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?

Dual use paths are not brilliant for either pedestrians or cyclists.

@FinnyStory

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

Better to shout out the window that they are being an inconsiderate twat then to run them over 🤣

😂

@FinnyStory

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

We all need to air our grievances!

I agree the abuse isn’t acceptable.

And it's not all cyclists by any means, but it seems a lot of them are absolute twats.

They ride really slowly in the middle of the road blocking cars.

Then they hurtle down pavements at 100mph despite the fact they're not supposed to be on it.

They ding their stupid passive aggressive little bells when it is your right of way!

They ride 2 abreast so nobody else can get through.

Lycra looks stupid on everyone.

Childish rant I know but after years of nearly being knocked down by a cyclist when walking down the pavement, I'm fed up of them.

Fuck cyclists

It’s not just motorists, my teen was almost knocked off his bike by a pedestrian who stuck his whole arm out with the intention of knocking ds off his bike.
This was just a local road and ds had done nothing to this pedestrian. He was really upset by this.
There are despicable people everywhere. Good job my son has now learnt this.

I never get angry with cyclists but I can’t stand most of the ones I come across

The ones around here are rude and obnoxious and seem to be looking for an argument

It’s just road rage isn’t? If you’re asking, makes them feel better if they shoutmove ya Boris bike for fuck sake, same as when someone cuts you up in the car the road rage appears.

Nothing to gain just in the moment I guess people feel better like when you shout when you bang your little toe

It’s unlikely that cyclists are cycling through woodland. cycling is usually allowed on public trails.

I’ve been out this morning. Have been shouted at by a rude man who decided not to give way on a single track road - I was already on the road when he arrived from the opposite direction, he drove down it anyway and was cross that I didn’t jump into the hedge.

Lots of friendly cyclists saying hello though.

Charles 11 that’s awful.

I don't verbalize abuse but I do think it. Narrow country roads are.hard enough to overtake never mind cyclists 2 abreast. Miles of traffic behind them and never seen one pulling over yet.

I didn't ask why people dislike cyclists, I asked what people gain from throwing abuse
That attitude really..people are explaining their frustration which is what leads to abuse, but that's just not good enough for you is it.

Many people who drive object to anyone or anything getting in their way, and cyclists are easy to target and can hear any abuse.

I think it is partly that we don't regard motoring offences as the crimes that they are, so too many people who should be disqualified are not. I think another contributor is that people often are rushing last minute and do not appreciate the time a particular journey takes. A third reason is that people have stress/issues and find cyclists someone to take their anger out of, an easy target of sorts.

I've had the same from pedestrians while on a bike - jumping in front of me and shouting to make me fall off.
As a woman the abuse is often sexual and much more scary than just "get out of the effing way".
Please, however much you dislike cyclists and think they are in the way (hint: they are usually doing it for their safety, including going ahead at red lights. Extra hint: the cycle paths on the edge of roads are worse than useless) TELL ALL THE MEN YOU KNOW NOT TO DO THIS.

Your son's parents need to teach him not to catcall anyone, cyclists, pedestrians, anyone.
Whether that's your son's mum or dad that teaches him, I care not.

That attitude really..people are explaining their frustration which is what leads to abuse

I'm sorry, 'lycra looks stupid' leads to frustration which leads to abuse? You think it's acceptable for people to shout abuse at someone because they're don't like what they're wearing?

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

A lot of 'purpose built' tracks/pavements aren't fit for purpose. Overgrown, covered in gravel/glass, parked over, too narrow, especially when they're 2-way, pedestrians walk 4 abreast oblivious to anyone else on them. Actually safer to be on the road, where they're perfectly entitled to be.

If you can't pass a cyclist safely and without fury then you shouldn't be driving.

Part of the problem is that incredibly self-centred people can't conceive of anything not being about them.

Cycling in middle of road - trying to hold me up!
Cycling two abreast - doing it JUST to annoy me!
Cycling at all - who does she think she is, probably thinks she's saving the planet and better than me, arrogant cow!
...and so on.

It's people being dicks. Some drivers tend to view themselves as superior to cyclists.

Interestingly someone I know, who used to decry giving cyclists a car's width of space when overtaking, has now had a Damascene-style conversion after spending time cycling during lock-down.

It was rather entertaining to listen to him rant about how frightening it was to be passed by a car which only allowed inches of room, and then remind him that this is exactly what he does to other cyclists when he's driving.

I cycle occasionally and I drive a lot. In an ideal world it would be beneficial for all drivers, where possible, to spend some time cycling on the road. I suspect it would dramatically reduce the amount of harassment that cyclists get.

Joint pedestrian/cycle paths really aren't safe for cyclists who are trying to get anywhere. They're fine if you're rolling slowly along trying to keep pace with your child on stabilisers, but they're not great if you're e.g. going to work and don't want to mow down all the pedestrians on your way there.

We make an effort to disrupt traffic a little as possible, use mostly very quite roads (because cycling those is far more pleasant) and pull over often to let traffic pass,

I'm sure this is true of you, but not necessarily of the majority of cyclists.

The problem I think is that cycles and cars shouldn't really be sharing a thoroughfare because they change speeds in such a different way. Cyclists are so much more vulnerable than car drivers yet often behave as if they don't realise this and pull out erratically or speed up in a way that makes it difficult to overtake when possible and slow down when it isn't safe to overtake. All in all I hate driving on the same road as cycles because I stress about keeping them safe and keeping the traffic moving at the same time. I also find cyclists often behave really selfishly when I'm a pedestrian (as do car drivers to be fair).

We really need proper cycle networks rather than being all 'tribal' and horrid about it though. I would never shout abuse at anyone in the street and I'm sorry that happened to you.

well, some of them are ok. But not the ones that are 'pavement with a blue sign up making it shared use'.

For me, a bit part of the annoyance is with cyclists who are holding up traffic just to exercise. I have more patience for a commuting cyclist etc. Most other things that hold up traffic are there because they have to be (eg tractor, milk float, learner driver etc) but the cyclists that are there just for exercise irrationally annoy me.

Can you imagine it if amateur train drivers could take to our railways for jolly runs out on their little engines, holding up the network? I know this is a crap analogy but you get my point. Roads are an infrastructure - to get from a to b. Why do something unnecessary to hold it up when you could just rig up Peleton (or whatever it is).

The majority of most people on most modes of transport are OK. But there are utter wankers as well. I've seen both.

In an ideal world it would be beneficial for all drivers, where possible, to spend some time cycling on the road. I suspect it would dramatically reduce the amount of harassment that cyclists get.

Yes! I always think this. A number of the aggravating habits of cyclists being listed here are actually sensible choices. (They’re also a bit Schrodinger’s cyclist - simultaneously holding up traffic by slowly hogging the road and endangering pedestrians by speeding down the pavement...)

So often it’s the result of inadequate cycling provision - unusable cycle lanes and so on - drivers could be a really useful ally if they would direct their anger at this rather than at individual cyclists.

Why are people so abusive

That is the question to ask. And whole books have been written about that.

Drivers and pedestrians who are abusive and even violent towards cyclists, I fully believe are also abusive and violent in other aspects of their lives, and if they're not it's only because they don't think they can get away with it.