Why are people so abusive to cyclists, what do they get from it?

[FinnyStory]

I'll start by saying it's not everyone by any means, the vast majority of motorists are patient and go on with their day. We make an effort to disrupt traffic a little as possible, use mostly very quite roads (because cycling those is far mor pleasant) and pull over often to let traffic pass, but it is occasionally necessary to use a busier road for small part of the route.

However, I rarely go on a bike ride without one person thinking they need to hurl abuse. The most frequent situation is when they've tried to overtake me on a bend and come face to face with another car, which is apparently my fault.

The most recent occasion was down a steep hill, we would have been doing at 25mph, speed limit 40, So yes we were slow and it was difficult to pass but not that slow. Traffic lights at the bottom and driver felt the need to stick his head out and yell something about how we should be on the pavement (Yes of course we should doing 25mph but that's another issue). My friend pointed to his bike mounted camera and the driver suddenly didn't feel the need to abuse us any more.

It must be exhausting to be so angry all the time, what do they think they gain from it?

It is strange. I think a certain percentage of people are just stressy rage-filled anger machines while driving and can’t stand the thought that anyone might be in their way, even for 30 seconds, even if they’ll obviously make up the time by the next traffic light. Can’t cope with the idea that other people aren’t putting them first.

I think in general no one likes to be obstructed. Mostly you suck it up, put it in perspective and remain polite but given the choice you'd rather not be inconvenienced and a minority will be rude about it.

I think some motorists are just angry and impatient and not just with cyclists. I hate it when drivers drive too close behind me if they want to be going faster. They are probably hurling abuse at drivers too - it’s just you can’t hear because we’re in our cars.

That said I do get frustrated with cyclists sometimes - especially the ones that travel in packs who are clearly on the road for exercise only. But my annoyance is always only ever voiced inside the car 😅

It's annoying when there is a purpose build cycle track, or joint pedestrian/cycle pavement, and cyclists insist on peddling down the road holding up traffic.

I never abuse cyclists and am patient when overtaking etc. However there are a lot of cyclists where I live and they frequently don't keep left and cycle 2 abreast having a chat. They all seem to think they are doing the Tour de France, makes me laugh!

it's tribal. For whatever reason, they see themselves (car drivers, passengers) as Tribe D. Other road users are suspect but graded: Bigger vehicles = Lorries, Tribe L, tolerable, and they are bigger since might makes right they must be right. Tribe H (horse riders) are weird too, but even more rarely seen. And it's not the animal's fault...

Tribe P (pedestrians) are also a little suspect, but most people have frequent recurring brief moments of being in Tribe P, so kind of tolerated. Many people have never had a moment of seeing themselves as being in Tribe C, so it is definitely OTHER.

White van man -- well, those are drivers & passengers too, so just a branch of Tribe D. But Cyclists (Tribe C) are decidedly different.

White van man does dodgy overtaking or speeding = "shouldn't have done, but it's ok, he's in my tribe."

Most people in Tribe C barely get noticed but one person in Tribe C runs a red light = "outrageous! I knew people in that tribe were a bad lot."

It's funny how speed or a motor gives perceived validity to be on the road, but being too flipping big for the road is just normal, nobody questions that -- or maybe it's the fault of the council for not building enough road space rather than bad choice by the person with the stupidly too big vehicle they routinely use for 2 mile journeys...

I encounter a lot of cyclists on the road out to my dad's house. I'd never hurl abuse, so I'm really sorry that you've encountered that, but the cyclists on the road do give me the fear. Mainly because the roads are full of twists and turns and it's not really safe to pass for the majority of the journey. So after a while it is rather frustrating being stuck at 20mph. But as I said I'd never be abusive and I'd always give you your space. It's a shame we can't have a set-up similar to that in The Netherlands where they have the separate roads for cyclists. It would be safer for everyone that way!

I have the opposite experience. I don’t drive or ride a bike, and I’ve frequently experienced unprovoked abuse from cyclists simply for existing, for waking on a pavement when they want to illegally cycle there, and for crossing roads at crossings when the little green man is lit up when the cyclists don’t want to stop at a red light and are angry that they cycled out into the crossing without checking if anyone was on it, and had to swerve to avoid hitting me.

There are lots and lots and lots of abusive and law-breaking cyclists who unfortunately give all cyclists a bad name. In my experience it’s rare that “good” cyclists call out the abusive illegal ones. Whenever there are threads on MN about cycling, most of the cyclists get very angry that ANY cyclist is criticised and will actively try to dismiss or minimise abusive or criminal behaviour.

Until cyclists en masse start behaving decently, and until ‘good’ cyclists stop defending the abusive ones, the poor reputation of cyclists will continue.

I get frustrated with some cyclists (as I do with some drivers) but I would never hurl abuse at them. Or anyone for that matter.

The thing that drives me up the wall is cyclists waving me around them on bends. I will never overtake a cyclist on a bend even if they’ve waved me ahead. They always seem to get annoyed that I ignore them but it is my responsibility to make sure the road is clear and I can’t do that if I can’t see. I’m happy to wait behind them for the road to be clear.

I can't stand cyclists

The trouble with "purpose built" cycle paths is they're mostly not fit for purpose. They're ok for a family pootle with children but you can't travel at speed on a road bike on them. For one thing there's a surprising amount of broken glass on them. Why is that?

They just get in the way and many of them go into the road

You can't stand any cyclists?

A bloody ridiculous thing to say.

