jogging speed, and assume any pedestrian is going to take a swing at you, but you're never going to be close enough to get hit, then it's probably safe.'

One problem is that many mountain bikes, while undoubtedly being suited to the odd badly maintained city road (try the A3 from Battersea to Brixton) have handlebars rather too wide for proper traffic-jamming. Gaps that a decent drop-handlebar racer could sail through stop them as dead as a motorbike, so they take to the pavement instead. (or just stop there like lemons, getting in my way...)

If you keep your wits about you, and assume everyone else is an idiot (which I admit does come naturally at times), even London cycling can be fun and reasonably safe. Personally, I feel most comfortable travelling at the same speed as the rest of the traffic wherever possible. I reckon that's much, much easier with drop bars, thin hard tyres, and semi-tightened toeclips.

How ca road cycling in London possibly be fun???? I find it scary enough just driving around, and walking is marginally safer. But those fumes!!! If an accident doesn't kill you, the carbon monoxide will.

Sometimes it's just the kind of thought needed to live completely in the moment that's enjoyable, like running down a grassy mountain terribly fast - you have to constantly work out where your next footstep will be, but never let your mind hold on to even the immediate past. Mostly, your thoughts are too rapid to be completely conscious, so in a way, it's curiously relaxing.

Cycling at traffic speed is also unbelievably good cave-training exercise, and is pretty much the fastest way to travel on most inner-city routes. Beats the tube, and it's free.

Concerning the fumes, well, I do hyperventilate, but then, I spend less time outdoors.

On a related point, what _is_ that stuff that comes specifically out of the exhausts of big cars? If I'm coasting along a line of traffic, I can often _smell_ a Rolls Royce, or big-engined Merc or BMW. The smell is reminiscent of an organic chemistry lab, rather like a whiff of (definitely unburnt) benzene, toluene, or whatever. It definitely isn't just a matter of degree, compared to smaller-engined cars, (unless the big ones are pumping out dozens of times more of whatever it is). Even if these oversized cars are particularly bad when ticking over, presumably catalytic converters should get rid of most nasties, and if the car has been stuck in a jam for 10 or 20 minutes, presumably it should have warmed up by then? Is there anything special in the fuel or oil of these vehicles that explains things?

Does anyone know if a cyclist inhales much more fumes than the car drivers? I don't think anything in a car filters the emissions from the other cars. I don't know that many city cyclists are killed by the fumes, at least if they are not asthmatic. Many couch potato car drivers die from heart attacks related to being unfit (one third of all men and one quater of women die from a heart attack) One of the best ways to reduce your risk (no guarantees!) is to keep fit.
So ride your bike, and live life like it's precious - it surely is.

The whole idea (for me and other MTB cyclists) is to get away and off into nature, get exercise and have some (safe) fun and excitement. Like any other sport, as your abilitie improve you can attempt more difficult things.

I would not dare cycle in Ottawa (about 10% of the population of London) as I would surely die or be injured quicker than in London - try drinving here and you will understand, if you can understand driving a constant 60KMh in all sped zones and regardless of the colour of traffic lights, etc.. Besides which, off-road cyclists crave things like incredibly steep and difficult, heart/lung blasting climbs, up dirt, rocky trails, and tree trunks, etc. to navigate. Traffic and pedestrians do not enhance his excitement. (seeing the odd wild animal in the woods is a benefit to the sport - as long as you are respectful - bears can still outrun an olympic cyclist, and running into a deer will cause injury).

I didn't mean to give any offence - many of my mates are mountain bikers (as opposed to people who just happen to own MTBs). I'd just had a few close shaves (including someone flying off the pavement right in front of me as I was spinning along in top gear).
I was surprised by what you said about Ottawa traffic - when I was out in the Rockies some years ago, everyone seeemed so nice and calm and law-abiding, though I suppose the biggest place I went there was Calgary, and I did spend most of my time in smaller towns, or the mountains.

I don't think you offended anyone. People should not do crazy things on bicycles where people are walking - someone will get hurt.

I've never driven in the Rockies (it is very far from here), I hope it is different! Neither have I worked out why people here drive the way they do. It is not a matter of being polite, I think it is more a matter of being alert or sentient enough to manage a vehicle.