To stop cars speeding, Oxford council often narrow the road, which means when I cycle down this hill at 30mph I have to come to a complete stop to let the cars through this ridiculous road narrowing barrier.. Allegedly there is a cycle path to the left (it is hidden by overgrown bushes and might be passable on a MTB at 6mph. It annoys me, why should cyclists be made to stop just because car drivers can’t keep to speed limits? You can easily design roads which make drivers go slower without having to narrow the road to a single lane.
Other things that I don’t like about Cycling
Bad Driving. What a surprise! bad driving will be the number 1 gripe of any cyclist unless they live on an island where there aren’t any cars. It’s not just the irritation being cut up, forced to slow down e.t.c, but, the real physical danger that bad driving poses to cyclists. Cars and lorries kill 3,000 people a year in the UK
Being Labelled with Bad cyclists.
Just because some people cycle aggressively on pavements or through red lights at dangerous junctions, many feel it appropriate to label all cyclists in the same vein. People who cycle badly are probably the same people who drive dangerously. But, when a drunk driver causes a fatal accident I don’t label all motorists as drunken killers who should be locked up. Yet, there is a tendency to label cyclists as one amalogous group.
Hypocrisy.
Many people give ‘cyclists’ a hard time because some people on a bike cycle on pavements, go through red lights e.t.c. Yet, these same motorists will regularly break the law in a much more dangerous way (breaking speed limit, using mobile phone, e.t.c) Another common irritation is when motorists will beep or shout even when they are in the wrong.
Cold Rain.
I really don’t like getting cold and wet. It’s not a problem for short commute because waterproof trousers e.t.c. will keep you dry. But, for training rides, it’s pretty tough. Unfortunately I have poor circulation in hands and feet so really suffer in the cold.
Turbo Trainers
I have one of these in my garage. It sits there like a museum piece. I think I once rode it and really learnt how long 30 minutes can feel. Apparently, there are people who can train for 6 to 7 hours on a turbo! Good luck is all I can say.
Traffic Volumes
Traffic volumes have been rising at a remorseless rate ever since second world war. We live in a world where car is king and other road users are effectively second class citizens. Fortunately there are still some roads where you can ride with light traffic levels. It is a much nicer experience but increasingly rare.
Bike Maintenance.
So many hours I have wasted trying to adjust gears. I think I’d find it easier to learn ancient Greek than master the art of adjusting gears.
Early Morning Starts
To deal with our heavy traffic volumes, many cycle races start early in the morning (from 6am) the Problem is that in the morning I often have low sugar levels so I have to get up really early to have a good breakfast. I just don’t like getting up early in the morning.
Cycle Planners who have never cycled.
Who ever put in this cycle lane (top pic) obviously had never enjoyed cycling down the hill at 30mph to be faced with a cycle land like this.
Just started following your blog, as a not very good time trialist and occasional racer it is very entertaining. Thought this site might be of interest: http://www.progcovers.com/bikedvr/ Colchester has recently been selected as a Cycling Town which makes it all the better.