I walk, I cycle, I drive. I've encountered knobs doing all three of those, who are also doing those things. I don't hate all cyclists, pedestrians and car drivers though. I don't even hate the ones that have annoyed me.

I rarely say anything to them, but dislike cyclists. I am a pedestrian. Cyclists speed along pavements on quiet roads and cycle through the local woodland, both actions breaking local bylaws. Cyclists ignore red lights and the rules of the road. Why should pedestrians have to jump out of the way of cyclists when they are in the right and cyclists are wrong?

It's been covered here before but cycling two abreast is safer for everyone and usually better for motorists. If you couldn't overtake a car in the space, it's probably not safe to overtake a cyclist. It's much easier to overtake two bikes side by side than it is to over take two bikes behind one another.

@Newwayofthinking

It's annoying when there is a purpose build cycle track, or joint pedestrian/cycle pavement, and cyclists insist on peddling down the road holding up traffic.

^

This

Happens all the time near me, we have a busy 3 lane road which is a 40MPH road, been lots of fatales on their over the years, along this road because of the speed there is a lovely cycle lane and a separate pedestrian path, why oh why do cyclist insist on cycling in the slow lane, it’s so dangerous as most people drive well over 40 along there this road leads to and from central London.

Another area in Surrey we frequent usually Sunday’s so many cyclists, 2/3 abreast, never seen anything like it. Very frustrating when they are all gaggled together.

However I never say anything because in the last couple of years I’ve started cycling, since becoming a cyclist I am more tolerant and have patients and wait etc, I know what it’s like to be one the road and abused, however I do shout back, I also ring my bell if you reverse out and nearly crush me. When I started cycling I make sure I follow the rules of the road and I am insured as well.

@woodlandwalker

I rarely say anything to them, but dislike cyclists. I am a pedestrian. Cyclists speed along pavements on quiet roads and cycle through the local woodland, both actions breaking local bylaws. Cyclists ignore red lights and the rules of the road. Why should pedestrians have to jump out of the way of cyclists when they are in the right and cyclists are wrong?

The ones on the road aren't breaking any of those rules

It's a mixed bag both sides. Where I am, rural, we get groups of two to four cyclists that spread across the road, they go impressively fast which is dangerous on the narrow twisty roads round here. There is one hill in particular they zoom down with no regard for the alarm it causes the cars / tractors coming up. They arrive in cars and park ridiculously. And seem to have an incessant need to shout constantly. Others on the main road, tired from all thier hill climbs, go dangerously slow on 50mph Rd! And they all seem to.enjoy this at the peak times of day for traffic. There are a lot of novice cyclist out there at the moment to who wobble about especially when trying to signal!

@Newwayofthinking

It's annoying when there is a purpose build cycle track, or joint pedestrian/cycle pavement, and cyclists insist on peddling down the road holding up traffic.

Oh God yes this. The town I used to live in tore up a beautiful grass verge with flowerbeds to build a duel use path. It's a fast road yet cyclists still insist on using the road which is dangerous.

I’m not abusive to cyclists but their entitlement gets on my nerves. But I am mostly a pedestrian but I also drive occasionally and have been a cyclist in the past. As a pedestrian It’s mostly when they cycle at you fast on footpaths and expect you to get out of the way. Or whoosh past you closely and at speed from behind not allowing for the fact that pedestrians can change direction. Or jump pedestrian crossings whilst you are crossing. And yes I know it’s not all cyclists but it is enough cyclists to make walking around less relaxing. It doesn’t help that my local authority have used pavements to create “cycle lanes” by painting bicycles on them. This makes cyclists believe that they are entitled to cycle on the pavements without any consideration for pedestrians. It’s dangerous and annoying.

I also drive and I have also been a cyclist in the past.

Wouldn't call it entitlement but I don't get why you'd want to cycle on anything more than a 30 mph road, especially those windy national speed limit roads. I'd be scared shitless.

Because

1 - lots of cyclists are inconsiderate

2 - cyclists often ride 2 abreast so taking up half the road

3 - even with a cycle lane they are sometimes half in the middle of the road

4 - they feel like red lights and pedestrian crossings don't apply to them

5 - many cyclists think they are better than the lowly car driver

6 - some are bloody slow

7 - they wear Lycra

I think those cyclists who are inconsiderate bastards give all of us a bad name.

I live on a road that narrows for 3 miles. There are lots of passing places/ several joining roads where cyclists could pull in safely without stopping or move over to let cars pass, yet they insist on cycling in the middle of the road whilst cars crawl behind them. They also refuse to stop for cars coming the other way. Always the none local, lycra clad, head down brigade. Recently I have been hearing yells from frustrated drivers at least twice a day.

I always pull in when cycling as I know how frustrating it is and cannot understand how the cyclists can be so entitled.

I guess the same drivers tar all cyclists with the same brush.

I didn't ask why people dislike cyclists, I asked what people gain from throwing abuse

Until cyclists en masse start behaving decently, and until ‘good’ cyclists stop defending the abusive ones, the poor reputation of cyclists will continue.

My SIL does this. A cyclist suddenly went from the cycle path to the road just in front of me without looking and I had to slam on my brakes. No reason that I could see for this. It wasn’t the end of the path and there was nothing that suddenly appeared that meant they had to move quickly. According to SIL, the cyclist was absolutely right to do this and must have known something I didn’t. She wasn’t in the car with me during the event but immediately defended the cyclist. Fine, maybe they did know something I didn’t but it would have been their life at risk if I’d hit them.