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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have cycled into a cat

314 replies

Rhododendron · 30/03/2014 21:39

Background: I'm new to cycling and not very good at it yet.

I was cycling along, fairly slowly, when a cat ran into the road ahead of me. Since it would be so much more manoeuvrable than me, I carried on, assuming it would avoid me. But it ran straight under my front wheel!

I don't think it was (hope not, anyway!) particularly hurt since it carried on running and disappeared through a gate. (I stopped.)

Was I BU? Should I have tried to avoid it?

Bit confused since I thought cats were rather more sensible than that? DH (experienced cyclist) says he's never needed to avoid a cat.

OP posts:
shallweshop · 31/03/2014 13:38

throw herself backwards off the bike - think she just needs to know how to use her brakes Grin.

CorusKate · 31/03/2014 13:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Impatientismymiddlename · 31/03/2014 13:41

How many people would let a child with the same level of road sense as the average cat roam around on the streets?!

Precisely the reason that I don't let my child cross the road by himself. When he has more road sense than the average cat I will allow him out unsupervised Grin

ADishBestEatenCold · 31/03/2014 13:44

CorusKate the OP suggests over a few posts that she had time to actually think about a couple of options, but because she wasn't sure of which option to take, she ended up doing nothing!

At no time did she appear to consider braking, in fact her level of inexperience is so great that it led her to spend time trying to "second guess" the cat Shock before going on to think that she wasn't sure what to do.

That thinking time and that shocking level of inexperience while cycling in a public place is the difference between life and death (of people).

Now the OP did go on to say that "had (it) been a child I would have fallen off backwards or something". Are we honestly meant to believe that someone with this level of inexperience who, despite having all that thinking time, is incapable of controlled braking at low speed, is suddenly going to be capable of an avoidance action?

I think this level of culpably crap cycling inexperienced cycling puts not only cats, but pedestrians and fellow road users at risk.

Minnieisthedevilmouse · 31/03/2014 13:44

I've read silly posts, joke posts, idiotic posts, weird, laughable, cringeworthy, sick and horror inducing posts in several years of mn. This op however, this beats them all.

Twitterqueen · 31/03/2014 13:44

Interesting...

Hi-jacking to say that I get shouted at by cyclists - the fast, serious kind - if my dog should dare to be walking on the path on the common that they want to zoom along. There is a speed restriction for the rare farmers' cars that occasionally have to go onto the common but the speed cyclists appear to believe that they own the road, path, right-of-way and can go as fast as they like.

Have also been shouted at by runners - one of whom actually ran into - and kicked - my dog.

I think you are naive OP and you don't sound like a speed merchant, but really, a cat (or a dog) doesn't understand the rules of the road - you should do.

Pleasejustgo · 31/03/2014 13:44

I don't mean their children behave like cats Confused

Imagine the scene, old aunt Betsy has just lost her husband of 50 years, he gave the the cat as they never had children and along comes OP.

There is a level of emotional investment in pets.

I'm not in anyway equating the pain of the loss of a child to a cat either before that's jumped on, what I'm saying is many people seem to be dismissing the cat as vermin and so on.

thebody · 31/03/2014 13:44

if I saw the op hit either of my cats she wouldn't need to throw herself off her bike I would have happily done it for her.

who up thread said cats were vermin? what is wrong with people!

Pleasejustgo · 31/03/2014 13:47

Twitterqueen

I feel the rage coming on having read your post.

reaches for paper bag

dammitsue · 31/03/2014 13:48

Me. Cats are vermin.

Hegsy · 31/03/2014 13:48

Why the fuck didn't you brake?

And as for these people who don't brake their cars for anything but a person or dog you disgust me! How hard is it to slow down a little and give an animal time to move whether its a cat, bird or rabbit? Ok in certain situations its unavoidable but not to even try? Really? Hmm

and OP you should have checked on the cat even if it ran, they do that you know, where the hell is your compassion and decency???? Angry

Pleasejustgo · 31/03/2014 13:48

Thebody

Vaguely remember it being thrown earlier about but can't remember who.

Pleasejustgo · 31/03/2014 13:49

I think the OP should be allowed a space hopper until such time as she can operate brakes.

Hegsy · 31/03/2014 13:50

dammitsue What the fuck is wrong with you? In my opinionYOU are coming accross as vermin not the cats

KellyElly · 31/03/2014 13:53

I didn't say, or even hint that my opinion was, 'never mind, it's just a cat'. That is you, reading something into my post that is simply not there. Re-read your first and last line. Oh! A cat.... never mind. Just make sure it doesn't dent your confidence, OP. and These things happen. Yes, you could have done more to avoid it, but you didn't. You probably will next time. What exactly are you trying to say there then? You don't need to read very hard between the lines of 'oh a cat...never mind' really do you.

Passing lorries, prams??? You clearly have an active imagination as I don't think the OP has at any point suggested any of these things. She could have applied her brakes as she says herself she was cycling slowly but didn't because she thought the cat would move. It doesn't exactly sound like she was on the M1 does it. Do take your grip back, sounds like you may be the one who needs it.

Pleasejustgo · 31/03/2014 13:53

Actually in that case I'd fear for the toads Wink

KellyElly · 31/03/2014 13:54

if I saw the op hit either of my cats she wouldn't need to throw herself off her bike I would have happily done it for her. There's a few people I'd like to do that to on this thread Grin

dammitsue · 31/03/2014 13:55

Meh. I'm not going to risk sending my shopping bags/drink/car clutter flying about trying to avoid a cat. I guess I just missed that class in school where we were taught to love vermin. Now they can pass tb on to people they have dropped even lower in my list of things I don't care about.

Hegsy · 31/03/2014 13:57

Seriously? I won't bother running that risk either if I see you crossing the road. Meh

Backinthering · 31/03/2014 13:58

Dammitsue you sound like a sociopath.

Pleasejustgo · 31/03/2014 13:58

Dammitsue

You have no soul woman!

Hegsy · 31/03/2014 13:58

if I saw the op hit either of my cats she wouldn't need to throw herself off her bike I would have happily done it for her. There's a few people I'd like to do that to on this thread

Me too

Pleasejustgo · 31/03/2014 13:59

Actually kellyelly sounds like the sociopath, she is wanting to run over people.

twofingerstoGideon · 31/03/2014 14:00

Dammitsue, your posts sound a trifle unhinged.

dammitsue · 31/03/2014 14:00

Well, until the law says I must brake....I will plough on regardless. Funny how its OK to suggest murdering people but I'm the sociopath for simply obeying the law!? Cat owners!

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