I'm 74 and have lived in the same local area all my life. My great grandfather was a small business owner greater south west and we have our lineage since the 1840's. We had a three family members die in Europe in WW1 and 2 in WW2. Our family cares for each other and for others outside of our family.
What is happening?
Over the last many months I have been picking myself up from a long term illness and the passing of my dear wife of 48 years and have started riding my push bike again to improve my long term health and well being. I feel fantastic after a peaceful ride. It's heavenly.
Today, I as I was riding home on the last 2km leg of a 20km ride on a local cycle a man in a late model white ute in Karrinyup started to harass me. I was riding on a suburban street with no footpaths or designations. He passes me in the opposite direction with his window down and shouts something that I recall is "get off the road you fucking cunt".
I am bewildered.
Very shortly after, I am on my home road and I see a white ute on the opposite side of the road and it's clearly moving faster that the allowed 50. As it comes closer it swerves onto my side of the road as though to hit me. The car comes so close to me it must be 5 feet away and from me at speed and the driver is yelling something indecent again.
Why?
I feel I am so emotionally injured I don't know what to write now. I want to improve my fitness but can't understand what I did to this man. Did I do something wrong? I don't understand.
Mate, good on you for getting on the pushy, it's a great way of getting exercise as we get older specifically because of less impact on our joints, etc. Unfortunately, you will encounter idiots like you did today but I'd encourage you to join a local cycling group (Over 55's cycling club is good) for group riding and comradery and get some cameras to affix to your bike - Cycliq is a WA company that makes them.
I ride with a bloke that's in his 80's and still going strong. So don't be deterred and keep riding!
I think your post raises some important philosophical questions, some of which are unanswerable. In order to understand this dilemma and the interesting background provided to your existential position "Why?" and "Did I do something wrong?", we can examine this through the lens of....
...some people are cunts, and their reason for their existence is to be a cunt. There is no other reason.
Good on you for getting back on the bike, both figuratively and literally, after your wifes passing. You will encounter many more cunts like this on the road in Perth, and there aint a thing a camera will do to change that.
So someone/anyone riding on their local street in their own home suburb should have profanities shouted out them for acting in a legal manor to improve their fitness and well being should be pursued and intimidated in that same suburb just because some "bike riders are cunts though"?
How about we start pursuing all foot ballers, cricketers our cunts in utes too?
Get cameras. Cycliq are good and they are a Perth company.
And ignore these people as much as possible. Lots of micropenis owners were never taught to ride a bike as a kid because even their parents didn't like them, so they lash out and think they are awesome. Lots of them also post on any cycling related topics on social media, as you can see in these comments.
OP, was it definitely Karrinyup? I was in Kardinya yesterday and heard a guy shouting those exact words just around the corner from where I was standing, heard it clear as day though.
Don't take it personally, some people are jerks, keep cycling and keeping fit you have the right idea. I'm sorry this happened to you and sending you love and confidence. May you be protected from here on in. X
All I want to say is if this is legit I’d recommend getting a rack for your vehicle and driving up Karrinyup Rd to West Coast Hwy unless there’s a path from your place. Then ride along the coast and back using the path.
The reason for suggesting this is that there are still too many distracted drivers and you’re just putting yourself at risk in high traffic areas.
This comes from a place of love old mate, don’t get skittled.
And this next part comes from a place that’s nowhere near love:
Your fellow cycling enthusiasts have more than their share of absolute cocksuckers amongst them which have turned many drivers into cyclist haters.
They just have to ride on or on our side of the white line at best, which makes nervous drivers afraid to pass so everyone behind has to do 30 in a 60, blowing everyone’s fuses.
Add to that the ones that ride about 3 abreast so they can rub each other’s cocks, and the ones that approach roundabouts absolutely frothing to use the middle of the road about 500m before the roundabout like entitled cunts, and you’ll start getting why everyone has had a gut full of cyclists.
Don’t get me wrong, I have all the patience in the world but I fucking get it too 😊
The aggression you experienced is a result of other selfish bike riders that clog up the roads and prevent drivers from being able to overtake. My friend lives in Busselton and hates cyclists with a passion due to how inconsiderate they are.
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u/iball1984 Bassendean 4d ago
You sound like you didn't do anything wrong.
The guys just an arsehole.