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AIBU?

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Original poster

Grown men doing wheelies

58 replies

Slowlyslowlysurely · 21/09/2025 11:49

AIBU to think that the 40+ year old man who has just whizzed past my house on the pavement doing a wheelie looks absolutely ridiculous?

a) why on earth is he on the pavement of a quiet residential street?
b) what would make him think “hey you know what would be really cool, if I just yanked one wheel off the floor and balanced precariously as I fly past people’s front doors!”

this is a frequent occurrence round here….does anyone else have a city of man children wheelying about like 10 year olds?

OP posts:
zipadeedodah · 21/09/2025 12:40

warmapplepies · 21/09/2025 12:36

YANBU to think they shouldn't be on the pavement.

But YABU to think there should be age limit to having fun.

Yes exactly this. Better to be out doing wheelies than in wanking themselves stupid over internet porn lol.

LynetteScavo · 21/09/2025 12:38

Do wheelies become cool
again at a certain age? I think an 80yo doing wheelies would be cool.

So no wheelies from 11yo- 75yo, any anyone younger or older crack on.

warmapplepies · 21/09/2025 12:36

YANBU to think they shouldn't be on the pavement.

But YABU to think there should be age limit to having fun.

myfavouritemutant · 21/09/2025 12:34

Wheelies are fun though. So YABU - it’s sad to have a cut off age after which you no longer deem them acceptable.

however YANBU re cycling on the pavement.

Ketzele · 21/09/2025 12:28

I live on a major London road, and we used to have a big problem with trainee roadmen doing wheelies in front of cars, swerving in front of them st the last minute. Strangely they have all gone now. Maybe Darwin's Law took care of the problem. But no 40 year olds - yet.

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 21/09/2025 12:25

FuzzyWolf · 21/09/2025 12:05

That was why I asked to try to accurately gauge the potential risk as a wheelie on a pavement where people have driveways and can see in advance really isn’t something to be concerned about. If you open your front door without any visibility and get knocked over, it’s a different matter.

Show quote history

But, to be fair, that's all about riding fast, and on the pavement ... not specifically related to wheelies

Unacceptableinthe80s · 21/09/2025 12:24

So you're not concerned about safety? Just what they look like? Who cares. People who like to have fun are not usually concerned with how they look, I'm in my 50's and roller skate in my neighborhood, I give no shits what my neighbours think I look like. Do you very rigid ideas of how adults should behave?

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 21/09/2025 12:23

Slowlyslowlysurely · 21/09/2025 11:49

AIBU to think that the 40+ year old man who has just whizzed past my house on the pavement doing a wheelie looks absolutely ridiculous?

a) why on earth is he on the pavement of a quiet residential street?
b) what would make him think “hey you know what would be really cool, if I just yanked one wheel off the floor and balanced precariously as I fly past people’s front doors!”

this is a frequent occurrence round here….does anyone else have a city of man children wheelying about like 10 year olds?

Yes. YABU

We are meant to have got past thinking people are ridiculous or shaming them for it (which is what you're doing by inviting ridicule).

Stop it.

What/who are you going to pick on next?

If you want to talk about safety or annoyamce or stuff then that's a different world.

NamelessNancy · 21/09/2025 12:22

This place is so weird sometimes. I'm sure if I posted about allowing small children to bike or scoot along the pavement I'd be swamped with posts telling me the pavement is not for bikes but 40 something year old men are just having a bit of fun doing wheelies on them!

LlynTegid · 21/09/2025 12:21

Some people have no self awareness and look or behave in a ridiculous way. Not something really to get worked up about unless there are injuries.

ConBatulations · 21/09/2025 12:21

Saw one doing a wheelie on an electric bike on the main road into town. His hat feels off, so he stopped the wheelie but couldn't stop to retrieve it as he was going too fast and there was too much traffic. Not in his 40s though.

zazazooms · 21/09/2025 12:19

Yesterday a 30ish year old was doing one outside of Aldi and landed on his arse. It took all my restraint to not laugh. Tbf I was impressed he got up and did another one straight away!

FuzzyWolf · 21/09/2025 12:17

MissyB1 · 21/09/2025 12:16

And I'm sure its equally brilliant if you are the parent walking along with your pram as the idiot races towards you on his back wheel, probably completely unable to see you. Can't imagine how brilliant that must be.

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My children always loved me spinning them around in their pram which has to be the younger years equivalent of a wheelie.

MrsPinkSky · 21/09/2025 12:17

Branleuse · 21/09/2025 12:12

I bet it feels brilliant to be able to do a wheelie tbf

Just let people enjoy things

It does!

Especially when you learn not to fall off the back of the bike! 🤣🤣

MissyB1 · 21/09/2025 12:16

Branleuse · 21/09/2025 12:12

I bet it feels brilliant to be able to do a wheelie tbf

Just let people enjoy things

And I'm sure its equally brilliant if you are the parent walking along with your pram as the idiot races towards you on his back wheel, probably completely unable to see you. Can't imagine how brilliant that must be.

MissyB1 · 21/09/2025 12:13

NamelessNancy · 21/09/2025 12:07

Nobody should be doing wheelies on any pavement surely? They're for pedestrians.

This!!

Branleuse · 21/09/2025 12:12

I bet it feels brilliant to be able to do a wheelie tbf

Just let people enjoy things

Chazbots · 21/09/2025 12:09

I'm in my 50s...

They're actually manuals, there's a difference, apparently.

It's on my wish list to learn how to do, probably in a park tho. 😎

NamelessNancy · 21/09/2025 12:07

Nobody should be doing wheelies on any pavement surely? They're for pedestrians.

beAsensible1 · 21/09/2025 12:07

Redpeach · 21/09/2025 11:59

To be fair that's not wrong, although i do think they are a bit testosterone performative, i mean i ain't never seen a lass do it

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They do, just more likely to be younger as the way women are socialised to have fun are usually less active. And we are generally more risk averse as we age and in general.

I don’t even think they look silly If I did think about id at most think it seems a fun skill to have/try. I wish more adults had fun and were silly to be honest.

doing it on the pavement is dumb

FuzzyWolf · 21/09/2025 12:05

Slowlyslowlysurely · 21/09/2025 12:01

@FuzzyWolf funnily enough not everyone does have a driveway.

That was why I asked to try to accurately gauge the potential risk as a wheelie on a pavement where people have driveways and can see in advance really isn’t something to be concerned about. If you open your front door without any visibility and get knocked over, it’s a different matter.

Original poster
Slowlyslowlysurely · 21/09/2025 12:01

@FuzzyWolf funnily enough not everyone does have a driveway.

OP posts:
MrsPinkSky · 21/09/2025 12:00

Redpeach · 21/09/2025 11:59

To be fair that's not wrong, although i do think they are a bit testosterone performative, i mean i ain't never seen a lass do it

Show quote history

Oh, cross posted 😊

MrsPinkSky · 21/09/2025 12:00

what would make him think “hey you know what would be really cool, if I just yanked one wheel off the floor and balanced precariously as I fly past people’s front doors!”

They shouldn't be flying down the pavements or the roads doing wheelies.

But they are fun to do in the park.

I'm a woman in my mid fifties and it's still one of my favourite things to do in the park!

Redpeach · 21/09/2025 11:59

beAsensible1 · 21/09/2025 11:53

well doing a wheely on a main road would be stupid. Why can’t a grown man have a bit of fun? They’re not hurting anyone.

To be fair that's not wrong, although i do think they are a bit testosterone performative, i mean i ain't never seen a lass do it