http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: On the giving of unsolicited advice en Sun, 31 May 2026 17:34:25 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250759 Sun, 21 May 2017 13:38:01 +0000 wee folding bike 250759@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Depends what it is. If they have a bad pedalling style I'll probably ignore it.</p> <p>If they have the forks on backwards or some other dangerous thing I'll say so. Not everyone understands this even when you tell them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250602 Thu, 18 May 2017 19:35:27 +0000 gembo 250602@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have an opposite thing going on where I am giving people unsolicited information as to why a guy with half a lung is sailing past them on a ten tonne bike. I say, don't worry this is an electric bike. They all appreciate this unsolicited info </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250598 Thu, 18 May 2017 19:10:54 +0000 sallyhinch 250598@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I would distinguish between unsolicited advice and notifying someone of something they may not be aware of. So I'd not say anything about gears, but I might point out that their light was obscured or that something was dangling close to a wheel. A dim rear light is a borderline case - someone may be cycling home in a race against a dying battery, or they may not realise how quickly their back light had faded. </p> <p>People tell me all the time that I've left my lights on (the standlight on my rear dynamo light doesn't switch off) and it never bothers me - I consider it to be a general index of kindness of strangers. Unsolicited advice about my dynamo light set up would get a fairly dusty response though. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250578 Thu, 18 May 2017 16:59:52 +0000 dougal 250578@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Min Agreed! Maybe if we become regular co-commuters on that path I will strike up conversation. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250571 Thu, 18 May 2017 16:42:39 +0000 Klaxon 250571@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I regularly sail past people on Leith St by simply spinning away in gear 1.</p> <p>Likewise people on lighter bikes using their gears correctly normally pass me but that's by the by and to be expected. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250570 Thu, 18 May 2017 16:41:23 +0000 steveo 250570@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>and this is why I always leave people to their own devices...</p> <p>I did once consider commenting to a chap that his rear light was so dim I thought it was reflector or a lady who's very stylish bag completely obscured hers but figured they'd got this far who am I tell them otherwise. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250567 Thu, 18 May 2017 16:36:46 +0000 Min 250567@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Or just had a dodgy front mech. It happens. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250566 Thu, 18 May 2017 16:33:59 +0000 crowriver 250566@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Maybe the cyclist was training for a special high gear climbing challenge? Or a bodybuilder trying to pump up their leg muscles? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250553 Thu, 18 May 2017 15:48:58 +0000 Arellcat 250553@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><code>"This hill's always hard work isn't it?"<br /> "Yeah"<br /> "Are your gears OK? Looks like you could drop it down at the front. Maybe make it easier going up here?"</code></p> <p>or something to that effect? Though on balance, I would probably say nothing too. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250552 Thu, 18 May 2017 15:46:50 +0000 chdot 250552@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Thoughts?"</p> <p>There's a whole thread on this somewhere, including various considerations of gender. </p> <p>Plus (if I remember correctly) some interesting/useful observations. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17758#post-250550 Thu, 18 May 2017 15:42:02 +0000 dougal 250550@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I passed a cyclist this morning on Leith Walk who was struggling incredibly with the hill and rucksack. I couldn't work out a polite/non-condescending way to say "if you take it off the biggest ring at the front it will all be much easier!".</p> <p>So I left a struggling cyclist with a cross-chained gear, grating and grinding up the hill when it was probably unnecessary. And I feel bad that this kind of experience can put people off.</p> <p>Thoughts? </p>